Chapter 49
The dinner rush at the restaurant subsided, and as if it had never happened, the late hours became quiet.
Taehan Restaurant, run by Kang Taehan’s father, Kang Hoyeon, would become a space where regular customers from the neighborhood would linger and chat leisurely around this time.
It’s a characteristic of restaurants that have remained in the neighborhood for a long time.
Although there have been many new customers lately, this unique atmosphere still vaguely remains.
“Wow, the Hanha guys are doing incredibly well these days.”
Just then, one of the men sitting with his acquaintances exclaimed in admiration while looking at his smartphone.
The screen showed a live broadcast of a baseball game.
Crack! A timely hit flew deep past the foul line, and the runner on second base came home.
It was a clean play that recovered the early runs and tied the score.
“Mr. Kim, are you still watching baseball?”
“I haven’t been watching for a while. But it’s become quite enjoyable lately. Especially Kim Taepyeong and Ahn Giho, those guys suddenly got their form back.”
“Those guys? Come on. It wouldn’t be surprising if they announced their retirement soon. You expect me to believe that?”
The players mentioned were those who were active when he used to watch games regularly.
Still, since he had nothing to do, he was watching the game next to them for the first time in a while, just in case.
“What? He struck out here?”
“Choi Taejun is doing really well these days.”
“Wow! He caught that! That’s what defense is all about!”
The Hanha Hawks consecutively made clean outs and switched to offense, quickly scoring a point and taking the lead.
Mr. Choi, who had been watching halfheartedly, was now immersed in the game, letting out exclamations of admiration.
“Wow, they’re really good. How is this possible?”
It had been a while since he last watched a game, but he was well aware of Hanha’s losing streak and poor performance through occasional sports news.
But this level of skill?
Mr. Kim also spoke in a wondering voice.
“It was last week, I think, when their form suddenly improved. These days, even when they lose, they at least play some decent baseball.”
Baseball is a sport that often leads to frustration while watching, but Hanha fans have experienced those moments more than fans of other teams.
As a result, ‘just playing decent baseball’ was the simple standard for Hanha fans…
But these days, that’s just a basic requirement.
“Did they take some kind of doping?”
“There was an article about it recently. The opposing team raised suspicions of doping, so they all got tested again.”
“So, it didn’t show up?”
“Come on, man. They’re playing here because it didn’t show up. If it did, would they be playing? They’d be suspended.”
Mr. Kim replied to Mr. Choi, pointing at the screen as if exasperated.
Mr. Choi shrugged awkwardly.
“Then why are they suddenly doing so well? If it were the beginning of the season, I’d assume they had an amazing training camp, but it’s the end of the season now.”
“Want me to tell you why?”
Just then, Kang Hoyeon, who had been cleaning up the kitchen, came out and joined the conversation with a grin.
He had a proud expression even before he started speaking.
“It’s all thanks to our Taehan.”
“Taehan? Manager Kang’s son?”
“That’s right. He said something a while ago, about getting a request from the coach there.”
At his words, both Mr. Kim and Mr. Choi nodded with smiles on their faces.
Parents boasting about their children is a timeless tradition.
“So, is Taehan a Hanha coach now?”
“Wait, what was Taehan studying again? Sports something?”
“Sports Medicine. He’s not a coach, but something like… he helps with the players’ conditioning, injury treatment, that sort of thing.”
“Come on. Don’t other teams do that too? If that’s all it took, they would have changed long ago.”
The two men shook their heads at Kang Hoyeon’s words.
It was a perfectly reasonable argument.
However, Kang Hoyeon’s next words were enough to tempt them both.
“No. Our Taehan’s skills are quite miraculous. He even fixed my shoulder. Didn’t I tell you?”
“Really?”
They all knew that Kang Hoyeon had suffered after shoulder surgery in the past.
He had been unable to make the hand-pulled noodles he was so proud of, and they had thought it was fortunate that he was able to make them again.
Moreover, he had been full of energy lately, as if he had become younger, and the wrinkles on his face were gradually disappearing, so they wondered if he had some secret…
But to think it was all thanks to Taehan’s massage.
Normally, they would have dismissed it as empty boasts stemming from a father’s love for his son, but having witnessed Kang Hoyeon’s transformation firsthand, they couldn’t help but believe it.
“Well… even so, that’s hard to…”
“Ahem. So, could I get one too?”
Mr. Choi waved his hand dismissively.
However, Mr. Kim next to him coughed briefly and quickly jumped in line.
“Don’t ask me, I don’t know. It’s Taehan’s work.”
“Come on, I even saw Taehan going to school. It’ll be alright, right? I even gave him allowance during his first vacation.”
Kang Hoyeon drew a line, not wanting to make promises, concerned about burdening his son.
Then Mr. Kim started to appeal to him by recounting memories and heartwarming anecdotes he had with Kang Taehan.
“Mr. Kim, what are you doing?”
Just then, Mr. Choi, who had been listening, interrupted with a serious expression.
“I gave Taehan more allowance. And Taehan was in the same class as my son twice, in kindergarten and then in second or fourth grade, I don’t remember exactly.”
A relaxing massage and maybe even rejuvenation?
He had tried to act composed at first, but now, just like Mr. Kim, he began to list his connections with Taehan, driven by a glimmer of hope.
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“Camping equipment…”
Yoo Se-ah looked around with her mouth agape and spoke in a low voice.
“It’s a lot more than I expected.”
One large section was filled entirely with camping gear.
From tables and chairs to cooking utensils like pots and burners, and even lighting like lanterns.
There was even a spacious area where tents were set up like a real campsite, and various other items not typically associated with camping, like a compact coffee machine and a large battery.
“I heard that outdoor sports and camping are trendy these days.”
But she didn’t expect it to be this much.
It wasn’t even a themed display, just items arranged neatly, but it felt overwhelming just to look at.
Yoo Se-ah looked up at a tent hanging from the ceiling and let out a gasp of wonder.
‘There are certainly a lot of varieties.’
Kang Taehan lifted a brazier displayed in front.
It was the perfect size for a bonfire.
Moreover, unlike its heavy appearance, it was lighter than expected, making it easy to carry.
He initially intended to just look at sleeping bags and tables, but seeing all these items lined up piqued his interest.
‘This would have been a huge hit if it were sold in Murim.’
People might imagine Murim people traveling in simple attire without seeking convenience, but that’s a distorted image.
Of course, they wouldn’t get into trouble easily with their internal energy, but their desire for a comfortable and warm bed and good food is the same.
In that sense, some of the items in the camping section were truly worthy of being considered treasures of a sect.
A waterproof tent that wouldn’t get wet even in the rain, an insulating mat that blocked the cold from the ground, a warm sleeping bag that didn’t let heat escape, and a pop-up tent.
Each item could significantly improve the quality of camping.
Kang Taehan, while examining the products, remembered the time he almost froze to death while camping in the forest and chuckled to himself.
“Mr. Taehan, how about this?”
At that moment, Yoo Se-ah called out, holding up a camping chair.
From Kang Taehan’s quick glance, it seemed like a suitable chair for meditation. It had no armrests, a flat and spacious seat, and looked comfortable enough to sit cross-legged.
“It’s nice.”
“Right? It caught my eye right away.”
Yoo Se-ah grinned at Kang Taehan’s words.
Of course, she just chose it because the color was nice and the design was stylish, but the result was good.
“What were you looking at, Mr. Taehan?”
“I thought this tent looked decent.”
Kang Taehan pointed at a tent displayed open in front.
It seemed less convenient, but it was waterproof and the perfect size for one person.
“Ah, a tent…”
Yoo Se-ah carefully looked at the tent and then pointed to the one next to it.
It was a similar product from the same company, but more than twice the size.
“Um, isn’t this one better? A bigger one is always better than a smaller one, right?”
“Isn’t it too big for one person?”
“You never know. You might need to use it with someone else later.”
Yoo Se-ah spoke without thinking and then turned her head, her ears turning red.
She didn’t mean anything by it, but it could be interpreted differently.
‘Well, I could go with my father.’
He remembered his father mentioning going hiking or camping together during their recent drive.
Remembering this, Kang Taehan nodded.
“You’re right, I might go with him soon.”
“Yes?”
Yoo Se-ah was startled when their eyes met.
Kang Taehan smiled gently and replied in a calm voice.
“My father mentioned it the other day.”
“Ah…”
The heat quickly subsided from her ears.
“You seem to have a good relationship with your father.”
Yoo Se-ah said awkwardly.
A lukewarm reaction as if she knew it all along.
However, upon second thought, Yoo Se-ah felt a strange tightness in her chest.
“Mr. Taehan, then I’ll buy you this tent.”
“Yes?”
Kang Taehan waved his hand at her words.
“Come on, who receives a tent after just receiving a tin of tea leaves? If that’s not a scam, what is?”
“No, it’s okay, but…”
Yoo Se-ah paused for a moment, then added, slightly averting her gaze.
“…but take me with you next time.”
“…….”
Averting her gaze was a bad move.
Her eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, but turning her head exposed her reddened ears.
Silence lingered for a moment.
Kang Taehan watched her for a while, then replied with a soft smile.
“Then, we should buy two chairs as well.”
⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢
“Oh, you know what, Mr. Taehan? I’m going on Blind Mission.”
“Blind Mission… you mean the TV show?”
Blind Mission is a variety show that has been popular for over three years.
The show involves contestants receiving missions at a specific location and carrying them out, with one person receiving a mission to catch the other contestants, leading to a chase.
“Yes, that’s right. I’m going on it with senior actor Jo Chanhyeok and Master Choi Seonhui. I used to really like Blind Mission, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Yoo Se-ah said with a particularly bright smile in response to Kang Taehan’s question.
Whether she was excited about appearing on Blind Mission or because of what had happened in the camping section, no one knew.
“Speaking of which, didn’t you say you play golf, Mr. Taehan?”
Yoo Se-ah asked casually as they passed the golf equipment section.
Kang Taehan chuckled and opened his mouth.
“No, I just tried it once.”
“Oh? Really?”
Yoo Se-ah looked surprised.
In fact, she had recently taken lessons from a friend, hoping to impress Kang Taehan with her golf knowledge.
But he doesn’t play golf!
A slight look of disappointment crossed her previously bright face.
“Oh, Taehan-oppa.”
Just then, a voice called out from ahead.
It was a female voice he had never heard before.
However, for that very reason, it reached Yoo Se-ah’s ears clearly.
“What a coincidence to meet you here!”
The woman approached Kang Taehan with quick steps, her face brimming with delight.
Kang Taehan also greeted her with a smile.
“Eunbi, what are you doing in Seoul?”
“I have to prepare for becoming a pro again. I came up for a short visit to meet some people. But… is this your companion?”
Chae Eunbi, after her cheerful greeting, looked at the woman standing next to Kang Taehan and asked.
Perhaps sensing something, her voice trembled slightly with tension.
In such situations, it’s appropriate for the person who knows both parties to introduce them.
Kang Taehan first pointed to Chae Eunbi and said to Yoo Se-ah.
“Ah, this is Miss Eunbi, a younger friend I met at the golf driving range. And…”
He was about to introduce Yoo Se-ah to Chae Eunbi, but his words stopped.
He was wearing sunglasses to hide his identity, so he wondered if it was right to introduce her even if she was an acquaintance.
But the next moment.
“Hello. I’m actress Yoo Se-ah.”
Yoo Se-ah lowered her sunglasses slightly with her own hand, smiled, and greeted Chae Eunbi with a nod.
She was smiling, but…
Her eyes held the intensity of a tiger guarding its territory against an intruding wolf.
