RB - 2

One month after returning from maternity leave, Manager Kim from the finance team came to find Seoyeon at her desk. Whatever was so exciting, Manager Kim’s chubby cheeks were flushed, and her usual “heh-heh” nasal laugh was even more pronounced.

“Assistant Manager Han, let’s grab coffee at the café on the first floor after lunch. I’ll treat you.”

“Did that place open? I thought it was still under construction just a few days ago.”

Seoyeon replied absently, her attention still focused on her phone.

She was about to lose her mind dealing with “Daniel Shin” who wouldn’t pick up the phone. She needed to get him to the negotiation table, but he hadn’t even answered a single call.

“It opened this morning! Didn’t you see? There were so many people when I passed by.”

“I came in through the back entrance. Would you like coffee? I have one here.”

Seoyeon handed Manager Kim the can of coffee she had on her desk, but Kim dramatically declined.

“Noo! I have to have the coffee from Café Le Amant!”

“Why? Is there some famous barista there?”

“Oh, no, no. There’s this incredibly handsome owner. I don’t even know if he’s a barista, but he’s definitely a star. I thought he was a celebrity!”

“Manager, don’t make me all excited. Celebrities are only on TV. You can’t find them in the office. They’re like mythical creatures.”

At that moment, Seoyeon couldn’t help but think of Jinhyeok, though she kept it to herself.

“Assistant Manager Han, today we’re going to break that prejudice, just you wait.”

Despite Kim’s boast, Seoyeon couldn’t muster any excitement, but she forced a polite smile.

“I’ll be looking forward to it, to treat my eyes.”

The handsome face of the café owner had absolutely nothing to do with her life. All of Seoyeon’s attention was on the building owner “Daniel Shin,” who still wouldn’t return her calls.

They say the creator is above all, but in this case, it was true about the building owner.

Daniel Shin, my promotion and reward depend on you. Please, just respond to my messages. Seoyeon desperately prayed and sent yet another text.

—Hello, this is Seoyeon Han, Deputy Manager from JB Company, contacting you again regarding the lease agreement. I know you’re busy, but please make sure to reply.

Manager Kim grabbed Seoyeon by the wrist and confidently led her to the café on the first floor, strutting as if she were a victorious general.

Seoyeon, on edge, clutched her phone tightly in case she would receive a message from Daniel Shin.

When they entered “Café Le Amant,” the scent of freshly brewed coffee flooded Seoyeon’s senses.

The café was packed. Had all the women from the building come out for coffee? Seoyeon muttered to herself, shaking her head.

“I guess we’re going to have to wait a while.”

Seoyeon scanned the café with a disinterested expression, but then she froze. Her mouth fell open in shock, and she sighed in disbelief.

The café owner paused when he saw Seoyeon, but it was only Seoyeon who was stunned. He quickly went back to taking orders.

Manager Kim, noticing Seoyeon’s dazed expression, smacked her back playfully. The sudden tap made Seoyeon yelp in surprise.

“Ouch!”

“See, I told you! He’s not kidding around! Look at you, you can’t take your eyes off him! But you know, the owner, I swear he looks like a celebrity. Doesn’t he remind you of someone?”

“Ugh… that bastard...”

“Huh? What did you say?”

Seoyeon was so taken aback she almost blurted out something worse, but she quickly corrected herself and mumbled the first excuse that came to her mind.

“I meant... he’s got a really... unique look.”

“Oh, come on! He has a typical actor’s face!”

Seoyeon’s graceful lips awkwardly lifted into a smile. She silently cried out to herself. Ugh, I’ve really become a bird.

It had already been ten years, but how could she ever forget? The guy she dated for exactly one week back in high school. The guy who bet with his friends over Seoyeon and won.

The man who gave her a terrible trauma—”Shin Junghyeok”—that bastard.

“Assistant Manager Han, what do you want to drink?”

“Sigh...”

A long sigh escaped Seoyeon’s lips.

“How about an Americano? Assistant Manager Han must have fallen for that guy, right?”

Seoyeon was at a loss for words as she bit down hard on her lower lip. Her heart was pounding so violently it felt like it wouldn’t stop. A deep contempt slowly started rising throughout her body.

That night, Seoyeon had a vivid nightmare of having a passionate affair with Junghyeok in “Café Le Amant.”

Kicking off the blanket, Seoyeon sprang up from the bed, pressing her hand against her pounding chest. The tingling sensation in her inner thighs reminded her just how real the dream had been.

In the moment she sank down onto Junghyeok’s swollen body, the heaviness filling her lower abdomen had made the dream-self gasp and sigh in pleasure. Was all of that just a dream?

Freud said that desires in reality are reflected in dreams. Seoyeon, biting her nails, muttered to herself with an expression as if the world were collapsing.

“...Damn Freud, you’re lying.”

The next day, after a sleepless night, Seoyeon arrived at work.

In the basement storage room on the second floor.

Seoyeon and Jinhyeok’s breath echoed in the tightly enclosed space. The air was thick with their desperate pleas.

“Ahh... Jinhyeok, just a little longer. Just hang in there.”

Seoyeon, with furrowed brows, gazed at him with pleading eyes,

“I can’t anymore... Assistant Manager Han... huff”

Jinhyeok, flushed and out of breath, called her name. The beads of sweat dripping from his flawless forehead splashed onto the sharp line of his jaw before falling to the floor. His loosened tie seemed to reflect the heat he was radiating.

The security guard, awkwardly watching their behavior, cleared his throat. Seoyeon, turning to him, made a desperate plea.

“Could you help us out just a little? Our new employee is about to break his back. He has such a bright future ahead.”

At the mention of breaking his back, the security guard snapped to attention.

He rushed over and helped lift the large metal filing cabinet that Jinhyeok had been holding. Seoyeon quickly grabbed a pile of documents from beneath it.

“JB Company Office Lease Agreement.”

She glared at the documents with such intensity it seemed like flames would burst from her eyes.

How could such an important document be treated so carelessly? She wanted to track down the culprit and have them write a statement of apology.

But Seoyeon calmed herself, reminding herself that “as long as the work is done quickly and accurately, that’s all that matters.” She carefully packed the documents into her bag.

While Seoyeon relaxed a bit, Jinhyeok bowed deeply to the security guard in thanks.

“Sir, I really appreciate it.”

The security guard felt a wave of satisfaction. Seeing Jinhyeok made him think of his son, who had been sent to the military, and he struck up a conversation with unnecessary compliments.

“You’re a strong young man, heh heh. Even if three security guards rushed at you, you wouldn’t have budged. How did you plan on lifting that heavy thing by yourself? Did someone make you do it?”

After noticing the sweat-soaked shirt on Jinhyeok, the security guard glanced at Seoyeon.

From the way they addressed each other, it seemed there was a noticeable difference in their ranks. The security guard’s gaze sharpened as he wondered if this was an example of “workplace harassment.”

Among Seoyeon’s many strengths at work, her “intuition” and “situational awareness” were unmatched. A chill ran down her spine as she sensed the rising tension.

The security guard was in charge of so many cleaning ladies! The cleaning ladies all adored Shin Jinhyeok, calling him a “polite and handsome young man”!

Seoyeon, feeling wronged, waved her hands in denial and hurriedly tried to explain herself.

“No, no, whatever you’re thinking, I know exactly what you’re thinking, but no, it’s not like that.”

“Tsk tsk, back in my day, we helped each other out at work. We never would have imagined dumping everything onto one person.”

The security guard didn’t seem willing to believe her.

Seoyeon, feeling the pressure, looked over at Jinhyeok as if asking him to say something, but he just laughed playfully and watched the scene unfold.

Despite his handsome appearance, Jinhyeok was easygoing, and for some reason, he genuinely enjoyed teasing Seoyeon.

Seoyeon didn’t want to risk further misunderstanding, so she flashed a bright smile, a practiced grin from a true believer in capitalism.

“Thank you for helping. You’ve worked hard—would you like a refreshing drink? I’ll buy it for you. What do you like?”

Jinhyeok, watching her quick change of approach, barely suppressed the smile that wanted to burst out.

Seoyeon was beautiful from afar, but up close, she was even more stunning. When she sweetly asked the question, the security guard, feeling a little embarrassed, looked away.

Well, that didn’t mean he was refusing to drink something.

“I heard the new coffee shop on the first floor is pretty popular. What’s it called... Café Le Amant? Maybe you should check it out.”

...What? Did he just say he would go with her? That wasn’t part of the deal!

Seoyeon’s mood sank like dust settling to the floor of the storage room.

Jinhyeok, noticing the shadow that fell over her face, tightened his loosened tie, though Seoyeon didn’t realize the meaningful gleam in his eyes.

A short time later.

With the proud new employee and the stern security guard in tow, Seoyeon opened the door to Café Le Amant.

It was 3 PM, and the café was quiet.

Seoyeon imagined her ex-boyfriend, Shin Jinhyeok, unable to pay the high rent and having to close the café. A satisfied smile spread across her face.

Yeah, this is what happens when you rely on looks for business!

This is what you get in the self-employed world. You should compete with taste and service, not just looks. The world’s not that easy, Shin Jinhyeok.

Her satisfying thought was shattered by the security guard’s laid-back voice.

“Finally, it’s less crowded. You wouldn’t believe how long the line was outside the building at lunch today. The turnover rate is incredible.”

As he looked around the store, the security guard added, “I’ll have a sweet latte, miss,” in an annoying tone.

Seoyeon glanced at the counter. Disappointingly, even after ten years, her handsome ex-boyfriend was still there taking orders.

An awkward reunion with an old lover took place in the most unexpected of places.

Seoyeon’s lips lost their color, turning pale as if bleached. Without realizing it, she recalled the lewd nightmare from the night before and Freud’s theories.