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Chapter 11
The day Minjoo asked Haerin to watch the café and went to her parents’ house.
Somewhere in Gyeonggi Province, inside a cozy suburban home, the air was tense.
“Didn’t you say Mom’s wrist was broken?”
“Broken? I never said that. Your dad did.”
Minjoo shot Jung-sun a glare after hearing Sujeong’s words. Jung-sun quickly looked away and began massaging Sujeong’s arm, which—tellingly—had no bandages at all.
📱 Crying Dad
Daughter! Mom’s wrist is broken. ㅠㅠ
He had texted her out of nowhere saying her mother had broken her wrist, making it sound serious. She had rushed over in a panic—only to find Sujeong looking perfectly fine.
Relaxed, in fact. She was lying on the bed flipping through a magazine as if nothing had happened.
Even the bandage loosely wrapped around her right wrist looked so sloppy it was more like playing doctor than an actual injury.
What kind of kindergarten-level first aid is this?
Jung-sun, catching on, jumped in.
“Daughter, how’s Dad’s handiwork? I wrapped that myself.”
“I figured. Any hospital that did it like that would be sued.”
“Kang Minjoo. What are you saying? Your talent clearly comes from your father.”
“Darling…”
Jung-sun’s face softened with emotion.
Ugh. Minjoo cringed. This is why you don’t sit between couples.
“So why did your wrist get hurt?”
“Playing Go-Stop.”
“Go-Stop? Not from falling, but from Go-Stop?”
“The cards were so dirty I slammed them too hard on the floor. Lost my money and my wrist.”
“You’re just so passionate about everything. Our Minjoo really takes after you in that way.”
Minjoo wanted to gag. If there were special effects in real life, pink hearts would be bursting all over them right now. She turned away, already preparing to leave.
“Anyway, good thing you’re fine. But Mom, please be careful. And no more Go-Stop. You never beat those aunts anyway—always…”
“Daughter, leaving already? You’ve barely been here ten minutes. At least stay for dinner. It’s been half a year since you came home!”
Jung-sun looked hurt.
But Minjoo, face cold, shot back:
“Dad, I run a business. Of course I can’t come often. And I don’t have the time to stay for dinner. Haerin’s covering the café for me right now.”
“Haerin? I thought she quit.”
“She’s just filling in. I couldn’t find part-timers and I’ve been working alone.”
“Kang Minjoo, come sit in front of me.”
Crap.
The atmosphere instantly cooled.
Even Jung-sun, who had been about to ask after Haerin, swallowed his words.
Her mother asking her to sit in front of her was a signal—a signal for a serious talk.
Minjoo, usually skilled at dodging and deflecting, knew there was no escaping this. Dodging now would only earn her a worse scolding later.
Reluctantly, she sat down. The interrogation began.
“From what I remember, Haerin quit months ago, right? And in all this time, you still haven’t found staff?”
“…I did, but they all quit quickly. That’s how it is nowadays.”
Sujeong sighed.
Next to them, Jung-sun fidgeted nervously before abruptly excusing himself to get water.
“How long are you planning to keep running that café?”
“What do you mean, how long? Until forever. That’s the point.”
“You’re barely covering rent. Sales aren’t coming in. Do you think I don’t know the state of your café?”
“…This is actually doing okay compared to others. Everyone’s struggling.”
“And that satisfies you?”
“…”
“Kang Minjoo. When you started, you told me you’d succeed no matter what. That you were confident. Don’t you remember? At the very least, you should be hitting a basic level of revenue.”
Minjoo had no words.
The truth was, Serenade’s sales were abysmal.
She had failed to build an early customer base, and most patrons had drifted to the franchise café across the street.
The only real edge she had was desserts, but even that wasn’t strong enough to compete.
“If you keep this up, you’re just wasting time. Clinging to something that isn’t working only leads to one thing: closure. And when it ends like that, what will you have left?”
Her mother’s words struck like a hammer.
Jung-sun slipped back into the room and quietly set a glass of water beside Minjoo.
She downed it in one gulp, her throat dry.
When she spoke, her voice came out small despite her efforts.
“…So what, you want me to shut it down?”
Jung-sun hurried to interject.
“No, no, Minjoo. Not right away. Your mom and I talked it over. How about this: if you can hit a certain sales target by the end of the year, you keep going. What do you think?”
Of course. Typical married couple—already discussed and agreed.
Still, at least they’re not asking me to quit right this second.
There was still a chance for revival.
“How much in sales?”
Sujeong answered plainly:
“Ten million won a month.”
“…How much?”
“Ten million. If you hit it even once, your dad and I will never interfere again.”
Was there some rich family nearby who named their dog “Ten Million Won”?
The number was absurd.
Even in her best months, the café’s sales were nowhere near that.
What do they think this is, a corporation? I can’t just run projects to boost revenue.
It was basically a demand to shut down.
Defeated, Minjoo rose from her seat. She needed to get back to the café—depressed as she was, that felt better than staying here.
“I’ll get going.”
“Kang Minjoo, I’ve said my piece.”
“…”
“Minjoo, really? Leaving already?”
“Haerin has plans tonight. I can’t be late.”
Sujeong cut in again.
“Bring Haerin by sometime. Honestly, how does a daughter visit less often than her friend?”
“Ugh, fine! Enough nagging.”
“Minjoo, drive carefully, alright?”
Her hurried steps slowed as soon as she stepped out the front door.
Forget careful driving—she didn’t even have the strength to turn the ignition.
“…Ha. What the hell…”
She glanced to her left without thinking—and froze.
A sky-blue sports car was parked right beside the gate. Familiar.
That car… it had to be—
“Minjoo.”
A familiar voice called her name.
Garam stepped out of the driver’s seat, smiling brightly.
* * *
On the day of the very first recording of Self-Made Cooking King.
Haerin visited her old beauty salon for the first time in years.
“I saw the article, Haerin! Congratulations. You’re filming today?”
“Yes. I’ll head over right after makeup.”
“I’ll watch for sure. You know I usually only follow dramas, right?”
“If you’re watching, unni, I’ll have to try even harder.”
This had been her regular salon back when she was active, almost daily.
Coming back after two years felt both strange and familiar.
“But… can I say something?”
The stylist finished her makeup expertly, then glanced at her with hesitation.
“What is it?”
“Well, since no one else is here… I’ll just say it. Honestly, I was a little sad. I thought maybe you wouldn’t come back here even after your return.”
Haerin tilted her head.
“Why would you think that? This has been my only salon all along.”
“I know, I know. But…”
The stylist paused, then added quietly:
“Heeseo comes here too.”
“…Oh.”
“If you two ran into each other, it might be uncomfortable.”
Haerin immediately understood the concern.
Heeseo—her agency’s rising rookie. The very one Eternal Entertainment had chosen to replace her.
The new “face” who had perfectly taken over Haerin’s spot.
“It’s not anyone’s fault, of course. But if it were me, I’d find it awkward to even look at her.”
The stylist sighed behind her.
“Have you seen the articles about Heeseo? How they keep mentioning you?”
“Yes, I’ve seen them.”
She had no choice but to see them.
These days, whenever she searched her own name, Heeseo’s articles came up.
Headlines were filled with comparisons—“She reminds us of Haerin in her prime,” and so on.
The stylist crossed her arms, leaning against the wall.
“Honestly, it’s annoying. You were with that company for years. And this is how they do their PR?”
“The company has to promote their new kid. It won’t last forever.”
Framing it as a rookie-promotion strategy made it bearable.
She was only twenty-nine—ridiculous to say her prime was over.
Besides, Heeseo’s also appearing on Cooking King now.
Soon enough, such articles would stop benefiting anyone.
“Anyway, I just hope things go well for you this time, Haerin. Between us, you—”
Bang. The door to the salon burst open.
“Manager! Oh? Hello, sunbae-nim. Wow, this is my first time seeing you in person!”
The very person they had been discussing.
Heeseo, smiling sweetly, walked right up to Haerin.
