ASCP Ch 4

Having organized his thoughts, Myeongseon hurried home. As soon as he parked his car in the parking lot, he immediately turned on his phone.

-Myeongseon-ah, are you home?

Yangja asked as she answered the phone.

“Mom, who’s working the counter tomorrow?”

-Your dad and I are. Why?

“Should I work the counter again tomorrow?”

-Huh?

“It’d be a waste of what I learned about the POS system. After trying it today, I realized I liked being there with you guys. And I get to see you and Dad working.”

-Oh my, what’s gotten into you? Our Myeongseon is having such thoughts? How cute. Oh my goodness, the Lord must be answering our prayers. Changseon’s dad! Come here!

“Mom, just tell me yes or no.”

-Changseon’s dad!

Mom, focus!

Myeongseon silently screamed and clutched his hair.

-What, what?

-Myeongseon wants…

Unfazed, Yangja continued explaining Myeongseon’s offer to Jeongsik over the phone.

-Ah! Our Myeongseon!

Jeongsik’s voice, choked with emotion, boomed through the phone.

Myeongseon’s parents had always dreamed of handing over the garden to their youngest son, who had barely managed to finish community college, quit, went to the military, and then returned to idly laze around without any purpose.

Their eldest son, Changseon, had gotten married and immigrated to Australia, and their daughter, Inseon, was managing a guesthouse in Jeju Island and taking care of herself. But Myeongseon was very different from them.

They’d concluded that handing over the garden seemed like the only way Myeongseon would be able to make a living.

They had cautiously suggested several times that Myeongseon consider taking business management classes, but he had never listened.

So, for him to suddenly say this, how could they not be thrilled by his sudden change of heart?

-Myeongseon-ah!

It sounded like Jeongsik had snatched the phone from Yangja.

-Myeongseon-ah, that’s a great idea. If you want to learn the business, you can come anytime. Not everyone gets to experience the joy of earning money through hard work. Especially at your age, it’s so important to feel this sense of accomplishment.

Myeongseon held the phone away from his ear and sighed.

“Okay, Dad. So I can work the counter tomorrow, right?”

-Of course, of course. We’d love to have you with us.

-Ask him if he wants to work the lunch shift too.

Yangja’s voice could be heard from beside Jeongsik.

-Myeongseon-ah, the lunch…

“Are the staff who work during lunch and dinner the same?”

-The part-timers work in shifts, and the full-timers work all day. Why?

“Ah, that…”

Myeongseon paused to collect his thoughts.

Was the Charcoal Grill Guy a part-timer? A full-timer? But it’ would be weird to ask specifically about him.
So, let’s rephrase the question a bit…

“Ah, there are part-timers? I thought everyone was full-time. Are the people working in the hall part-timers?”

-The hall staff are mostly part-timers, and the dishwashers and… oh, the charcoal gril too.

Yes!

“Oh, so the charcoal grill position also uses part-timers. I didn’t know that. Then the charcoal grill is also part-time? Separate people for lunch and dinner?”

-That’s right. Mr. Youngchan for lunch, and Mr. Jaekang for dinner.

The Charcoal Grill Guy’s name is Jaekang?

“Jaekang? The guy who was working when I was there today?”

-Wow, our Myeongseon is taking a real interest in the restaurant business after working today. It was rewarding, wasn’t it? Fun?

Another digression.

“Whatever, I’ll just do dinner tomorrow. I have something to do during the day.”

-He says just dinner.

-Tell him to come before 4:30, when the evening shift starts, so he can look around or something.

-Wouldn’t it be okay if he comes around 5?

-Oh, come on, if he’s going to do it, he should do it properly, at the same time as everyone else. It would look bad to the staff.

Even though they lived together and could talk about it at home, Jeongsik and Yangja continued their discussion while holding the phone.

While they were at it, Myeongseon was busy thinking about how he should approach Jaekang, the Charcoal Grill Guy, tomorrow.

* * *

It was a little past 4 p.m., not yet the end of break time. 

The garden restaurant, viewed from outside, was quiet. 

Myeongseon parked his car, got out, and checked his reflection in the car window several times, smoothing down his hair. Even while getting ready for work and moving around his house, he couldn’t help but constantly check his appearance in every mirror he passed. 

He’d taken all the clothes out of his closet, repeatedly trying them on and taking them off. He’d styled his hair with wax, only to wash it out and restyle it again, dissatisfied with the result. He’d also meticulously chosen his cologne, wristwatch, and shoes.

I’ve never put this much effort into getting ready for anyone.

He wasn’t sure if all this effort would even catch the eye of Jaekang, the seemingly straight Charcoal Grill Guy, but it was a necessary process, if only to boost Myeongseon’s own confidence.

I wonder if the Charcoal Grill Guy has arrived at work yet?

Myeongseon strolled around the garden, then headed towards the backyard where the charcoal grilling area was located.

They open at 4:30, so he should be there by 4.

As he rounded the corner of the main hall and entered the backyard, he heard whirring and clanking sounds.

Whoa, shit.

Myeongseon stopped dead in his tracks in the middle of the backyard.

The charcoal grilling area, open without a separate entrance, was divided into two sections by a partition. And in the left section, he could see Jaekang’s back.

He seemed to be washing the grills. His movements were skillful and quick as he picked up a used grill, rubbed it against a machine for cleaning, and then tossed it into the sink on the left. Even though he was wearing a thick, loose plastic apron, his 100% perfect body was as beautiful as ever. Every time his hands moved, the small muscles in his back and arms flexed and rippled.

Myeongseon unconsciously licked his lips.

How can he be like that? Those laborer muscles. That rich stallion of a body.

Even his wet, gloved hands and water-splashed forearms were perfect. He was almost envious of the gloves and water that touched that body.

In the right corner of the partitioned area, a machine he couldn’t identify was whirring loudly. Judging by the charcoal containers and boxes stacked around it, it seemed to be a machine for igniting charcoal.

Myeongseon suddenly took in the entire scene, along with Jaekang, and felt a surge of admiration.

The grill cleaning machine and the charcoal igniter were machines at the height of civilization, while the remnants of grilled meat stuck to the grills and the charcoal being heated in the igniter felt incredibly primal. Jaekang’s surroundings were a strange mixture of civilization and primitiveness, bustling and hot with activity.

It was a strangely attractive atmosphere. All the sounds, the spray of water, the heat, and the labor Jaekang was focused on blended with his physique, making him stand out even more.

Is this the sexiness of a manual labor?

Myeongseon stood there with his mouth slightly agape for a while, appreciating Jaekang’s perfect body and the scene surrounding him.

“Myeongseon!”

Yangja’s voice startled Myeongseon, and he snapped out of his reverie, turning around abruptly. At the same time, Jaekang also turned around.

Myeongseon realized this right before turning his head and thought, 

Oops. Did he notice me staring at him?

“You came early. Why are you out here instead of coming inside?”

“Uh, just… looking around.”

“Do you want to eat something before you start work? Aren’t you hungry? You won’t have time to eat later when it gets busy.”

“No, I already ate. I’m not hungry.”

As Yangja led him towards the main building, Myeongseon glanced back. 

Jaekang had turned back and continued his work.

Myeongseon felt relieved, yet somehow disappointed.