Chapter 46
Some time later.
At last, the day arrived for Full Moon Restaurant to open.
Before dawn, beneath the bluish morning sky, Hong Man-gi stood in front of the new restaurant and muttered emotionally.
"Haa... I really made it this far."
His story had begun with an old food cart.
Now it was continuing inside a proper restaurant.
Beside him stood Lee Yu-han, wearing an expression mixed with nervousness and excitement.
Poming was also there, wagging her tail with even more excitement than usual.
"Wow, it somehow looks completely different now!"
"Hmm... this is nice. Hunter Kang Jae-min will definitely like it too...."
"Ah! Poming misses Hunter Kang Jae-min! When is he being discharged?"
"They said all he has left is rehabilitation, so he'll probably be back soon."
The restaurant was located in an alley not far from the dungeon entrance.
The place had once been a small cafe.
Now, it had a strange atmosphere that perfectly mixed the coziness of the old food cart with the stylish feeling of a cafe.
Outside, a calm dark-blue sign displayed the words "Full Moon Restaurant" in soft white letters.
Beside the entrance were several small flowerpots and simple congratulatory wreaths sent by people who had met Hong Man-gi during his food cart days.
There was a flashy ribbon from Seokhyeoi-ham that read,
"May Your Business Become a Huge Success! Joseon's Greatest Fist, Seokhyeoi-ham!"
There were also small succulent plants sent by Hunters who had fought beside Hong Man-gi in previous dungeons.
Even Mr. Kim, who had regained strength after eating the Tin Bludder Neck Muscle Steak, had sent an old orchid pot.
None of them were large or extravagant.
But every single one carried sincere congratulations and support.
[Jingle]
When they opened the door and stepped inside, a warm and cozy space welcomed them.
The walls were painted a soft ivory.
Wooden tables and chairs left behind by the previous cafe owner created a simple and familiar atmosphere.
The old menu board Hong Man-gi had used since his food cart days hung on one wall.
Beside it were cute food illustrations that looked as though Lee Yu-han had drawn them himself.
The most noticeable area was the kitchen.
The cafe's original bar layout had been preserved to create an open kitchen, allowing customers to watch the cooking.
Hong Man-gi's treasured old pots and knives were neatly arranged across the counter.
In one corner, beside a small refrigerator, there was even a tiny area with a soft cushion that Poming liked.
They had not spent a huge amount of money on the interior.
Still, the entire place felt warm and comfortable, filled with the touch of its owner.
"Wow... Hunter Hong Man-gi. No matter how many times I look at it, it feels strange knowing this is really our restaurant."
Lee Yu-han looked around emotionally.
His eyes showed both disbelief and overwhelming happiness.
As someone who had always lived with his shoulders lowered as an F-rank Hunter, this was more than a workplace.
It was a precious place where he could grow new dreams and hopes.
"Yeah. This is our new beginning."
Hong Man-gi smiled with satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Poming flew excitedly around the restaurant.
"Wow! Chef! This place is completely Poming's style! It's cozy, warm, and it already feels like delicious smells should be floating everywhere! Just thinking about how many amazing dishes we'll create here makes Poming's heart race!"
For a moment, the two men silently enjoyed the excitement and anticipation of their new space.
After finishing their simple but meaningful opening preparations,
it was finally time for Full Moon Restaurant to welcome its first customer.
* * *
[Jingle]
"Someone's here!"
"Oh!"
"Our first customer!"
The door opened.
Unexpectedly, the first customer was Reporter Park Seon-ju, who had taken the Silent Snow Bone lunchbox a few days earlier.
[Click, click]
She slowly entered the restaurant.
But her sharp and suspicious appearance from before was completely gone.
With an extremely emotional expression, she walked toward Hong Man-gi and suddenly hugged him.
"Uwaaaah! Mr. Hong Man-gi! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
The sudden situation shocked Hong Man-gi, Lee Yu-han, and Poming.
Poming immediately hid behind Hong Man-gi's shoulder.
Lee Yu-han stared between the two in confusion.
"Um... Reporter Park? What is this about...?"
Hong Man-gi awkwardly separated her and asked.
Park Seon-ju grabbed Hong Man-gi's hand with tears in her eyes.
"Na-jin... my friend Han Na-jin... she recovered her memory! She ate the lunchbox you made and, like a miracle, the memories from the accident returned!"
Her voice trembled with excitement.
"Thanks to that, she remembered the hit-and-run driver's appearance and part of the motorcycle's license plate number! We might finally be able to catch that bastard! I... I don't even know how to thank you...."
Park Seon-ju became tearful again.
The abalone porridge made with the Silent Snow Bone obtained from the dungeon had truly created a miracle.
Hong Man-gi sighed in relief and gently patted her back.
"That's wonderful. Really wonderful, Reporter Park. I'm genuinely happy your friend recovered those memories."
"I don't know how I'll ever repay you! Today I'll order everything on this menu! No, I'll buy everything! I, I got paid!"
