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chapter 05
Do-hyun led the way, knowing the route, and Yoona followed behind.
“You run a café, right? You must know which ice cream is good,” she said.
“I usually get them in bulk for the café… so I’m not too familiar with convenience store brands,” he replied.
Yoona wondered how he knew she ran a café—she had never mentioned it. It was strange, but she answered politely with a warm smile. Overthinking someone’s intentions would only create trouble, and she was already tired of constantly doubting people.
The university campus in March was chaotic. Do-hyun guided Yoona through the crowded streets to a relatively quiet alley where a small convenience store stood.
Inside, the shelves were fully stocked, but there weren’t many customers. Do-hyun scanned the ice cream freezer, then bent slightly toward Yoona with a sly smile.
“What would you like, noona? I’ll buy it,” he said.
“…Maybe I should’ve checked how many people there are. I don’t know how much to buy,” Yoona replied, stepping back slightly. Do-hyun burst out laughing.
“Hahaha. Why would I buy for anyone else? Of course, we’re just getting ours. You’re so innocent. That’s kind of nice.”
“…Nice…?”
Yoona closed her mouth before asking what he meant. She instinctively sensed the mood was shifting in a direction she didn’t want.
While Yoona stared into the freezer without choosing anything, Do-hyun grabbed two bar-shaped ice creams and paid for them.
As soon as they stepped out of the store, Yoona tried to hurry back toward the bar, but he stopped her.
“Let’s eat it here.”
“…Why?”
“If people see that only we bought ice cream, they’ll swarm over and ask us for some too.”
“…Then you go ahead,” she said, turning her gaze away from Do-hyun’s increasingly sticky stare and quickly unwrapped her ice cream. It was a cylindrical walnut-flavored ice cream. She took a bite, and a sweet flavor spread in her mouth.
As she ate quickly, Do-hyun, still subtly watching her, spoke.
“You bite it.”
“…Is that a problem?”
“I prefer sucking it. Biting hurts a bit.”
“….”
Yoona understood exactly what he meant and dropped her ice cream. Sharp words followed immediately.
“I know what you mean, but you’re crossing the line.”
“Don’t like it? You probably drained your ex-husband, the doctor, and now that young guys look good, you divorced and came to college, didn’t you?”
“…What did you say?”
“You’ve already experienced enough with someone eight years older, so why pretend to be so innocent? Even someone a year younger is still younger.”
Do-hyun stepped closer. His hand moved toward Yoona’s jacket pocket, where her phone was.
“Just take it when I offer—”
His words didn’t continue. Yoona snatched the ice cream he was holding and shoved it into his mouth.
Spitting it out, Do-hyun wiped the ice cream off his face, frowning fiercely.
“What the… chew…”
“Do it yourself if you want to. Stop studying, too.”
Yoona threw her ice cream into the trash and turned her back, but Do-hyun grabbed her wrist, pulling her close with a furious growl.
“Then why did you drink every sip I gave and smile at me so sweetly? You just acted obedient because you wanted it too.”
“Delusions have limits.”
“What? Compared to Choi Young-won, I’m too small fry? That guy was desperate to make a move since he started working at your café. He even brought you lunch.”
That lunch was something Yoona had packed for herself and Young-won, feeling awkward not to include his portion. She let out a bitter laugh.
“Are you hungry? Want the lunch? How did you even know I packed it? Are you stalking me?”
“…You started flirting first, crazy woman…!”
Do-hyun, unable to contain his anger at Yoona’s clear, bold gaze, raised his other hand, when a voice suddenly called out.
“There are plenty of lunch boxes at the convenience store. Want me to buy some?”
Both Do-hyun and Yoona turned their heads. There stood Young-won. Yoona’s eyes widened. She thought he wouldn’t come.
Do-hyun’s grip on her wrist loosened. Smirking, he swaggered toward Young-won.
“Looks like you two really stuck together. Happy now?”
“For someone going to law school, that’s quite a bold remark.”
“….”
“Oh, is that why you can’t graduate and are still taking the exam until all the other seniors pass?”
“Ha, damn… double trouble… what nonsense.”
“The nonsense started with the senior, I think,” Young-won replied.
“…You bastard…!”
Do-hyun, similar in height to Young-won, grabbed his collar, and the two of them lunged at each other shouting.
“Stop it!”
“Aigo, sir! You’re quite drunk!”
Yoona and someone named Gi-tae, who appeared from somewhere, tried to stop the fight.
Slim Gi-tae used all his strength to pull Do-hyun away from Young-won. Yoona held onto Young-won’s arm.
Once the four of them were separated into two groups, Gi-tae pushed Do-hyun further back.
“There’s a patrol car in the alley ahead. Let’s stop. Don’t want your lawyer leaving a useless record.”
“…Damn. If I get caught, you’re dead, Choi Young-won.”
Do-hyun left with his empty threat. Gi-tae exhaled a deep sigh of relief, making sure Do-hyun had gone before turning around.
“Just went down the wrong street, got delayed a bit, and then…”
He didn’t finish because Yoona, still holding onto Young-won’s shirt, looked shockingly pale. Already fair-skinned, she now looked like a corpse, trembling.
Gi-tae had driven his mother’s car secretly that morning. His knightly duty was to safely escort the beautiful boss home after giving too much information to the wrong person.
Even though he had taken a wrong turn and ended up stuck on a congested city highway, enduring Young-won’s silent anger was exhausting.
Still, Gi-tae knew the person who needed to protect the terrified Yoona was Young-won, not him. In a wet, gentle voice, Young-won said:
“Take good care of our boss…”
Gi-tae finally left. Only Yoona and Young-won remained in front of the convenience store. Yoona looked at the melted ice cream on the asphalt and, still trembling, spoke.
“…I’m sorry… Young-won…”
“…Why are you apologizing, boss?”
“I just… didn’t want to ruin the mood… But how did you know I was here?”
“I went to the new student meeting and heard from a classmate. You went out with Im Do-hyun.”
“…Ah.”
Yoona finally let go of Young-won’s shirt, which had become wrinkled from her grip. Noticing her glance, Young-won removed his shirt he had been using as a light layer.
“You handled yourself well,” he said.
“…I see… That guy started the fight first… at Young-won…”
Yoona suddenly disappeared from view, finally letting go of her tension, now a little tipsy. Her head had been spinning even before Do-hyun suggested leaving together, but she had held it together.
“…Completely drunk, huh.”
Looking down at Yoona crouched on the street, Young-won chuckled. She looked small and pebble-like, curling up in her tiny, thin body.
Covering Yoona with his shirt, Young-won hailed a passing taxi. Soon, they both disappeared.
Only then did someone watching them from inside the convenience store step out.
“Hmm… only someone like that could be a true daughter of Chungnam…”
The girl smiled slyly, picking up a ginseng-shaped keyring from the ground and putting it in her pocket.
