NILWM - 12

Again, she keenly felt how incredibly handsome he was, a feeling that made her chest ache.

Come to think of it, why doesn’t Senior have a girlfriend? It feels like he could meet anyone if he set his mind to it. Is there really any woman who wouldn’t fall for him if he truly made up his mind?

“Ah, sorry. Important call.”

Fortunately or unfortunately, he talked on the phone for a long time on the way to the cafe. He mostly just listened, and the occasional responses he gave were utterly incomprehensible.

“I see. Then what about the Docker & K Container side?”

Docker? Container? Is it related to port shipping?

“Yes, please pay special attention to the financial core side. Bad cases are constantly emerging in the same industry these days.”

Financial core? Is it related to banking?

“Ah, hello, TA.”

“Oh, yes...”

The departmental teaching assistant, walking from the opposite direction, saw the two of them and his eyes widened. Han Ju-hyeok and Min Ye-seo? He looked clearly puzzled but soon seemed to understand.

“Are you two going home together? Well, go on in.”

It seemed he assumed they were coincidentally heading in the same direction, towards the subway station. Han Ju-hyeok, engrossed in his call, merely nodded briefly to him.

As they crossed the main road and headed towards the cafe, Ye-seo was filled with a strange feeling, aware of the continuous gazes. They didn’t encounter anyone else they both knew, like the TA.

But everyone they passed invariably cast a glance at Han Ju-hyeok. It must have been because of his striking height and unparalleled looks, noticeable even from a distance.

“Sorry. It was an important call, so it got a bit long.”

He finally put his phone in his pocket when they reached the cafe and turned to her.

“It’s okay, Senior.”

They found a seat by the window. The new cafe was quite spacious and cozy, but the area where they sat was dimly lit, not bright.

That was a relief. The attention from inside the cafe had been intense enough while they were finding a seat, and if gazes came from outside the window too, her face would feel too hot. Compared to him, she was so ordinary that they wouldn’t look like they were dating, but it was still overwhelming.

“Does this cafe have an app? I’m thinking of ordering and picking up from here.”

“Yes, I have it too. I’ll really pay this time, so just decide on the menu and let me know.”

“I’ll have a flat white.”

“Anything else?”

Since he intentionally came all this way for dessert, she thought he might order at least one cake, no matter how full he was. But Han Ju-hyeok shook his head.

“This is enough. I don’t think I can eat any more.”

“Then... if you see something, order more later.”

Not long after, the app notified her that their order was ready. Ye-seo said she could bring it herself, but the drink tray was already in Han Ju-hyeok’s hands.

The vanilla double she ordered was incredibly sweet with its thick vanilla whipped cream. Perhaps some foam got on her mouth, as Han Ju-hyeok handed her a tissue.

“It’s on your right.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“Not there, a little more to the side.”

“Yes...”

She felt a little embarrassed, as if she was clumsy like a child. As she vigorously wiped her mouth with the tissue, thinking her flushed cheeks wouldn’t be visible under the dim lighting, Han Ju-hyeok chuckled, finding something amusing.

“It’s really strange. When I’m alone with you, my appetite somehow grows...”

He paused briefly before continuing.

“...and your face always seems to turn red.”

“What? Me, me?”

She stammered in embarrassment. The heat on her cheeks now felt as if it had moved to her earlobes.

“Yeah. What should I say... like we’re on a date or something.”

“Huhh?”

“Just kidding.”

He smiled faintly and brought his cup to his lips. Then, perhaps sensing her stiff expression, he adjusted his posture.

“I was really just kidding. I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”

His voice was serious. There was no hint of a smile in his gaze as he checked her expression, genuinely concerned if she was upset.

“Oh, no. I wasn’t uncomfortable.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

The topic soon shifted to the team project. The subtle atmosphere lasted only a moment, and the conversation became lively and flowed smoothly again. Ye-seo felt relieved. Yet, the tension, as if she had been hit in a sensitive spot moments ago, lingered in her chest.

That thrill felt like it would remain there, like a puddle after the rain, no matter how much time passed.

________________________________________

________________________________________

It was quite late. Ye-seo was startled by her mother’s call and quickly checked the time on her phone screen.

-”Ye-seo, you were supposed to come home early today and thoroughly clean the house! What are you doing and where are you, past 10 o’clock?”

“I’m sorry, Mom! I didn’t realize it was so late.”

Her mother tutted and hung up the phone abruptly. Han Ju-hyeok quickly gathered his bag, sensing the situation, and Ye-seo also jumped up. She couldn’t believe they had been sitting in the cafe for over two hours without realizing it was past 10 PM.

As the two headed towards the subway station, he glanced at the taxi stand. Just as he was about to speak, intending to hail a taxi and drop her off midway as he had last time, Ye-seo pointed towards the bus stop. A bus had just pulled up.

“Senior! I’ll take that. It’s the bus that stops right in front of my house.”

“Ah... okay.”

“Thank you for dinner today. See you next time!”

Ye-seo didn’t wait for his reply and rushed towards the bus. Ju-hyeok stood there, one hand in his pants pocket, watching her board the bus and sit somewhere in the back. He smiled bitterly only after the bus started moving again and completely disappeared from his sight.

I should have brought up the taxi just one second sooner.

He felt strangely empty. It was like a date had ended, and the person he wanted to spend more time with had left first, leaving him alone.

He turned away from the crowded street. He was standing under the building’s awning, debating whether to go straight home or stop by the office for a bit. Just then, a woman’s voice, who had just arrived at the bus stop, caught his ear.

“That’s right. Han Ju-hyeok and Min Ye-seo were sitting alone together in a cafe.”

Who was that from? She was one of the female students from another department who was in his team project group. Coincidentally, the building’s storefront window went dark, so he wasn’t easily visible from the bus stop.

“I don’t know, they left about 10 minutes ago, but whether they went home separately or somewhere else... Are they secretly a campus couple? No matter how I look at it, the atmosphere... was strange. I’m telling you!”

She spoke in the typical tone of someone who enjoyed gossip, and now she was even huffing and puffing.

“Wow, if they were secretly a campus couple without anyone knowing... that’s really creepy. Don’t you think? Who? Oh, Min Ye-seo isn’t seeing anyone either. Her face is quite pretty, and her style seems decent, but she’s the type who doesn’t know how to dress up, it’s frustrating. Oh, the bus is coming! I’ll tell you the details at school tomorrow!”

The woman finished her call and frantically ran towards the bus. Ju-hyeok watched the bus’s tail for a long time. His gaze was distinctly different from when he had watched Min Ye-seo’s bus just moments before. A sneer and a sigh escaped his lips simultaneously.

This is going to be a headache.

Tomorrow, the rumors would spread throughout both departments, and indeed, the entire College of Business and Economics. It was obvious that the content would be twisted and distorted in the process. He knew well, from experience, the type of people who instinctively spread malicious rumors, gossip, and factual distortions. Having suffered from all sorts of gossip since elementary school, he was quick to sense such things.

He didn’t care for himself; he was used to it. But he didn’t want Ye-seo’s surroundings to become noisy. More precisely, he disliked the idea of their relationship becoming awkward or uncomfortable due to unnecessary rumors.

________________________________________

________________________________________

The next day, Jo Sae-eun, Lee Dong-hwan, and Song Yu-yeong from another department widened their eyes as they looked at their team project group chat. Han Ju-hyeok had unexpectedly sent a message.

[Sorry for the early message, but is everyone free this evening?]

Ye-seo, who was heading to the library early, also widened her eyes. What’s suddenly happening?

[Since it’s an important project, I thought we could have dinner. My treat. Ye-seo and I happened to run into each other yesterday and ate together already.]

[I’m free! I finish at 4, and I’ll just be studying at the library anyway]

[Oh, Senior. I’m free too.]

Lee Dong-hwan readily replied after Song Yu-yeong. Sae-eun also replied a few minutes later.

[I’m free too, but... does that mean Ye-seo has to miss today? That’s not right, is it?]

[Of course not. Ye-seo, if you’re free, join us again.]

For some reason, she felt relieved. It would be strange if she were excluded just because they had eaten together yesterday. At the same time, she felt an absurd sense of disappointment.

So, eating alone yesterday... really meant nothing special to Senior. He was just taking care of me because we’re in the same group.

[What should I do? I have tutoring today, so it will be difficult. Since you treated me yesterday, please enjoy your time, the four of you!]

She added a brightly smiling emoji, but her expression was somehow bitter. She felt ridiculous herself. She knew it was an absurd feeling, but it was there nonetheless.

Get a grip, Min Ye-seo. Who do you think you are?

Unlike her, who couldn’t write a single word and spent the night tossing and turning, it hadn’t been a special time for him. The moment she realized that, it felt like she had been slapped on the back of the head. Her excited heart cooled abruptly, and something pricked the very center of her heart.