Chapter 74

During the commute, a cold atmosphere filled the car with just the two of them inside.

Seojin glanced at Haji sitting in the passenger seat and slightly rubbed his lips. His face showed a troubled expression.

“Haji.”

“……”

Haji kept her lips tightly shut and turned her head sharply to look out the window.

Despite the coldness in the air, there was something cute about her pouting lips

Thinking he shouldn’t laugh, Seojin clenched his molars tightly and cleared his throat. As if sensing Seojin’s thoughts, Haji’s head snapped back to face him.

Seojin composed his expression under her sharp gaze. He couldn’t afford to make things worse.

“You said it would be just once, right?”

“I did.”

Haji, even more annoyed by Seojin’s nonchalant response, took a deep breath.

“Why have you been like this lately?”

“Because I like you.”

“Even if you like me, there’s a limit! Aren’t you exhausted? How do you expect me to handle this all week long?”

After several nights of endless encounters, Haji finally burst out. Just the day before, he had tempted her with a massage and didn’t let her go until dawn.

It didn’t seem like the kind of anger that could be soothed with sweet words.

In such situations, the only option was to bow down.

“I won’t do it today.”

“Of course not!”

Even though Seojin thought this was a drastic measure, it didn’t work. Instead, Haji’s defensive stance only strengthened as she crossed her arms.

“You know we’re going to your place tomorrow for your birthday, right?”

“I know.”

“Let’s go separately.”

Seojin’s brow furrowed. Despite his expression, Haji continued.

“They might find out about our relationship.”

“Why does that matter?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“Why shouldn’t they know?”

When the traffic light turned red, the car stopped. Their eyes met. A silent battle began, staring into each other’s eyes until a honk sounded from behind.

“Just go.”

Seojin’s car started moving again, and the conversation halted.

“Do you want to hide our relationship?”

“Do you want to announce it?”

“I don’t mind.”

In truth, he wanted to announce it. He wanted to tell the whole world so that Haji couldn’t go anywhere, keeping her by his side.

But he didn’t say it, knowing she’d be startled and try to distance herself.

“Telling your parents means considering marriage.”

“So, you don’t want to tell them because you don’t want to marry me?”

“……”

Haji was at a loss for words.

Seeing Haji with her lips tightly shut, Seojin barely swallowed the sigh that almost escaped his lips.

He knew that her thinking of moving out meant she wasn’t considering marriage. He hoped that her thoughts might change as she pondered over it.

But the uncertainty in her attitude made the anxiety growing inside him unavoidable. That’s why he kept bothering her every night.

An immature desire to confirm his place in her life.

She probably didn’t understand his feelings, which is why she was so quick to deny their relationship.

Screech, the car stopped at the end of the road. Meanwhile, Seojin’s arm pressed down on Haji’s shoulder.

“I’ll ask you just once.”

Seojin’s voice was low, as if suppressing his rising anger.

“Am I not in your future?”

“……”

Haji’s pupils visibly shook. Her lips moved as if she was about to speak, but no answer came out.

***

Thud thud thud. Thud thud thud.

The sound of a knife on the cutting board echoed at regular intervals.

“Boss.”

“……”

Even when Woobae called her, Haji was lost in thought and didn’t hear. Seeing Sehee shrug her shoulders, she realized Haji had been in that state since morning.

At that moment, Lee Hyeseong entered with his usual smile, waving his hand.

“Hyeseong!”

Sehee’s bright voice finally made Haji stop her hands.

Watching Hyeseong and Sehee greet each other happily like a couple, Haji slowly came back to her senses.

“Haji, it’s been a while, huh?”

“Yeah, it has.”

Recently, Hyeseong had been busy with a new project and couldn’t come as often as before. She had heard Sehee express disappointment several times about not seeing him often due to his frequent overtime.

“But what are you chopping?”

“Huh?”

Following Hyeseong’s gaze, she looked at the cutting board, which had nothing but air.

Momentarily flustered, Haji blinked and saw the already chopped fruit, then lifted her head.

“You seem out of it, Haji.”

“Oh, haha, I guess so.”

“Cheer up. This too shall pass, right?”

Haji smiled faintly at Hyeseong’s words.

Though he meant to encourage her, it made her think more.

To let this pass, she had to make a choice.

She still hadn’t answered Seojin’s question from that morning.

With no clear answer, her mind became more complicated. And as closing time at the café approached, with a busy Friday behind them, the three of them found themselves working until the end.

“Whew…”

As the tiring day ended, all three of them sat down on a chair outside.

“Good job today, everyone.”

“Um…”

As the exhausted Haji started to speak, Woobae cautiously began.

“With school starting soon, I think I can only work until the end of this month.”

“Oh, right? It’s already that time, huh?”

The period Woobae had mentioned he could work was coming to an end.

Realizing how quickly time had passed, thoughts of not seeing Woobae anymore, hiring more staff, and other things crossed her mind.

“Got it. Please do your best until the end of the month.”

Haji forced a smile as she spoke, but her feelings were different. She hadn’t sorted out her personal matters, and now new issues were arising.

***

Sss—a soft sound escaped as the cold beer slid down her throat.

“Boss, these days, I don’t even know if I have a boyfriend anymore or not.”

“Hyeseong’s been busy, huh?”

“Extremely!”

After work, Sehee said she wanted a beer, so after Woobae left for an appointment, the two of them went to a chicken restaurant.

Sehee’s frustration was related to her relationship. Specifically, her feelings of disappointment towards Hyeseong, who was too busy lately.

“When I said I was upset, he suggested we live together.”

“Live together?”

Haji was startled. After all, she was also living with Seojin.

“Yes! We haven’t even been dating that long. How can he suggest that so easily? All I said was that I missed him, and he wants to live together!”

“That could be overwhelming if you’re not thinking about marriage.”

“I do have thoughts about marriage.”

“Huh?”

Haji’s eyes widened at Sehee’s sudden mention of marriage.

“I think I should marry someone like Hyeseong. He’s kind, family-oriented, loves me, earns well, and his parents are nice, so there’s no worry about in-laws.”

Sehee confidently listed Hyeseong’s qualities with a determined expression.

“Most importantly, his appearance is completely my style.”

Sehee smiled brightly and took a sip of beer.

“Really…?”

“I don’t want to live together now because I’m afraid we’ll become like a married couple too quickly. I want to enjoy dating a bit longer.”

“I see…”

So that’s how she thinks.

She realized Sehee’s thoughts were different from her own.

“What about you, Boss?”

“Huh? Me?”

“Marriage. Do you have any thoughts about getting married? You talk like you don’t.”

Sehee had a tendency to observe people closely. Just like now.

Haji thought she hadn’t shown any signs, but Sehee picked up on it during their conversation.

“Is marriage something you have to do?”

“It’s a choice. I don’t think it’s something you have to do.”

“Right?”

“But I think if I met someone like Hyeseong, I’d think the same way now.”

Sehee, who had a clear sense of her world, also had a strong sense of her own beliefs. Unlike Haji.

Haji, who never had a clear sense of her own beliefs, found it difficult to find direction or time to think. She was also quite fearful.

She knew these traits about herself, but they were hard to change.

“Is it because Hyeseong is a good person, like you said?”

Sehee had bundled up Hyeseong’s qualities as a good person.

At Haji’s question, Sehee nodded. Usually cheerful and playful, Sehee was quite serious.

“I don’t think I’ll ever meet someone like this again in my life. Without him, I’m sure I’d regret it.”

“Regret…”

Haji mumbled softly.

Would I regret it?

If Seojin met another woman, went on dates, and prepared for marriage, would I regret not holding onto him?

Or would I think it was fortunate to let him go?

She recalled Seojin’s face, which had shown his disappointment to her in the morning.

Haji bit her lower lip hard. She was frustrated with herself for not being able to give a clear answer, making him upset.

Because of someone like her, Seojin must have been struggling a lot.

Perhaps he would continue to struggle in the future.

“Shouldn’t I make a choice for the other person?”

If he would suffer because of someone like her, shouldn’t she let him go now?