Chapter 114: Autumn (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 114: Autumn (3)
A short while ago. Early Saturday morning.
Ha Seo-rim stood outside her front door, wrapping up a phone call.
With her younger brother inside and the apartment cramped as it was, it wasn't exactly the ideal place for a private conversation.
“Yes, let’s talk again soon.”
[“Yeah. See you later.”]
A gentle voice drifted through the speaker.
With that, the call ended. The name ‘Yu Ha-neul’ flashed on the screen before vanishing.
“…….”
Ha Seo-rim let out a soft sigh. She felt a sense of relief knowing he seemed to be doing well lately.
Ring— ring—
[Ji Nuri]
Just as she was about to head back inside, another call came in.
“Hello?”
Ji Nuri’s business was simple. She was calling to coordinate the Band Club’s practice schedule.
Ha Seo-rim turned back around and leaned her back against the wall.
“Right, right. Let’s do it then.”
After they finished adjusting the schedule, the conversation naturally drifted toward more personal topics.
At first, their talks had been strictly about club business, devoid of personal chatter. But at some point, that had changed. They had started sharing personal stories.
[“—So that’s why I said I’d become the Club President there.”]
Ji Nuri went on, recounting her own triumphant exploits.
Another story about the Counseling Club.
The topic of conversation with Ji Nuri was always the same. She would ramble on about things that happened in the Counseling Club. It was actually quite entertaining to listen to.
“So Senior Shin A-young became the Vice Club President?”
[“Exactly. Sol finds leadership positions and stuff like that annoying.”]
“Mhm.”
Well, she certainly seemed like the type.
[“Hmm……”]
Ji Nuri trailed off, her voice lingering.
Was she debating whether to say something else? Ha Seo-rim waited a moment for her to continue.
[“Seo-rim, what do you think about Lee Seung-ho and the others?”]
That was the question she finally blurted out.
“…Huh?”
Ha Seo-rim’s voice rose instinctively. Not only did she fail to grasp the intent behind the question, but the topic was also a sharp departure from their usual direction.
[“I mean, it’s just……”]
Silence followed. Ji Nuri seemed to be deep in thought for a long while.
[“……No, it’s nothing.”]
In the end, she retracted the question as if it had never been asked. She had brought it up only to drop it herself.
“Oh, uh… okay.”
An awkward silence settled between them. Because of that, the call felt like it was reaching its natural conclusion.
Ha Seo-rim pulled the phone slightly away from her ear.
…It’s about that time.
Checking the clock, it was already 11:00 AM. It was time for her to head to the shop.
Ha Seo-rim pushed herself off the wall.
“Nuri, let’s talk again later. It’s time for me to head to my part-time job.”
[“Ah. Oh. Right. I kept you too long, didn’t I?”]
“No, not at all.”
[“Good luck with your shift. See you on Monday.”]
“Okay.”
Click.
The call ended. Ha Seo-rim went back inside to grab her things.
“I’m heading to work. Eat the food I left on the table.”
“Mhm.”
Leaving behind her younger brother, who was completely absorbed in the TV, she stepped outside.
“…….”
She tapped her toes to adjust her shoes and walked out the front door. As she passed the spot where she had just been on the phone, the question Ji Nuri asked flashed through her mind.
…Why did she suddenly ask that?
Asking what she thought of Lee Seung-ho.
Ji Nuri’s question had meant ‘how does the relationship between Lee Seung-ho and the others look to you,’ but Ha Seo-rim had interpreted it differently.
She understood it as: What do you think of Lee Seung-ho as a person?
“Hmm……”
Ha Seo-rim pondered it briefly.
Lately……
Her opinion of him was in the middle of changing. He seemed like a different person than the rumors suggested.
Whether he had changed or if he had always been like this, she wasn't sure. He was quick-witted, he didn't hit on people unnecessarily, and he did his work diligently.
He didn't seem like a bad person. At least, the Lee Seung-ho she had seen was like that.
*
“Seo-rim. Do you think Seung-ho likes coffee?”
The question came out of nowhere.
Pause.
Ha Seo-rim stopped mid-motion, her arm halfway through her sleeve. She was currently changing in the shop’s dressing room.
“What?”
“Ah, maybe something other than coffee is better?”
Her fellow part-timer of the same age, Choi Su-hyeon, looked at her with wide eyes.
“……Wait, where is this coming from?”
Ha Seo-rim half-closed her eyes. Between the way Su-hyeon addressed him and the question itself, several suspicions were raised.
“Well, Seung-ho swapped a shift with me once before.”
“…….”
“So I wanted to buy him something.”
As she spoke, a faint smile played on Choi Su-hyeon’s lips.
“…?”
Watching that expression, Ha Seo-rim felt her eyes narrow even further.
“Are you perhaps—”
“It’s not what you think…!”
Choi Su-hyeon’s reaction was excessive. It wasn't rejection, but embarrassment. While it might not have been full-blown romantic feelings yet, a clear sense of favor was visible.
“…….”
Ha Seo-rim’s tightly shut lips parted. Since when had it become like this?
She couldn't even pinpoint the exact moment. Perhaps Su-hyeon had slowly been won over by his repeated kindness and goodwill.
……That guy.
Ha Seo-rim revised her evaluation of Lee Seung-ho. He was a natural at charming women. Whether he intended to or not, that was the result.
But still…….
“……Why are you asking me?”
“You said you went to the same middle school. And you’re working the floor together now. Aren't you two close?”
“What does that have to do with—”
—with this? If you’re curious, ask him yourself, she was about to say, but Ha Seo-rim clamped her mouth shut.
“Yeah?”
When Ha Seo-rim remained silent, Choi Su-hyeon tilted her head in confusion.
“…….”
Ha Seo-rim fell into thought. It was an instinct—a premonition that if she let Choi Su-hyeon and Lee Seung-ho get entangled, things would only get more troublesome later.
“……Fine. I’ll ask him for you later.”
Ha Seo-rim swallowed a sigh and changed the subject.
“Really? Thanks, I appreciate it!”
Choi Su-hyeon walked out of the dressing room with a light step.
“…….”
Ha Seo-rim pressed her fingers against her forehead as she watched her go. She hadn't even started her shift yet, but she already felt a headache coming on.
As she came out and prepared for the shift change……
……What’s with him now?
Linger, linger.
Ahn Hyun-su, another male part-timer her age, was hovering around her for no reason.
“What? Do you have something to say?”
Ha Seo-rim narrowed her eyes at him.
“No, it’s just……”
Ahn Hyun-su looked around before asking in a whisper.
“……Does Bo-young like watching movies? I was thinking of asking her.”
So he had feelings for Kim Bo-young. She hadn't known that.
She hadn't known, but……
“Why are you asking me that?”
Ha Seo-rim looked at him with an incredulous expression.
I don't know either. Why is everyone coming to me for counseling? I’ve never even held a guy’s hand, let alone dated anyone. Do I really look that experienced?
“Well…… Bo-young might not like it. Just help me out a little. You’re the only one I can talk to about this.”
“Ask her yourself.”
It was short advice. It was faster to just say those things directly. Girls don't hate watching movies with a guy they like. Usually, anyway.
Ha Seo-rim quickly brushed past him.
“Sigh……”
A sigh escaped her. Ha Seo-rim felt her head throb at the way things were unfolding. Now she understood why workplace romances were often banned.
“……And we’re already short-staffed as it is.”
If someone were to confess…… and if that ended badly…… the result was obvious. She just hoped nobody would quit.
And, currently—
“…….”
“…….”
Silence filled the storage room. Ha Seo-rim was alone with Lee Seung-ho.
……I’m not sure if this is right, but.
She had stopped Lee Seung-ho from going over to where Choi Su-hyeon and Ahn Hyun-su were. It was a split-second decision.
She really couldn't look away for even a second. If he had jumped in there, he probably would have tried to take care of this and that for them again. And then he would have gotten closer to Choi Su-hyeon.
“…….”
Ha Seo-rim could already imagine herself working alone on the floor. That could not happen…!
“Let’s start right away.”
“…Okay.”
Lee Seung-ho nodded with a peculiar expression.
“Phew.”
Ha Seo-rim rolled up her sleeves, revealing her pale forearms. Since they were here, they might as well get the organizing done properly.
The inventory file is……
While she was searching for the documents, Lee Seung-ho spoke up.
“Here it is.”
He handed her the file.
“Ah, thank you.”
Ha Seo-rim took it.
The storage room organization proceeded rapidly from there. He told her the quantity and location of the stock she was looking for, and he personally moved the items that were out of her reach.
Their coordination was so perfect it was as if he were reading her mind.
“That’s the last one.”
Lee Seung-ho lightly tapped a crate. The organizing was finished.
What?
Ha Seo-rim blankly checked the time. It was a job that should have taken at least thirty minutes, but they had finished in half that time.
Lee Seung-ho sat down with a thud and said, “Should we stay here for about ten minutes before heading out?”
“Umm……”
“Since we finished early, a short break should be fine.”
“…I guess so?”
Her legs were aching from standing for so long. Ha Seo-rim followed his lead and sat down in a corner of the storage room.
…Should I study?
Rustle, rustle.
Ha Seo-rim pulled out the English Vocab Notebook she had tucked in her pocket. Since she had nothing else to do, she figured she might as well memorize some words. She needed to get good grades on the upcoming midterm exams to keep her scholarship.
“Here.”
Lee Seung-ho held out a paper cup. He must have grabbed some Cola from the floor when she wasn't looking.
“…Thanks, I’ll enjoy it.”
“…….”
Lee Seung-ho didn't say anything after that. He was quietly looking down at his phone, so Ha Seo-rim was able to focus on memorizing her English words.
Was he being considerate of her?
“…….”
Ha Seo-rim’s hand slowed down. A moment later, she realized something.
Because there was no obvious intent or hidden meaning behind his actions, she was accepting his kindness naturally.
This is why girls fall for him.
I can’t let my guard down.
Ha Seo-rim furrowed her brows with determination. She forced herself to focus even harder on the vocabulary book in front of her.
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(!Signpost!)
(Illustration below!)
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Part-timer Ha Seo-rim Mini-Me