Underworld Restaurant Prologue

Alt. t.i.tle: 정승 식당
Author: 형상준 (Hyeong Sangjun)

This chapter was

Translated by: VoidChaos

Edited by: quinnkid

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The customers are strange.

The money they use for payment are also strange.

However…there really aren't that many things you can buy with that money. 

***

The scorching heat from the sun glared upon Lee Kangjin's back as he climbed the stairs of an apartment's construction site, with sacks of sand in tow. 

“Heok! Heok! Heok!”

Due to the heat and dust blowing off of hot concrete, even breathing seems difficult for him.

“Heokheokheok!”

‘Of all days, why did the elevator broke down today?'

The elevator broke down exactly when he has to work on the fourth floor.

Even though the apartment was not finished yet, there was an elevator that can be used by workers to reach the higher floors. That's the elevator that broke down.

Which is why he's carrying these sacks of sand on his back.

‘Let's stop thinking about it, let's stop thinking about it.'

They say that the hardest job on the site is manual labor. You'll know how hard it is once you actually do ‘manual labor.'

Climbing up the stairs with sacks of sand on your back is also manual labor.

Kangjin tried not to think about it as hard as he could. He believed that the job would be a lot harder if he thinks about a lot of things. Therefore, so long as he doesn't think too much then it should be easier for him to climb the stairs.

Yet the moment Kangjin arrived on the fourth floor, he accidentally poured out the sand in split seconds.

Shwaak!

It took him so long to climb up yet the sand was gone in an instant.

“Heok heok!”

The old man, who was mixing sand and cement, gave the gasping Kangjin a bottle of water.

“Get some rest before you go again.”

“I should do that. Heok heok! The weather is too hot.” 

Kangjin smiled at the old man.

“It's hot during the summer and it's cold during winter…However, summer is still better than winter.” 

The old man told Kangjin while nodding his head in sympathy.

“Yes, that's right.”

Compared to summer, where works in constructions are at its peak, you can't find any construction work during the winter. This is why they like summer more.

While the old man watched the breathless Kangjin carry the sack on his back again, he started speaking.

“Were you able to afford your tuition?”

“I'll be able to earn enough money for my tuition if I work for ten more days.”

“Keep it up.”

“Yes.”

With the sack on his back, he started his trek up the stairs again.

After he finished his part-time job at the construction site, Kangjin leaned his tired body on the wall and stared at his room blankly.

The room was small, it has a small bed, a little wardrobe and a desk…

Kangjin twisted his neck while he stared at his room in a daze.

Crack!

“I'm dead.”

He took out his phone and checked his messages while still leaning on the wall.

  Balance : 3,971,240 KRW>

Kangjin heaved a sigh of relief when he confirmed his balance.

“Just 3 more million won to go.”

He needed to earn at least 5 million won for his 2nd semester tuition fee, his remaining money will be used for living expenses.

“I still need to work for ten more days.”

Bzzt! Bzzt!

He answered his ringing phone which displayed an unknown number.

“h.e.l.lo?”

[Is this Mr. Lee Kangjin?]

“Yes? Who is this?”

[I'm Seo & Baek's Legal Representative[2], Shin Sooho.]

“Lawyer?”

[No, it's a different lawyer, I would like to request for a meeting with you to talk about something. If you're free, would it be ok to see you now?]

Kangjin looked and checked his phone again.

“What? Is this voice phishing[3]?”

He doesn't have any connection with this lawyer who's calling him asking to meet up.

Maybe the person on the other line heard his mumblings since Kangjin then hears him saying.

[Mr. Lee Kangjin, this is not voice phishing. Right now, I'm already in front of your study room[4].]

“You're in front of the study room?!”

[Yes.]

Kangjin tilted his head for a moment when he heard the guy was already in front of his study room.

“Let's go out first.”

Kangjin disconnected the call and walked out.

He saw a middle-aged man wearing a white suit standing right outside.

‘He's odd.'

All white suit…like a mafia[5] boss straight out of movies. He's never seen someone wear something like that in real life. 

The man quickly approached Kangjin the moment he went out of the study room.

“I'm Shin Sooho.”

“Lee Kangjin.”

Kangjin looks at the business card Shin Sooho gave him.

< seo="" &="">

Legal Representative

Shin Sooho >

“You're really a lawyer?”

Kangjin asked Shin Sooho who pulled out his phone and showed him something.

The screen showed Shin Sooho's name and the news related to him on the internet.

“Have you confirmed my ident.i.ty now?”

“Please wait a moment.”

Kangjin searched for Shin Sooho on his own phone and nodded.

“Well, what can I do for you?”

“I am Madame[6] Kim Bokrae's will executor[7]."

“Madame Kim Bokrae?”

This is the first time he heard of this name. In other words, he is not acquainted with that person at all.

“And?”

“Madame Kim Bokrae left her inheritance for you, Mr. Lee Kangjin.”

“Inheritance?”

Confusion was plain to see on Kangjin's face when he heard the word inheritance.

“But I don't even know who the Madame is?!”

“She is your great-great-grandfather, Lee Myeongseob's elder sister.”

‘Aren't you supposed to look for the descendants of my great-great-grandfather's big sister… I'm sure that's not me?'

He doesn't even know who his grandfather's grandfather was, what's more this is his great-great-grandfather's sister.

He could say that they are relatives for the sake of being related but… he's not like the others. He also just learned about his great-great-grandfather's name today.

Besides, ever since Kangjin's parents pa.s.sed away 10 years ago, he hasn't been in contact with his relatives… Why didn't the descendant of his great-great-grandfather's sister get the inheritance?

Also, does his great-great-grandfather's sister…not have any other descendants?

Kangjin, with a perplexed expression, talks to Shin Sooho.

“You know what you're doing right? Is it really me?”

“Lee Kangjin, 28 years old. Your parents died when you were 17 years old. After leaving Hope Orphanage you went to SNU[8]. You are a 4th year psychology major currently on break.”

Kangjin stared at Shin Sooho the moment he heard his own information coming out of the guy's mouth.

“Really…Did you really come to see me?”

“You're right.” 

“Then…I'm really going to receive the inheritance?”

“It's a building, to be exact.”

“A building? I'm going to receive a building as an inheritance?” 

Shin Sooho nodded at the surprised Kangjin. 

“Madame Kim Bokrae left you a two-floor building located in Nonhyeon-dong[9] Seoul.”

***End of Chapter 1***

Footnotes:

[1] : 140,000 KRW is approximately 140USD, meaning 1USD is approximately 1000KRW.

[2] : Legal representative means a person empowered to act for another person.

[3] : Vishing, or voice phishing calls, are a form of scam that aims to get prospective victims to share personal or financial information. Read more about this

[4] : A room used for studying, usually for rent. Students preparing for exams usually frequent this room. Check out for a non-Korean's view on study rooms.

[5] : Jopok is the Korean version of an organized crime syndicate or mafia.

[6] : Raws (여사님) can be literally translated as Lady but Madame seems more appropriate.

[7] : Will executor: entrusted with the large responsibility of making sure a person's last wishes are granted with regard to the disposition of their property and possessions. Read more about this

[8] : Raws says Seonshin University which when I googled is apparently SNU.

[9] : Nonhyeon-dong is a ward of Gangnam-gu in Seoul, South Korea.