episode_0006

“Is the cafe doing well?”

“Hmm~ As usual? It’s so-so.”

The cafe owner answers with small talk while brewing coffee.

My store, a healing center, is located on the second floor accessed by stairs, with the first floor being the cafe.

It’s not a large franchise, but a neighborhood cafe decorated with a cozy atmosphere.

Drrrrrrrrrrrk!

Rather than loud designs, it’s a beautifully designed place mainly mixing antique vibes with earthy tones.

The sound of grinding beans is pleasing, as they manually grind them every morning with a grinder. The owner values the cafe’s deep atmosphere over speediness.

The name of the cafe owner is Hanbyeol.

The surname is ‘Han,’ and ‘Byeol’ is the given name in Chinese characters.

One might think that she has grown up beautifully just like her romantic name suggests.

Her hair is tied back with a band, styled to the right.

With a natural brown dye, her hair curls softly like silk each time the grinder turns.

Just like the beans currently being ground, one might imagine a very deep aroma emanating from her.

A cute bear drawn on the apron that stirs the hearts of customers.

However, it’s not entirely new; slightly faded, symbolizing its long-standing presence.

The neatly decorated exterior and traces of time blend appropriately to complete the title “Moonlight Cafe.”

A small sanctuary that warms the heart.

Just as I named it a healing center, Hanbyeol probably hoped that guests would find peace of mind here.

“The wallpaper on the walls is quite peeled off. How much would it cost to replace it? There are many leafy plants needing water every morning; this will increase the workload before opening… Will she hire many part-time workers? They’ll probably work shifts in the morning, but considering the size of the building, at least three people will be needed… The foot traffic here isn’t high; do people gather often? Ah! A company will soon be completed near the corner station, so maybe they’re waiting for special events there…”

Because of a past mistake at the cafe, my mind keeps churning.

Those worries about failure keep weighing the maintenance costs against the number of customers.

It’s just an empty time, but every time I see an empty seat, my spine tingles and a match ignites.

“But Hanbyeol noona is with me…”

However, I was sure it wouldn’t fail.

The evidence lies with the boss skillfully grinding the grinder in front of me.

“I didn’t know that a pretty part-timer was the key…!”

The success of a cafe is not about the best coffee beans or the lowest coffee prices.

It’s about a pretty woman working right there.

Or maybe a pretty part-timer captivates.

If the part-timer is pretty, the place will most likely thrive.

That was the truth I realized after ruining the cafe.

The reason men come from far away is because the part-timer is pretty.

The reason for lingering to order more while taking out is also because the part-timer is pretty.

A pretty part-timer dominates the cafe.

“Men are truly pitiful beings. Toil their whole lives for the prosperity of their species…”

Even I, who did not realize this beforehand, felt sad.

“Here you go! Your usual order, the first Americano at Dalbit Cafe.”

As the fragrant aroma wafted up, it was poured into a mug and placed in front of the counter.

Standing, enjoying the scent of the coffee flowing through the nose before savoring the sip.

“Ah… It’s so rich and good. Is it Supremo?”

“Correct!

Wow, you really know your stuff when it comes to coffee beans, don’t you?”

“Of course.

I used this in my failed shop, and after it failed, I drank it like crazy because I had excess stock. I even took a break from coffee for a while for fear of starting to dislike it.”

“I see…”

The closing episode is not a particularly cheerful story that Hanbyeol tries to pass off with a forced smile.

Moreover, the difference between Hanbyeol and the landlord is clear.

As we shared our stories, I learned that she is six years older than me, so we decided to speak comfortably.

She’s still in her twenties, but running a café and being a landlord at the same time is quite impressive.

Running the café alone in the mornings, she truly seems like a hero.

“Above all, the rent for the shop is almost non-existent, which is amazing.”

In truth, Hanbyeol’s heart shines much brighter than her face.

Since the deposit I managed to secure, the monthly rent has become almost negligible.

Struggling with debt, I searched high and low for a place that could meet my price conditions, and I found an oasis in the 2nd floor of the Moonlight Café.

During negotiations, I hesitated at the price, but after hearing my circumstances, she ultimately conceded.

In the end, we agreed on a monthly rent with a ridiculous condition of giving 15% of the profits earned at the Hero Healing Center.

The reasons for needing to succeed have increased.

Risking everything on this business is also a way to repay a favor.

“Thank you. I really owe you a lot in many ways, Hanbyeol noona…”

“Oh, stop with that kind of talk.”

“Even though I get to enjoy delicious coffee every day, I don’t have any means to repay you… Oh! It’s still time before opening, would you like to have a 30-minute massage?”

As I continued speaking, a simple idea came to mind.

It was a simple thought, but I hadn’t thought of it at all.

If the long-term repayment is the success of the business, then in the short term, it can be filled with the body.

“Uh?!”

A strange groan burst out at my idea.

Hanbyeol noona let out a surprised rabbit-like scream, then awkwardly pulled back her lips.

“Y-You only give massages to heroes there, right? I’m just a completely ordinary person with no abilities…”

“I wrote ‘Hero Healing Center’ to give it a unique touch, but of course, the landlord Hanbyeol noona is special.”

“Aren’t heroes supposed to have super strength? I’m not really… suitable for that…”

“In truth, as long as you can control your strength, anything is possible. So, what do you say, will you go right now?”

Upon my repeated suggestion, she shook her head with the same hairstyle.

“W-Well, I have to change it to open soon.”

“Isn’t it still 7 o’clock now? Normally, wouldn’t you open an hour later?”

“I-Is that so? I need to get my head straight. Ahaha…”

“…?”

‘Why does she seem to be avoiding me?’

At first, she seemed very welcoming, but after the completion, she didn’t come up to the 2nd floor for some reason.

It wasn’t obligatory, but I also wanted to treat her in some way, but she ultimately declined.

In that case,

“It’s really different once you try it.”

“I-It’s okay.”

“I’ll just give you a little taste!”

“Ah~ Did you water the plants today~?”

“If you come up, I’ll water them all. Will that be okay?”

“…This won’t be over until I leave, right?”

“Yes!”

Without a break, I kept pushing, and reluctantly, Hanbyeol noona rushed out from behind the counter.

As if resigning, she untied her apron and threw it onto a nearby table.

“This is just once, right…?”

“Yes!”

She smiled brightly.

My heart had been heavy for a while, but finally, the time had come to repay the favor.

***

It failed.

To be frank, I got the wrong tenant.

I was completely fooled by the cute appearance and pitiful circumstances.

The ‘former’ hero Eunjiwoo, who failed in business twice after retiring as a hero.

I knew of his existence.

A righteous hero who diligently dealt with monsters and helped citizens. A subject of admiration that students couldn’t help but fall for.

Especially Eunjiwoo, with his cute appearance, caught my eye since our student days.

We always worked together with our close friends, but I probably noticed this interesting hero news after I opened the café.

“Is this the place you’re renting out?”

“Huh?!”

I never expected a hero to come looking for a rental building.

However, things didn’t look very good.

Despite being short on money, I ended up accepting it after seeing the kind eyes.

After all, it was a building that had been empty for a long time.

Even though I wouldn’t be making much money, I decided to renovate it so that it would at least be presentable and not gather dust.

But, the contract was for one year.

After that, I would have to dispose of it according to my circumstances.

But then…

“Why would they build such a shady place…!”

A flashy neon sign in pink.

“Paradise Massage”. A provocative and flashy banner.

I thought it was some kind of healing center, like a wholesome spa or therapy.

But to my surprise, the building had been decorated like an adult massage shop.

“What exactly is on the second floor…?”

…

There was nothing to say to the recent influx of questions from customers.

This flashy eyesore had tarnished even my serene cafe image.

Fortunately, it was only visible from one side, when turning the corner of the street.

It was disorienting, but Jiyu had said it was a matter of life and death for him, so I didn’t have the courage to back out.

Above all, since the contract was already signed, I couldn’t just cancel it.

“…But the inside is decent.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing! …It’s nothing.”

I avoided the awkward atmosphere and found the inside to be clean and quaint.

Despite the adult shop exterior, the inside had a subtle pleasant scent and was surprisingly wholesome.

Well, I can’t say I don’t know the purpose of the flashy decoration.

They probably didn’t want to fail twice and wanted to go all out this time.

“Ah… I’m short on time, so I’ll just take a short massage and leave.”

“Sure.”

But it’s still hard to accept it positively.

If my cafe suffers because of this, my head will still ache.

But in the end, I reluctantly climbed onto the massage bed.

The cushion felt luxurious, but my mind was still uncomfortable.

“A light massage, please.”

Squeeze!

“Huh?!”

My body jumped like a shrimp as soon as my shoulders were touched.

I thought my blood vessels were going to burst.

The immense force coming from the not-so-large hands momentarily crushed my back.

It felt like a huge rock falling on a single point.

“Is this what being a hero feels like?! This feeling is so different!?”

Thump thump♡

My heart raced as if the engine had been started.

The pounding and thrashing was a shock that was clearly different from an ordinary person.