Convenience Store 24: The Tower of the End 1st - Chapter 66



Only Krnovel

Episode 66 Gourmet Guide (3)

“I’ll stand in line for you! Text me!”

There are even part-time workers who stand in line for you.

I realized once again how great the stars on the gourmet guide are.

‘I can definitely see some foreigners there.’

The foreigners seen here and there between the lines definitely catch the eye.

‘Did you see it somewhere like Nastya?’

Something feels strange.

I can’t believe that foreigners from far away countries are lining up to enjoy my cafe.

It’s a sight you’d expect to see around Itaewon, Jongno, or the Tower of Doom.

‘It’s refreshing.’

While I was looking at the faces of the guests.

I heard a couple talking.

“Look at this! I knew this would happen! I told you to eat as much as you can before it gets too famous!”

“I didn’t know it would be this bad… … But does a cafe get stars?”

“So you got a star. Do you think the experts gave you stars for no reason? Two stars at that?! Wow, the line that was already long has gotten so long that I can’t even handle it.”

“Should we just catch me and sleep out near the store? Or just stand in line the day before.”

‘Oh my, it’s already crowded, so sleeping outside isn’t allowed.’

I remember a restaurant being introduced on TV before.

But in front of that restaurant, there were a lot of tents set up for customers to sleep out.

‘That restaurant has a large open space, so that’s understandable, but we can’t do that.’

However, since it is an urban area, there is not enough space to set up a tent.

If something like that happened, it was obvious that there would be a huge amount of complaints from people around.

‘I need to prepare for that situation just in case.’

It would be better to rule out in advance anything that might tarnish the reputation of the cafe.

“Hey, hello! Oh, order please!”

Meanwhile, I smiled slightly as I watched Seon-ah and Soo-jung awkwardly speaking English.

‘You’ve had a hard time.’

It must be difficult to deal with so many customers.

Now, we even have to deal with foreigners.

‘I think I should raise the hourly wage a little bit and help out a little for now.’

The ordering counter and kitchen area are busy.

I decided to manage the store serving and diffuser times.

“Okay, the 7th diffuser time is about to start! Please come inside!”

* * *

“This is really awesome.”

“That’s right. It’s really amazing. I’ve never seen a cafe like this before.”

“Let’s see… … one, two… … .”

A woman with sparkling eyes who takes pictures nonstop.

A man counting the number of tables and guests with his fingers.

The man stuck out his tongue after completing a simple mental calculation.

“Wow, that’s almost tens of millions of won in daily sales?”

“Counting money again?”

“No, it’s just, it’s a jackpot, you’re right.”

“Do you keep ruining the mood?”

“Oh, sorry! Are you okay? Oh, by the way, the boss here is nice.”

The man who was muttering awkwardly about his girlfriend’s nose looks around.

The couple was surrounded by a language they had learned in formal education but were by no means familiar with.

‘This is definitely Korea… … .’

The man had a phobia about English.

Of course, that was because of his middle school English teacher who had been abusive to him.

The man thought Gao was his life, but he hadn’t told his girlfriend about it yet.

The man, feeling a little uneasy, cautiously opened his mouth again.

“Shall we just move on to the next step?”

“What does that mean?”

“Just, isn’t it a bit burdensome because there are so many foreigners?”

The woman’s eyes light up at her boyfriend’s question.

“What does that matter? Foreigners are foreigners, and we can enjoy ourselves as we please.”

“That’s true, but… … .”

The woman had something to say too.

All my friends brag about having been to this cafe at least once.

I have never been there myself.

I’ve told my boyfriend this story several times about how I feel so small in front of my friends.

I don’t know if you have no clue or if you don’t have any thoughts.

All he could say was, “Isn’t it too crowded there?”

And now you’re saying, “There are a lot of foreigners, so let’s postpone it?”

The woman grabs her boyfriend’s hand violently as he hesitates.

“Come quickly! I’ve been waiting for hours! I can’t wait any longer!”

“Uh, uh, wait a minute… … .”

Before he could say anything, the woman waved at the cafe owner.

“Sorry! We’ll go in too!”

“Yes, please sit in the empty seat next to the door.”

A couple sitting in that empty seat.

The woman glanced around.

The red-toned walls weren’t flashy, but they had a rather old-fashioned feel.

The decorations scattered here and there went together quite well.

It seems common, but it is strangely eye-catching.

‘It’s amazing. It’s several times better in real life than what I saw on TV… … No, it’s not at that level. It’s just worlds apart.’

The woman was unexpectedly impressed by the interior.

Since she was thinking about becoming self-employed in the future, it was only natural that she would feel the desire.

‘Which interior design company did this? Should I ask?’

The woman, who had no idea that the president had personally designed the interior, turned her gaze toward the president.

The manager seemed preoccupied with dealing with other customers.

Meanwhile, the man thinks.

‘He seems to be quite tall, and since there are a lot of customers at the cafe, he must make a lot of money, and he’s also handsome… … He must have been a good-looking guy.’

Wealth, looks, ability.

That man has all three of the qualities that modern people most desire.

It’s even stranger that it’s unpopular.

‘It’s got everything. It’s a total scam, really.’

Now all I can believe is the baseless slander that some body parts are bigger than mine.

The man quickly stopped thinking about it, feeling the fundamental fear of being pushed aside as a man.

When he saw his girlfriend again, he felt uneasy because she also seemed to be obsessed with the boss.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

When a cheeky woman asked the boss,

The man listened without realizing it.

‘Please stay. Please!’

“Haha, no. Since I run a cafe, it’s not easy to meet people. I’m still more comfortable being alone.”

‘F*ck!’

The man hates the cafe owner.

And I also hate my girlfriend who is staring blankly at the cafe owner.

The man called his girlfriend in a husky voice.

“Honey. Honey!”

The woman, who came to her senses at the sound of her boyfriend’s voice, suddenly smiles.

“Huh? Huh! Huh? Why?”

“Aren’t you staring too intently?”

She asks back with a bewildered expression at her lover’s tone, full of disappointment.

“You’re staring? What?”

“Honey, do you want me to openly look at pretty girls?”

The woman sighed inwardly.

Phew, this little shit.

I’m trying to make a person out of Gao, but it’s really not easy.

She decides to engrave the character of patience once more and draws the fourth stroke of the character for righteousness in her heart.

“I was looking at the interior design. I was going to ask the owner here to recommend an interior design company.”

“… … Was it like that?”

“That’s right! Are you just jealous? You’re cute.”

The woman thought as she playfully pulled her boyfriend’s cheek.

‘But he’s handsome. A guy like that must be very competitive.’

Surely, a silent war is taking place around him every day.

And only one person who survives that battlefield will fight to be by his side.

‘I don’t know who will be the last one standing, but it’s interesting. Maybe them too?’

As she stared at the backs of the two employees working in the kitchen.

The man decides.

‘Someone has to do it.’

The man decided to give this cafe a rating attack, regardless of the taste of the food.

Like an independence fighter who ran towards the Japanese soldiers holding a bomb.

The fact that someone thinks you, the cafe owner, are jealous.

I wanted to personally show that there is such a man by giving him a one-star rating.

however.

“Now, we will begin our cafe’s signature dish, diffuser time.”

The boss’s voice echoes through the cafe.

“The fragrance I prepared today is based on the concept of the season of fall. I hope you enjoy it.”

Ending with a small round of applause.

Ss …

The woman flinched at the scent emanating from somewhere.

‘This is… … .’

The rich scent of the night stimulated my salivary glands.

The sweet flavor of sweet potatoes tickles the tip of your tongue and makes your heart flutter.

‘Ah, I feel like I’m becoming more sentimental.’

This scent feels familiar, yet somehow nostalgic, yet strange.

It comes to mind.

[Oh my, my kids!]

The warm smile of my grandmother who always gave me lots of food in the fall.

[You have to eat well when you go!]

Seeing off his family while facing the lonely wind alone.

Even the grandmother’s loneliness that she had been hiding behind her cheerful appearance.

The scent unraveled the bundle of memories she had left in a corner of her mind.

“ah…….”

She quickly wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes.

‘The concept of fall… … is what it’s talking about. It really… … feels like fall.’

It’s lonely, sweet, and kind.

How long has it been since I felt this many different emotions?

I wonder if she wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

“I can feel it… … the falling leaves… … the fall in California… … .”

“There is no season called fall in our country, but if there was, I wonder if it would have been like this… … .”

From the mouths of foreigners who close their eyes tightly and savor the scent.

Words of praise such as ‘Wonderful!’ and ‘Amazing!’ burst out one after another.

But the surprise didn’t end there.

No, that was just the beginning.

“Huh!”

“What?!”

From the mouths of each person holding a glass.

A single exclamation of shock and amazement burst out.

“This strong scent… …! It’s really strong, like lava erupting from a volcano. The evaluator’s low rating was really right!”

“How about this passionate sweetness?”

“And this rough acidity is also attractive! And yet it leaves a deep aftertaste.”

The luxury of drinking coffee with a fiery taste as intense as lava while smelling the scent of autumn.

Where else can one enjoy such luxury?

“This fragrance, this sip of coffee, this feeling… … This alone makes it worth visiting this country again.”

“True. I’ve traveled to many countries, but I’ve never experienced such luxury anywhere!”

“Why on earth did this place only get two stars?”

The woman, who was listening to the foreigners’ conversation, nodded in agreement without realizing it.

‘Shouldn’t this have been given 3 stars unconditionally?’

She has even eaten at three-star fine dining restaurants.

And I can say for sure that the food there was no better than the coffee at this Inseong cafe.

‘I don’t know the criteria for the gourmet guide to give stars. Perhaps they took off a star because of the cafe’s exterior? Or because it’s not a fine dining restaurant?’

At that time, the woman was troubled by an unsolvable question.

match-

The young CEO grabs people’s attention by clapping.

“Unfortunately, the promised diffuser time has ended. I wonder if you all had a good time.”

“It’s over!”

“This quality for less than $10! ​​I can guarantee you that you won’t find a cafe like this anywhere in the world!”

“Haha, thank you for enjoying our cafe. We hope you will visit us again next time.”

‘Ah, that was so satisfying.’

The woman who left the cafe with her boyfriend turned her head and looked at Inseong Cafe.

‘It was worth the wait.’

I’d rather wait a few more hours.

I wanted to visit Inseong Cafe just one more time.

“Honey, how were you?”

Then, the boyfriend suddenly looks startled.

“Yeah… …Yeah?!”

“What? What are you hiding? What did you do?”

A woman quickly intercepts her boyfriend’s phone, which he had not managed to hide.

“Oh, on the rating app… … 5 stars? The review says… … Today, I admit defeat. But next time will be different… … ?”

The woman looked at the man with a strange expression.

“My darling, you may say no with your mouth, but your body is honest, aren’t you?”

“Ugh… … Shit… … .”

* * *

‘I’m glad everyone seems satisfied.’

Watching the customers leave the cafe after the 7th diffuser time.

I smiled pleasantly.

‘I especially like the fact that Inseong Coffee is so well-received.’

I feel proud that coffee, which was once considered a weakness of cafes, has now become the cafe’s main attraction.

‘Balina is just such a filial daughter, a filial daughter.’

It was thanks to her diligent roasting of coffee beans that today’s Insung coffee was created.

‘With this momentum, the 8th diffuser time too… … .’

Just as I was trying to clear the table.

“I…….”

A white woman, who I thought had left, walked toward me with a determined look in her eyes.

“Did you leave something behind?”

“No! Can I work at this cafe?”

“yes?”

“The diffuser, the coffee, the dessert… … everything about this cafe was perfect. I’m already in love with this cafe.”

I smiled slightly at her compliment.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“But I don’t want to stop at just enjoying it. I want to work here and study the coffee and various desserts of this cafe. Is that possible?”

I smiled awkwardly as I looked at the woman whose eyes were burning with passion.

“Sorry, I don’t share the technical details with anyone.”

‘Actually, I have nothing to tell you, and I cannot tell you.’

“You don’t have to tell me anything! I just want to work here!”

“hmm…….”

I was a little lost in thought.

‘We already need to hire more employees because Seon-ah and Soo-jung are lacking.’

In addition, the number of foreign guests has increased significantly.

If the woman in front of me could do the work, dealing with foreign guests would become easier.

“Do you happen to know Korean?”

“I learned this while working as an English instructor for about two years! I can communicate at least to a minimum!”

“Hoo… … .”

‘Not bad, right?’

I nodded at her.

“Okay, I understand. Could you give me your number? I’ll contact you later.”

“Yes! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Haha, nothing has been decided yet. More importantly, the name… … .”

“This is Michelle.”

“Okay, Michelle. If there’s ever an opportunity to hire someone, I’ll definitely contact you.”

She bowed repeatedly and left the cafe.

While Sujeong is making waffles, she runs next to me.

“Boss! It was the same earlier, and what happened just now?!”

“what?”

“I just realized that you speak English so well, sir! When did you learn it?”

“Ah, this?”

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.

“I just watched some American dramas and things like Nutflicks often, so I got used to it naturally.”

Of course it’s a lie.

‘It’s just that the translation skills that were applied at the top are applied outside as well.’

I didn’t know that the communication system that was applied across races and ethnicities inside the tower would work outside as well.

“Wow! Sir, you really work very hard. You run a cafe and study English. I should learn from you.”

When Soo-Jung’s eyes sparkled.

I pointed past her and smiled.

“It’s good to be an example, but I’d rather have waffles.”

“Ouch! Aah!”

Soo-Jung hurriedly returned to the kitchen.

I sat down for a bit to take a break.

‘There are about 10 minutes left until the 8th diffuser time, so let’s take a break.’

That doesn’t mean you can just lie there and rest.

I was lost in thought while looking at the delivery app on my phone.

‘I think we should reflect the guests’ requests a little bit.’

Most of the comments were favorable towards the cafe.

Some comments also contained complaints about the cafe.

‘The waiting time is certainly a bit long. I am aware of that. We need to either reduce the waiting time or increase the sales of our products.’

Recently, with the addition of Slave No. 4 and Balina, the speed of manufacturing goods has increased.

It is true that it is difficult to handle that many guests.

‘It’s a waiting list app… … That’s a good idea.’

However, among the customers who used the cafe in the morning, there were many elderly people.

Can such elderly people really use mobile phone apps well?

‘Isn’t there some kind of groundbreaking method that can satisfy all age groups…?’

I started tapping the table.

I raised my head and glanced upstairs.

‘I think expanding the cafe would be the best option.’

A while ago, the bar that was doing business on the upper floor moved out, so the second floor is now empty.

‘It’s a good time to expand, but will Grandma Okja sell it?’

There is also the option of renting the second floor.

To be honest, I wanted to buy it outright rather than rent it.

‘Still, I should at least call my grandmother and ask her what she thinks… ‘

At that time.

Whew Whew Whew-

Suddenly, my cell phone vibrates.

I looked at the name that appeared on my phone and stuck out my tongue.

[Grandma Lee Ok-ja]

‘Wow, this grandma is brave.’

I was just thinking about it, and then you called.

“Yes, hello? Oh, yes. Haha, I always do. Yes, yes. But what… … yes?”

After a while.

“… … .”

I couldn’t get over the shock after finishing the call.

‘Is this what the old lady said sincere?’

I remembered what Grandma Okja had said.

[Inseong, have you ever thought about buying a building?]