Chapter 10: The Ghost

Kang Jin sat there blankly, not thinking about his evening business at all. Instead, the word “ghost” kept swirling around in his head: ghost…ghost…ghost…

In this day and age where spacecraft travel to Mars, how can ghosts exist…?

Absorbed by thoughts of ghosts, Kang Jin took out his phone and searched for information on them.

A ghost refers to the state a person enters after death. Those who lived happily and passed away peacefully become good ghosts, while those with unfortunate lives may turn into harmful spirits.

There are various methods to ward off or expel ghosts. First, one can use objects that ghosts fear or dislike. For example, ghosts abhor red, so people scatter yellow clay and make red bean porridge. Second, threatening tactics can be employed to drive them away, particularly involving loud noises such as striking drums or banging metal pots.

<Firstly, warding off ghosts by using objects they fear or dislike. Ghosts abhor the color red, so people scatter red clay and cook red-bean porridge. Secondly, threatening to expel ghosts, which has been particularly developed within shamanism. Lastly, welcoming and honoring ghosts to appease them until they depart.>

Kang Jin’s eyes were drawn to the third method of dealing with ghosts as he read through his search results.

Welcoming and honoring ghosts to appease them until they depart…

He glanced at the dishes left on the table from earlier.

“I guess if I feed it well enough, it’ll leave on its own.”

With that thought, Kang Jin slapped himself hard across the face.

Slap!

Then, he stood up.

“I shouldn’t be scared. I’ve heard stories about humans killing each other, but not about ghosts killing people.”

To steady his nerves, Kang Jin muttered to himself while clearing dishes from the dining table when he spotted the check. He sighed as he looked at the check issued by JS Finance.

“Well…at least I earned one million won.”

Although JS Finance could be considered the bank of the afterlife rather than the earthly realm, it was still money since they promised to honor the check. Kang Jin neatly folded the check and placed it in his pocket before entering the kitchen. There, he opened up a recipe book.

“Sweet red bean porridge…”

Kang Jin began reading the recipe for sweet red bean porridge, which ghosts supposedly disliked.

“I don’t need to excel in business, right? Just survive five years.”

As he pondered this thought, Kang Jin continued reading the recipe. With practiced ease, he opened the refrigerator door and retrieved some red beans tucked away in a corner.

Since there was no time to soak the beans, Kang Jin immediately heated them in a pot. While waiting for the beans to boil, she took out buckwheat flour and memil-muk (buckwheat jelly) to prepare the meal for JS Finance.

As she added water to the buckwheat flour, Kang Jin suddenly paused with a puzzled look on her face.

“Are those from JS Finance also ghosts? Well… since it’s a bank operating from the afterlife, they must be ghosts too.”

Kang Jin let out a sigh as she realized she was preparing food for a group of ghost customers. She resumed working with the buckwheat flour, gradually getting ready for both the protective red-bean porridge and the welcoming buckwheat dishes.

As 11 o’clock approached, Kang Jin ladled the red-bean porridge into bowls and placed them on each table.

I wonder if this will actually work.

With these thoughts swirling around his head, Kang Jin placed a bowl of red-bean porridge on each table and then stepped outside to open the store’s front door. People continued bustling past the restaurant as before.

Should I leave the door open?

Since he had to cater to ghosts, leaving the door open might make it less frightening by allowing him to see people passing by. As Kang Jin watched the street, someone called out from behind him.

“Mr. President.”

Kang Jin turned at the sound of his name and saw Kang Doochi already inside the shop.

When did he come in?

He quickly shrugged off that thought.

Nothing’s impossible for a ghost.

Muttering under his breath, Kang Jin looked back at Kang Doochi.

But…he really seems just like any other person…

As Kang Jin observed Kang Doochi, the latter smiled and spoke up.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

“I should.”

Despite his thoughts, Kang Jin’s feet refused to move. Over Kang Doochi’s shoulder, he spotted people sitting at tables, likely the employees who had mentioned having dinner here today. In other words, Kang Jin was the sole human attending this gathering of ghosts.

“Please come in.”

Kang Doochi smiled and gestured inside the restaurant, prompting Kang Jin to reluctantly take a step forward with a grimace.

Shak-shak!

As Kang Jin forced himself to enter on trembling legs, Kang Doochi glanced at him and closed the door behind them.

Click!

The sound of the door shutting hurriedly made Kang Jin blurt out, “I prefer leaving the door open when it’s stuffy…”

“In summer, we shouldn’t leave the door open. It lets in hot winds carrying dust… Plus, it gets noisy.”

Kang Doochi smiled and joined his colleagues at another table, where a career-driven woman eagerly tried some red-bean porridge.

“It’s delicious.”

Her comment made Kang Jin’s bowl shine as if he had licked it clean.

Damn the internet.

As Kang Jin silently grumbled to himself, Kang Doochi spoke up.

“If you meant for us to have these…?”

He gestured toward the bowls of red-bean porridge on other tables, and Kang Jin nodded in agreement.

Although they weren’t prepared specifically for them, since they wouldn’t ward off ghosts anyway…

“Please help yourselves.”

“Thank you.”

Kang Doochi picked up a nearby bowl and started eating with a spoon, prompting other employees to follow suit.

I thought people hated this stuff…but they’re going crazy over it.

Watching their reaction, Kang Jin subtly headed towards the kitchen when Kang Doochi addressed him again.

“It seems like you’ve heard about our establishment.” Despite being a ghost, Kang Doochi’s sales experience made him quite perceptive, and he picked up on Kang Jin’s unease.

Kang Jin paused mid-step toward the kitchen upon hearing Kang Doochi’s words. He then turned with a smile.

“No need to be afraid. We’re not much different from humans.”

“R…really?”

“Yes, we’re just public servants.”

“Public servants?”

“Just as the living world requires civil servants, so does the afterlife.”

Kang Doochi gestured at his employees.

“And as you can see…they aren’t scary at all.”

Following Kang Doochi’s gaze, Kang Jin observed the JS Finance staff enjoying their sweet red-bean porridge and chatting amicably. Indeed, they didn’t seem particularly ghostly.

Indeed…they don’t look like ghosts at all.

With this thought, some of his fear dissipated.

“Mr. President, when will our food be ready?”

Kang Jin nodded at the female employee’s question.

“Today’s dishes include boiled pork slices, buckwheat jelly salad, and buckwheat pancakes.”

“You prepared buckwheat pancakes too?”

“I made them because I heard you enjoy buckwheat dishes.”

“Thank you for your thoughtful gesture.”

As Kang Doochi smiled and took his seat, Kang Jin entered the kitchen to slice the boiled pork. He then brought out shrimp sauce, kimchi, and various side dishes, arranging them on the table alongside the pork.

“The buckwheat pancakes will be served shortly while you’re enjoying your meal.”

“Thank you.”

Kang Jin returned to the kitchen and prepared some acorn jelly salad and buckwheat pancakes, which he brought out to the table.

“You should join us, sir.”

“I have work to do.” Kang Doochi chuckled and shook his head at Kang Jin’s suggestion.

“My apologies, but with us here, I doubt any customers will show up.”

“Why is that?”

“Most ghosts owe debts to our company, JS Finance.”

“Debts?”

“People with outstanding debts tend not to frequent places where debt collectors hang around.”

At Kang Doochi’s words, Kang Jin suddenly remembered something from earlier today and produced a check.

“I received this today…”

Kang Doochi looked surprised as he took the check from Kang Jin.

“Oh… Seeing Jijang’s name on it, it seems one of your clients has already ascended.”

“Jijang?”

“Don’t you see ‘Jijang’ written under Issuer?”

“The issuer varies?”

“Yes, it depends on who was sent to heaven. Considering you received compensation from Bodhisattva Jijang, your client must have been virtuous.”

“Who is Bodhisattva Jijang?”

“You’ve never heard of Bodhisattva Jijang?”

“No, I haven’t.” Kang Jin chuckled and nodded at Kang Doochi’s response.

“Most people used to know about him, even if they weren’t Buddhists… But indeed, modern folks seem unaware of his existence.” Kang Doochi pondered for a moment before continuing. “Explaining everything would take too long, but simply put, he can be considered the wealthiest philanthropist in the afterlife.”

“A philanthropist?”

“Since we’re discussing this topic, let me briefly explain the currency of the afterlife. After all, understanding it is essential when dealing with our Finance Department.”

Kang Doochi downed another shot of soju before leading Kang Jin to a nearby table and sitting down.

“To start, the currencies between this life and the afterlife differ significantly. With money, you can do anything here—buy goods or make deals. And one more thing… You can even use it to lessen your sins.”

Kang Jin frowned at Kang Doochi’s explanation.

“You mean they discriminate based on wealth even in the afterlife? Plus, money can reduce punishment for sins?”

Kang Doochi chuckled at Kang Jin’s reaction.

“In both realms, those with money wield power, don’t they?”

“When you put it that way, the afterlife seems quite familiar.”

“Well, regardless of being called the ‘afterlife,’ it’s still where people go when they die, making it not too different from our world.”

Kang Doochi smiled at Kang Jin before continuing, “However, there is one difference. In this life, people can live lavishly even with money earned through immoral means. But in the afterlife, you earn currency only by doing good deeds.”

“Good deeds?”

“Every person has a bank account opened for them with JSA Finance from the moment they’re born. Deposits are made when they do something virtuous, and withdrawals occur when they commit evil acts. Starting from zero, their balance fluctuates between positive and negative until their death, which marks the final settlement. Essentially, having lots of money in the afterlife signifies that one did many good deeds while alive, whereas being broke indicates a life filled with sins.”