By Zephyria 
I was looking at the internet and talking with Jin-su about foods that young women supposedly like these days when I heard the sound of the cafe door opening. As soon as I checked the customer who had entered, I tilted my head and frowned.
A man, with half his face hidden by sunglasses, had his hat pulled down deep. He stood out immediately, striding in with the hem of his casual coat fluttering. Even his wide, confident gait drew attention. Oblivious to the gazes fixed upon him, he headed straight for the counter.
Passing by me indifferently as if he hadn’t seen me, he stood before the menu. The way he examined the menu with such a serious expression almost made him look unnecessarily solemn. After pondering for a moment, he ordered a hot cappuccino.
There was no way I wouldn’t recognize that polite, refined voice. Right, Joo Min-hyeok? I was flabbergasted that he had the nerve to come all the way here.
My head spun at his bold behavior, now appearing openly in my cafe. It was absurd that a man who was the Emperor would even think of coming here. I grew anxious, fearing that my staff might notice his identity. Being wrapped up like that only made him look stranger. For a young man to appear so bundled up on an island like this, it was only natural that he would attract attention.
Sure enough, the other customers in the cafe began to glance at him. This is driving me crazy. If he wants to talk about divorce, he should just come to the house. No, Hyung said Joo Min-hyeok has no intention of divorcing. That he wants to find me again… But I have absolutely no intention of doing that. I never wanted to go back to the palace and live as I did before.
I had barely managed to settle down here, and I was terrified that people might find out I was the Grand Imperial Concubine. While cautiously observing Joo Min-hyeok, I suddenly remembered the silver SUV parked across the street. That car that stood motionless and then vanished. Feeling an inexplicable, intense sense of incongruity, I quickly checked to see if the car was still there.
Looking outside, I could see the car still standing in the same spot, motionless. I had been so absorbed in the video Jin-su was showing me that I hadn’t noticed who got out of the car. However, I was certain that Joo Min-hyeok had stepped out of that vehicle. My five senses were telling me so. Ha, now I understand. Why that mysterious car had been parked where it had a clear view of my cafe…
“That crazy bastard, seriously.”
“Huh? Hyung, what did you say?”
“Oh? Nothing.”
From the moment I realized Joo Min-hyeok’s presence, I couldn’t focus on the conversation with Jin-su. Even while talking to him, I kept scanning the surroundings to see if anyone had followed him. But there was no sign of anyone accompanying Joo Min-hyeok. He couldn’t be that insane; surely he didn’t come alone? No matter how private the matter, there’s no way the Emperor would move around alone like that. Especially when he usually drags snipers along… There must be people hiding somewhere, protecting him.
But is it really okay for him to wander around alone like that right now? It bothered me that he was moving so freely without knowing who was watching from where, and without anyone by his side to protect him immediately if something happened. It’s truly reckless. If he moved alone without security and got hurt, it would be a national emergency. What would happen if something actually occurred? And in my cafe, no less. That damn man. Is he trying to screw me over like this?
While I glared at him, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, the cappuccino Joo Min-hyeok ordered came out. With a composed and leisurely air, Joo Min-hyeok took his cappuccino and found a suitable seat in the corner. Whether he knew I had noticed him or not, he completely pretended not to know me. What is wrong with him, really. I have no idea what “concept” he’s going for this time.
“Wow, Hyung, how is that person’s physique like that? He must be a celebrity. Don’t you think so too?”
Unaware of my inner turmoil, Jin-su, who was staring at Joo Min-hyeok in a daze, whispered in a somewhat loud voice, unable to hide his excitement. Everyone can hear you. You’re an Alpha too. Why are you so impressed? It’s wounding my pride. I couldn’t bring myself to say that last part out loud. Then again, even if Alphas are above average, not all of them are like Joo Min-hyeok. Perhaps because he is a Dominant Alpha, there are parts of him that are exceptionally striking.
“A celebrity? I don’t know. There are plenty of Alphas with a decent build like that. To my eyes, he doesn’t look any different from other Alphas.”
“What? Not different? He’s completely different! Of course, Alphas are generally well-built, but not everyone is like that. That customer’s entire aura is completely different.”
Jin-su made a fuss over Joo Min-hyeok’s appearance. That’s only because he’s lived and eaten so well. Just think of the high-quality things he eats and drinks. Look at that glowing skin.
“There’s that kind of thing even among Alphas. When they first see someone, they’re like, ‘Oh, look at this guy? He’s not as good as me, but he’s decent,’ and they start a power struggle, checking each other out. Because they hate to lose.”
Lose what? Why do Alphas always try to fight with people they don’t even know? I’m truly sick and tired of fighting. Anyway, I can’t understand the way Alphas think. I shook my head and patted Jin-su on the shoulder. He really is young.
“But with someone like that, you don’t even think that way; you just lose your will to fight. It’s more like, ‘Wow,’ just pure admiration. It was like that when I saw your eldest brother, the boss. The one who runs the gym. The vibe is a bit different, though.”
“Han-bin Hyung?”
“Yes. He has this solid and disciplined aura… His presence was immense.”
He’s strangely good at reading people. Since Han-bin had been a soldier for a long time, he has that unique atmosphere, and it seems Jin-su felt it. I also suspect it’s because Han-bin is a Dominant Alpha. Anyway, I added a word to Jin-su, who couldn’t hide his excitement over Joo Min-hyeok, telling him that he was a good-looking Alpha too.
“You’re a decent Alpha yourself. You think that when you look in the mirror, don’t you?”
“Ah, no. No way. I don’t think that. I’m embarrassed.”
It was a compliment given without much thought, but Jin-su scratched his head, his cheeks turning red. Cute, so cute. Was I that cute at that age? I didn’t even get to enjoy being that age.
“Hyung. Then I’ll come again. Next time, I’ll bring some odol-ppyeo (cartilage). It’ll smell if we eat it in the cafe, so please eat it at home.”
“How are you going to bring that? There are no shops around here.”
“If I say I want some, my grandmother makes it for me.”
“No! It’s okay.”
I stopped Jin-su, who was brightly promising to bring me the odol-ppyeo his grandmother made as he picked up his bag. Good heavens. If I ate odol-ppyeo made by that grandmother, I wouldn’t even have bones left to pick. An Omega with a strong fate eating odol-ppyeo meant for a precious grandson? It would be better to just accept the gesture.
Despite my refusal, Jin-su insisted he would handle everything and left, and I saw him off with an uneasy feeling. But I think Joo Min-hyeok just looked at me. Is it just my imagination? Regardless, I tried my best to ignore him and moved toward the counter.
Whether he had changed his method of pressure, he didn’t spare a single glance my way, focusing instead on the book he had brought. Moreover, since he had ordered an additional drink and was staying in his seat, it was awkward to give him a look or scold him. I don’t know. I should just ignore him and do my work. After glaring at Joo Min-hyeok silently, I returned to my spot.
“Why did you come back so soon? You should have rested a bit more.”
“I’ve rested enough. Jin-su is gone, and you’ve been working alone while I was playing.”
I laughed at the employee’s generous suggestion to rest more. I put on my apron and went to the blender to grind some fruit. The employee came beside me to help wash the fruit and prep the ingredients.
“Working alone? We worked together during the busy hours, and only a few customers came while you were resting. These days, I actually like it when Jin-su comes.”
“You like it? You used to hate him so much because he was bratty.”
“That was because he was rude to you, but lately, his attitude has changed so much I wonder if he’s even the same person. Though his grandmother is a bit bothersome.”
“There was a slight misunderstanding, and once we cleared that up, things became much easier.”
“Not just easier—you look much better, Boss.”
“…I do?”
I look better? But these days, there hasn’t been a single day of peace in my heart because of that man, Joo Min-hyeok. It’s ironic that I look better. I stole a glance at Joo Min-hyeok, who was still turning the pages of his book.
“You’re always so quiet, and even when you smile, it’s just a slight one, so you didn’t seem your age. But lately, you laugh out loud and look full of life, so it’s really great to see.”
“Really?”
This is the first time I’ve heard that looking my age is a good thing. Perhaps it’s because I’ve suppressed my emotions since I was young. In the Imperial Palace, there are many rules about what not to do. Do not run, do not speak loudly, do not laugh out loud, do not form intimate relationships with people carelessly.
I learned the rules and lived as if I were barely there, gradually becoming isolated from the world. Until I met Hyun-wook. Joo Min-hyeok seems to have no intention of telling me how Hyun-wook is doing. It’s infuriating. He does something like that to me, and then he sits in my cafe leisurely reading a book?
Suddenly feeling a surge of frustration, I irritably set down the paring knife I was using to trim the fruit and turned around to kick Joo Min-hyeok out. But in the meantime, for some reason, the seat where Joo Min-hyeok had been was empty. Where did he go? Did he leave? Wondering what kind of trick he was playing now, I looked around the cafe for any trace of him. Just then, I saw the silver SUV parked outside the cafe pulling away.
I went to the entrance and watched the car move. As I thought, that was Joo Min-hyeok. After watching the car completely exit onto the road, I turned my gaze back to the spot where Joo Min-hyeok had been sitting. It was so serene that it almost felt as if he had never been there. If it weren’t for the empty drink cup, it would have felt like a dream that he had visited.
“He always leaves a trace. Whether it’s breaking a door or leaving a cup… It’s self-service, so people usually clear their cups, but there’s no way he’d know that.”
I stared quietly at the traces Joo Min-hyeok had left behind.