Chapter 28: looking forward to the next one.

In the end, the editing contract with Yuna-yeon fell through.

Still, it’s not like she’s the only editor in the world, so I wasn’t too worried, but the thought of losing someone I

trusted left a bitter taste in my mouth.

“Sister, have you been to Italy?”

“Yeah, I’ve been to several places abroad. This is a photo I took when I went to America…”

“Wow, isn’t this the Grand Canyon!? And you look like a model in this one….”

“M-model? Don’t hype me up too much.”

Regardless, Yuna-yeon seemed to have become friendly enough with Sister Seo-ha to drop honorifics, chatting away happily.

It was almost childlike how she gasped in amazement at each photo Sister showed from the gallery.

I felt like giving her a smack on the back of the head.

“Oh, has it really gotten this late….”

Before I knew it, Sister Seo-ha, who had been close to Yuna-yeon, let out a sigh.

Only then did I check the time and see it was already pointing to 4 o’clock. It was barely past 2 when we walked into

the meat restaurant.

“What’s wrong, Sister? Do you have a pressing appointment?”

“Uh, yeah. Actually, I just came here to help out for a bit, so I should be heading back soon.”

“Right, you mentioned you’re an office worker, didn’t you?”

To think she had her own job but still came all the way to a meat restaurant to help a friend—now I understood just

how kind of a person she was. No matter how high the hourly rate might be here, it couldn’t compare to what she

earned at her company, so it was like she was doing this at a loss.

Truly, she was such a good person.

“Well, let’s get going then. We’ve had our fill of meat, and we need to send you off too.”

Feeling that she couldn’t quite detach Yuna-yeon from her side, I took the initiative to wrap things up.

After clapping my hands a couple of times to change the mood, Yuna-yeon pouted her lips and started to throw a tantrum.

“Ugh, I’m sad to say goodbye like this…”

“We can just contact each other later; we exchanged numbers, remember?”

Even though I felt like punching her for that behavior, Sister Seo-ha was wide-heartedly accommodating, wrapping

her arm around Yuna-yeon’s shoulders.

Wow, is she really an angel?

“What’s this? Are you leaving?”

“Well, I’ve eaten enough meat and should be heading back. I also heard you have other matters to attend to.”

As I began to tidy up the table, Park Jae-sung returned from the restroom. Perfect timing.

“Oh, are you leaving?”

As Park Jae-sung joined us toward the exit of the restaurant, the sturdy-looking owner, whom we had first seen,

approached us to greet us. I could see a group of restaurant staff huddling behind him.

Anyone would think the employees were here to see off a chairman who was leaving. Is it always like this here?

With all of them being so burly, it felt oddly intimidating. If one didn’t know better, it could look like a scene from a noir film.

“Ah, yes. Thanks to you, we had a great meal, Owner. I, um, about the bill…”

Although he said it was on the house, I felt too guilty to leave without paying for the meal we had eaten, so I

cautiously opened my mouth.

The owner immediately waved his hand and bowed.

“No, no! I told you, it’s a service.”

“No, but still…”

“If it really bothers you that much, just think of it as a gift from us to take care of Seo-ha…”

“Hm…”

Feeling awkward at how earnestly he rejected my money, I unconsciously glanced at Sister standing next to me.

Noticing our eyes met, Sister smiled as if to say, “Just go with it,” and gently pulled my arm back.

Well, it wouldn’t be polite to refuse after he went that far. I should just order something expensive next time I come here.

“Alright, then I’ll come again next time.”

“Oh, no. There’s no need for that…!”

Usually, wouldn’t people respond with, “I’d appreciate it if you did”?

I raised an eyebrow at his reaction, which seemed to imply that he was very reluctant to have me return here, and the

owner looked at me as if he had just seen a wild animal, flinching slightly.

It wasn’t just him either; all the staff behind him reacted similarly, which I found strange.

“Ah, anyway, I’m glad you

“Oh, since when are you pretending to be a gentleman?”

“Hey, where can you find a gentleman like me in this world?”

My words seemed to catch Yuna-yeon off guard, as she feigned surprise, poking her waist with her elbow.

When I cheekily responded, raising my nose a bit, she shot me a cold glance, as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

Why is the atmosphere suddenly so tense?

“Pfft, well, Cosmos is indeed a gentleman. At least I agree with that.”

As I cleared my throat awkwardly, my sister, who had been silently listening to our conversation, burst into laughter and took my side.

Thanks to her, the atmosphere quickly flipped, and I felt a bit puffed up as I shrugged my shoulders, looking down at

Yuna-yeon as if to say, “See that?”

“Wow, I didn’t expect Seoha to side with Kang Woo-joo here… It really goes to show that an arm bends inward, huh?”

“Huh? Wh-What are you talking about…?!”

Yuna-yeon, now sulking, suddenly shifted her target from me to my sister, making a lewd expression reminiscent of a

40-year-old man from an adult comic, poking her fingers at her.

Seeing my sister’s flustered reaction, she glanced at me, and in an attempt to cover Yuna-yeon’s mouth, she stepped closer.

Wow, I think this is the first time I’ve seen my sister so embarrassed.

“Hey, Seoha, stop teasing her and you guys should get going. Unlike us, you have things to do.”

“Tsk, I was going to leave anyway.”

In order to help my sister out of her predicament, I gently pulled her back and waved my hand at Yuna-yeon as if

shooing away a peddler.

Yuna-yeon, visibly upset, clicked her tongue and wrapped her arms around Park Jae-sung, turning away without hesitation.

Seriously, even in the midst of all this, their physical contact is thorough. After dating for almost ten years, they’re

still so lovey-dovey—it’s really impressive. Do they not know the meaning of a lull?

“Hey, make sure to contact me once you get home!”

“I know, just be careful taking your girlfriend home.”

“Okay, take care on your way home, noona!”

“Yes, thank you for today.”

As Park Jae-sung was dragged away like a cow heading to the slaughterhouse, he waved goodbye to us, while my

sister merely lowered her head as if nothing was wrong.

She’s amazing in so many ways.

“Well then, shall we go too, noona?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

After the two of them disappeared from sight, we also began to move.

My sister had asked me to escort her only to the franchise café by the taxi stand, so it didn’t take long.

“I’m really sorry for today. I feel bad for causing a ruckus because of me…”

During our walk, my sister once again apologized, as if she felt guilty for butting into her friends’ time.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Thanks to you, the atmosphere was lively and nice. Everyone seemed really happy too.”

“It’s not just because of that…”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, never mind.”

I thought I had heard her say something in between, but considering it was probably a slip of the tongue, I decided to let it go.

“By the way, Cosmos.”

“Yes, noona?”

“Does Yuna-yeon not have any work she’s doing currently?”

As we crossed the street and approached the café I had mentioned earlier, Seoha noona suddenly asked a rather unexpected question.

I found it quite typical of her to use polite language with me while casually using informal speech with Yuna-yeon.

“She probably doesn’t. That’s why she decided to join us as an editor.”

“Oh, so was Yuna-yeon originally interested in editing or that kind of field?”

“Right. I heard she applied to several companies before, but it seems she didn’t get in.”

Unlike us, Yuna-yeon didn’t attend college and started her job search a bit earlier. I didn’t know the details, but I

vaguely recalled hearing about it from Park Jae-sung back then.

As I explained this vaguely, Seoha noona appeared to contemplate something, then nodded her head as if she had made a decision.

“Since there’s an opening at Changseong Planning, maybe she could go there…”

“…Noona?”

She mumbled something to herself that I couldn’t quite catch, so I cautiously called out to her.

“Ah! I’m sorry! I just had a moment to think.”

After a brief pause, Seoha noona reacted, looking startled as if she had touched a hot stove, awkwardly smiling as she

spotted a taxi arriving at the stop.

“Oh, it seems the taxi has arrived. I’ll be going first. Thank you for seeing me off.”

“Be careful on your way home, noona. Let me know when you arrive.”

I waved back and smiled, and as I did, she looked at me with a somewhat shy expression, giving me her last parting words.

“Yes, see you again, Cosmos.”

The moment I heard those words, despite not having any promises, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I would see her

again soon, and I nodded absentmindedly.

“Ah… yeah, see you again, noona.”

As she looked at me with a pleased expression, she quickly got into the taxi and disappeared.

Somehow, only her last face remained in my memory, leaving me standing there for quite a while.