Lee Jihyeon’s unsparing critique momentarily rendered Doyoon speechless.
In truth, it wasn’t a realization entirely new to him.
‘The menu is too complicated.’
His uncle, the building owner, Han Juyeon, who often ribbed him from the side, and even the occasional customers who stopped by.
All of them had hinted at it, or even stated it directly.
Yet, each time, he had simply dismissed their words.
It was the pride of a barista who had traveled all the way to Italy to learn about coffee.
It was his stubborn belief that someday, customers would appreciate the profound depth of his flavors. This obstinacy had blinded and deafened him.
But something felt different now.
The same words, which had always sounded like mere nagging when uttered by others, now carried an unusual weight of persuasion coming from this small child he had only just met.
‘…Should I really try that?’
Unconsciously, his resolve began to waver.
The thought that perhaps following this child’s advice was the correct path began to shake his stubborn convictions.
Nevertheless, his pride, honed over years as a barista, would not be so easily broken.
Doyoon deliberately masked his expression and, as if changing the subject, asked Lee Jihyeon,
“…From what you’ve said, it sounds like you’ve worked at a cafe for quite some time.”
He intended to at least hear her out if her advice stemmed from experience.
However, her reply once again completely defied his expectations.
“No. I’ve never done anything like that before.”
“…Pardon?”
Doyoon found himself involuntarily repeating the question.
No experience? Then what was that sharp analysis just moments ago?
“You’d know if you just thought about it a little.”
She gestured with her chin towards the view beyond the counter, outside the cafe.
Through the window, students could be seen chattering as they passed by.
“This is a commercial area near academies and schools. The main customers are likely students or parents waiting for their children. Would such people really order a menu item like ‘Strappazzato con Cacao’?”
“…”
“These menu items just don’t fit in here. Why not keep only two or three popular coffee options, and fill the rest with smoothies or sweet shakes that students would enjoy?”
It wasn’t just a simple critique; it was a market analysis, target customer identification, and a menu composition proposal tailored to them, leaving Doyoon utterly speechless.
“You sure listen to Lee Jihyeon’s words carefully. You wouldn’t even give a passing thought when the boss and I talked.”
Han Juyeon, who had been quietly listening nearby, pouted and grumbled.
Doyoon cleared his throat unnecessarily, avoiding Han Juyeon’s gaze.
“…Quiet.”
After much hesitation, Doyoon finally surrendered with a deep sigh.
“My uncle already said… if business keeps going like this, he’ll just shut down the cafe and expand the VR arcade instead.”
His voice was tinged with both despair and regret.
It was a space imbued with his dreams and pride, yet the wall of reality proved higher than he had imagined.
“Well, there’s nothing to lose. Let’s give it a try.”
For the next few hours, the three of them huddled around a cafe table, restructuring the menu.
Doyoon, with a heavy heart, erased the complicated names that had once showcased his barista expertise.
The empty spaces were filled with drinks Han Juyeon suggested students would like, and simple, intuitive menu items proposed by Lee Jihyeon.
The result was a menu far more coherent and appealing than anything they had before.
“…Thank you.”
Doyoon, looking quite relieved, said to Lee Jihyeon.
As a token of his gratitude, he carefully brewed coffee, grinding freshly roasted beans himself.
With its rich crema, it was, by all appearances, a perfect espresso.
“This is my signature blend. Have a taste.”
He offered Lee Jihyeon the best coffee he could make.
Faced with his earnest gesture, Lee Jihyeon couldn’t refuse and accepted the small espresso cup.
“…Thank you.”
Lee Jihyeon hesitated for a moment.
The rich aroma of the beans was undoubtedly pleasant, but she could already imagine the bitter taste on her tongue.
As if cooling a hot teacup, she blew on the coffee with her small mouth, “Hoo, hoo.”
Then, as if making a momentous decision, she squeezed her eyes shut and took a tentative sip.
“…”
A brief silence ensued.
Doyoon and Han Juyeon held their breath, watching her reaction.
Presently, Lee Jihyeon ever-so-slightly poked out her small tongue.
Her entire face conveyed a sincere expression, as if shouting, ‘It’s awful!’
“It’s too bitter. That’s why I dislike coffee.”
“Pfft! So what *do* you like? You said earlier that tea ceremony was your hobby, didn’t you?”
Han Juyeon, who had been watching from the side, burst into laughter as she asked.
“Yes. I like matcha.”
Lee Jihyeon replied with a firm tone. Han Juyeon, in turn, tilted her head, looking puzzled.
“Matcha? Hey, aren’t coffee and matcha both equally bitter?”
At Han Juyeon’s words, Lee Jihyeon bristled for the first time.
“Truly good matcha has a subtle sweetness that follows its initial bitterness.”
“The same goes for good coffee. You need to learn to savor the acidity and nutty notes that follow the bitterness.”
Doyoon retorted with a barista’s pride, but Lee Jihyeon shook her head and subtly pushed the espresso cup away.
It was a polite yet firm refusal, implying that further discussion was futile.
“Hmm, anyway…”
As if the coffee debate had never happened, Lee Jihyeon immediately got to the point.
“What hours do I need to work?”
“Ah, working hours.”
Doyoon thought for a moment before replying.
“From morning until 2 PM, I can manage fine on my own, but the busiest period is usually between 3 PM and 8 PM, when students flock in. I just need your help during that time. Does that work for you?”
Five hours a day.
It was an ideal arrangement for earning living expenses and dedicating the remaining time to VR games.
“Yes, that works.”
Lee Jihyeon nodded contentedly.
“Alright. Then let’s have you bring your documents tomorrow and start right away.”
Doyoon neatly concluded the arrangements.
Han Juyeon, who had been watching from the side, excitedly patted Lee Jihyeon’s back.
“Wow, congratulations, Jihyeon! Now we’ll see each other every day!”
“…Not really.”
“Oh, why not—!”
Despite the blunt reply, Han Juyeon continued to grin broadly, seemingly delighted.
Once all discussions concluded, Lee Jihyeon stood up.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
“Oh? Leaving already?”
Doyoon asked, sounding a little disappointed.
“Yes. I have something to do.”
Lee Jihyeon replied curtly and exited the cafe. She wasn’t heading home, but to the VR Arena.
Her livelihood was now secured.
All that remained was to test the limits of her talent.
‘Ranked Match.’
Lee Jihyeon’s eyes burned quietly, yet more fiercely than ever before.
****
[BJ Kanghyuk a.k.a. Gwangma]
“Hmm… good.”
Seated within his VR capsule, Kanghyuk finalized his system interface check, a satisfied smile gracing his lips.
Though his broadcast had yet to begin, his fighting spirit was already ablaze.
He was Gwangma, the monster streamer who stood at the pinnacle of Korea’s ‘Dae-Bae-Pa’ (TL Note: Likely a transliteration or abbreviation for the game’s name, possibly ‘Death Battle Party’ or similar) pro scene, boasting hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
The epithet ‘talent’ invariably preceded his name.
[Neural network synchronization initiating.]
Donning the VR headset, the familiar main lobby of Dae-Bae-Pa unfolded before his eyes.
The character his avatar had chosen was Tsubaki, the brand-new character freshly released on the official server today.
Of course, the concept of a ‘new character’ was meaningless to him.
Thanks to his test server access — a privilege only professional gamers possessed — he had already been playing Tsubaki to exhaustion for weeks.
Just last night, he had even uploaded a gameplay video titled ‘Tsubaki’s National Standard Combo’ (TL Note: ‘Guk-rul’ or ‘국룰’ is a Korean slang term meaning ‘national rule’ or ‘common standard,’ implying a widely accepted or optimal strategy/combo) to his social media, garnering hundreds of thousands of views.
‘I should finish my placement matches before I start streaming.’
Dae-Bae-Pa’s ranking system was somewhat unique.
Separate from the overall account tier, there was a character tier that indicated proficiency with each individual character.
Even if one’s main character held the highest rank, ‘Transcendent,’ playing a new character required starting from the very bottom.
Kanghyuk’s objective was singular.
When he turned on his stream, he wanted to showcase spectacular gameplay to his viewers, starting from a high tier befitting his ‘Transcendent’ title.
To achieve this, he needed to complete his placement matches beforehand.
“Alright, shall we begin? Let’s warm up a bit.”
He manipulated the virtual interface and pressed the [Start Ranked Match] button.
Shortly after, a cheerful notification sound rang out, indicating a match had been found.
[Opponent found!]
[ID: Anonymous] [Beginner]
Kanghyuk let out a small laugh.
It was the name automatically assigned by the system to users who hadn’t set a nickname.
[Kagero vs Tsubaki]
‘…Someone’s playing Kagero?’
His thoughts shifted.
Kagero. The character renowned in this game for being the most difficult to handle and having the worst performance.
No ordinary veteran, nor eccentric player with a deep affection for the character, would ever choose Kagero.
It was common for beginners to use ‘Anonymous’ without a specific nickname.
But for such a beginner to choose Kagero was unheard of.
‘Is he a role-player (TL Note: ‘컨셉충’ (keon-seop-chung) is slang for someone who is overly committed to a ‘concept’ or role, often to the point of being impractical or annoying), or someone like me doing character placements?’
This was even better. Facing a skilled player was more interesting than dealing with a boring beginner.
After the loading screen, the two characters faced each other atop a moonlit castle, where cherry blossoms fluttered.
According to Dae-Bae-Pa’s lore, Tsubaki was a disciple who had left her master, Kagero, to forge her own path, stepping out of his shadow.
A special interaction dialogue, triggered only when these two characters met, existed.
Tsubaki, the female swordswoman in a red kimono, spoke first.
“I shall show you, Master. A realm unattainable with your antiquated blade.”
In response to his disciple’s taunting greeting, Kagero, the ninja in a black mask, quietly replied,
“…Your blade’s edge is noisy. Have distractions clouded your mind?”
Amidst the palpable tension, the countdown signaling the start of battle finally appeared.
[ROUND 1. FIGHT!]
