episode_0010

Jeong Ye-eun, I, and Moon Jeong-woo left the arcade.

No matter how much time had passed, the sky had become dark.

“Dohyun, how was your day?”

Jeong Ye-eun looked up at me and smiled brightly.

“Yes, it was fun.”

“All, practice next time…!”

Moon Jeong-woo made a triumphant expression.

“Yeah, man.”

I responded to his words with a moderate smile.

The roadside where we walked together was less lonely than before and was noisy.

Moon Jeong-woo was also speaking energetically, as if his fears and negative feelings toward me had been greatly diluted.

Jeong Ye-eun smiled brightly and responded appropriately to each word.

Gradually, from the arcade, our neighborhood got closer.

In front of the crosswalk where you have to part ways.

Jeong Ye-eun spoke to me.

“..Now that I think about it, we didn’t even exchange phone numbers, right? Come on, Dohyun. Take a picture.”

Although the aspect of exchanging numbers between friends is stronger than the feeling of excitement, exchanging numbers is definitely a beneficial choice.

I slowly took her cell phone, entered my number, and pressed the call button.

Weeing, her ringtone rang on my cell phone.

“Jungwoo, you should quickly exchange numbers with Dohyeon!”

Moon Jeong-woo also followed her instructions and handed over his cell phone to me, and that’s how I learned Moon Jeong-woo’s phone number as well.

I’m not sure if I’ll actually contact Jeongwoo Moon…

So, after exchanging numbers, we stood in front of the crosswalk.

They planned to wait for me until the light turned green.

“Dohyeon, will you answer if I call you? Don’t ignore it just because it’s annoying.”

“Not really.”

It wasn’t that important, but it was a happy time.

Because these little moments gather together and become memories.

It was fun.

**

I exchanged numbers with Dohyun!

Hehe, at this level, we can at least call ourselves friends.

I was worried that it might be burdensome for me to keep approaching you.

He doesn’t show any signs of dislike, and now he smiles a lot when he’s with us…

thank god.

-Shoot!

The night wind passed by my cheek.

“Refreshing…”

“Sure.”

The sky darkened, creating an environment similar to the night walks that Jungwoo and I sometimes go on.

Whenever this happens, I think of the time when Dohyun saved us.

That was when I started seeing him again.

Plop, plod.

There were still quite a few people on the street, so many footsteps could be heard.

“Yeeun, what are you thinking?”

After I was lost in reminiscing and didn’t say anything for a while, Jeongwoo asked me a question.

I turned my head and looked down at him.

‘Wow, it’s definitely small…’

It felt like the difference from what I had just imagined was becoming more noticeable.

He is shorter and has a more delicate physique.

I always thought he was cute rather than cool, but seeing it like this seemed to emphasize that point even more.

‘But everyone’s charm is different.’

Rather, wouldn’t it have been weirder if Dohyun had the same personality and appearance as Jungwoo?

“Ye-eun?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

He smiled and looked around.

Because I can’t express these thoughts.

“Okay..?”

He didn’t pay much attention and looked ahead again.

“Ah, Ye-eun. Would you like to eat a piece of cake after a long time? We haven’t been able to go over there lately.”

He pointed to a cafe on the way home.

It’s been a place I’ve been to since I was young, and back then I used to save up my pocket money and barely buy it and then share it.

That’s true even when they’re a little older, so we used to buy them at a similar frequency.

In particular, I had this happen a lot on the way back from a walk…

Since I’m still in a similar situation, I’ll try eating one for the first time in a while.

“Yes! Let’s go in.”

.

.

.

Suddenly, the glass door was pushed open and the connected bell rang.

“Welcome,”

A local cafe where the staff has changed several times, but the recipes have never changed.

I headed to the place where several pieces of cake were displayed and looked through the glass.

“What do you want to eat, Jeongwoo?”

“Hmm.. I’m that one!”

He pointed to a piece of chocolate-coated cake.

“Okay, I’ll buy that for you.”

“Then, I’ll buy it for you! Yeeun, what are you going to eat?”

Jung-woo seems to be in a good mood today and says he will even buy me something.

“Then, I am that one.”

I pointed to the tiramisu cake.

In this case, we could just each buy what we want… because it feels like we are exchanging gifts.

I held Jeongwoo’s gift in my hand.

My gift was also in Jeongwoo’s hand.

After leaving the cafe, we headed to our respective homes.

“Well, see you tomorrow!”

“Goodbye, Yeeun!”

Since it was the building right next door anyway, there was no need for a long greeting.

I took the elevator up and pressed the door lock button.

-Tiririk

The door opened, and inside was a sister who looked like she had just washed her hair.

“Yeeun, where have you been?”

“Oh, I came back from playing at the arcade.”

“What about cake? Did Jungwoo buy it for you?”

“Yes.”

When I nodded, she smiled and told me to enjoy it and disappeared into the room.

I also opened the door.

A familiar and comfortable smell greeted me, and I saw a view that made me feel at ease.

After all, the most comfortable place in the world is your own room.

Wow, I put down the piece of cake on the desk.

I took a fork from the kitchen and closed the door.

Hanging in the door, I saw a necklace that I also received from Jeongwoo.

It was not a high quality necklace as I had bought it cheaply at the night market when I was young, but it was full of memories.

I sat down on a soft chair and unwrapped the cake.

If you eat as early as possible, you will gain less weight.

-Nyaam

“Hehe… If I keep eating these things, I’ll gain weight…”

What can you do when the cake is so sweet and delicious?

The subtle sweetness of the chocolate powder engulfed my tongue, and the soft texture of the cake melted in my mouth without even being able to feel it.

As always, it was delicious.

at that time.

-Wheeing

The cell phone vibrated.

[Choi Do-hyeon]

It was Dohyeon’s call, with whom we had exchanged phone numbers earlier.

“Yes, Dohyeon! What’s going on?”

-just because I got bored. Can I call you?

“Of course!”

The moment I heard his business, joy filled my heart.

For the past time, I’ve been bothered by the way he often shows a stern expression even when we’re together.

Do-hyeon gradually started smiling when he was with us, and eventually even made the first call.

I was proud that the effort I put in to become friends was not in vain.

“Jungwoo talked too much earlier..?”

He said it was okay, but I thought he might have felt bad, so I brought up the story again.

-I said it’s okay. What are you doing now?

“Huh? Ah, I was eating the cake that Jungwoo bought me.”

He said and took another bite of cake.

Likewise, it tasted sweet.

-delicious?

“Yes! There is a cafe near my house, and I’ve been eating there since I was young. Let’s go together later!”

-okay. What does it taste like?

“Tiramisu!”

-Do you like sweets?

“Yes, something like chocolate – ”

For a while, we laughed and talked.

It felt like we were so close that we couldn’t even compare it to before.

It wasn’t a particularly important story, nor was it anything terribly funny, but it was fun just to talk about it.

However, the words that stuck deep in my mind came near the end of the phone call.

-so….

“Yes, talk!”

There seemed to be some hesitation, so I gave him a push on the back, and he continued speaking.

-thanks.

“What?”

-all. I must have been very rude at first, but he kept talking to me. Thanks to you, these days… it’s fun.

“….Ah.”

It’s similar to what I said last time, but the difference is that it’s a little longer and more heartfelt than just the two of us on the phone.

Even the voice has a mid-bass sound that is better to listen to on the phone, much more…

Well, it was good. What else do I need to say?

“Heehee, that’s right.. Hehe, that’s right… Ah, we can continue to stay like this from now on…!”

There was some insincere laughter mixed in as he couldn’t hide his joy, but I think the intention was clearly conveyed.

After hearing those words, I no longer felt the sweetness of the cake.

I was extremely happy that it was I who brought a smile to that expressionless, annoyed face.

It was such a delicious cake just a moment ago, but I was overwhelmed by the presence of that bass sound.

My heart is pounding, and my ear feels red when I hold the phone.

“Okay, then cut it off!”

-okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.

“Yes..!”

I hung up the phone and looked down at my phone blankly for a while.

‘The voice… was really good…’

Isn’t it against the law to openly express gratitude to me in that voice?

At that time, there was a knock on the door.

I quickly managed my facial expression and answered.

“Ye-eun, what were you doing… Oh, did you call Jung-woo?”

“Huh?”

“I thought you were in a good mood. What did you say?”

“What?”

Surprised by those words, I looked in the mirror and saw that I had a smile on my face.

I thought I had my facial expressions under control, but I guess it broke through.

Still, if you say that to that face and that voice…

“No.. I called Dohyun.”

“What..? With Choi Do-hyun?”

**

The first emotion Jeong Ye-rin felt upon hearing those words was anxiety.

Jeong Ye-eun’s expression went beyond joy and was a smile that included even a little excitement.

Didn’t Ye-eun like Jung-woo?

‘Choi Do-hyeon…’

From her point of view, as the head of the leadership department, she could not possibly view him favorably.

She knew his movements.

And, she was absolutely against the idea of her younger brother and Choi Do-hyun developing into a romantic relationship.

‘We need to talk.’

She decided to talk about her younger brother with Choi Do-hyeon.

Her expression hardened with determination.