Chapter 73
* * *
In front of the staff break room at the back of the hall.
I followed Ha Seorim around and learned the ropes from her.
‘How did I end up meeting her here of all places.’
Korea may be small. And there may not be many part-time jobs suitable for high school students.
But I never expected to run into her here. At the exact same time slot, no less.
“You see the timer, right? Press this to adjust it.”
Ha Seorim wore an impassive expression.
As if to say work was work and private matters were private, Ha Seorim continued her impassive explanation without showing any dislike, unlike her flustered reaction at first.
“—You understand everything up to here, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You really do understand, right? If you're confused, don't wander around on your own—just ask.”
Ha Seorim asked again, as if making absolutely sure.
“It's fine. I've memorized it all.”
There was no need to worry that much.
Perhaps my firm answer had only gotten on her nerves.
“···Then can I ask you something?”
Hiding the employee manual behind her, Ha Seorim raised her chin.
Since it didn't seem like there would be any major problem, I nodded.
“When a potato order comes in, what's the product order?”
“One Big for R size, one Big Large for L size.”
“What about cheese sticks?”
“One Stick for the regular, one Long Stick for the large.”
“And jipai?”
“One Jipai for the savory flavor. One Haba for the habanero.”
“How long do they each take to cook?”
“···Potatoes take two minutes and twenty seconds. Cheese sticks take one minute and thirty seconds. Jipai takes four minutes.”
I rattled off the answers without pause.
“···You really memorized all of it.”
Ha Seorim's face went blank. Her round eyes studied me.
“···Ahem··· Yes, well done.”
She soon regained her composure and nodded.
— “What is with this guy···? He memorized it all already?”
The Minimi muttered with an incredulous expression.
“···.”
I hadn't expected her to ask this much. From the middle onward, I answered by reading Ha Seorim's thoughts.
That's how it was possible. I wasn't a genius; there was no way I could memorize all this in one go.
“Here.”
Ha Seorim handed me a bundle of clothes.
“You can change in the changing room at the back of the staff room, and make sure you wear this name tag properly, too.”
“Yeah.”
“I'll say it again. If there's anything you don't know, feel free to ask me anytime.”
“Okay.”
That was all.
With that, Ha Seorim abruptly turned her back and left.
After that, no words passed between us.
Work was extremely busy, too. Ha Seorim seemed determined to remain completely indifferent to me, so I didn't approach her much, either.
As we hurried through our work, closing time drew near.
“Good work today···!”
And so my first shift at the part-time job came to an end.
* * *
After school, inside the Counseling Club's room.
The club president and vice president used the inner counseling room, while the second-years continued studying on the sofas outside.
Everyone was busy preparing for the final exams.
Amid all that,
“···.”
Shin Ayoung couldn't overcome her heavy eyelids.
Her long eyelashes drooped. Her gaze slowly faded.
— Nod, nod.
Shin Ayoung's head bobbed from side to side.
Just as she was about to collapse onto Lee Seungho's shoulder beside her—
— Thump.
One hand caught her head.
Isol's fingertips caught her forehead just in time.
It was an exceptionally quick movement. Isol wasn't about to be caught by the same thing twice.
“···Ah.”
Shin Ayoung woke from her doze and rubbed her eyes.
She had nodded off without realizing it.
“Ugh—”
Shin Ayoung raised her stiff body.
“Hwaaam~”
Even so, a yawn escaped her. She covered her mouth and exhaled. A few tears welled up.
“···Did you go to bed late last night? If you're sleepy, go home and get some sleep.”
Isol asked, giving her a subtle look.
“···Mm···. I was preparing the assignment over the weekend.”
“Assignment?”
Isol leaned in, curious.
“Right. You said you guys were making some kind of movie, didn't you?”
Jinuri joined the conversation.
“Yeah.”
She had gone to bed late the night before because of that. She simply couldn't get the screenplay written.
‘···I should have a cup of coffee.’
At this rate, she felt like she would fall asleep right there.
Shin Ayoung staggered to her feet and rummaged through the teacups.
“Hmm···.”
Where was it?
She had seen coffee sticks here last time.
‘Ah, found it.’
[A potion to give you energy!]
[Fighting!!]
Tiny letters and a cute drawing adorned the instant coffee mix.
She guessed the club president had written it.
It seemed to have been written for Senior Minji, so she picked something else.
‘···They have such a cute relationship···.’
Looking at them made her feel a little envious, too.
“···.”
Shin Ayoung's gaze slyly shifted to the side.
‘That aside···.’
The people she was watching were Lee Seungho and Isol, who sat facing each other.
The voices of the two seated farther away drifted faintly to her.
“Oh···. You only got a few wrong?”
“···.”
When he praised her score,
The corners of Isol's mouth slowly rose, pretending otherwise.
“···.”
Shin Ayoung's lips stuck out in a pout.
I get scores like that, too.
“I guess there's no need to go over the details anymore. You can just keep doing it like this.”
“Huh?”
Isol's expression turned complicated.
Her score had gone up, which was nice, but she seemed disappointed that he wouldn't be helping her anymore.
Her eyes rolled from side to side.
“I-I still get confused about a lot of things. And I make little mistakes, too···.”
“Why? You're doing well.”
“···I-I am?”
Oh, she liked that.
She was grinning happily at yet another compliment.
“···.”
Shin Ayoung sipped her coffee with a restless feeling.
“Ow···!”
She had drunk it without realizing it was still hot···!
“···Are you okay? Be careful.”
Lee Seungho, startled, turned around.
“···Ugh···.”
It felt a little unfair.
Shin Ayoung cooled her tingling tongue with cold water.
“···.”
A situation like this only made Shin Ayoung more certain.
This couldn't go on.
She was already one step behind Isol. She felt that something needed to change.
···Fortunately, today was the day she had already laid that groundwork.
* * *
I turned this way and that in front of the mirror. I did some light stretching.
I stopped by the gym as part of my usual routine.
Maybe because I had been going with Lee Seungah so often lately, being alone felt terribly awkward.
“Phew—”
As I lightly stretched my body,
I saw someone walking in through the entrance.
I spotted Shin Ayoung looking around.
“Shin Ayoung.”
“···!”
She approached in hesitant little steps. Her gait was much more awkward than usual.
Maybe it was because she was dressed differently than usual.
— “---O-oh, the clothes do seem a little too clingy···.”
The Minimi wore an awkward expression. It covered its body with both arms and hunched its waist.
Tiny, embarrassed noises were mixed into its voice.
On the other hand—
“Why~?”
She tilted her head calmly. She brushed her hair behind her ear and asked.
I admired that acting ability every time I saw it.
“···No, I've just never seen you wear clothes like that before.”
Even at school, unlike the other students, Shin Ayoung didn't wear casual clothes.
“Huh? I always dress like this. Is something weird?”
— “Does it not suit me···?”
The Minimi quickly grew gloomy.
I shook my head.
“No, it looks fine.”
Shin Ayoung didn't answer for a moment.
“···Really?”
She raised her eyebrows and gave me a crescent-eyed smile.
“···.”
When I found some equipment she could use and led Shin Ayoung around the gym,
Shin Ayoung, looking around, asked,
“What about Seungah? Don't you usually work out together?”
“She's taking the day off today.”
“Really?”
“She'll probably come tomorrow.”
The reason I phrased it as a question was that Lee Seungah would obviously insist she wasn't going.
Tsk. I smacked my lips.
It was a little disappointing. She seemed like she'd be good at working out, too. But she showed no inclination whatsoever.
***
“Good, you're doing well.”
“Hngh—”
Shin Ayoung followed my instructions quite well.
Since it was her first time, some of her movements were awkward, but she generally got used to them quickly.
‘···At least she doesn't whine like Lee Seungah.’
Unlike Lee Seungah, who tried to slack off whenever I looked away, Shin Ayoung dutifully did everything she was told.
There was just one problem···.
‘Hmm.’
···I didn't know where to look.
“Phew— Hngh—”
The sight of Shin Ayoung pulling a dumbbell while breathing heavily strangely stirred a man's heart.
“···.”
I couldn't openly stare, but it would be strange to awkwardly look away, either.
It was a somewhat difficult situation.
I realized for the first time that this was what happened when you came to work out with a girl.
“···.”
Perhaps Shin Ayoung noticed, because from time to time she flashed a mischievous smile.
“···Should we stop around here?”
“I can do more.”
“It's your first day.”
Since it was her first day, I thought it would be best not to push her too hard. The virtue of exercise was consistency, after all.
“Phew—”
When I finished showering and came outside, a cool breeze stirred my hair.
This was when I felt best. It was quiet, and it felt like my head was clearing.
“This is nice~”
“Right?”
We shared a protein drink as we walked down the street.
Shin Ayoung seemed to like the chocolate flavor, so I shared some information about protein supplements with her.
As we chatted about this and that on the way back, the topic naturally shifted to something we had in common.
“How's the screenplay coming along?”
It was about the short film.
“Umm··· It's···.”
Shin Ayoung's expression grew a little complicated.
“I'm still thinking about it. A lot of ideas keep coming to me···.”
She looked apologetic.
There wasn't much time left.
She had to consider filming and editing, as well as studying for her other final exams.
“Do you think you'll have it finished by this Wednesday?”
“Hmm···.”
— “···Will I be able to?”
The Minimi's tone lacked confidence.
— “Or else—”
Shin Ayoung's Minimi whipped its gaze toward me.
“Speaking of that···.”
Shin Ayoung stopped dead in her tracks.
A heavy silence continued.
She fidgeted with her fingers, as if choosing her words···.
“If you have time, do you want to come to my house now?”
Noise bled into her voice, so I couldn't be certain, but
Shin Ayoung's voice as she said it seemed to tremble slightly.
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(!Sign!)
(Scroll down for an AI illustration!)
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(Shin Ayoung in workout clothes)