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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: First Love Again?
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Entered the coffee shop that Hee-jin had boasted about.
As she said, the interior was really pretty.
White walls with small shelves lined with cute knickknacks that caught the eye, and air-purifying plants like happy trees, rubber trees, and monsteras neatly potted in pretty containers.
The long rattan lighting added to the cafe's ambiance.
A-jin busily rolled her eyes, taking in every corner.
She even pressed her face right up against the showcase displaying the pretty cakes, unable to look away.
“How is it? Pretty nice, right?”
Hee-jin, having finished ordering, said this while looking fondly at A-jin.
“Yeah. It’s really pretty.”
“Want to look around a bit more?”
“Oh, no.”
At Hee-jin’s question, A-jin felt embarrassed, wondering if her behavior had seemed tacky.
“Sit here.”
“Yeah. The cakes look pretty, but they also look so delicious.”
“It’s not just looks—they taste great too.”
“I had no idea a place like this existed. I don’t think I’ve seen it on any blogs…….”
“The owner doesn’t let anyone post about it on SNS.”
“Why? It’s so pretty—why not spread the word…….”
“I asked out of curiosity, and apparently there were copyright issues. People were copying it indiscriminately, claiming it was the original. No one cares about intellectual property.”
“I see. Still, it’s a shame to keep it to yourself.”
“Anyway, what’s going on? This feels like a dream. Do you know how big a fan I am? I’ve never missed a single Sweet Honey post—I’ve recreated every single one. Look at this.”
Hee-jin showed A-jin photos on her phone.
She looked tense, like a student handing in homework to a teacher, but also thrilled.
But A-jin just felt embarrassed.
It felt like undeserved praise.
“Sweet Honey should patent it all. Seeing those cake designs, I thought you were a French exchange student or something.”
“Oh, I just made them on a whim.”
The nonstop praise made A-jin scratch her forehead awkwardly.
Just then, the pager on the table buzzed noisily.
She felt relieved to have an excuse to stop the compliments.
Ten slices of cake were lined up on the table.
It looked like they’d brought every cake from the showcase.
No—every type was there.
A-jin couldn’t close her gaping mouth.
“What’s all this?”
“Try them all. Is this what they call a tribute? From a fan?”
“No, but…… How are we supposed to eat all this? Just the two of us?”
“Take it home. Truth is, I bought one of each kind after tasting them, hoping you’d tell me how you make them. I’ve tried recreating them, but I can never get this taste, no matter what. I thought maybe if Sweet Honey tried it…….”
“You want me to…… copy them?”
“No, just a hint. Tell me alone.”
Hee-jin leaned in close and whispered to A-jin.
‘She’s pretty…….’
Up close, Hee-jin was even prettier.
Prettier than the cakes right in front of her.
Her skin was so clear it practically shimmered.
It seemed even more plump and firm than A-jin’s, without any baby fat gone.
While A-jin admired Hee-jin’s looks, Hee-jin’s phone rang.
“Hold on. Hello?”
“Yeah.”
As Hee-jin stepped out to take the call, A-jin’s phone rang too.
“Hello?”
-Where are you?
It was Jun-woo.
“Me? Why?”
-No…… just.
“I’m at a cafe.”
-With who? No, why?
He was rambling, unlike his usual self.
A-jin asked him to repeat, saying she couldn’t understand.
“What?”
-Never mind. What are you doing tomorrow?
“Tomorrow? Going to Grandma’s. Why? Something up?”
-What about next week?
“Staying home?”
-Why?
What on earth was he trying to ask?
A-jin furrowed her brow, sensing something off in the conversation.
“Just nothing much going on.”
-Then let’s watch a movie.
“A movie? Out of nowhere?”
-I’ll book the tickets. Hanging up.
His call cut off abruptly.
A-jin stared at the ended call, thinking he was rude.
“What the heck. Says what he wants and hangs up…… A movie all of a sudden?”
She was baffled by the sudden movie invitation when Hee-jin returned, her face full of apology as she sat down.
“What do I do?”
“Why?”
“I think I have to go first. The gardener’s coming today, and I forgot.”
“Gardener?”
A gardener was actually a real job.
She’d thought it only existed in dramas…….
She’d assumed Hee-jin was wealthy from her elegant demeanor, but hearing about a personal gardener made it hit home.
Hee-jin left the cafe reluctantly, leaving A-jin behind, and A-jin smacked her lips with a mischievous expression as she set her fork on the sliced cakes.
“Which one first?”
Just then, a couple nearby whispered about her.
“That girl must be an eating show BJ.”
“Let’s watch her eat it all and then leave.”
“Wow, she’s eating all that by herself.”
Feeling burdened, she couldn’t even take a bite.
A-jin said loudly on purpose, so they’d hear.
“Oh…… I need to get these wrapped since they’re a gift.”
* * *
“But do we really have to get the cake from here?”
Kwang-hyun entered the coffee shop while on the phone.
The voice on the other end was sweet and full of affection.
-You’re already there—if you don’t bring some back, it’d be a waste. You know I love it here, right?
“Oh, of course. How could I not know?”
-I’ll be waiting.
After hanging up, Kwang-hyun ordered from the staff without even looking at the menu, like a regular.
At the request to wait a moment, he sat at the nearest table.
And spotted A-jin.
“A-jin? Hey, A-jin.”
He was delighted to run into her in such an unexpected place.
She started to stand but turned at his call.
She spotted Kwang-hyun too.
She froze halfway up, her eyes wide like a rabbit’s.
“Teacher?”
When she’d had a crush, she’d longed to bump into him but never did.
They were both surprised to see each other.
Kwang-hyun approached her table and was shocked again by the ten or so slices of cake.
“What’s this? You bought all these?”
“Oh, no, it’s not…….”
Of all times, why now?
How greedy must he think she was?
A-jin panicked and tried to cover the cakes with her hands.
“One of every kind.”
“I didn’t buy them to eat alone. Someone was just here…… She bought them. I’m taking them to go, wrapped.”
She gave a long-winded excuse.
Or rather, just stated the facts.
He smiled indulgently, saying no need to explain.
It was also a smile because her flustered state was cute.
“It’s fine. That happens.”
“‘That happens’? Someone really bought them for me.”
When he didn’t seem to believe her, A-jin snapped.
He didn’t care if she ate ten or twenty—it was her reaction that seemed to upset her.
“Sorry. That’s not what I meant.”
“S-sorry. For yelling. I’ll get them wrapped quick.”
A-jin left the cakes to be packed and returned to gather her things.
She looked ready to bolt as soon as the packing was done.
Kwang-hyun watched her, then mustered his courage.
“Hey, A-jin.”
“Yeah?”
“Got a minute?”
“A minute?”
He was suddenly asking about her time.
If it were him, she’d make time even if she didn’t have it—but right now, she just wanted to escape.
“I’d like to talk for a bit.”
She wanted to leave quick,
but couldn’t refuse and sat back down.
“Not sure if I should ask this…….”
“…….”
“Anything tough happening at school?”
“Tough?”
“Hard to put it right…… Like getting locked in the bathroom before.”
“And?”
Kwang-hyun hesitated to say more.
As a teacher new to school violence, he didn’t know the right approach—and because it was A-jin, he was extra cautious. He worried he might hurt her more.
“You used to smile a lot before, but I haven’t seen it lately.”
‘Of course. You’re the reason…….’
A-jin sensed what he wanted to say. Probably worried if she was being bullied.
“High school juniors have nothing to smile about. And I get along fine with my friends. That bathroom thing—still don’t know who, but no one’s messed with me since.”
“That’s a relief.”
“No need to worry about stuff like that.”
“Don’t worry.”
“Don’t worry” always stung, no matter when she heard it.
If nothing was really wrong, as she said, great—but what if she was hiding it to spare his concern? Another worry bloomed.
His furrowed brow, full of concern, showed he still didn’t quite believe her.
A-jin forced a smile.
“If you’re that worried, ask my homeroom teacher. I’m friends with Jung-hwa and Yoo-jin. And…… Jun-woo too.”
Sort of.
She was closest to him among the guys, so it was fine to say.
“Jun-woo? The top student?”
He hadn’t been at the school long, but everyone knew the top student.
A-jin was impressed anew by the top student’s fame.
“Yeah. So don’t worry.”
“Okay.”
He thought his concern might burden her.
Kwang-hyun pushed the worry aside and smiled warmly.
Just then, the staff called them one by one.
His ordered cake and her packed cakes arrived.
“You must like cake here.”
A-jin asked, seeing the cake in his hand.
“Not me. Someone I know is a huge fan of this place’s cakes.”
‘Teacher Chae-won likes cake too…….’
Her expression soured again.
In that instant, unhidden jealousy slipped out.
“If she likes it that much, Teacher Chae-won can buy it herself.”
She clapped her hand over her mouth, realizing her mistake.
“Chae-won?”
“…….”
“Why Chae-won out of nowhere?”
“You’re buying it because Teacher Chae-won likes it, right?”
“Dunno. Not sure if Chae-won even likes it.”
He looked genuinely puzzled.
Then who was the cake fanatic?
A-jin pointed at the cake.
“Then this is…… for your girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend? You think Chae-won’s my girlfriend?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Kwang-hyun pondered if he’d done anything misleading.
“You two seemed really close.”
“She’s my junior.”
Not dating Chae-won didn’t change that he had a girlfriend.
A-jin looked apologetic for the misunderstanding.
“Then, where’s your girlfriend?”
Kwang-hyun finally realized A-jin was quite interested in whether he had a girlfriend.
Her twitching brow from the worry was so cute he nearly laughed but held it in.
“Probably at home, waiting.”
“What? You live together?”
Shock after shock.
A-jin’s mouth hung open, her shocked eyes blinking rapidly.
Her comic-book expression made him burst out laughing.
“We do live together. She’s my mom.”
What?
A-jin asked again, thinking she misheard.
“Huh? Your mom?”
“Yeah, this is for my mom.”
“Then your girlfriend?”
“No girlfriend, teacher.”
“What don’t you have?”
“No girlfriend.”
He had no girlfriend.
Emotions churned wildly inside her.
Her heart flipped like a pancake.
Gloom turned to joy, bitterness to relief.
Her heart busily did its job.
Her lips curved up, cheeks flushed pink.
Kwang-hyun, amazed by her suddenly bright expression, asked.
“You’re smiling? Can I ask why?”
“Am I smiling? No. I’m not smiling.”
“You are. Want a mirror?”
Kwang-hyun held up his phone screen instead of a mirror to her face.
In the dark screen, as he said, A-jin was grinning ear to ear.
