By Zephyria 
My tongue feels inexplicably bitter. Since every person Kim Tae-yeong introduces after his own vetting ends up causing this kind of trouble, I feel particularly awkward toward him. Eun-ha resolved to just give him the gist of the conclusion once Kim Tae-yeong returned from Europe and scrolled through the chat history. Then, a string of messages discussing Yeon-jun suddenly appeared. He had mentioned a few times lately that one customer was particularly annoying and bothersome.
Kim Tae-yeong
If he bothers you that much, just have a one-night stand and be done with it.
Even upon rereading, his cheap word choice made my brow furrow.
You know
I don’t date Yeon-ha.
It wasn’t due to any serious reason—I just wasn’t attracted. Having dated older partners and been in long-term relationships, people younger than me didn’t really appeal.
Younger people are cute… They are cute, but.
Just cute. Not particularly as sexual interests.
What I liked most was the sense of stability and feeling somehow reliant when with someone older.
Kim Tae-yeong
Who said date? I said have a go and toss him.
I’m giving you good advice here…
Kim Tae-yeong
What’s the big deal lol
It’s not like you’re the faithful type anyway.
For clingy bastards, that’s perfect.
If they get one-night standed, first off,
Their p- pride gets hurt and they get pissed off, They might hold a grudge, but they won’t chase after you more.
And don’t think I don’t know you only date older guys lol Ugh.
Ugh?
Kim Tae-yeong
Is it because you still can’t forget your ex?
?
What are you talking about…?
It’s not that.
The next message was sent almost aggressively, annoyed at Kim Tae-yeong for stirring up painful past memories.
So
You’re saying Hyung got one-night standed?
That’s pretty specific.
Kim Tae-yeong
Lol
Fuck
That reply was explanation enough. Eun-ha smirked as he read it again, then pensively lowered his eyelids. A one-night stand.
……Did it become something similar?
Dismissing the thought, he straightened up to attend to a customer approaching the counter.
He stayed at the café all day. Similar days had been repeating for several days now. Remaining at the shop all day, sleeping only at the Officetel, and returning to work early—a routine, boxed-in daily life.
Usually, Eun-ha spent his days quite busily. Not that he had any grand schedule; he was just busy rolling around doing his best alone. After early closing, he’d sprawl on the Officetel living room sofa watching movies, sleep deeply through afternoon naps, immerse himself in reading, dabble in studying fields that caught his interest at the time, play games……
After making sure to eat dinner each evening, he went for walks in the park near home. Then, if he remembered, he’d stop by the café again to check on the plants.
During the repetitive life, whenever he felt lacking in dopamine, he’d go ransack department stores with Mom’s card, and occasionally, enjoying various cultural activities, he’d get drunk on the feeling of being a plausible intellectual. Suddenly, all those many contents became boring. More precisely, he lost the motivation. It was already the tenth day he’d been falling asleep alone, starkly sober.
Life was all bothersome and uninteresting. His chest felt hollow, as if punched through. It was a familiar emptiness. After breaking up with a partner, this state always continued for a while.
Enduring long nights through the numb, drained feeling sex provided had become Eun-ha’s bad habit, settled in at some point.
After being thrust into until his mind went blank, he liked that no more thoughts came that night. He liked being able to fall deeply asleep, languid and empty-headed. He also liked the warm body heat transmitted from the partner.
Once that habit solidified completely in his body, the longer he spent nights alone, the more anxious he became. It was as if the purpose had been displaced. Once the other’s body heat faded, hunger surged every night. Thoughts multiplied, and sleep hardly came. It was an inertia seeped into his skin, impossible to fix on his own.
A fucking awful inertia.
[Is it because you still can’t forget your ex?]
……In that sense, Kim Tae-yeong’s words might not be entirely wrong.
‘I’m tired, Eun-ha.’
‘……’
‘You acting like this is too exhausting.’
Eun-ha furrowed his brow at the voice that suddenly surfaced. He closed his eyes gently, his expression one of irritation. His head buzzed as if filled with noise.
Anyway, for various reasons, he didn’t feel like doing anything, but lying around at home would just make him overthink and give him the creeps, so he was idling at the shop instead.
Still, today at least there was a task. One evening part-timer had requested a substitute. Eun-ha told him he’d cover the shift himself. That subtly swelling feeling in his chest when facing the part-timer who looked at him with a grateful smile. It made him reflect on how insignificantly his own life had flowed.
‘If the threshold for feeling fulfillment is that low……’
Eun-ha laughed at himself. Holed up in a corner of the café, killing time like a loafer, the sun set. Skipping the handover, Eun-ha sent the part-timers home and mindlessly manned the counter. When he had nothing to do, he fiddled with his phone.
Again, mindlessly looking at what used to be Yeon-jun’s regular seat…… then inadvertently observing a unfamiliar man sitting there tapping on his laptop.
Suddenly, their eyes met. Eun-ha didn’t look away. Thinking the glancing contact would just pass by indifferently.
But the other didn’t look away either. Until discomfort began to grow.
Under the prolonged gaze, Eun-ha raised one eyebrow almost imperceptibly and eventually turned his head away first.
He browsed through Instagram feeds and stories. There were new photos of Im Sujin with her fiancé. His friend’s brightly smiling face looked happy. Just about to press the heart, he heard a presence.
Raising his head, the man he’d made eye contact with earlier was standing there.
“Do you need something?”
He asked, rising from the stool he’d been leaning against. The man politely declined help with a brief, courteous smile.
“The music playing now, I was curious about the title.”
“Ah. One moment.”
It was common for customers to ask about the music flowing in the café. Eun-ha checked the laptop open beside the counter. Though he’d added it to his playlist because it suited his taste, it was instrumental, so he hadn’t memorized the title separately.
After checking and informing him, the man repeated the title aloud once and expressed thanks.
“Does the CEO personally handle the music selection?”
“When I’m here, yes.”
“I’ve been listening since earlier, and I like all of it.”
An exceedingly friendly tone. A sensitive voice. Only then did Eun-ha properly take note of the other. A neat suit. Hair neatly combed back with pomade. The eyes visible beyond round silver-framed glasses were kindly. The gaze fell straight down, almost burdensomely so.
Eun-ha subtly moved his slightly parted lips. Lowering his gaze slightly, he sank into momentary thought, then raised it again to meet the man’s.
He slowly opened his mouth to speak.
“Seems our tastes match well. If you’re curious about others, I can let you know.”
“You’d do that? There are quite a few.”
“Shall I write them on a memo? Many have English titles.”
“Then I’d really appreciate it.”
Eun-ha wrote down the titles of the music the man was curious about in clear pen strokes. He handed over the memo.
As the man received it, their fingertips pressed firmly together for a moment before parting.