Side Story 1.1

“Pharmacist, here’s some coffee for you.”

The man placed a takeaway coffee cup on the pharmacy counter and smiled brightly, revealing his neatly aligned teeth. His hand, holding the coffee cup, had clean and smooth nails, as if professionally groomed.

His slightly permed, stylish hairstyle, paired with a dark navy herringbone coat and a casually draped cashmere scarf, created a sophisticated look that balanced on the edge of being too much but landed perfectly.

“Oh… thank you, Dr. Lee.”

Looking back and forth between the coffee cup on the counter and the man beyond it, Leeseo bowed her head in gratitude. Dr. Lee stretched his characteristic, refreshing smile wide and directed it at her.

“There’s a big coffee shop that just opened across the street on the first floor of that building, you know? I got this from there. It’s supposedly a popular menu item—Vanilla Bean Einspänner. Every woman in the café seemed to be drinking it.”

Though he was a pediatrician affiliated with the clinic in the same building, his casual attire made him look more like someone in the fashion industry or an extroverted sales representative than a doctor. Watching his radiant smile, Leeseo briefly entertained such thoughts before quickly correcting her bias. After all, there’s no rule saying doctors can’t be interested in fashion.

Moreover, his always well-dressed appearance was reportedly one of the key factors behind “Dr. Lee from Delbit Pediatrics” being so popular, or so claimed Jieun, the owner of the pharmacy and Leeseo’s friend, who had a close working relationship with the pediatric clinic.

“Doc, where’s mine? I was just about to check out that café after work since it’s become such a hot spot!”

At that moment, Suji, the part-time worker cleaning the customer waiting area, jumped into the conversation. Her sparkling, expectant gaze was fixed on Dr. Lee, whose polished face briefly showed a flicker of awkwardness. Laughing a bit stiffly, he handed the coffee cup in his hand to Suji.

“Here you go, Suji. This one’s yours.”

“Huh? Why is mine just an Americano? I wanted to try the signature menu too.”

Suji pouted her lips, clearly dissatisfied as she accepted the cup.

“Suji, you always drink Americanos because you’re on a diet. I know your preferences well—iced Americano no matter what, right? Isn’t that your thing?”

“Well, I am on a diet, but… even dieters can’t resist an Einspänner.”

Suji glanced longingly at the creamy, frothy coffee, her expression turning sulky. Leeseo quickly pushed her coffee cup across the counter.

“Suji, you can have this one.”

“Huh? Really, Pharmacist?”

“Of course.”

At Leeseo’s reply, Suji grinned, set the Americano on the counter, and grabbed the enticing coffee. She opened the lid and slurped up the whipped cream on top.

“Mmm,” she sighed happily, a satisfied smile forming as a white foam mustache appeared on her lips. The adorable sight brought a maternal smile to Leeseo’s face.

“I’m glad it’s delicious. Enjoy it. I should head back upstairs now.”

Dr. Lee checked the time on the wristwatch hidden under his coat sleeve. It was 2 p.m., the end of the lunch break at the pediatric clinic, and the start of the afternoon consultations. As the clinic got busy, so did the pharmacy, leaving little time for conversation during the brief calm before the storm.

“Alright, good luck with the afternoon consultations.”

“Thanks. You too, Suji. Pharmacist, take care.”

Dr. Lee winked playfully and walked out, exuding a heavy cologne scent. Suji, who had followed him to the entrance, watched his retreating figure through the glass door until he disappeared, then spun around with a suspicious look in her eyes.

“There’s definitely something fishy about him.”

She muttered to herself, then cleared her throat as if making a resolution. Clutching her coffee cup, she approached the counter and cautiously spoke to Leeseo.

“Don’t you think Dr. Lee might like you, Pharmacist?”

“Me?”

Leeseo widened her eyes as if hearing something unimaginable, then quickly furrowed her brows and shook her head with a laugh.

“Come on, he knows I’m married. What are you talking about, Suji?”

Despite Leeseo’s incredulous reaction, Suji didn’t drop her suspicious expression. Her eyes sparkled with mischievous curiosity.

“It’s just too suspicious. I’ve been working here for almost a year now, but I’ve never seen Dr. Lee stop by the pharmacy this often.”

Suji had been working at the pharmacy since Jieun opened it in the newly developed town a year ago. She had met Jieun through their university club, where Suji was a younger member and Jieun an alumna.

Suji, who had entered the prestigious Y University as a top student, faced a financial crisis in her third year when she lost her scholarship. Needing to earn tuition money immediately, she found a perfect match in Jieun, who was opening the pharmacy and looking for an assistant.

Perhaps because Suji reminded her of her younger self, always worried about tuition, Leeseo quickly grew fond of her, despite not knowing her for long. Of course, Suji’s naturally cheerful and lively personality also made her endearing. She was, in many ways, the pharmacy’s mascot.

“When Jieun was here, Dr. Lee was all business—nothing more, nothing less. He’d only show up when he had pharmacy-related matters and then vanish like the wind. I’ve never seen him bring coffee for anyone, let alone every day. Ask Jieun—she’ll tell you Dr. Lee isn’t usually like this.”

Suji muttered as she took another sip of her coffee.

“Sure, he’s always been impeccably dressed, but lately, it seems like he’s putting in extra effort. Even the clinic patients are gossiping about whether he’s got a girlfriend these days.”

Being located near a large apartment complex, the pharmacy often served as a neighborhood gathering spot. Among the favorite topics of conversation for the locals was none other than the single pediatrician, Dr. Lee. Even Leeseo, who hadn’t worked at the pharmacy for long, had heard all about his age, residence, hometown, hobbies, and even his car model.

“He used to have this cold, city-guy vibe, but now he’s as warm as sunshine when he’s around you, Pharmacist. It makes me wonder if he forgot you’re married. But then again, with that massive ring on your finger, how could he?”

Suji blatantly glanced at the ring on Leeseo’s left ring finger. The large diamond sparkled brilliantly, even under the pharmacy’s plain fluorescent lights.

Feigning that the brightness was too much, Suji squinted her eyes. She couldn’t even begin to guess how much such a ring would cost. Momentarily mesmerized by the diamond’s brilliance, she shook her head and muttered to herself.

“There’s no way he doesn’t know…”

Just as the awkward atmosphere was becoming hard to bear, Leeseo was about to change the subject.

“Hello!”

The automatic door opened, and a loud voice rang out. Leeseo warmly greeted the young customer who confidently entered the pharmacy.

“Welcome.”

The boy looked about five years old. One of the skills Leeseo had picked up within just a week of working at the pharmacy was estimating children’s ages. The young customer ran straight to the toy display and shouted excitedly.

“Wow! Mom, can I buy just one toy?”

The toy section was Suji’s pride and joy. Filled with various designs and colorful items, it was arranged to captivate young customers who visited the pharmacy. Suji, having completely forgotten her earlier conversation with Leeseo, watched the boy’s enthusiastic shopping with a delighted expression.

“Alright, but don’t make a mess and pick just one.”

The boy’s mother, who entered a moment later, placed a prescription on the counter. Soon, more customers who had finished their clinic visits began to arrive, and the pharmacy’s afternoon business became too hectic for idle chatter.