* * *
After completing the payment, Seonwoo turned back to Yeongdeok with the same smiling face.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Should I buy yours too?”
“Not necessary.”
Pushing past Seonwoo, Yeongdeok approached the counter again, carefully scanning the menu.
He eventually chose a strawberry latte, thinking it was the type of drink the obsessive possessive guy would never order due to its pink color.
By the time Yeongdeok received the buzzer and finished his order, the area around the counter had cleared out.
He walked back to the table where they had been sitting, alone.
“Seonwoo-nim, how old are you?”
“Twenty-eight. Same age as Yeongdeok Chicken.”
“I thought Seonwoo-nim was older.”
“Are you saying I look old? That’s harsh.”
“No, no! It’s just that Seonwoo-nim seems more mature than Yeongdeok Chicken. You’re more composed!”
Hearing that, Yeongdeok froze in place.
More mature than him?
“Hah.”
He couldn’t believe it and forcefully pulled the curtain aside, startling the members seated at the table.
“Sorry for not being mature enough.”
Yeongdeok’s sarcastic comment made everyone glance around awkwardly, embarrassed.
At that moment, the buzzer rang, breaking the silence.
“I’ll go get it.”
“I’ll come too.”
Not wanting to leave Seonwoo to act on his own, Yeongdeok followed, but Seonwoo took care of everything, from returning the buzzer to carrying the tray with drinks and cakes, leaving nothing for Yeongdeok to do.
“Why did you follow me? You could’ve just stayed seated, Cha Yeongdeok.”
“If I leave it to you, who knows what might happen.”
Seonwoo stopped in his tracks. Letting out a quiet laugh like a soft breath, he turned to Yeongdeok with a chilly air.
“The cafe members… as I thought, they’re all pretty young.”
“So?”
“No matter how I look at it, you don’t fit in with them. What’s your game?”
Seonwoo’s black eyes gleamed with suspicion between his white eyelashes.
Though his tone remained light, the weight of his words was unmistakable.
“You said it before, didn’t you? That hanging around people who don’t benefit your life is a waste of time.”
“…”
“Shouldn’t you stop wasting your time here and go do something more productive?”
Dripping with sarcasm, Seonwoo resumed walking.
Yeongdeok didn’t respond, only watching Seonwoo’s back as his own buzzer rang this time.
Returning to the table with his strawberry latte, Yeongdeok overheard the conversation.
“I looked up some classic literature since this is a literature cafe. I even bought a few books.”
By the time he returned, Seonwoo had already pulled out a collection of classic novels from his bag.
The members’ enthusiasm visibly waned.
“Oh… I see….”
“This book is a collection of important excerpts, so it might not be as complete as reading the entire thing, but it’s good for beginners. What do you think?”
“It sounds… good.”
Gwakdupal stirred his drink with a straw, answering halfheartedly. Seonwoo even opened the book.
“The ‘Dream of Nine Clouds’ you mentioned in the chat is briefly included here too.”
Seonwoo started explaining everything he had studied, like he was presenting a project.
The members’ eyes slowly drooped as the drowsy atmosphere spread.
“So, the protagonist of this novel, Yang Sowoo….”
“Ugh, enough already! This isn’t a literature class!”
After 20 minutes of this boring explanation, Choa finally couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up.
Seonwoo blinked like a startled rabbit, then narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“This is a classic literature cafe, isn’t it? Isn’t this what we’re supposed to do?”
“It’s similar but not really.”
“Then what are we supposed to do?”
“Well….”
Caught off guard and unable to mention BL novels, Choa bit her lip, fumbling for words.
“If you can’t say anything, I guess I’ll continue?”
As Seonwoo’s dreadful declaration rang out, the members started leaving one by one, rubbing their sleepy eyes.
“Uh, I need to use the bathroom.”
“Me too, let’s go together.”
“Same here….”
As the members all excused themselves, heading to the restroom, Choa crossed her arms and glared at Seonwoo.
“Everyone’s uncomfortable because of you.”
“Why? I’m just trying to liven up the mood as the older one.”
“We’d be fine without you. Ugh, I hate it.”
Choa angrily stormed off after the others, leaving Seonwoo and Yeongdeok alone.
Seonwoo covered his mouth with a clenched fist, stifling his laughter.
“This is so fun…. Does Choa really think she can fool me with such an obvious lie?”
“…”
“I wish she’d just be honest about what kind of group this is.”
“She probably doesn’t trust you enough, that’s why.”
Yeongdeok’s snarky comment made Seonwoo raise an eyebrow and rest his chin on his hand.
“Not something I’d expect to hear from you. Did you hear the others earlier? They thought I was older. Should I call you hyung?”
“Your mouth keeps running. I wish you’d shut up.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
Unfazed, Seonwoo laughed confidently. Ignoring him, Yeongdeok sipped his strawberry latte.
It was then that Seonwoo noticed the drink and remarked with surprise.
“Cha Yeongdeok drinking a strawberry latte? It really doesn’t suit you.”
In his black suit from head to toe, Yeongdeok’s pink drink stood out even more.
“I’d appreciate it if you stopped acting so familiar with me. Or do you just want my attention that badly?”
“Hah. What?”
As Seonwoo let out a disbelieving laugh, the members returned with Choa.
“Yeongdeok Chicken, the members want to go eat now. Let’s go.”
Choa deliberately excluded Seonwoo, addressing only Yeongdeok.
Seonwoo quickly put on his kind smile when the members arrived.
“Sounds good. What should we eat?”
“I’ll treat everyone.”
Not wanting to see Seonwoo act any further, Yeongdeok cut in and declared he would pay.
“Are you sure? Spending your precious time and money on a place like this?”
“Sure, I’ll buy whatever you want. What do you feel like eating?”
Yeongdeok’s eyes glinted sharply, ready to buy anything to one-up Seonwoo.
He was truly willing to buy them any kind of food… but as soon as Yeongdeok stepped inside the lively and bustling restaurant, he slowly crossed his arms.
“Yeongdeok Chicken, Yeongdeok Chicken! Can I order a shrimp burger set?”
“……”
“Yeongdeok Chicken?”
Yeongdeok sighed softly at Soseki’s stupid question.
Of all the foods available, why a burger?
These people really had cheap taste.
Misunderstanding the meaning behind Yeongdeok’s sigh, Soseki clamped his mouth shut and just ordered the burger alone.
He figured Yeongdeok Chicken must be stretching his budget to treat them…
“We’ve all picked our food. Yeongdeok Chicken, hurry up and choose yours too!”
After the members had finished ordering, Choa dragged Yeongdeok to the kiosk. Yeongdeok stared lazily at the variety of burgers displayed on the screen.
Never having eaten a burger before, he had no idea what might taste good, so he kept scrolling until he spotted a burger called a “chicken burger.”
It’s got chicken in it, so it can’t taste bad, right?
He selected the chicken burger, and a screen appeared asking if he wanted the set or just the burger.
Yeongdeok casually picked the burger alone.
Then another screen popped up asking if he wanted to add sides.
Why were there so many choices?
As Yeongdeok was having a staring contest with the kiosk, Seonwoo came up beside him.
“Haven’t you decided yet? You’re really taking your time. Is it because it’s your first time trying something like this?”
“I’d appreciate it if you shut your mouth and disappeared from my sight.”
“I was just trying to help. No need to be harsh.”
Finally finishing his order, Yeongdeok collected his receipt and ticket number, then made his way to the table the members had reserved.
“You’re the best, Yeongdeok Chicken!”
“Thank you for treating us, Yeongdeok Chicken.”
One by one, the members expressed their gratitude to Yeongdeok.
“Right? I didn’t expect you to treat us all, including me. You’re really thoughtful.”
Seonwoo chimed in, his tone laced with sarcasm.
Yeongdeok let out a small laugh at Seonwoo’s obvious attempt to pick a fight.
“Of course I’d treat you. If I think of it as giving charity to beggars, there’s nothing I can’t do.”
“Exactly. What’s a little burger money to the great Cha Yeongdeok? You’re really something.”
“Alright, alright, enough, enough!”
Unable to bear the childish argument any longer, Choa shouted.
“If you two are going to fight, go eat at another table.”
“Come on, we’re not fighting.”
Feigning friendliness, Seonwoo pulled Yeongdeok’s shoulder close.
Annoyed by the sudden gesture, Yeongdeok glared at him with a stony expression.
“We’re not fighting, right? Yeongdeok Chicken.”
“Don’t cling to me and let go.”
Yeongdeok shook him off forcefully, and Seonwoo backed away without a fuss.
“Also, how about you sit somewhere else instead of next to me? I don’t want to eat next to someone so annoying.”
“There’s only this seat left. What do you expect me to do?”
“Then eat alone. Or are you too scared to eat by yourself?”
Seonwoo let out a short laugh at Yeongdeok’s crude remark.
* * *
I really love this novel
I kinda don’t like seonwoo 🫤
Thanks for the chapter
MC should get a diagnosis for autism a lot of his thoughts and the way he expreses them are very relatable to me. I still find him so cute… if im honest I would also react in a bad way like Seonwoo if i see an older man with my little sister!
hes gonna love that burger
Thanks
Come on, are the cafe members not watching the two and not ship them?
Why isnt the gurlies detecting an enemies to lovers….
Lovers
Thanks for the chapter
Thanks!
Thank you
I really love how sharp and curt his remarks are. It isn’t unnecessarily long, just enough to get to the point.
Thankss
Tq
Cuties