I was wiping down the counter when the door opened, and the familiar sound of three voices I've both missed and dreaded echoed in.
"Han-seoooook!" My mom's voice was a sonic boom of affection.
She practically tackled me in a hug before the door even finished closing.
"My baby boy, running his own business! I'm so proud!"
She was already looking around like I was the CEO of a luxury department store instead of a glorified dungeon snack stand.
My sister, Hana, stepped in next, smirking, hands in pockets, scanning the shelves like she was casing the place.
"So this is your big empire?" she asked. "Smells like wet socks and old jerky. Very... you."
"Nice to see you too" I muttered.
My Step-dad wandered in last, calm as ever, immediately heading to the back fridge and inspecting the drinks like he was judging a wine collection. "Huh. You got Dungeon Cola. Strong aftertaste. Not bad."
Mom had already decided she was my personal tour guide.
"Oh! And look at this! Hanseok, you sell instant noodles! Remember when you burned water trying to cook ramen at home? And now look at you!"
I tried to explain that boiling water in a dungeon convenience store was slightly less life-threatening than in our old kitchen, but she was too busy taking photos.
Hana snorted. "Bet half your customers are just monsters in disguise. How do you even market this place? Come for the chips, stay because the door locked behind you?"
As if on cue, Globby rolled out from behind the shelf, holding a mop.
"Customer spill?" Mom asked.
"Nope" Globby said cheerfully, "just cleaning up after my science project yesterday. The ice cream still screams if you listen closely."
Mom gasped. "You hired a slime? Oh, Hanseok, you're giving opportunities to the underserved dungeon community! So socially conscious!"
"I didn't hire him" I said. "He just... works here now."
Hana gave me a flat look. "You can't even run your own staff interviews?"
Before I could argue, the Goblin Coupon Gang arrived like they were storming a fortress.
Grip spotted my mom immediately.
"Ah! You must be the manager's elder!"
"Ohhh, I like you" Mom said, patting his head. "Such nice manners!"
"Ma'am" Grip said solemnly, "will you convince your son to honor our expired chicken coupons?"
Mom turned to me. "Why won't you? If it makes them happy, you should."
Hana was dying laughing in the corner. "This is the funniest thing I've seen all year."
I refused and Grip declared a "temporary truce out of respect for family" which was somehow more alarming than their usual behavior.
While Mom wandered into the candy aisle, Hana leaned against the counter.
"So, really. How do you live here? Don't you get lonely?"
I shrugged. "There's Globby. Mira stops by. Customers come in and the Dungeon talks sometimes."
"The Dungeon talks to you?" she asked, eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, gives me jobs, lets me buy stuff from its shop with points."
"And you haven't used it to buy a better place to live? Or, I don't know, a door that isn't shaped like a screaming skull?"
I muttered something about long-term investment strategies.
She didn't look convinced.
By the time Mom came back to the counter, she had a notepad full of "Expert business tips."
"Offer a mother's discount."
"Host weekly karaoke nights."
"Sell homemade kimchi next to the instant ramen."
"Put a nice rug by the door so it's more welcoming for dragons."
I told her dragons didn't shop here.
She told me, "They will if you manifest it."
They stayed for three hours.
Three. Hours.
By the time they left, Mom had kissed me on the forehead twice, Hana had stolen two bags of jerky "for testing purposes" and my Step-Dad had rated every drink in the fridge from "liquid sadness" to "surprisingly okay."
As I locked the door that night, my HUD flickered again:
Dungeon Shop Progress: 94% to Level 2 Unlock
So close.
Although i don't know why I achieved progress without doing a delivery.
I didn't question it.
Yet all I could think about was how, somehow, the Goblin Coupon Gang had gotten my mom's phone number.
Tomorrow was going to be worse.
I could feel it.