* * *
Just off Gangnam-daero, there was a well-constructed seven-story building. The Penelope Restaurant occupied the seventh floor of that building.
The building wasn’t very large, but its interior was well-decorated. The underground parking lot was relatively spacious, with plenty of empty spots.
Shin Eun-ha spoke as she got out of the car.
“This place is quite famous. Have you heard of it?”
“No.”
They entered a café on the second floor of the building.
“A lot of young people come to this café. Na Kang-In oppa, have you never been on a date here?”
He had no memory of ever dating. But he didn’t bother to say that.
The fact that his resident registration information was in the Korean government database might mean there were records of an ordinary life somewhere.
‘I still don’t know why I’m here in this era, in this place, and not in the Earth Union Forces of 2082.’
Na Kang-In deliberately changed the subject.
“Are you treating me to a meal on the second floor?”
“No way. We’re here to chat over coffee until we get hungry. The restaurant we’re going to is on the seventh floor. It’s usually hard to get a reservation there.”
“When did you make the reservation?”
“Yesterday evening.”
“I thought you said it was hard to get a reservation?”
Shin Eun-ha flipped her hair with her left hand.
“Na Kang-In oppa, I’m an actress. A hot, beautiful actress.”
“So?”
“Tch. No reaction. I filmed a variety show with the head chef here before. I got his direct number. I called yesterday, and he said he could make a spot for two.”
She boasted.
“It’s a spot only I could get.”
Na Kang-In nodded.
“So, you cut in line?”
“No. I asked, and he specially made an additional reservation.”
“Sounds fishy.”
“Everyone does it this way….”
Na Kang-In asked.
“By the way, who were you planning to come with when you made the reservation yesterday?”
Shin Eun-ha smiled bashfully and pointed at Na Kang-In.
“Na Kang-In oppa?”
“You planned all this?”
Shin Eun-ha tried to change the subject by picking up her smartphone.
“Ah! I should ask if we can get a window seat!”
She made a call. An employee answered right away.
– Good Day! This is Penelope.
“This is Shin Eun-ha. I’m calling to confirm my reservation for tonight.”
While the staff was checking the reservation, she spoke to Na Kang-In.
“They only take one team per table in the evening, so there’s no set time…. What? My reservation isn’t confirmed? What are you talking about?”
Na Kang-In stared at her.
Shin Eun-ha, now agitated, pressed further.
“I definitely made the reservation yesterday!”
– Yes, we see that. But we had an unexpected situation….
After a bit more conversation, Shin Eun-ha angrily hung up the phone.
Na Kang-In asked.
“What happened?”
“Wow. Someone more important came, so they canceled my reservation? If they were going to do that, why did they promise me a table in the first place!”
“You were probably the easiest reservation to cancel today.”
“Whose side are you on!”
“Um…. I’m on your side until the bill is paid.”
“And they should have at least notified me if they were going to cancel my reservation, if I didn’t call we would look like idiots!”
Na Kang-In suggested.
“That’s true. Well, forget it. Let’s go out and have some soup. I’ll sprinkle the salt stylishly for you.”
Shin Eun-ha flipped her hair back with both hands and stood up.
“No. Na Kang-In oppa, wait here and enjoy your coffee. I’m going up to the seventh floor to find out who this VIP is that they kicked me out for.”
She left the café with a determined look.
Na Kang-In relaxed in his chair, leisurely drinking his coffee.
“This coffee is good.”
[It is delicious.]
***
As soon as Shin Eun-ha reached the seventh floor, she entered the Penelope Restaurant and confronted the head chef, Oh Gyuchul.
“Chef Oh, how could you do this to me? You said there was a spot yesterday.”
Oh Gyuchul apologized.
“Eun-ha, I’m sorry. An important reservation came up suddenly. There was nothing I could do.”
“Why cancel mine first? I told you it was an important occasion too. Who are these other people with reservations?”
“It’s not like that. You were the last to make a reservation, so….”
“What?”
“And that table was set up just for you. It wasn’t a formal reservation…. ”
“Really? Then you should have told me it was canceled. I came all the way here.”
“I thought we had already contacted you. It looks like one of our employees made a mistake. If you come back tomorrow, I’ll make sure to treat you properly.”
“Tomorrow?”
When she brought Kang-In to this place today, she used the excuse of thanking him for installing the light switch.
“If I ask him to come again tomorrow, he might refuse….”
The restaurant also had THO Entertainment’s president, Lee Tae-ho. He was sitting and talking on the phone with his older brother, Lee Tae-sung.
“Are you serious, bro? You insisted I book this place for today, and I had a hard time getting a reservation last night, but now you can’t come?”
Lee Tae-sung, the director of Iron Gear Engineering, replied.
– Hey, I was almost there, but something urgent came up at work, and I had to turn back. There’s nothing I can do.
“So, I have to eat alone?”
– You can call your sister-in-law.
“She has a schedule.”
– Sorry, we’ll talk later. I’m busy right now.
After hanging up, Lee Tae-ho grumbled.
“I really don’t like eating alone… huh?”
Lee Tae-ho noticed Shin Eun-ha arguing with the head chef, Oh Gyu-cheol.
He quickly got up and walked over to them.
“Eun-ha?”
“Oh my, President Lee?”
“Did you come alone?”
“No, I wanted to treat Kang-In oppa for once, but my reservation was canceled.”
“Perfect timing.”
Shin Eun-ha frowned without realizing it.
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, I was just about to eat alone, so we can join tables.”
“No, that’s…”
“Three is better than two, right? Hahaha.”
Shin Eun-ha thought two was better than three. But she had no other choice.
She asked Oh Gyu-cheol.
“Chef Oh, is that okay?”
Oh Gyu-cheol smiled broadly.
“Of course, it’s fine. It’s Eun-ha’s table anyway.”
“What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
***
Na Kang-in quickly finished his iced Americano, leaving only ice in the cup.
Most of Shin Eun-ha’s coffee was still left. Na Kang-in picked up her cup and took a sip.
“It would be a waste to leave it.”
[Are you making excuses?]
“This coffee is really good. We should analyze its chemical components to see how it differs from the stuff they sell in internet cafes.”
[Information can only be input through your body.]
“My tongue is too dull to tell the difference, so just drink it.”
[That’s not exactly what I meant.]
“There’s a hint of emotion in your ‘exactly’.”
Na Kang-in sent a message on his smartphone while drinking Shin Eun-ha’s coffee.
[Let’s just go eat some gukbap.]
The AI assistant, Zinji, asked.
[Do you really prefer gukbap over a full-course meal at a fancy restaurant?]
“No, I was just being polite.”
[I didn’t know you had manners.]
“You seem buggy today. You’re being quite cheeky.”
* * *
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