~Chapter 10~
I Came Because I Missed You
A few days later.
On her day off from Modern Café, So-hye decided to go to Songil High School again.
Luckily, the sky was full of clouds, so there was no risk of getting too hot.
After getting ready, So-hye picked up a drawing from her desk.
It was a picture of Woo-geon, which she had drawn while making a gift for Kyung-rim recently.
“If I meet him today, I have to give this to him.”
She hoped he would like it.
Seeing Woo-geon smiling in the drawing made her smile naturally.
Carefully, she rolled up the drawing and put it in her bag, feeling excited as she left home.
Going to school again without an appointment, not even knowing when he would finish, was a little reckless, even to her.
“But I just want to see him one more time.”
There was no guarantee he would pass by the café again like last time.
As the saying goes, “If you want something, you have to try for it.”
Instead of sitting and waiting for Woo-geon, it was better to take action herself, even if it looked a bit desperate.
“Pride? That doesn’t feed anyone. I’ll regret it less if I just do what I want.”
So-hye smiled and walked confidently.
Just as she reached the front gate of Songil High School:
“So-hye?”
She turned at the familiar voice and widened her eyes.
“President Wang Hak-je?”
“Seeing you here again, what a surprise.”
Hak-je smiled brightly and approached her.
As usual, he wore flashy and expensive clothes, which looked strange on the quiet school street.
So-hye smiled back.
“How have you been?”
“Busy as always. And you, So-hye?”
“I’m good, thanks to you, sir.”
“Me? Really?”
Hak-je tilted his head, then smiled widely.
“Have you been thinking about me?”
He looked excited.
“Oh, no, not really…”
“Or am I just that influential to you?”
“No, it’s not that…”
“Well, it feels good. I’m happy to be your benefactor.”
So-hye hesitated to respond.
“Now I feel like I’m only a good person when you’re around me. Haha!”
No… she just meant it as a casual greeting.
But Hak-je ignored her and happily interpreted it his own way.
Seeing him so genuinely happy, she couldn’t tell him the truth.
“Maybe he doesn’t understand idioms yet because he’s Chinese?”
Well… someone will tell him eventually.
Even if he finds out, he probably won’t be embarrassed.
So-hye smiled awkwardly and decided to let him keep his happy thoughts.
It was a little cute to see a grown man so happy.
“By the way, why are you here at this hour?”
“Just skipping work,” he whispered like it was a secret.
“Staying in the office all day makes me feel restless.”
“Really?”
“Will you spend time with me, So-hye?”
“Huh?”
So-hye was surprised to see the company president casually coming out just because he was bored.
Frowning, she watched him laugh and shake his head.
“Just kidding. I’m on my way to meet a client.”
“Oh! Sorry for taking your time.”
“No problem, I’m not in a rush.”
He closed his pocket watch and smiled.
“Not going to the café today?”
“Monday is a day off.”
“Oh, then why are you at this dull school?”
Hak-je looked around the campus.
“You first met me here, didn’t you? Doing something here today?”
“Just taking a walk.”
“In a quiet place like this?”
The school was built far from downtown, so there wasn’t much to see. On rainy days, the ground would be muddy, making it a poor choice for a walk.
Hak-je squinted and smiled.
“Not a place for a lady to walk alone.”
His eyes seemed to say, “Tell me the truth.”
So-hye smiled shyly.
“Actually… I came to see someone.”
“Someone you want to see? Here?”
Hak-je exaggeratedly looked shocked, back and forth between her and the school.
“Who? Someone so special you came here yourself?”
“Yes. There is someone.”
“Tell me quietly… maybe I could help.”
So-hye waved her hands.
“No, it’s nothing like that. I don’t need help.”
“They say the brave get the beauty. Being a woman doesn’t change that.”
Hak-je encouraged her to speak.
She hesitated, unsure if it was safe to tell. But since he wasn’t connected to anyone she knew, she slowly spoke.
“Actually… it’s…”
Just then, a familiar voice interrupted:
“Why are you here? If you came, come inside!”
It was Woo-geon, standing there and gently holding her shoulder.
“Teacher Shin…?”
“I waited. I saw you come.”
His hand on her shoulder made her stiff with nervousness.
Her heart heated, and her mouth felt sticky.
“Since you didn’t come up, I had to meet you myself.”
Woo-geon smiled at Hak-je, though his eyes sharpened.
“Long time no see, President Wang.”
“You too, Teacher Shin. Nice to see you again.”
Wait, they know each other?
So-hye looked at them, puzzled.
“I read your last paper. Your view on butterflies is always interesting.”
“Thank you for always taking interest in my research, despite being busy.”
“Of course. If I don’t care, who will?”
Their words were polite but somehow tense.
“You and I, we just… have to be careful around him,” Woo-geon seemed to think.
So-hye noticed the tension and looked back and forth.
“Then, what’s your relationship with So-hye?”
Hak-je noticed Woo-geon’s hand on her shoulder.
She felt thrilled and embarrassed at the same time, wanting to pull away, but Woo-geon held her closer.
“Just a student… for now.”
“For now?”
Woo-geon’s answer made Hak-je raise an eyebrow.
“I’m teaching her. Butterflies, and more.”
“What more…?”
So-hye blushed, unsure what he meant.
‘If I hide my real reason for coming, it might look like I’m lying!’
She decided to tell the truth.
“I came because I missed you, teacher.”
“….”
“Will you have coffee with me? I’ve never had it before.”
Brave people win the hearts of the beautiful.
Hak-je’s earlier joke about her meeting a warm-hearted person suddenly seemed very real to her.
