Chapter 5

The café, with its dense trees and artificially landscaped garden, barely showed its sign. Woo Hyun only recognized it as a café after seeing tables through the large windows. The café was quiet and cozy. As if he was enchanted, Woo Hyun headed inside. He ordered an Americano and looked out at the artificial garden.

At the time, Woo Hyun couldn't properly rest because his office and living space were the same. Even at home, work was always in his line of sight. Even if he forced himself to sleep, fatigue washed over him the moment he opened his eyes. In contrast, the café was quiet and peaceful.

Inside the silent café, the humid, early summer breeze brushed his fingertips. The thoughts and worries that had filled his mind gradually subsided. He slowly melted into the perfect silence. His eyes gently closed. For the first time, Woo Hyun experienced complete relaxation. He liked the café.

From then on, Woo Hyun would visit the café around 3 PM. He would rest for anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes, watching the afternoon sun embraced the garden. After consistently visiting the café for some time, Woo Hyun suddenly wanted to own it. The price of the secluded café, a little way off from the residential area, didn't seem too high. Thinking he wanted to buy the café and use it as his personal resting place, Woo Hyun began to seriously plan.

Should he come to an agreement with the café owner? If the owner quoted an exorbitant price, should he send Seong Tae? Then, Woo Hyun realized he didn't remember anything about the café owner. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall. He would just look at the menu and hand over his card as soon as he entered the café, so he never had a chance to see the owner. Even if he had, he must have only glanced, leaving no lasting memory.

Upon arriving at the café, Woo Hyun, instead of looking at the menu as usual, stared straight ahead. Is she someone who would sell the café? Which side has the advantage in negotiations? He intended to scrutinize the café owner with the mindset of a thorough businessman.

'Welcome!'

The woman's eyes were calm. Her skin felt so cold that it seemed devoid of warmth. And she had impression completely unrelated to negotiation. That was his first thought of her.

Woo Hyun shifted his gaze to the menu and said,

'A hot Americano, please.'

When Woo Hyun handed her his card, the woman took it. After the transaction, Woo Hyun sat at his favorite window-side table.

Unfortunately, Woo Hyun concluded that the woman had no intention of selling the café at all. Despite running a café with little foot traffic, there was no anxiety or worry on her face. The woman seemed to enjoy the silence and tranquility.

Woo Hyun drank his Americano and gazed out the window. As he watched the garden, which epitomized the peak of a peaceful afternoon, his complicated thoughts quietly faded away. In their place, the image of a woman surfaced.

A woman with serene eyes and skin so cool that it felt devoid of warmth. She seemed the kind of person who would offer advice rather than comfort, strong enough to dust herself off and rise resolutely after a fall instead of whining about the pain. Yet, she also conveyed a delicate feeling. Woo Hyun's gaze turned behind her. The woman had her eyes closed. Her hair fluttered with the breeze coming through the open window. She appeared to be enjoying the quiet and silence with her whole being. Very subtly, the corners of her lips turned upward. Woo Hyun's eyes narrowed.

'She's dazzling,' Woo Hyun suddenly thought. As the woman opened her eyes, Woo Hyun turned his head back to the window, but he could no longer remain detached. The image of the woman with her eyes closed lingered in his mind for a long time before fading.

Some time later, it rained. Watching the light, humid rain of early summer, Woo Hyun picked up his black long umbrella. Raindrops drummed on the umbrella. Stroking the wooden handle with his fingertips, Woo Hyun slightly lifted the tip of his umbrella. The café came into view. A sudden gust of wind filled the air with the scent of grass. His heart pounded. Without reason, without purpose. He couldn't tell if it was due to the early summer weather, or the raindrops soaking his feet.

Woo Hyun quickened his steps and entered the café. He ordered an iced-Americano and took his seat. A short while later, the woman brought his coffee. Her fingers, as she set down the cup, were fair and long. There was a small scar on the back of her hand, and Woo Hyun wondered about its story. He almost asked, but then closed his mouth.

The moment they became awkwardly aware of each other, the peaceful atmosphere might shatter. Woo Hyun was interested in the woman, but the tranquility this café offered was more important. He heard the sound of her footsteps fading away behind him. Gentle music flowed, and on top of that, the sound of rain and wind layered, completing a resonant melody.

As he took a deep breath and savored the moment, he heard the woman's voice.

'I'm not looking for someone to go on a blind date with. I need a man for about a day. What do you mean 'meet well'?'

Woo Hyun's head tilted slightly. The woman was facing away from him, talking on the phone with someone. After she finished her call, she turned around. Their eyes met Though a hint of puzzlement flickered in her gaze, the woman was largely unperturbed. If she had been flustered or frowned, Woo Hyun's interest might have ended there. The woman leaned her upper body forward and observed him. It was pure observation, without any ulterior motive or seduction. A woman observing him, and a woman who didn't find it awkward or unfamiliar.

At that moment, for the first time, Woo Hyun became more curious about the woman than the café itself.

~~~~~

"Are they crazy? How can cheating people be so brazen?"

As soon as he entered the café, Woo Hyun heard an unfamiliar woman's voice. This time of day was usually quiet, with few customers. Woo Hyun checked his wristwatch. It was exactly 3 PM. He had come at the right time. The loud-voiced woman and the café owner were sitting opposite each other, seemingly unaware of his arrival. He considered speaking up, but the serious expressions on both women's faces made Woo Hyun decide to wait. After all, what he needed wasn't coffee, but this café.

He was perched on the armrest of his favorite sofa, gazing out at the garden.

"It's the wedding of my ex-boyfriend and the colleague who snatched him away. So, what kind of man should I bring as my partner?"

The woman asked calmly, and the woman sitting opposite her remained silent.

"Han Seok? He's a good person. But, what I want isn't someone to be with forever. I just need a man who can shine brightly by my side for just one day."

"I just want the best for you... if possible, kill two birds with one stone..."

"I appreciate the thought. But, I'm not dating. What I need is a man who doesn't need love, a man who knows moderation."

It was a conversation he couldn't help but overhear, so he was listening with one ear and letting it out the other. At the woman's words, Woo Hyun's head turned.

A man who doesn't need love, who knows moderation.

The woman Woo Hyun needed was a woman who didn't need love, who knew moderation. His lips parted slightly, and the corners of his mouth lifted.

For the first time in years, he had met a woman who captured his interest, and for the first time in his life, he had met a woman looking for someone like himself.

Woo Hyun's eyebrows curved pleasantly, and his head tilted. It was such a languid expression that Seong Tae would have shouted, 'Dangerous look!'. It was the expression he made before starting a new project, or when a task was satisfactorily completed.

Woo Hyun surveyed the café with an expression so languid that it felt captivating.

This café pleases him. And there's one thing he like most about it. Woo Hyun's gaze landed on the woman, who flinched as she rose from her seat and saw him.

It's definitely that woman.

~~~~~

Miel's Translations