I Quit My Job and Run a Café - Chapter 64



Only Krnovel

Episode 64

At that moment, memories of Lee Seon-ah came to mind.

It was a memory from a place that seemed to be a company. Since he was a civil servant, he had a picture of him being harassed by various petitioners.

And then there’s the image of being harassed by coworkers.

‘hmm.’

I have experienced this a lot since I have also worked.

To be honest, when I was at work, my stance was, “Can’t you handle that?”

The company isn’t a playground. That’s how everyone lives.

Suah once brought me the Ten Commandments of Old People, and in that test, I checked at least 7 of them.

As Suah said, if there are more than 4, you’re an old fart, so I was the very embodiment of an old fart.

Even now, if you ask me to check, I think I would do more than 4… … .

The only difference is that I now understand that different people can accept things differently.

‘Even with the same words, some people may get hurt, while others may laugh it off.’

Likewise, in the same situation, one person may be fine, while another may be stressed.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should be like a spoiled brat and say yes to everything.

anyway.

This is the key thing I learned from seeing auras while running a tiger shelter.

That you should know your own condition best.

It would be better to find out by going to the hospital, or by finding out on your own, or by getting help from people around you.

Because it starts with knowing your own condition.

‘But that’s easier said than done.’

If that happens, who will suffer from mental illness?

So this place, the tiger shelter, was special and important because you could see that.

… … Well, anyway.

As my thoughts grew longer, they kept wandering off to other places.

I came out of my immersion and looked at Lee Seon-ah’s condition again.

The condition hasn’t improved significantly, but one of the threads of the aura has been released.

The calming effect of peach tart and peach ade helped relieve depression.

Perhaps something else was needed to untangle the different threads.

‘Finding confidence and forgetting loneliness. Two things.’

It wouldn’t be easy for either of us, but it was fortunate that we could at least have a conversation.

I thought that maybe this was possible because my mind and body were at peace.

Because people feel better when they eat something sweet.

And when you feel good, of course you talk better.

“But what about that person yesterday?”

“Huh? Yesterday? Oh, Hansong-i?”

“Do you know me?”

“You came here as a customer once before and now you’re back again, so you know me.”

In fact, it’s not like the cafe owner knows everything about you just because you’re a customer. Usually, there are a lot of relationships between the owner and the customers who just pass by.

But isn’t this place a bit special?

“is it so?”

“why?”

“No, I just asked around because there was a young person in this neighborhood.”

“Now that I think about it, you’re probably around the same age.”

At my words, he stops eating his tart and makes a face like, ‘What’s that?’

He was so innocent when he was young, so how did he end up being such a delinquent?

“How does it taste?”

“… … It’s okay. Well.”

“Come here often while you’re here. I’ll do other things for you. Oh, do you know Su-ah by any chance?”

“Sua?”

Judging from the fact that she doesn’t know, it’s definitely been a while since Lee Seon-ah has been here.

“He’s the kid who lives next door and comes over to play often.”

“There’s a kid in this neighborhood?”

“That’s right. She’s a funny girl. When you see her later, you’ll think, ‘Oh, that’s her.’ Anyway, she tells me what kind of desserts she wants to eat. If there’s anything you want to eat, tell me.”

I know that corporate life is difficult because of immersion, but I didn’t bring it up.

If you pretend to sympathize all the time, you’ll only get antipathy.

I just tried to treat her comfortably as if she were having a normal conversation. Thanks to that, Lee Seon-ah seemed to have lowered her guard a bit and spoke well.

‘The village chief says he doesn’t say a word at home. He’s doing better than I thought.’

It may have been a little more comfortable, but even taking that into account, it was better than I had heard.

Is this a positive sign?

“What are you saying? You’ll make it just by asking?”

“If possible?”

“Where and what did you learn?”

“Hmm. Not formally trained. Over the shoulder?”

“You learned this from over my shoulder?”

He shrugged his shoulders at Lee Seon-ah’s question.

Because it’s true.

I used my grandfather’s recipe, internet recipes, etc., and was able to make it with the cafe’s ability to help me with that, but I don’t need to tell you that much.

“Why? It’s so delicious you can’t believe it?”

“… … Well, I just find it interesting. I didn’t think you’d do anything like this. Didn’t you work at a company before?”

“I did. It hasn’t been that long since I quit my job.”

“I heard that.”

“Oh, that’s right. I heard you said that.”

Knock!

As we talked about this and that, another thread of Aura was unraveled.

In such a positive response… … .

Why~

“Huh? Oh, Lang is here?”

Rangi entered the cafe with a confident gait.

Anyone who sees this will think this is my house.

“cat?”

“Oh, right. Seon-ah, you liked cats when you were little, right? Do you still like them now?”

“of course!”

“Oh really? Then… … Okay.”

He lifted Rangi and placed her in Lee Seon-ah’s arms. For a moment, she was at a loss as to what to do.

Lee Seon-ah began to caress Rangi earnestly, seeing him being so well-behaved even on her lap.

“Hey, who is this? The cat you raise here? His name is Rangi?”

I think this is the first time you’ve asked a question so actively?

I’m a little sad that the peach tart seems to have been pushed back… … I guess I don’t have to.

He ate it all up. Not a single crumb was left.

By the way, Rangi paid the price of Churu today too.

I’ll have to pack it again later.

“That cat is raised by that girl named Su-ah. She comes here to play after school.”

“ah.”

“But you don’t like dogs? There’s a swan at the village chief’s house too.”

“I like dogs too.”

From Rangi’s story, the conversation naturally moved on to the story of the village chief and Baekgu.

In fact, I thought that maybe this was the point where I could resolve that aura.

Because the problem is loneliness and lack of confidence.

Especially if you feel lonely when your family is right next to you, there must be a problem in your relationship.

Fortunately, the village chief seemed to have loosened up a bit, so all we have to do is let Lee Seon-ah go.

But did you not see the swan because you didn’t want to talk to the village chief? Judging from your reaction, it seemed like that was the case.

More than anything else, I wonder what I should do about my relationship with the village chief. I should be careful since it’s a personal matter.

“Really? Then do you want to go see the swan? I have to take the swan for a walk anyway.”

“Why, oppa?”

“Just being humble.”

“… … Business isn’t going well? Are you sure it’s okay?”

Is that how it is?

Since it would be true in a typical cafe, I didn’t specifically deny it.

This seemed like it might work better.

“You can eat and live. There’s a garden here. And there’s no loan involved.”

“Now that I look at it, it was a cafe spoon.”

“Is that so? You’re a total field swindler. The village chief’s field is really huge.”

“It’s different from yours. It’s not even mine.”

“Since you’re an only child, they’ll probably pass it down to you.”

“What if I leave it to you after I’m dead?”

I thought that was a bit of an impolite thing to say, but judging from his expression, it wasn’t.

‘It looks like there’s affection, you know.’

It was clearly a word expressing concern for the village chief.

But I don’t understand why they fight like that when they have such intentions.

“Then, before you go back, treat me well. Of course, it’s still a long way off, but even if I treat you well from now on, it won’t be enough.”

“yes?”

“Then wouldn’t you have passed it on before? As you said, I inherited this café after my grandfather passed away, but do you often think about it? What would it have been like if I had been in the café with my grandfather when he was alive?”

It seems like I suddenly brought up something heavy, but if there is love between the two of you as a father and daughter, then honestly, from my perspective…

“Do well while you are here.”

“ah.”

I had no choice but to say this.

Because I don’t have any parents or grandfather left now.

Lee Sun-ah also seemed to understand what he said, and her expression looked somewhat apologetic.

Looking at that, I could tell that there was still some trace of her innocent childhood days.

“Okay! In that sense. I’ll bring this to the village chief, and you take Baekgu for a walk.”

While we’re on the subject, I made a quick recommendation.

When you feel sorry for me, it’s hard to reject me like this.

Of course, Lee Sun-ah isn’t that easy either.

“… …Why me?”

“Why, why? Have you forgotten that I wiped your nose when you were little? I also found you when you got lost and cried while chasing a cat.”

“Do you, do you still remember that?”

“Did you think I couldn’t do it?”

Following the sad past, he mobilized everything, including the past he wanted to forget.

Actually, I couldn’t do it, but I just remembered it. Well, the important thing is that I remembered it.

“I heard you also broadcast on the Internet?”

“That, that too. Didn’t Dad say that?”

“Of course. You came before and bragged a lot.”

“… … Dad? You’re lying. You always nag me about what I’m doing, sitting in the corner of the room.”

“Really? That’s a little different from what you were saying to me.”

A lot of the awkwardness has been resolved, and perhaps because I felt sorry for what I said earlier, this kind of conversation wasn’t difficult anymore.

I should say that it feels like I’ve gone back a little bit to my childhood.

If I think about it, even when she was young, Lee Seon-ah followed me around well, but she was still prickly. I only briefly mistakenly thought she was similar to Su-ah because of my embellished memories.

“You must be embarrassed. I bet the village chief watches your broadcast too.”

“… … Dad? Dad, you don’t even know how to do that?”

“Well? I think you always give support. If you’re really curious, try watching the live broadcast.”

The village chief told me not to tell, but it’s better to know than not to know.

Of course, if Lee Sun-ah hadn’t come to the tiger shelter, I wouldn’t have bothered to go and tell her. But since it had come to this, I said it while I was in the mood.

“… … Okay. I came back from resting, what kind of broadcast is this?”

“Is that so? That’s too bad. I wanted to see it once.”

“Haven’t you seen your brother?”

“Huh? Oh, that’s it.”

“… … Give it to me.”

“what?”

“It’s my phone. I’ll just subscribe since I don’t have to look at it.”

That’s something like that.

I quickly handed over my phone before anyone could ask why I didn’t see it.

“Wow… … There’s nothing on the phone.”

“Can you tell me it’s well organized?”

“Yes, yes, I guess so. Anyway, I’m not some old man… … Here, here. This is my channel.”

“Was it a game broadcast? I’ll watch it later.”

“You’re not going to see it.”

That’s right on the mark.

I can’t say any more empty words, so I have to change the subject quickly.

“I’ll give you coffee instead of ade. That’ll go better with the tart. I’ll give you a latte and an Americano, so go for a walk around Baekgu and share some with the village chief.”

“If someone saw me, they’d think I was your mom. Okay, I get it.”

It looks much brighter than when I first arrived. Although the threads of aura still remain.

‘If we solve them one by one, it will eventually be solved.’

And perhaps the key to unraveling that mystery lies not with me, but with the village chief and Lee Seon-ah.

I just loosened the thread.

“I’ll go. I ate well.”

“Yeah. Come again.”

Lee Seon-ah said goodbye and left.

I had a feeling that when I came back soon, the thread might have all come undone.

* * *

“Why did you come out to the field?”

“Give me this.”

“Huh? What cake?”

“It’s not a cake, it’s a tart. Eugene gave it to me.”

“What the heck? Yesterday you said it was Eugene, but now it’s Eugene’s older brother?”

“What are you talking about? Hurry up and eat. Oh, and I’m going to go for a walk with Baekgu.”

“You’re not even that young anymore, what’s with that habit? Oh, yeah. Go, go.”

The village chief clicked his tongue, but inside he felt good.

Lee Seon-ah, who would not even talk if she was in the corner of the room, came here and talked a few more words.

At some point, conversations like this started to decrease.

“Oh, I didn’t bring my phone. Dad, give me your phone.”

“It won’t be a big deal if you don’t look at that.”

“What if I get lost? Don’t you remember getting lost when you were little?”

“… … Big. Okay.”

“Password… … there’s none. I’m leaving.”

Lee Seon-ah, who received the village chief’s phone call, coolly took Baek-gu and left the field.

And then… … a little while later.

“what’s this.”

When I saw the video that my dad had liked on his phone, I made a face that was neither crying nor laughing.

Perhaps if Cheon Yu-jin had seen that sight… … .

It may have seemed like the tightly bound threads of aura had come loose and transformed into a blanket that was a bit rough but still wrapped securely.

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