Chapter 25: The Regulars Return

The next day during lunchtime, Kang Jin welcomed Director Oh and his team with delight.

“You’re here again today.”

“I was curious about what you’d serve this time.”

“But it looks like your group has grown larger than before?”

“That’s Marketing Team One over there; I brought them because they heard great things from me, Director Oh. Say hello to our host, Director Jang.”

At Director Oh’s prompt, Director Jang stood up from where he was seated nearby and approached them.

“We came along after hearing so many praises from Director Oh about this place.”

“It makes me feel a bit pressured, but I’ll do my best to make it enjoyable for everyone.”

“By the way, is Dweck-bap with thinly sliced beef the only item on the menu?” Director Jang asked.

Director Oh chuckled at the question.

“It’s because I run this place alone. But if you standardize the menu, even without that dish, there’s plenty to choose from, right?”

“If you limit it to about three items on the menu, I’ll do my best to make them delicious.”

“I was planning to suggest narrowing down the menu to just three dishes anyway. For our female employees, please serve the steak stir-fry or something similar. It seems like the ladies from Marketing Team 1 really enjoy it.”

Upon Director Oh’s words, Kang Jin counted the female staff members.

“There are quite a few women in Marketing Team 1.”

Director Oh had two female subordinates, while Marketing Team 1 had four.

“It’s unusual for Marketing Team 1 to have so many female employees. Did Director Jang intentionally hire them?”

“Don’t say such things; you’ll get us arrested.”

“I’m just joking.”

Seeing how friendly they seemed with each other, Kang Jin asked Director Oh:

“So what would the gentlemen like?”

“We’ll have Dweji Bulgogi and Kimchi Stew, please. If possible, could we also have some fried eggs on the side?”

“Sure thing.”

Kang Jin took their orders, prepared the dishes, and began serving them.

“The color of this steak looks amazing!”

“The pumpkin is really smooth.”

“It’s sweet.”

As the female employees enjoyed their steak, the male staff relished eating the stir-fried pork belly and kimchi stew.

After finishing their delicious meal, Directors Jang and Oh stood up to pay the bill.

“Ladies, it will be ten thousand won each, and gentlemen, eight thousand won.”

Considering it was steak with beef tenderloin, Kang Jin expected each dish to cost around ten thousand won.

“Thank you for the meal.”

As Directors Jang and Oh presented their separate cards to pay, Kang Jin processed the payment and mentioned:

“I’ll be resuming my studies next week, so I won’t be able to serve lunch here anymore.”

“You’re still a student?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And which university do you attend?”

“Seoshin University.”

“Oh, we’re alumni from the same school!”

“You went to Seoshin University?”

“I graduated from the Trade Department at Seoshin University, class of ‘87.”

“A senior alumnus, then.”

Director Oh smiled at Kang Jin’s response before suddenly asking:

“So, will you close the shop during the day?”

“I plan to continue serving dinner.”

“Can you cover the rent just by operating in the evenings?”

Director Oh looked around the store with concern. After all, they were the only customers present.

“Luckily, it’s my own shop, so there’s no problem.”

“Your shop, sir? Do you mean you own this building?”

“That’s right.”

Kang Jin’s revelation surprised Director Jang.

“You’re quite wealthy for such a young owner.”

“Oh, not at all.”

“Don’t be modest. This property alone must be worth… Ah, apologies if I’ve overstepped.”

“No worries. It is indeed valuable.”

“In any case, being located near Nonhyeon Station in Gangnam and close to subway access, wouldn’t you say it’s easily worth… twenty billion won?”

Actually, precisely 25 billion.

Kang Jin silently corrected him before speaking aloud:

“That’s why starting next week, if you think you’ll arrive around five o’clock, please give me a call ahead of time. I will prepare as much food as possible and wait for your arrival.”

Director Oh nodded at Kang Jin’s suggestion.

“You’re right; it would be better to notify you beforehand. That way, we can have some food ready. Considering your business model, operating on a reservation system might work well.”

Upon hearing ‘reservation system’, Kang Jin realized it made sense.

With reservations, I could prepare meals in advance.

As he considered this, Kang Jin jotted down his cell phone number on a notepad sitting on the counter.

One Meal Restaurant

Lee Kang-jin

010—

After Kang Jin wrote down his phone number, Director Oh took out her business card from her wallet and handed it to him.

“I’ll be in touch.”

Taekwang Trading Co., Ltd.

Overseas Business Division Team 2

Director Oh Seung-hee

“Oh? You work for Taekwang Trading?”

“You’ve heard of our company?”

Kang Jin smiled at Director Oh’s surprised expression.

“I’m starting as an intern there next month.”

“An intern?”

“Yes,” replied Kang Jin with a smile.

Director Oh chuckled. “Is this fate or what?” She continued with a grin, “I’m not sure which department you’ll join, but please do your best. Compared to other companies, we have a high conversion rate for interns becoming full-time employees.”

“You think so?”

“Well then, good luck!”

As Director Oh exited the restaurant, his employees followed suit. The female staff members glanced back at Lee Kang-jin and whispered among themselves.

“He must be a fourth-year student as an intern.”

“Yes, that makes sense. So he’s probably twenty-five?”

“If he served in the military properly, yeah. Or maybe twenty-six.”

“I’m jealous. He owns a building at twenty-six.”

“But seriously, how much do you think it’s worth?”

“It looks old, but since it’s located in Nonhyeon… As Manager Kang said, it has to be over 20 billion won.”

“Is he from a wealthy family?”

“He seems quite attractive… Should I try flirting with him?”

Kang Jin couldn’t help but chuckle at their whispers.

Born with a silver spoon? More like…

Muttering to himself, he began clearing the table.

Anyway, it’s good news. It’ll be easier working for a company where I know someone.

With that thought, Kang Jin suddenly pulled out his phone.

“Is Taegwang Trading nearby?”

If employees were coming here for lunch, it couldn’t be too far away. He quickly searched for Taegwang Trading and found its location and details.

“Huh?”

After confirming the address, Kang Jin opened the shop door and looked down the street. About three hundred meters away stood a building housing Taegwang Trading.

“It’s incredibly close.”

At this distance, it would take only about five minutes to commute.

“Fate seems to have brought me to Taegwang Trading.”

With these thoughts, Kang Jin stepped back inside the store.

At 11 o’clock, Sung Yongsoo entered with several ghosts.

“You’re here?”

“Yes, I agreed to help you early today. What would you like to eat?”

Sung Yongsoo asked the ghosts for their menu choices, and they promptly replied.

Meanwhile, Kang Jin glanced towards the entrance, opened the door, and peered outside.

‘Are the family ghosts running late?’

As he pondered this, he sensed a presence behind him.

Swoosh!

Kang Jin turned around, biting his lip.

‘Surprise me.’

The ghost family from yesterday suddenly appeared behind him, looking slightly clearer than before.

“Welcome.”

“I have something important to ask.”

“Please come inside first. We can discuss it over your meal.”

Kang Jin led them inside his restaurant and seated the ghost family at an empty table.

“What would you like to order?”

“I’ll have some soybean paste stew. Honey.”

At the husband’s prompt, the wife and child ghosts placed their orders. Kang Jin promptly prepared their meals based on the orders received.

“What is it that you need from me?” asked Kang Jin.

The husband ghost looked at him.

“There were children I sponsored before my death.”

“That’s commendable of you.”

“My wife and I had a difficult upbringing when we were young. As such, we ended up sponsoring about ten children.”

As the husband spoke, the wife opened her mouth.

“One of these kids will go to university next year. He is academically gifted, so we promised to cover his tuition fees… However, this happened to us.”

“We had dreams too, and we were good students. Someone offered to pay our college tuition fees… but then this happened.”

“If you study well, you can receive scholarships.”

“That might be true for certain majors, but… Our child wants to become a doctor. They wish to heal and help people.”

“What a kind-hearted child.”

Kang Jin suddenly looked at the husband ghost.

Are they asking me to send their child to school?

Kang Jin wasn’t inherently bad, but she also wasn’t generous enough to pay for a stranger’s university education.

As Kang Jin pondered, the husband ghost spoke up:

“My wife and I have no relatives or dependents, so our assets will revert to the state.”

“Revert to the state?”

“If we had any relatives, our assets would go to them, but since there’s none, it all goes back to the national treasury.”

“And our insurance money will disappear as well,” added Kang Jin.

The husband spoke up, “And since I’m still young, I didn’t have a will prepared.”

“That’s correct.”

He appeared to be under forty, so it made sense he wouldn’t have created a will for his eventual demise. No one could foresee that both parents and their two children would perish simultaneously.

“So what is your request of me?”

“It may not amount to much, but…I want my assets to cover the girl’s tuition fees and support the other children I’ve been sponsoring.”

Kang Jin responded to the husband’s plea, “But how can you do that? Since I have no connection with either of you, I cannot manage your assets.”

Choi Ho-cheol, who was drinking beer next to Kang Jin, chimed in, “If it’s because you don’t have a will, just make one.”

“But I never made a will when I was alive.”

“So why not create one now? What’s stopping you?”

“Oh!” When Kang Jin considered Choi Ho-cheol’s suggestion, she realized he was right. Although unable to write as a ghost, her current physical manifestation allowed her to hold chopsticks and utensils, making it possible for her to write.

“You’re correct. If there’s no will, I can simply create one now, right?”

“Even with a will, it won’t be easy. The government isn’t known for giving up money earmarked for their treasury without a fight.”

“What should we do then?”

“We need a lawyer.”

“A lawyer?”

“Do you know anything about the law?”

“No, I don’t.”

“That’s why we need a lawyer.”

Kang Jin pondered Choi Ho-cheol’s words before nodding.

“I may not know much about the law, but I do know one lawyer.” She took out her phone to call him when the door opened unexpectedly.

Creak!

Surprised, Kang Jin looked up at the entrance.

Shin Suho?

It was Shin Suho and Kang Doochi from JS Finance entering through the door. Kang Jin squinted as she watched them arrive just when they needed a lawyer.

Is there really a hidden camera here somewhere?

A similar thing had happened earlier with the ghost boy ascending to heaven; it felt like someone knew what was going on inside this shop and could instantly appear whenever necessary.

Kang Jin shook her head while observing the store.

‘No way. Even if there were CCTV cameras, how could he arrive so promptly after our conversation?’

As Kang Jin pondered this, Shin Suho and Kang Doochi slightly bowed to him before approaching Che Yongho.

“Mr. Che Yongho.”

“I am Che Yongho… And may I ask who you are?”

“I’m attorney Shin Suho. And do you recognize this gentleman?” Shin Suho gestured towards Kang Doochi.

Che Yongho nodded. “Yes, I know him.”

When Che Yongho died, Kang Doochi was the first to visit and hand him a card. As they exchanged greetings, the ghosts began quietly standing up one by one, preparing to leave the store.

Kang Doochi smiled at their actions. “Today, we’re not here for debt collection purposes, so feel free to stay.”

“Oh…no, we have work to do..”

As each ghost waved goodbye and left, Bae Yongsoo also emerged from the kitchen, ready to make his escape. All these ghosts had outstanding loans with JS Finance. Naturally, they tried to flee when Kang Doochi arrived.

Kang Doochi observed this scene before addressing Bae Yongsoo.

“Mr. Bae Yongsoo.”

“Yes? Yes!” Startled, Bae Yongsoo looked at him.

Kang Doochi smiled as he continued, “I’ve noticed small amounts of money entering your account recently, Mr. Bae.”

“My account?”

“When ghosts work, they earn money too. Keep up the good effort like this. Repaying the principal might be challenging, but managing interest payments should be manageable.”

Fwip!

Kang Doochi then turned towards Kang Jin.

“And when you command a ghost, money is deducted.”

“From me?”

“I’m not sure if you were aware or not, but since you’ve been utilizing Bae Yongsoo’s services, 5,000 won per hour has been debited from your account.”

Kang Jin was taken aback by this revelation about his JS Finance account.

“But…Bae Yongsoo said he would help for free!”

“In both life and afterlife…you get paid for work done, and payment must be made when using someone else’s labor.”

Kang Jin sighed heavily at Kang Doochi’s words before nodding in agreement.

“You’re right. Whether it’s a ghost or a human, we should compensate them for their work.”

He then turned to Bae Yongsoo.

“Let’s continue working well together.”

“S-sure.” Bae Yongsoo glanced briefly at Kang Doochi, straightened up as if nothing happened, and headed back into the kitchen.

Kang Doochi then entered the kitchen.

Since Kang Doochi’s fear stemmed from his debt to JS Finance…there was no reason for him to run away if he could earn money. Observing Bae Yongsoo, Kang Jin nodded approvingly.

This works out better. Since I’m paying him, I can keep assigning tasks.

Kang Jin muttered to himself and turned towards Kang Doochi.

“So how did you know about this, Mr. Kang?”

“I came because it seemed our VIP might need financial assistance.”

“VIP?” Kang Jin raised an eyebrow at the term.

Kang Doochi nodded, glancing at Che Yongho. “Mr. Che Yongho is one of our esteemed VIP clients at JS Finance.”

“Really?” Che Yongho’s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this designation.

Kang Doochi smiled reassuringly. “Indeed, Mr. Che Yongho, you hold a Silver VIP status with JS Finance.”