Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: First Promise
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In front of the large bakery cafe 'Bloom,' the promised meeting spot.
Siwoo took three deep breaths while staring at his reflection in the full-glass door.
A door he usually passed without a second thought now felt like it would suck him into a dazzling world from another dimension the moment he opened it.
'It's fine. This is totally casual—no one's gonna bat an eye.'
Reassuring himself like a mantra, Siwoo fiddled with the sleeves of his navy crewneck sweatshirt.
Ding-a-ling—
The cheerful bell rang out as he pushed the door open, and a wave of sweet baked goods aroma hit him, mingled with upbeat music and the familiar boisterous laughter.
Over by the window seats, they'd pushed two tables together and claimed the spot. They were dazzling as ever.
"Hey! Namjjin, over here!"
Dasom spotted him and waved wildly, drawing glances from nearby customers toward the entrance.
Siwoo's face burned with the urge to crawl into a hole as he hurried over to them.
The friends around the table were dressed in casual clothes that screamed their personalities.
Park Geon in a tracksuit emblazoned with a massive brand logo, Seo Juwon in a loose overfit shirt that still couldn't hide the luxury watch glinting on his wrist.
Im Hyunsu in a pricey designer tee with perfectly styled hair, Han Jiyoon with a bucket hat pulled low, and so on.
To Siwoo, whose go-to outfit was a plain white tee and sweatpants, their styles and easy confidence felt utterly alien and flashy.
But the one who caught his eye first was, of course, Iseol.
She wore a simple white hoodie and perfectly fitted black slacks, but her usually neat bob hair, now slightly tousled, was strangely captivating.
"Namjjin, cute outfit! Total model student vibe!"
Dasom grinned as she spoke, and Hyunsu, sipping his coffee beside her, looked Siwoo up and down with a smirk.
"What's cute about it? It's tacky. Mom buy that for you? The fit's all off..."
Hyunsu's mocking words came with a smug smile.
Siwoo's ears burned hot for a moment.
But he just forced a smile like an idiot and barely perched on an empty chair in response.
He'd expected it, but facing them in casual clothes made the wall between them feel even thicker.
"Hey, he's the most student-like out of all of us—it's fine. Cut the crap and open your books. Math today."
Juwon's firm intervention settled things awkwardly for the moment.
But no one really expected them to actually study.
The eight-person table was covered not in textbooks, but in colorful desserts and drinks.
"Ugh, I seriously have no clue! Namjjin, check this problem. Teacher said it'd be on the exam."
Chaerin shoved her workbook toward him, tossing her pen down irritably.
Siwoo, the one who actually put in some study effort, adjusted his glasses and peered at Chaerin's workbook.
Luckily, it was a basic type he'd solved in advance at cram school back in middle school.
He grabbed his mechanical pencil and smoothly wrote out the equations in the margin, explaining step by step.
As the answer emerged, Juwon, who'd been watching with his chin propped up, widened his eyes.
"Whoa... Namjjin, what? You're actually really good at this?"
"Yeah, explanation's spot on. You're like a tutor. We'll hit you up for anything we don't get."
Siwoo puffed up a bit at the praise from Juwon and Chaerin, flashing a goofy grin.
"Y-yeah. Ask away. I'll teach you everything I know."
But it seemed only the two of them heard his friendly offer.
Across from him, Park Geon and Hyunsu were cackling over a phone game, while Jiyoon had earbuds in and her eyes closed.
'This isn't gonna be any studying...'
Siwoo sighed quietly and turned back to his own book, steeling himself to just kill time.
Tap tap.
Someone lightly tapped his shoulder.
"Can you explain this one for me?"
He turned to see Iseol standing there, workbook in hand.
"Huh? Uh, yeah... hold on."
Flustered by her sudden request, Siwoo hurriedly shoved his bag aside to make space.
Iseol smoothly dragged over the chair next to Hyunsu—her usual seat—and sat right beside Siwoo.
Every time she leaned in, that sweet, subtle shampoo scent from the bench earlier wafted over.
And when she peered at the problem, the cuff of her white hoodie sleeve even brushed against his sweatshirt sleeve.
Siwoo's heart started pounding wildly, like it was about to burst out of his chest.
Did she know about the thunderous heartbeat that raced at the slightest brush of fabric?
Iseol propped her chin, silently watching as Siwoo scribbled the solution with trembling hands.
At first, he thought she was just killing time like the others.
But her serious demeanor—only the scratch of pencil lead on paper breaking the silence—soon shook off his stray thoughts, and he focused solely on the problem.
After wrestling with numbers for a while, they finally reached the end.
"...And there, that's the answer."
Siwoo dotted the final number, and Iseol let out a big sigh, leaning back against the chair.
"Phew, now I get it. Thanks."
Hearing her say thanks for the first time, Siwoo scratched the back of his head sheepishly and reached for his drink to wet his dry throat.
Then his bag shifted against his arm, and a worn bookmark tucked between his books slipped out and fluttered to the floor.
Flutter.
"Oh."
Siwoo leaned down in surprise, but Iseol's hand reaching for the floor beat him to it.
She picked it up but didn't hand it back right away, instead holding it in her palm and studying it quietly.
A desert expanse.
A blond boy perched on a tiny wooden chair, gazing at the fiery sunset.
It was a faded bookmark illustrated with a scene from The Little Prince, a classic novel everyone had seen at least once.
"...This."
Iseol's gaze lingered on the small drawing.
Embarrassed, Siwoo reached out to snatch it back.
"Ah, that... Just an old bookmark I got from the neighborhood bookstore. I liked it, but... kinda childish, right?"
"You like The Little Prince?"
Iseol toyed with the bookmark, then slowly lifted her head to stare straight at him.
For the first time, a strange light flickered in her usually indifferent, dry black eyes.
Siwoo nodded without thinking, mesmerized by that gaze.
"Huh? Uh... Read it as a kid and liked it..."
"I like this scene too."
Iseol carefully placed the bookmark back in his hand, her lips curving up ever so faintly.
"Feels like there's emotion in the picture. It's pretty."
Siwoo's heart thundered at her soft voice.
It was praise for the drawing, but the way she'd said it while meeting his eyes made it feel personal, heating his earlobes.
In that fleeting moment, the cafe noise faded, leaving just the two of them in the sunset desert—a distant, surreal sensation.
Then Hyunsu, munching snacks, shattered the fluffy atmosphere with a screech of his chair as he butted in.
"Yo, what profound convo are you two having? What's this—showing off some elementary school kid drawing?"
Hyunsu pointed at the bookmark in Siwoo's hand, sneering with his chin raised.
Siwoo's face flushed crimson with shame.
As he reflexively tried to stuff the bookmark deep into his bag, Iseol spoke first.
"Sigh... Im Hyunsu, if you don't get it, just shut up and stay quiet. You're making yourself look low-class."
"What? Hey, Baek Iseol! You done talking shit? Always picking on me!"
Hyunsu's face turned red then purple.
Her words, which he'd usually brush off with a laugh, felt like she was defending Siwoo, and it infuriated him.
"What's with Nam Siwoo that you're always sticking up for him? You've been weird lately. You like him or something?"
"Mad 'cause I won't take your side? What are you, a kid?"
As they glared, voices rising, Park Geon and Juwon jumped in to separate them.
"Hey, what's with you two? Sudden explosion."
"Both of you, stop. What is this in a cafe?"
Juwon pressed Hyunsu's shoulder down to seat him and calm him, while Geon flashed an awkward smile, checking the other customers.
"Ah, fuck. So annoying..."
Still fuming, Hyunsu spat curses, roughly grabbed his bag, and stood.
Scraaaape—!
Siwoo's shoulders flinched at the harsh scrape of the chair.
Hyunsu shot Siwoo a final death glare before storming out of the cafe.
"..."
The table was left with half-melted drinks and scattered workbooks.
A chilly silence hung in the air.
"Sigh... Sorry, Siwoo. He's on edge with exams coming up. I'll talk to him later."
Juwon patted Siwoo's shoulder with an awkward, apologetic look.
Siwoo nodded dazedly and tucked the nearly crumpled bookmark into his bag's inner pocket.
"Whatever. Let's pack up too. Mood's totally killed."
Iseol casually gathered her things and stood as if nothing had happened.
Her expression was the same as always, but just before stepping out the cafe door, she flicked a brief glance toward Siwoo.
In that split-second eye contact, something lingered in her gaze.
Whether it was regret for ruining the study session because of her, or the lingering fluff from that sunset-tinted bookmark moment, Siwoo had no way of knowing.