A Familiar Face
"......Who are you going to meet?"
Something about the question felt off. I lifted my eyes to Yang Gi-ppeum.
"Do you know everyone I meet, too?"
"......Ah......"
That was answer enough. Her face went white in a heartbeat, fear plain across it. But, well—I'd already braced for this. So long as the girls' faces never went up on the fan band, I wasn't in any position to scold her. It wasn't as if hiding them would keep them hidden anyway. I smiled gently and spoke to her.
"I was just curious how many you knew."
"......T-two of them......"
"Ah. Is that so?"
"Yes...... I-if I upset you, I'm sorry...... I didn't mean to......"
"I know. And I know you're keeping your promise."
"......Yes. I'll never post pictures of the others, just like you said, Mr. Shinwoo......"
"Did putting it that way hurt your feelings?"
"N-no! Not at all! If anything......"
Yang Gi-ppeum touched my hair with careful fingers, swallowed, and the moment our eyes met she looked away in a hurry and whispered.
"......It's just, imagining you'd treasure us that preciously too......"
"They're people who like me. Of course I would. Keep to the line, and I'd like to get along with you too."
"......Yes...... Even just hearing you say that, we're so grateful......"
She smiled bashfully, stroked my hair, then lifted the dryer and dried it. After that she worked through it little by little with an iron and product, and the styling was finished in a flash.
"......H-how is it?"
"I like it. It's just right."
"Thank goodness...... It suits you so well, Mr. Shinwoo."
"Isn't it a little long?"
"If anything, it shows off that mischievous side of yours. It's adorable."
"......Sounds like you're saying I don't act my age."
She jumped and flinched, rushing to deny it, but I'd only been teasing.
"I'm kidding. Come to think of it, you didn't come yesterday."
"Ah, ah...... The cafe......?"
"Yeah."
"......I-I didn't like how the dye turned out......"
"Why? It's pretty. Unusual, sure, but it suits you. Makes you look young. How old are you, anyway?"
"......I-I'm twenty-two......"
"......You really are young."
"M-Mr. Shinwoo......"
"Call me Shinwoo. What's with the mister? We became friends today."
"......Ah......"
I smiled at the way her face lit up, pleased, and she carefully went on.
"Um, it's just...... I'd like to take a picture together......"
"Sure. Should we take it with the cape on?"
"Ah! I'll t-take it off for you......"
The bright smile she sent me at that permission put me in a good mood too. Over nothing much. The hands clearing the towel and cape from around my neck were trembling. I couldn't help a little laugh at how cute they were, but she seemed to take it the wrong way—she swallowed and looked at me with tense eyes—so I shook my head.
"Because you were being cute."
"......Ah......"
"Why are you shaking like that? You think I'm going to eat you?"
"N-no...... I'm just, just so nervous......"
"You figured I'd show up, didn't you?"
"......I-I didn't know. Really...... I was curious which salon you went to, that's true, but......"
"Were you."
True or not, it didn't matter. Her manner was careful, and I could feel her trying not to cross the line. With people like this, I could be at ease.
"So where should we take it?"
"O-over by the window? The sunlight......"
"That's backlit. How about right in front of the desk?"
"......Okay."
I watched her shy smile, then quietly shifted. I perched lightly against the table where I'd been sitting earlier, and Yang Gi-ppeum hurried to my side and held up the camera. Slowly, I settled a gentle hand on her waist.
"Eep?!"
"You startled me. What's there to be so shocked about?"
"N-no, I......"
"You don't want me to touch you?"
"No! I do! Please touch me—hhh......"
She shook her head, then swallowed the rest of it, her face flushed almost to the point of catching fire. I let out a soft laugh, wrapped an arm gently around her waist again, and drew her stiffening body in.
"Hahp......"
"We have to be at least this close for it to show up."
"......Y-yes...... nnh......"
"You're awfully sensitive, aren't you?"
"......A-a little...... hahp......"
When I playfully took hold of her side, she flushed and swallowed a moan, utterly at a loss. Really sensitive. My hand had only touched her, and her body kept flinching, tightening and going slack over and over.
"Shall we take it, then?"
"......Yes......"
She swallowed audibly. The phone she raised was trembling like a leaf, so I quietly took her hand and slipped it from her grip.
"Ah......"
"Look here."
"O-okay......"
Yang Gi-ppeum, pressed in close, looked toward the camera. I pressed the shutter a few times, opened the gallery, brought the photos up, and handed the phone back.
"Here. Will this do?"
"......Yes...... Th-thank you so much......"
"Thank me for what. You were so kind today—I'm the one who's grateful. Take good care of me from here on, too."
Of course that only held until I moved, and there might not be a next time. Even so, there was no need to disappoint someone this happy over a single photo on purpose. If anything, I felt almost guilty, wondering if I'd raised her hopes too high.
......She likes me this much. Honestly.
When I met Yang Gi-ppeum's eyes, they were still hazily unfocused, so thick with want that I could guess exactly what she was imagining.
"......Mr. Shinwoo......"
"Don't call me mister. I told you, it makes me sound old."
At my grumbling she smiled bashfully and answered me anyway.
"I still want to keep calling you Mr. Shinwoo."
"Why? Does it bother you?"
"Not at all...... You just feel like an older brother. Like a grown man...... and you speak so gently......"
"......Then call me oppa."
Honestly, the age gap made it a little awkward for me to be the one offering it.
"I like Mr. Shinwoo better."
But for all her words, her face went loose and happy at being told she could call me whatever was comfortable—cute enough that I wanted to pinch her cheek. I only smiled and stood up from the table.
"All right, then. Ring me up."
"......Ah. Yes......"
Regret was written all over her face, but I couldn't stay like this forever. I still had a little time, yet I figured I'd given her more than enough attention. I'd enjoyed it too. That soft waist had felt pretty good. Come to think of it, Rahi and the others were maintained to an almost extreme degree, so maybe this had simply felt fresh. It was similar to Ju Hayeong's body, only a little firmer.
"Don't post the photo on the band."
"......Ah. Yes......"
The dopey look on her face went glum. I could tell she'd meant to show it off there, but at what I said next her face flushed red in an instant.
"Think carefully about what that means."
"......Ah......!"
"See you next time, then."
"P-please go safely, Mr. Shinwoo......"
I left her bowing in a hurry, looking as if she couldn't believe it. Honestly, it wouldn't have mattered if she bragged about it on the band. That would simply have been the end of it. I'd said it in part to see whether she'd listen. I hadn't made any serious move today. Touching a waist wasn't the sort of thing this neighborhood made you take responsibility for.
Five o'clock...... If I hurry, I should make it.
It was a bit of a walk, but two blocks over the car dealerships clustered together. I hadn't expected to have any reason to come for years, so I didn't remember the exact brands—but I was heading for a domestic maker anyway. I'd stop there, pick up the bouquet at the flower shop, and go straight to the venue. I could hardly ride the bus carrying flowers.
Where was it again.
I searched Google Maps and hurried on, and before long a street of familiar car brands came into view. It felt a little strange, but I walked the block calmly, taking in my surroundings. Then I spotted a Hansung Motors sign in the distance, and I was just heading that way when—
"Huh?"
A woman pushed open the door of the import dealership beside me and stepped out. I stopped, about to turn, and our eyes met. A face I knew. Someone who had come to the cafe nearly every day without fail.
"Eh?"
"......Iced Americano. One extra shot, two pumps of syrup. Right?"
"Ah—no, Mr. Shinwoo!"
What kind of day was this. Familiar faces everywhere. She smiled brightly, hurried over, clasped both hands at her chest, and greeted me.
"I never thought I'd see you here...... Hello."
"Hello. I'm surprised too. You work here?"
"Yes. I'm a dealer here. This is so uncanny. I ought to buy a lottery ticket."
"Come on, it's not that big a deal. This is the neighborhood too."
"Even so. Where were you headed?"
"Ah, I wanted to look at a car. Lately......"
"Ah, right. I know you've been riding around in a van."
"......If you know that, you pretty much know everything. Though that's the gym's vehicle, so."
"I see. What are you looking at?"
"Something on the larger side, if I can. Once I tried an SUV, the view was just too good."
"Right, right. Um, Mr. Shinwoo. You're looking at imports, aren't you? May I ask which models?"
I'd seen her often enough that she spoke to me more easily than Yang Gi-ppeum did. Her face was still a little flushed, her delight plain, but I was somewhat glad to see her too. Even so, she talked as if it were obvious I'd buy an import, and I scratched my cheek as I answered.
"No. I was thinking domestic......"
"Eh? Why?"
At that she tilted her head, genuinely baffled, and I was at a loss for words. In my situation, buying a foreign car as my very first one didn't make sense. I didn't think explaining was anything to be ashamed of.
"It's my first car, for one. A beginner in an import feels a bit much."
"......No, that's exactly why you should take one of ours."
"What. Are you pitching me?"
She looked aghast and waved her hands, rushing on.
"N-no! Mr. Shinwoo, you're a Multimale."
"......I am, aren't I."
"And you're buying your first car. Our benefits are better, then."
"......Why?"
"What? Well, of course—between the tax benefits and the support the Volkswagen Group offers on its own, it comes out almost the same as a domestic car."
"Almost the same still means there's a price gap. I'm not that well off."
"......N-no. I'm serious. Interest-free installments, dealership perks, and I can pay some of it back to you myself. Even if it's an import, the upkeep isn't that bad. Coupons, complimentary repairs, and if you use the extra warranty period just for Multimales, for seven or eight years it actually costs less to maintain than a domestic car. And our cars, even among German makes, for not breaking down......"
Seriously. I'd only meant to turn her down politely, and she wouldn't hear a word of it. I lifted a hand to cut her off, fixed her with a look, and spoke.
"Don't you think this is a bit much?"
"Pardon?"
"A Porsche, for someone buying his first car. That's too much, isn't it?"
"......S-so it really is......"
The dealership she'd just walked out of was none other than Porsche. However you sliced it, I didn't have the means to drive a car that cost as much as the key money on my apartment. She stuck her tongue out with an awkward smile and pressed on.
"But I mean it. Not a Cayenne, maybe, but a Macan—I could bring that down to about the price of a decent full-size SUV."
"Some other time. I know they're good cars. I just don't want to indulge myself that much. I'm the kind of person who's perfectly happy with a used car."
At that, the stunned look on her face softened into a gentle smile.