The workers installing the sign let out hearty laughs as they watched her boldly wielding the weed trimmer without a hint of fear, making all that noise.
Hyejin had tried just about every part-time job imaginable after her family’s financial situation took a turn for the worse.
She believed no job was beneath her, and as long as the hours fit, she’d take on anything.
Running the convenience store for a year fell into the same category.
This is really strange.
I never thought I’d develop affection for a convenience store.
How long had she been working here, anyway?
Next week would mark about a month.
Eleven months left.
She’d assumed she’d just mechanically sell items and be done with it, but before she knew it, she was splurging on the store’s exterior decor.
But I want to show everyone a clean, nice convenience store.
Even as she continued trimming the weeds, Hyejin kept thinking her current self felt somehow unfamiliar.
Money was still the most important thing, and she was doing this job to earn it—that hadn’t changed—but something was different from when she’d first accepted the position.
Before long, the overgrown grass on the left side of the convenience store was almost completely cleared.
With the blade still spinning, Hyejin looked around for the next spot to tackle.
She moved over and started trimming again.
After some time passed, the exterior, which had once resembled a tropical rainforest, became so clean it was hard to believe it was inside a dungeon.
Hyejin wiped the sweat from her brow and let out a big sigh with a phew!
“Now, just that side left.”
Hyejin went around to the right side of the convenience store, picked up the trash scattered on the ground, and started the trimmer again.
Watching the grass get cut down made her feel refreshed right down to her heart.
Then, suddenly, the space where the puppy had been caught her eye.
Hyejin quickly turned off the trimmer’s power.
It was out of caution, just in case.
She set the trimmer down on the ground for a moment and looked around.
Fortunately, there were no abandoned cats or dogs.
Having to worry about things like this.
She let out a small sigh, and then one of the workers’ voices reached her.
“It should be done in about an hour and a half.”
“Already?”
“Already? It’s been thirty minutes. We usually finish in two hours, so it’s about time to wrap up. Just wait a bit. I’ll speed things up!”
There was a bit of bravado in his words, but Hyejin welcomed the worker’s loud laughter and boastful tone.
The space that had just been her and Asha alone had grown to five people, and it didn’t feel bad at all to have it bustling with comings and goings.
Living on her own, Hyejin was always alone.
During her college days, she could be with friends at school, but as graduation approached, even that became difficult.
Friends going abroad to study, friends taking leaves of absence to start jobs early.
Friends preparing for transfers, friends gearing up for graduate school.
They were all walking paths different from Hyejin’s.
Come to think of it, I wonder how the others are doing.
She’d been so busy just surviving on her own that she hadn’t even contacted her friends.
Of course, none of them had reached out to her either.
Everyone was too busy with their own lives, so it couldn’t be helped.
If something had happened, they would’ve contacted her, so no news was probably good news.
“Ah, done!”
***
After quite some time, Hyejin finally finished the trimming completely, picked up the weed trimmer, and opened the convenience store door to go inside.
Suho, who was standing at the counter, greeted her.
“I’m glad you didn’t get hurt. I was worried because you’re the weakest person I’ve ever seen wielding a trimmer.”
“Actually, me too. I thought about helping, but I just ended up watching.”
At Suho and Seojun’s words, Hyejin felt a little lighter.
Having part-timers who worried about her like this warmed a corner of her heart.
“Aw, it’s nothing.”
Smiling as she looked at the two, Hyejin remembered she had to make the kimchi jjigae.
Oh no, Suho’s shift ended ages ago!
“I’ll make the food right away. For real this time!”
She hurried to close the convenience store door, which was still open, when in the distance, a somewhat familiar silhouette appeared.
Hyejin tilted her head. Huh?
“What? Am I seeing things?”
But it wasn’t an illusion—it was Eunwoo.
His previously dirty clothes had been changed into something clean, and his face looked fresh, as if he’d washed up.
“Manager!”
Spotting Hyejin, Eunwoo shouted happily from afar and came running.
Hearing the voice, Seojun stepped out of the convenience store too.
He also looked surprised to see Eunwoo.
“Man, aren’t you all tired? I guess as a healer, you can manage your stamina on your own.”
“It’s only been a little while since you left to rest…….”
“Seriously. When did you all get so close?”
Hearing Seojun’s sly comment, Suho muttered from the counter.
“He must’ve been thinking about the kimchi jjigae.”
Even from outside the convenience store, Hyejin could hear Suho clearly and smiled.
“I can’t stop you guys.”
Anyway, now she could treat her three part-timers to a meal.
“You’re not even on shift yet—why are you here so early?”
At Hyejin’s light, playful scolding, Eunwoo stuck out his tongue slightly and grinned.
“There’s nothing good waiting at home anyway. I guess he already heard I got a job at a convenience store—my dad blew up so loud the house nearly came down. Maybe I should’ve actually gone homeless after getting kicked out.”
His tone was joking, but the situation wasn’t, so Hyejin’s face quickly filled with concern.
“It sounds like your father was just worried and expressed it that way……. But how did you get here so fast?”
“Ah, I just washed up quickly and came back out. There’s this boutique I go to, and I had some clothes on hold that I hadn’t picked up, so I changed there. I brought spare clothes in my bag too.”
“A bag?”
Looking at Eunwoo, she saw a small bag on his back.
“When I tried to leave with the bag at first, my dad begged me to get my act together and live properly.”
“So what did you say, Eunwoo?”
“Well, I told him I’d definitely inherit Baektae Confectionery, so just let me go for a few years. I have to live my own life too.”
It wasn’t a situation for Hyejin to interject lightly.
Especially since it was a father-son thing.
Instead, she lightly patted Eunwoo’s shoulder.
“I’m sure there’ll come a time when your father understands your feelings.”
“I hope that day comes.”
“Of course!”
“In the end, Dad decided to leave me alone, and I just want to eat the kimchi jjigae you make, Manager, with these hyungs here no matter what.”
“Huh?”
Hyejin doubted her ears.
A serious story ending with kimchi jjigae? Did he really come just because he wanted kimchi jjigae?
“Hurry up. These hyungs must be hungry too—make it quick.”
“O-okay. Just wait a moment.”
Hearing Hyejin’s words, Eunwoo dashed into the convenience store and proudly spread his arms wide in front of everyone.
With a look that said ‘I did good, right?’ he smirked his lips and wore a satisfied smile.
“He’s like a kid.”
“Such a kid.”
“Ah, come on, that’s too much!”
Hearing the three’s playful voices, Hyejin entered the staff room kitchen and poked just her face out.
“I’ll make it quick. It should be done in about ten minutes.”
“It cooks that fast?”
“I’ve made kimchi jjigae the most while living alone. Once the ingredients are prepped, it boils up in no time.”
Hyejin took out the ingredients, then briefly left the staff room to check inside the convenience store.
It was a slow time with few customers, so the store was quiet.
The sign installation was almost complete too.
After looking around inside and outside the convenience store, Hyejin went back into the staff room, and Seojun followed her in, saying,
“I’ll help you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I’ll just help with prepping the ingredients. You’re crushing garlic for the kimchi jjigae, right? Chopping green onions, adding tofu?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
As if he’d expected it, Seojun tied on an apron and stood beside her.
“Tell me if you need anything. I want to be a solid help to my employer.”
At Seojun’s kind words, which she hadn’t even thought of, Hyejin’s hand paused for a moment while cutting the kimchi.