Gim Yeong-jin considered himself not particularly virtuous.
Of course, he wasn't the type to break laws for profit either.
He'd never donated to charity in his life, and his only volunteer work was what he'd done to fulfill school requirements.
Well, if someone collapsed on the street, he'd call emergency services, but that was about it.
Any kindness he showed others was strictly limited to what wouldn't inconvenience him or create hassle.
He wasn't completely heartless, but he still thought of himself as cold-blooded enough to mercilessly fire a middle-aged woman who couldn't do her job properly.
They had built some rapport working together for two months.
But what was he supposed to do when she constantly made calculation errors, couldn't give customers the right change, and frequently got orders wrong?
So he fired her and hired a college student on break before military service as a server.
He figured a university student would have some brains, but the kid was always on his phone whenever there were no customers.
It annoyed him that the student was texting friends instead of looking for additional tasks, but what could he do? It wasn't the kid's own restaurant; he was just a part-timer.
Yeong-jin should be grateful that at least the orders and calculations were correct.
Why look for someone else and risk hiring another person like that middle-aged woman—nice personality but incompetent? Better to have this student who at least knew how to work.
Still, it was irritating to see him constantly on his phone when there were no customers.
Yeong-jin was busy preparing ingredients depleted during lunch service, while the kid was taking it easy just because it was past three and business was slow.
If only he were a part-timer himself, he wouldn't have these thoughts.
Why did he ever decide to open a restaurant and bring this stress upon himself?
While Yeong-jin was lamenting internally, he noticed a potential customer outside.
"Potential" because they were in a wheelchair and couldn't open the door.
The threshold was high, and it was difficult to open the door while seated.
They seemed to be hesitating.
So Yeong-jin took the opportunity to scold the part-timer who was leaning against the counter, staring at his phone.
"Seung-yun. There's a customer outside. Go open the door for them."
"Come on, customers have hands too, they can open—oh!"
Whatever interesting conversation Seung-yun had been having was cut short.
After casually complaining to his boss, he looked toward the entrance and gasped.
The boss's nagging was nothing new.
Since the boss praised him when he did well, Seung-yun only needed to work efficiently when customers were present.
Seung-yun could get away with slacking because he worked hard when customers were around.
After they left, he'd clear tables, restock utensils and supplies.
He followed the manual to the letter.
So his complaint wasn't out of malice toward the customer.
It was just a bit of whining directed at his boss.
But when he actually looked toward the door, he saw a young girl struggling to open it.
If it had been just any girl, he would have assumed the door was too heavy and helped her.
But seeing this skinny girl half-rising from her wheelchair, straining to open the door—it shocked him.
"Oh my, welcome! Let me get that door for you. Boss, should I arrange special seating for the wheelchair?"
Yeong-jin felt the same way.
While customers with disabilities weren't common, they weren't unheard of either.
But this was a girl wearing oversized clothes that didn't fit her.
Honestly, it was hard to believe someone so poorly dressed could afford a meal.
Even if she could, she might have been saving up for a long time just to eat out.
And usually, people with mobility issues had someone accompanying them.
This girl had come alone.
Yeong-jin found it uncomfortable and felt sorry for her.
But he was hesitant to give her a free meal.
Unless she asked first, he might be accused of treating her like a beggar.
Now Yeong-jin understood that those occasional jokes were half-serious.
All disabled people should disappear from the world.
For that to happen, medical technology needed to advance quickly to cure them.
"We can remove two chairs to make space, but wouldn't it be troublesome if you spilled food on your wheelchair? Ma'am, wouldn't it be better to sit in a chair while eating?"
"Oh, you're right. That would be better."
That was the extent of consideration Yeong-jin could offer.
Sharing the lessons learned from previous wheelchair-using customers.
She was clearly missing one leg.
Was this a recent disability? Or was she just inexperienced with dining out?
The girl, who widened her eyes as if she hadn't considered his advice, obediently sat in the empty seat.
It was pitiful watching her hop on one foot while holding her phone.
And her snow-white hair, combined with her pale skin, made her look to Yeong-jin like a child who had lost pigmentation due to illness.
Never once had Yeong-jin considered giving anyone free food.
He'd always lived believing that if you give something, you should receive something in return.
But this time, he felt an urge to do something for this girl.
In Yeong-jin's mind, she already resembled a terminally ill patient who had come out for a meal before the last leaf fell.
But then the girl suddenly started muttering into the air.
"Oh, a Korean restaurant? Those are expensive. I thought a small place like this would be better. Look, they have a variety of menu items. What? You think it's like Gimcheon soup restaurant? Hmm, maybe."
Seeing this, Yeong-jin beckoned Seung-yun over and whispered so the girl wouldn't notice.
"Seung-yun. Do you think that customer is sick? Why is she talking to herself like that? She doesn't seem to be on the phone."
"Oh, she's streaming. You can broadcast from your phone these days."
"Internet broadcasting? I know what that is. I'm not that old. So she's like a mukbang streamer or something?"
"Yeah. Honestly, she looks too skinny to be doing mukbangs, but some big eaters are actually quite thin."
Though Seung-yun seemed to barely acknowledge Yeong-jin's words.
Nevertheless, like Yeong-jin, he began paying more attention to the white-haired, one-legged girl than he would to other customers.
And there, the two men's pride collided.
Perhaps they were oddly conscious of showing interest in the same person.
Yeong-jin and Seung-yun exchanged glances.
Yeong-jin's eyes said: She's disabled and broadcasting, so let's act normal and not be nervous.
Seung-yun's silent pressure replied: I'll take her order as usual, you just make delicious food in the kitchen.
If gazes had energy, sparks would have flown between them.
And so began their strange competition.
Seung-yun provided excessive service.
Despite the sign on the wall saying water was self-service, he brought everything Noel needed so she wouldn't have to get up.
And deliberately to annoy Yeong-jin, he even recommended various menu items.
But that was exactly what Yeong-jin wanted.
It was difficult to provide complimentary food service anyway.
Once you give something to one person, you have to do the same for others to be fair.
Especially since the girl was broadcasting online.
It wasn't just word of mouth about free side dishes.
There would be video evidence, potentially spreading complaints about discrimination—"they gave it to her but not to us."
However, if the girl ordered a lot of food,
Yeong-jin would have justification.
If she came alone and ordered this much, he could reasonably provide some service.
"Oh, I should have asked earlier. I'm broadcasting online. Would it be okay if I film just myself and the food?"
"Of course! We'd actually be grateful for the promotion. Boss, did you hear? If the food isn't delicious, you'll be immortalized on her stream."
"Inseok, when has our restaurant's food ever been bad? I personally source all the ingredients. I'll show you a taste you can never experience at franchise restaurants. Please order anything you like."
"Hey boss, what if she orders seolleongtang or sinseollo?"
"...Anything that's on the menu."
And the girl was not only pitiful but also polite.
Of course, asking permission might be standard practice for streamers.
But because she looked so vulnerable, both Yeong-jin and Seung-yun found even this basic courtesy impressive.
Plus, she seemed to look at the menu differently from others.
As if one eye couldn't see properly, she tilted her head slightly while examining the menu.
"Um... I'll have yukgaejang, please. Does it come with rice?"
"Of course it does. Boss, one yukgaejang!"
"One yukgaejang."
When the order came in, Yeong-jin immediately began cooking.
It was a simple dish—just add pre-portioned ingredients to the broth he'd already boiled and cooled.
While franchise restaurants might use frozen factory-made retort food, this was his own perfected recipe.
He hoped the girl would enjoy it and promote his restaurant to her viewers.
But while waiting for the food, the girl said something shocking.
"Why yukgaejang? It just looked delicious... And I didn't eat it at my father's funeral, so I thought I might try it now."
Trembling glances crossed between Yeong-jin and Seung-yun.