“They’re sending a carriage from the alumni association. It’s coming soon, so just wait.”
The next morning. Im Ha-yeon opened the office door.
“Everything is ready. Hmm? Uuuummm?”
What’s going on? Did I see wrong? Even after rubbing my eyes, it clearly looks like I’m seeing it right.
“What’s wrong?”
As I stared at her with a puzzled expression, Im Ha-yeon twisted her body shyly.
“Are you going to a wedding or something?”
She’s decked out like a girlfriend going to her ex-boyfriend’s wedding.
She’s usually a beautiful woman, but today, even I, who sees her often, was taken aback at first glance as she seems to radiate light.
“Are you surprised because you don’t know where we’re going today?”
Im Ha-yeon lifted her chin like a model, speaking in a slightly dissatisfied tone.
“We’re going to the branch of Dasogak. Ah, truly…”
Today’s occasion is for Miss Zhuge and the folks from the Man Geum Battlefield. Since it’s a representative meeting for the administrative position, it’s better to dress up than to look too casual.
I nodded as I looked at Im Ha-yeon.
“Knowing that, you should dress accordingly.”
With a smiling eyes, Im Ha-yeon skipped out the door.
“Hey, sister-in-law, did you cough? Huh!”
“Why are you so suddenly surprised? Hah! Sister-in-law! Are you going to a good place with the club leader?”
“Ah, no!”
Even so, is it really necessary to dress up that much?
———–
“Master Kang! You’ve arrived.”
When I arrived at the branch of Dasogak, I saw Jeon Woon-yeop and a few people from the Man Geum Battlefield waiting.
They’re usually busy, but I guess they were curious about what I would demand.
“You were waiting here too. Where’s Miss Zhuge?”
“She should be here soon. By the way, who is that lady next to you?”
Jeon Woon-yeop asked in surprise, looking at Im Ha-yeon, who was standing cautiously behind me.
“Oh, she’s an employee working under me.”
“Whoa. An employee?”
Jeon Woon-yeop gazed up and down at Im Ha-yeon in disbelief. Surprising, right? I’m surprised too, and I see her every day.
It definitely looks effective the way she’s dressed. Right now, I feel like even if she made an unreasonable request, any man would just nod along.
Shall I make introductions first?
“Ha-yeon?”
What is she looking at? Im Ha-yeon was glancing around as if looking for someone.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why are you so fidgety?”
“There’s something.”
Who is she looking for? Following her gaze, I turned my eyes to see a carriage approaching in the distance.
“There it is!”
Finally, it has arrived.
A magnificent carriage stopped in front of Dasogak.
It’s the kind of top-notch carriage that anyone can tell a person of high status is riding in.
Even the horse pulling it shines with gloss, so even someone without good eyes could tell it’s a fine steed.
As the carriage door opened, a woman with silver hair descended, her hair flowing in the air.
A woman who makes even the top-quality carriage look like mere wrapping paper.
The youngest daughter of the Zhuge family.
Miss Zhuge.
“Why in the world is such a woman…”
A familiar voice from behind swallowed hard.
With her silver hair and striking blue eyes, everyone around momentarily fell silent, staring at her.
“Master Kang! Ah!”
Miss Zhuge almost stumbled over as she rushed towards me.
“…”
Silence fell for a moment around us.
“Miss Zhuge! Are you okay?”
Time for me to move. I quickly ran over.
“Haha. I’m fine. Even if my clothes get a little dirty, it doesn’t matter with such comfortable attire.”
No, I was asking if you were hurt.
“I’m glad to see you’re not injured.”
“Yup. Master Kang! Huh?”
As Miss Zhuge was about to waddle closer to me, she quickly halted, a shocked expression on her face.
Why, you ask?
“Hello.”
Im Ha-yeon, with a bright smile, blocked the way between me and Miss Zhuge.
Wow. That’s a surprisingly professional smile.
A public smile without a hint of personal emotion. If you unwrap that, it looks like a bundle of bad feelings inside.
Miss Zhuge couldn’t meet Im Ha-yeon’s gaze and shot me a pleading look.
“This is Im Ha-yeon, an employee of the Yichang Dasogak who is assisting me with my business in Wuhan. Ha-yeon, this is my match, Miss Zhuge.”
“……”
“Ha-yeon?”
Im Ha-yeon turned her head to me, making a face only I could see, pouting her lips. What are you unhappy about?
“Hello. I’m Im Ha-yeon.”
Im Ha-yeon quickly fixed her expression and flashed a business smile to greet Miss Zhuge.
Had it not been for the two carriages blocking the view, passersby would have gathered in amazement.
Im Ha-yeon, the most beautiful courtesan from Hubei, standing alongside Miss Zhuge, who is of comparable beauty. Seeing the two of them together was like a painting.
“Ah, um, um…”
“……”
Although that painting feels less like a landscape and more like a mixed martial arts poster, but still.
Im Ha-yeon was looking at Miss Zhuge with an unmistakable hint of dissatisfaction, while Miss Zhuge nervously avoided Im Ha-yeon’s scrutinizing gaze, ultimately dropping her eyes to the ground.
It looked like a hamster that had happily eaten sunflower seeds all night and then ran into a proud cat that had just finished grooming itself.
“Eek! I-I’m Zhuge… I’m so sorry!”
Eventually, unable to withstand the gazes, Miss Zhuge sputtered in a panic.
“…What did you say?”
Im Ha-yeon replied, her eyes wide in surprise.
“Ha ha. Ha-yeon, Miss Zhuge is just a bit shy, that’s all. Miss Zhuge?”
“Ah, um, yes!”
“Ha-yeon tends to be a bit standoffish and grumpy around new people. Don’t take it too personally.”
“When have I ever…?”
From the beginning?
“Ah… Yes.”
At that, Miss Zhuge seemed to realize she hadn’t done anything wrong and sighed in relief.
“Let’s head inside then. Hmm?”
Who’s leading who?
As I turned my body, I saw Miss Zhuge clutching my sleeve. At that moment, Im Ha-yeon seemed poised to say something, but Miss Zhuge spoke quicker.
“I-I have the key!”
“Ah, let’s go together then.”
“Uh, yes!”
The reason I called her was for the key. I almost forgot. With Miss Zhuge holding my sleeve, we opened the branch’s door together.
Im Ha-yeon, why aren’t you following? She observed us from the side with a strange expression but eventually moved her body.
“…Let’s go together!”
———————–
“There’s a step on the path between the book storage and the counter. I should ask to have it removed since we need to pull carts through.”
“When goods come from Yichang, they’ll go to storage. Isn’t it better to request another path for storage to avoid encountering customers?”
“If customers gather, things will get crowded at the counter. We should set up a device to make temporary lines.”
As expected from Im Ha-yeon.
She must have been surprised by the scale of things when she first entered the branch, momentarily lost for words.
After sighing softly while alternating her gaze between me and Miss Zhuge, she soon began to focus on work.
“Books should be placed thematically, just like in Dasogak.”
“I was thinking that too.”
“Even if we arrange the books thematically, won’t we need to train our employees beforehand to inform customers about the book locations?”
“We agreed to recruit staff from Man Geum Battlefield. We should hurry up and select them for training.”
“Okay, that sounds good. I don’t have anything more to point out… What’s wrong?”
Im Ha-yeon turned around at a presence and asked sharply towards the woman who appeared.
“Uh, well…”
The person who appeared was Miss Zhuge. With a timid demeanor, she approached me.
I told her to sit in a corner, but was she getting bored?
“Miss Zhuge, do you have something to say?”
“I-I think the bookshelf attached to the wall is a bit too high.”
Miss Zhuge, with her head down, pointed at the bookshelf.
“Hmm? Isn’t it fine?”
“Ah, um, if Master Kang thinks it’s fine, then it’s okay.”
She acquiesces immediately when I disagree.
There seems to be dissatisfaction in her voice. With her temperament, it’s better to figure out her intent than to press her.
I paused for a moment, looking at the bookshelf on the wall. It seemed alright height-wise, but why is she saying that?
Oh wait, I suddenly realized the reason.
“Indeed, it might be a little too high for women to reach.”
When I shifted my gaze, I saw a flicker of embarrassment cross Im Ha-yeon’s face.
“Yes, you’re right. If there’s a book she wants to read but it’s too high, it could be tough to reach.”
Of course, Im Ha-yeon is tall, as a master of Light Body Movement.
I almost overlooked an important point.
“Changing all the furniture will take time, so we need to prepare lightweight and sturdy stands. Since it might be dangerous, I’ll also put up a notice asking staff to please assist when retrieving books.”
“Th-That would be good.”
“I’ve only been thinking from my perspective, so I didn’t catch this hardship. I’m really glad you came with me, Miss Zhuge.”
For her to come directly and voice an opinion, Miss Zhuge must have mustered considerable courage. At times like this, I should lift her spirits.
“Yup!”
Her smile somehow makes me want to pat her head.
“Oop! There’s more! Come here!”
Just a moment ago she said there wasn’t.
Im Ha-yeon grabbed my sleeve and then dragged me somewhere else.
*
“No matter how I look at it, the equipment is good, but the space is awkward.”
“The flow of the equipment isn’t bad, right? It’s almost the same as Yichang.”
“But the branch is bigger than Yichang. If more customers come, the staff will increase too, meaning this space might be lacking.”
“I hadn’t thought that far.”
“The second-floor space is large, so instead of configuring near the serving area, how about expanding the kitchen space a bit more?”
“Let me compile your opinions and talk to Miss Zhuge.”
“…Okay. That sounds good.”
Miss Zhuge silently watched Kang Yoon-ho chatting from a distance with the woman with pink hair.
‘Running a bookstore, I really don’t know anything about it.’
I feel strangely dismissed aside.
I came thinking about having fun on this branch outing with Master Kang, yet now she’s playing merely a gatekeeper role.
Feeling that this couldn’t go on, she ventured to make a suggestion but was immediately swept back by the unknown woman.
‘Did he forget about me already?’
Miss Zhuge felt a strange discomfort in her chest as she looked at the two.
“Let’s all have a refreshing cup of tea. Would you like some, Miss Zhuge?”
Kang Yoon-ho approached Miss Zhuge with a warm smile once it looked like he was done with his business.
“Uh-huh. Yes!”
Phew, he hadn’t forgotten about her after all. Miss Zhuge replied joyfully.
“I’ll make one for you first, Miss Zhuge. Would you like me to handle it today?”
Kang Yoon-ho went into the second-floor counter and began fiddling with the equipment, asking Miss Zhuge.
Is he being considerate, worried she might mess it up? She wouldn’t mind if that were the case.
With confident strides, Miss Zhuge approached the counter. How much practice has it taken her to reach this point?
To calm her racing heart, she took a small breath as she stood before Kang Yoon-ho, waiting for a response.
Today, too, she was going to be the first customer for Master Kang.
“Oops.”
Somewhere, a startled voice was heard, but with the order looming, Miss Zhuge didn’t pay it any mind.
“Um… I would like an Americano. Not the short size, but let’s make it tall size with a shot, and please have it iced.”
“Ha-ha. Yes, I’ve got your order.”
Kang Yoon-ho’s surprised eyebrows shot up as he accepted her skilled order, smiling.
“Yay!”
She did it! Now she wouldn’t have to show that embarrassing side anymore. Miss Zhuge felt like she was joyfully twirling a fan in her heart.
“Oh dear, it seems all the workers have eaten the ice.”
At least until her order becomes void.
“Ah…”
“Miss Zhuge, could you wait a moment? I’ll send someone to fetch some ice.”
“Yes!”
“Is that really necessary?”
Someone’s blunder became another’s opportunity.
A pink-furred cat, having been poised to wait, snuck into the counter with dexterous movements.
“Ha-yeon?”
“Everyone looks parched. Let’s take a break and enjoy a cup of tea, shall we? Ice can come later.”
Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy hot tea. Im Ha-yeon expertly placed the kettle on the stove.
“Then let’s do that. Miss Zhu…”
“You sit down and rest too. This is my job as well.”
“No, but…”
“Master Kang, you go handle your business outside.”
She won’t allow it. Im Ha-yeon pretended to be considerate, pushing Kang Yoon-ho out of the counter.
“What would you like?”
Im Ha-yeon asked Miss Zhuge with a victorious smile pretending to be professional.
“Ye—yes?”
“Since there’s no ice, you can’t have your iced Americano. Would you like to order something else?”
Suddenly feeling like her practice had turned into a real situation, Miss Zhuge thought while gazing at Im Ha-yeon’s somewhat intimidating smile.
Should I just not order anything? Glancing over at Kang Yoon-ho, who looked worried, she thought:
‘Oh no! I can’t be marked as a girl who can’t even order coffee!’
Gathering her resolve once more, Miss Zhuge shifted her attention to the menu.
“U-uh, then I’ll have something else. A caramel mac, um, oh no, I mean…”
She had anticipated various variable situations that could arise, but this was coffee we were talking about.
Miss Zhuge quickly realized that with this ordering, there were too many requests like “extra syrup” or “decaf,” and she faced a heap of expectations.
Instead of facing every obstacle successfully with her lack of conversational skills, she thought it better to minimize her mistakes. Hence, she went for the ice Americano.
Naturally, in a proper tea house, the Americano shouldn’t be absent.
‘What exactly should I order?’
As she stared at the menu, Miss Zhuge suddenly felt dizzy.
“Hurry up, since the people behind you need to drink too!”
“Eek! Oh, um, um…”
Everyone was watching her. The moment Miss Zhuge realized this, she became increasingly bewildered.
She really didn’t want to show her embarrassing side to Master Kang. Others were watching as well. Add time pressure, and it felt like a storm of questions.
‘What should I do?!’
Overloaded, she ultimately blurted out something accustomed yet unfamiliar.
“Um, iced Americano. Make it warm instead, please!”
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