“Why are you looking at people like that?”

While Kang Tae-han was staring at him like that.

Choi Seong-hyun, who was quietly eating muk-muchim, belatedly recognized his gaze and asked insinuatingly. Then Kang Tae-han asked with a calm expression.

“What were my eyes like?”

“What should I say about it? They seem to be proud, but they seem to have other plans… It’s hard to explain.”

“Hmm. Sneaky?”

“Ah, I had that kind of feeling too.”

Seonghyun Choi nodded his head in sympathy at the words of Hwang, who sneakily interjected. It didn’t fit exactly, but it was an expression in a similar context.

“Are you going to frame me now?”

“If you don’t want to be framed, you shouldn’t have given me an excuse.”

“My true.”

Kang Tae-han smiled and shook his head from side to side. To be honest, Kang Tae-han himself knew best that this was not just an unfounded accusation. In fact, it was because I had personal greed.

“Okay, let’s eat some meat.”

For this reason, Kang Tae-han picked up the tongs placed next to him as if to change the direction of the story. In the corner of the table, there was a thick piece of pork belly that just came out at the right time.

“Oh, I will bake it today.”

“Are you the manager?”

“It’s a little like Taehan-sshi grilling it every day, isn’t it?”

At that time, Chief Hwang held out his hand to Kang Tae-han and said, It was a gesture to ask for tongs, and it was also an expression that he would grill meat today. However.

“ah… Don’t do that.”

A small sigh and a dissuading voice came from the side. It was none other than Choi Seong-hyun’s voice. He was looking at Chief Hwang with a reproachful gaze.

“Isn’t it right for people who are good at grilling meat to cook it… I’m thinking about it, what do you think?”

Normally, there is no reason to dissuade Choi Seong-hyeon.

To be honest, I don’t even have a license for barbecue, and unless I’m a master of grilling meat, I don’t think it’s pretty much the same no matter who cooks it.

However!

Even though Kang Tae-han’s grilled meat was different, something was different.

It feels a little bit like half a foot in the realm of masters from the realm of ordinary people, or a feeling of being straddled. Even if it was the same meat, there was something different from the gravy and meat quality.

“Ah, hey, but… … .”

“No, it’s fine. I was going to bake it.”

Director Hwang says a word as if rebuking Choi Seong-hyun.

However, Kang Tae-han stopped him with a calm reaction, picked up the meat with tongs, and immediately put it on the grill.

Chii-iik- the sound of the fire pan reverberating.

Perhaps it was because Kang Tae-han already knew the taste of grilled meat, and even that felt extraordinary.

“exactly… Taehan is good at grilling meat.”

“I was late from work to eat this today.”

By the time that time has passed and it is browned.

Director Hwang, who just said he would bake, muttered as if he had no choice but to admit this, and Choi Seong-hyeon nodded as if he fully agreed.

* * *

a few days after that.

At the table in the break room of Cheonma Massage, Kang Tae-han, manager Hwang, and Choi Seong-hyeon were sitting side by side, staring at their laptops. On the screen of the laptop, a video that has been a hot topic lately was playing.

[aaagh! Sir, please be gentle, be gentle!]

[Didn’t you ask me to do it right?]

The video is the latest video uploaded to the Denver Jung channel.

It was none other than the same video that Denver Jeong visited and filmed at Cheonma Massage a while ago. I was worried that there would be suspicions of manipulation, but Denver Jung assured me that the number of views would definitely come out well.

As expected, the video caused quite an explosive reaction and was immediately listed as one of the most popular real-time videos, and it was still not coming down from the rankings.

“More than I thought… The response is explosive.”

“Is the reaction good?”

“good. Denver Jung was originally a channel with good video views, but this level is unusual. Wouldn’t it be counted by hand?”

Kang Tae-han watched What Tube, but was not interested in the number of views or the popularity of the channel. When he asked, Choi Seong-hyeon spoke in a natural tone.

“I see.”

“The video was also pretty well chosen. Honestly, I thought what fun it would be to just get a massage… Seeing it in person is pretty fun. After all, not everyone is whattuber.”

“It seems that the number of people who are actually interested in the store has increased dramatically, and the amount of access to the reservation application is no joke.”

Chief Hwang hinted and opened a server-related management window in the corner. Certainly, server traffic was rapidly increasing from the moment the video was uploaded.

“Hmm… So, are reservations piling up that much?”

“It is not. Compared to the number of people who came in, the number of actual reservations increased only slightly. Maybe he saw the full calendar and pressed back?”

That’s good enough.

At first, Cheonma Massage was not so crowded except for the Cheonma course, but these days it was difficult to make a reservation for the general course.

In the case of the artisan course, like the old Cheonma course, reservations must be made at least one month in advance.

The general course was different for each masseuse, but it was a situation where even this one had to wait for about a week to two weeks, except for newcomers who had just entered.

It is needless to say that the Cheonma course managed by Kang Tae-han himself. There were no vacancies left in the reservation schedule within three months from the time the name was listed in the Fermo Guide.

Even that, the reservation was limited to up to three months later, so that’s about it.

In any case, since this is the situation, if you just lightly entered with the thought, ‘Should I get a massage after a long time’, you can’t help but be frightened.

“Anyway, there are just a lot of people who come in and then just leave, but the number will increase.”

“Is the number of guests increasing… To be honest, I’m not sure whether that’s good or bad, personally.”

At Director Hwang’s words, Choi Seong-hyeon crossed his arms and opened his mouth as if making a sound of pain.

Of course, as much as he is seriously working on his job, he was happy, but on the other hand, he is also worried about it.

Supply is limited, but demand continues to grow… … .

In line with that, the massage was also raised three times, but there was no sign that the number of customers would decrease.

“Isn’t it normal that if the price goes up, the number of customers should decrease? This is common sense.”

“That’s true, but this place almost deserves to be maintained.”

“okay? why?”

At Choi Seong-hyeon’s words, Chief Hwang smiled and said.

“Taehan is literally the only one on the level, so it’s like that… You, Seonghoon-san, Taejin-san and other masseuses keep improving their skills.”

The process for a person to become a regular at a store is simple.

If, on each visit, he returns with greater satisfaction than he has paid, then he will naturally become a regular at the store.

In this situation, what if only the cost is higher?

Satisfaction is relatively low, and regular customers who were originally vague about satisfaction stop visiting one by one.

What if there was only one more level of satisfaction?

For example, if the food tastes better, the service improves, or the masseuse’s skill improves?

In that case, a certain degree of cost increase is sufficiently acceptable. Director Hwang looked at Seonghyun Choi and smiled.

“I don’t know… Even if the prices of the Craftsman Course and the Heavenly demon Course are doubled here, the current level of reservation will still be maintained?”

Director Hwang’s words were not empty words.

No, rather, it is a very low standard for the Cheonma course. If it is the Cheonma course, even if you raise it ten times more, people will line up to receive it.

Even so, the reason for not raising the price that much was simple. Because Kang Tae-han didn’t want that.

‘I agree with the statement that the price should be raised, but… Still, I hope the amount doesn’t feel like a barrier to existing customers.’

These were the words Kang Tae-han said in a calm voice last time.

Is it a pricing policy that considers the image of the entire store, or is it a heart that stems from simple goodwill and loyalty?

I don’t know which one.

However, either way, it was a part that Kang Tae-han’s bowl was very wide. Chief Hwang glanced at Kang Tae-han with a renewed impression.

“Um… … .”

Meanwhile, Kang Tae-han had just been looking at the monitor carefully. When I first played the video, I had the least interest among the three, but now I was looking at it while rewinding a certain part.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

“… Manager, now I know.”

Chief Hwang asked while sticking his head out toward the monitor. Then Kang Tae-han turned the video back slightly and opened his mouth in a rather serious voice.

“There is a feeling that I speak a little coldly during the massage.”

The part he returned was when Kang Tae-han was rubbing Denver-jeong’s shoulder for a while.

No, would you say it’s closer to putting things together than kneading them? In the midst of the intense process, Denver Jeong let out a desperate scream this time. and.

[Be patient.]

A short word from Kang Tae-han followed.

It was the type of words you would normally hear while receiving a massage, but the weight and atmosphere contained in those words had a very heavy feeling.

It feels far from friendly service.

However, Director Hwang asked with a puzzled expression at Kang Tae-han’s words, which were new and really new.

“… Are you just the usual Taehan?”

Of course, Chief Hwang has never received a massage from Kang Tae-han as a guest. That’s why I don’t know in detail how Kang Tae-han usually talks to customers.

However, it was a part that he was vaguely aware of.

There were stories I heard while talking with customers, and there were things like the atmosphere and pressure that I felt implicitly in my daily life.

“Um… okay?”

“Well, if you care about Taehan, there must be a part of it… Your own recorded voice just sounds weird, doesn’t it?”

When I heard it, I thought, ‘Is that right?’ I want to be Kang Tae-han. He nodded slowly and opened his mouth implicitly.

“I’ll have to do some rituals from now on, though.”

“Well, I think it’ll be okay if I just go like this… … .”

Director Hwang still remembers.

It wasn’t long before Kang Tae-han came to the jjimjilbang, and after meeting with Kang Tae-han, the customers who were known for the truth had all calmed down and came out.

That hasn’t changed until now.

Even if they weren’t guests that could be called the truth, when they came out after receiving a massage from Kang Tae-han, they all became polite and kind, as if their manners had been instilled.

Of course, no complaints ever came in.

If there is an inquiry, it’s something like ‘I couldn’t give you a tip, so please give it instead’ or ‘Can I sleep a little longer?’ I never saw anyone complaining or protesting.

I’d say it’s really powerful magic. Well, kindness can be said to be one of the most fundamental and important parts of service, but… … .

Anyway, if no one was uncomfortable, that would be the best service. It was a very consequential story, but Chief Hwang thought so seriously.

* * *

“Oh, come to think of it, are you coming to the store tomorrow?”

“tomorrow? Why am I leaving the store? It’s my day off.”

Around the time when the What Tube audition, which had been so modestly gathered, was over, and everyone was about to scatter to do their own thing.

To Kang Tae-han’s sudden question, as if he had just remembered, Choi Seong-hyeon replied in a natural tone. As the saying goes, tomorrow was Seonghyun Choi’s day off.

“What should I do, sleep, and play.”

Why is a day off a day off? It is a day off because it is a time to give rest to the body and mind tired from labor. Rather, Kang Tae-han’s words sounded out of the blue to Choi Seong-hyeon.

However, Kang Tae-han thought deeply as if searching for a memory, then tilted his head with an ambiguous expression and said,

“Well. Didn’t I tell you?”

“why? what.”

“Everton players are coming to the store from this week. They are supposed to come tomorrow.”

Kang Tae-han said so in a calm tone, although he was mixed with doubts. It was the way he spoke, as if he was just listing raw information. However.

“… to?”

Seonghyeon Choi stopped for a moment as if something had broken down. He stood still for a while, not even moving, and slowly opened his mouth with an agitated face.

“I was supposed to meet Ga-in tomorrow… … ?”