“Congratulations!”
“Ah… well… yes, thank you.”
“It finally happened!! That’s great, you worked hard. Minjae.”
I kept patting Minjae on the shoulder as we got out of the car and headed inside.
“I guess I need to find a new part-timer now. I should look for someone who can work for a long time this time. But I don’t know if there’s anyone as trustworthy as you.”
On my part, I tried to speak lightly, as if joking, to hide my feelings of sadness.
It felt awkward because the guy who would usually have a lot to say back to a single word of mine remained silent.
“But when do you start?”
“…….”
Minjae still didn’t answer.
Did he not hear me? Is he pretending not to hear?
“Minjae?”
“From next month.”
“Then, considering the handover… I just need to find someone and have you work together for a few days. I’m counting on you.”
“…….”
“I should post an ad for a part-timer. Since you built the internet system so well, there’s nothing to fix there, so it’d be better to hire someone good at packing and shipping this time, right?”
Minjae followed me inside.
His expression was still stiff.
Is this guy trying to manage his facial expressions just because he passed?
“What’s wrong? You passed, but you don’t look happy at all?”
“It’s not like that, Hyung.”
“Are you nervous about going back to an office?”
Since he kept not answering, I felt even more self-conscious.
I asked again while turning on the computer.
“I heard the welfare there is great, too? The salary is decent as well.”
“Yes…….”
Minjae sat down quietly.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah, what?”
“Never mind. I’ll tell you later.”
It seemed like he had something to say, but Minjae kept his mouth shut.
Even while checking the online orders, Minjae remained silent.
Unlike when we were at the farm, he had a dark expression.
It seemed he was feeling bittersweet about leaving after working together.
I also felt a bit drained thinking about not having Minjae around anymore.
However, to let Minjae leave with a light heart, it was right not to show it.
“Oho, we got 25 orders this morning.”
I spoke brightly on purpose, but Minjae only nodded mechanically.
“Beef orders are increasing too. As expected, the repurchase rate is very high because the quality is good.”
“Ah, yes…… I see…….”
I kept an eye on Minjae even while doing the packing work.
He was lost in thought while pretending to tape the boxes.
What’s the problem?
Why does he have that expression when it’s news about passing?
“Minjae.”
“Yes, Hyung.”
“Tell me if you have something to say. Looking at your face, it seems like there’s something.”
Minjae sighed.
“Hyung, I…… never mind”
Minjae couldn’t finish his sentence.
Minjae didn’t say anything until we finished preparing for delivery.
*****
While I was cleaning up after finishing work at the shop, Minjae approached me.
“Hyung, do you want to have a glass of soju today?”
“Of course we should. I was going to buy you a celebratory drink for your employment anyway. This Hyungnim will……”
“Yes, today… I really want to drink.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Should we go to Uncle Seongjin’s place?”
“Again? Since today is a special day, let’s go somewhere else. I’ll treat you properly.”
“No, I think Uncle Seongjin’s place would be comfortable.”
“Ah…… really?”
He was the one who complained about eating beef tartare at Uncle Seongjin’s place for a whole month…….
We arrived at Uncle Seongjin’s beef tartare restaurant.
Since it was late, there weren’t many customers.
“Oh, Junho is here? Minjae too.”
“Uncle, please give us one beef tartare and some soju.”
As soon as he sat down, Minjae poured the soju.
And for a long time, he sipped it silently.
He only opened his mouth after almost emptying half a bottle by himself.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“Why aren’t you holding me back?”
“……What?”
It was a completely unexpected question.
I thought he was just gloomy because he was sad about leaving and felt sorry for me.
“Even when I said I passed at the company, you just said congratulations.”
Minjae spun his empty soju glass around.
And he stared blankly into my eyes for a few seconds.
It was a look I was seeing for the first time since coming to 2025 and getting to know the person named Kim Minjae.
This guy has such a deep gaze too…….
Minjae opened his mouth heavily again.
“Hyung, what is your goal?”
“Goal?”
“Is your goal to succeed in the butchery business?”
“Well…… yes, success is the goal. But why that?”
“If succeeding is the goal…… why have you never said a word about trying to achieve that success together?”
“…….”
The corners of Minjae’s eyes turned red.
In an instant, I was at a loss for words.
I thought letting him go with a comfortable heart was the way for Minjae.
“Uh…… Minjae, I mean……”
“If you looked like someone who would just run a butcher shop and live a humble life, I wouldn’t say this.”
Minjae looked up at me, but his eyes wavered from the alcohol.
“But during the time I worked with you…… I thought I could faintly see how far you were planning to go.”
“…….”
“And I felt it at the farm today too.”
Minjae took another sip of soju.
“Owner Shim from Majang-dong said it, didn’t he? That his younger brother used to work at a good job and then suggested they run a farm together.”
“He did.”
“Why would Owner Shim’s younger brother have done that? To his Hyung who was working at a large corporation.”
Minjae muttered as if talking to himself.
“Wasn’t it because he was certain of success…… and wanted to share that?”
He downed the soju in one gulp and slammed the glass down on the table.
Thud!
A customer at the next table glanced over at the dull echoing sound.
“You also say it every day. That you’re going to succeed. That it’s going to be a huge hit.”
Minjae’s tongue began to slur.
“But you…… you never once told me to succeed together.”
“…….”
“Are you being selfish?”
Minjae stumbled and pointed his finger at me.
“Or…… or was everything you said about succeeding just a bluff?”
“It’s not that, I just……”
“If you truly believed you were going to succeed…… you would have asked me to do it with you, right?”
“No, I only have feelings of gratitude toward you……”
“Tch! Forget it.”
Minjae gave a bitter smile and had another drink.
“I believe you will succeed. Truly.”
“Minjae……”
“That’s why I wanted to try succeeding together.”
“…….”
“But because you never once held me back……”
Minjae grabbed the soju bottle and then let go.
The bottle was already empty.
Already the second bottle.
Minjae ordered one more bottle and opened his mouth again.
“I’ll just go to the company.”
I knew Minjae’s heart now, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to keep doing the butchery work.
Because I know how hard this job is.
“Why are you like this? Do you not see me as a colleague?”
“No, it’s not that, it’s just……”
“Then, what is it?”
Minjae waited.
For my answer.
“You…… have a better path.”
“A better path?”
“A stable job at a large corporation……”
Minjae shook his head.
“Hyung, I had fun working with you.”
“…….”
“Every day something changed, we challenged things…… I felt alive.”
The beef tartare finally came out, but neither of us picked up our chopsticks.
“Hyung, I’ll ask just once. Do you have even a little bit of a desire to work with me?”
“Minjae……”
I calmly set down my glass and spoke.
“Your parents must have expectations for you too. It would be hard for them to accept their son giving up his major to do butchery work.”
“…….”
“I also feel sorry about meeting your parents.”
“…….”
“And I know very well how much affection you have for your major…… from hearing you talk about it every time.”
“Hyung……”
“I can’t make you give that up.”
“……Hyung, are you embarrassed by your work?”
“What?”
“I’m asking if you’re ashamed of the meat business.”
I faltered for a moment.
“No, it’s not that……”
“Then what is it? Why do you keep saying that getting a job is a better path?”
I was at a loss for words at Minjae’s statement.
I thought about it.
What was I like in 2157?
I was a person who was so proud of the profession of being a cultured meat designer.
I lived with the pride of being the best expert.
But.
How long has it been since I came to 2025…….
I discovered myself steeped in the prejudices of this era.
Butchery work is hard and has no future.
Large corporations are a better path.
Since when did I start thinking like this?
“Hyung?”
Minjae was waiting for my answer.
“I’m sorry…… I must have thought about it wrong.”
“Hyung……”
I took a sip of soju.
“Minjae, I’ll be honest with you.”
“Yes.”
“I am proud of my work. Truly.”
“…….”
“I have never once thought of it as embarrassing. But it seems I was trapped in prejudice without even realizing it.”
“It’s not that I thought you felt that way……”
“I’m sorry. I was stupid.”
Minjae bowed his head.
“No, Hyung. I’m sorry too.”
“What are you sorry for?”
“For drinking and saying you’re selfish or bluffing…… saying those things.”
Minjae’s face turned red.
Finally entering the state of being completely wasted.
And with a twisted tongue, he mumbled words that were hard to understand.
“I know you were thinking of me…… but I said such harsh words.”
“What? No…… no, you were right.”
I swirled the soju glass.
Just then, Uncle Seongjin approached while bringing some beef sashimi.
“To our online comrades! This one is on the house.”
Uncle Seongjin looked back and forth between us.
His expression showed that he had heard our entire conversation.
Since we were shouting so loudly, it would be strange if he hadn’t heard.
“I’ve seen a lot of people working together in my life.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Watching you two work, I thought your chemistry was a really good match.”
Minjae and I looked at each other.
“Truly. Anyone can see that Junho has drive and a good eye, and Minjae is meticulous, has good sense, and is great at sales.”
Uncle Seongjin picked up the soju bottle and filled our glasses to the brim.
“It looks like you two are going to pull off something big, so think about it carefully. As you live life, you’ll naturally realize it. That opportunities like this don’t come often.”
And then he breezed back into the kitchen.
We finished the rest of the soju and paid the bill.
As we stepped out of the shop, the cold night air was waiting for us.
“Minjae.”
“Hiccup, yes.”
“Let’s just think about it tonight.”
“Yes, I’ll think about it too.”
We stopped at the corner where the directions to our houses diverged.
Minjae stumbled and trudged toward the fork in the road.
“Should I take you home?”
“No…… it’s fine.”
“Then…… see you tomorrow.”
“Hiccup…… goodbye…… Hyung.”
I watched Minjae’s back for a long time before turning around.
*****
Early the next morning.
I was moving boxes for delivery when the door opened.
It was Minjae.
“Did you sleep well? Hyung.”
“Oh, you’re here?”
A moment of awkward silence.
We caught each other’s eyes while cautiously gauging the mood and then looked away.
I set down the box, and Minjae set down his bag.
It felt as if the heavy conversation we had yesterday was still floating in the air.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
Minjae took a deep breath.
“The four major insurances…… are included, right? I checked, and it says I need them to extend my overdraft account.”
This was Minjae’s decision after thinking all night.
“Of course.”
Minjae grinned.
“Then, when we succeed later, please give me a generous bonus.”
“Of course, that too.”
“Give me some shares before we become a big company, too.”
“Of course.”
“And later, give me a private office too. One with a big window. With a view of the Han River.”
“Uh…… I’ll think about that too.”
Minjae suddenly lowered his voice and said.
“Give me a private secretary too……”
“A secretary? What do you have so much to do by yourself?”
“Give me a private car too. Around the level of a Bentley.”
“Hey, hey! What are you doing right now? Just go get that job.”
Minjae burst into laughter.
“Haha, you know it’s all a joke, right? But when we make money later, get a big shop.”
“Working here right now is uncomfortable, isn’t it?”
“Yes, the packing space is also insufficient……”
“I get it. Since that’s truly necessary.”
Minjae made a playful expression again.
“Ah, and let me eat sweet and sour pork for lunch without having to walk on eggshells……”
“You, seriously!”
“The year-end bonus is……”
“Just how far is this guy going to go?”
I jokingly gave Minjae a light flick on the head.
“Ah, why are you hitting me? You said the goose that lays the golden eggs must be kept alive. What are you going to do if I really am the goose that lays the golden eggs?”
Minjae said it as a joke, but for a moment, I felt a tingling sensation as if electricity was running through my body.
The only person who believed in me and helped me since coming to 2025.
Even if the object of that belief might not have been me but the real Jung Junho, Minjae is still a person I’m grateful for.
“Hyung, I’ll make sure you really don’t regret this.”
“Me too. I’ll make sure you don’t regret it.”
Minjae reached out his hand.
“I look forward to working with you, CEO.”
“I look forward to working with you, Director Kim Minjae.”
“What? Director? I’m an executive already?”
“There’s only the two of us, so we should set the mood. It’s not like it costs money.”
“Haha, that’s true. Then please make me some Director business cards.”
“…….”
Minjae spoke while turning on the computer.
“Since I’m a full-time employee now, I should work hard from the first day. I’ll check today’s orders.”
“Alright, starting today, it’s a war to secure pork belly.”
The usual vitality had returned.
“Hyung, but are we going to see Owner Yu today?”
“Yeah. I have to go connect the special cuts.”
*****
Inside the car heading to Majang-dong, Minjae spoke first.
“Hyung, but what are you planning to do?”
“What?”
“You have to ask Owner Yu for the deboning and butchering work. There’s the processing fee, and how are you going to sell the other parts besides the pork belly or special cuts?”
“I’m thinking of solving it by dividing it by the pig.”
“By the pig? How is that possible?”
“It’s possible in Majang-dong if the conditions are right. Trading with goods instead of cash is a common thing.”
Minjae looked puzzled.
“But is that beneficial for Owner Yu?”
“Of course. Owner Yu can sell the parts that are hard for us to sell at a good price. Things like internal organs, bones, and pig’s feet.”
“Ah……”
“Owner Yu has been in business in Majang-dong for a long time, so he has various sales channels. Gamjatang places, sundae-guk places, jokbal places…… he’s connected to all those kinds of spots. The parts that are difficult for us to sell individually, Owner Yu can pass them on in bulk to businesses.”
Minjae nodded.
“Then it would be a win-win situation for both.”
“That’s right. We just take the parts we want cleanly, and Owner Yu can make more profit than the processing fee with the remaining parts.”
“But will Owner Yu allow it?”
“It’ll work if we present good conditions. We just have to reduce our margin a little.”
We arrived at Majang-dong to meet Owner Yu.
The ‘Yu’s Special Cuts’ sign was particularly welcoming today.
“Owner Yu!”
“Oh, Junho is here! Minjae came too?”
Owner Yu welcomed us warmly.
It was the second month since we started selling Owner Yu’s special cuts online.
“I came because I have something to discuss.”
“What do you have to discuss? What are you plotting again?”
Owner Yu asked with a quick-witted smile.
“Let’s talk over a cup of tea first. Go to the office.”
We went into the office.
The walls were covered with detailed diagrams of each meat cut.
“So, what good business brings you here?”
“Do you know a place called Brother’s Clean Farm in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do?”
“Brother’s Clean? Ah, Owner Shim’s younger brother’s farm?”
“You know it.”
“I know of it. But I’ve never processed meat from that farm. Why there?”
As expected of someone who had been in Majang-dong for a long time, he seemed to know most of the farms.
“I signed a direct transaction contract with that farm.”
“Oh? How?”
“We got connected by chance, and in my opinion, the quality was really good.”
“Really? If it’s your eye, Junho, then it’s trustworthy.”
I felt good at the compliment but also slightly nervous.
Now is the time to bring up the main point.
“Thank you. So, I have a favor…… no, a proposal for you, Boss.”