Chapter 35
Jeongjikhan flinched and answered the man’s question.
“How did you know?”
“Wahaha! That’s right! Exactly!”
The man snapped his fingers with a click! and continued.
“So Grandpa Chunsu went there. I was worried since I hadn’t seen him for a while. Was it a year ago when he last ate here? How is he doing now?”
“He has attained enlightenment.”
“Enlightenment? When?”
“It hasn’t even been a month. He left with a smile in the end.”
“Wow… I see. What a relief. He always struggled to eat properly because he worried so much about his wife.”
Grandpa Kang Chunsu, whom Jeongjikhan had seen at the café, carried himself with calm kindness. It seemed he’d shared deeper stories and vented his troubles here too.
The man wiped his right hand on his apron before extending it toward Jeongjikhan.
“Late on introductions. I’m Park Hyunwoo.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Jeongjikhan.”
“Grandpa Chunsu brought us together again like this. Haha!”
The man erupted in boisterous laughter before standing to address the other guests.
“Everyone! The mystery’s finally solved!”
As the guests stared blankly, Park Hyunwoo pointed at Jeongjikhan.
“This gentleman is Mr. Jeongjikhan from the Café of the Departed! Let’s give him a round of applause!”
“Woooah!”
The guests clapped along with the cheerful mood, their eyes fixed on Jeongjikhan.
Though startled by the sudden welcome, Jeongjikhan rose and bowed to the crowd.
Park Hyunwoo moved closer, draping his right arm over Jeongjikhan’s shoulder.
“Everyone! According to Mr. Jeongjikhan here, lingering resentment doesn’t instantly make someone an evil spirit!”
Questions erupted from the departed guests:
“Then what happens?”
“Won’t the underworld messengers intervene?”
“Don’t the reapers drag them away by force?!”
“A resentful soul isn’t an evil spirit?”
As questions poured in, Jeongjikhan scratched his forehead and answered each in turn:
Those who live with good hearts receive invitations to the Café of the Departed.
Drinking coffee there prevents transformation into evil spirits.
The coffee only blocks malevolent change—it doesn’t resolve resentment.
The path to enlightenment varies by the weight of one’s lingering regrets.
The guests sighed in relieved admiration.
“Thank you for explaining!”
“We’re grateful, Mr. Jeongjikhan!”
“May blessings follow you!”
These guests waiting for loved ones radiated gentle warmth, their edges softened by time.
Park Hyunwoo beamed at Jeongjikhan until he noticed the stir-fried pork on the table and gasped.
“Oh! Look at me disturbing your meal. I’ve always wondered about the Café of the Departed—meeting you got me too excited!”
“Not at all. It’s fine.”
“Haha! Shall we finish eating first?”
“Yes.”
Jeongjikhan lifted his chopsticks again, savoring the spicy pork.
It’s truly delicious.
Were it not for Company H’s trade secrets… he’d have begged for the recipe.
“May I leave this here?”
“Ah! Of course. Did the meal suit you?”
“I cleaned the plate completely. It was wonderful.”
“Haha! Glad you enjoyed it.”
Park Hyunwoo scrubbed dishes vigorously before turning to Jeongjikhan.
“We don’t serve dessert, but free instant coffee’s available. Care for a cup while waiting?”
“Yes. I’ll make one for you too.”
“Haha! My thanks.”
The affable owner soon joined Jeongjikhan after finishing chores.
Jeongjikhan handed him a mug.
“Cooled to the perfect drinking temperature.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Park Hyunwoo sipped and smiled approvingly.
“Café owners really do make even instant coffee special!”
“Haha! You exaggerate.”
After another satisfied slurp, Park Hyunwoo asked:
“Did you visit because of Grandpa Chunsu? Trouble upstairs?”
“No. I came to ask something else.”
“Ask away! We should help each other.”
His easygoing charm explained his popularity.
Jeongjikhan straightened.
“Actually… a guest at our café awaits news of a younger sibling.”
“Younger sibling?”
“Yes. Someone bound to this world by unresolved resentment.”
“Ah…”
Park Hyunwoo listened intently—a man who knew when to be serious.
Jeongjikhan explained further:
“I wondered if this sibling might be at the Restaurant of the Departed. Hence my visit.”
“The sibling’s name?”
“Kim Deokbae. Appears to be an 80-year-old man.”
Park Hyunwoo’s eyes bulged, jaw slack.
Jeongjikhan leaned forward.
“You know him?”
“There’s a Kim Deokbae who comes here.”
“What?! Truly?!”
As Jeongjikhan gaped, Park Hyunwoo swallowed dryly.
“Could be a namesake… but he matches your description.”
“Why does he remain here?”
“My job’s preparing memorial meals, not knowing details. I only know he’s… waiting for someone.”
“Do you come here often?”
“Not really. He comes about once a month. Since he’s not a bound spirit, I think he wanders around here and there.”
Upon hearing Park Hyun-woo’s words, Jung Jik-han’s heart began to race. It felt like the first button had been perfectly aligned.
Even though they couldn’t meet today, just knowing that Kim Deok-bae, a spirit with the appearance of an 80-year-old, visits the restaurant was enough to give him hope.
Park Hyun-woo also spoke with a sense of wonder.
“Maybe… the person Kim Deok-bae is waiting for is someone at the café where Jung Jik-han works.”
“Manager, could I possibly get your number?”
“Sure. I’ll let you know when Kim Deok-bae comes by next time.”
“Thank you.”
“Is there anything I can pass along? Something that would confirm that the Deok-bae I know is the Kim Deok-bae you’re looking for?”
Evidence… The most certain evidence would be just one thing.
“Please ask if he knows Kim Sook-hee.”
“Kim Sook-hee… Kim Sook-hee… Got it. I’ll remember—no, I’ll write it down.”
Park Hyun-woo got up from his seat, brought a notebook, and wrote down Kim Sook-hee’s name.
“Is there anything else?”
“Also, please confirm if the last place he met Kim Sook-hee was Heungnam Port.”
“Heungnam… Huh? Heungnam Port? Isn’t that in North Korea?”
“Yes, they were separated during the Korean War.”
“Ah.” Park Hyun-woo let out a short sigh with a troubled expression and immediately wrote it down in his notebook.
“This should be enough. I’ll definitely let you know when Kim Deok-bae comes by next time.”
“Thank you. Then…” Jung Jik-han stood up and took out his wallet from his pocket.
“How much is the stir-fried pork? There’s no menu, so I don’t know the price.”
“Haha! I only take as much as my customers give me.”
“Huh? Does that even work for business?”
“We don’t deal in cash here, you know? The company sends us ingredients.”
So they price things in “Gil” here too… He only knew how to receive “Gil” from customers but had no idea how to give it out. It wasn’t like he could refill their coffee… In his confusion, Jung Jik-han muttered softly to himself.
“Na-han.” But no message from Na-han came to mind. Was it because they were in H Company’s territory? Even when he called Na-han internally, there was no response, so Jung Jik-han licked his dry lips and spoke up.
“Um… Manager, I don’t usually freeload like this, so I don’t know how to give ‘Gil.’”
“Haha! It’s fine. We don’t need to nitpick between colleagues in the same line of work. Your goodwill is enough.”
“Oh no, really… What about cash?”
“Hey! If I take cash, I’ll get punished for it! It’s fine, really.” Park Hyun-woo waved his hands repeatedly, insisting it was okay.
Feeling guilty and unable to leave, Jung Jik-han hesitated until Park Hyun-woo smiled warmly and said,
“You know what they say—what goes around comes around; cause and effect; everything returns to its rightful place.”
“…”
“Ah, maybe ‘everything returns to its rightful place’ has a slightly different meaning? Haha!” Park Hyun-woo scratched his head and laughed heartily.
Jung Jik-han also laughed and nodded politely.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“Don’t go hungry. No matter what you do, eating well gives you strength.”
“Yes, thank you. Manager, please take care of your health, and may your days be filled with happiness.”
“Haha! My wish is for good influence to spread far and wide. Won’t something good come back to me someday?” Park Hyun-woo spoke with a contented smile.
His kind and warm demeanor made Jung Jik-han feel enriched as well.
“Then, I’ll be going now.”
“Yes! This was the Restaurant of the Dead!”
With Park Hyun-woo seeing him off, Jung Jik-han left the restaurant.
His heart felt as full as his stomach.
The Restaurant of the Dead… it had a charm different from that of the Café of the Dead.
The clock was already nearing 1 a.m.
If he hurried, could he meet Sook-hee?
He wanted to quickly share his excited feelings with her.
Ding-ding!
As Jung Jik-han hurriedly opened the café door, a woman behind the counter cleaning a mug turned her gaze toward him.
Soon she spoke, hollow eyes staring straight at him:
“Welcome thou hast come.”
For a moment, Jung Jik-han doubted his ears.
Welcome thou hast come?
Who was this woman addressing him in such formal historical drama tone without even knowing who he was?
In his confusion, Jung Jik-han didn’t move.
The woman raised one corner of her eye and asked,
“Proof goblin? Thou art Jung Jik-han?”
“Ah, yes, I am. Hello, nice to meet thee.”
“Thou art younger than expected. I thought thee be an older man.”
She placed the cleaned mug on a shelf, untied her apron, and continued speaking:
“Pleased make acquaintance. Thine humble servant Cha Ye-won, assistant manager of Sales Team 1 at KarMa Entertainment, hereby present myself before thee.”
“I’m Jung Jik-han. Nice to meet thee too.”
If it’s Sales Team 1… that’s where Cha Seung-pyo is team leader.
Since Jung Jik-han had left his post, it seemed Assistant Manager Cha Ye-won had come as a replacement.
‘But why is she talking like this? Was she a queen in a past life?’
Jung Jik-han glanced at her curiously.
Cha Ye-won raised her chin slightly, asking,
“Dost thou have questions for thine humble servant?”
“No, not really… just thy way of speaking is unusual…”
“Too much drama watching hath changed mine speech without realizing.”
She was just an ordinary historical drama fan.
‘Not ordinary at all!’
Jung Jik-han scratched his forehead while carefully observing Cha Ye-won’s expression.
Her hair, tied back and reaching her waist, and her neat suit attire.
Skin as white as jade, soft curved eyebrows.
Half-open hollow eyes with dark circles beneath them.
At a glance, it was obvious she was a grim reaper.
“Sorry for suddenly calling thee as a replacement…”
“At times like these, gratitude should be expressed.”
“Thank thee.”
“Good. Then thine humble servant shall return now, leaving the rest to thee.”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”
Cha Ye-won handed the apron to Jung Jik-han, then vanished into smoke.
Café customers immediately gathered around Jung Jik-han.
“Manager! Suddenly seeing a grim reaper at the counter, I thought something had happened!”
“Today, without Mr. Jik-han, the coffee tasted terrible!”
“I didn’t help people just to drink bad coffee like this…”
“Where did Mr. Jik-han go today? I thought he wasn’t coming!”
The customers’ complaints erupted.
Jung Jik-han forced a smile, saying,
“Sorry, everyone. An urgent matter came up, so I was late. Next time you come, I’ll make better coffee, I promise!”
He repeatedly apologized, soothing the customers.
Then suddenly, Sook-hee stood up from her seat and began to speak…
