Pig Government Official

-14-

Although Jihoon and Jeonggwan had a 3-year age difference, they had been friends for a long time, so neither of them made an issue of age. However, it seemed that Jihoon, too, became a bit of a tyrant when he became the boss, as they say.

“Listen to me. I said it has to be brown, no matter what.”

Jihoon insisted on brown, emphasizing that he was older and the boss, even though Jeonggwan was vehemently against it.

“No way! It looks like a Tous Les Jours bakery!”

“The interior is nature-themed, so brown is the right choice, I’m telling you!”

“White or black is the cleanest look! The overall tone is black anyway!”

However, Jeonggwan didn’t back down either. Wrong was wrong, boss or older brother notwithstanding. Jeonggwan had seen almost every uniform from culinary school to university, and every time he saw someone in a brown uniform, he thought it looked like shit and vowed never to wear one… But Jihoon was insisting on brown, citing the interior design, and it was driving him crazy.

With three days left until the opening, the two were engaged in a fierce battle of wills inside the uniform specialty store, neither willing to give an inch. They usually didn’t fight much despite bickering a lot, but this time, even the air felt hostile.

“Then let’s vote on it.”

“What vote?”

“Let’s have the partners vote on it!”

“Why should I? No. We’re going with brown.”

Jeonggwan suggested a vote as if he was being very generous, but Jihoon, the top-tier in stubbornness, adamantly refused even that. At this, Jeonggwan felt like he heard a button click in his head.

“Fine, then I don’t want to either! I won’t make bread! You can live well on your own! We’re through! Don’t talk to me or follow me!”

Jeonggwan stood up, shouting at Jihoon. Jihoon looked up at him urgently, seeming taken aback, but Jeonggwan’s expression said that if Jihoon tried to stop him or follow him now, he’d smash his phone into Jihoon’s philtrum.

Jihoon just blinked, watching blankly as Jeonggwan stormed out. Shit… He’s really scary…

Jeonggwan walked, fuming. The uniform store wasn’t far from the school, so he planned to walk there to cool off.

“So damn stubborn. It’s not like he’s the one wearing it… Shit. We could have just voted…”

Jeonggwan had been willing to wear brown without complaint if it won the vote. That’s why he suggested voting as a compromise, but Jihoon’s insistence on brown, ignoring all opinions, irritated him so much that he left. Just because you’re the boss and older doesn’t mean you can force things like that.

However, as the cool breeze hit him, his anger gradually subsided. He started to think that maybe his words had been too harsh. Knowing Jihoon’s personality, he wouldn’t have said, “Then don’t do it!” That’s why he had blurted out those words in anger, but saying they were through seemed too much.

Jihoon had studied abroad and returned to the university Jeonggwan attended, and he had been extremely picky and sensitive. He’s still similar now, but back then, he would glare fiercely at anyone who so much as coughed. Because of this, when his classmates discreetly asked the graduated seniors, they said Jihoon had been wary of everyone and rarely mixed with others from the time he first enrolled.

Hearing this, Jeonggwan had completely ignored Jihoon, fearing he might get bitten like a wild lynx, but that seemed to have caught Jihoon’s attention, and he ended up showering Jeonggwan with endless attention and affection. Jeonggwan hadn’t asked about Jihoon’s family because he wasn’t curious, and he hadn’t asked about luxury brands because he knew nothing about them, which Jihoon seemed to find comfortable. Although Jihoon’s difficult behavior was often annoying, Jeonggwan didn’t dislike him because he treated him well.

Moreover, Jihoon had recently said that he considered Jeonggwan his closest friend… But now Jeonggwan felt he had gone too far by mentioning ending their friendship over just a uniform.

Jeonggwan took out his phone. He should be the first to ask for reconciliation.

However, there was already a message from Jihoon.

[I’m going to eat pudding at Won Department Store basement 1 (4 minutes ago) – Park Jihoon]

[Want to come? (3 minutes ago) – Park Jihoon]

But Park Jihoon was indeed Park Jihoon.

[And sadly, the uniform will be brown. Fatty. (2 minutes ago) – Park Jihoon]

This bastard!!!!

* * *

Today was the grand opening day of ‘Bible’. Jeonggwan took a deep breath and examined himself in the mirror on the changing room locker door.

He was wearing the uniform that had been finalized as brown, and it wasn’t as bad as he thought. He had expected a light brown, but it was a very dark brown with a subtle sheen that made it look luxurious. The Chinese-style collar and sleeve parts were black, providing a nice contrast, and the pants and apron were also black. The hat was a hunting cap in the same deep brown as the top.

Park Jihoon was indeed obsessed with details from A to Z. Despite Jeonggwan’s vehement protests, Jihoon had insisted on brown, and it really gave off the vibe of a pastry chef at a high-end hotel. The cafe partners outside all wore black shirts, pants, and hunting caps with only brown aprons, which gave the impression that “we’re all employees, but our departments are clearly different,” matching the cafe perfectly.

8:20 AM. Although there were still 10 minutes until work time, Jeonggwan had already changed. It was the excitement of his first job. Park Jihoon had apparently come in at 7 AM with the sandwich partners. He really seemed like a boss, which made Jeonggwan feel a bit of admiration.

“Wow, fatty, did you lose weight?”

“I told you not to call me fatty in front of others.”

“Oh? Oh, sorry.”

Jihoon acted surprised as soon as Jeonggwan came out of the locker room. What weight loss? He hadn’t lost even 10 grams, but Jihoon was acting like this because he was satisfied with the brown uniform he had chosen. Seeing Jihoon looking embarrassed after being told not to call him fatty in front of others, Jeonggwan lightly patted his shoulder and stood in front of the cafe partners.

“Hello, I’m Kim Jeonggwan, in charge of shortcakes.”

“Hello-” The cafe employees, also excited about the first opening, greeted Jeonggwan with flushed faces.

“Today, I’ll make shortcakes for everyone and put them in the staff refrigerator so you can take them home after your shift. Please make sure to take one each!”

“Wow, that’s great!”

“Thank you!”

The sales staff needed to taste the cakes too. When working part-time at bakeries, customers would ask questions beyond imagination like “What’s this?” “What’s in it?” “Is it very sweet?” Rather than saying “I don’t know well…”, it looked better to confidently recommend after tasting. So Jeonggwan planned to make cakes for all the afternoon shift employees too, even if it meant leaving work late.

Jihoon, looking proudly at Jeonggwan, checked the time and said to the employees:

“Everyone will experience hell today. Fighting.”

A dessert cafe opening on the first floor of Won Electronics on Teheran-ro? This meant bread enthusiasts from all over the country would gather. Not only that, Won Electronics employees, nearby companies, bloggers, and YouTubers would pour in. It would be like hell opening its gates, not just today but for the next week.

However, Jeonggwan and all the employees’ eyes shone with fearless determination. Fighting!

* * *

Jeonggwan looked with fearful eyes at the still-crowded cafe.

The queue was unimaginably long with people curious about the dessert cafe that had replaced the Starbucks on the first floor of Won Electronics. To make matters worse, one entire wall was covered with fresh flowers, becoming a photo zone where people would sit for at least an hour to take pictures, making the line seem endless.

The cafe part was already so busy they couldn’t tell coffee from themselves, while the dessert part, which only had to produce a set amount, was relatively relaxed. But that relaxation ended after thirty minutes.

The dessert production that started at 8:30 AM ended at 10:30 AM, but exactly 30 minutes after displaying the desserts, they were completely sold out, not even a crumb left.

Eventually, after a brief 3-minute emergency meeting, they decided to make another day’s worth of production, considering many people had come from far away for the opening. The dessert part was trapped in a baking hell, unable to even eat lunch. It was so hectic that Jeonggwan felt like he was in a competition, not even noticing his hunger.

However, as the afternoon approached, people started to leave, and the chaotic store began to settle down a bit.

“I’ll go first, Jeonggwan-ssi. See you tomorrow!”

“See you tomorrow-“

“Yes! Get home safely!”

The partners who finished the second round of dessert production left first, but Jeonggwan couldn’t leave the kitchen counter even after 4 PM because he had to make cakes for the staff.

“I shouldn’t have promised to make cakes for the staff this morning!” Jeonggwan briefly regretted his loose lips, but he still spread the whipped cream with all his heart, hoping the cafe staff would gain some strength from eating his cakes after their hard work today.

“Finished…!”

5:30 PM. Finally, even the staff cakes were done. It took longer than expected because he made them exactly the same as the ones for sale.

When he straightened his bent back, a groan escaped involuntarily. Now, after putting these in the staff refrigerator, he was determined to leave work no matter who said what or tried to stop him. He really couldn’t do any more!

Planning to just quietly tell Jihoon and leave if the cafe staff still looked too busy, he lifted his gaze to the glass window between the kitchen and the cafe to check the atmosphere.

“…Eh.”

And he let out a small exclamation of surprise and bewilderment.