The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 179: Chapter 180: Jung-ho’s Café

Inside the café, Jung-ho was standing near the front counter, examining several design samples spread across a temporary worktable.

The construction itself was almost finished.

The electrical wiring had already been completed, the lighting fixtures had been installed, the flooring was finished, and most of the furniture had already been delivered. The kitchen equipment had also been installed behind the counter, including the espresso machines, refrigerators, ovens, and several other pieces of equipment that would be necessary once the café officially opened.

What remained now was mostly cosmetic.

The walls still needed their final coats of paint, several decorative elements had yet to be installed, and the exterior sign was waiting to be mounted above the entrance. Even the placement of some tables and chairs was still being discussed.

Jung-ho stood beside one of the workers, examining a set of color samples.

"I think this shade would work better for the main wall."

He pointed toward one of the samples.

"The current one is slightly too dark. Once the lighting is turned on in the evening, I don’t want the interior to feel smaller than it actually is."

The worker nodded.

"Understood. We’ll adjust the paint accordingly."

"And the lighting above the counter?"

"We’ve already installed the fixtures you selected. We’re just waiting for the final decorative panels."

"Good."

Jung-ho glanced toward the counter.

"The pendant lights should remain slightly warmer than the rest of the room. The display area needs to feel inviting, especially once we put the desserts there."

The worker made a note.

"Anything else?"

"Yes. The exterior sign."

Jung-ho looked toward the front windows.

"I want the lettering to be simple. No excessive decoration. The name should be visible from the street without making the building look like a luxury restaurant."

"Understood."

"And make sure the final paint is finished before the furniture is moved into position permanently. I don’t want anyone damaging the tables while they’re still working on the walls."

"We’ll take care of it."

Jung-ho nodded.

"Then that should be everything for now."

He was about to continue discussing the kitchen layout when something outside caught his attention.

Two figures were walking along the street.

Jung-ho’s eyes stopped on them.

He recognized them immediately.

"Tae-ho..."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

He looked toward the worker beside him.

"Let’s continue this discussion later."

The worker glanced toward the entrance.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing."

Jung-ho smiled.

"I just have some guests."

He walked toward the front entrance.

---

Ares and Ji Won were walking along the street when Ji Won suddenly slowed.

"This place..."

He looked at the building in front of them.

Judging by the large windows, the counter visible through the glass, and the tables being arranged inside, there was little doubt about what it was.

"It looks like a café."

Ares looked toward the building.

"To think it’ll be built this fast."

He smiled faintly.

"Jung-ho hyung really did what he said last week."

Ji Won looked at him.

"He said he was planning to open one soon, but I didn’t expect it to be this close to completion."

Ares looked through the window.

"The construction is almost finished."

Before they could say anything else, the entrance opened.

Jung-ho stepped outside.

"Are—"

He stopped himself.

"Ahem."

He quickly composed himself before raising his voice.

"Tae-ho!"

Ares looked toward him.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"It’s been a while, Hyung."

Jung-ho smiled as he approached.

"Yeah. How have you been?"

"The same as usual."

Ares glanced toward the café.

"I see you’ve been busy."

Jung-ho laughed.

"Very busy."

His gaze then shifted toward the person standing beside Ares.

"Oh?"

He looked at Ji Won.

"Who’s this young man with you?"

He studied him for a moment.

"Wait..."

His eyes widened slightly.

"You’re Han Ji Won, aren’t you?"

Ji Won immediately straightened and gave him a polite bow.

"Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Jung-ho hyung."

Jung-ho smiled and returned the greeting with a slight bow.

"Alright, alright. Come inside. We can talk there."

He gestured toward the entrance.

"The café isn’t officially open yet, but the interior is far enough along that I can at least let you two see it."

Ares and Ji Won followed him inside.

The interior looked considerably more complete than it had from outside.

The walls had already received their final paint in most areas, with only a few sections near the back still awaiting their finishing touches. Modern lighting had been installed throughout the ceiling, casting a warm but clean glow across the room, while the large windows allowed the remaining daylight to illuminate the interior naturally.

The counter was already fully constructed.

Behind it stood several high-end espresso machines, grinders, refrigerators, and display cases waiting to be stocked.

Several tables had also been positioned throughout the main dining area.

Jung-ho led them toward a quieter section near the back.

His private office was already completely finished.

The walls had been painted in a sophisticated neutral color, with understated decorative panels and modern lighting giving the room a comfortable but professional appearance. A large window overlooked the street, while several shelves contained documents, coffee samples, and design materials related to the café.

At the center of the room were two long sofas facing one another.

Between them stood a long glass table.

Jung-ho gestured toward the sofas.

"Have a seat."

Ares and Ji Won sat down.

Jung-ho smiled.

"I’ll bring you something."

He left the office.

Ji Won looked around.

"He really put a lot into this place."

Ares nodded.

"Yeah."

A few minutes later, Jung-ho returned carrying a tray.

On it were three tall glasses of iced coffee and several plates of desserts.

He carefully placed everything on the glass table.

"Here."

Ji Won stared at the drinks.

The coffee was served in tall transparent glasses filled with clear ice, the dark coffee layered beneath a thin layer of milk foam. A small amount of caramel-colored syrup had been added around the inside of the glass, giving it a subtle sweetness without overpowering the coffee itself.

Beside them were several desserts.

There were individual slices of cheesecake topped with a thin layer of fruit glaze, small chocolate cakes with soft centers, cream-filled pastries, and delicate fruit tarts arranged neatly on white plates.

The presentation looked more like something from an established high-end café than a business that hadn’t even officially opened yet.

Ji Won stared at the table.

"Hyung..."

Jung-ho smiled.

"Hmm?"

"This looks expensive."

Ares picked up his glass.

He took a sip.

The coffee was smooth and rich, with a slightly sweet finish that balanced the bitterness without making it taste like a sugary drink.

Ares paused.

"...This is good."

Jung-ho smiled.

"I was hoping you’d say that."

Ji Won took a sip as well.

His eyes widened slightly.

"Wow."

He looked at the glass.

"This is really good."

Jung-ho leaned back.

"I’ve been experimenting with the recipes for a while."

He pointed toward the coffee.

"That one uses a medium-roast bean with a slightly nutty profile. I wanted something strong enough for people who actually like coffee, but smooth enough that people who usually avoid bitter drinks could still enjoy it."

Ji Won took another sip.

"It doesn’t taste overly sweet."

"That’s intentional."

Jung-ho nodded.

"I’ve also been working on several other flavors. Vanilla cream, caramel sea salt, roasted hazelnut, and a cold brew with a citrus finish."

Ares raised an eyebrow.

"Citrus?"

"Yes."

Jung-ho smiled.

"It sounds strange until you try it, but the acidity works surprisingly well with cold brew. I’m still adjusting the balance, though."

Ji Won looked at the desserts.

"And these?"

"Those are some of the recipes I’ve been testing."

Jung-ho pointed toward the cheesecake.

"The cheesecake will probably become one of the regular desserts. It’s rich, but not too heavy."

He pointed toward the chocolate cake.

"That one is still experimental. I wanted something that looked simple but had a softer center when you cut into it."

Ares picked up a small piece of the chocolate cake with a fork.

He tasted it.

The center was soft and rich, while the outer layer had a slightly firmer texture.

Ares nodded.

"This is good too."

Jung-ho smiled with satisfaction.

"Excellent."

Ji Won tried the cheesecake next.

His expression immediately softened.

"This is really good."

"I spent a ridiculous amount of time getting the texture right."

Jung-ho laughed.

Ares looked around the office.

"You’ve already prepared almost everything."

"Almost."

Jung-ho glanced toward the café outside.

"The construction itself went much faster than expected because I used a considerable amount of money to hire enough workers and keep everything moving simultaneously."

Ares raised an eyebrow.

"How much did you spend?"

Jung-ho smiled awkwardly.

"Enough."

"That’s not an answer."

"Let’s just say I didn’t want you coming back before the café was ready."

Ares stared at him.

"Why go that far?"

Jung-ho laughed.

"Because you’re the reason I can do this in the first place."

Ares sighed.

"Hyung..."

"I’m not finished."

Jung-ho raised a hand.

"You’re not the only reason, of course. I want to see how people react to the café when it finally opens."

He looked toward the kitchen.

"I’ve spent years working in a completely different environment. I’ve never had the opportunity to build something that belongs entirely to me."

His expression softened.

"So I wanted to do it properly."

Ares nodded.

"I see."

Jung-ho smiled.

"And I’ve already planned several things for the opening."

"Such as?"

"New desserts, seasonal drinks, several coffee flavors, and a few simple meals."

He counted them on his fingers.

"I want the menu to be varied enough that people can come here for breakfast, lunch, or simply coffee and dessert."

Ji Won nodded appreciatively.

"That sounds like a good idea."

Jung-ho smiled.

"I also want to keep the prices reasonable."

Ares looked at him.

"Despite spending this much on construction?"

"Exactly."

Jung-ho laughed.

"I want people to actually come back. There’s no point creating a beautiful café if ordinary customers feel like they’re being robbed every time they order something."

Ares nodded.

"That’s sensible."

Jung-ho picked up his iced coffee.

"By the way, have you two seen the news recently?"

Ares looked at him.

"What news?"

Ji Won also shook his head.

"What happened?"

Jung-ho’s expression became more serious.

"There have been several incidents involving Awakeners attacking other Awakeners."

Ji Won’s expression changed.

"I saw something about that the other day."

Jung-ho nodded.

"It’s becoming more frequent."

He placed his glass down.

"Several Awakeners have been found dead after dungeon expeditions, and in some cases, their equipment and magic stones were stolen afterward."

Ares listened quietly.

"So they’re targeting other Awakeners."

"Yes."

Jung-ho nodded.

"The Administration believes some of the incidents are organized rather than random, although they haven’t publicly confirmed whether the same group is responsible for all of them."

They continued talking for several hours after that.

The conversation gradually moved away from the recent incidents involving Awakeners and returned to more ordinary topics. Jung-ho talked about the remaining construction work, the café’s menu, and the different desserts and coffee flavors he was planning to introduce once the place officially opened.

Ji Won listened with genuine interest, occasionally asking questions about the café and commenting on the food they had just eaten.

Ares mostly listened while enjoying the remaining iced coffee and desserts, occasionally giving his opinion whenever Jung-ho asked about something.

By the time they finally noticed how late it had become, several hours had already passed.

Ji Won glanced toward the window.

"It’s already this late?"

Jung-ho looked outside.

"Looks like we’ve been talking longer than I realized."

Ares leaned back against the sofa.

"Then we should probably head back."

Ji Won nodded.

"Yeah. We have to hunt tomorrow too."

Jung-ho smiled.

"Then I’ll let you two go."

He stood and began collecting the empty glasses and plates from the table.

Ares and Ji Won also stood.

Before leaving the office, Ares looked around one more time.

"Take care of yourself, hyung."

Jung-ho smiled.

"You too."

Ji Won gave him a small bow.

"Thanks for the coffee and desserts, Jung-ho hyung."

"Don’t worry about it."

Jung-ho waved his hand.

"Come back when the café officially opens. I’ll let you try the rest of the menu."

Ji Won smiled.

"We’ll definitely come."

Ares nodded.

"Yeah."

The three walked out of the office together and headed toward the entrance.

Once they reached the front door, Ares and Ji Won said their goodbyes before walking back into the evening streets.

Jung-ho remained at the entrance for a moment, watching them leave.

Then he turned around and looked at the café.

There was still some work left to finish, but most of the construction was already complete.

Soon, the decorations would be finished, the sign would be installed, and the café would finally be ready to open.

Jung-ho smiled to himself before returning inside to continue checking the remaining work.

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