* * *
Kahyun’s chauffeur was in the midst of his afternoon schedule when he received a sudden notification to make a detour to Wonha University.
He hastily departed, only to encounter a blocked shortcut under a tunnel, apparently due to an accident.
The chauffeur, who was already having a tough time because of Kahyun’s sensitivity to disrupted plans, sighed in relief upon confirming that they still had ample time.
He was glad they had left earlier than planned.
Given how unpredictable the situation had become, Kahyun might normally have let out one of his characteristic sighs that could deflate anyone’s confidence.
But surprisingly, he was unusually quiet, as if distracted.
Curious, the chauffeur glanced at the rearview mirror.
As expected, Kahyun was busy exchanging messages with the wallet’s owner.
He had sent a concise message explaining that he had found their wallet and, after hearing the part-timer’s story, was on his way to Wonha University and would hand it over.
The wallet owner, who seemed to have been briefed by Hyunwook to some extent, expressed their gratitude by bombarding his with colorful emojis.
These kids these days are so chaotic, Kahyun thought, sighing. He arranged to meet in front of a bookstore opposite the main gate of Wonha University.
Initially, he had considered meeting the owner in person to return the wallet, but honestly, the matter didn’t warrant such an effort.
This was merely a brief encounter aimed at securing the promising talent of Hyunwook.
Therefore, Kahyun did not reveal his name, position, or any other personal information to the other party.
There was no reason or value in doing so.
“Mr. Kim.”
“Yes, Director Lee?”
“How much longer until we reach Wonha University?”
The chauffeur quickly checked the navigation and replied.
“About ten minutes. Should I hurry?”
“No, maintain this speed. Please stop across from the main gate.”
“Understood.”
Having confirmed there was still plenty of time, Kahyun ended the conversation and returned his attention to his phone screen.
In the brief interval, more than ten emojis had piled up. Various animals laughed and cried, expressing their thanks.
Kahyun, who believed that people tend to associate with those similar to themselves, had briefly considered the possibility that the wallet owner, a friend of Hyunwook, might be someone worth adding to his pool of potential recruits.
But this time, it seemed like that wouldn’t be the case.
Kahyun felt a vague sense of disappointment toward this overly excitable and somewhat incompetent conversational partner.
Without hesitation, Kahyun turned off his phone screen.
His gaze fell on the wallet he was supposed to return.
Absentmindedly, he picked it up and, noticing that the brand logo had worn off, began to fiddle with it. He slowly opened it.
The contents were as unimpressive as the exterior.
Three 10,000-won bills and one 5,000-won bill. A student ID and ID card were slotted into the card holder, but no other cards were visible.
The other side bulged slightly, likely filled with coins, which had caused the photograph wedged in there to crumple.
It was a picture of a family of four enjoying a happy moment.
The father, mother, and two siblings were all smiling brightly, hugging one another so warmly that it could make anyone smile just by looking at them.
The photo seemed quite old, slightly faded with time.
One of the siblings was wearing a school uniform, while the other looked like they were still in kindergarten.
Judging by the ID photo, the older sibling appeared to be the wallet’s owner.
Beneath the family photo, a small note with a short message was tucked away.
“Hello, this is Park Minjae’s wallet. If you find this, please contact 010-xxxx-71xx. I will reward you. Thank you very much!”
The handwriting was neat and composed, contrasting sharply with the chaotic tone of the text messages.
Intrigued, Kahyun examined the family photo once again, marveling at how the warmth of the moment was captured so vividly.
For someone like Kahyun, whose life had been surrounded by people of his own type for all 31 years, seeing such unfiltered happiness felt like witnessing someone else’s private vulnerability.
Suddenly feeling a wave of unease, Kahyun closed his eyes and pressed his fingers to his temples, wondering if he had been staring down too much.
After a moment, the chauffeur announced that they had arrived, and the car came to a stop.
Confirming that he had arrived precisely on time, Kahyun waited leisurely.
However, after a while, he realized the wallet’s owner had no intention of showing up on time.
Someone who couldn’t even keep a basic appointment—how unprofessional.
Kahyun had always refused to engage with those who couldn’t respect punctuality.
He was lenient with people’s significant difficulties as long as they were useful, but when it came to tardiness, he cut ties without a second thought.
The story of how he abruptly ended a major project, one he had spent over a year negotiating, because the other party was late to the contract signing, had become legendary in the industry.
Thanks to this reputation, even famously lazy people rushed to deal with Kahyun, never daring to keep his waiting.
And yet here he was, waiting for someone he had never even seen. his patience was wearing thin, and he mentally dismissed the wallet owner.
Just as Kahyun’s patience was reaching its limit, a figure finally appeared, rushing across the crosswalk from Wonha University’s main gate toward his car.
Five minutes late.
Kahyun glared at the approaching figure, his expression set in stone.
A young man with light brown hair approached the back seat window and knocked.
The chauffeur glanced at Kahyun for approval before rolling down the window.
“Hello, you must be the person Hyunwook mentioned, right? I’m Park Minjae, Hyunwook’s friend. I’m so sorry for being late!”
Panting from running, Minjae swept his disheveled hair back and greeted his with a flushed face.
Kahyun, still with his arms crossed, stared at him through the car window.
“I’m so grateful that you came all the way here on Hyunwook’s behalf. I brought something small as a thank you. Near our school, there’s a famous handmade macaron place. It’s pretty well-known—have you heard of Bom-bat Atelier?”
Minjae continued to ramble, fumbling with the bags he was carrying, completely oblivious to the fact that Kahyun hadn’t responded and was just watching him.
Finally, after digging around, Minjae raised his head with a bright smile.
That’s when he saw the extraordinarily handsome man sitting in front of him.
He had heard Hyunwook often talk about Kahyun, saying he was ridiculously good-looking, even throwing in some curse words for emphasis, but Minjae had thought it was exaggerated.
It wasn’t.
That rascal Hyunwook.
Clearly, his vocabulary was lacking because “ridiculously good-looking” didn’t even begin to describe him.
The man in front of Minjae had a face so striking it was almost violent, as if his looks could physically hurt someone.
Minjae, now dumbfounded, forgot what he was saying and mumbled.
“Bom-bat Atelier… It’s a famous place. Super… super delicious.”
“No, I haven’t heard of it.”
The response was businesslike and dry.
Only then did Minjae notice Kahyun’s stiff expression.
He paused, sensing the tension in the air.
Something felt off.
How could someone be so clueless?
Kahyun almost felt like sighing out loud.
* * *
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