Chapter 48: The Morning of the First Delivery

When Lee Jun-hyuk arrived at the Brooklyn factory, it was 6:40 a.m.

As he opened the old factory door, a faint light seeped out from inside.

It meant someone was already here. Or rather, he didn’t even need to wonder who it was.

“Boss!”

Yu Ilhan rose from his spot in front of the workbench.

He was already dressed in his worn work clothes.

He had rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and was busy organizing the boxes for delivery.

Several boxes were already stacked by his feet.

“You’re here early.”

Lee Jun-hyuk asked, surprised.

He himself had hurried as much as he could this morning.

“I arrived about an hour ago. Today is the historic first delivery, after all.”

Yu Ilhan’s face was clearly tired.

His eyes were bloodshot as if he hadn’t slept well from excitement, and a stubborn stubble remained on his chin.

But his eyes shone with a sharpness unlike any other day.

“Did you stay up all night?”

“No, I did get some sleep. Maybe… an hour or two?”

Yu Ilhan laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

Lee Jun-hyuk looked around the workbench.

Clean corrugated boxes were lined up by size. Each box had a bright label with the name of the store for delivery clearly written on it.

“You’ve already got a lot done.”

“About half. The rest, I have to do with you, boss.”

The two of them changed into their work clothes side by side.

As Lee Jun-hyuk changed, Yu Ilhan watched his movements carefully. He didn’t miss the fact that Jun-hyuk was moving a little more carefully than usual.

“Boss, did you hurt yourself somewhere?”

“Oh, this… It’s just that my feet hurt a bit from new shoes…”

Lee Jun-hyuk mumbled as if it was nothing.

“You were carrying those heavy loads all day yesterday. I was like that too when I first started sales. My feet swelled up so much, I couldn’t even get my shoes on.”

Yu Ilhan nodded in sympathy, as if remembering his own experience.

The two of them started the packaging work in earnest.

They took La Choy canned goods off the shelves and put them into boxes.

One, two, three…

Yu Ilhan counted aloud, checking the numbers precisely. There could be no mistakes.

“Heungseong Store, 50 cans complete.”

Yu Ilhan closed the first box lid and pushed it aside as he spoke.

“Next is Taeguk Store, 100 cans.”

The work quickly picked up speed.

Lee Jun-hyuk counted out the cans and handed them over, Yu Ilhan neatly packed them into the boxes, then Lee Jun-hyuk double-checked the total and taped the boxes shut.

The coordination between the two was so perfect, words weren’t needed, and their hands moved faster and faster.

“By the way, boss,”

Yu Ilhan spoke cautiously as they worked.

“Last night, I got a call from Homari.”

At that name, Lee Jun-hyuk’s hand paused for a moment.

“Miss Homari?”

“Yes. She was wondering how I’ve been these days. Her voice… sounded very bright.”

Yu Ilhan’s voice was laced with barely concealed excitement.

“So what did you tell her?”

“I told her about La Choy. That we’d finally succeeded with our first production, and that today was our first delivery.”

“How did she respond?”

“She said it was amazing… and that she always knew I’d succeed.”

Yu Ilhan smiled shyly, his ears turning red.

“She promised she’d definitely come to our April 15th Launch Party, too.”

“That’s wonderful. Really wonderful.”

Lee Jun-hyuk patted him sincerely on the back.

The two returned their focus to work.

Outside the window, the morning sun was slowly rising.

Sunlight slanted into the factory, dyeing the dust golden.

Around 7:30, the employees began to arrive one by one.

“Good morning!”

Walter Smith entered first, his voice ringing out loud and clear.

Formerly the factory manager, he was now La Choy’s dependable Production Supervisor.

“Today is that historic first delivery, isn’t it? How can I help?”

After him, the other workers arrived one after another.

Everyone looked a little nervous but also slightly excited at the idea of the first delivery.

“Is the truck ready?”

Walter checked outside as he asked.

“It’s scheduled to arrive at 8 o’clock.”

Yu Ilhan answered confidently, checking the clock on the wall.

As the workers joined in, the pace of packaging work sped up dramatically. Two female workers carefully double-checked the labels, while the burly male workers carried the heavy boxes to the entrance.

“Handle with care! These are the company’s very first products!”

Walter watched over the whole operation with sharp eyes, warning everyone.

With thirty years of experience, he knew better than anyone in the factory how to handle canned goods.

In a corner of the workshop, two young workers whispered quietly to each other.

“Do you really think canned vegetables that Asians eat will sell?”

“I dunno… That young boss seems awfully sure of himself, though…”

Their low but sharp conversation reached Lee Jun-hyuk’s ears.

But he pretended not to hear.

It was only natural they had doubts.

Strange food, a strange brand. There was no need to convince with words. Only results would prove it.

“All right, here’s the last box!”

Yu Ilhan wiped the sweat from his brow and shouted.

All the packaging was finished.

Three hundred and eighty cans of La Choy had been neatly divided and packed by order. Boxes full of hope were stacked by the entrance.

Just then, a horn sounded outside.

Honk honk!

“The truck is here!”

A worker threw open the door and shouted.

A Ford truck was parked in front of the factory.

The man who stepped out of the driver’s seat took off his silver hat in greeting. His face was freckled and topped with red hair—a young man of Irish descent.

“La Choy Food, right?”

“Yes, that’s us.”

Lee Jun-hyuk stepped forward.

“We need to load these boxes. Please handle them carefully.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve been doing this job for twenty years.”

The Driver answered with confidence.

All the workers came out and began loading the boxes onto the truck.

Lee Jun-hyuk rolled up his sleeves and carried boxes himself.

They were much heavier than he expected, but it was a pleasant weight.

“Boss! Let us handle the heavy lifting. Please take it easy!”

Walter rushed over to stop him, but Lee Jun-hyuk shook his head.

“No, let’s do this together. This is the first step for all of us.”

The truck’s cargo area was soon filled with La Choy boxes.

The Driver secured the boxes tightly with his crooked feet to prevent them from shifting. He checked the knots several times, worried they might get damaged in transit.

“All right, let’s hit the road!”

Yu Ilhan climbed into the truck’s passenger seat.

“I’ll be going with the boss to make the rounds.”

Lee Jun-hyuk, without hesitation, climbed onto the back of the truck.

The wooden floor was hard and creaky, but he didn’t mind at all.

He wanted to be with his very first products.

“Everyone else, stay at the factory and be ready. We’ll probably need to start extra production this afternoon!”

Lee Jun-hyuk shouted to the remaining workers.

Walter nodded with trust.

The truck started up and rolled out.

With rattling vibrations, they left the factory behind.

Lee Jun-hyuk held the boxes tightly to keep them from falling over in the back. The rough, unpaved road made the ride shake violently.

The first delivery stop was Heungseong Store in Chinatown.

As the truck turned onto Mot Street, a distinctive exotic smell tickled their noses. The scents of herbal medicine and five-spice, and even the savory, stimulating aroma of something being fried in oil from early in the morning.

“Here it is!”

Yu Ilhan pointed, and the truck stopped.

The owner of Heungseong Store was already waiting in front of the shop.

He was standing with his arms crossed, but when he saw the truck, a faint smile appeared on his otherwise stern face.

“Oh, you really made it on time!”

“Just as promised, here it is.”

Lee Jun-hyuk jumped off the truck and greeted him.

“Fifty cans, right on the mark.”

“Good, good. Let’s take a look at the goods.”

The owner opened the box himself to check.

Inside, La Choy canned goods were neatly packed. The labels were clear, and there wasn’t a single dent in any of the cans.

“Hmm, looks good. I’ll put them in the best spot on the shelf.”

The owner personally carried the cans into the store.

Lee Jun-hyuk and Yu Ilhan followed, carrying boxes after him.

Inside, the shop was packed with all sorts of Chinese groceries.

Dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and all kinds of sauces filled the shelves to the brim.

Among them, the place most visible to customers—the Golden Display Shelf right by the entrance—the owner began stocking the La Choy cans.

“This way, every customer will see them as soon as they walk in.”

The owner finished arranging the cans with a satisfied expression.

“If it’s all right, I’d like to check back around lunchtime to see how sales are going this morning.”

Lee Jun-hyuk asked carefully.

“Of course, be my guest. I’m curious myself to see how they sell.”

The owner laughed heartily.

They headed to the next delivery stop.

They went around the small grocery stores in Chinatown one by one.

Some welcomed them warmly, while others still eyed them with suspicion.

But since it was a prepaid order, all accepted the goods without a word.

“That’s already ten places.”

Yu Ilhan checked the Checklist, his heart swelling.

By 10 a.m., they finished deliveries in Chinatown and headed for Brooklyn.

Taeguk Store was waiting for them.

“Welcome! I’ve been waiting for you!”

The owner of Taeguk Store came out to greet them, his wife beside him.

“Our compatriots’ product has finally arrived!”

Even at the sight of boxes containing a hundred cans, there was no worry or burden on the owner’s face—only pride and anticipation.

“Honey, come help out.”

Mrs. Owner rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward.

She was a plump lady, but strong as an ox.

She lifted the heavy boxes without a problem.

“We’ll put these where they’re most visible in the shop.”

Mrs. Owner pointed inside.

It was true.

Right in the very center of the store, in the spot everyone would pass by, a whole display shelf had been cleared.

“I cleared the spot this morning just to display these.”

The owner said proudly.

Lee Jun-hyuk felt a surge of emotion well up inside his chest.

This was more than just selling goods.

It was a show of support filled with pride and community spirit.

“Thank you… truly.”

Lee Jun-hyuk bowed deeply, sincere gratitude in his voice.

“Oh, don’t mention it. In a foreign land, we countrymen have to help each other.”

The owner clapped Lee Jun-hyuk’s shoulder firmly.

As they were about to leave the shop, Mrs. Owner called them back.

“Wait a moment, boys!”

She went inside and returned with something wrapped neatly in a cloth.

“You must be hungry, working since morning without eating. Here, have some of this.”

It was gimbap.

Freshly made, with the savory scent of sesame oil and warm steam still rising.

“Ma’am, you didn’t have to…”

“Oh, don’t call me ma’am. Just call me auntie.”

Mrs. Owner waved her hands, looking bashful.

“We countrymen should look out for each other like this—it makes me feel better.”

On their way back to the truck, Yu Ilhan took a big bite of gimbap.

“Wow… Boss, this is delicious!”

“You must’ve missed Korean food.”

Lee Jun-hyuk smiled.

“Yes. La Choy is really tasty too, but sometimes I crave homemade food like this so much it hurts.”

The two sat side by side on the truck bed, sharing the warm gimbap.

The crunchy texture of pickled radish and the savory aroma of sesame oil filled their mouths. It was an unforgettable taste in the middle of New York.

After finishing the gimbap, the truck set off again.

They visited the remaining stores in Brooklyn.

Most were small grocery shops, but the owners all checked and accepted the goods seriously. Some even opened a can on the spot to taste.

“Hmm, crunchy—even though it’s canned?”

One owner murmured in surprise.

As noon approached, they arrived at the final delivery stop.

“Phew, finally finished.”

Yu Ilhan wiped his brow in relief.

“Three hundred and eighty cans, all delivered!”

The Driver was clearly exhausted too.

But when Lee Jun-hyuk handed him an extra tip on top of the promised delivery fee, his face lit up.

“Call me again next time!”

After the truck left, Lee Jun-hyuk and Yu Ilhan stood on the roadside for a moment, catching their breath.

“Now it really begins, boss.”

Yu Ilhan said with emotion.

“Yes. This is where the real start is.”

Lee Jun-hyuk nodded firmly.

The two headed back to Chinatown. They were eager to see how the stores had sold the products that morning, curious about the market’s first reaction.

When they arrived at Heungseong Store, it was 12:30 p.m.

It was lunchtime, and the shop was bustling with customers—mostly Chinese laborers working nearby.

“Oh, you’re back already?”

The owner noticed them even in the midst of busyness and beckoned.

“How is it? How’s the reaction… did any sell?”

Lee Jun-hyuk asked, half in hope, half in worry.

The owner grinned and pointed to the display with his chin.

“See for yourself.”

Lee Jun-hyuk and Yu Ilhan walked over to the shelf.

Where there had been fifty cans in the morning, only about thirty remained.

“We’ve sold twenty cans!”

Yu Ilhan cried out in near disbelief.

“And that’s in just half a day?”

“It sells even better at lunchtime. Everyone’s curious what it is, but once they taste it, they like it.”

The owner explained with satisfaction.

“Especially the guys working on construction sites bought a lot. Said it’s perfect as an easy lunch side dish.”

Lee Jun-hyuk felt his heart pound fast.

Twenty cans just in the first morning. At this rate…

“Hey, young boss. Could I place an additional order?”

The owner asked first.

“How much would you like?”

“I’d like to try a hundred cans this time.”

One hundred cans!

Yu Ilhan and Lee Jun-hyuk exchanged startled glances.

Twice the initial order.

“Of course, we can do that. When would you like them delivered?”

“The sooner, the better. At this rate, they’ll be gone by tomorrow.”

They visited the other stores as well.

Most had sold between five and ten cans.

For the first day, it was a result beyond expectations.

Especially confirming that they sold well as a convenient lunch side dish during lunchtime—that was the biggest achievement.

On their way back to the factory, Yu Ilhan couldn’t hide his excitement.

“Boss! At this rate, we could take over all of Brooklyn within a month!”

“We mustn’t get ahead of ourselves.”

Lee Jun-hyuk replied calmly.

But his eyes, too, sparkled with hot anticipation.

“The most important thing is quality control. Steadily, and reliably. It only takes a moment to lose trust.”

When they arrived at the factory, all the workers were waiting for them outside.

“How did it go?”

Walter was the first to rush up and ask.

“It was a success. We’ve already got additional orders.”

“Waaah!”

Cheers erupted.

The workers hugged each other in joy.

Those who had been doubtful and suspicious at first were now truly one team, celebrating together.

“All right, let’s save the celebrations for later and get back to work!”

Yu Ilhan shouted energetically.

“Let’s start the extra production!”