TAF Ch 26

With a gaze subtly filled with surprise and anticipation, Yeonwoo looked at him. But Chahyun, upon seeing Yeonwoo in the company building’s cafe, instead lit up with interest.

“You actually work here?”

He doesn’t remember. Yeonwoo’s shoulders slumped with disappointment and swallowed a sigh. Of course, if Chahyun had recognized him, he would have apologized for yesterday or, seeing Yeonwoo’s condition, asked what happened.

“What can I get for you?”

Yeonwoo asked professionally.

“It’s strange. Why would I set you up with a cafe? If I was going to do something for you, I would have set up a proper business.”

“What would you like to drink?”

“Maybe because you were just someone I played around with, I just threw you something to get rid of you?”

“Aren’t you going to order?”

Yeonwoo ignored Chahyun’s words and asked for his order again. Only then did Chahyun glance at the menu.

“What did I used to order here?”

“Iced Americano.”

“Give me that.”

After paying, Chahyun turned away. Yeonwoo, who had been glancing at him, suddenly widened his eyes.

He went and sat at the same spot he always used to sit, almost like it was reserved for him. Even his seemingly rebellious posture was the same as before.

Yeonwoo suddenly recalled what Sanggyun had said at the clinic yesterday.

‘Just because someone loses their memory doesn’t mean they change as a person. They just lost their memory about that part. If they’re placed in the same environment, they’ll eventually think similarly to how they did before.’

At the time, Yeonwoo was too despairing to pay attention, but now he wondered if his words were true. Chahyun, despite his memory loss, came at a similar time and sat in the same spot.

…But what did it matter? Baek Chahyun and he had broken up. Even if Yeonwoo felt lingering affection and sadness for the amnesiac Chahyun, the fact that Chahyun had abandoned him and chosen to marry someone else remained unchanged.

He had made that decision even when he cherished Yeonwoo, so there’s no way the current Chahyun, who treats Yeonwoo like a gold digger, would make a different decision.

So, ultimately, it was a relationship that couldn’t be.

It was a burdensome situation in many ways. Yeonwoo took off his glasses to wipe away the tears that welled up against his will. But the tears had already streamed down his cheeks, leaving them damp.

He briefly removed his mask to wipe his wet face with a tissue when he saw Chahyun abruptly stand up and approach him.

“Hey. What happened to your face?”

Startled by the sudden, threatening approach of a large alpha like Chahyun, Yeonwoo instinctively flinched.

“…Excuse me?”

Chahyun, now standing close to Yeonwoo, spoke forcefully and clearly.

“Which bastard did this?”

Realizing that Chahyun had finally noticed his face, Yeonwoo quickly tried to put his mask back on. Or rather, he tried to.

“What are you doing? Let go of this!”

Chahyun snatched the mask away and forcibly held Yeonwoo’s bruised face, examining it closely.

“Are you going to make me say it twice? Which bastard messed up your face like this?”

Chahyun aggressively questioned Yeonwoo, almost as if he was about to climb over the counter.

Yeonwoo was speechless, sensing the faint smell of cigarettes and the agitated alpha pheromones emanating from Chahyun, who was asking with a serious, hardened expression. His current demeanor was vaguely reminiscent of the old Chahyun. Yeonwoo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“…Your Iced Americano is ready.”

After a long hesitation, the only words Yeonwoo managed to utter were an announcement that the coffee he had just made was ready.

At that, Chahyun reached out and rudely snatched off Yeonwoo’s hat.

“What are you doing…!”

“Hey, you came to work looking like this? Damn it, you should have gone to the hospital first in that condition.”

“It’s fine if I cover it. Give me back my mask.”

“With your face swollen like a pufferfish, you have the nerve to say that…”

Chahyun’s eyebrow arched, as if displeased with Yeonwoo’s response.

Just then, a customer entered the cafe. Realizing that this wasn’t the time to confront Chahyun, Yeonwoo glanced at him and then offered the Iced Americano. He also snatched back his hat and mask from Chahyun’s hand and put them on.

“Your order is ready. I’ll take the next order.”

“Hot Americano with an extra shot.”

The customer cautiously approached, wary of Chahyun who was fuming, and placed his order.

“Would you like to earn points?”

“No, thanks. Oh, make that to-go.”

After that, more customers began to arrive.

While Yeonwoo was busy taking orders and making drinks by himself, Chahyun returned to his usual spot and glared at him.

Yeonwoo felt like he was sitting on pins and needles as he constantly moved around. Every time he felt Chahyun’s gaze, the part of his face bruised by the loan shark throbbed.

Perhaps because it was past office hours, Chahyun’s secretary tried to persuade him to go up to his office, but Chahyun didn’t budge. As a result, the secretary, just like in the past, stood awkwardly by the cafe entrance, at a loss.

“What time do you finish work?”

Chahyun, who had been persistently waiting, approached after the morning rush of office workers subsided. Yeonwoo glanced at him and continued his work.

“8 PM.”

“8 PM? You work long hours, damn it.”

Yeonwoo chewed on the straw of his empty coffee cup and side-eyed Chahyun, who was leaning against the counter.

Judging by his unchanged temper, he didn’t seem to be sick anywhere. That was a relief.

“Sir, you have to go up now. It’s five minutes before the morning meeting.”

The secretary said in an uncertain voice, trying to persuade Chahyun. Chahyun stared at the bruised area around Yeonwoo’s mouth for a long time, then finally gave in to the secretary’s urging and turned to leave.

“What’s with him?”

Yeonwoo muttered as the tension finally eased.

He had originally intended to stay at the cafe until 8 PM closing time, but he received a call from the delivery company he had recently applied to, so he left early. He decided to leave the closing duties to the afternoon part-time workers.

After completing the training provided by the company before officially starting work, it was already late at night.

Checking his phone on the way home, he found it filled with messages.

[Yeonwoo, it’s Han Jungho^^. I’d like to meet again to discuss the dessert supply. When are you free?]

[Boss…my younger sibling was suddenly hospitalized, so could you please adjust my afternoon schedule? ㅠㅜ]

[Dear Hong Yeonwoo, how satisfied were you with the consultation you received regarding our loan products?]

He realized he also needed to decide on a new dessert menu soon, but the realities of life left him no time to think about it.

He managed to reply only to the work-related messages and put his phone back in his pocket. Exhausted from a full day of work, Yeonwoo took a painkiller as soon as he returned to his studio apartment and fell asleep.

✧✧✧

The next day. Despite taking painkillers before bed, he woke up in pain. Moreover, the bruises all over his body had darkened.

After struggling to shower, Yeonwoo called his mother to check on her. Fortunately, it seemed the loan sharks hadn’t gone to his aunt’s place to threaten her again.

“I hope the studio apartment sells quickly.”

A real estate agent was supposed to show the apartment that afternoon, but he didn’t know when the deal would be finalized, which was frustrating.

He hadn’t slept well because he was constantly worrying about how to repay his debt, and his mind was foggy.

The best scenario was to sell the studio apartment, dispose of the cafe, and secure the 200 million won premium. However, it could take months after the contract was finalized to find a new tenant and hand over the shop. The quickest and safest way was for Chahyun, who was registered as the landlord on paper, to acknowledge the premium Yeonwoo had built up and pay it in advance.

But the current Chahyun wouldn’t acknowledge that contribution, so Yeonwoo decided to give up on that option.

With a bitter look, Yeonwoo fiddled with the business card he had received from Chahyun’s mother. He was glad he hadn’t thrown it away. At the time, he was confident he would never contact her, but as they say, you never know what life will throw at you.

‘Since you’re going to break up anyway, wouldn’t it be better to take what you can get? You’re still young, you need to think about your future.’

It wasn’t like he was asking for a handout. He was asking for the premium of a business he had built with his own abilities, so there was justification…

He wasn’t in a strong position against her, but this was the best option for now.

“Are you kidding me? I came here at 8 yesterday and you weren’t here.”

As Yeonwoo swiped his security card to enter the kitchen for the cafe opening, Chahyun appeared out of nowhere.

Startled, Yeonwoo looked up at Chahyun, who was at least a handspan taller than him.