Chapter 113
The morning air was fresh, as if the overnight rain had cleared away the dust. Si-yul took a deep breath and resumed his steps. His stride was much lighter than usual.
Many unfamiliar flowers had bloomed along the way. White dandelions sprouted between the cracks in the sidewalk, and in the distant mountains, forsythias dotted the landscape with yellow. Some precocious cherry blossoms had fully opened their five petals, despite it not being the proper time for blooming. It was a spring scenery he hadn’t noticed before.
Passersby’s clothing had also become much lighter. Due to the fickle weather, winter and spring clothes were mixed, but most people wore coats or thin cardigans. Si-yul had put away his long padded jacket that reached his calves deep in the closet and pulled out a thick but sufficient top. It was his favorite lavender hoodie.
Pressing his still damp hair under the hood, he hurried across the crosswalk. Turning the corner after entering an alley, he arrived at the cafe where he worked. The yellow sign read “Spring Day.” Due to its location, it didn’t get as many customers as cafes on the main street, but the owner’s skill in making desserts brought in a steady stream of delivery orders.
Si-yul was in charge of opening. As he placed chairs on tables, swept and mopped the floor, filled empty containers with coffee beans, and diligently wiped the showcase glass until it was smooth, the regular customer who always came at the same time would be lurking near the store.
“Can I come in now?”
It was the owner of the clothing store two doors down. Every time she saw Si-yul, she would give him snacks like rice cakes or cookies, saying he reminded her of her son working far away. Si-yul greeted her with a bright smile, “Welcome!”
“One warm latte, right? With low-fat milk.”
“Yes. Ah, you don’t even need to tell me anymore. This is why I can’t go anywhere else.”
“Please give me your coupon. I’ll stamp it for you.”
Si-yul stamped the coupon the owner handed over and reached for the milk. But today, her gaze following him seemed particularly persistent. Wondering if something was on his face, Si-yul awkwardly rubbed his cheek. The owner craned her neck, examining Si-yul from head to toe before speaking.
“Student, did something good happen today? You look radiant.”
“Ah, it’s just the nice weather. I noticed a lot of flowers blooming.”
“Is that so? I thought you might have a date today. You used to look so gloomy when you came here.”
“Did I?”
“Yes. I wondered what the owner here saw in you when they hired you. You looked like you might cry even when you smiled. But today, I don’t see any of that. You’re so bright. That’s why I asked. I thought maybe you got a girlfriend.”
The owner, comfortably seated as if in her own home, cackled. Si-yul smiled back as he handed over the finished latte. Having some time to spare, the owner didn’t leave immediately. She sat in the chair, sipping her latte while busily scrolling through her phone screen. After skimming through the news, she sighed repeatedly, sounding like boos.
“It’s such a mess these days. An old man behaving so disgracefully.”
“Why, what happened?”
“Haven’t you seen the news, student? It’s all they talk about when you turn on the TV these days.”
Si-yul rarely watched TV, and he didn’t do much on his phone besides games and texting, so he was unaware of current events. When Si-yul tilted his head in confusion, the owner leaned forward as if ready to gossip in earnest. Carefully checking her surroundings as if worried someone might overhear, she whispered to Si-yul.
“It’s about the video. I didn’t watch it because I wanted to, but you know, Young-i’s mom sent it to me… They gathered at a villa, all naked, doing that thing. You could see everyone’s faces.”
The owner waved her hand in front of her nose, frowning in disgust. Just hearing about it, Si-yul could imagine what they were doing in the video. He made the same expression as the owner and nodded in agreement, saying “Ugh.”
“I had no idea. Who did it? Celebrities?”
“No, it’s that… What was his name? I can’t remember.”
The owner scratched her head and tapped on her phone. With an “Ah,” she showed the screen to Si-yul. As Si-yul quietly looked down at the photo, his eyes suddenly widened.
“Right, this person. His name was Woo Jung-ryeol! Tsk, he was talking about being a party representative, but how can such a rotten person be a representative! They should strip him of his position as a member of parliament, absolutely.”
“This person…”
She said there were others and tried to show them, but Si-yul couldn’t focus on anyone besides the first person he saw. Unlike the cold, piercing eyes that had looked down on him then, as if a needle wouldn’t penetrate, the profile picture showed a rather gentle smile.
The person who had taken him to the mansion, beaten him, and made terrifying threats. He had been called Chairman, making Si-yul think he ran some kind of company, but it turned out he was a member of parliament with a gold badge.
“Anyway, you have to know that politicians are different on the inside from what they show on the outside. Ugh, disgusting.”
The owner put away her phone, shuddering. Si-yul laughed heartily, “Haha.” He had only heard the idiom “karma” but never thought it would actually come true. However, seeing this, it seemed the ways of the world weren’t so crooked after all.
The cafe work was busy only during opening time, but afterwards it was quiet. After dusting every corner and watering the plants, there was nothing left to do. Out of habit, he reached for his phone and saw that Kwon Yuwon had sent a message while he wasn’t looking.
Kwon Yuwon had returned recently. How long had Si-yul waited desperately for his return? Si-yul had hugged Kwon Yuwon and cried loudly.
But instead of staying put after returning, Kwon Yuwon would go out every night as if he had secretly hidden a honeypot somewhere. There were times when he came home close to morning, past dawn.
Worried that he might be involved in dangerous activities again, Si-yul asked, but Yuwon said it wasn’t like that. Even when pressed, he would just brush it off, so eventually Si-yul shook him by the collar and demanded he spill it out.
“Ah, it’s not what you’re worried about! I met someone!”
“Who is it!”
“Park Hae-jung!”
He shouted so loudly that it startled Si-yul. Yuwon’s ears and nape turned pink as he shouted that name.
Si-yul had seen Park Hae-jung before. She was the person who had helped with Yuwon’s work.
“Isn’t that person an alpha?”
“…That’s how it turned out.”
Yuwon seemed very embarrassed, turning his head away as he mumbled. At first, it was shocking. But Si-yul soon nodded. Hadn’t he manifested as an omega and spent time with Woo Hyun-se, keeping it a secret from Kwon Si-yul? When had he ever imagined being with a man, let alone an alpha? Life was unpredictable.
I might be late today
Go to sleep first
In the past, he wouldn’t have understood, but now he knew what that “might be late” implied. He thought about telling Yuwon to just stay over and sleep comfortably if he was going to come home at dawn, but he knew Yuwon would call and insist that wasn’t the case, so he just sent two “okay” responses.
Si-yul absent-mindedly scrolled through his message inbox. Then, feeling as if he was desperately waiting for something, he quickly put the phone down on the table.
“…”
For a moment, he lowered his head and cupped the back of his neck with his palm. Just thinking about it made his skin feel hot. His cheeks and ears must have turned bright red. He could tell without looking in a mirror.
Now he admitted it. Even at the moment he stormed out of Woo Hyun-se’s house, and afterwards, his feelings hadn’t changed one bit. They remained the same. Enough that his sorrow could melt away at that one sentence about realizing love too late. If it was true that the one who loves more loses, Si-yul could never win against Woo Hyun-se.
The bell on the door jingled. Si-yul quickly raised his head to greet the new customer. A smile like an early-blooming cherry blossom spread across his face. His voice was full of energy as he greeted, “Welcome!”
At first, he was awkward when brewing coffee, but as time passed, he could make it quickly and deliciously. It was fascinating how the taste changed depending on the roasting, and how the beans’ unique characteristics emerged based on their origin and soil. Occasionally, when a customer complimented the coffee’s taste, his shoulders would perk up with pride.
It wouldn’t be bad to learn more seriously. For the first time, he who had been living day by day without a plan, found something he wanted to do. It wasn’t just about making money. He wanted to learn systematically and make coffee with a deeper aroma and better taste. …And he also wanted to let someone taste it.
