* * *
Time flew by quickly.
It felt like summer had only just begun, yet people had already swapped short sleeves for long sleeves, carrying light jackets to ward off the chill.
The sight of leaves changing into vibrant hues made the shift in seasons all the more palpable.
The once humid breeze had turned crisp, and the long days had noticeably shortened.
Autumn had arrived.
Around the time summer replaced spring, Jingyeom finally started working at the café he had long dreamed of.
Soohyuk, who had been preparing for the café’s opening, made it possible for him to work there.
Though Jingyeom was technically the owner, all day-to-day operations were managed by the store’s manager.
Working at the café came with a list of conditions, however:
- Absolutely no injuries.
- Frequent check-ins.
- No giving attention to anyone else.
- Absolutely no overtime.
…and the list went on.
The sheer number of conditions was enough to make Jingyeom question whether the job was worth it.
Even so, this was after he had negotiated to remove some of the more ridiculous clauses.
One of the discarded conditions was utterly absurd: “Take a selfie in the store and send it every time you clock in.”
When Jingyeom first saw that clause, he almost tore the paper to shreds.
It looked more like a slave contract than an employment agreement.
Watching Jingyeom’s expression grow increasingly stiff as he read through the ludicrous terms, Soohyuk eventually relented and agreed to compromise.
“Even today, he asked me to send a photo of what I ate for lunch,” Jingyeom muttered under his breath.
While other employees ordered takeout or ate out, Jingyeom brought his own packed lunch.
Outside food was often too stimulating for his sensitive body, so he preferred homemade meals.
Standing behind the counter, Jingyeom occasionally checked the time, glancing out the window.
Seeing part-timer Jin Haesol approach the counter, he tried to initiate a casual conversation.
“The weather’s really nice today. I bet all the customers are out enjoying it.”
“…Don’t you see the place is full?”
Haesol replied dryly.
Jingyeom looked around the café before responding.
“Full? There are empty seats. And no one’s waiting.”
The café was popular enough that customers often queued even on weekdays.
Despite no deliberate marketing, patrons frequently posted about the café on social media, drawing more attention.
While Jingyeom’s striking appearance certainly played a part, the café also earned praise for its excellent coffee, beverages, and bakery items—all offered at reasonable prices.
Thanks to Soohyuk owning the building, rent was low.
This allowed Jingyeom to focus on high-quality ingredients and set competitive prices, earning the café a reputation for great value.
Yet, neither the service nor the management felt stingy.
In the three months since the café opened, no employees or part-timers had quit, and there hadn’t been any notable customer complaints.
“We should do some advertising. Feels like the customer flow has slowed down a bit lately…” Jingyeom mused aloud.
Despite being the owner, Jingyeom earned a percentage of the café’s revenue as his salary.
He poured a lot of care into the café, making it hard not to feel disappointed when business slowed.
As Jingyeom sighed and looked out the window again, Haesol noticed and hesitated before speaking.
If Jingyeom weren’t the owner, he might have scolded him outright.
But since he was, Haesol held back and offered instead, “Why don’t you take a walk around the store? You seem bored.”
“I already did,” Jingyeom replied.
“Do it again. A lot of customers come just to see you. They’ll appreciate it if you show your face—maybe check upstairs this time.”
Haesol shooed Jingyeom out from behind the counter, practically forcing him to take another lap.
As Jingyeom reluctantly wandered the café, he muttered, “Who’s the owner here, anyway?”
Jingyeom had first met Haesol years ago when they’d traded sneakers at a local marketplace.
Back then, Haesol was a high schooler, but now he was a college student.
By the time Jingyeom decided to open the café, Soohyuk had already hired an experienced manager.
Together, Jingyeom and the manager conducted interviews for additional staff.
Among the applicants, one face struck Jingyeom as familiar.
After some thought, he remembered the high schooler he’d traded with years ago.
Though the recognition was a pleasant surprise, Jingyeom didn’t hire Haesol out of sentiment.
He had relevant café experience, and his interview went well.
Later, Haesol casually mentioned that he still wore those sneakers, which deepened their camaraderie.
Their familiarity grew, and soon, Haesol treated Jingyeom with little formality.
He often gave orders or sent Jingyeom out of the way when busy—like now.
Despite their occasional bickering, they sometimes shared personal conversations about college life and friends.
Jingyeom, who hadn’t experienced those things, found the stories fascinating.
Slowly, he began building connections with others.
By 6 PM, the morning staff had left, and foot traffic picked up noticeably.
Jingyeom continued checking the time and glancing at the door.
It was obvious he was waiting for someone.
After thirty minutes, Haesol finished his shift and approached him.
“Aren’t you leaving, boss?”
“I’m waiting for Jinwoo. He said he’d come by.”
“Ah, your younger brother. Well, I’ll head out first then.”
“Alright, see you tomorrow!”
Waving enthusiastically, Jingyeom noticed Haesol greet someone outside.
Soon after, Jinwoo poked his head into the café.
Jingyeom’s face instantly brightened.
“See you tomorrow!” Jingyeom called out to the afternoon staff before hurrying out.
Jinwoo, freshly off work, looked sharp in a tailored suit.
Seeing Jinwoo wearing the clothes he’d bought for him, Jingyeom beamed as he approached.
But before he could say much, Jinwoo scolded him.
“You should’ve worn a cardigan.”
“I’m not cold! I wasn’t outside for long, anyway.”
Ignoring Jinwoo’s protests, Jingyeom grabbed his arm, eager to leave.
They’d planned to eat dinner out, and he’d been looking forward to it all day.
“Did you decide what you want to eat?” Jinwoo asked.
“That spicy tteokbokki we had last time! It’s a bit hot, but it doesn’t upset my stomach. Plus, it comes with rice, so it’s fine, right?”
“We agreed to eat tteokbokki only once a month,” Jinwoo reminded him.
When Jinwoo stopped in his tracks, Jingyeom wagged his finger as if correcting him.
Pulling out his phone, he pointed at the date.
“Once a month is right. Today’s the first!”
“…”
“What we had last week was last month’s! Today’s is for this month!”
“Hyung.”
“Come on, let’s go! I’m craving it!”
Though Jingyeom knew his reasoning was flimsy, he was desperate.
Pouting, he clung to Jinwoo’s arm and whined until Jinwoo gave in.
“Fine. But we’re getting the mild version.”
“Can’t we just go with the medium spice level? The mild one isn’t very spicy.”
“No way. We had that last time. Otherwise, let’s wait until next week.”
In the end, they agreed to have the mild tteokbokki.
While it was a bit disappointing, the mere fact that he could eat tteokbokki was enough to lift Jingyeom’s mood.
After a satisfying meal, they headed home.
On the bus ride back, Jingyeom started chatting about what had happened today.
Customers often asked if he had a boyfriend or for his number.
Each time, he would subtly show them the ring on his left fourth finger.
In the past, this was enough to make them back off, but lately, some customers had become more persistent, asking endless questions, which he found exhausting.
The ring had been given to him by Soohyuk, with the condition that he always wear it when working at the café.
He also mentioned how the number of customers seemed to have decreased lately, and he wondered aloud whether they should start some promotional activities.
“Did you talk to the manager about it?”
“Yeah, they said it might be okay to try now. So, I’m thinking of doing some SNS promotions or events.”
Although Jingyeom was the café owner, he had less experience than the other staff.
To make up for this, he had attended a training academy and learned directly from the manager before opening the café.
While the manager still handled most of the work, Jingyeom held the final say in decisions.
“Another entertainment agency came by today, gave me their business card, and kept pushing for a shoot. It was exhausting.”
“They’re still coming? Didn’t you put up a sign saying solicitors aren’t welcome?”
“I thought about it… but it didn’t feel right, so I didn’t.”
If it were up to him, he would have posted a sign saying, “Only customers allowed,” but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Soohyuk had told him to do as he pleased, but business still had to run, after all.
While they were chatting, Soohyuk called. Glancing at Jinwoo, Jingyeom picked up the phone.
“I’m on the bus. I’ll call you when I get home.”
“Okay. Get home safe. Make sure to call.”
“Yes, I will.”
After hanging up, he slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Soohyuk already knew Jingyeom was having dinner with Jinwoo, as he had mentioned it earlier.
He must have called, knowing Jingyeom was heading home by now.
* * *
