episode_0091

“Hey… Do you want to go get lunch?”

“I’m fine… … .”

“If you’re hungry, you won’t be able to concentrate on your afternoon work.”

It was never because of the branch manager’s instructions. I just wanted to get to know the new person.

However, because the causal relationship was reversed, the branch manager’s instructions came to mind and my face hardened with tension.

“… Okay.”

You didn’t think I was forcing you, did you?

Anyway, Baek Yu-jin got up from her seat, and we went together to ‘Familia’ where Hanna Yeon was.

“The seat is… .”

The atmosphere of a family restaurant changes every day.

If the entire department comes as a group, it can be difficult to find a seat, otherwise it’s generally quiet.

Today, unfortunately, the incinerator group had already taken their seats, and although the inside of the restaurant was noisy, I was able to somehow find a seat.

“I will live today.”

“… … .”

When I handed her the menu and smiled, Baek Yu-jin nodded silently and turned her gaze to the menu.

Still… it’s better than having to refuse several times.

Normally, I would have declined several times, saying, “No, I’m fine,” but Baek Yu-jin is a type of person I’ve never met before.

“All the food here is delicious, so you’ll be satisfied no matter what you choose, right?”

“Then I’ll take this.”

Baek Yu-jin chose a menu that came with hamburger steak and tomato spaghetti, and I chose a set menu of large frankfurters and omelet rice.

After I finished selecting the menu and pressed the order bell, none other than Hanna Yeon came out of the kitchen.

“… … ?”

Han Na-yeon looked back and forth between me and Baek Yu-jin, then nodded to me and asked who I was.

“Ah, this is Baek Yu-jin, who just joined. This is my friend Hanna Yeon, who works as a chef… .”

For some reason, my shoulders are rising.

The role of introducing people who don’t know each other by getting in between them. Isn’t that something that only people with a lot of friends can do?

“Hey, shall we at least say hello?”

The two people just bowed their heads in silence, and perhaps because there were a lot of customers, Hanna Yeon only took the order and went into the kitchen.

The silence descends again.

I, who had been wiggling my fingers under the table, gathered my courage and spoke to Baek Yu-jin.

“Excuse me, excuse me… How old are you?”

“Twenty-five.”

“I’m older than you. Ahaha… .”

I’m not a bachelor who’s come to a meeting for the first time in my life, and I can’t say ‘Ahaha…’. I can just say it naturally here.

My body shivers as the atmosphere becomes irreversibly cold.

But what can I do? We are coworkers who I will have to work with in the future.

“Do you have any hobbies?”

This time, rather than a topic that can be discussed in a short period of time, I brought up a topic that can be discussed for a longer period of time.

“I enjoy reading…”

“Oh, I see… .”

end?

No, that’s not it.

“I also like reading books… !”

“Foot… .”

Was this the right time to burst into laughter?

Baek Yu-jin, who had been expressionless the whole time, burst into a small laugh for the first time.

But even that scattered as if it were my delusion, and soon the same silence as before began to weigh me down.

“Are there any interesting books these days… .”

An awkward silence pressed down on me, and a muttering escaped my lips.

Actually, I’m really nervous about it.

Could it be that Baek Yu-jin burst into laughter because she thought I looked like the kind of person who would fall asleep after reading just one line of a book?

Of course, the books I mentioned contain a lot of light novels and web novels. But in the end, a book is a book, right? Even those, I hardly read since I was possessed.

“It was summer… .”

For a moment I thought it was a different language.

I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere, but when I try to recall it, my mind gets hazy and I can’t remember.

It was summer… .

Yes, it’s definitely a magical phrase that turns anything into an emotional sentence if you add it to the end. I remember seeing it on the internet once.

“Is that the title of a novel?”

Baek Yu-jin’s head moved slightly up and down.

Finally, the conversation is continuing. At times like this, you need to dig into the other person’s heart with intense empathy. But you need to know something to empathize.

“Wait a minute… Let me search… .”

I want to get to know you. I thought it was a deliberate gesture. Until I fiddled with my phone and the conversation suddenly ended.

It’s too late to worry about it… Nothing will change.

Since I already took out my phone, I decided to look it up and typed [It was summer] into the search bar.

[A woman who writes novels for just one person.

If even the only meaning left to her disappears.

Hatred. Obsession. Loneliness.

Under the blazing sun, all these things melt away.

It was summer.]

I got a rough synopsis, and it seemed like a darker novel than I had expected.

Still, it’s fortunate that it’s not a general or professional book… .

It’s not like the content is completely uninteresting, and I would be willing to read it if I had time.

“I’ll definitely read it. Oh, while we’re on the subject, I should order it.”

The conversation has already ended, and I can’t think of a way to continue it.

I took advantage of the momentum and signed up for membership on the book site, and started the purchasing process right there.

Plus, free shipping as a new member bonus! I feel like I got a huge deal.

“Purchase completed… here it is.”

As I muttered to myself and pressed the purchase button, I finally felt Baek Yu-jin’s gaze directed at me.

“… Does Baek Yu-jin laugh a lot?”

The sunlight streaming in through the window peels away the dullness of the gray color.

Maybe it was because of that, the corners of her eyes were slightly curved and the faint smile she had on her face seemed to sparkle.

Before I knew it, I was staring at Baek Yu-jin in a daze.

“Well, it depends on the other person.”

Does that mean I like it?

The new recruit is strange, but he doesn’t seem like a bad person.

* * *

“Future, Mom has a company dinner today… .”

“Are you going out a lot these days?”

“No, there’s a junior I really have to take care of… .”

“It’s a girl again.”

“Ugh… That’s true, but… .”

Baek Yu-jin’s welcome party and Im Seul-gi’s farewell party.

To participate there, I am hanging on to the future in front of the East Academy.

Actually, if it were normal, I would have called and notified you.

But since the nightmare of White Day was still vivid in my mind, I felt very uncomfortable leaving Mirae home alone.

That’s why the method I chose was to meet in person and explain the situation.

“No.”

“If it doesn’t work out… I can’t help it… .”

If I still couldn’t get permission, I planned to go home with Mirae. Because nothing is more important to me than Mirae.

In the first place, I showed such a shameful behavior because I couldn’t stand the loneliness on White Day, so how could I push through with a strong attitude?

“Haa… How long are you going to be here?”

Mirae, who had become weak-hearted, eventually backed down first. Honestly, I knew this would happen.

“Um… I think two hours would be enough?”

I don’t drink, so it’s okay if I just say hello and leave.

Even if it suits the mood a little, it won’t last very long.

“Never drink alcohol.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take Hanna Yeon with me as a shield.”

There was no one in the guild who could force someone to drink, but just in case, I asked Hanna Yeon to come with me.

It’s not like I didn’t know the receptionists, and part of the reason was that I thought it would be awkward if I went alone.

“… … .”

Mirae looked blankly at Hanna Yeon, who was standing there blankly.

What is Hanna Yeon thinking right now? At first glance, she looks like she’s dozing off while standing.

Anyway, perhaps relieved by the sight of that harmless, inanimate object, Mirae turned her gaze to me and asked for my assurance once again.

“Come on time. Text me in between.”

“Okay… . Ah, Mom will give you money, so order something delicious with Narin.”

We naturally shared a light hug.

People passing by glanced at me, but strangely enough, I didn’t feel particularly embarrassed.

Is it because Mirae hugs me like a daughter?

“Have fun.”

“Okay, Mom, I’ll be back!”

“Ah, Future Miss! You said you were supposed to clean the student council room, so why are you here… Hey, Haru Unnie!”

Just as I was waving my hand and about to say goodbye, Tachibana came running noisily from beyond the school gate.

Shake, shake.

Her white hair sways violently from side to side. She really must have just come out of the cleaning, as the dust stuck to her skirt hem flies away in the wind.

“Tsk… Mom, hurry up.”

Mirai waved her hand at me a few times, then hurriedly walked away before Tachibana arrived.

“Sister, don’t drink too much to get into the mood!”

“Yeah.”

Did Hanna Yeon drink alcohol?

Narin, who was caught in a daze, was dragged away by Mirae while giving her some words of advice.

“Tachibana, we should go now too… .”

“ Don’t worry about it! We can meet tomorrow too!”

Hanna Yeon and I also turned away from Tachibana, who looked somewhat pitiful.

“I can’t forgive you! Mirae Yangdo, Seohu-kun too!! Why am I the only one cleaning the student council room!”

Tachibana’s angry voice rang out from behind me, but since I didn’t have much time, I ignored it and headed to a Japanese tavern near the guild.

* * *

An izakaya with a traditional atmosphere.

“I’m Shin Ha-kyun! I’ll do a personal feat for my departing senior, Im Seul-gi!”

Some people were already drunk and were making a lot of noise.

“Over here, over here! Mr. Haru, come quickly.”

Shin Ha-kyun sticking a wooden chopstick up his nostril for Im Seul-gi, and Im Seul-gi turning her back on Shin Ha-kyun and motioning for him to come over.

Hanna Yeon and I were seated next to Baek Yu-jin.

“Ah… .”

But I couldn’t go any further than the entrance.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like sitting next to Baek Yu-jin.

“Why…?”

“No… .”

Hanna Yeon, who was walking ahead, turned her head first.

Well, Hanna Yeon might not remember.

If I hadn’t met you recently, I would have passed you by without noticing.

“… This day.”

Eventually, the other person noticed me and put down the beer glass he was just bringing to his lips.

A corner where even the lighting doesn’t reach well.

Sitting there was a person that Hannah Yeon absolutely did not want to meet.