episode_0111

“Room service.”

As the call echoed with a knock, a rustling sound came from inside the door.

Just a few days had passed, and now the routine was familiar.

Without any tension now, a blonde woman in a gown came out after opening the door.

“Please come in.”

Wearing only a gown without undergarments, she nonchalantly wheeled the cart inside without any particular reaction.

One shouldn’t flinch or be startled here.

“After you finish your meal, leave the cart outside the door for collection.”

After placing the cart in front of the bed, she gave a brief explanation and swiftly exited.

Even if one was comfortable, coming out like that in a loose gown was unexpected.

Although unintentional, when she first stepped outside, her cleavage was quite visible.

“Really there.”

Having become quite friendly with the colleagues working as substitutes, I had heard various stories from that side.

I heard there are people who come out wearing only underwear, and at night, sounds of people enjoying nightlife can be heard outside.

It’s because there is a gap under the door.

They say there is intentionally a slight space under the door in case of a fire-like situation, which amplifies the sound of moaning.

There are even cases where they enter the night shift; I wanted to see how it was then.

Humming, as we descended underground, we encountered three people and supervisors waiting for food to come out from the kitchen.

“You’re here? Let’s go right away.”

“Are you hitting on me?”

“When I first came here…”

Laughing, as I retorted, the supervisors also played around with an old-fashioned vibe. Honestly, although there wasn’t a huge age gap, our senses of humor didn’t quite align.

“Oh, by the way, what happened just now.”

Not wanting to hear the supervisors’ jokes, I smoothly changed the subject to what had just happened.

When I mentioned that the blonde beauty welcomed me openly, the supervisors immediately got excited and rushed over.

“Oh!? What room number?”

“If another order comes in, I’m going next!”

“You have a girlfriend near the clinic. Let’s do rock-paper-scissors first when you come in…”

Seeing everyone making a fuss and talking, it made me laugh, realizing that as we age and work, we all end up somewhat similar.

“How could that happen?”

“That’s true…”

While Han Bom and Yi Se-ah, who were listening from behind, seemed puzzled and not understanding.

Ironically, weren’t they the ones who used to make dirty jokes among themselves when alone?

“…”

Meanwhile, Yu Arin was staring at me intently. She seemed fine until a while ago, but now I wondered why she was acting this way again.

“Why are you doing this?”

Approaching her subtly, she pushed me aside while setting the food that had just come out from the kitchen onto the cart.

“Hurry up.”

“Isn’t it my turn?”

Just then, one of the supervisors came over and casually took the cart.

Leaving us standing awkwardly.

Han Bom and Yi Se-ah were chatting with the supervisors, and Yu Arin was staring at me.

“Hey, I got a tip. Should I use this to buy snacks at the convenience store after work?”

Taking out ten thousand won, I asked Yu Arin, who crossed her arms and then opened her eyes innocently.

“Did that come from the blonde lady who was so generous earlier?”

“No, this is from a different room.”

“…Well, okay then.”

“If it was money from the blonde lady, would you have refused?”

Grinning, I asked, but Yu Arin didn’t give any specific answer. Something has indeed changed about her since she joined Gold One.

Normally, she would approach me straightforwardly or play pranks for no reason, but recently, she seems to be keeping her distance somehow.

“Hmm, something’s off.”

It wasn’t a pleasant feeling to have a close friend suddenly create distance.

Even though we used to banter often, I considered it a form of friendship.

Until now, Yu Arin had been pondering earnestly whether she disliked the pranks we had been playing. She glanced at me cautiously and asked, “Yiseo… Should I contact her?”

Out of the blue, Choi Yiseo?

“Um.”

It was difficult to respond.

Because…

“She’s not picking up?”

Recently, Choi Yiseo hadn’t been answering calls.

“She’s not picking up?”

Yu Arin’s shoulders twitched slightly, a glint appearing in her eyes as if a spark had ignited within her.

“Oh, she’s unreachable. I was worried something might be wrong, so I tried contacting her friend, but they didn’t pick up either.”

I tried contacting Minji, but she didn’t answer separately. I was concerned about what might be happening, but it wouldn’t be right to abandon everything just because she’s not responding.

“I see.”

“Why? Happy that I’m in trouble?”

“Enough, let’s go to the convenience store. Since we’re not getting any orders anyway.”

“You’re happy just because I’m buying?”

The convenience store was located on the first floor of the hotel lobby, so it wouldn’t take more than 5 minutes to go there and come back.

I had already informed the seniors that I would be away for a short while since there were no orders coming in.

“Arin! Look at this!”

Yeonyoung and Yiseoa shoved their phones in our faces.

Upon checking, there was a post on social media with an explosively increasing number of likes.

– Goldwon Bakery ‘Daehandang’ staff caught on camera.

There was a picture of Seo Yerin wearing an apron and arranging bread.

“Wow.”

“What’s this?”

The likes were continuously skyrocketing, and the comments below were no joke.

Ordinary people would have gone crazy over this success, but we were rather nonchalant about it.

Seo Yerin had probably done this a couple of times before.

“Yerin is really…”

But Yiseoa was different. I heard she wanted to pursue acting or musicals in the future, so seeing Seo Yerin garner attention just by moving bread made her envious.

“Don’t envy unnecessary things. She must be living a tough life to receive that much attention.”

Offering her own advice to such a friend, Yu Arin struck a chord, perhaps because she had experienced something similar with Jung Chanwoo.

“Yeah, that’s true.”

Yiseoa accepted Yu Arin’s advice and nodded before returning to her original spot.

Seeing that, I shook my head and muttered under my breath.

“How can anyone envy Seo Yerin?”

From my perspective, I couldn’t understand it at all.

“She’s really pretty though.”

“But how many people actually want that?”

As Yu Arin sniped beside me, she glanced at me and cautiously asked, “But it seems like you don’t get along well with Yerin?”

“Huh?”

I was taken aback by the sudden question.

“You did date Yerin, right?”

“….”

“Are you nuts?”

“Hehehe.”

When I retorted, Yu Arin chuckled. It was a bit of a crossing-the-line remark, but we didn’t draw such lines between us.

“Well, but it’s true. After being with Yiseo, you act like you’re going to date her. But after being with Yerin, you seem uninterested?”

“….”

“Even though everyone desires Seo Yerin, your response is lackluster even after being with her.”

Well, I may have gone a bit overboard back then…

“I have my reasons.”

I had some reasons why I found it hard to see Seo Yerin in that light. Curious about those reasons, Yu Arin probed further, but I drew a clear line.

“Just leave it at that. Don’t think about dating Seo Yerin.”

“Hmm.”

“Why? Can’t trust yourself?”

“Well, I can’t. You’re hesitating about dating Yiseo even after not doing CC, so it’s even harder to trust you about dating her, right?”

“That’s…”

I had nothing to say.

Although I found something to reply, Yu Arin, with lighter steps, started pulling me along.

* * *

Suddenly, I thought, people are truly fickle. Just a moment ago, I wasn’t feeling good.

Kim Woojin, who boasted about seeing the blonde beauty in a gown as if it were an achievement, looked somewhat pathetic and annoying, though he didn’t want to hear it.

As she approached him, asking to go to the convenience store together after receiving a tip, his uncomfortable feelings gradually eased.

While noting that Choi Eseo was not answering his calls and that there was no possibility of developing a romantic relationship with Seo Yerin, Yoo Arin unknowingly began to feel better.

With a relaxed smile, she even pondered what to buy at the convenience store that could please him.

“Can we have a party in our room today?”

“I got ten thousand won. Just spend it inside.”

Seeing Kim Woojin speak irritably, a chuckle escaped her. His annoyed demeanor was subtly cute, adding a teasing flavor.

‘Probably because I’ve been hearing strange things lately.’

Due to Jung Chanwoo or Seo Yerin inadvertently mentioning that she liked Kim Woojin, there had been some distance between them. However, now that they were getting along so well, Yoo Arin felt that her feelings were somewhat different from romantic ones.

As her confidence grew, her mood improved.

“Hehe, should I buy ice cream and share it?”

“Why are you pretending it’s mine?”

“You little brat.”

“You…!”

Before she could respond, Kim Woojin’s phone rang.

She thought it might be a call for room service, but…

“Let me take this call. Pick out stuff for the bosses and the kids.”

Kim Woojin briskly went outside to answer the call. Curious about his slightly excited demeanor, she pretended to browse the store and headed towards the entrance.

“Oh, Yiseo.”

The name came out of Kim Woojin’s mouth, instantly recognizable.

…

Somehow, she didn’t want to hear the fluttering voice, so she hurriedly chose an ice cream and changed her steps.

Rustle.

Rustle.

Although she absentmindedly fiddled with the ice creams, her gaze was fixed outside.

Kim Woojin, smiling as he talked on the phone.

What was making him so happy?

What was bringing him such joy?

“Sigh.”

Saying this wouldn’t change anything.

In truth, she knew she was the same.

Just a few words made her feel down.

Just a few words made her feel good.

“Really.”

With both hands covering her face, Yoo Arin once again denied her emotions.