At the part-timer’s call, I walked up to the counter. The carrier holding five drinks felt fairly heavy in my hands.
Maybe it was because of the time, but the café was pretty quiet. Seeing that, I naturally felt myself relax.
I was about to leave right away, but wondered if there was anything else I should buy, so I set the drink carrier down on a nearby table. Then I pulled my phone out of my pocket and unlocked the screen.
“Is he sulking?”
Beyond the screen I tapped, a rather empty display greeted me. It seemed there hadn’t been any new notifications since Min Siheon texted me to just bring anything.
That guy—he’s surprisingly narrow-minded. It was something I’d only recently realized. Min Siheon seemed to be the jealous type, and also the kind who liked to act spoiled.
To think he’d get pouty just because I worried his condition might worsen.
Well, I hadn’t explained that I left him behind because I was thinking of him, so there was no way he could’ve known.
Let’s just go back for now. Scratching the back of my head awkwardly, I picked up the drink carrier again.
I could soothe his sulking later. For now, it felt more important to deliver the drinks before the ice melted or the steam faded.
I shoved my phone back into my pants pocket and was just about to step out of the café when I noticed someone studying at a table not too far away.
Maybe the library was full and they’d come here instead—there were books scattered messily across the table. No, that wasn’t what mattered right now. What caught my eye wasn’t the person, but the menu item they’d ordered.
On a white plate sat a chocolate-colored brownie, individually wrapped. It clearly looked like something brought in from a factory, but it still looked quite appetizing.
I stared at the bite marks left after a few mouthfuls had been taken, then turned my head toward the menu board posted above the counter.
I’d practically lived at Dream Port because of my exhausting undergrad life, yet today was the first time I realized they sold something like that.
Seeing it, I automatically thought of him. Min Siheon—he likes chocolate quite a bit, doesn’t he?
All the way here, I’d been bothered by the fact that I’d left him behind. I usually just bought coffee, so I’d never gotten him anything special.
Now that I’d found something he’d probably like, my steps came to a halt on their own.
I ran my hand over the bulging pocket that held my card wallet. Just as I was about to leave, I abruptly turned around and scanned the inside of the café.
Standing not far from the counter, I searched the menu board for the brownie.
Maybe my repeatedly trying to leave but not quite doing so had caught their attention. One of the part-timers who’d been watching this way spoke to me.
“Are you looking for something?”
“Huh? Ah, um… could I get one of these?”
Feeling embarrassed, I held out my card to pay.
When I came to my senses, I was standing where I’d left the carrier earlier, holding a brownie in my hand.
I bought it. I licked my lips as I looked at the neat, square dessert about the size of my palm.
Buying it was all well and good, but… To calm my fluttering heart, I wondered how I should give it to him.
If we were alone, I would’ve just crouched down and handed it to him. Unfortunately, there were five drinks I had to deliver.
Even subtracting mine and his, that left three more.
They were for Yoo In-ho, Go Heemin, and Kang Taeyoon.
Kang Taeyoon probably wouldn’t care whether I bought him a brownie or a steak. The other two were the problem.
Yoo In-ho and Go Heemin. They were both good at making my life difficult—in completely different ways.
They’d probably kick up a fuss asking why I was playing favorites. Yoo In-ho had a real talent for stirring up a noisy scene, no matter what he said.
It would probably be half a joke, but we were in the library. Just imagining it already made me uncomfortable.
And it wouldn’t end with that. Next would be Go Heemin, who could pout with sharp, catlike eyes.
I remembered how, after I ended up with Min Siheon, he’d tried to act like he wasn’t bothered, but still had his barbs out. The thought made my hand rise to my temple.
“Ah, my head.”
Why did giving my boyfriend a single brownie have to cause this much suffering? In the end, I decided to pass it to him secretly.
How should I do it? Handing it over under the table seemed doable. The problem was how to get Min Siheon’s attention.
Should I text him to step outside beforehand? Or just keep quiet and slide the brownie over? I ran through various scenarios in my head.
Then I felt an unfamiliar gaze. The male student—the owner of the brownie I’d been staring at earlier—was glancing over at me.
It probably bothered him that a tall guy like me was standing near the counter, frowning and muttering to myself.
I gave him a small nod to apologize. As I did, something in his hand caught my eye.
A ballpoint pen. For someone studying, it was an ordinary item to have.
Seeing that, I became certain I wouldn’t need to say anything out loud.
There was no more reason to hesitate. Holding both the drink carrier and the brownie, I strode over to the male student sitting there.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, but could I borrow a pen and a Post-it note?”
If I couldn’t say it, I could just write it down. With the best smile I could manage, I asked earnestly.
That’s just how dating is.
***
“Alright, delivery’s here.”
“What took you so long? I thought you’d boarded a plane just to buy coffee.”
“I buy it for you and you still complain.”
“Huh? You’re paying? I was about to transfer you the money. Well, that changes things~ Cha Jungwoo, thanks. I’ll enjoy it?”
I set the drink carrier down on the table where they were sitting. To shut Yoo In-ho up first, I handed him his coffee.
“You’re buying mine and Taeyoon’s too?”
“Yeah. So don’t nag me about being late.”
“I feel like we’re freeloading too often.”
“Just take it already.”
I passed drinks to Go Heemin, who tilted his head, and to Kang Taeyoon, whose expression remained calm.
After pulling out a chair and sitting down, I dragged the carrier with the remaining two drinks closer to me. I was conscious of someone who’d been looking at me for a while.
Ever since returning to the library, I’d been busy searching for Min Siheon first. It was too embarrassing to openly dote on him with everyone watching, so I’d forced myself to look composed, only letting my eyes move.
Min Siheon seemed to have a slightly different air about him than before I left for the café. Sure, he was looking at me—but there was a subtle difference from earlier.
…Why isn’t he saying anything? Normally, he would’ve greeted me first as soon as I got back. He just kept his gaze fixed on me, not making any move to speak.
He simply looked at me, his eyelashes fluttering softly. A strange silence stretched between us.
Is he protesting? A silent complaint? I’d expected something like this, but it still felt more embarrassing than I’d imagined.
That feeling lingered even as I took his coffee out of the carrier and handed it to him.
“Here. You said to just bring anything, so I got you a hot Americano. It’s cooled a bit, but it should still be drinkable.”
“…Yeah. Thanks.”
He didn’t need that tiny pause at the front. I wasn’t sure what exactly he was upset about, but since he answered properly, it didn’t seem like he was that mad.
Just slightly pouty? Either way, he had his cute moments.
I took out my own coffee and set the empty carrier neatly near my bag. Only after confirming that everyone was focused on their drinks and work did I move.
I quietly pulled the brownie out of my pocket. I even held my breath so the plastic wouldn’t rustle.
With my right hand, I held a pen and pretended to take notes, lowering my gaze to the floor. I could feel the rough texture of the small paper stuck onto the smooth plastic wrapping.
The back of the hand holding the brownie nudged the side of his thigh.
“……”
Min Siheon, who’d been staring at his notebook with a pen in hand, subtly turned his head in my direction.
Watching his eyelashes flutter with the shift of his gaze, I mouthed at him to hurry up and take it.
Only then did his eyes move past me, dropping lower. After looking at my fist tapping against his thigh, he lowered his right hand and took the brownie.
I gestured with my chin toward the two sitting across from us and toward Yoo In-ho beside us, meaning Don’t let them notice. I wasn’t sure if he fully understood, but he seemed to get the gist.
Min Siheon moved the hand holding the brownie into the space between his body and the table. Then he flipped it over and checked the note attached to the back.
Ugh—I couldn’t keep looking at him after that. The message on the paper had a somewhat ticklish nuance.
It’s only for you. Keep it a secret from the others ♡
…Was the heart too much? Heat rushed to my face. It seemed like this was how other people dated, so I’d tried copying it once.
But maybe it just wasn’t in my nature—I couldn’t get used to it at all.
I should probably stop doing stuff like this.
“What’s up, Cha Jungwoo. Are you hot? Your face is fucking red.”
“Yeah. It’s hot.”
“Is it that bad outside? I already don’t want to go out.”
Yoo In-ho, you tactless bastard. He must’ve sensed something was off the moment he looked at me. No tact, but sharp instincts. He frowned and tilted his head.
To avoid suspicion, I fanned myself repeatedly, saying it was because I’d just come in from outside.
Why is the air conditioning so weak in here? I muttered to myself, and this time Go Heemin and Kang Taeyoon turned to look at me.
“Hm~”
“…What. Do you have something to say?”
Seeing Go Heemin drag out that nasal hum made me feel like something had gone wrong.
“You guys must feel pretty confident about finals, huh? Shouldn’t you be working?”
Feeling guilty, I waved my hand dismissively. Only then did Go Heemin drop his gaze with a dubious look.
That seemed to settle it, so I lowered my head.
But then a hand slid up onto my upper thigh.
“……”
“……”
When I glanced over, Min Siheon was there, propping his chin on his left hand and looking at me. The brownie had been tucked away somewhere else; with his now-empty right hand, he was stroking my thigh.
I blinked, unable to understand what was happening. Seeing my reaction, Min Siheon slowly curled up the corners of his lips. Unlike earlier, when they’d been set in a straight line, he now looked distinctly softer.
My right hand tightened around the pen, and awkwardly, I lifted my left hand onto my thigh, placing it over the back of Min Siheon’s hand.
Through the gaps between our hands, our fingers intertwined.
My heart pounded like it was going to burst.
It felt like all my nerves had gathered in my thigh. He must’ve been determined to make my face explode.
Judging by how hot my ears felt, everything above my neck was probably bright red.
This is seriously insane. I think I finally understand what it means when people say they can’t function normally because of dating.
The version of myself with a mind boiling over like this felt utterly unfamiliar.
