Cafe Dalteulak
A reply arrived from Leehyun-noona.
Every single message she sent radiated unmistakable delight.
Isn't she busy?
When I had first messaged her, she responded in barely ten seconds. Doctors working at major general hospitals were notoriously swamped with work, yet even during my examination the other day, she had seemed remarkably leisurely.
My reason for contacting her was simple: to repay a debt. Thanks to Leehyun-noona, I had learned that two conflicting urges could be resolved simultaneously. The trouble was finding an adequate way to return the favor. She likely hadn't intended it, but she had provided me with invaluable insight—essentially pointing out a path that would allow me to assimilate and live among others.
Treating her to a meal or two hardly balanced the scales. I needed to repay her to an extent that satisfied my own internal ledger.
"Jungseo! Time to head out."
"Already?"
"Yep. We're closing a little early today. My sister said she's already home."
Shelving my thoughts about Leehyun-noona for later, I helped close up the cafe. It was my first time handling the closing shift, and the checklist was surprisingly extensive.
"I told you you could take it easy~ Thanks for helping out."
"Not at all. You're paying me overtime, so it's only fair."
I had put in quite a few hours today. We had planned a welcome dinner for tonight, but going all the way home only to return shortly after felt inefficient, so I had simply remained at the cafe.
"And we've arrived! Ta-da!"
"Pardon?"
After locking up the front doors, the boss straightened her back and promptly announced our arrival.
"Our place is on the top floor of this building."
"Ah. You live close by."
"Right? Door-to-door, it doesn't even take a full minute."
Cafe Dalteulak occupied the first floor of a mixed-use commercial and residential building, while the boss's home was up on the fifth floor. Since she always arrived earlier and left later than anyone else, I had never realized.
"Boss."
"Yeah?"
"Would it be all right if I ran a quick errand nearby?"
"Sure~ Will it take long?"
"No. I'll be back in just a moment."
Parting ways with the boss, I walked out to the main street and stopped by the flower shop nestled in the adjacent alley, a place I frequently passed during my commute. Even if it was meant to be my welcome party, turning up at someone's house empty-handed felt improper.
"Hello. I'd like to look at some potted plants."
"Welcome! Oh? The cafe... right?"
"Yes. I work at Cafe Dalteulak next door."
The middle-aged shopkeeper recognized me the moment he saw my face. I didn't recall seeing him as a customer, so I wondered how he knew.
"A couple of customers came by the day before yesterday making such a fuss about how handsome the young man at the cafe was that I sneaked a peek myself."
"Ah... I see. I'm looking for a gift. Is there a potted plant that doesn't require much upkeep?"
"My, is it because you're so good-looking? I only saw you once, yet you left quite an impression!"
Chattering away, the man retrieved several small pots.
"I can't afford anything too expensive. Do you have anything on the smaller side?"
"Aigoo... You must have a rough time at work, though. Those girls don't try to pull any stunts on you, do they?"
"No. Nothing like that has happened."
"You have to be careful. A man needs to look out for his own safety. No matter how safe people say this country is..."
The florist was exceptionally talkative. Rather than attempting a two-way dialogue, he seemed content simply pouring out words. Yet throughout his chatter, his hands worked with practiced precision.
"This little guy is the perfect fit. How about it? Low maintenance, and you only need to water it once a week."
"Yes, that looks great. How much is it?"
"Honestly though, why is coffee so expensive these days? Are they dusting it with gold leaf or something..."
In the end, I simply settled on the succulent he recommended. I felt my energy draining rapidly and lacked the stamina to inquire further.
"By the way, how old are you, dear? I really can't tell."
"I'm twenty."
"Aigoo~ Such a fine age. Your boss must be thrilled. Hiring such a handsome part-timer must have boosted sales quite a bit..."
The plant I chose was a small succulent, and the man wrapped it up neatly. I only wished he had been a fraction less vocal.
"Oh, look at my scatterbrain! Here's a freebie. It's plant fertilizer—just stick it right into the soil."
"Thank you very much. Have a good evening."
"Yes, do come again. You know, it'd be lovely if the cafe put out some potted plants too..."
Paying the bill, I made a swift exit. Personally, he wasn't quite my type of company; I much preferred quiet over noise. Still, he harbored no malice, so I bore him no ill will.
I stood before the front door. The fifth floor contained only a single residential unit where the boss lived.
Ding-dong.
Before stepping into the elevator back at the cafe building, I had felt the prickle of someone watching me. Assuming it was merely paranoia brought on by the florist's warnings, I had dismissed it and ridden up. After pressing the doorbell and waiting a brief moment, the door swung open.
"Come in! Welcome!"
"Hello. My name is Noh Jungseo."
The door opened, and a pair of monumental breasts appeared.
For a split second, I harbored the bizarre illusion that the breasts were speaking to me, though I maintained my composure and bowed politely.
"I'm Seohee's older sister, Jin Seook. She stepped into the bathroom for a second. Come on in, hurry."
"Thank you for having me. This is for you."
The reason I had momentarily mistaken her chest for the speaker was simply because Aunt Seook was so astonishingly tall. She towered even over Yeo-eun-noona. Tall, heavily endowed, and built with the immense, formidable frame of a professional wrestler. Without much exaggeration, from my eye level, her bust practically eclipsed her face.
Are they truly sisters?
She appeared noticeably older as well.
"You didn't need to bring anything, yet you bought this? Oh, aren't you adorable."
Contrary to her humble words, Aunt Seook beamed broadly as she accepted the potted plant, ushering me into the home. Occupying the entire fifth floor, the apartment opened into a sprawling living room that felt as vast as an athletic field.
"We're still getting things ready... Would you like to sit and wait for a moment?"
"Is there anything I can help with?"
She seemed to have just returned from work, still in her business attire. Dressed in black slacks and a grey dress shirt, she wore an apron over top that looked comical against her imposing physique.
"A guest shouldn't be working... Just sit right over there."
"Please speak comfortably with me. I actually enjoy cooking, so I'd love to help."
Bypassing her instruction to sit, I followed her into the kitchen. I understood that an overly eager guest could sometimes be a nuisance, yet reading her expression, she seemed rather delighted by my offer.
"Oh dear... But you're our guest. Living with only women around here, we're utterly hopeless at this sort of thing."
"Oh? Jungseo, you're here! That was fast. Did you say hello to my sister?"
"We did. He keeps insisting on helping out."
The boss emerged from the bathroom and took charge of traffic control.
True to her colossal stature, Aunt Seook possessed a booming voice to match. I had once regarded Aunt Dongja as a commanding, general-like figure of a woman, but compared to Aunt Seook, Dongja felt more like a voluptuous, attractive housewife. Standing comfortably in the mid-180s in height, Aunt Seook exuded sheer intimidation even when standing completely still. The effect was compounded by the realization that her bulk was not mere fat, but an imposing layer of muscle underneath.
"Hey! What are you doing making a guest work?"
"Jungseo said he wanted to! We're starving, so prepping together to eat faster makes way more sense."
"I'm truly fine. Let me handle it."
Aunt Seook reluctantly yielded her spot. Stepping in, I began trimming the pre-arranged ingredients and started simmering the soup.
"Wow... Your knife skills are incredible!"
"I handle the cooking at home."
"Stop slacking off and carry these out already."
The boss and Aunt Seook bustled about, carrying dishes back and forth. Despite the chilly evening air, we had decided to grill the meat out on the rooftop terrace. Declaring that premium beef deserved more than an ordinary gas stove, they insisted on using real charcoal—an idea I heartily endorsed.
The beef was exceptional.
Enraptured by the quality of the meat, the three of us hardly exchanged a word, wholly engrossed in eating. I was also treated to a glass of unnamed wine. Perhaps because of the superb food before us, sharing a meal in a stranger's home didn't feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. Aunt Seook was naturally the kind of person who put others at ease, which helped immensely.
Presently, we had moved downstairs to enjoy dessert.
"I'll peel the fruit. I'm quite good at it."
"You're our guest, I feel so bad..."
"It's really all right. You treated me to such precious beef, after all."
"Jungseo-ya. That was for your welcome party, so I prepared it. Why do you keep talking like my sister bought it?"
"Huh? Didn't you say it was sent as a gift?"
The boss seemed a little tipsy. Evidently, her tolerance for alcohol was low.
"Is this girl drunk? Calling yourself 'noona'? Do you know how old you are?"
"Oh right... Hehe. Sorry. But calling me 'ahjumma' is a little sad, so just call me 'Boss.'"
"Sad, my foot. There's more than a ten-year gap between you and Jungseo. Outside the cafe, you're practically an ahjumma to him."
"Jeez! Unnie, why do you keep harping on my age? It's not like you aren't growing old right alongside me!"
Thoroughly flushed, the boss whined at Aunt Seook. Aunt Seook was twelve years older than the boss. With a full zodiac cycle separating the sisters, their dynamic resembled a mother and daughter far more than ordinary siblings.
"And what on earth are you wearing? We have a male guest over."
"It's hot! You're the one who cranked up the boiler, Unnie!"
"Bear with it. Go put on some proper clothes. You're making Jungseo uncomfortable."
After coming down from the rooftop terrace, the boss had changed into fresh clothes: a sleeveless camisole without a bra—an attire that was, in fact, exceedingly familiar to me.
"I don't mind at all. My sister wears the exact same thing around the house every day."
"See! Jungseo says he's fine with it!"
"Ah, so you have an older sister. Still, it's a matter of basic manners."
Gathered on the living room floor, we shared casual conversation over fruit. Aunt Seook possessed an endless curiosity about me. Though she spoke gently, the barrage of questions occasionally felt like an interrogation.
"Ugh, Unnie! Why do you keep grilling him like that? You're making him uncomfortable."
"I'm just asking... I was thinking he'd make a wonderful son-in-law. Did I make you uncomfortable? I'm sorry."
"Not at all. But it seems your daughter is running late?"
"She's busy studying. Being a high school senior is practically treated like a royal decree. Come to think of it, Jungseo, did you say you were taking the qualification exam?"
Just as Aunt Seook resumed her inquiry, the sound of someone rapidly tapping the door lock chimed through the hallway.
"Speak of the devil."
"Pfft... Unnie, calling your own daughter a 'devil'?"
Aunt Seook's daughter had arrived.
The instant she stepped into the living room, an unmistakable sensation struck me.
She was a woman who stirred my emotions.