episode_0084

… … … … …

As I entered the cafe, I saw Seoyeon.

She was sitting by the window, and as soon as she saw me, she smiled brightly and waved. Her smile made the suspicious anxiety I had been feeling up until then seem to fly away.

“It’s been a week, Autumn.”

“Yes, yes. It’s already been a week.”

Come to think of it, I haven’t seen you once since I returned from Sister Ayoung’s secret sanctuary.

I sat down in front of Seoyeon, who welcomed me warmly, and expressed my gratitude.

“Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule, Sister.”

Sister Seoyeon tilted her head slightly and answered.

“Because you didn’t tell me what you were talking about, I couldn’t help but be curious.”

There was a strange anticipation in her eyes. No, it was more than anticipation… something like an intense desire. I cleared my throat and opened my mouth.

“That, that… …is about love.”

The moment I spoke, Seoyeon’s eyes sparkled. The corners of her mouth slightly rose, and her cheeks flushed. She leaned forward toward the table, narrowing the distance between us.

“Autumn… … !

I’m so happy. I never thought you’d be the first to tell me. I never even dreamed of it… .”

I blinked in confusion. I hadn’t even gotten to the main point yet, but my sister’s reaction was too much.

Could it be that you are this happy about the fact that I like someone?

“What, what are you… talking about?”

Sister Seoyeon reached out and grabbed my hand. The heat I felt from her hand was so hot that it made me flinch.

“Noona always thought that Gaeul was special. I’m so glad that Gaeul thinks the same way as you.”

“Oh, no. Sister. What I mean is… … .”

Sister Seoyeon’s gaze became more intense. I tried to pull my hand out of her grasp, but her strength was too strong.

“Autumn, tell me. Tell me everything that’s on your mind.”

I think my sister has some kind of strange misunderstanding… … There’s nothing I can do about it. I took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

“That, Sister. What I want to ask you is… …I want to ask you how to become friends with the girl named Hanyeoreum that I met at the logistics center.”

“… … … What?”

At that moment, time seemed to have stopped. Seoyeon’s expression also changed in an instant.

The passion and anticipation disappeared from her eyes, and those emotions were replaced by something cold and sharp.

As the strength left her grip, I pulled my hand away.

Soon, Sister Seoyeon’s face suddenly turned pale. Her lips began to tremble and her eyes shook.

“One… …summer?”

Sister Seoyeon’s voice suddenly died down. She was staring at me intently. Seeing this change in my sister, I also became anxious. I began to feel that something was seriously wrong.

“Oh, yes. Just an ordinary part-time coworker. Around my age… … .”

I answered bravely, even though I was stammering. However, Seoyeon’s eyes became increasingly scary. She asked me slowly.

“Autumn, that midsummer… … Can you tell me more about the child?”

Her voice was soft on the outside, but there was something hidden inside that made me tremble.

I unconsciously leaned back in my chair. The warm air in the cafe suddenly felt cold.

“Actually… …I don’t know much about it. We just occasionally run into each other at the logistics center, say hello, and chat during breaks… …That’s about it.”

Seoyeon’s eyes narrowed. Her fingers moved slowly on the table, then suddenly clenched into fists. Her hands looked as if they were trying to crush something.

“How often do you meet that child?”

I swallowed hard. Seoyeon’s question wasn’t particularly strange, but I couldn’t understand why it felt so dangerous.

“We only see each other on work days… … Two or three times a week? We don’t see each other often.”

“So you don’t know much about that kid… … ?

Then, would you like me to look into it a little?”

Her words sent a chill down my spine. The anxiety I had felt since I decided to seek advice from my sister started ringing louder.

“Oh, no. You don’t have to do that… …I can figure it out slowly.”

Sister Seoyeon slowly shook her head. The corners of her mouth slightly rose. But the smile did not reach her eyes.

“Autumn, you are so pure. You were like that last time when you were a nun.

But there are many dangerous people in the world. So… … Sister, you have to protect me.”

I couldn’t understand what she meant. I just swallowed and answered her.

“But Yeoreum is just a part-time coworker… … .”

“Oh, that doesn’t mean she’s dangerous. Don’t worry too much. I’ll just find out.”

I felt something was off about what my sister said. I wanted to ask her how I could become close to Summer, but I couldn’t figure out why the conversation was going this way.

… … … … …

The consultation with Sister Seoyeon went completely differently than I expected. I didn’t get the advice I wanted at all, and instead, I was left with a strange sense of tension.

I couldn’t understand why my sister reacted that way, but for now, it was more important to figure out how to get along with Yeoreum.

“Yeah. I guess I have to find out about this myself.”

As I searched the Internet and used various keywords, a variety of information poured out. The most convincing advice among them was to naturally continue the conversation and ask her out on a date. The most reasonable choice for a date location was an amusement park.

The next day at work, I worked hard at the logistics center with a nervous mind. As I was working like that, when lunchtime came, I found Yeoreum sitting alone and slowly approached her.

“Summer, are you alone?”

When I called Summer, she smiled at me.

“Ah, it’s fall. Yeah, everyone’s busy today.”

I sat down next to her and continued talking.

“That’s right. Everyone is busy these days because of the high water volume.

Well, by the way… … .”

My heart was pounding. Now was the time to ask her out on a date.

“Do you have time this weekend? I heard there’s a new amusement park. Do you want to go there together?”

Summer’s eyes widened at my suggestion. There was a moment of silence, and that moment lasted for hours.

“Oh, really? Should I go and see? Okay.”

I sighed in relief at her bright answer. I had passed the first hurdle.

“Then… …How about this Saturday?”

We decided on a time and place to meet. As we finished our conversation and returned to our seats, I shouted in my heart in triumph.

But then, suddenly, I remembered Seoyeon’s strange reaction. I had a feeling that something was extremely ominous, but I shook it off by clearing my head and working.

… … … … …

After work, I returned home and couldn’t contain my excitement. I wanted to share my accomplishments of the day with someone.

I thought about posting my story anonymously on the Internet, but it didn’t seem easy to share my joy with anonymous people.

Rather than an anonymous site, it seemed like a much better option to share this good news in a group messenger room of a women’s club where I and my acquaintances gathered.

I took out my phone and opened the messenger app. The social gathering room was as usual, with no conversation except for me speaking occasionally and them responding.

“You won’t hate me for bragging, will you… …?”

I hesitated for a moment and then started tapping the screen of my phone.

[Everyone, I have good news!]

As soon as I sent the message, it immediately showed that several people had read it, and a short while later, a reply from the association president arrived.

[What’s going on?]

I hadn’t heard back from any of my friends yet, but it was enough for one person to reply. I was so excited that I kept typing messages.

[Actually, I mustered up my courage today and succeeded in something big… … .]

At that moment, another message from the association president arrived. It was truly lightning fast.

[Wait, wait, wait. I have a rough idea of what success is… … .

There’s no need to reveal such personal matters here.]

I paused for a moment after reading the president’s message. Does this mean… … that bragging is not good after all?

The president is a wise man, but this time I couldn’t quite agree with what he said.

There is a saying that happiness is doubled when shared, so I didn’t think it was necessary to keep quiet. Above all, I’m not the type of person who brags all the time, so I think it would be okay to brag about something like successfully asking someone out on a first date.

[But I really want to let you guys know!

Actually, I asked a girl named Hanyeoreum out on a date today! We’re going to an amusement park this Saturday.]

I kept sending messages with an excited heart.

[This is my first time asking someone out on a date, and I’m so happy it worked! I’m really looking forward to our first date.]

It was only after I sent the last message that I realized the room was strangely quiet.

Normally, they would have replied to my messages within a few minutes, but today, no one responded. The read marks just kept increasing one by one.

“… … Are you all busy… … ?”

It’s such a coincidence and a shame that all the members of the social club are busy on a day like today.

“I can’t help it,” I told myself, putting the phone down.