My Part-Timer Lives Next Door
The cafe sat quiet, the day's business done.
Doeun, who had been sobbing only minutes ago, had finally settled down. The tears had stopped, but her face still wore that apologetic look, like she couldn't help it.
Out of nowhere, the past came back to me. Back when a mistake left me deflated, the previous owners used to wordlessly mix a drink and set it in front of me. Thanks to that, I'd always managed to gather myself again.
"Doeun."
"...Yes."
"Do you like sweet things?"
At the sudden question, Doeun blinked several times.
"...Pardon?"
"Tell me whatever you'd like to drink."
"...Oh, I'm all right, really—"
"I'm refusing your refusal."
When I said it firmly, she hesitated a moment, then opened her mouth very, very carefully.
"...A caramel macchiato, please."
"Oh."
That was a surprise. For some reason I'd expected her to have a sweet tooth like Seoa's.
"Just one moment, please."
I pulled the shots, then swirled in the caramel syrup, slow and gentle. Warm milk went in next, and to finish, a single ring of caramel drizzle. With the same care, I set the finished macchiato down in front of Doeun.
"You've had a hard day today, after all."
"...Oh, I— um... thank you."
Doeun wrapped both hands around the cup. One careful sip. Then just a little more. The corners of her mouth lifted — barely, so barely you'd hardly notice.
"...It's good."
"That's a relief."
Seeing that face, a smile slipped out of me before I knew it. It was hard to believe this was the same person who'd been in tears moments ago.
A quiet stretch of time drifted by. I found myself disliking the awkward silence for no good reason, so I spoke first.
"...I broke an absurd number of cups when I first started, you know."
"...Pardon?"
"Botched the shots, spilled the milk — every mistake there was to make, I made."
Doeun looked up at me, faintly startled.
"I even tried my hand at latte art once, ruined it completely, and because I couldn't bear to get scolded, I sent it out to the customer buried under foam."
"...Pfft."
Doeun laughed behind her hand.
"You did what..."
There it was — she was finally laughing.
"So what I'd really like is for you to feel completely at ease working here."
"...Yes."
"Putting in the effort is a fine thing, but there's no need to push yourself past your limit."
Doeun nodded quietly.
"And while you're working with me, I'd rather you didn't say you were sorry."
"..."
"Say thank you instead."
Doeun just stared at her cup, saying nothing. Her fingertip traced slowly along its rim. And then—
"...Thank you."
It was a very small smile. But it was the first one I'd seen from her all day with no tension behind it.
We finished closing together and locked the cafe up behind us.
"Well then, get home safe."
"...Yes."
I'd assumed we'd head our separate ways from there. Instead, Doeun quietly fell into step behind me.
A few steps. Then a few more. Across the crosswalk — still with me. Around the corner — still with me. Always the same direction, always holding to the same careful distance.
In the end, I asked, laughing.
"...Are you, by any chance, stalking me?"
"...What!?"
Doeun jumped and stared at me in alarm.
"I'm joking."
I waved a hand, still grinning.
"You live this way?"
"...Yes. You too, Manager?"
"I do, actually."
A beat of silence. Then Doeun cautiously raised a finger and pointed down the street.
"...That villa there, could it be..."
"Joeun Villa?"
"...Yes."
"...Which unit?"
"...Unit 203."
"I'm in 201, so..."
"..."
"..."
For a moment, neither of us said a word. Of all the possibilities — the part-timer I'd hired, living in the same villa. On the same floor, no less.
Doeun looked every bit as stunned, her eyes gone wide and round.
"At this rate, we might as well commute together, don't you think?"
At that, Doeun answered. Very quietly. Truly very quietly.
"...Yeah. I suppose we could."
And she was smiling as she said it.
"See you tomorrow, then. Thanks for all your hard work today."
"...Yes. Good night."
We traded goodbyes in front of our respective front doors and each went inside.
"Phew... and that's a wrap for today."
Only once the door was shut did I finally feel the tension drain out of me.
Come to think of it, a whole week had already gone by. I'd been handed the manager's seat out of nowhere. The very next day, I'd scolded Yoo Harin for showing up late. The job posting I'd put up had drawn applicants of every description imaginable. Then I'd picked Doeun. And today, I'd spent the evening comforting her after her mistake.
"Ha..."
I flopped onto the bed. Just one week as manager, and already so much had happened.
...I'm starting to miss the old owners.
The faces of the couple who'd gone down to the countryside drifted into my mind. I did miss them — but I hadn't called, afraid they'd only fuss and worry over me.
My goal was never to engineer some grand revival of the cafe, or to multiply its revenue several times over. It was simply this: to keep this cafe what it had always been — a place people loved — and to guard it carefully so it never came crashing down. That much was enough for me.
And so—
"Let's work hard... in moderation."
With that resolution made, I pulled the blanket up over myself. Maybe I was simply more tired than usual, because for the first time in ages, I drifted off without a single thought in my head.
The next day.
Doeun had come in early again. She'd changed and taken her place at the counter, murmuring to herself in a tiny voice.
"Welcome in..."
"Thank you..."
"Have a nice day...!"
"Nnngh..."
Face turned to the wall, she was running through the same lines over and over — practicing. Afraid, apparently, that her voice would shrink again the moment nerves got the better of her. She was drilling herself even when no one was watching.
...She really is putting in the effort.
I pretended not to notice and carried on with my prep.
Before long — ting — the door swung open, and a familiar voice rang out.
"Manager~ I'm here!"
Yoo Harin, as bright and energetic as ever.
"Not late today either, huh."
"Hey, isn't it about time you stopped ragging on me over one single late day?"
"That day just left too strong an impression."
"...I won't be late again."
"Sure, sure~"
"I mean it!"
At my teasing, Harin puffed up her cheeks a little. Then she stole a glance at Doeun and sidled up close beside me.
"Hey."
"What."
"You didn't, like, give her an earful when you two closed up last night, did you?"
"Didn't."
"Really?"
"Mm-hm."
I answered, the picture of calm.
"I just made her a drink, and we talked a little. That's all."
"...Hmm."
Harin's gaze swung back and forth between me and Doeun. For a moment, her face went thoughtful.
"...I'm telling you it's the truth. You're the only one I ever scold."
"Hold on — why me?"
"Because you're the owner."
"That's a needlessly logical answer."
"Naturally."
With that, she smacked my shoulder for no reason at all and looped her apron on.
"Let's get to work already, Manager!"
"Yes, boss."
And so began another day at Cafe Fluffy.
I headed in to the cafe again today.
It was a little irritating how Han Doyoon teased me about not being late every single time I showed up — but honestly, by now I just let it roll off me.
The new hire we'd taken on yesterday, Doeun. She seemed awfully awkward when it came to talking to people, but she was genuinely good at the work — and more than anything, watching her was like watching some tiny, skittish animal, which made her ridiculously cute.
Nothing like Yoo Seoa, that's for sure.
So there I was, going through the cafe work I'd gotten pretty used to by now, when—
"Um... Manager, is it okay if I do this like this...?"
"Oh, you're doing wonderfully."
Something about that...
"Could... could you take a look at this one too, please?"
"Ah, if you do it this way, it'll turn out even better."
"...Yes, understood."
Doeun nodded along, taking notes as she went, soaking it all up with total earnestness.
But something was off. No — to be exact, it was the way Doeun looked at Han Doyoon. And the way Han Doyoon treated Doeun. Both seemed just a touch different from yesterday.
...What is this.
If it was nothing, then fine — it was probably nothing. And yet some corner of my heart kept prickling anyway.
He does nothing but scold me.
And he never once praised me like that.
Feeling petty for no good reason, I gave the guy's shoulder a thump as I passed.
"...?"
The guy looked completely lost.
...Hmph.
But my chest stayed stuffy all the same. Any other day, I'd have shrugged it off in a minute. Today, strangely, my heart just wouldn't settle. Before I knew it, I was talking less, and even my voice with the customers had come out quieter than usual.
Haa... what am I even doing...
Maybe I should go splash some water on my face.
So I ducked off to the bathroom for a bit. But when I pushed the door open to come back out—
—he was there, leaning against the wall, waiting.
...That startled me.
The moment the surprise showed on my face, the guy spoke first.
"Hey. You feeling unwell or something?"
"...No."
"You've been quieter than usual all morning, and your energy's completely flat."
"..."
"If you're not feeling well, don't push it. Take a break."
Apparently he'd taken my petty mood for feeling under the weather.
...Great. Now I've got him worrying over nothing.
But the guy's face was genuinely worried.
"...I'm fine. I was just lost in thought for a second."
"If you say so."
"Yeah."
Han Doyoon studied me for a moment. Then he said:
"You're already doing more than enough as it is, so don't push yourself too hard."
"...What did you just say?"
"...? I said don't push yourself too hard."
"No. The part before that."
"That I'm 'already doing more than enough'?"
"..."
...Ugh, seriously.
It hit me all at once, out of nowhere. Desperately wrestling down the corners of my mouth, I straightened my spine for absolutely no reason.
"Well, obviously! Whose daughter do you think I am!"
"Mm-hm."
The guy answered with a badly suppressed snort of laughter.
"S-so... should we head back to work, then?"
Unable to bear the thought of him catching my flushed face, I marched off toward the counter first, practically fleeing the scene.
Uuugh... seriously!
No, honestly — why would one little comment from him set my face on fire?
Haa... what is going on with me these days...?