OTC Chapter 9

Her neck felt like it was about to snap.

Cafe Haeda had so many windows, which meant the hot afternoon sun streamed in relentlessly. So, Eunkyo went outside, opened five parasols, and extended the awning on the left terrace.

She wasn’t particularly short, but her neck was stiff from constantly looking up.

The lunchtime rush had mostly subsided, and Kim Haeda had gone out on a rare delivery run himself. Drenched in sweat from setting up the parasols, Eunkyo went back inside the cafe and stood under the air conditioner to cool off.

If it’s this hot already, how hot will it be at the peak of summer?

Moreover, the basement still didn’t have air conditioning. She wasn’t sure if the installation was delayed or had been scheduled late to begin with, but in any case, Lee Jaeheon hadn’t been seen in the studio lately.

It was for the best. As the saying went, out of sight, out of mind. Considering she still occasionally replayed that incident in her head, this was better.

After standing under the air conditioner until her forehead was cool, she took her laptop from the counter and sat down at a nearby table.

Over the past few days, the framework of a synopsis she had been working on had started to take shape. She couldn’t guarantee it would be interesting or fun, but she felt a flutter of excitement for the first time in a while, as she felt she could enjoy writing it.

Besides, now that they’d hired a part-timer, she would have more time to rest and focus on her writing. It was a welcome relief, especially as the cafe work, which she had initially taken lightly, had become her main job and was starting to wear her down.

She was humming along to the soft pop song playing in the cafe and scrolling through her document when the cafe door opened, and a group of customers barged in.

“Welcome.”

She closed her laptop and hurried behind the counter. The middle-aged man at the front of the group scowled and shouted,

“This is the kind of place only kids come to! Hey, play something different! Don’t you have anything upbeat?”

Oh no, here we go.

Eunkyo forced a smile and looked around for the most sober-looking person in the group. The men flocked to the window seats, pulling out chairs and plopping down.

They hadn’t even ordered anything yet, and the smell of alcohol already wafted from them.

Haa… 

Eunkyo sighed and grabbed the paper menus she kept on hand for situations like this and approached them.

“Please take a look at the menu and choose. You can order at the counter.”

“What a bother. There aren’t any other customers anyway, so why don’t you take our order, pretty lady?”

The man took out his card from his wallet, his eyes scanning Eunkyo up and down. 

Rude customers come in all ages. 

Yesterday, it had been a group of young students who trashed the place, and today it was these older men, the same age as her father, who were the problem.

“You can order at the counter. My memory isn’t very good. Please and thank you.”

She smiled brightly, bowed, and turned around, only to have the card the man had offered her thrown at the back of her head.

“Hey, there aren’t any other customers! Just come and take our order!”

The card hit the back of her head with a thud and landed on the tile floor. Her good mood plummeted. But it was better to just give in to their unreasonable demands and get them out quickly rather than argue with drunk customers.

As Eunkyo bent down to pick up the card, the largest man chuckled.

“Ooh, I like girls who look innocent like that.”

“Hey, stop it. You’ll get arrested for sexual harassment if you keep doing that.”

“Sexual harassment? Hey, can’t I even speak my mind? If her chest were a little bigger, she could be a celebrity. It’s a compliment, isn’t it?”

“Ah, whatever! Sorry, miss. We’ll have three iced Americanos.”

“Just order two. I’ll just have a sip of his.”

“Then something sweet?”

“You want me to spend 5,000 won¹ on a cup of coffee? Nah, I’m not drinking!” 

Fuck.

She hadn’t cursed in ages. Taking the card to the counter, she processed the payment for two drinks and made the coffee. She deliberately used disposable cups for the two iced Americanos, placed them on a tray along with the card and receipt, and was about to serve them when she noticed one of the men had put his shoe-clad feet on the table.

Appalled, Eunkyo glared at them, gripping the edges of the tray.

If Kim Haeda had been there, none of this would have happened. The characteristics of this type of people was predictable. The frivolousness that couldn’t let a seemingly easy target go. And the vileness of trying to regain their bruised egos by picking on someone weaker. This was one facet of who they were. After behaving that way, they’ll probably go home and put on their mask of a kind and caring father.

Taking a deep breath to suppress her anger, Eunkyo was about to turn around with the tray when the cafe door opened, and an unexpected figure strode in.

Lee Jaeheon, with a large duffel bag slung over his shoulder, dropped it onto the nearest table with a thud before coming to a stop right in front of Eunkyo, who was holding the tray.

When she widened her eyes in surprise, Jaeheon, his face set in a grim expression, suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Wh-What are you…!”

“I’m going to borrow your apron.”

“Excuse me?”

His cheek, which had brushed against hers as he leaned down, moved away. He untied the apron strings at her back, took it off, and tied it around his own neck. Then, with a strangely angry expression, he took the tray from her hands.

Eunkyo stared at him, speechless. Lee Jaeheon approached the men’s table, holding the tray, and nodded his head slightly.

“Please take your feet off the table.”

Although she couldn’t see his expression, annoyance was evident in his deep, resonant voice. Also startled by his sudden appearance, the men exchanged glances.

“Ah, sorry about that. My friend here had a bit too much to drink….”

As one of the men offered a sheepish excuse, Lee Jaeheon set down the coffees and responded with a crooked smile

“Next time, please place your orders at the counter.”

“Ah, yes… Alright. The owner’s friend is young.”

“I’m an employee.”

“Ah… We’ll enjoy the coffee. Sorry for the trouble. Miss, are you angry? Sorry, sorry.”

Lee Jaeheon returned and stood in front of the Eunkyo, who was still stunned.

“I’ll stay with you until those guys leave.”

“Uh, well… I don’t know what’s going on right now.”

“I was coming into the studio, and I saw that asshole throw the card.”

“Ah… So you helped me because of that?”

“I was just… pissed off. Their manners were fucking shitty.” 

His sharp eyebrows furrowed. It was rare to find someone who could curse so casually without it sounding offensive. Noticing Eunkyo staring at him, he glanced down at the apron he was wearing and chuckled.

“Why is this apron so small?”

“You’re big.”

“Aren’t you small, sunbae?”

“I’m not small.”

Without a doubt, it was Lee Jaeheon who was large. Proof of this was the fact that just by standing in front of her, he blocked her entire view, shielding her from those unpleasant faces.

Lee Jaeheon stood in front of her, blocking her from the men, until they hurriedly finished their coffees and left the cafe.

It wasn’t long, just a few minutes. Unable to bear the awkwardness, the men practically fled the cafe, not forgetting to mutter pathetic insults as they went.

Did they say something about him being a young punk with no manners? 

Or that the coffee tasted like shit? 

But Lee Jaeheon’s gaze remained fixed on her.

After the glass door closed and at least thirty seconds had passed, he took off the apron and tied it around her neck.

“I didn’t cause you any trouble, did I?”

“Not at all. Thank you.”

Startled by her own nervousness, she reached behind her to tie the strings, and Lee Jaeheon also reached around her waist to help.

For a moment, their hands—his large and rough, hers small—tangled. Unlike Eunkyo, who froze in surprise, Lee Jaeheon calmly pulled the strings between her fingers, tying a neat little bow.

Why is he doing this?

She couldn’t breathe. Her heart pounded against her ribs, and a shiver, akin to a chill, ran down her spine.

“You shouldn’t be alone in the store.”

“…We hired a part-timer.”

“Ah.”

The image of him masturbating while whispering her name a few nights ago flashed through her mind.

He tightened the knot and straightened up. His gaze lowered towards her, and her head tilted back.

“Thank you.”

“Sunbae.”

“…Yes?”

“Do you have a fever?”

“A fever? No?”

“Then why are you so red?”

He poked her cheek and smiled. Eunkyo unconsciously squeezed her eyes shut.

Stop it, my heart’s going to explode from fluttering so much.

The words that lingered on the tip of her tongue were swallowed down. But they felt like they were stuck in her throat, threatening to rise back up.

“What’s wrong, Jung Eunkyo? Did something happen?”

Kim Haeda had arrived without her noticing. Eunkyo took a couple of steps back, picking up the tray naturally.

“There were some troublesome customers. Did the delivery go well?”

“Yeah, it was fine. But what do you mean, troublesome customers?”

“I don’t even want to talk about it. Just watch the CCTV footage later.”

“What happened?”

“You’ll see. Mr. Lee Jaeheon helped me out. If it wasn’t for him, I might have ended up at the police station today.”

Kim Haeda, looking back and forth between the two of them, opened the laptop behind the counter with furious eyes.

Meanwhile, Eunkyo thanked Jaeheon and cleared the table.

“Well then, I’ll be going. I’ll be in the studio today, but would it be alright if I came by later to borrow a fan, sunbae?”

Wiping the table with a cloth, she nodded as she stacked the chairs.

“Sure. But it must be hot even now.”

“I have some work to do.”

“The air conditioner is supposed to be installed this week.”

Just then, Kim Haeda, after reviewing the recorded footage, jumped up and erupted in a torrent of curses.

He spewed a string of swear words, the kind that would have shocked the professors who used to adore him, and then stormed over and grabbed Eunkyo’s shoulders.

“Did you get hit? He threw a card at you? Why did you even pick it up! You should have thrown it back in his face! Ugh, should I have hired a part-timer based on their physique?”

Covering her ears with her hands, she let out a hollow laugh and shook her head.

“I told you Mr. Lee Jaeheon helped me out. You saw it too.”

“That’s beside the point! Ah, wait here, tenant. I’ll make you some coffee. Take it with you.”

Kim Haeda, unable to calm down, went behind the counter to make coffee, but Lee Jaeheon politely declined.

“I just had some. Then, sunbae, see you later.”

He slung his bag over his shoulder, opened the door, and trudged down the basement stairs. Eunkyo, putting down the tray and cloth, rubbed her throbbing forehead.

“Haeda.”

“Yeah.”

Still frowning, Kim Haeda looked up.

“I think… I need to be set up on a blind date.”

At her sudden remark, Kim Haeda scoffed in disbelief.

“Why a blind date all of a sudden? Are you lonely?”

“No, that’s not it… I just… think it’s a little… dangerous.”

“What’s dangerous?”

“Don’t ask. Will you set me up or not?”

Pouting slightly, Eunkyo forced a light tone. Kim Haeda, after sending a quick text message to someone, frowned.

“Find someone yourself. I don’t have anyone decent enough to introduce you to.”

“Wow, how stingy. Who else do I know with as many connections as you?”

“Are those my connections or yours? Anyway, I don’t have anyone. And I can’t leave you alone anymore. Those asshole customers are becoming a daily nuisance.”

Rolling her eyes, Eunkyo rubbed her reddened ears and turned on the faucet to start washing the dishes.

But the trembling wouldn’t stop, and only after another round of battling the afternoon rush were they finally able to close up the shop.