I was thinking of the person who used to run both an online and offline butcher shop at the Branch 2 location.
When I went to take over that shop with Min-jae, I remembered being impressed by what he had left behind.
The meticulously organized work manuals, the well-maintained packaging equipment, and the systematically categorized customer management system — everything was perfect. Thanks to those, we were able to start our online business easily.
I felt like someone like that would be a great asset to our team.
“Dad, do you happen to have Mr. Park’s phone number?”
My father tilted his head in confusion.
“Mr. Park? Oh, you mean the Mr. Park who was at the Branch 2 location?”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“I should have his number. Hold on a second…”
My father flipped through an old notebook before pointing to a page.
“Here it is. Park Jong-min. But why?”
“I’m thinking of bringing him on as an employee. He has experience with online business, and his work was very clean.”
My father nodded, seemingly agreeing with my reasoning.
Of course, I could have hired other employees or part-timers. However, the traces Mr. Park had left behind were too impressive. If I was going to pay to hire someone anyway, I thought this man — who knew the business and the local market perfectly — was the best choice.
I pushed other options out of my mind for now.
“He is a good man. Diligent and has a strong sense of responsibility. Even though he couldn’t hold out and had to leave…”
My father stopped mid-sentence, his face contorting slightly.
“But as you saw, the man has quite a bit of pride. He used to run his own business, so if you ask him to come in as an employee… I don’t know how he’ll take it.”
My father had a point. It isn’t easy to suggest an employment position to someone who used to run their own business. It would be especially difficult for anyone to work in the very shop where they had failed. I might even be told that I was hiring someone who would be uncomfortable to give orders to. There were plenty of people who would be easy to manage, so why him?
Still, I wanted to meet him.
“I should try to contact him. In our current situation, we desperately need someone with experience. This isn’t the time to hire someone who knows nothing.”
I took out my phone and entered the number. I hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button.
‘How should I start the conversation?’
The phone rang.
“Hello?”
I heard a familiar voice. It was Mr. Park.
“Hello. I’m not sure if you remember me… I’m the son from Jun-ho’s Butcher Shop.”
“Ah, Mr. Jeong! Of course I remember you. Hello. It’s been a while.”
Fortunately, his voice sounded welcoming.
“How have you been lately?”
“Oh, well… I’ve just been getting by. But how are you, Mr. Jeong? It must not be easy because of Mega Meat…”
“Yes, well, actually, the reason I’m calling is…”
I hesitated, unsure of how to bring it up. If I was too blunt, I might hurt his pride; if I beat around the bush, my intentions might not get across. This wasn’t a conversation for the phone. I had to meet him in person.
“Would it be possible to meet up? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
—
The next afternoon.
I met Mr. Park at a cafe near Branch 2.
His appearance had changed quite a bit in the few months since I last saw him. The relaxed air he once had was gone, replaced by a look of exhaustion. He looked gaunt, though I couldn’t tell if he had actually lost weight or if it was just my imagination.
However, his clothing was still neat. His white shirt was well-pressed without a single wrinkle. I could faintly tell that his self-respect, at least, remained unbroken.
“It looks like your family business is doing really well. I was surprised to see the Jun-ho’s Butcher Shop Branch 2 sign hanging there.”
Mr. Park spoke with a forced smile, but he couldn’t hide his bitter expression.
‘How much must it have hurt him to see that sign?’
“We’re doing well, thanks to you. How have you been lately, Mr. Park?”
“Oh, me? Well… I’ve been doing this and that.”
His answer was vague. I cautiously probed further.
“May I ask specifically what kind of work you’re doing? If it’s uncomfortable to talk about…”
Mr. Park hesitated for a moment before speaking honestly.
“Lately, I’ve been loading and unloading delivery trucks, doing short-term part-time work at logistics centers… and I occasionally work as a designated driver. I’m taking any work I can get. But honestly, it’s not easy. I have a wife and two daughters, and the loans I took out for the butcher shop are still remaining…”
Mr. Park stopped and took a sip of his coffee. I saw his hands trembling slightly. I couldn’t tell if it was from the exhaustion of hard labor or his wounded pride.
“After paying off the loan installments every month and covering living expenses, there’s almost nothing left. That’s why I get anxious if I don’t work even for a single day.”
I could see how desperate his situation was. I worried about how he would receive my offer in such a state. However, I also thought it was an opportunity that could benefit both of us.
“Mr. Park, there’s a reason I contacted you.”
He raised his head and looked at me.
“Would you be interested in working with me at the location you used to have?”
“What do you mean by… working together?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to come on as the manager to take charge of Branch 2. You’ve done online sales before.”
Mr. Park’s expression shifted through several complex emotions. It was a mix of surprise, gratitude, and a hint of self-deprecation. I could more than understand his complicated feelings.
“Why me… when there must be plenty of people to hire…”
“I’m still using the online manual you left behind exactly as it was.”
His eyes widened in surprise, and he couldn’t even blink.
“From the packaging methods to customer management and the delivery system… it means you made them that well. You simply didn’t have the opportunity to grow at the time.”
“Still, regardless, I’m someone who failed.”
“Failure? You didn’t fail, Mr. Park. The environment just changed suddenly. You didn’t even have a chance to try anything back then.”
I paused for a moment and looked him straight in the eyes.
“Mr. Park, don’t we have a common enemy?”
“…Are you talking about Mega Meat?”
“Yes, Mega Meat.”
In an instant, his face hardened.
“You were pushed out because of Mega Meat, and I’m currently fighting a hard battle against them as well.”
I leaned forward and spoke.
“I’ll be honest with you. What I’m doing right now isn’t just business expansion. It’s a fight to drive Mega Meat out of Gayoung-dong. Why don’t we join forces and have a satisfying redemption match?”
Mr. Park slowly set down his coffee cup. His hands were no longer shaking.
“A redemption match…”
“Yes. I can’t give you a massive salary, but I will match it to a manager’s position.”
Mr. Park was lost in thought for a moment before he spoke.
“Thank you… truly. To be honest, I do resent Mega Meat. But what I’m most grateful for right now is…”
His eyes grew moist.
“It was so hard working all the time without spending any time with my children. Since I leave at dawn and come home late at night, it’s hard to even see their faces… Just becoming a father who has a set commute… I think that would be a huge gift for my kids.”
Mr. Park looked me straight in the eye. I could see the determined will of a provider in his gaze.
“I will do my absolute best. I’ll start work tomorrow.”
To him, the time spent with his children was more important than the justification of fighting Mega Meat. As he stood up, he bowed deeply toward me. A parent is someone who can even throw away their pride for their children.
I bowed my head to him as well.
—
The next morning, Manager Park appeared in front of Branch 2.
He wore a neatly pressed gray shirt and black pants. He held a small briefcase in his hand. He looked completely different from his discouraged self from the day before. His shoulders were broad, and there was confidence in his stride.
“Good morning, Mr. Jeong.”
As Manager Park greeted us in a bright voice, my father reached out his hand happily.
“Mr. Park! It’s been a long time. I heard you were coming, so I waited here specifically for you. Who would have thought we’d end up working together like this?”
“I know, right? Life has a strange way of connecting people.”
“Oh, and this is my son’s junior, Min-jae…”
Min-jae, who had been wiping the showcase, set down his towel and gave a polite bow.
“Hello, Mr. Park. Or should I say, Manager. I’ve received so much help thanks to the online manual you left behind.”
“Oh, my manual actually helped?”
“I told you yesterday, didn’t I? You didn’t believe me?”
“No… well…”
At my words, Manager Park’s face brightened with an awkward smile. He still looked as if he couldn’t believe we were actually using what he had created.
“That’s a relief. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if it was done correctly since I didn’t get to use it much…”
“Not at all. It was very systematically made,” Min-jae said sincerely. “From the packaging methods to customer service and the delivery system… especially the packaging methods for different cuts and the part about preventing juice loss during delivery — those were very detailed. Thanks to that, we were able to apply it immediately without any trial and error.”
Manager Park showed a confident smile for the first time. Even though his business had closed, it must have been a joy to realize that he hadn’t been wrong.
“Really? Then you must be used to the online packaging work already.”
“Yes, Manager Park. I learned all the basics from your manual.”
“And this is Ji-eun. Yuk Ji-eun.”
I introduced Ji-eun, who was checking online orders at the counter.
“She’s the one who will be working with you here at Branch 2.”
Ji-eun greeted him brightly.
“Hello! I look forward to working with you, Manager. I don’t know much about the meat business, so I think I’ll have a lot to learn.”
“Not at all. I’ll be learning a lot, too. Younger people like you know today’s trends better.”
He replied humbly and shared a nod with Ji-eun. I stood in the middle of Branch 2 and explained the overall division of roles.
“Alright, from now on, let’s clearly divide our roles. Manager Park, you will stay here as the manager of Branch 2 and oversee the online portion…”
Manager Park nodded and listened intently.
“Ji-eun will be Manager Park’s assistant, handling packaging work on-site and basic customer service for Branch 2.”
“And as for Min-jae…”
I looked at Min-jae.
“You’ll act as overall support, moving between the branches whenever necessary. You can help my father at Branch 1, assist with delivery tasks at Branch 2, and watch the shop at Branch 3 in my place.”
Min-jae nodded.
“Okay, I get it. So I’ll be moving around to grasp the situation at each store and play a coordinating role.”
“Exactly. Especially when I go to purchase meat or manage the aged meat, you’ll need to watch the Branch 3 shop for me.”
My father adjusted his apron as he spoke.
“Then I’ll basically stay at the main branch and occasionally rotate with Min-jae, right?”
“Yes. Dad, since you have the most experience, please check the overall quality management every now and then. Alright, let’s officially get started.”
—
The experience of Manager Park, who had run a butcher shop alone and handled online sales simultaneously, far exceeded my expectations.
From the first day, he completely reorganized the showcase layout. Considering the customer flow, he placed the popular cuts in the most visible spots and moved the packaging workstation to a location where he could see customers passing by.
“Ji-eun, whenever an online order comes in, write it down on this board immediately. Make the cut, weight, and packaging method visible at a glance.”
“Yes, sir!”
The synergy between him and the quick-witted, sensible Ji-eun was exquisite. Once Manager Park established a system, Ji-eun understood and moved immediately. Within a single day, Branch 2 had a complete system in place.
However, the most important thing was the change in Mega Meat’s sales. As we intended by completely seizing the path, the number of customers at the Mega Meat Gayoung-dong branch was noticeably decreasing.
Finally, special discount events that used to happen only once on weekends began appearing during the week. Just two days after we started our operation, improvised events like “Wednesday Mid-week Discount” and “Thursday Surprise Sale” continued day after day. Then, finally, they slightly lowered the overall prices on Friday.
“Jun-ho, I think Mega Meat is completely flustered,” Min-jae said in an excited voice as he organized the aged meat at Branch 3.
“Yeah, just looking at them lowering prices shows how desperate they are. They need to experience it for themselves to know how we felt.”
I felt a strange sense of catharsis at the fact that a giant corporation was revising its strategy because of us. My father also called to deliver real-time news from the Mega Meat front. My father was essentially a human CCTV monitoring the front of Mega Meat.
“Jun-ho, Mega Meat just put up a new banner. This time, they even wrote ‘Lowest Price Guaranteed in the Gayoung-dong Area.'”
“Really? They’ve been driven into a corner.”
I was filled with anticipation. I thought we might actually be able to cause Mega Meat’s first-ever branch closure due to poor business performance by our own hands. If Mega Meat, which operates branches nationwide, withdrew from a neighborhood like Gayoung-dong…
That alone would be a massive victory.
—
I was organizing the aged meat at Branch 3 when a man in a suit walked in.
“Hello. Are you the representative of Jun-ho’s Butcher Shop?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
He scanned me from head to toe in an unpleasant manner before pulling out a business card and thrusting it toward me.
“I’m Seo Jin-ho, a reporter from the business department of the Daeguk Daily. If you have a moment, could we talk for a bit?”
Taking the card, I saw that he was indeed a reporter from a newspaper.
“I understand you are in the middle of a lawsuit with Mega Meat. Could you tell me what’s happening? I think readers would be very interested in a dispute between a small business owner and a large corporation.”
In that moment, what Tae-hun had said flashed through my mind. He told me to watch my words.
“I’m sorry, but as legal proceedings are currently underway, it’s difficult for me to speak about it.”
“Ah, I see. Then even just briefly… could you tell me what motivated you to file this lawsuit? Was there actual damage caused by Mega Meat?”
“I’m very sorry. I will contact you again after consulting with my lawyer.”
The reporter didn’t give up and asked from a different angle.
“Well, there are rumors that you might be aiming for a publicity effect through this lawsuit. I heard you’re also doing online business lately…”
It was a malicious question disguised as a rumor. The reporter was persistent, hanging on like a dog. However, I kept repeating the same answer. After several back-and-forths, the reporter wore an unsatisfied expression.
“I understand. If you change your mind later, please contact me. I’m giving you a chance to explain yourself.”
‘Explain myself?’
‘What on earth do I have to explain?’
As soon as the reporter left, I hurriedly called Tae-hun.
“Tae-hun, a newspaper reporter just came by. He said he came to interview me about the Mega Meat lawsuit… How did the reporters find out and come here?”
I heard Tae-hun’s sigh over the phone.