HTSASCHWB 03

Chapter 3

The next day, I dragged along the half-asleep cat and opened the shop early.

“Why are we rushing so much, nya? Yaaawn, I’m tired, nya…”

“Today’s our tasting event. We need to bake everything ahead of time!”

As I poured batter onto the greased pan, it sizzled loudly, and a savory aroma filled the air. I generously stuffed sweet red bean paste from tail to head.

After pouring another layer of batter on top and grilling both sides to a golden brown…

“Ta-da! Bungeoppang complete!”

“It’s definitely starting to look decent, nya.”

Thanks to yesterday’s bulk order customer, my skills seemed to have improved dramatically.

I placed the perfectly golden fish-shaped pastries onto the rack and busily continued baking the rest.

“Huh? Aren’t you the bungeoppang shop owner?”

“Hello, Team Leader!”

When I headed toward the Hunter Management Bureau carrying an armful of freshly baked pastries, Team Leader Yoon Kanghyuk, whom I’d met yesterday, welcomed me warmly.

“Could it be… you brought those for me?”

“Yes! That’s right. You said you enjoyed them yesterday.”

I grinned and held out the pastries. He accepted them in surprise and smiled happily.

“Haha! Honestly, I was thinking about bungeoppang all morning. Thanks, I’ll enjoy these!”

As he burst into hearty laughter, even his sunglasses bounced slightly.

Though… why was he still wearing sunglasses indoors?

Then I heard curious voices from nearby.

“Team Leader! Is that the bungeoppang you mentioned yesterday?”

“The one you said actually had flavor…?”

“So you weren’t lying?”

As expected. Considering how huge the Hunter Management Bureau was, there was no way only one security officer worked there.

‘And if he’s a team leader, of course he’d have team members.’

If an ordinary employee praised something, people might doubt it. But when a team leader raved about how delicious it was, the credibility skyrocketed.

“Would you all like to try some? I brought plenty.”

I smiled brightly at the curious gazes directed toward me. As if enchanted, they all nodded.

The moment they cautiously took a bite—

“Wow! I can really taste it!”

“And it’s actually delicious!”

“This is incredible!?”

The same exclamations from yesterday erupted all around me. Inside, I cheered triumphantly.

‘I knew this would work.’

The reason hunters didn’t eat bungeoppang was simple: food had no taste to them anyway.

And there was no guarantee forcing them to try it would go well every time.

‘Worst-case scenario, it would just ruin the shop’s reputation.’

So I decided to use the reactions of other hunters instead. Thankfully, Team Leader Yoon Kanghyuk had already tasted my pastries yesterday, making it easy to get started.

Already, more and more people were sneaking glances in our direction.

‘The key to a tasting event is giving just enough to leave them wanting more.’

I cut the pastries into bite-sized pieces on the plates I’d brought and stuck toothpicks into them.

Then I smiled brightly at anyone who made eye contact and held out a plate.

“We’re having a free tasting event for our grand opening. Would you like to try one?”

The tasting event was, quite literally, a massive success.

At first, the hunters hesitated and watched each other carefully. But once one or two people reacted positively, everyone rushed over and started devouring the pastries.

“They’re sweet and soft… What was your shop’s name again?”

“‘Sky’s Place’! We just opened right in front of the Management Bureau!”

I made sure not to miss a single opportunity to promote our shop’s name and location.

To be honest, I’d come up with the name in a rush. No matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t think of anything better.

“How much is one?”

“Ah, 10,000 won!”

“One pastry costs only 10,000 won!?”

There was immediate controversy over the price. Everyone’s eyes widened.

Not because it was expensive—

Because it was ridiculously cheap.

“No way! I’m buying these every day.”

“Me too! What time do you open?”

“From 8 AM. Stop by before work!”

I’d brought over twenty pastries, but with so many people crowding around, they were already disappearing fast.

I was trying to make sure the people who hadn’t tasted one yet got priority when suddenly it felt like the indoor temperature had dropped by three degrees.

‘Did someone leave a door open? Why is it suddenly so cold?’

I shivered—and realized the area around me had gone strangely quiet.

Why was everyone staring at me like—

“What exactly is going on here?”

“Gyaaaah!!!”

A man had appeared silently behind me, startling me so badly I practically jumped out of my skin.

And then I couldn’t help but marvel.

‘Wow… people can actually look like this?’

Dark black hair. A towering height that forced me to crane my neck upward. An unrealistically handsome face that looked like it had jumped straight out of a shounen manga, along with striking golden eyes.

Wait a second… this person was—

“L-Lee Hyunwoo Hunter!?”

The country’s only S-rank hunter, Lee Hyunwoo—the man who appeared on TV every time you turned it on.

He looked down at me indifferently.

“I asked what is happening here.”

“Ah! Hunter sir, this person just opened a shop in front of the Bureau, so she was holding an event—”

“An event? Handing out unidentified food to people?”

Team Leader Yoon Kanghyuk stepped in to explain on my behalf, only to immediately become Lee Hyunwoo’s next target.

‘Ugh… now I feel bad.’

Before I knew it, the crowd surrounding us had completely disappeared.

“You said you opened a shop? Right in front of the Management Bureau?”

Frowning deeply, he looked at the pastry sitting on my plate.

I hurriedly spoke up.

“Hello, Hunter sir! My name is Jung Haneul.”

Then I carefully held the plate out toward him.

“This is an item I made myself. It’s a special bungeoppang that hunters can actually taste.”

“You’re saying it has flavor?”

I nodded vigorously.

“Would you like to try one? Everyone said it was delicious.”

Everyone else had looked just as suspicious as him at first, but once they tasted it, their attitudes completely changed.

I smiled inwardly.

‘Even if he’s S-rank, he’s still a hunter. Once he tastes it, he’ll change his mind.’

But his next action completely shattered my expectations.

“I don’t have a hobby of eating unknown substances. It could be poisoned.”

With a scowl, he brushed past me coldly.

He sounded like I was offering him actual poison.

“W-Wait, poisoned!?”

I spun around hurriedly to stop him.

At that exact moment, my legs tangled together, and the world tilted dangerously.

‘Ugh, I’m falling!’

I barely managed to regain my balance—

But the pastries didn’t.

The bungeoppang on my plate flew everywhere and rolled across the floor.

“…There were still five left.”

It was disappointing, but the damage was already done. I crouched down and started picking them up.

Then someone’s shoes entered my field of vision.

Combat boots…?

I looked up to see Lee Hyunwoo staring down at me.

“No one has ever succeeded in overcoming the side effects of awakening. Yet suddenly someone appears claiming they created an item that restores taste…”

Then he nudged one of the pastry pieces that had rolled to his feet with the tip of his boot.

“That’s rather suspicious.”

What the heck was that supposed to mean!?

You haven’t even tasted it, so why are you acting like that!?

“Team Leader Yoon Kanghyuk.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

With a chilly expression, he said,

“The Security Team’s duty is to block outside threats. Including unidentified food that may contain poison.”

“My apologies. I’ll be more careful.”

I stared blankly at his retreating back.

Only after he completely disappeared from sight did I pick up the final pastry piece and mutter,

“Does he always talk like that?”

“Haha… he tends to be that way.”

As if he’d dealt with this many times before, Yoon Kanghyuk forced an awkward smile.

I looked around to make sure no pastry crumbs remained on the floor and complained,

“I never thought Hunter Lee Hyunwoo would be that kind of person! I wasn’t even doing anything strange, but he kept glaring at me…”

“Well, he suffered from awakening side effects for a very long time after awakening as a child. Those side effects can really torment a person.”

Apparently, he had awakened before even graduating middle school.

And not just as any hunter—but as the country’s only S-rank.

Thinking about that, Yoon Kanghyuk said with a shrug, his sensitivity was understandable.

“…Even so, I still don’t get it.”

“Well, you’re not wrong there. Anyway, it seems the tasting event is already working. Looks like customers have arrived at your shop.”

Yoon Kanghyuk slightly lowered his sunglasses and glanced outside.

“At our shop? I can’t see anything.”

When I tilted my head in confusion, he winked.

“It’s one of my abilities. Nothing special.”

“You can see all the way over there? That’s amazing!”

“More importantly, shouldn’t you hurry back? People are waiting.”

Ah! You can’t keep customers waiting!

I bowed quickly in thanks and hurried back toward the shop.

Then I froze at the sight before me.

“Owner! Why are you only getting back now?”

“I want to order bungeoppang! Can I still buy some?”

“Do you have any already made? How long’s the wait?”

What the heck?

Why are there so many people!?

I covered my mouth in shock.

At long last, my business was truly beginning.