Then, a staff member spoke in a dignified voice at the entrance. The customers then began entering the cafe as if they had been waiting for this.
“It’s a popular cafe, so many people come here. Fortunately, since Chae Seungyeon-ssi hurried with the meal, the customers didn’t have to wait for about an hour.”
“…….”
I had hoped it wasn’t the case, but… Baek Woojin had really rented this entire cafe.
*
While leaving the brunch cafe and riding in Baek Woojin’s car, I was quite nervous. I wondered if this man had prepared something incredible again.
How could he rent that entire cafe…? Wasn’t that unnecessary…? Or maybe he was friends with the cafe owner. My head was full of countless questions, but I was afraid to ask because I didn’t know what kind of answer I’d get.
In the end, I decided to satisfy a different curiosity.
“Um… Woojin-ssi, where are we going…?”
When I asked carefully with a worried heart, Baek Woojin smiled as if to say don’t worry. The location marked on the navigation was definitely near downtown, but I couldn’t figure out what kind of place it was.
“But shouldn’t we call Hyeol first? It’s been an hour.”
“Ah…!”
I quickly took out my phone and called Hyeol. Hyeol, who answered the phone right away, seemed to be doing well at home with Kkotsu. I could hear Kkotsu whining next to him about his doll’s arm falling off, which actually made me feel relieved.
“That’s good, it looks like Hyeol and Kkotsu are playing well.”
After hanging up the phone, I told Baek Woojin about the children’s news as he drove. Then he parked the car in what looked like a parking lot.
“That’s great. Now we can have a good time too.”
“Oh, did we arrive already…? This place is….”
And the moment I looked out the car window, I was startled by the fluttering banner.
<Seoul Dream Baby Fair>
“No way… Woojin-ssi….”
Only then did I realize that the building across from the location marked on the navigation was an event venue. Baek Woojin had deliberately marked a different destination to surprise me.
“Unlike regular exhibitions, there’s also an international early childhood education seminar. It seemed like a good opportunity for Chae Seungyeon-ssi, so I suggested we come together. The reason I didn’t tell you in advance….”
“……?”
“I just wanted to do that.”
Saying that, Baek Woojin handed me a Baby Fair pamphlet. As he said, there was also an early childhood education seminar with famous foreign professors participating.
I felt surprisingly nostalgic. When I was in the real world, I used to go to Baby Fairs and children’s exhibitions whenever I had time, even if not regularly. My college classmates attended reluctantly because of assignments given by professors, but I was particularly interested… I enjoyed it every time I went.
“Thank you, Woojin-ssi….”
So I couldn’t help but be moved by Baek Woojin who thought of me and brought me all the way here.
“I knew you’d like it.”
Baek Woojin had a satisfied expression at my reaction.
“I’m also grateful that I can come to a place like this thanks to Chae Seungyeon-ssi.”
Baek Woojin spoke with real sincerity. Now I can tell just from his tone. Even though his usual behavior and conversations with the child might not seem like it, he really cares a lot about Kkotsu….
So watching Baek Woojin, I also learned a lot.
“Well then, shall we go in?”
After parking the car in the parking lot, we headed straight to the event venue entrance. Inside the first-floor building with large windows, it was already bustling with many people. The atmosphere was completely different from the quiet brunch cafe, but it was lively and I felt excited too.
“Wait a moment…!”
It was when we two had just passed the entrance door. One of the staff checking tickets shouted loudly.
“You two over there! You’re newlyweds, right…!”
“Huh…?”
Why would they call two men newlyweds? Then I realized. Right, this is a different world….
“No, we’re….”
“Do we look like it?”
It was just as I was about to tell the staff that wasn’t the case. Baek Woojin stood tall in front of me and spoke. Since a big man suddenly approached, the staff was startled and flustered, then clapped loudly.
“Ah… you are newlyweds! Oh my, you two really make such a good-looking couple!”
The staff delivered an overly commercial line, then brought a sticker from a table set up at the entrance.
“We’re having an event right now? For engaged couples, newlyweds, and mother-son-in-law relationships, we’re putting these stickers on the back of your hands. If you show this sticker at the sales booths, you can purchase items at discounted prices! Since you’re newlyweds, I’ll put on the red one. You absolutely must not remove it. Have a great time…!”
The staff quickly explained while putting red smiley stickers on both Baek Woojin’s and my hands.
Newlyweds…? Discounted prices…?
I scanned the sales booths inside the event venue with my eyes. Just as the staff said, there were banners saying couples and mother-son-in-law relationships could purchase at discounted prices.
50% discount…?
Moreover, it was a complete half-price sale. I thought if I did well, I might be able to buy books for Hyeol cheaply from among those, so it seemed fine even if we looked like fake newlyweds.
“Um…. Woojin-ssi, shall we just go in like this…?”
I casually linked arms with him and started walking so Baek Woojin couldn’t say otherwise. Baek Woojin also seemed to have things to buy for Kkotsu, as he gladly walked in arm-in-arm with me.
*
“It was really a good lecture.”
“Yes, he spoke in a way that wasn’t boring. He had wit too.”
The early childhood education seminar was really beneficial time. The interpreter who provided translation also explained well, and the prepared materials were substantial, so even though it was quite a long time, I could enjoy listening.
“I’ll go make a phone call for a moment.”
Then, Baek Woojin said to me while holding his phone. Perhaps because he was so capable, he was always busy even on weekends.
“Oh, yes. I’ll be looking around over there.”
“Don’t go too far.”
“Yes, yes.”
At my answer, Baek Woojin hesitated a bit before walking away.
Come to think of it, I’ve never been to the hospital Baek Woojin runs….
Well… unless I visited for personal reasons, it seemed like there wouldn’t be a chance in the future either. But on the other hand, I was curious about how Baek Woojin worked.
How he would talk with patients too….
Thinking such thoughts, I headed toward the picture book sales booth I’d been eyeing earlier.
Inside, it was even more crowded with people than before. Popular picture books were selling like hotcakes, and I passed them to go deeper inside. Hyeol preferred something different from picture books with pretty covers and lots of pictures.
“Maybe something elementary school students would read would be good….”
Since Hyeol read much more and at a higher level than other kids his age, I was trying to find books at an elementary school lower-grade level.
“Huh? What’s this?”
And before long, I discovered a book that caught my eye.
“The spine looks nice…. Is it a series?”
At the very bottom of the bookshelf was a series of thick hardcover books. It was a series bundled together like fantasy novels, and it was a new product wrapped in plastic that had never been opened.
“Sir, are you planning to buy that?”
Then a staff member recognized me and approached.
“That’s a limited edition, so there’s only one of that series.”
“Only one?”
“Yes, yes. If you don’t buy it now, we’ll remove all our items tomorrow, so it’ll be hard to find elsewhere.”
“Ah…. Could I possibly look through the book?”
“No way, it’s a limited edition. If we open it and you don’t buy it, it won’t sell again.”
“…….”
Since this wasn’t a typical bookstore, it was natural that there were no samples, but I hesitated to buy a book without being able to flip through it. Moreover, I didn’t know whether Hyeol would like this kind of book or not. I was worried that I might end up buying it only for it to be used as a pot coaster.
Or maybe I should ask Baek Woojin when he comes…
That’s what I was pondering alone for a while. Suddenly, the surroundings became noisy with murmuring.
“Oh my, what kind of troublemaker is that? Sir, just a moment.”
“……?”
The staff member left me and quickly went outside the sales booth. The other people did the same. Leaving the customers behind, they all went outside toward where the commotion was. I followed behind them and saw it.
“Uh…”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
