Me on the Screen
“Did you come by the cafe warehouse yesterday?”
Choi Deok-hun stood in front of me with an expressionless face.
My heart sank.
For a moment, no answer would come out.
“…Ah. Last time… I spilled something in the warehouse and left it there…”
The excuse that left my mouth sounded awkward even to my own ears.
My throat had gone completely dry.
“Is that so…”
A short reply came back.
I needlessly piled on more words.
“I was just passing the cafe then and stopped in for a second…”
My words trailed off into nothing.
A strange little smile tugged at the corner of Choi Deok-hun’s mouth.
“If you’d told me, I would’ve set it aside for you.”
“It was… kind of a personal thing…”
The moment I said it, it sounded even worse.
It felt less like an excuse and more like I was openly admitting how suspicious I looked.
Choi Deok-hun didn’t answer.
He simply stared at me in silence for a beat.
That silence stretched on and on.
My gaze dropped to the floor.
Had he found out?
Or how much did he already know?
Then Choi Deok-hun shrugged and turned away.
“Well then… nothing to be done about it.”
He walked toward the kitchen as if nothing at all had happened.
The refrigerator door opened, followed by the sound of him rummaging inside.
I stayed seated right where I was, fists clenched tight.
Cold sweat slicked my palms.
Why had he asked that?
Was it just a casual remark in passing?
“A-yeong.”
The sudden call of my name made my shoulders flinch.
“I’ve got pork belly. I’ll grill some for you.”
Choi Deok-hun casually pulled out dishes and set them on the table.
Side plates clacked, clacked down onto the surface one after another.
I half-rose from my seat in a daze.
“I’ll… help you.”
“No need.”
The reply came short and clipped.
He didn’t even glance back.
“You’re a guest. Just sit comfortably at the table.”
He brushed my words aside lightly and disappeared into the kitchen.
A moment later.
Sizzle—
The sound of meat cooking on the frying pan filled the air.
Soon a rich, savory smell spread through the house.
Normally it would have been a welcome scent, but right now it stirred nothing in me at all.
I sat still, staring toward the kitchen.
Choi Deok-hun’s shoulders moved slowly as he grilled the meat with his back turned to me.
Strangely, my eyes refused to look away.
A short while later, a single plate came down onto the table.
“Here. Careful, it’s hot.”
Nicely browned pork belly sat right in front of me.
I picked up my chopsticks, then hesitated for a second.
Strength wouldn’t quite come into my hands.
Choi Deok-hun sat across from me and lifted his water glass.
After taking a sip, he glanced my way.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Huh?”
“You’re not eating the meat.”
I hurriedly picked up a piece and put it in my mouth.
I was chewing, but I had no idea what it tasted like.
Choi Deok-hun ate his meat with a completely unbothered face.
Every time our eyes met, my body locked up.
A brief silence settled over us.
Only the soft clink of chopsticks against bowls filled the quiet.
Then Choi Deok-hun spoke as if tossing the words out casually.
“About the warehouse.”
I nearly dropped my chopsticks.
He picked up a leaf of lettuce and continued in the same even tone.
“I figure I ought to tidy it up a bit these days.”
“…Pardon?”
“Cafe stuff keeps going missing.”
He laid a piece of meat on the lettuce.
“So I’ve been looking into a few things.”
I stared at his face without a word.
Choi Deok-hun slowly rolled the wrap and put it in his mouth.
After chewing a few times, he added,
“A cafe, you know.”
“All sorts of unexpected things happen.”
He smiled briefly.
“Especially around the warehouse.”
The sound of his cup settling onto the table rang out unusually loud.
“That’s why it’s best to check every nook and corner.”
I couldn’t say a thing.
My throat had gone bone-dry.
As his words ended, his gaze landed on me.
A subtle smile brushed his lips.
“Well, it’s not just because of the customers.”
“…Pardon?”
“Sometimes interesting things happen too.”
My heart sank heavily all over again.
Those words kept circling inside my head.
Interesting things.
Choi Deok-hun picked up another piece of meat.
“A-yeong.”
I flinched and lifted my head.
“Yes…”
“Is the cafe work… fun these days?”
It was a strange question.
I couldn’t answer right away.
“Uh… just…”
When my words trailed off, Choi Deok-hun let out a low laugh.
“Right.”
Clink—
“As long as it’s fun, that’s fine.”
Somehow I felt like I was the only one at this table who didn’t know anything.
And Choi Deok-hun already seemed to know that.
In the end I set my chopsticks down.
“…Thank you for the meal.”
Choi Deok-hun looked at me steadily.
“Looks like you’re not hungry today.”
“…My… stomach’s a little off.”
My eyes dropped to the floor on their own.
I didn’t want to meet his gaze for no good reason.
Choi Deok-hun watched me for a moment, then picked up another wrap.
“Mmm…”
He chewed slowly.
Then he spoke.
“Then I’ll bring you something to drink.”
“No… I’m fine.”
I cut him off in a rush.
Right now I just wanted to get out of this house as soon as possible.
“Then… I’ll be going—”
The moment I tried to stand,
Thud—
My wrist was caught.
“Ah—”
Startled, I looked up at him.
Choi Deok-hun held my wrist lightly and guided me toward the sofa.
Then he plopped me down onto it.
“Sit.”
His hand left mine.
“We’ve still got things to talk about.”
“…What… I don’t think there’s anything in particular…”
I said the words, but they faded weakly at the end.
Choi Deok-hun didn’t reply.
He simply walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
Clunk—
The sound of cans knocking together.
A moment later he came back holding a single can of beer.
He pulled a frosted glass from the freezer and slowly poured the beer.
Fizz—
Foam rose gradually.
The glass filled to the brink, just short of overflowing.
He held that glass out in front of me.
“Take it.”
“…Pardon?”
“You’re an adult now. One drink’s fine, right?”
“…I’m not really good with—”
Before I could finish, he pressed the glass into my hand.
The cold feel of the glass settled against my palm.
“When an adult offers, you take it.”
His tone wasn’t all that different from usual.
Yet somehow refusing felt impossible.
I sat there holding the glass, unable to say a word.
Choi Deok-hun opened a cupboard again and pulled out a bag of snacks.
He dropped it onto the table with a soft thud.
“Drinking on an empty stomach will burn. Eat some of this too.”
“…I’m really… fine…”
Choi Deok-hun looked down at me.
“Eat.”
I flinched—
That single short word made the air in the room sink heavy.
I couldn’t say anything more and pressed myself deeper into the sofa.
The beer glass in my hand was cold.
Droplets on the surface slowly slid down my fingers.
Choi Deok-hun settled leisurely onto the opposite sofa and cracked open his own can.
Fizz—
The sound of the can opening rang out unusually loud.
“Why so tense?”
“…I’m not tense.”
I answered, but my voice trembled ever so slightly.
Choi Deok-hun chuckled quietly.
“That so?”
He tilted his head a little as he looked at me.
“Your hands are shaking.”
I gripped the glass tighter.
The foam at the rim quivered lightly.
The room went quiet.
The TV was off; only the second hand of the wall clock ticked steadily.
Tick—
Tick—
Tick—
Choi Deok-hun picked up the remote from the table.
“Still, since you’re already here.”
His voice was offhand.
“I’ll show you something fun.”
I swallowed hard.
“…Something fun?”
“Yeah.”
He turned on the TV.
As the screen lit up, the living room washed over in blue light.
At first it was just black.
Then the footage began to play.
A familiar cafe interior.
The counter, the tables, and the warehouse entrance.
I blinked.
At first I didn’t immediately understand what I was looking at.
“This.”
Choi Deok-hun took a sip of beer as he spoke.
“I installed it at the cafe.”
I stared blankly at the TV.
The camera feed switched.
Inside the cafe, in front of the warehouse.
And the next moment—
My breath caught in my throat.
Inside the narrow warehouse.
Someone in familiar clothes was standing there.
That was… me.
The clothes I’d worn yesterday.
The exact spot where I’d stood yesterday.
The me on the TV closed the warehouse door, set down my bag, and looked around.
The scene from my memory played out exactly as it had, right there on the screen.
I could only stare at the footage in silence.
Then a low voice came from beside me.
“This.”
Choi Deok-hun set the remote down on the table with a soft thud.
“…Was pretty entertaining.”
I couldn’t breathe.
On the screen I was locking the door.
Setting down the bag, checking the surroundings.
I knew all too well what came next.
“Wait—!”
The urgent cry burst out of me.
The video paused.
The me on the screen stood frozen in the middle of the warehouse.
“…Please delete it.”
My voice shook.
Choi Deok-hun looked at me.
Then he smiled, slow and easy.
“Why?”
A low, light laugh slipped out.
“Heh… it’s fun.”
“…Don’t joke around.”
“I’m not joking.”
He glanced once at the TV screen, then back at me.
“But you know, A-yeong.”
My body flinched.
“This…”
He pointed at the screen.
“What do you think Hui-yeong would say if she saw it?”
My heart dropped.
Hui-yeong’s face flashed through my mind.
That always-confident, sharp, no-nonsense face of hers.
And lately…
The one who’d been hanging around Se-yeong more often.
“…You can’t.”
A low sound leaked from my mouth.
Choi Deok-hun quietly watched my reaction.
Then he spoke again.
“…Or.”
His gaze slowly raked over me.
“Se-yeong?”
My head snapped up in an instant.
The corner of Choi Deok-hun’s mouth rose, slow and deliberate.
“Ah.”
A short laugh.
“Looks like that one’s even worse for you.”
I couldn’t say a word.
Choi Deok-hun took another sip of beer.
“Picture it. Se-yeong seeing this.”
He jerked his chin toward the TV screen.
“What would he say?”
Breath wouldn’t come.
In the end I lowered my head.
Choi Deok-hun laughed quietly.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got no particular reason to go showing it off.”
I held my breath and looked at him.
“Instead.”
He set the remote down on the table.
Thud.
“This.”
He pointed at the TV.
“Is mine.”
The room went still.
Choi Deok-hun slowly rose from his seat.
Then he walked past me and pointed toward the front door.
“You can go.”
I couldn’t move.
He took a few steps, then stopped.
And turned only his head slightly.
“…But.”
The low voice dropped into the quiet.
“From now on, you’ll listen carefully to what I say, won’t you?”
A low laugh lingered for a long time in the silent living room.