They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 69

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

69. Fuki Leaf Banchan Group Lunch Box (3)

I swallowed nervously for no reason.

The elderly’s palate, the first delivery of group lunch boxes. What should go in first?

“Shop owner.”
“Yes!”

Yun Ga-rin lifted her head as if she had already decided on the answer.

“Actually, rather than choosing just one….”
“Yes?”
“What if we put both in?”
“Both?”

I tilted my head and asked back.

“There’s actually a grandfather who has been running our Elderly Welfare Program every year.”
“Ah, yes.”
“He asked me to deliver this letter to you!”

She pulled an envelope from her bag and handed it to me. It was a thin hanji envelope.

“A letter…?”
“He specifically asked me to use fuki leaf. There’s a grandfather who has been running the Elderly Welfare Program for several years. Since he’s not doing it this year, would you like to open it?”

I opened the envelope. Inside was a single sheet of paper, neatly folded. As I unfolded it, I couldn’t help but marvel. The handwriting was so beautiful and elegant.

‘…Even Han Seok-bong would weep at this.’

The handwriting of someone who had written for many years. Each stroke was careful and unwavering.

I quietly read the letter.

[To the Shop Owner,
I hope it is not presumptuous of me to make such a request.

This old man wishes to eat fuki leaf banchan.

Fuki leaf banchan reminds me of sharing meals again with my lost brothers.

The sautéed fuki feels like my eldest brother’s hands,
and the seasoned fuki tastes like the side dishes my second brother used to prepare for me in childhood.

I wish to introduce fuki leaf banchan to my friends I have spent years with at the Elderly Welfare Program.

If it is possible, I would be deeply grateful if both varieties could be included together.
Thank you.]

A small seal stamp was pressed at the bottom of the letter.

“So that’s why you wanted both included….”
“Yes. Do you think you can manage it?”

I gazed down at the bento box. Both the sautéed and seasoned varieties could fit. I could simply mix them half and half.

“We’ll include both.”
“Shop Owner…!”

Yun Ga-rin quickly grasped my hand firmly.

“It’s an elder’s request—how could I refuse? I’ll do my very best.”

Yun Ga-rin beamed brightly.

“Of course!”
“Good.”
“I’ll make sure this bento box is truly special.”

I retied the strings of my apron.

***

‘I’ll be coming by tomorrow morning to deliver them. You can pick them up then.’
‘My close younger sibling wants to volunteer as well. Would it be alright if I brought them along?’
‘Of course!’

I’d already received permission to bring Song Ae-rim along when returning to the Welfare Center. Now, only one thing remained!

‘All I need to do is pull off the group lunch box delivery tomorrow!’

“What are you doing?”
“Ah! You startled me!”

I covered my ears with my hands and spun around.

“Materials~ delivery has arrived?”

Ah, that tone.

“…You really did scare me!”

A leaf held between his lips, his posture relaxed, and in his hand a single sack that looked quite heavy.

“Why are you so startled?”
“…I’m allowed to be startled.”

Shin Yeop-baek shrugged his shoulders. He held out the sack as if to say I should check the sesame oil and soy sauce. I casually examined the sack.

“Oh.”

Unusually lustrous sesame oil and deeply colored soy sauce sat side by side. They gleamed as if aged for years.

“You’re making 60 lunch boxes, right? I brought extra as a service in case you ran short on ingredients~ and here I bring such fine ingredients only to get yelled at~.”
“Then why don’t you open the door properly and come in?”
“I do apologize for that?”
“You don’t seem sorry at all…”

Shin Yeop-baek, responding with a sly tone, set the sack in front of the refrigerator and peered toward the counter.

“What are you making?”
“I’m preparing a side dish with fuki leaf.”
“Fuki leaf is delicious. When I make it as pickled vegetables, it has that crisp, crunchy texture when you bite into it.”

His tone carried the confidence of someone with considerable culinary expertise.

“You cook?”
“Of course. People who don’t cook don’t offer unsolicited advice, after all.”
“How long have you been doing it?”

Shin Yeop-baek’s lips curved upward slightly as he looked at me.

“Are you finally becoming interested?”
“I don’t know about other things, but hearing that you cook… it does spark my curiosity.”

That creature who had killed so many humans. I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms with a hint of wariness.

“How long have you been doing it?”
“Well, by human standards, quite a while. By divine standards, it’s more of a hobby.”
“When you speak like that, I can’t get a sense of it.”
“That’s what makes it fun.”

Shin Yeop-baek peered into the fuki leaf preparation.

“The prep work is neat, and the color of the blanched fuki is beautiful.”
“…You have a discerning eye?”

It didn’t end there. Shin Yeop-baek glanced around the space. The neatly arranged fuki leaf on the counter, the bamboo strainer freshly washed and drying, the side dish containers. And then.

“Where’s Divine Being?”

He even asked about my Hae-tae.

“It’s still before dinner.”
“Before dinner~?”

Why would our food-obsessed cat be asking? Does he want to see our glutton? But our glutton can only be seen by me.

“So it’s not here?”

I harbored suspicions in my heart.

“Why are you staring like that?”
“It’s suspicious.”

I answered with a casual tone, but my eyes weren’t smiling.

“Suspicious about what?”
“About you looking for our Hae-tae.”
“Hahaha!”

Shin Yeop-baek clutched his belly and laughed heartily, seized by whatever had struck him funny. Did humans ever laugh so beautifully?

‘How irritating.’

“I laughed because it’s amusing—a human worrying about a Divine Being’s fate.”
“Fate? Really?”

At my bristling response, Shin Yeop-baek barely suppressed his laughter. His lips still curved upward.

“No, don’t misunderstand.”

He waved his hand lightly.

“I wasn’t mocking—it’s just funny by my standards, that’s all~?”
“Don’t even think about touching our Hae-tae.”
“Don’t worry. Right now I’m just a sesame oil delivery person.”

That’s when I felt the presence of actual people approaching.

“Boss!”
“…Hello, boss.”

The Twins. They stopped mid-step as they entered the shop, catching sight of Shin Yeop-baek standing with me in the kitchen.

Their gazes naturally drifted upward—very far upward. They tilted their heads back as far as they could to account for the height difference.

“Who is this person?”
“…Who are you, sir?”

The Twins’ eyes gleamed with undisguised curiosity, as if they were intrigued by this unfamiliar presence.

“Huh?”

Shin Yeop-baek reacted first.

“A customer? Or…?”
“More like family.”

After all, they were Grandmother Myeong-ja’s grandchildren.

“That’s right! We’re like family!”
“…Yes, we are.”

The Twins quickly agreed.

‘How adorable.’

“Then who’s the person standing with our boss!”

Song Ae-rim asked directly again.

“Who am I again?”

Shin Yeop-baek deliberately feigned ignorance with a laugh. That smile was somehow irritating. I forced my lips upward.

“…A delivery person.”
“A delivery person standing that close?”
“Huh?”

How close were we standing?

‘What is this.’

We were practically touching. If someone else had seen us, they would’ve gotten the wrong idea.

“We were just discussing the fuki leaf side dish preparation earlier…”
“Really!?”

The Twins stepped closer to me one pace at a time, their protective intent unmistakable.

“Interesting—you certainly have quite a few guardians, don’t you?”
“Am I that popular?”

Shin Yeop-baek laughed as if amused, casually stepping back. He showed no intention of pressing further.

“You confirmed the sesame oil and soy sauce?”
“Yes. No issues.”
“Then we’re good. I’ll stop by again tomorrow~?”

He spoke with the ease of someone who visited daily. After leaving a final wink, he exited the shop as naturally as if it were nothing.

“He’s coming back?”

Song Ae-rim rushed over and asked.

“He’s a delivery person.”
“But he was so handsome!?”
“That’s what you’re curious about?”
“No! I’m not curious!”
“Since I’m delivering bento boxes tomorrow, let’s just focus on preparing those?”

Song Ae-rim nodded in understanding, setting her bag on the counter.

“There’s an apron in the counter drawer—put it on.”
“Yes!”

Song Ae-hyuk naturally settled into a chair at the table and pulled out a workbook from his bag.

“…I couldn’t go because of Song Ae-rim. Is it alright if I study here?”
“Of course. But aren’t you going to Myeong-ja’s Bakery today?”
“…Grandmother went to the first location today. Something came up with the person who took over the shop, so she left in a hurry.”
“First location?”
“…Yes. This is the second location. Myeong-ja’s Bakery was famous.”

Song Ae-rim, standing up front, spoke loudly as well.

“That’s right! Our Myeong-ja’s Bakery was famous for being cheap and delicious!”

I had no idea.

“When Grandmother heard you were working here and suddenly told us to transfer to this high school, I was so happy!”
“Really? Since that was where you originally were, it would’ve been more convenient. I feel like you came here out of your way because of me. I’m sorry about that….”

The Twins answered before I could even respond.

“That place was just depressing, so we hated it!”
“…That’s right. This place is better anyway.”
“Boss! It was our choice anyway! We came because we wanted to!”

Well, if that’s the case, I’m relieved. Song Ae-rim tied her apron and pulled back her hair.

“What should I start with!”
“What should you start with?”
“Yes!”

She was overflowing with energy.

“Hmm….”

I could just have them come early tomorrow and pack the bento boxes together. But there was another reason I’d asked them to come today.

“Here!”

I set the bento box I’d prepared earlier on the table. Wisps of warmth still escaped from between the lid’s edges.

“What is this!”
“A bento box I just made for you two. You haven’t eaten dinner yet, have you?”
“No! We haven’t!”

Their answer came so quickly I nearly laughed.

“I thought as much.”

I brought out spoons and distributed them as I continued speaking.

“Today isn’t about learning the job—just taste-test it for me.”
“A taste test?”
“This bento box is going out tomorrow. I just need your honest opinion on the flavor.”

I lifted the lid and slid the bento box toward them.

“Ae-hyuk, you’ll work through your problem set later, right?”
“…Yes, of course.”

Wisps of steam rose from the box, and the mingled aromas of the various side dishes tickled my nose.

“Wow… is this really a group order bento? It’s like a work of art!”
“…It looks like one of those fifty-thousand-won restaurant bento boxes.”

‘How much are they praising me?’

Suddenly, Song Ae-rim’s smartphone vibrated on the table. Her eyes widened as she checked the screen.

“Oh! Grandmother just texted me!”
“About what?”
“She says I didn’t take something she told me to bring earlier! I need to go get it!”

Song Ae-rim dropped her chopsticks and bolted out the door in a rush.

“What is she going to get?”
“…I’m not sure. Grandmother seemed to be preparing something earlier, but I didn’t catch what.”
“Should we wait for Ae-rim to come back?”

Song Ae-hyuk nodded quietly in agreement.

“…Yeah.”
“Hmm?”
“…Thank you, boss.”

I settled back in my chair, crossing my legs and shrugging.

“Why are you suddenly thanking me out of the blue?”
“…I heard that Ae-rim cried yesterday.”
“Ah. Yes, that happened yesterday.”
“…The truth is, Ae-rim adapts slowly. Because of that, she finds learning and mastering anything new particularly difficult. Perhaps… she felt too embarrassed to tell me, and worried it would upset Grandmother if she mentioned it. It seems she came to talk to you instead.”

I felt the depth of his consideration and genuine care. I nodded with a warm smile.

“…Even yesterday when she came, she talked about nothing but your shop. About the fuki leaf banchan and the bento boxes, over and over.”
“Is that so?”
“…Yes.”

Song Ae-hyuk set down his chopsticks and bowed slightly from the waist.

“…Boss, thank you.”

That gratitude was not a light thing.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————