Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 234

“What is that?”

Those who came to work to open their shops in the morning tilted their heads, looking at the set being built in the middle of the street.

“Is there some kind of event today?”

“I haven’t heard anything about that? Is it a busking performance?”

“Isn’t that in front of the new pizza place?”

“That, the pizza place that’s already going under?”

“It’s only been open for two days, how can it be going under already?”

“It’s only been open for two days, but it’s already going under. It’s failing at a record pace, you know?”

“That’s true.”

“It’s not easy to fail that badly after opening a shop here.”

“It seems the owner has a lot of money? They didn’t hire a narrator for the opening, didn’t hand out flyers, and didn’t even give out coupons. You can’t survive in this world with that kind of arrogance.”

“But… so what are they doing?”

“…Did they hire someone?”

People stared at the set with suspicious eyes.

Normally, one would assume that a newly opened shop is hosting an event, but the scale of the stage was too large for that. It was almost like a local broadcasting set.

“Is it even okay to build something like that in the middle of the street?”

“Contact the merchants’ association. Isn’t that an illegal occupation? Did they even get permission to do that?”

Ignoring the murmuring gazes of the people, Jo Gyu-min was doing his best to build the set flawlessly.

‘It has to be perfect.’

If the set was built poorly, Kang Eun-young might try to devour him.

“Director, this side is finished.”

“Ah, thank you for your hard work. Please take care of the other side as well.”

At Kang Eun-young’s request for a proper stage, they called people from Code [a company]. Then, the stage installation workers who were contracted with Code readily took on the job.

‘It’s costing a fortune, though.’

He could see why broadcasting was a money-eating monster. Just setting up a stage for a single performance cost an unbelievable amount of money.

Kang Jin-ho had strongly insisted on just laying out a mat on the floor, but Kang Eun-young said that would lower the quality and damage the image, so he had no choice but to shut his mouth.

‘There has to be a return on investment…’

The installation team, upon realizing that the stage was not for broadcasting or events, gave them the maximum discount, but it was still a considerable amount of money.

If they couldn’t turn the situation around with this, they would only accumulate losses.

‘What is this all about…’

Jo Gyu-min chuckled to himself without realizing it.

It was just a shop created to evaluate Kang Jin-ho’s abilities, but after putting so much effort and care into it, he felt a sense of determination, as if he had been given a big project at work.

He felt like he had to make it a success.

‘Kang Eun-young must have come on really strong.’

Kang Eun-young was very busy right now.

She was in the middle of filming a drama and preparing for a new song, so she must have been extremely busy. Yet, she still made time in her schedule and pressured the company to support the installation team.

If it weren’t for Kang Eun-young, it would have been impossible to bring the installation team here in just one day, no matter how much of an outside director Jo Gyu-min was at Code.

After all, being an outside director was just a title without any real power.

“It’s all done.”

“Oh!”

Jo Gyu-min nodded, looking at the stage.

The stage was well-made and clean. He could feel the hard work of the installation team.

“Thank you for your hard work. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem. It’s our job, after all. When are you going to dismantle it?”

“…I’ll have to ask.”

Jo Gyu-min turned and headed inside the shop.

“Eun-young, when is this going to end…” Jo Gyu-min, who was entering the shop, widened his eyes.

“Wow, it looks like you’re really going all out.”

Kang Eun-young was getting her makeup done, wearing all the outfits she used to wear when she was active. And next to her, Kang Jin-ho was standing askew with a dissatisfied look.

“Isn’t that skirt too short?”

“Director Jo, please get this old fogey out of here. He says he’s from the Joseon era [Korean dynasty from 1392-1897], and he couldn’t find Cheonghakdong [a fictional utopia], so he’s just hanging around here.”

“…Cheonghakdong is this way, sir.”

Kang Jin-ho narrowed his brows.

“Of course, I understand that there are some unavoidable aspects to being a singer, but you’re old enough now, and still wearing such a skirt…”

“Yes, yes, I’m an adult now, and I won’t listen to your nagging from when I was a student anymore, brother.”

“Hmm…”

“Enough. Oppa [older brother], why don’t you get your makeup done?”

“I’m the one working in the kitchen, why would I get makeup?”

“You can just tell Young-gi or Yu-min to bake the pizza. In the first place, you were supposed to be serving, why are you in the kitchen?”

“…Because I wanted to.”

“You’re really bad at business. If you expected to make money like this, you’d be a thief, a thief!”

“Umm…”

This time, Kang Jin-ho didn’t seem to have any excuses, so he scratched his cheek.

“Anyway, you’re so stubborn.”

Kang Eun-young shook her head.

There was no need to go through all this trouble. If she had just posted a notice that the shop was open on Kang Jin-ho’s fan club, which still had some remaining members, the initial sales would have been fine… Was he stubborn or just stupid? Her brother didn’t even think about that.

“My fan club members will be here soon. The president said she’s almost here.”

“…Do you really have to go that far?”

Thump!

Kang Eun-young slammed the table.

“Don’t look down on business, you old man!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Kang Eun-young’s eyes blazed.

“Everyone is doing their best to make a living, and thinking ‘it’ll be fine if I just do it moderately’ just because you have some money is an insult to those people. If you start something, you have to see it through. You have to try your best, and if it still doesn’t work out, then you can say ‘I was just unlucky.'”

“Okay, I understand.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded with a pleased expression.

Indeed, perhaps because she had been working in society since a young age, Kang Eun-young’s professionalism was at a level he couldn’t even dare to approach.

“Even if it’s just a pizza place, you have to make it a success! That’s your role, brother!”

“Roger.”

Kang Eun-young, who had finished her makeup, stood up.

“Sound team, are you ready?”

“We’re finished now.”

“What about the choreography team?”

“The dancers are all on standby.”

“Tell them to adjust the audio well when I’m speaking.”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho couldn’t help but be impressed as he watched Kang Eun-young coordinate with the support team.

It was just singing, but so many people had to move as one. He realized how amazing what Kang Eun-young was doing was.

“What about the fan club?”

“They’re placed in the front. The response will be great.”

“Hoo.”

Kang Eun-young took a deep breath. Kang Jin-ho didn’t miss the slight trembling in her legs. It had already been over two years since her debut, and Kang Eun-young had performed on countless stages during that time.

Yet, she was showing signs of nervousness on this small stage. But her face was as confident as ever. She might be trembling inside, but she was not showing it on the outside.

‘She’s a pro.’

It was interesting.

Even though he had seen Kang Eun-young sing on big stages and receive cheers countless times, she always seemed like a child, but seeing her prepare for this small stage, he realized that she had grown up a lot.

‘I should nag her less.’

She was already paving her own way in her own field. He should now reduce the amount of interference he had been doing as if she were a child. Whether that would be easy was another matter.

“Oppa!”

“Yeah.”

“In a little while, people will be flooding into the shop. You have to do it right. This is all I can do.”

“Okay.”

Kang Eun-young smiled at Kang Jin-ho and said.

“How does it feel to be benefiting from your talented younger sister?”

“One well-raised younger sister is better than ten older sisters!”

“Okay, go out now.”

“Okay!”

Kang Eun-young smiled brightly and went outside the shop. As soon as Kang Eun-young opened the door, camera flashes burst out towards her.

The scene looked like she was walking into the light.

“…She’s all grown up.”

Kang Jin-ho rubbed his nose.

Kang Eun-young had always seemed like a child.

In his previous life, Kang Eun-young had the desire to become a singer, but she never achieved her dream. Even if she hadn’t died in a traffic accident, she would not have been able to succeed as a singer.

That’s why he was more concerned about her and worried about her. He was worried that she might make a mistake.

But looking at Kang Eun-young now, he realized that all of that was just unnecessary worry.

His sister was doing much better than he thought. She was now capable of shining on her own, even without him.

‘Everyone is growing.’

Kang Eun-young, Park Yu-min, and Joo Young-gi.

Everyone he knew was shining differently each day. Only Kang Jin-ho was in the same place. When he thought about it, only Kang Jin-ho had not achieved anything among them. He was just living comfortably based on what he had achieved in his previous life.

‘I shouldn’t fall behind.’

Rather than doing something grand, let’s start by doing the work in front of him properly.

Kang Jin-ho closed his lips tightly and walked into the kitchen.

“Hello, everyone!”

Kang Eun-young, who had stepped onto the stage, waved her hand. A shout of “Waaah!” erupted.

Kang Eun-young smiled triumphantly, looking at the people filling the area around the stage.

‘This is how it should be.’

It was a world where there was no need for much promotion.

By calling the fan club to fill the front and then slightly leaking information on social media that Kang Se-ah [Kang Eun-young’s stage name] was appearing here, they could quickly gather people.

They just needed to gather a few people.

Then, people who were wandering around with nothing to do would fill the surroundings on their own. If they could gather a small number of people at the beginning, the crowd would grow on its own.

“My brother opened a pizza place this time. But there are so~! Sooo~! few customers!”

A burst of laughter erupted.

“That’s why I’ve come to the rescue! If you eat pizza and bring your receipt, I’ll take a picture with you today, so please eat a lot and come a lot! Got it?”

“Yes!”

When she heard the loud response, Kang Eun-young smiled brightly.

“Okay, then let’s start with a song!”

Kang Eun-young’s expression slightly hardened as she matched the beat of the MR [music recording] that started playing from the back.

Now, a fundamental question began to arise.

The most important element that she had never thought about because she was busy preparing the stage and adjusting various schedules!

‘But… can my brother even make pizza well?’

Whoosh!

The flames inside the oven blazed up as if there was a fire at a gas station. Kang Jin-ho’s eyes, looking at the specially made giant oven, were filled with determination.

“Ji, Jin-ho, orders are coming in! Orders are pouring in! There are no empty seats!”

As Park Yu-min started to make a fuss, Kang Jin-ho lightly nodded and checked the order slips.

“Shall we begin?”

A smile formed on Kang Jin-ho’s lips. Strangely, he was excited.

Kang Jin-ho, who had grabbed the dough, moved one hand and tossed it into the air.