* * *
The place Dowon visited after getting off the bus was a naming shop. Dowon didn’t like his name, Cha Dowon.
It sounded too much like a name for an obsessive character, and more importantly, it was a name given to him by PetitRolang.
He found it so unpleasant that he wanted to change it as soon as possible.
“What’s your date of birth?”
“19xx, January 17th.”
“What time were you born?”
“I don’t know. Maybe around 11 p.m.”
The old woman asked Dowon various questions and then started to think deeply.
After she gathered her thoughts, she spoke.
“But why do you want to change it? Your current name seems to align perfectly with your fate.”
Of course. This is PetitRolang’s novel, and the name ‘Cha Dowon’ is likely set as the default to suit Dowon best.
“I don’t like that it aligns with fate.”
“Hmm… then how about Cha Doeon?”
“No.”
It’s just a one-letter difference. She’s trying to get money for nothing.
Besides, that name also sounded like an obsessive character.
When Dowon rejected every suggestion the old woman offered, she started throwing out random names.
“How about Jooin?”
“No. Cha Jooin? Absolutely not.”
“Then how about Sian?”
“I don’t like that either.”
“How about a cool English name like Jay?”
“Are you kidding me?”
Nothing was quite right. Dowon decided to stop wasting time and left the naming shop. It seemed better to think of a name on his own.
Dowon walked around the streets near the naming shop, looking at the signs to get some inspiration.
Chunpal, Bossam. Chunpal… It wasn’t bad; it was a name that an obsessive character would never use, but it didn’t really appeal to him.
Ida. If he added his last name, it would be Cha Ida. He just didn’t like it.
Dowon scratched the back of his neck and took out his phone.
He searched for “naming” and found a website that offered free name suggestions if he entered his birth date.
Dowon input his birth date into the site.
As he walked around waiting for the result, he spotted a shop selling king crabs. When he thought of king crabs, Yeongdeok king crabs came to mind.
Just as he thought that, he glanced at his phone and stopped in his tracks.
[The name we recommend for you is… Yeongdeok!]
Yeongdeok… Cha Yeongdeok.
Not bad. It felt right, friendly, and most importantly, it was a name that an obsessive character would never use.
Dowon decided that he would change his name to Yeongdeok.
ꔚ
With his new name picked out, Dowon began to accomplish everything he had set out to do.
Just two months after returning to the previous round in November 20xx, Dowon looked proudly at his chicken restaurant that was about to open the next day.
He was quite pleased with the bright red sign that said “Yeongdeok Chicken.”
He was ready to start fresh with the name Yeongdeok from the grand opening.
PetitRolang, are you watching?
You messed with the wrong character, Cha Dowon.
I hope you’re regretting killing off Cha Dowon by now.
An obsessive character suddenly becoming a chicken restaurant owner without any foreshadowing…
This trashy novel will lose a tenth of its readers.
Dowon laughed, imagining the day when not a single reader would be left for PetitRolang.
ꔚ
On opening day, Yeongdeok put on a brand-new, crisp suit and left the house.
‘What if I hit the highest sales on the first day of opening? I hope my competence doesn’t end up attracting more readers to this trashy novel.’
Thinking such thoughts, Yeongdeok headed confidently toward the shop.
But contrary to his expectations, on the first day of opening, not a single customer came by—not even a fly.
He waited patiently for customers, but as an hour, two hours, and more passed, it was early morning by the time he closed the shop.
What on earth was the problem?
Yeongdeok stared at the monitor showing sales of less than fifty thousand won and then returned home.
The next day, Yeongdeok headed to Yeongdeok Chicken in the afternoon to open the shop.
While walking down the street, someone handed him a flyer.
“Hello! Would you be interested in signing up for a personal training session? We’re offering a 50% special discount for new members during the promotional period!”
Ignoring the hand, Yeongdeok continued walking, then suddenly stopped and looked back.
Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t done any advertising for the shop.
Is that why no one came?
Yeongdeok decided to promote the chicken shop in a similar way.
A few days later, Yeongdeok stood in front of his chicken shop with a portable speaker and some hastily made flyers.
“Ah, ah. Can you hear me?”
As Yeongdeok’s voice echoed, people walking by glanced over but then continued on their way.
He had bought the portable speaker with such enthusiasm, but what should he say?
“Yeongdeok Chicken is delicious.”
He was simply stating a fact, but surprisingly, no one showed any interest.
Hmm. People are too primitive not to recognize what’s truly delicious.
Thinking it was best to just hand out flyers, Yeongdeok began personally distributing them to passersby.
As he was busy promoting the chicken shop, someone approached him.
“I was wondering why things have been quiet lately… Is this why you’ve been lying low?”
Thinking it might be a customer, Yeongdeok looked up, only to have his collar grabbed.
“Cha Dowon, didn’t I tell you to get lost? Who said you could set up shop near our university?”
Jihoon’s cursing blared through the microphone.
The piercing sound seemed to deafen his ears, but Yeongdeok didn’t care and looked calmly at Jihoon in front of him.
“My name is no longer Cha Dowon. It’s Cha Yeongdeok now. And I think I have the right to open my shop wherever I want.”
“Damn it. Why the hell is Cha Dowon running a chicken shop in the first place? You’ve got plenty of money!”
“As I said earlier, my name is now Cha Yeongdeok. And seeing how you talk, it seems you need to go back to kindergarten, not just elementary school.”
Whether one has money or not, what they choose to do should be their decision.
Yeongdeok thought Jihoon needed to relearn the basics of human rights.
“Go open somewhere else. What’s your plan, Cha Dowon?!”
Frustrated, Jihoon shook Yeongdeok by the collar, but the one feeling exasperated was not Jihoon—it was Yeongdeok.
He had told him twice already that his name was Cha Yeongdeok, so why did he keep calling him Cha Dowon?
What an idiot, as stupid as he looked. Yeongdeok clicked his tongue in his mind.
The old Yeongdeok would never have associated with such a dim-witted person who couldn’t even remember three simple syllables, but the current Yeongdeok was willing to tolerate such idiocy if it meant taking revenge on PetitRolang.
How generous he was being! That Seo Jihoon should really be more grateful.
With a sigh of exasperation, Yeongdeok opened his mouth again to drill his name into Jihoon’s dense head.
“This is the third time I’m telling you, my name is not Cha Dowon, it’s Cha Yeong—”
“Ah, whatever. Fine, Yeongdeok. Cha Yeongdeok, damn it. Happy now?”
Jihoon’s voice was so loud that the microphone screeched with noise again.
Looks like he remembers after the third try.
Maybe he’s not a total idiot, after all.
Yeongdeok felt an odd sense of pride.
“See? You can do it if you try.”
Yeongdeok couldn’t hide a smile of satisfaction.
At this, Jihoon’s expression twisted into a grimace.
“You must have really lost it. Hey, did you get fired or something? Did you lose your mind because of the shock?”
“I’m perfectly sane. And fired? How rude.”
People passing by started to stop and whisper as the two argued.
Oh, it seemed the microphone was still on.
Oh well, it didn’t matter.
Noise marketing was still marketing, even if the noise was literal.
Yeongdeok smiled, satisfied at having caught people’s attention.
Seeing Yeongdeok’s sinister smile, Jihoon grimaced and let go of his collar.
“What the hell is this fight about?”
“Who knows? Maybe a new chicken place opened? Want to check it out?”
A few people seemed inclined to enter the shop, perhaps swayed by the publicity.
Yeongdeok was about to head off to fry some chicken, but Jihoon grabbed the hem of his jacket to stop him.
“Where do you think you’re going? I’m not done talking yet.”
“Sorry, but I have to start working. If you have a complaint, place an order first. Why should I listen to you if you’re not even a customer?”
“What the hell… Why should I help increase your sales?”
Jihoon grumbled, but Yeongdeok brushed off his hand and followed the customers into the shop.
* * *
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Thanks
Lol
Thank you
Thanks for the chapter
Thanks
love the public beef
This is what i meant by putting effort into things he does! it wasnt an immediate success when he opened his chicken shop but because he did something about it, he got customers, it makes the novel feel grounded despite its canon novel-setting hehe
Like it