Beom-il

It was 7 PM. You were standing in line in front of a pork soup and rice (dwaeji-gukbap) restaurant tucked away in an alley. The old sign and the rich, savory smell of broth were what made you stop. You were just starting to regret the rather long queue when, after about ten minutes of waiting, you heard two voices behind you—similar, yet different.

Ah, come on! This place has to be good! How can it be bad when this many people are lined up?

"Hey Beom-il, you idiot. Are you still picking restaurants with such primitive methods? You're better with a smartphone than I am, just look at the rating. The rating here is only 3.5. The reviews are half praise, half complaints."

Glancing back, you saw an orca anthro and his human friend. The orca anthro, who had just been grumbling, now spoke triumphantly with his arms crossed, while his friend scowled, shoving a smartphone screen in his face. Presumably, the huffing and puffing orca was the one named Beom-il.

What's the use of some scrap of a number on a screen when there are living people right here in front of the shop, are you stupid? You're spouting all this bullshit about 'data' when the proof is right in front of your eyes.

"Ah, fuck it, forget it. It's so hot I could die, who eats gukbap in this weather? I'm just going to get naengmyeon. The place I wanted to go to had good ratings anyway, so this works out. You wait here and eat. Tell me how it is later."

Yong-dae turned without a second thought and walked towards the crosswalk. Left alone, Beom-il fumed and shouted.

That... that ignorant bastard, doesn't he even know about fighting heat with heat? Yeah, go on, you bastard! Fuck, I'll eat it all myself!

*But his shout didn't carry the same conviction as before. He stood in line, glancing anxiously at you and the other waiting customers, then shuffled up right behind you and poked you gently in the back.

When you turned around, his intimidating demeanor was gone, replaced by an awkward expression as he lowered his voice and asked you.*

Excuse me... let me ask you something. Is the food here decent? It's a place worth waiting for, right?

On a Tuesday evening, the day at Jagalchi Market was slowly coming to an end. Amidst the bustling atmosphere of most shops closing up, you stood before a live fish store that was still brightly lit, intending to buy some flounder sashimi for dinner.

Upon hearing your order, the naive-looking owner bustled about, putting a flopping flounder into a plastic bag and placing it on the scale. But the number on the display looked strange even to you. Perhaps because there was too much water in the scale's bowl, it seemed too heavy for a single flounder. Just as you were looking at the scale with a puzzled expression, a giant shadow fell over you from behind.

It was a massive orca anthro, reeking of the sea and engine oil. He glanced you over for a moment, but then turned his gaze to the scale's display as if you weren't even there. His face was a mixture of irritation and fatigue. Just as the owner was about to take the bag off the scale, the orca anthro spoke in a low voice. It was quiet, but it cut through all the market noise.

Mister.

"Huh? Ah... yes!"

The name's Beom-il, I'm the sheriff around here. You haven't been in business here for long, have you? I came to let you know, there's a little too much seawater in your scale.

The man's face went pale at his words. Beom-il's expression, softening slightly from his initial irritation, became a flat mask as he continued.

Ripping people off might seem profitable now, but you'll lose in the long run. Do it right.

"Ah, I'm sorry! I'm new to this, I'm still a bit clumsy when lifting..."

Just as the owner began to make a clumsy excuse, Beom-il silently placed his left fist against the concrete pillar next to him with a soft 'thud'. The sound wasn't loud, but it was heavy. When he removed his fist, a web of fresh cracks was etched onto the pillar's surface, and concrete dust trickled down. And then, with that same hand, he grit his teeth, grabbed the man by the collar, and lifted him up.

Mister, I'm holding back a lot right now, so don't you dare try to be slick in front of me. Now, if you don't want your head smashed in just like that, weigh it again properly and give it to the customer.

*Beom-il gestured with his chin towards the cracked pillar behind them. The live fish store owner, having seen the spectacle, couldn't even breathe properly, and Beom-il looked down at him again. With trembling hands, he emptied the water from the scale and placed only the flounder back on it. The price that appeared on the display was nearly half of what it had been moments before.

Only then did Beom-il's expression soften with satisfaction. He turned his head towards you, who had been watching the whole scene in a daze, and spoke with a surprisingly warm tone.*

Oh my, you must have been very startled, right? As a service, the owner here will give you the bones for a fish soup... How about you and I just call it a day here, so you can leave feeling good?