Trauma
"So, where exactly are we going?"
We'd been walking for quite some time with no end in sight, so I grumbled. Tae-yang merely offered a meaningful smile and said, "You'll know when we get there—"
"We're here. This is the place."
"A cafe?"
The bell jingled as I stepped inside, and I froze solid.
"Welcome~ Master♪"
Every single one of the staff was dressed in a maid uniform.
"...What kind of situation is this?"
"Well, you see—"
An uneasy feeling washed over me. Seol-hwa was in a place like this?
"Hey~ Master Number One and Number Two! ...Why is Number Two making such a scary face?"
Seeing that all-too-familiar yellow idiot left me at a complete loss for words. I fought back the urge to choke and pinched the bridge of my nose.
I couldn't even begin to figure out where to start tearing into this mess.
I forced down the heavy sigh that threatened to burst out and looked around, but the troublemaker I was looking for was nowhere in sight.
"Yun Seol-hwa, where is she?"
"Huh? Now that you mention it... She was just here a second ago..."
I silently followed the direction of Eun-ha's gaze and found the black-haired little troublemaker-plus-idiot crouching and hiding behind a wall.
"...What are you doing?"
Seol-hwa was trembling all over, her face hidden behind the tray she held in her hands.
Was it just my imagination that this scene somehow overlapped with what had happened at the shopping mall?
"...You can explain the situation, right?"
"...So, all this chaos happened because of a Christmas present?"
To summarize the whole story: with Christmas approaching, she had wanted to give me a gift as a way of thanking me for everything I usually did for her.
Seol-hwa had told Eun-ha about it, and Eun-ha had dragged her into the part-time job she was already doing. Since they were giving a gift anyway, they decided to make it a surprise at the party and keep it a secret so I wouldn't find out.
"Half of this is your fault."
"Ow ow ow, don't pull my hair! I said I was sorry~!"
I gave a moderate tug on the ponytail she'd tied up for work—conveniently easy to grab—and Eun-ha yelped in pain as she apologized.
"Take it easy. A girl's hair is her life, you know."
"I know."
"I didn't realize Seol-hwa wouldn't say a word about it either..."
Seol-hwa had no talent for lying. Hiding things was even worse. This idiot of a genius had taken Eun-ha's words at face value and, terrified of being found out, had avoided conversation altogether—which was how this whole mess had started.
"...I'm sorry."
"There, there! Seol-hwa didn't mean any harm, right? Let's just forgive her a little. More importantly, boyfriend-ssi~ This is your girlfriend's maid outfit, you know? Aren't you going to say a single word about it?"
"That's..."
I'd been so busy sorting out the situation that I'd temporarily forgotten: this was a maid cafe.
When I consciously looked at Seol-hwa, I could actually feel my heart rate skyrocket. The maid outfit, with its long sleeves and skirt that reached her ankles, felt more elegant than cute. It wasn't the flashy, short-frilled maids of modern times, but something that looked more like a traditional costume with an old-fashioned charm. There was almost no exposure to speak of. Yet it suited Seol-hwa's atmosphere perfectly—the word "harmonious" fit her like a glove. She was always rather demure and well-mannered, so maybe that was why it looked so good on her.
What stood out even more was the makeup. Eun-ha usually helped Seol-hwa with this and that, but this felt different. Just as I was about to voice that impression, someone placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "Right?"
"It's my masterpiece, after all! She's the cutest girl I've seen since Eun-ha!"
"...Who is this guy?"
"Ah, that's our manager!"
"Oh dear, my introduction is late. Alexei Ricardo. I came from France, nice to meet you? You can just call me Alex for short if you like?"
He had a burly, muscular build, but the way he acted—no, the way he spoke and carried himself—was so feminine that I had to wonder if it was just my imagination.
As I was thinking that, Tae-yang shot me a look that said: Thinking too deeply about it will only hurt you.
...
"...Nice to meet you."
"Hmm, this one is quite the pretty boy too, isn't he? Not bad. Why don't you try working here? We handle butlers as well..."
"I'll pass."
"If you change your mind, be sure to contact me. I'll. Be. Waiting?"
"Why am I the one getting exhausted?"
"You'll get used to it. It's pretty fun in its own way, you know."
"I don't get it..."
As I sat there slumped over, my stomach started to grumble a little. Thinking I should order something if I was going to keep sitting here, I opened the menu—and immediately closed it again.
"What?"
"Are you people sane? Every single menu name is completely unhinged."
A parfait is a parfait, an omelette is an omelette. What the hell is a Lovely Paradise Parfait, and what's a Love-Filled Omelette supposed to be?
"Everything's an experience, right? Ah, I'll have the Happiness-Filled Fluffy Cheesecake."
"One Happiness-Filled Fluffy Cheesecake, received, Master♪"
"...I kind of want to learn from that ultra-positive mindset of yours."
Being around people who could say things like that with a straight face was starting to make me wonder if I was the abnormal one.
"Come on, come on. Master Number Two? Are you just going to leave the cute maid standing there?"
"...One Love-Filled Omelette."
"The volume's too low, Master Number Two!"
"...One Love-Filled Omelette!!"
"Great, nice and energetic! One Love-Filled Omelette over here too~"
"...I want to die."
I swore to myself I'd never come back here again. As I slammed my head down on the table with that silent vow, Tae-yang stroked my hair and said, "Good work."
"By the way, will she be okay?"
"With what?"
"What do you think."
With that, I glanced over at Seol-hwa. There had been a little incident earlier, but once she'd calmed down, she seemed to be doing a good job of playing along with the customers' antics as she worked.
"You know, the kind of idiots who show up at places like this like a cliché."
In short, pick-up artists or perverts.
Hearing that, Tae-yang snorted a laugh and said, "Ah, that?" He jerked his chin as if telling me to look over there.
I turned my gaze toward the corner and spotted a pair of men in black suits who looked completely out of place in this cute, casual atmosphere.
"Bodyguards...?"
"Exactement! That's exactly it!"
"...You startled me. Don't suddenly lean in like that."
"Ufufu, sorry about that. I've gathered such cute, blossoming young girls, so of course a garden needs gardeners, don't you think? We're thorough about that sort of thing, so don't worry too much."
"...That's a relief, then."
I didn't think I'd ever get used to that atmosphere no matter how hard I tried.
As I let out a sigh, Seol-hwa approached carrying a tray of food and said, "Oh, thank you for waiting."
"Thanks for the meal... What's wrong?"
Seol-hwa's cheeks were flushed, and the gazes from the people around us felt strangely...
Instead of answering, Seol-hwa pulled out a ketchup bottle and drew a heart shape on the omelette.
"Be..."
"Be?"
Her hands were trembling so much that it ended up looking more like modern art, but the bigger problem was...
"Become delicious, Moe Moe Kyun...!"
Come to think of it, this kind of development was a cliché too, wasn't it?
It was a huge relief that I'd frozen solid and managed not to drop my spoon. Whatever the case, this introverted girl was working this hard—even doing something like this. I couldn't pour cold water on that.
"Thanks, I'll dig in."
"Wow, chicken-skin couple—"
"Should we step up our game too, Master~?"
"If you two step it up any further from there, it'll be a disaster, so shut up."
After finishing the meal, since Seol-hwa's shift was almost over, we decided to head back together. The noisy duo was going in the opposite direction, so the two of us ended up walking the night streets alone.
"...Are you feeling okay? You don't have to push yourself with the part-time job."
"I-I'm fine. Eun-ha must have explained the whole situation... They've been really considerate about the hard work."
...Had the air always been this heavy?
It was an atmosphere where I just couldn't erase the awkwardness. I'd thought walking together like this had become familiar these days, but...
Just as I was about to sigh inwardly, Seol-hwa bowed first and said, "I'm sorry."
"...Don't do that again."
Watching Seol-hwa keep trying to avoid me, to be honest... I'd had a thought I shouldn't have.
"I just thought... you'd come to hate me."
That I might end up alone again... That was the thought that had crossed my mind. Like that person who had left without a word, drifting farther and farther away...
"No!!"
Suddenly from behind, Seol-hwa tightly hugged my body.
"It's not like that! I just thought I couldn't let you find out... I never meant to make you lonely! It's, well..."
Seol-hwa hesitated for a moment, then stood on her tiptoes, pulled my body close... and kissed me.
"Because for me, there's no one but Yu-seong..."
What was I supposed to do when the person who'd done it was the one looking like she was about to die of embarrassment?
Watching Seol-hwa babble after pulling away, I couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
"Is it okay if I do it from my side?"
When I asked that, Seol-hwa nodded with a flushed face, so I carefully kissed her again.
"...Even though I know better. I'm the one who should apologize for thinking something so unnecessary."
She wasn't the type. I knew that.
...And it was the same for her.
The person who had always cheered me on from the side as I ran toward my dreams. I'd been confident that I was loved. I'd thought we would always be together. That was why I couldn't handle the loneliness that had returned.
After running away and shutting myself in, I'd met the most precious person of all. Because she was so precious, I found myself unconsciously leaning on that kindness. Even though she'd only avoided me a little, the fear had raised its head, and I was disgusted with myself—this idiot who couldn't trust his own girlfriend.
"I'm... still weak."
I muttered as I tightly gripped our joined hands, and Seol-hwa said, "I don't care."
"The me who exists right now is only possible because of Yu-seong. Whether you're weak or not... it doesn't matter at all. I like you no matter what you look like."
"...You say things like that so casually. I've been feeling that a lot lately."
"It's not casual... You're just as bad, you know?"
"Is that so."
With that, we both burst out laughing at the same time.
"...I'm really sorry. Even though I know how hard it is to be lonely, I just left you hanging on my own."
"Knowing is enough. You finally found a job, so work hard at it."
A strong winter wind blew. But I didn't feel cold. Because there was a precious, warm presence by my side who said she liked me just the way I was.
Right now, I could think that that alone was enough.