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Chapter 5
Do-hyun led the way, knowing exactly where to go, while Yoon-ah followed quietly behind.
“I heard you run a café. Guess you know which ice creams taste the best.”
“What I stock comes in bulk, so… I’m not too familiar with convenience store ones.”
She had never once mentioned the café. How did he know? The thought was unsettling, but Yoon-ah forced a polite smile and answered kindly. Being suspicious too quickly only caused trouble—and she was exhausted from a life of constant suspicion.
March on campus was chaos. Do-hyun pushed through the crowd, taking her down a quieter alley to a small convenience store. Inside, shelves were crammed full, but there were hardly any customers. He bent down by the freezer chest, eyes curling with a sly smile as he looked up at her.
“What do you want, noona? I’ll buy.”
“…Maybe I should’ve checked how many people were at the table. I don’t know how many to get.”
Yoon-ah took a small step back. For some reason, he burst out laughing.
“Hahaha. Why would I buy for the others? Of course it’s just for us. You’re so naïve. I like that about you.”
She almost asked what exactly he liked, but swallowed the words. Instinct told her the mood was sliding somewhere she did not want it to go.
Since she chose nothing, he grabbed two bars himself and paid. The moment they stepped out, Yoon-ah tried to turn back to the restaurant quickly, but his hand stopped her.
“Let’s eat here.”
“…Why?”
“If they see we bought ice cream, they’ll swarm us begging for some. Better finish it outside.”
“…Fine. Then eat quickly.”
His gaze grew stickier by the second, and she turned her eyes away, peeling open her own cone-shaped walnut bar. Sweetness spread across her tongue. She ate faster than usual, hoping to be done soon.
That was when he murmured, watching her too intently.
“You bite into it.”
“…Is that a problem?”
“I prefer sucking. Biting hurts a little, you know?”
Her hand slackened. The ice cream slipped from her fingers to the ground. She understood exactly what he meant. Her voice sharpened.
“I know what you’re implying. You’re crossing the line.”
His smile twisted.
“Don’t like it? You bled your doctor husband dry, so now you’re at college chasing fresh meat?”
“…What did you just say?”
“Eight years older than you and already worn out, but now you act all innocent? Come on, you’ve been around the block. Even a one-year younger guy like me counts as ‘younger,’ right?”
He stepped closer, hand reaching for her jacket pocket—where her phone was.
“Why don’t you just give in, while I’m still being nice—”
He didn’t finish. Nor did he get the phone. Yoon-ah shoved the ice cream bar she’d snatched from his hand straight into his mouth.
He spat it out, face smeared, cursing.
“You crazy—!”
“If you want it so bad, do it alone. Maybe try studying instead.”
She tossed her own half-eaten ice cream in the trash and turned away. But he seized her wrist, yanking her close, rage in his eyes.
“Then why’d you drink every shot I gave you? Why the coy smiles? You wanted it.”
“You’re delusional.”
“What, you think you’re too good for me? Compared to Choi Yeong-won? Word is he’s been drooling over you since the café, chasing after you with homemade lunchboxes.”
The memory made her scoff. She’d only packed an extra meal so she wouldn’t look selfish.
“What’s wrong, hungry? Want a lunchbox too? How do you even know about that? Stalker much?”
“You bitch, wagging your tail first and now acting—!”
His hand rose, ready to strike. But another voice cut in.
“Plenty of lunchboxes inside the store. Want me to buy you one?”
Both heads snapped around. Yeong-won stood there. Yoon-ah’s eyes widened—he wasn’t supposed to be here.
Do-hyun’s grip slackened. He gave a mocking chuckle and swaggered forward.
“So you two are screwing around. Was it good?”
“Pretty bold words for a man who keeps failing the bar exam.”
“…”
“Or is that why you’re still hanging around here, while all the others passed and moved on?”
“You son of a—”
Do-hyun lunged, seizing Yeong-won by the collar. They were about the same height. Tension snapped taut until two more voices intervened.
“Stop it already!”
“Whoa, easy there, hyung!”
Yoon-ah clung to Yeong-won’s arm, while Ki-tae—appearing from nowhere—dragged Do-hyun back with surprising force. Splitting the four of them apart, he hissed in Do-hyun’s ear.
“There’s a patrol car in the next street. You really want an assault charge? A lawyer with a record won’t get far.”
Do-hyun spat venom.
“Cross me again, Choi Yeong-won, and you’re dead.”
With that empty threat, he stormed off. Ki-tae sighed heavily once the danger was gone.
“Damn, I just took one wrong turn and by the time I got here—”
His words trailed off. Yoon-ah’s face was ghost-white, trembling as she clutched Yeong-won’s shirt. She looked like a corpse, and she wouldn’t let go.
Ki-tae understood. Whatever his role, the person who should take her home was not Kim Ki-tae. It was Yeong-won. So he patted Yeong-won’s arm, voice oddly gentle.
“Take care of our boss for me.”
He walked away, leaving the two of them alone beneath the convenience store’s fluorescent light.
Yoon-ah stared down at the melted ice cream spilled on the asphalt. Her lips trembled as she whispered.
“…I’m sorry, Yeong-won.”
“Why would you apologize?”
“I just… I didn’t want to ruin the mood for everyone else. But how did you know where to find me?”
“I went to the freshman party. Heard from a classmate that you left with Im Do-hyun.”
“…Ah.”
Only then did her fingers release his shirt, wrinkled from her tight grip. Yeong-won noticed her guilty glance at the fabric. Without a word, he stripped the shirt off and tossed it aside—better that than have her fuss about washing it.
“You spoke up well enough back there.”
“…You saw? He started it first. He said things about you—”
Her words cut off. She suddenly crumpled out of his sight. Relief and alcohol hit her all at once. She’d been dizzy even before leaving the party, but sheer will had kept her upright. Now, finally, it failed.
“…Drunk out of your mind.”
Yeong-won chuckled softly, looking down at her crouched form. Curled up small, pale face buried in her knees, she looked like a pebble. Oddly adorable. He draped his shirt over her shoulders and flagged down a taxi. Within minutes, both were gone.
Only then did someone else step out of the convenience store, having watched everything unfold.
“Heh… that’s the spirit. A true daughter of Chungnam.”
A girl grinned, scooped up a trinket keychain shaped like ginseng from the ground, and slipped it into her pocket.
