“I guess I arrived first.”
It felt worth it to leave the house leisurely on purpose.
Being the first to arrive at the meeting place would give the impression of being more diligent. Everything was going according to Kim Jae-jun’s plan.
After checking the messages in the group chat with Kayak and two editor candidates, Kim Jae-jun put his phone back in his pocket.
As he walked a bit further, the view of the cafe, his destination, slowly came into sight.
Kim Jae-jun checked his reflection in the glass of a nearby building, making sure there was nothing odd about his appearance.
“Hair looks good, and no wrinkles in my clothes…”
For now, his appearance passed. The poor, aimless uncle wandering around the neighborhood was nowhere to be seen; just a neat young man stood before him.
“Should I order something?”
As the first arrival, he thought about ordering drinks and desserts in advance.
After all, isn’t it said that some suitable finger foods help ease the tension of a gathering?
And while he didn’t know much about women’s hearts, he had overheard that they liked sweet foods.
He felt confident that just laying out a bit of dessert would earn him some points with Kayak, since she was, at least for now, just a woman before being an interviewer.
“Should I ask what kind of dessert she likes? No, that would be too obvious. It feels like I’m hinting at ordering in advance.”
If he ordered something and it didn’t suit her taste, that would be a real hassle. Kim Jae-jun paced for a moment, deep in thought.
Just as he was considering whether to message Kayak to ask about her preferences before entering the cafe…
%-#$%-!
He heard a loud commotion coming from somewhere. A man’s voice had risen in pitch.
Curious about the shouting that sounded like a dispute, Kim Jae-jun turned his head.
“Hey, who are you meeting with? You’re lying; you don’t have any plans right now!”
Standing there was a rather good-looking guy, whom Kim Jae-jun would describe as the typical gigolo style.
“Why is he being so loud…”
Whenever he saw a handsome man, Kim Jae-jun had a habit of frowning, and his face briefly twisted in disapproval before slowly relaxing into a slightly surprised expression.
The beautiful woman standing in front of the man was someone he recognized.
With her expressionless face, he could read the emotions behind it; she seemed annoyed and wished the man in front of her would leave quickly.
Her demeanor was a complete contrast to when she spoke with his niece, and Kim Jae-jun pondered for a moment.
“Should I help?”
His hesitation didn’t last long. There was no tight schedule, and spending a moment helping before the interview was definitely doable.
*
“Thank you, Uncle Si Hyun.”
The clingy man, taken aback by the sudden appearance of Si Hyun’s uncle, quickly blurted out asking if she had a boyfriend and fled.
The man who had been clinging suddenly spotted Si Hyun’s uncle and took off after muttering something about having a boyfriend.
Considering his tenacity, his exit was somewhat anticlimactic, but it was understandable.
“What do you mean? It’s not that hard.”
His hands, as big as pot lids, fidgeted awkwardly at the back of his head after receiving thanks.
His arms, nearly the size of my thighs, suggested a broad back.
Although his outer clothing hid much, he couldn’t escape my gaze. This person was quite strong.
And though his well-trained body was impressive, the real issue was his face. I’d felt this before; his expression was rather sharp.
With that face matching his physique, Si Hyun’s uncle exuded such a heavy sense of intimidation that it was no surprise the man had to run away.
“Did you intentionally lower your voice just now?”
“Ah, actually, that’s closer to my real voice. But both my mother and Si Hyun suggested I change my tone a bit. They said if I spoke too low, it’d scare others.”
Hmm, that’s certainly true. Even I found that voice quite threatening.
Having heard that voice for the first time, I only recognized Si Hyun’s uncle after seeing his face.
In fact, it took me a moment to recognize him due to his completely different appearance and outfit, as if he was heading to some important event.
“By the way, what brings you to this neighborhood…?”
“I have an appointment, I’m here to meet someone.”
“Ah, right. You mentioned you had an appointment…”
Other than the difference in where we met and how he was dressed, his behavior remained the same.
Still unable to look me directly in the eyes, he continued speaking, his fingers fidgeting as a bonus.
Funny how he had been so intimidating earlier, and now he acted all awkward.
I couldn’t help but smile a little at the contrast and asked, “So, what brings your uncle here?”
“Oh, me? I also have an appointment, yes. Or rather, it’s an interview. I’m supposed to have an interview nearby.”
“Oh, an interview. I hope it goes well.”
“Thank you, haha… well, I should get going.”
Bowing his head, he turned and took long strides forward. I watched him leave, then slowly moved along as well.
And then we met again.
At the cafe, where editor candidate number two, Kim Jae-jun, had arrived first and snapped a photo.
“We meet again?”
“Um… is that so? This is the interview location for me. What about you, Teacher?”
“Yes, this is my appointment place too.”
What a coincidence—
Having said goodbye only to run into each other again, Si Hyun’s uncle opened the door with an awkward smile.
“Good luck.”
“Thank you… Have a great time too, Teacher.”
We then entered together and separated to take our seats in the remaining empty spots.
From a distance, I observed as he sat down. I was just pulling out my phone.
It was the car I had been holding.
Wiiing—
-Kim Jae-jun: I’ve arrived. I’m inside the café.
You’re here?
I raised my head like a meerkat to check the entrance.
The door was firmly closed. He must have come in around the time I was choosing a seat.
So he’s inside. The editor candidate number one hasn’t arrived yet, but I guess I should at least grab a seat.
I immediately picked up my phone and made a call.
Click—
Was I just holding my phone? The call connected right away.
“I’m also in the café. I’m in the sofa area behind the counter.”
-Yeah, I’ll head that way.
It was a serious and low voice.
I couldn’t tell if it was just me, but it sounded familiar.
Then it happened.
Si Hyun’s uncle sitting across from me suddenly jumped up from his seat.
People’s gazes slightly shifted towards him, but only for a moment. I thought maybe something was happening—was he moving seats?—and then lost interest.
However, when he approached me with a look of searching for someone, I murmured out of curiosity.
“Uh… Kim Jae-jun?”
“Yes? Teacher, how do you know my name…?”
I guess the saying “expectations kill” turned out to be true.
Could it really be this dark under the lamp? I raised my hand slightly in disbelief and said to him,
“Please sit here.”
“Yes, huh? No, I’m not looking for that… I want to find someone…”
“I’m Kayak.”
Stiff—
Then Kim Jae-jun suddenly froze like a broken robot.
As he slowly sat down, I raised the corners of my mouth and said,
“We’ll start the interview once Yusia arrives.”
*
“Ahhh, I’m the latest one…!”
The dilemma of what to wear until morning was the reason for my lateness. I ended up being the kind of person who was so excited about meeting my idol that I couldn’t even keep track of time.
Yusia hurriedly moved her feet while sulking. Typing rapidly with one hand was just a bonus.
-Yusia: I’m sorry I’m late ㅠㅠ I’m almost there at the café front ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
-Kayak: Take your time.
-Kayak: If you come in and go left, you’ll find the counter; head behind that.
-Yusia: Okay ㅠㅠ I’ll be there soon…!
Quickly—
How long did it take me to move?
Yusia finally arrived in front of the café she had received a photo of.
She also double-checked her outfit like Kim Jae-jun, calmed her racing heart, and finally entered inside.
Then she moved to the back of the counter as Kayak had told her.
‘Where are they?’
Looking around. Yusia scanned her surroundings.
It seemed like a popular café, with people settled around everywhere.
Should I ask exactly where they’re sitting? Or should I call the number I received?
Yusia was lost in thought, but soon realized there was no need for that.
In this space, the gazes of people were subtly focused in one direction.
Everyone is busy living their own lives. People aren’t as interested in others as one might think.
Unless a celebrity were to show up, it would be rare for people to pay this much attention.
“A celebrity…?”
Inside the café, there was a shining presence that caught the eye.
The usual descriptions of celebrities come to mind—face small enough to fit a fist and distinct features.
Having never encountered such individuals in her life, Yusia was finally coming to understand the truth of that statement.
A woman with snow-white skin, large blue eyes, and silver hair.
The exotic-looking woman was sitting in a corner, chatting with the person next to her.
It would be a scene that could be described as a celebrity with a bodyguard or perhaps even a beauty and the beast scenario.
In any case, the first thought that struck was how beautiful she was. The woman with silver hair was stunning.
So breathtaking that it momentarily shook Yusia from her quest to find a kayak.
Of course, it wasn’t just her beauty that captivated Yusia.
The woman closely resembled a character from a game etched in Yusia’s memory.
“Camilla?”
The woman was dressed in modern clothes, while Camilla wore dresses or armor, but when it came to her face, there was an astonishing level of similarity.
Camilla was stunning enough to rank first in appearance in the Abyss Gallery voting every time.
Yusia quietly marveled at the fact that such faces existed in reality.
“This isn’t the time for that, where is my Teacher?”
Feeling a bit flustered, Yusia began to turn her head back and forth, wondering where they could be when she’d been told they were around here.
It was at that moment.
Yusia’s eyes met the woman who resembled Camilla, and the woman slightly widened her eyes and then raised her hand to wave.
“Are they… calling me?”
Why?
Yusia felt a bit flustered but began to walk slowly toward her.
Even while hesitating, the woman kept meeting Yusia’s gaze with a subtle smile on her lips.
Finally, when Yusia arrived at the woman’s table, she started to wonder about the bright red face of the man sitting nearby.
“Hello, Shiasia.”
The woman opened her mouth.
“Eh, eh…?”
It was a voice she heard often; in fact, she had been hearing it almost every day.
The owner of that voice, a moderately low tone that resonated in her ears, was right in front of Yusia.
Seeing Yusia in a stunned state, the woman smiled knowingly as she covered her mouth. Then, she cleared her throat a bit and tilted her head slightly.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Kayak.”
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