Chapter 8. Gelato Is Delicious.
How did I even get here? Saturday afternoon, bright and sunny, and I was somehow, inexplicably, clothes shopping with my friend’s older brother.
Weekend Eun Woogyung? Yeah, he was definitely something else. Effortlessly cool.
Today, it was this simple black knit sweater. But on him? With that perfect skin tone and his deep, jet-black hair? It looked ridiculously good. I’d always been one of those people who thought only pale skin was pretty or attractive, but… maybe a slightly warmer, darker tone could be just as captivating. Maybe even more.
And this cool, captivating man was now standing in front of me, patiently and so kindly picking out clothes. For me.
Meanwhile, I, utterly ambushed by this situation, felt my stomach doing weird, fluttery things for absolutely no reason.
He held out a dress. “Try this on.”
“Oh… uh… okay..!” My voice sounded a little squeaky.
I took the dress, my fingers brushing his just for a second, and glanced up. Our eyes met, and he gave me this gentle, soft smile that made my breath hitch.
My usual uniform was jeans and oversized tees. Slipping into something so neat, so undeniably feminine, felt… strange. A little ticklish, like wearing someone else’s skin.
Still…
Yesterday at the office, most of the women hadn’t been wearing anything as… traditional as the formal suit I’d mistakenly donned. They mostly wore smart suits, elegant dresses, or crisp blouses. I probably did need a wardrobe update.
Okay, deep breath. I lifted the dress, ready to head into the fitting room, but instinct made me check the price tag first.
Price tags? Usually, I just grabbed what I liked. But now? Now that my entire worldly fortune amounted to exactly 480,000 won, ignoring the price felt like a financial death wish.
Of course, Eun Woogyung had offered to buy it as a congratulatory gift for my new job. Still…
“Gasp…”
The number staring back at me felt like a punch to the gut. Way, way too high. I didn’t even bother trying it on. I just walked right out of the fitting room, dress still clutched in my hands.
“…?”
He was waiting outside, looking perfectly relaxed. He tilted his head, confused, when he saw I hadn’t changed. I hurried over, lowering my voice to a whisper.
“I… I think we need to find somewhere else.”
“Huh? Why?”
“This place is… It’s really, really expensive.”
He blinked at my whispered confession, then a slow grin spread across his face before he burst out laughing.
Laughing. This man, who usually carried himself with such a quiet, almost heavy calm, was genuinely, heartily laughing. It was… disarming. Completely threw me off balance.
“Haha, do I look like I’m unemployed or something?”
“Ah..! No..! Not at all…!” I flailed my hands, mortified.
“…Maybe because I just stay home every day…” He mumbled, looking suddenly a little deflated, a little sheepish.
Startled by the change in his expression, I reached out without thinking and gently grabbed his arm. “No, it’s not that..! I just… I’d feel really, really bad…”
“Go try it on. Oh, here, I grabbed a few more things too.” He brushed off my protest easily, handing me a pile of clothes – a blouse, a skirt, some smart pants. My arms were suddenly overflowing.
“…Ah…”
“I’ll wait.”
He said it with such a bright, easy smile. Just, I’ll wait. My heart did that ridiculous fluttering thing again, only harder this time. It felt like it might just stop.
I never thought I’d feel things that made me want to use expressions like “my heart stopped.”
He might say he just “stays home,” but looking at him, at the quiet confidence in his eyes, I could tell he was someone who worked hard, probably incredibly capable. I just stared at him for a moment, swallowed hard to dislodge the lump forming in my throat, and turned back towards the fitting room.
As I turned, I caught sight of the female store employee. She was practically laser-beaming her gaze at Eun Woogyung.
‘…Why is she staring like that?’
I narrowed my eyes at her, feeling a tiny, inexplicable prickle of annoyance, a little pout forming without my permission. Then, I yanked the fitting room door shut with a definitive bang.
Changing inside, a thought snuck into my head, unwelcome and sharp.
‘He probably has a girlfriend, right…?’
– Click.
I opened the door and stepped out in the dress. Eun Woogyung’s eyes widened, just a fraction, but I saw it. He’d probably picked it because it looked ‘neat and cute,’ but standing here now, I felt… I don’t know. Different. Maybe even… lovely?
“How do I look…?” I asked, suddenly feeling shy, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
He took a slow, deliberate breath. His answer was careful, quiet. “…It suits you really well.”
“Really? Oh, thank goodness…” A nervous laugh escaped me.
I checked myself out in the mirror, feeling awkward and pleased all at once. Watching her, a truly ridiculous thought popped into Eun Woogyung’s head.
Maybe I should’ve picked something a little less flattering.
Later, after the shopping spree, as we walked home, I spotted it. My favorite gelato shop. My eyes lit up.
“This place is so good..!”
“Let’s get some.” He didn’t hesitate. With his long, easy strides, he walked straight up to the shop and held the door open wide for me. I practically skipped inside, buzzing with excitement.
Then, squaring my shoulders, I turned to him, a determined look on my face. “Gelato’s on me.”
“…Ah, it’s okay.”
He was already tapping on the order screen. I fumbled for my wallet. “No, really! I want to treat you!”
He smiled, a genuine, warm smile that reached his eyes. “Then buy me something nice with your first paycheck.” He gently pushed my wallet back into my bag, his big hand briefly covering mine.
– Thump-thump-thump-thump.
My heart rate went from zero to a hundred in a millisecond. Was it the mention of my “first paycheck”? Or the fleeting touch of his hand? Or both? Probably both.
“Whoa… ha…” I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to regulate my breathing. I knew I must look like an idiot, clutching myself like I was having a heart attack, but if I didn’t calm down, I swear he would hear the frantic, foolish thudding of my heart right there in the gelato shop.
“What’s wrong?” He blinked at me, concerned.
I forced myself to stand up straight, take one last shaky breath, and step up to the counter. “Uh, I’ll have pistachio.”
“Pfft, okay.” He chuckled softly.
We sat across from each other, spoons scraping the cold gelato. I couldn’t help it. My eyes kept flicking up to him. Like someone stealing glances at something they absolutely shouldn’t be looking at.
He noticed. Of course, he noticed. My eyes were probably darting around like a hummingbird. He awkwardly focused on his gelato for a moment, then finally looked up.
“…Why do you keep looking at me?”
“…!!!”
Caught red-handed, I froze. My mind went completely blank. Say something! Anything! My mouth opened, and words tumbled out before I could stop them.
“…This gelato is good.”
“…Yes… you’re handsome…”
“…..”
He had clearly, clearly said the gelato was good.
So why, in the name of all that is holy, did I say handsome?
Eun Woogyung just stared at me, utterly bewildered.
What was this weird, thick atmosphere suddenly hanging between us?
I was about to take another bite of my pistachio gelato, but my hand froze mid-air.
‘Did I… did I just say he’s handsome?’
My eyes, trembling now, darted up to his face. Yep. Judging by the stunned, slightly amused expression on his face, he’d definitely heard it. Every mortifying syllable.
“Ah, th-that’s not what I meant…” I started flailing, trying desperately to dig myself out of the hole I’d just cheerfully jumped into.
He opened his mouth again, his voice quiet. “…You think I’m handsome?”
“…Huh? Ah… oh no… um…” My face was on fire.
“Pfft. Want another gelato?” He burst out laughing again, covering his mouth with his hand, his shoulders shaking.
Defeated, humiliated, face burning scarlet, I just nodded. “Then… rice-flavored one…”
“Haha, wait here.”
So, we shopped, we had snacks, and now it was Saturday evening, and we were still together.
‘This feels like a date…’
The thought flitted through my mind, sending another ridiculous flutter through my chest. I snuck a glance at the man walking beside me.
‘He’s so tall…’
Walking next to him, feeling small and strangely protected by his solid presence, I couldn’t help but smile shyly to myself. I focused on keeping pace with his long strides.
Before I knew it, we were back at our apartment building.
A wave of disappointment washed over me. It was still early, the evening stretched ahead, but we had to part ways. Go back to our separate rooms.
What made me sad, though, was the thought that the easy, comfortable bubble of spending time together was about to pop. Once we were inside, he’d be the friend’s older brother upstairs, and I’d be the tenant downstairs, just like always.
I fiddled with my fingers, trailing slightly behind him as we walked towards the entrance. He noticed my awkward fidgeting. He bit his lip for a second, then spoke.
“Wanna grab a draft beer?”
“Yes!!” The answer exploded out of me, zero hesitation. Probably sounded way too eager.
He laughed again, the sound warm and amused. “Okay, adorable. Let’s just drop our stuff off at home first.”
“Okay..! Should I just run up and drop it off?”
“Let’s go together. It’ll only take a minute.”
So we went upstairs, practically dumped the shopping bags by the shoe rack like they were hot potatoes, and came running back out, as if staying inside for even sixty seconds longer would be a catastrophe.
Waiting for the elevator, a strange feeling settled over me.
It felt like… I was living with a man. With him.
Did he feel the same way? Or did he just feel like he’d acquired another slightly clumsy younger sibling?
At the cozy draft beer bar near our place, we ordered two beers and some snacks.
“…When do you start work?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
He smiled lightly. “Next month, on the 1st.”
“Wow… Where’s the office?”
“Nearby.”
“Ooh..!”
“I’ll be getting a car soon. We can commute together.”
“!!!!!”
My face went tomato-red again at his words. Commute? Together? My mind immediately supplied images of just the two of us in a car every morning.
“I meant… all three of us…” He quickly added, seeing my face light up like a traffic signal.
“..!!!!!” My face somehow managed to get even redder.
He bit his lip again, trying to meet my eyes and explain, but I couldn’t handle it. My ears felt like they were steaming. I practically jumped to my feet.
“I-I need to go to the bathroom!” And I bolted, stumbling slightly in my haste to escape the sheer, overwhelming embarrassment.
I couldn’t bear it. For just a second, I’d completely forgotten about my beloved Eun Hakyung… and imagined a different morning commute entirely. Just him and me.
Left alone at the table, Eun Woogyung rested his elbows on the sticky surface, hands folded in front of his mouth, eyes distant. Deep in thought.
What was this?
Had he just… gotten used to her after two weeks of living together? Was it just… attachment?
If it was just attachment…
“…Gasp…”
His own thought startled him. His anxious eyes slowly, cautiously, flicked towards the bathroom door where she had disappeared.
When the door opened moments later, he quickly turned his head away.
His heart… it had started to race.
To be Continued
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