Chapter 3

Even after quite some time, Seojin hadn’t moved an inch from his spot, diligently working. Haji’s steps naturally led her toward Seojin.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“…You’re not eating either.”

Seojin, who seemed to realize that there were no more people around, glanced around and checked the time.

Even though Haji approached, Seojin’s gaze remained fixed on the tablet and the documents in his hand.

Was it because it was my first time seeing him with glasses?

Sehee’s earlier words came to mind.

Did she say there was a certain sexiness about a working man…?

“I was too busy to eat.”

“So was I. Busy.”

Seojin still didn’t look up, replying curtly. His nonchalant attitude sparked a sense of defiance in Haji.

“Why are you working here?”

“Just because.”

“Didn’t you say you have an office?”

“I do.”

“Hmm.”

As Seojin responded indifferently to her questions, Haji ran out of things to ask. While Haji was looking around to come up with another question, the corners of Seojin’s lips lifted slightly.

“Looks like a customer is here.”

“Huh?”

At Seojin’s words, Haji hurried to the order counter. Only then did Seojin’s eyes leave the text and look up.

It was still the same, staying by his side out of defiance when he didn’t show interest. He was indeed working, but not so busy that he couldn’t notice the person beside her.

If he showed interest, it would probably be burdensome and make her run away.

Seojin’s gaze captured the sight of Haji busily moving around.

“Your drink is ready.”

After sending out the group order, Haji naturally checked Seojin’s spot. Seojin, who had been sitting there until a moment ago, was gone.

Looks like he left. I was going to give him a sandwich…

***

“Oh? That customer is here again.”

Following Sehee’s gaze, it was indeed Seojin. For three days in a row, Seojin had been marking his attendance at this place. He came at the same time every day and left at the same time.

Seeing a familiar face made Haji more conscious.

“Why do you come here when you have an office?”

“Because it’s comfortable.”

His unexpected answer to her cautious question made her feel good. One of her reasons for wanting to create her café was to provide a comfortable space where busy people could take a break.

Seojin’s voice echoed in her ears. She felt so thrilled by the compliment that she couldn’t continue the conversation. She never thought the first person to say such words would be her friend’s older brother.

Feeling her cheeks flush, Haji quickly turned her body.

Soon, she placed a plate on the table where Seojin was sitting.

“Please enjoy. It’s on the house.”

Because you’re a regular. 

She added a small excuse and then ran away without waiting for Seojin’s response.

Seojin looked at the unexpected complimentary sandwich. It was perfectly made, with nothing spilling out, reflecting the maker’s personality.

With his long fingers, he picked up the sandwich.

***

“Did he leave?”

When Haji checked Seojin’s table again, he was already gone. He always left around the end of the lunch hour.

“He finished the sandwich.”

Seeing the empty plate on the tray at the order counter, Haji smiled.

“What’s this?”

It wasn’t just an empty plate on the tray. There was also a luxurious-looking black velvet glasses case.

“Is he throwing it away?”

Too… luxurious for that.

Click, opening the glasses case revealed the gold-rimmed glasses Seojin had been wearing. It didn’t seem like something to throw away.

“It looks ordinary like this…”

Why does it seem special when Sunbae wears it?

As she stared at the glasses, her gaze fell on a business card she hadn’t noticed before.

‘SA Construction / CEO Ki Seojin’

So the company he started was a construction company.

Hmm, what should I do?

Looking at the business card and glasses case that seemed to be asking for her attention, Haji pondered for a moment.

“He’ll come again tomorrow. I’ll give it to him then.”

She concluded her short contemplation and put Seojin’s belongings in a drawer.

***

Sehee, who had been spending a relatively idle time, crossed her arms and tilted her head. Squinting her eyes, she looked like she was in deep thought.

“Why isn’t he coming? Do you think something happened?”

“Something happened?”

“Maybe he got tired because he’s too handsome, or he felt the heat more because he’s so tall?”

Sehee’s words made Haji laugh.

The more she knew Sehee, the more unique she found her. Sehee often made her laugh with her peculiar thoughts. Concerned that Seojin, who came every day, hadn’t shown up, Haji snapped back to reality.

Why isn’t he coming?

The usual morning time had passed, and even the lunch hour was ending, but there was no sign of him. Haji’s gaze flickered to the drawer containing Seojin’s glasses case.

She felt anxious that it might be something important to him.

Should I have contacted him right away yesterday?

She regretted ignoring the number on the business card.

“Boss Ahn?”

“Huh?”

“This needs to go out as a latte.”

“Ah…”

Haji, whose mind was elsewhere, made a mistake she hadn’t made before. She thought she would continue to be distracted as long as Seojin’s glasses frame was with her.

I should return it to its owner.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. Having decided, Haji typed and erased messages on her phone repeatedly.

“I don’t know how to start.”

Since she had never contacted Seojin before, let alone knew him well, the initial greeting was awkward. It felt too familiar to act friendly, and too distant to address him formally as a café owner.

“Excuse me…?”

“Huh?! Yes? Oh, I’m sorry.”

Startled by a customer’s call, Haji raised her voice, which in turn startled the customer.

“Oh no…”

She saw that the phone screen in her hand showed a call in progress. It seemed her finger had pressed the call button in her surprise.

Blinking in confusion for a moment, she realized she had a customer in front of her and grew anxious.

Should I take the call or take the customer’s order?

In that case, I’ll…

‘End call.’

Her fingertip decisively touched the red button.

“May I take your order?”

Hiding her anxiety, she plastered a capitalist smile on her face.

***

“Haa…”

After serving all the orders, Haji held her phone with both hands as if it were a precious treasure, lost in thought.

“Should I call again?”

Since he didn’t know her number, he might not be bothered by it. Even if he asked, explaining that she had accidentally ended the call should be fine.

Having heard from Seonghee that Seojin was cold and scary, she felt unnecessarily tense.

Bzzzz, while she was contemplating, a call came in. From him.

Startled, Haji swallowed hard.

“… Hello?”

– Yeah.

“What?”

– You called me.

Seojin got straight to the point, indicating he knew it was Haji. Hearing his voice over the phone for the first time made her tense up and bite her lower lip.

I didn’t do anything wrong.

Realizing she was overly tense for no reason, she tried to relax.

“Oh, ahem. You left something at the café.”

– You mean the glasses, right?

“Yes, yes.”

Even though she tried to relax her throat, she ended up speaking without the subject. Before she could feel embarrassed about it, Seojin moved the conversation along.

– I’ll come to pick them up in the evening.

“Yes, yes.”

– I’ll choose the dinner place.

“Yes, yes.”

Hearing the call end with a click, Haji stared blankly at her phone for a moment.

Did he say he would come to pick up the glasses? And choose the dinner place?

Realizing she had answered like a parrot, saying “yes, yes” to everything out of nervousness, she finally understood the content of the call.

“Why?”

She asked the air, but of course, there was no one to answer.

Why is he coming to pick me up?

***

By the time evening came, all the customers had left the café.

Bzzz, her phone vibrated, and Haji quickly brought it to her ear.

“Hello?”

– Come out. I’m at the front gate.

After saying what he needed to, the call ended abruptly, leaving Haji in brief contemplation.

What if he actually wants to have dinner?

Having dinner with Seojin, who was clearly a difficult person, might give her indigestion. After a short moment of hesitation, Haji grabbed the glasses case and headed to the front gate.

“Get in.”

The window of a black SUV parked at the front gate rolled down, revealing Seojin’s face. Carefully opening the door and getting in, she caught the scent of a new car mixed with a familiar mint fragrance.

“Seatbelt.”

“Yes.”

After the brief conversation, an awkward silence settled in. Haji glanced at Seojin, who seemed focused on driving, appearing no different from usual. The awkwardness seemed to be one-sided.

Blinking, Haji rummaged through her bag and pulled out his glasses case, which she had packed before leaving.

“Sunbae, here are your glasses.”

“Put them in the front.”

Contrary to her thoughts that it was an important item, the owner didn’t seem to care much.

“You don’t smoke in your car, do you? It doesn’t smell.”

Thinking about it, it would be strange for his car to smell like cigarettes. Although Seojin didn’t seem like someone who managed his image, she had the impression he was tidy.

“I don’t smoke.”

“Oh, you quit.”

“No. I never smoked.”

“… You used to smoke, didn’t you?”

Feeling something was off, Haji turned her body towards the driver’s seat.

Is he lying?

Even though she stared at his face, she couldn’t discern anything from his expression.

“Did you ever see me smoking?”

“Yes? Yes… I did?”

Indeed, thinking back, Seojin had been holding a lit cigarette butt while wearing his school uniform. 

But he had said he was busted…

“You said you were busted.”

“I didn’t say it was for smoking.”

“Ah…?”

What kind of nonsense is that? If a high school student gets caught holding a lit cigarette butt, isn’t it obviously for smoking?

Unable to argue with Seojin, Haji silently questioned him, staring as if shooting lasers. Glancing at Haji, Seojin subtly covered his lips with a hand not on the steering wheel.

***

As they reached the destination indicated by the navigation, the car stopped.

“Get out. We’re here.”

“Huh? This place?”

Haji’s eyes widened at the familiar exterior. It was the Namsan top restaurant Sehee had shown her recently. It had appeared in several dramas.

Despite living in Seoul, she had never been to Namsan due to her busy schedule. She had always wanted to visit this place, known for its beautiful night view.

“Sit and watch.”

Trying to hide her excitement, Haji quietly took her seat, feeling embarrassed about her behavior.

Don’t make it obvious it’s your first time here.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful.”

But her resolve quickly faded as she admired the night view from the window. Watching the twinkling lights from a different space during the time she usually saw office workers rushing home was refreshing. She loved looking at the sky, but tonight felt like she was gazing down at the stars.

“I ordered already. Is that okay?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Hearing that he had already ordered relieved her. It would have been more awkward if she had to order herself.

“But…”

She cautiously started, pausing briefly before continuing.

“It seems too much just for holding onto your glasses.

Seojin’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

Just as I thought.

She was ready to push him away if he got too close, like a timid herbivore.

You’re not someone who would easily accept unearned kindness.

But I don’t plan to back off just because you push.