Chapter – 12
You’re a Customer, and I’m a Customer
The café owner asked me,
“Are you busy today?”
“Me? I don’t think so.”
“That’s good. I’ll pay you a day’s wage if you watch over the café today. Someone important will be coming. Also, could you receive a package when it arrives? Put it straight in the freezer.”
“What? No, I’m rich and busy!”
Sudden labor is absolutely a no-go. I immediately refused, and the owner clicked their tongue, adding a condition.
“…I’ll introduce you to an A-rank hunter who’s discreet and good at their work. You can meet them.”
“Oh, I was just pretending to refuse to be polite. Should I also handle the closing? Shall I feed Chilseok?”
If I could achieve my goal, doing a little work wasn’t so bad.
“Chilseok’s meal is in the drawer behind the counter. Don’t fill the paper cup too much, and change the water. Here, take the key. Make sure to lock the door at closing time. Keep the key and give it back tomorrow. You’re coming tomorrow anyway, right?”
“You know me well.”
“Of course. Just in case, I’m saying this: if you steal anything, I won’t let it slide.”
“Excuse me? What would I steal! I told you, I’m rich!”
“Even rich people steal stuff sometimes. Ugh, fine. I’m going.”
“See you tomorrow! Ah, one more thing, sir! I can’t make coffee, so if someone comes—”
“Just give them plain water or something.”
The owner left, giving the most ridiculous answer to my urgent question. From the way they hurried off with their things, it was clear how serious they were.
‘Still… what exactly am I supposed to do?’
Even if I tried to make sense of it, it felt off.
I had never been to an orphanage, but that atmosphere was not something you would expect from a place where children are cared for.
‘I feel weird, and rather than awkwardly taking orders from customers, I might as well just refuse entirely.’
I didn’t want unnecessary trouble. I’d just have the man leave and pretend the café was closed while taking a nap.
“Sir, the owner isn’t here, so come later. I’m closing early.”
“Weren’t you supposed to be an employee here?”
“I said I was a customer too.”
“You’re a customer but you’re managing the café? Then you’re not just a customer—! I’ll have a yuzu tea, one more.”
“Yuzu tea is five thousand won.”
“Ah, the owner isn’t here, just give it to me?”
“Even if the owner isn’t here, there’s CCTV. I can’t make it without hands.”
“What are you saying? Why are you so uptight?”
“First time seeing someone this uptight? Here you go. Ta-da.”
The man was starting to show full-on rude customer energy. Just as I was about to intervene, Seongjwa (the ‘Prophet of the Sun’) stepped in.
Seongjwa clenched their fist.
Seongjwa advised me that now would be the perfect time to use the Golden Sheep Summon Ticket.
“No! Now that you’re like this, I won’t pull it out.”
“You mean you can’t give the yuzu tea? Why are you talking like that? Are you ignoring me?”
“No, a little.”
Seongjwa hit their chest in frustration.
Seongjwa then gave me ten Golden Sheep Summon Tickets.
“Do I need to start a Daegwallyeong sheep ranch? Why are you giving me this?!”
The man and Seongjwa were talking at the same time, leaving me unable to respond.
Feeling my limit approaching, I suddenly realized I didn’t need to worry about anyone else’s eyes. I shot a magic bullet at the glass in front of the man.
Crash!
The ceramic cup shattered neatly.
I quietly approached the man, who was staring at the shards mixed with yuzu tea, and said calmly:
“You’re a customer, and I’m a customer.”
“What?”
“I’m not the café owner, nor an employee.”
“You… you want to do this now?!”
“I’m an Awakened. And you… are you just a normal human?”
The man slowly realized what I was implying and cautiously stood up, grinding his teeth.
“You know what happens if an Awakened messes with a normal human, right? You think I can’t report you!?”
“Oh, you’re a normal human? Go ahead and report me if you want. I’ll close the café, so please leave first.”
“No! I won’t leave!”
Bang!
At that moment, an unexpected customer barged in, immediately overshadowing the man’s rudeness.
“Ah, is it here~?”
“I heard this person at this point does readings exceptionally well. When did they get their calling?”
“See me first!”
“You’re not ready yet? Ah, not here—you should go to the shrine for it!”
Oh, damn. No way.
These people clearly weren’t here for drinks—they had business with me.
Desperately, I shouted to try to escape:
“I’m not an employee, I can’t make coffee, I can’t make any drinks! Please leave!”
Even with my summoning ability, the women just laughed.
“We know. We came to see the fairy who gives good readings!”
“What? Fairy?! I’m just a jobless person!”
“You helped prevent the owner from losing their temper, right?”
“Who said that?!”
Surrounded by their loud voices, I was about to lose my mind.
“Hey, I was going to deal with that girl first…!”
“Wait, fairy! Just tell us where the shrine is. We’ll wait there!”
“Who are you calling a fairy? I’m not giving readings. Please leave—the owner isn’t here! I’m just a customer too!”
Even the rude man was pushed aside by the women, and I shouted desperately to avoid being mistaken for a fairy.
At that moment, a message window appeared.
Seongjwa urgently warned:
Friendship too low to interpret
Passive skill activated!
Divine Prophecy (SSS)
Right now?
I was swept up in the smoke without a chance to dodge.
For a moment, I was in a hazy temple where time and space felt distorted. My brain felt foggy and melting in the thick smoke.
Then, as the smoke parted like curtains, I saw…
It was the future again.
I stood in a sea of red, facing a massive demon that had broken free of its seal.
SYSTEM: Entered World of Uncertainty (F) successfully. Some SSS-level prophecies have been partially modified.
Clarity: 67.5%
Fear Resistance updated F → A
This was insane.
Even the fact that SSS-level prophecies could be modified was shocking. But experiencing that even A-level resistance was useless was terrifying.
I could almost smell faint blood—was that real? I was supposed to have increased resistance.
‘Why does this feel like a 4D simulation?’
I locked eyes with a hunter on the brink of death. The future hadn’t happened yet, but it felt real.
‘Stay calm. This isn’t reality yet.’
As I tried to steady my rollercoaster heart, a hunter, half of their lower body missing, whispered to me:
“But it will happen soon.”
Yes, it will happen, but not yet. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the blood-soaked hunter.
Then, for the first time, a voice spoke to me.
“…Thirsty…”
What?
“…So thirsty… so thirsty…”
The massive being was saying it was thirsty?
Was it because of blood loss? I tried to shout, but my voice was blocked.
Splash—
The red giant staggered a step. Blood spread in a wave toward me.
Dizzy, I staggered, and suddenly I was back in reality.
“…Ah, apparently we all have business with that person? What are you doing?”
“Uh, I’m protesting because this girl is trying to destroy my rights as a customer!”
“From what I hear, the fairy is also a customer—sitting in an unguarded café is… a bit much, isn’t it?”
“Are you done talking?!”
“Oh, she’s going to hit someone!”
I returned from a nightmare-like future to the chaotic scene of reality.
The stress caused my heart to race, and my breathing became difficult.
No, it wasn’t just excitement. Then I realized the cause.
‘Right, I’m a patient.’
Thanks to Seongjwa’s torment, I remembered the first time I went to the psychiatric clinic. I was prescribed medication for panic symptoms and was taking it diligently.
If I abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms would appear.
But in all the chaos, I had shoved the pills into the corner of my hotel suitcase and completely forgotten.
I imagined the few times I had met my counselor, shaking their head in frustration.
Grabbing my wildly racing heart, I summoned the courage to speak to disperse the crowd.
“Could everyone please leave? I’m in too bad a state…”
“Hey, we came all this way! Just kicking us out isn’t fair!”
“Yeah! Since we’re here, we want one reading!”
“More importantly, treat the customer properly!”
No one in the café listened to me.
Except for Chilseok. Sometimes, the one who understands you is the biggest problem.
Listening to all these voices made my head feel like it would explode.
‘I’m an introvert. Please, just leave quietly…’
My breathing became ragged, my legs weak, and nausea hit.
“What is everyone doing?!”
In the middle of this, a new person entered the café.
They shouted something piercing, cutting through the chaos. How did they know my name? I couldn’t respond.
It felt as if all my blood drained, and everything went black. But that voice, that shout, felt familiar.
The feeling of a strong, secure presence enveloped me, and I completely lost consciousness.
It was quiet.
I finally felt some relief.
Someone must have cleared out the noisy crowd.
Lying in peaceful silence, feeling my mind clear, I couldn’t help but ask the important question: ‘Where am I?’
I slowly opened my eyes. The floor was warm, making me reluctant to move. Rolling my eyes, I scanned the area.
It seemed like a small storage room doubling as a resting space. Definitely not inside Garam Café.
I noticed something strange on my left wrist—an IV line. Following the tube, I saw a fluid bag hanging on the wall.
Seongjwa appeared, leaving a message as if making an excuse.
