Chapter – 08
Da-yeon’s eyes widened in surprise when she spotted Si-heon.
“Teacher?”
The owner looked just as startled.
“How much is it?”
“No, sir, this is a product that’s difficult to sell.”
Despite the owner’s attempts to dissuade him, Si-heon remained unfazed.
“That’s fine. It’s a cake for someone who only cares about filling their stomach, regardless of how it looks.”
After he went that far, there was nothing the owner could do. He hastily packaged the cake he had been about to pass off to Da-yeon and handed it to Si-heon.
“You don’t need candles or a knife?”
“No. Just the cake is fine.”
As Si-heon took out his wallet and finished paying, Da-yeon cautiously approached him. Si-heon looked momentarily surprised to see her before speaking.
“Is this the bakery where you work?”
“Yes. I haven’t been working here for very long.”
After thinking for a moment, Da-yeon carefully asked,
“But, Teacher, what brings you here?”
“Just a coincidence.”
“A coincidence?”
“I had an appointment nearby.”
“Oh… I see.”
He said he had an appointment, but somehow she couldn’t quite believe him.
Why did he come all the way here? This isn’t even close to his workplace or his home.
Curious, Da-yeon asked again.
“Then who is the person who only cares about filling their stomach?”
“There is someone. Someone who likes sweets.”
He answered casually and picked up the cake box without saying anything else.
“Good work.”
“Yes. Take care on your way home.”
After exchanging an awkward goodbye, Da-yeon tilted her head.
Did he really just happen to stop by?
It really seemed like he had only come to buy a cake and leave.
But why did he buy the cake I ruined?
Da-yeon’s thoughts grew deeper and deeper. But her questions were scattered when the owner called out to her.
“Da-yeon! What are you doing over there? You need to package these!”
The owner, who had already begun moving trays of bread, called out to her loudly.
“I’ll be right there, boss!”
Da-yeon quickly answered and headed toward him.
Even if it was supposedly just a coincidence, she had met Teacher Si-heon.
There had been a small incident, but either way, it was a lucky day for Da-yeon.
Manager Myung stared strangely at the squashed strawberry cake that had been handed to him.
It was a cake that was far too awkward to be considered a snack for an employee, yet slightly too lacking in sincerity to be called a gift.
“Executive Director, what exactly is this?”
Manager Myung asked Si-heon, who was reviewing documents while he held the cake. Si-heon answered without even looking up.
“I bought it on the way here. You like sweets, don’t you, Manager Myung?”
“That’s true, but… suddenly giving me such a huge cake…”
As his voice trailed off, Manager Myung noticed the bakery’s name printed on the cake box.
[The Baking Elephant]
The name looked familiar.
Where have I seen this before?
As Manager Myung thought about it, he suddenly remembered Da-yeon’s list of part-time jobs from a while ago. There was no doubt about it. It was the name of the bakery he had written down when updating her list.
“Isn’t this the cake from the bakery where Miss Jung Da-yeon works?”
Si-heon’s hand stopped momentarily as he turned a page.
“…Is it?”
“Then why did you go there…”
“I happened to stop by while passing through.”
“By chance?”
“By chance.”
“……”
Manager Myung had countless questions.
Why had Si-heon suddenly gone to a bakery that was so far from the company?
And why had someone who didn’t even touch sweets suddenly bought a cake and handed it to him?
There were far too many things he wanted to know.
Yet somehow, he could feel an atmosphere from over Si-heon’s shoulder that told him he shouldn’t ask.
Manager Myung quietly bowed his head.
“…I’ll enjoy it, Executive Director.”
After Manager Myung left, the door closed with a thud.
Si-heon closed his report and let out a sigh.
I was just going to stop by for a moment and see if Peanut was doing her job properly. How did this happen?
It was fortunate for both of them that Manager Myung hadn’t asked any more questions.
If he had asked even one more, Si-heon might have lost a competent subordinate.
With another sigh, Si-heon picked up the report again.
Come to think of it, what time was Jung Da-yeon’s next part-time job?
Remembering the list of Da-yeon’s part-time jobs in Manager Myung’s report, Si-heon sighed again.
“My legs feel completely like rocks.”
As she organized the books, Da-yeon lightly pounded her legs with her fists.
After working several part-time jobs in a row, her legs—which had been standing all day—were stiff as stone.
Today was already her third part-time job.
First the bakery, then the café, and now the bookstore.
The pay wasn’t particularly high, but it was a good place to work because she could be the first to handle newly released books. She could also open them and read during her breaks.
Throughout her school years, Da-yeon had always been short on money for books. Because of that, the bookstore was a place that filled that particular emptiness in her life.
“Student Da-yeon.”
At the voice calling her, Da-yeon stopped pounding her legs.
“Could you bring down some books from up there? We have a customer who reserved them.”
The bookstore owner was pointing toward the upper shelves.
“Yes, understood.”
Da-yeon answered and brought over a ladder as though she were accustomed to it.
Occasionally, customers ordered books that were stored in places they couldn’t reach themselves. They were usually professors or elderly men, and apparently there was another such request this time.
Whenever she took books down from a high place, she naturally became more careful.
Step by step, she cautiously climbed until she reached the very top of the ladder.
The highest shelf.
She stretched out her hand to grab the book, but her legs, stiff as stone after standing for so long, suddenly lost their balance.
“Huh?”
The startled sound escaped her lips.
Her body tilted through the air as she lost her center of gravity.
But she never felt the impact of hitting the floor.
Instead, something was supporting her waist.
A familiar scent.
And the solid warmth of a body against her back.
“Are you okay?”
A low voice came from above her head.
Da-yeon turned her head and saw Si-heon’s face right in front of her.
He was standing there with one hand supporting her waist.
“Teacher?”
Her heart began pounding wildly.
Si-heon’s face was still incredibly handsome up close.
And the arm holding her felt unbelievably reliable.
As though it were keeping her from falling out of the world itself.
“You should be more careful.”
“I’m sorry.”
Si-heon sighed as he helped Da-yeon back onto her feet.
Why does getting scolded feel so good?
I must really be crazy.
Da-yeon barely managed to calm her pounding heart before climbing down from the ladder.
“Student Da-yeon, are you okay?”
“Yes. I’m fine!”
Da-yeon answered the bookstore owner, who was calling to her from a distance, while stealing another glance at Si-heon.
“Teacher, what brings you here this time?”
“I have a book to buy.”
“This time, too, it was a coincidence?”
“Yes.”
“Again?”
“Again.”
Da-yeon stared at him, but Si-heon didn’t even blink.
It was strange.
Not just once, but twice in a single day.
And the first time had been at the bakery, while this time was at the bookstore.
Was it really a coincidence? Or…
A small sense of hope kept spreading upward from the pit of her stomach to the tip of her throat.
“Teacher, by any chance…”
“What?”
He casually answered while scanning the books on display.
“By any chance…”
After hesitating, Da-yeon carefully asked,
“Did you come here to see me?”
Silence fell.
For a moment, Si-heon’s eyes seemed to waver, but he soon regained his composure.
“No.”
“……”
“It’s not like that.”
His firm voice instantly burst the expectations that had been swelling like clouds.
“Oh… I see.”
Da-yeon’s shoulders visibly drooped, and her expression became as dejected as a puppy caught in the rain.
Her disappointment was painfully obvious.
Si-heon felt as though he had done something wrong for no reason, so he rubbed between his eyebrows.
Taking his hand away from the book cover, he spoke gruffly.
“Don’t get hurt while working.”
“……”
“When you climb a ladder, make sure someone is holding it.”
“Okaaay…”
“And…”
Si-heon stopped.
He thought of telling her not to overwork herself, or to make sure she ate her meals properly, but he couldn’t bring himself to say those things out loud.
“…Anyway, be careful.”
After giving her the short warning, he turned around.
He could feel Da-yeon’s dejected gaze following him from behind.
Ignoring her, Si-heon walked toward the exit and quietly clicked his tongue.
Did I sound too harsh?
The image of her looking up at him with the corners of her eyes drooping kept bothering him.
It would have been enough just to say no. Why did I have to be so harsh about it?
She really is the kind of person who needs a lot of looking after.
Swallowing a sigh, Si-heon muttered inwardly as he left the bookstore.
