Chapter 58

Yes! I’m going to be recognized by Gyu-yeon’s brother too!

Naru clenched her two fists. Earlier when they talked, Gyu-seong had looked displeased with Naru. It was clear from how he said he should just stay to the side and then leave, or whatever.

Family background is something you can’t help, but if Naru shows improvement from now on, Gyu-seong’s opinion might change. Like that father-in-law in a trashy drama.

Naru ran into Gyu-yeon’s study in a rush and came out holding a blank sheet and a pen. He placed the paper on the table, pulled a chair close, and began to write carefully.

1. Work hard

2. Send a photo showing I’m working hard to Gyu-yeon’s brother

3. Get permission saying it’s okay for me to stay by his side

Naru’s goals were scribbled in crooked handwriting. They might be small goals to some, but for Naru they were important first life goals.

Clack.

He was burning with determination when he heard the front door close. It seemed Gyu-yeon, who had gone out for work, had returned. Naru quickly folded the paper into his pocket and dashed to the shoe cabinet.

“Gyu-yeon!”

“You didn’t go off on a tangent and came straight back.”

“Of course.”

Naru nodded, lying without changing a single expression. Gyu-yeon, who had finished work and come back, looked more tired than during the day. It seemed like he’d been through something; the hollows under his eyes looked pronounced.

Naru trailed behind Gyu-yeon, checking his condition. Her worried eyes drooped, concerned he might be ill.

As soon as he came in Gyu-yeon headed to the bathroom and came out after a shower. Naru turned off the TV and waited in front of the bathroom for him to come out.

“Ah, you scared me. Why are you standing here?”

“Is something bad wrong?”

“Not bad, just annoying.”

“What is it?”

When Naru persistently followed him, Gyu-yeon, who had been about to change, stopped. Naru poked his waist as if urging him to finish changing. The feeling of her finger touching bare skin was particularly ticklish.

Having put on his top first, Gyu-yeon grabbed Naru’s shoulder and chased him out of the dressing room. Pouting as he came out, Naru kept firing questions without pause. His obsessive questioning—what the annoying thing was, whether someone had bothered him—was intense.

“One of the staff said they’re quitting.”

“Who?”

“Jeong Do-min.”

“…Oh.”

Isn’t this great news? That wasn’t an annoying thing, was it?

It was annoying to Gyu-yeon, but for Naru it was good news. Do-min was quitting. The sudden good news made Naru unable to hide his joyful expression.

Gyu-yeon looked at Naru’s grin strangely. It was ridiculous how he had been worried and asking earlier, and now was smiling broadly after hearing it.

Why did Do-min say he was quitting? Naru recalled what had happened earlier. When they had talked, Do-min honestly stated his purpose and an angry Naru had warned him. Still, since he was the same Beastkin, he had been glad; he was a little sad he was leaving.

“So he won’t come tomorrow?”

“He said he’ll only work until the end of this month, so I hurried to interview someone.”

“An interview?”

“I hired a new person.”

Now he understood why Gyu-yeon was tired. After finishing work he’d even come to an interview, so he seemed drained. Naru wondered who the new employee would be. Meeting a stranger was always scary and exciting.

“Who is it?”

“Would you know even if I told you? The name didn’t sit right with me, but I recognized the face so I recruited them.”

“I see…”

The more Gyu-yeon spoke, the more curious Naru became. The name didn’t sit right, but he knew their face. In the months he’d been around, he rarely saw anyone who had this kind of relationship with Gyu-yeon.

Whatever. They must be a good person. He hoped so.

Naru shrugged it off and hummed a tune leisurely. Do-min quitting right as he was starting work—his luck couldn’t be better.

“Song Naru, are you in a good mood? Why are you humming all of a sudden?”

“Yeah, I’m happy.”

“Why?”

“Just, I feel like everything’s going to work out!”

A feeling that everything would go well. That was exactly how it felt.

Naru hugged his fluttering heart and wandered around the house in a daze. He couldn’t predict how things would go, but he had a good feeling.

The morning breeze on the way to work felt colder than before. Three weeks had passed since Naru started working. It was surprising how the temperature was dropping day by day after only a few weeks. Winter must be coming soon.

Ding.

Naru cheerfully opened the door and waved. Seo-yeon, standing at the counter, waved back in the same way. Do-min, returning from taking out the trash, pretended not to see them and turned his head.

Naru finished preparing for work as usual. He tied his apron tightly and put on a light brown beret, and customers came in just in time.

“Naru, can you display these?”

“Yep.”

Seo-yeon smiled and asked him to display the freshly made desserts. Naru carried a large tray and arranged the desserts neatly. Lining up the shell-shaped madeleines made them look even cuter.

Satisfied, satisfied.

After arranging them, Naru took out his phone and snapped a photo. His photography skills weren’t great yet so the lighting flared, but he still felt proud.

[I worked hard displaying the desserts today! These are lemon madeleines.]

[(photo)]

The photo was sent immediately to someone. At the top of the phone screen was the name ‘Yu Gyu-seong’.

For the past three weeks Naru had sent photos to Gyu-seong every single day. One day a cleanly wiped window, another day a neatly sliced baguette—the chat scroll showed a stream of various photos.

His goal of gaining Gyu-seong’s approval wasn’t set lightly. Naru diligently sent messages, and in the second week he even got her first reply.

[Keep working hard today too.]

Today another reply arrived. He was getting closer to Gyu-seong over time. At first, upon receiving the photos he’d seemed bewildered, but seeing her efforts he now looked at his less harshly.

“Song Naru, stop playing with your phone again.”

“Oh my.”

Of course Gyu-yeon didn’t know this. Lately he had been determined about Naru’s phone obsession. When he tried to sneak a look out of curiosity he’d quickly cover the screen, and sometimes even hide the phone. How could he not be angry?

Watching him work at the table, Gyu-yeon grabbed Naru’s arm. In one second he turned off the screen and put the phone away.

“I told you not to look at your phone when you’re working.”

“It was urgent.”

“What’s so urgent for you? Show me.”

“No, Yu Gyu-yeon. This is my pri-vas-shy.”

“You mean privacy. Give me the phone?”

He’d heard the term somewhere, so he was good at retorting. It wasn’t exact because he’d picked it up, but he mimicked the nuance perfectly. Because of that Gyu-yeon’s temper burst again like a gimbap seam splitting.

After warning him once, Gyu-yeon returned to his seat. Naru breathed a sigh of relief and began his tasks. Today was Do-min’s last day, so it was busier than usual.

After arranging the madeleines, the next task was making soufflés. When the kitchen sent out baked soufflés, Naru sliced various fruits for topping and sprinkled syrup and powdered sugar. He’d been working almost a month, so this was easy.

“Naru, here’s the topping.”

“Yes!”

A fluffy, plump soufflé was placed on a white plate. Topping time was torture for Naru. The work itself was easy, but resisting delicious food was hard.

Licking his lips, Naru squeezed his eyes shut and sprinkled syrup and powdered sugar. Then he prettily sliced banana and strawberries and placed them here and there.

Click.

Admiring how well the soufflé turned out, Naru smiled proudly and took a photo. He felt he absolutely had to send this to Gyu-seong.

[I just made a soufflé. I put the banana here.]

[(photo)]

He sent the message clumsily to avoid Gyu-yeon’s eyes. After serving customers herself, Naru took out his phone again and began to type.

[And I also sprinkled syrup and powdered sugar.]

“Uh-oh?”

Naru, fiddling with his phone, made a stunned sound. He proudly pressed send but the phone slipped from his hand. He turned around in a panic and, spotting Gyu-yeon, stepped backward without realizing it.

Gyu-yeon opened his eyes sharply and slowly looked at the seized phone screen. He hadn’t pressed the hold key, so the chat remained visible—this was bad. Naru reached to grab the phone back, but Gyu-yeon’s tall stature made it hard.

“Give it!”

“Who are you messaging like that, what is this, what’s all this.”

“…”

“Yu Gyu-seong? This is my brother’s number.”

Gyu-yeon’s mouth fell open. As he scrolled up, his expression grew more and more ominous in real time.

I’d been doing well for three weeks without getting caught!

Naru rolled his eyes nervously under Gyu-yeon’s gaze. After studying the chat for a long time, Gyu-yeon asked in a tone that anyone would find absurd.

“Why are you exchanging messages with my brother…?”

“I need to look good right now.”

Naru answered pretending to be nonchalant. He decided to tell the truth rather than lie and provoke Gyu-yeon’s anger. Hearing Naru’s honest answer, Gyu-yeon pressed his forehead as if flummoxed.

Wow, crazy Song Naru. You’ve been doing this behind my back all this time?

“Who are you trying to impress? Impress me, okay?”

“Damn…”

“Phone confiscated for the time being.”

“Yu Gyu-yeon, you’re annoying. It’s my phone…”

In the end, Naru’s phone ended up in Gyu-yeon’s hands. Scowling at him with sulky eyes, Naru stomped his foot to show he was pouty. Usually, doing that would make Gyu-yeon give in to him.

But today was different. Gyu-yeon put the phone in his pocket with an attitude that he would never give it back. Despair colored Naru’s face.

Ding.

At that moment, someone opened the Cafe door and entered.