I Quit My Job and Run a Café - Chapter 2



Only Krnovel

Episode 2

“Now you’re here!”

“yes?”

“Come here quickly. I’ve prepared everything, but I can’t open the door because the chief mourner isn’t here.”

I was grabbed by a pair of hands and taken into the house without thinking.

As we entered, we saw a hanok built in a modern style while preserving the frame of an old house.

There was a large veranda and the yard was clearly visible from there, so it was possible to clearly see what was going on outside from inside… … .

The inside was empty, and outside the door was a crowd of people. And outside, they were greeting each other as if it were a meeting place.

‘What is this?’

It was the same before.

The emotions that had been overwhelmingly sad as I came seemed to buffer and stop at this sight.

Many questions arose, but… … .

“Let’s put the details aside for now and go see Grandfather first.”

“ah.”

Yeah, that’s not important right now.

Those words brought me to my senses.

I put on the mourning clothes I had prepared and headed to the room where my grandfather was.

I was so dazed just now, but I thought I was okay… … .

No it wasn’t.

As I got closer to the room, my hands started shaking and my heart started pounding.

With every step I took, my steps became heavier and heavier.

I didn’t want to admit it.

The fact that my grandfather passed away.

The fact that I am now alone.

at that time!

An old man who was guarding the inside saw me and got up.

“Yes, you’re finally here. Chief, bring the chief mourner over here.”

“Yes, sir. Okay, let’s go.”

He quietly greeted the man who had led me here and opened the door for me.

Then… … .

I saw a familiar face sleeping with a smile.

As soon as I saw that face, I collapsed without realizing it.

“Grandpa… … Ugh!”

I hugged my grandfather who was lying down and just cried.

I didn’t know it would turn out like this, but once it started, I couldn’t stand it anymore.

I was curious about the mysterious atmosphere here.

I wish the usually playful grandfather had gotten mad at his grandson and played a mean prank on him.

It’s absolutely ridiculous, and I’m angry and annoyed, but I still wish it were so.

But it wasn’t.

okay.

This was reality.

“Yeah. Okay.”

I cried out loud for the first time since my parents passed away, as a hand patted my back as if it were my grandfather’s.

* * *

It was only after a long time that I gathered my emotions and sent my grandfather away.

As he had wished while alive, the funeral was held at home, but for the funeral, my grandfather was taken to a nearby funeral home for a short time.

As I went through the series of procedures and calmed down to some extent, I was able to recall the identity of the muscleman who had led me.

He was the man I remembered as the man with the blue gate when I was young.

Why did it get thicker than before, so I couldn’t remember it easily.

Even though I’m older, I still gain muscle there…

It’s something I can’t even imagine.

Even that old man is now the village chief… … .

“Haha! That guy with the twitchy nose is now this big! Time really has passed!”

“Yes. It’s been a while. By the way, is that the person who called you?”

“That’s right. I’ll take care of it.”

“ah…….”

I asked because I thought the voice sounded like that, and it turned out to be true.

If that was the case, then this wasn’t the time. Instead, I bowed and thanked the person who had watched over my grandfather’s final moments.

“thank you.”

“Haha! What. We all helped each other and lived together, so of course. I just did what I had to do.”

After exchanging greetings, I heard about what had happened in the morning.

“The gentleman who used to go to the cafe every morning didn’t even open the door and didn’t come out today.”

“A cafe?”

“It’s a place the deceased went to every day without fail.”

‘You go to a cafe every morning? I’m so… .’

I remembered one day when my grandfather came to visit me in the city.

Suddenly, he suggested we go to a cafe, so we went to a nearby Instagram-worthy restaurant.

When I actually went there, I complained that it wasn’t very tasty and was expensive.

But it was clear that he liked it more than I thought.

You stop by a cafe every morning.

‘Of course, I liked the people I met there more than the drinks.’

It occurred to me that he was originally a person who liked people.

That was the person.

“okay.”

“Anyway, I didn’t see the gentleman I used to see every morning, so I looked in, but there was no answer, no sign of life, so I opened the door and found him peacefully with his eyes closed.”

“ah…….”

He passed away still asleep.

So that’s why you went so comfortably.

It is not an exaggeration to say that they are mutually beneficial.

I felt like I was at least a little bit relieved.

“By the way, it might be a little crazy. The deceased always asked me to do this. If he ever leaves, don’t be sad, laugh, chat, and have fun before you go. That’s why everyone is gathered here, so don’t look at me too strangely.”

“That’s very grandfatherly.”

I smiled slightly bitterly at those words.

If he was my grandfather, he would have been more than capable of doing that.

Even though he was so old, he always had a mischievous, playful expression on his face.

And I couldn’t help but feel grateful to the other people who kept to their usual words.

I would probably have been even more depressed if I had been alone.

Thanks to that, I was able to calm my mind a little.

“Oh no. Everyone was waiting, but I held them back for too long! Now it’s time to greet the guests.”

“ah.”

As the village chief said, I looked around and saw people waiting.

They were the ones who came for my grandfather.

They started accepting people quickly.

The once empty house was soon filled with laughter and voices.

People laughing, drinking, and eating.

It didn’t look like a grocery store at all.

It really felt like a feast.

They even helped each other and took care of setting the table, so I had nothing to do but say hello.

Even just that, people of all kinds lined up for almost three days and it was crazy… … .

They came and went, day and night.

Those who came like that seem to be really happy.

They greeted each other, chatted among themselves, ate, played, and left like that.

‘But that’s mutual, so let’s leave it at that… … .’

The faces of those who came to the funeral were truly diverse.

At first glance, I could see the school uniform and the child.

Even people who appear to be foreigners.

My grandfather’s connections were amazing and fascinating.

‘This is really crazy.’

I was already out of my mind, but meeting so many different people made me even more out of my mind. Thanks to that, time passed by in an instant.

and…….

The final day has come.

Now it was time to clean up this place too.

at that time!

Late, I saw my grandfather who had been guarding his room on the first day.

Could it be that you were there for three days?

I quickly went and said hello.

“I apologize for greeting you late. My name is Cheon Yu-jin.”

“It’s okay. Okay. Are you the grandson that Mr. Cheon was talking about?”

Although he was dressed casually, the grandfather had a completely different vibe.

Should I say that it is a strong momentum?

His gaze was different, as if he was telling me that he was not an ordinary person, but fortunately, he looked at me with a kind expression and smiled.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Huh. This is my first time seeing you. My name is Bae Hong-seok. He was a close friend of your grandfather.”

“Ah! Is that so… … .”

Swish.

A person who identified himself as my grandfather’s friend extended his hand to shake it.

Let’s quickly hold that hand… … I felt a strange warmth and coldness at the same time.

what?

He saw Grandfather Bae Hong-seok, but he pretended not to know him at all and patted his hand as he spoke.

I think it’s the hand that patted my back when I was crying in front of my grandfather.

“Oh my. You look just like Mr. Cheon. Yes.

Then it seemed as if the feeling I had earlier was an illusion.

All I could feel was the warmth from the hands I held.

“……thank you.”

“Keep on going! What are you thankful for? Oh, by the way! Have you eaten?”

“I’m fine. Enjoy your meal.”

“Oh, even if you’re in mourning, you should eat. Now that everyone’s gone, let’s eat comfortably.”

Grandfather Bae Hong-seok held onto him as he declined and forced him to sit down.

Even though he looked like he was about the same age as my grandfather, he had a strong body and there was nothing I could do about it.

In the end, I sat down and ate all the remaining yukgaejang and boiled pork that were given to me.

But my friend only drank soju.

Even though I offered it to him, he declined, saying he was full.

“Um… …But how do you know Grandpa?”

As I poured a drink into an empty glass, I suddenly asked out of curiosity.

In fact, it wasn’t just Grandfather Bae Hong-seok.

Even if the village chief and the villagers were like that, it was something that many people who visited this place were curious about.

I was so busy just saying hello that I just asked now.

“I was a customer at the cafe. Mr. Cheon was my benefactor.”

“… … Grandfather?”

I tilted my head at the unexpected answer.

I hate to say this, but my grandfather was a bit of a playful and reckless person.

But he is someone’s benefactor.

And also a cafe?

“Huh? Don’t you know? Your grandfather ran a café.”

“… … A cafe? So you’re not meeting me as a customer?”

“Huh? Didn’t Mr. Cheon tell you this too? The president?”

This is already the second time we’ve talked about cafes.

By the way, when I heard from the village chief that he went to the cafe every day, did he mean that he went there as the owner?

“Keep kek kek! That’s so old-fashioned, huh? You kept that a secret from your grandson?”

The friend who saw his reaction laughed heartily and liked it.

My grandfather actually ran a cafe.

No, what do you know about that to do something like that?

For a moment, my grandfather’s playful expression appeared before my eyes.

─You didn’t know, you punk? So you should’ve come when I told you to come often, you smart-alecked punk.

It felt as if the photo of my grandfather smiling hanging in the funeral home was saying that.

How dare you keep this a secret.

“Keep on going! You always tell your grandson to eat lucky food, but this is what you feed him. Being an old man is annoying.”

“Did you call me lucky too, sir?”

“That’s right. When I miss my grandson, I call him a lucky bastard. Oh, right! Sometimes, I call him a smart-aleck who can’t even take care of his own share because he’s so sloppy. I guess you complained to your grandfather back then.”

“Okay.”

If you were there, I would want to ask you what on earth you were talking about.

Of course, you will say that very confidently.

Grandfather Bae Hong-seok, who had been laughing heartily at my crumpled expression, asked a different question as if trying to change the subject.

“Oh, right. I heard you work in the city.”

This was a bit tricky in its own way.

I was wondering what to say, but decided to just tell the truth.

“That… … I stopped on the way here.”

A friend whose eyes seem to sparkle for some reason.

He glanced over this way with a face that seemed to say, “Hoh.”

“Huh? On the way here? Hehe! That’s why the old man was laughing! Kekekeke!”

“… … I guess so?”

“Then! Then! I would have loved it!”

I understood that reaction because I expected that he would be somewhat similar to my grandfather.

My grandfather was always like that.

Do you think you’ll work at that great company for the rest of your life?

That work isn’t everything in life.

So he said that on the day he quits the company, he will laugh out loud and say that.

Now that I think about it, I think that was my grandfather’s way of encouraging me.

You can quit whenever it gets difficult… … .

I now realize that even if it’s not true, just saying those words can be comforting.

Because I didn’t feel bad or burdened at all by my friend’s reaction.

“Keep kek kek! Oh my, I shouldn’t be doing this. I’m sorry.”

“You’ve already laughed. I’m glad you laughed on behalf of Grandpa.”

“I’m glad you think so. He seems like a good person. The company made a mistake. Oops.”

My friend apologized for his mistake in response to my reaction and took out a small business card from his pocket.

And as he handed it over he said:

“It’s not a lie that your grandfather saved my life. So if you ever need help, just contact me here. Especially if it’s about that cafe, you can contact me anytime.”

I received a business card by chance.

[Bong Hwang Mart Bae Hong Seok]

It had a red bird on a black background and a simple title.

But you can tell at a glance that it’s high-end.

I felt it when I first saw you, but aren’t you an ordinary person?

“Is it this late already? The old man has been holding on to the young man too tightly. Now, then! Then. I hope you will endure until the end.”

My grandfather’s friend, Bae Hong-seok, disappeared like that.

As I was left alone to think back on the conversation we had, one thing kept lingering in my mind.

‘Café La… … .’

For some reason, that thought kept coming back to my mind.

* * *

After the funeral, I went to my grandfather’s empty house and just lay down.

The village head, the villagers, Grandfather Bae Hong-seok, and the countless other people who visited this place.

Thanks to the good people, I think I was able to see him off well on his final thorny path.

‘I guess my grandfather was a good person.’

Suddenly, I remembered my grandfather’s face as if he was scolding me, as if he had just realized that.

I still wanted to see you, but I wasn’t as emotional as before.

I was just dizzy.

It seemed like it was probably because he was lacking sleep.

I stayed up all night for three days, but since I often stay up all night at work, I’ve been able to hold out well so far.

It seemed that even that had reached its limit.

Eyelids slowly closing.

But then!

A strange sensation that started at my fingertips spread throughout my body.

That mysterious feeling that is cold, warm, refreshing, and soft.

‘Huh? Where did I feel this?’

The moment I recalled the memory of a feeling I had clearly felt!

Instead of a house, I saw a picturesque landscape that looked like something out of a landscape painting.

And in it… … .

Khuu-hung!!

A pure white tiger as big as a house was running towards us.

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