Chapter 16: You’ve Crossed the Line

Lee, the shop owner, spoke with his arms crossed.

“So you’re staking your claim here again, huh?”

“What good can come from taking over a spot where someone just went out of business?”

Choi glanced around the store.

“Didn’t you learn anything from seeing Park fail? You think just snatching up a spot as soon as it opens up will solve anything?”

Kim chimed in.

“Everyone’s barely hanging on because of MegaMeat, and you want to start something new…”

I could see Minjae’s face turning red beside me.

I tried to speak as politely as I could.

“It’s online only. I’m not taking any of your customers.”

“And how do we know that’s true?”

Choi sneered.

“Sure, you say online, but you’ll end up selling offline too, right? As if MegaMeat wasn’t enough, now you’re bringing online competition into our neighborhood?”

Lee clicked his tongue.

“Jung’s shop is something else, dragging his own son into it and all…”

Minjae clenched his fists.

Just as he was about to lose it and step forward—

“Minjae, wait a sec. I’ll handle this.”

I held him back.

“Let me ask you something, bosses.”

“What?”

“How’s your price-fixing going?”

The mood instantly grew icy.

“Keeping to the 10% rule is tough, huh? Prices are already all over the place.”

“…”

“You can see everything just by walking around the market once.”

I pointed them out, one by one.

“Kim, you’re selling samgyeopsal at 2,150 won, Lee at 2,200 won, and Choi at 2,100 won.”

“That’s…”

“If the 10% rule really applied, it should be 2,180 won.”

Their faces hardened as they looked at each other.

“And what’s even funnier… You said you could finally breathe easy with Park out of business? Check your sales. Did they go up?”

“What?”

“Park’s regulars all went to MegaMeat, not to you guys.”

Choi started to say something but fell silent.

“Even if you fix prices, there’s no way you’ll beat MegaMeat with those petty tricks. Don’t you get that? Honestly, if Park were still around, you might have lasted longer.”

I raised my voice.

“Instead of being happy it’s down to five stores from six, soon it’ll be four, then three.”

“What did you say?”

“Who do you think is next, honestly?”

Kim’s face turned pale.

He was in his third year and the most at risk.

“We’re trying to survive by going online, while you lot just suspect and tear each other down.”

Next to me, Minjae looked relieved, like he’d finally had a weight lifted.

“Keep this up and you’ll all go under. MegaMeat will take everything.”

Choi burst out angrily.

“You little punk, watch your mouth in front of adults—”

“‘Punk’? Did you just call me a punk?”

“Yeah, you little brat, still wet behind the ears, who are you to glare at your elders?”

“What? So being older means you can curse at people? Hey! Do you even know who I am?”

If this were 2157, I would’ve stomped this attitude out a hundred times already.

Choi clenched his fist and stepped forward.

“What? Hey? Who do you think you are? Some bum who leeches off his dad, daring to—”

“Me? Leeching off my father?”

My voice grew cold.

“Do you know why I’m doing all this? To protect my father’s shop… even used my mother’s insurance payout…”

“Where’d you learn manners like that? Yeah, did your dead mother teach you that?”

The instant Choi said that.

It was as if time stopped.

The moment my mother’s insurance payout was dragged into it, hot lava felt like it was crawling up my throat.

My blood boiled in reverse.

Something inside me snapped with a loud crack.

“You… you bastard… what did you just say?”

The me from 2157 awoke.

That wild, cold, sharp side.

“My mom? How dare you mention my mom?”

I kicked aside a plastic chair and strode toward Choi.

There were only two steps left between us now.

“Yeah, your mom. If she were alive, would she want to see her son turn out like this…”

Before he could finish, my fist was already rising.

“Hyung!!!”

Minjae rushed over at full speed and grabbed my arm.

My fist stopped just a hair’s breadth in front of Choi’s nose.

“Minjae! Let go! That bastard insulted my mom!”

“Hyung! Please! If you do this, you’ll have a criminal record!”

“I don’t care! Let go! Come here, you son of a—!”

Lee and Kim backed away, fear on their faces as they looked at me.

“Hyung! Get a grip! Would your mom want this?”

Minjae’s words made me falter for a moment.

“If you throw a punch here, it’s over! Forget online, everything ends!”

Choi spoke in a trembling voice.

“See… see that? There’s his real nature. Like father, like son…”

“You piece of shit!”

I tried to lunge at him again, but Minjae blocked me with his whole body.

“Hyung! Go! Right now!”

“That bastard—!”

“Hyung!!! If you do any more here, you can’t come back! Boss, you too! You’ve already crossed the line!”

Minjae shouted, pushing me away.

“You’re meant to succeed! Don’t let people like that ruin your life!”

I glared at Choi.

Maybe he could feel the cold murderous intent of 2157 coming off me, because he stumbled backward.

“You remember this. Who I am. And what I said today.”

“You… you…”

“If you ever mention my mom again…”

I lowered my voice.

“I’ll really kill you next time.”

Minjae dragged me outside the store.

As we stepped through the door, Choi’s trembling voice echoed from inside.

“Did… did you see his eyes? He looked like a killer…”

I’d crossed a river I could never return from.

There was no going back to how things were with these people.

Honestly, I’d even considered fighting alongside them against MegaMeat.

That’s not worth it anymore.

*****

Once the other shop owners left, Minjae gave me a thumbs up.

“Hyung, you’re fine. You did well.”

“Whew… I really held back because of you. If you weren’t here…”

“No, same here! I was biting my tongue, too.”

But I felt heavy inside.

“Hyung, do you regret it?”

“No. I had to say what needed to be said.”

I looked out the window.

The price-fixers were gathered, whispering among themselves.

‘People who are on a different path from me, anyway.’

We just had to walk our own road.

Once the others had left, Minjae started rummaging through some boxes.

“Hyung, look! According to Park’s manual, there’s everything about setting up an online store!”

“Really?”

“From signing up for Naver Smart Store to registering products… Wow, even screenshots for every step.”

You could tell just how much care Park had put into it.

“But we’ll have to start everything from scratch, right?”

“Yeah. We can’t use Park’s stuff.”

Minjae opened his laptop.

“Don’t worry. I worked at tons of online shops in college!”

“Really?”

“Give me two hours and I’ll have the basics set up!”

Minjae’s fingers flew over the keyboard.

“First, scan the business registration… apply to Naver Smart Store…”

“This can really go this fast?”

“Yep! These days, you can even get same-day approval.”

I was genuinely impressed.

Who knew Minjae, who used to work at a bio company, had a talent like this?

“Junho’s Special Cuts… No, is there a cooler name?”

“Well… On the paperwork it’s ‘Junho’s Butcher Shop,’ right?”

“That’s for official use. For the store, how about… Oh! ‘Hidden Gem Meats’?”

I liked it.

“Oh, that’s good.”

“You always say you’re out in Majang-dong looking for hidden gems!”

In just three hours, the basic framework was done.

“Okay, I’ve applied to open on Coupong, too… and linked up the shipping system.”

“It’s really this easy?”

“Park’s manual is super thorough. He even listed all his failures.”

Minjae read over the notes, genuinely impressed.

“There’s even a list of absolute no-gos.”

“Like what?”

“Exaggerated ads, lying about origins, late shipping… All obvious, but still.”

You could feel Park’s honesty.

It stung, how the honest one failed the fastest.

“Now you just need to pick out the best meat.”

Minjae said confidently.

“I know the basics of food photography, so I’ll learn the rest from YouTube. I’ll also handle customer inquiries.”

“Minjae, thank you so much…”

“Don’t mention it! I’m enjoying this, too.”

Minjae laughed at the screen.

“In bio, it takes years to see results, but this… you see it right away.”

“But it’s your major…”

“Who cares about that? Gotta make a living first!”

Minjae was realistic and positive.

“Hyung, what will you bring tomorrow?”

“Mainly special cuts. Jowl, pork neck, cheek…”

“Oh, then for the grand opening, should we do a limited release?”

Minjae pitched a marketing idea.

“First 20 only! That way it’ll sell faster.”

“Good! I’ll pick out the best stuff early tomorrow.”

“I’ll get ready for the photos. Need to buy some lights and backdrop.”

“Thanks to you, all I have to do is focus on Majang-dong.”

“Of course! Picking out meat is your thing.”

“Minjae, really…”

“Oh, come on! I’m just glad I can jump into work right away. I can even send out resumes when I have a free moment.”

Minjae returned to his laptop, passionately searching things up.

“Hyung, we need to order packing boxes… and ice packs…”

He muttered as he made a checklist.

He was truly reliable.

*****

It was late at night when I reached home.

I opened the door and found the living room light on.

My father was sitting alone, drinking soju.

There was already an empty bottle on the table, and just a few pieces of squid on a plate.

“Father…”

“You’re home now.”

He didn’t look at me.

He just poured another drink.

It seemed word had already spread.

In a small neighborhood, gossip moved fast.

By morning, everyone at the market would know.

“I’m sorry.”

I bowed my head.

“For what?”

“I should’ve held back… with the other shop owners…”

Father took a sip.

“You did well.”

“Sorry?”

“Don’t shrink back. You did the right thing.”

His voice trembled.

“They… even brought up your mom, huh.”

“…”

“If it were me, I’d have done the same.”

Father held out his empty glass.

“Sit. Have a drink.”

I sat across from him.

He poured me some soju.

“Thirty years. Thirty years.”

He muttered.

“I’ve run a business in this neighborhood for thirty years… and now I get to hear crap like this…”

It must have hurt.

Rumors about his son getting in fights, after a lifetime here.

Tomorrow at the market, everyone would be whispering.

“I’m really sorry, Dad.”

“No, I should be sorry to you.”

He gave a bitter smile.

“I couldn’t even hand down a proper shop to you.”

“Dad…”

“Junho.”

For the first time, he looked me straight in the eye.

His eyes were bloodshot and red.

“Make it big. Make them watch.”

“Sorry?”

“Beat MegaMeat, beat everyone, and succeed so everyone sees.”

His hand shook.

Maybe from the alcohol, or maybe from anger.

“When your mom… left us, those people didn’t even say a word of comfort.”

“…”

“Thirty years as neighbors, and that’s all it came to. To them, we’re just competitors.”

He drained another glass.

“So you don’t need to tiptoe around anyone. Do what you need to do.”

“Yes, Dad.”

We clinked glasses.

The hot drink burned its way down.

“By the way, that Minjae kid… he’s a good one.”

Father said suddenly.

“He stopped you, right? That’s a good friend.”

“Yes, he’s a good guy.”

“You’re lucky to have a friend like that.”

I glanced at the clock.

It was past eleven.

“Dad, I have to go to Majang-dong at two…”

“Go get some rest, then.”

I stood, but sat back down for a moment.

“Dad, you should rest too.”

“I’ll stay up a bit longer.”

“Okay…”

I headed toward my room, then glanced back.

Father was filling his glass again, alone.

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

I closed the door.

Collapsed onto my bed.

The ceiling spun above me.

‘Make it big. Make them watch.’

His words kept echoing in my mind.

I set my phone alarm for 2 a.m. and closed my eyes.

*****

2 a.m.

When I started moving around, my father roused himself, too.

He handed me the truck keys.

“Dad, I’ll go by myself.”

“You sure you’ll be alright?”

“I’m used to it now. Don’t worry.”

I started the truck and headed for Majang-dong.

I’d only had three hours of sleep, but the cold morning air cleared my head.

‘Today, I’ll win with special cuts.’

Arrived at Majang-dong.

3 a.m., Majang-dong parking lot.

The scenery was familiar by now.

“Oh, Junho! You alone?”

The vendors I knew greeted me warmly.

“Yes, I’m on my own from today.”

“Oho, so you’ve learned everything! Haha!”

I walked confidently into the market.

There was only one destination—Mr. Yoo’s special cuts.

*****

“Junho! Welcome!”

Mr. Yoo greeted me with a bright face.

“You look different today.”

“I’m starting online sales. I need special cuts in bulk.”

“Oh… you’re finally taking the plunge!”

Mr. Yoo opened the fridge.

“Just got some good stuff in. Slaughtered just a few hours ago.”

I checked the first piece of meat.

[Pork – Pork Jowl]

Elapsed time since slaughter: 4 hours

Current freshness: 98/100

Meat color: Perfect crimson

Fat color: Pure white

Location: Center of the pork neck

Marbling: ★★★★☆

Juiciness retention: ★★★★★

Tenderness: ★★★★★

Meat aroma: ★★★★☆

pH measurement: 5.6

PSE meat risk: None

Special note: Perfectly separated with no knife marks

‘This is it!’