Extra 1: Yoonsoo and Eun-kyung (1)

Saturday, 11 a.m. 

Yoonsoo, as usual, appeared at Eun-kyung’s cafe. His visits to her cafe on weekends had naturally become a part of his routine.

“Welcome back.”

A familiar employee greeted Yoonsoo warmly at the counter. The cafe staff were well aware that Yoonsoo, the “friend” of the owner, showed up here every weekend.

“Where is the owner?”

Yoonsoo, glancing inside the counter, asked. Normally, Eun-kyung would be at the counter at this time, but today, another employee was standing in her place. He looked around the cafe, but Eun-kyung was nowhere to be seen.

“The owner has an important appointment today, so she’s not coming in.” 

While informing him of Eun-kyung’s absence, the employee, who was close to the owner, couldn’t understand why Yoonsoo, who was close to her, didn’t know this fact.

“What’s the appointment about?”

“I’m not sure. She just said she has an important appointment today. Why don’t you try calling her?” 

Yoonsoo’s brow furrowed slightly. Even though he knew she would be there at this time every day, Eun-kyung had left without informing the staff of her whereabouts. Even without any special plans, having lunch together and chatting on weekends had become the routine for the two. Eun-kyung had broken the unspoken routine between them.

“Oppa, you’re a caring person who takes good care of the people around him and is a good man to all women, but it seems he’s not a good man to the woman he likes.”

The day after Gwihyeon’s wedding, Siyeon called Yoonsoo and expressed her discomfort about his appearance with Eunhye in Suwon. He felt somewhat unjustly accused, but he accepted her criticism calmly.

On the day of the wedding, he stood by Eunhye’s side, ready to protect her in case of any accidents, as he didn’t want the situation to become awkward for the couple and Siyeon. Of course, it’s not to say that he didn’t feel any sympathy for Eunhye, whom he had known for a long time. While his actions might have seemed displeasing to Siyeon, from Yoonsoo’s perspective, it was the best course of action.

“I’ll treat my woman really well, though.”

“A man who treats all women well and treats his girlfriend a little is the worst as a partner.” 

Yoonsoo stood there for a moment, thinking about what connection Siyeon’s phone call might have to Eunkyung’s absence. But no matter how much he thought about it, he didn’t think Siyeon would have specifically told Eunkyung about meeting him at the wedding. 

After paying for the coffee, Yoonsoo sat down at a table and sent a text to Siyeon.

[What’s up with the owner? She didn’t come to the cafe today?]

 As soon as he sent the message, Siyeon called him back.

• Eunkyung’s mother apparently signed her up for a marriage agency without her knowing. She went on a blind date today.

“The owner went on a blind date? Not even through someone she knows, but a marriage agency?”

Yoonsoo asked, wide-eyed. 

A marriage agency? 

It was an answer he never imagined. 

• What’s wrong with a marriage agency? Of course, it would be nice to meet naturally, but when that’s difficult, you can get help from a professional agency, right? Her mother wants to get Eunhye married soon. We’re not young anymore, you know.

“So, is she gonna get married to the guy she just met today or what?” 

To Yoonsoo’s sarcastic remark, Siyeon didn’t immediately respond. After a slight sigh, she spoke again in a slightly colder voice.

• First meetings lead to second and third meetings. If they meet a few times, they can get to know each other, and if they click, they can get married.

“Do you have to get married when you get older? Eunkyung’s way of thinking is so outdated.” 

• It’s not old-fashioned, but being alone can be lonely, you know. She doesn’t have any siblings, so of course, it would be good for her to have a lover she can lean on emotionally. I hope Eunkyung can date a nice guy and get married.

“…Yeah. Well, it’s better to have something than nothing.” 

Yoonsoo didn’t like the direction of the conversation, but he didn’t show any signs of annoyance. After coolly saying goodbye to Siyeon, he hung up and received his ordered drink, sitting at a table by the sunny window.

After taking a slow sip of his iced coffee, Yoonsoo set the cup down on the table. Today, the coffee tasted particularly bitter to him.

Who should I have lunch with today? 

Suddenly having some free time, he was faced with a new dilemma. He had been eating lunch with Eunkyung every weekend, so he needed some time to adapt to this sudden change. 

[You’re going on a blind date, huh.]

Yoonsoo texted Eunkyung. The movement of his thumb typing the message was full of dissatisfaction. When he asks her to go on a blind date, and she doesn’t even respond, his brow wrinkled in annoyance.

“…Tch, she’s ignoring my text.”

He clearly saw that she had read the message, but she gave no response.

[If there’s nothing special, just have a quick cup of coffee and get up. Let’s have a meal together. I’m hungry.]

Even with the second text, Eunkyung remained silent. At this point, Yoonsoo felt provoked. He put down his phone on the table, crossed his arms, and looked out the window. His expression as he watched the people passing by the street was unusually grim.

—

Eunkyung was on her way back after a blind date with a middle-aged man from a fairly solid mid-sized company. The more she thought about the manager’s words that even if the he had been her age, he wouldn’t have been a match for her, the more frustrated she became. Not only was he not her age, but he was also completely unacceptable.

“That’s it, I’m going to be a lifelong single!”

Stopping in her tracks, Eunkyung clenched her fists tightly and shouted dramatically towards the sky. It seemed like in this life, she was destined to grow old and die alone. 

Throughout her coffee date with the man, Eunkyung was pressured with questions about her financial situation. He expressed his desire to have two children and wished for his wife to continue working while raising their children. Instead of saying he wanted to raise them, he said he hoped she would raise them, which made Eunkyung neatly cut off ties with the middle-aged company manager cleanly.

Angry at the thought of the man she had just met, Eunkyung’s anger was interrupted by a text alert. Checking her phone, she made an incredulous expression.

[You’re going on a blind date, huh.]

“So you’re bored because you don’t have a meal buddy, huh.” 

Earlier, during the blind date, Yoonsoo had called, but she didn’t answer. It was probably just a question about where she was, since the staff must have let him know of her absence. Siyeon must have told him that she had gone on a blind date.

[If there’s nothing special, just have a quick cup of coffee and get up. Let’s have a meal together. I’m hungry.] 

“Park Yoonsoo, do you think I’m just that easy-going for you?”

With one hand on her waist, Eunkyung looked at her phone and confidently spoke. Yoonsoo, who came to her cafe every weekend just because he was bored, didn’t sit well with her today. Normally she wouldn’t have minded, but given the day’s events, everything was grating on her nerves.

“Why do you leave Kim Eunhye and come to me every weekend?”

She knew that Yoonsoo had gone to Gwihyeon’s wedding with Eunhye. Eunhye had blabbed the story to Yeongjin, and Director Yang had quickly relayed it to her. 

She didn’t care who Park Yoonsoo met, but the fact that it was Eunhye made her feel like she, too, had fallen into cheapness. Moreover, she was Siyeon’s best friend! After hearing that story, Eunkyung felt deeply offended.

“Go play with Kim Eunhye, you traitor!” 

After letting out a scoff, she put her phone in her bag. 

“…Well, now where should I go to spend my time…”

Eunkyung fell into a serious dilemma. She couldn’t go home, and she couldn’t go to a cafe either. If her mom found out she had left the blind date after just two hours, she wouldn’t let it go.

Her mom longed for a son-in-law who worked at a well-known company or graduated from a prestigious university that people would recognize. But Eunkyung couldn’t fulfill her mother’s desire. The problem was that it wouldn’t be easy going forward either. 

Eunkyung started walking briskly. She had deliberately not brought a car, in case the blind date went well and she ended up drinking with the man. She had even worn high heels and a fitted dress she didn’t usually wear, getting her hair done at a salon in the morning. But now, in the bright daylight, she had nowhere to go.

“Ugh…”

Feeling like tears might come, Eunkyung stopped for a moment and pursed her lips. She felt her carefully curated appearance was now pathetically wasted, and she didn’t even want to look at her reflection in the shop windows.

“If Siyeon were here, she would have complimented me on how nicely I’m dressed.”

She wanted to see Siyeon, but she wasn’t so ignorant as to randomly call a married woman with children out on a weekend. Besides, Siyeon’s husband, Ijun, was a very scary person. She had witnessed him grab Eunhye by the collar and throw her out. So she needed to be careful with her actions in front of him at all times. 

“Oh, I’m hungry.”

Eunkyung grimaced and patted her rumbling stomach with one hand. Originally, her goal for the day was to have a drink with the blind date guy after having tea and lunch. She had really tried to make it work. The man’s background and appearance weren’t major considerations for her. She just hoped to find someone she could connect with. She could let go of all other conditions, but she couldn’t give up on that.   

Was that too much to ask for? 

Her stomach growled, and reality was harsh. Suddenly feeling depressed, Eunkyung slumped her shoulders.