At 10 AM the next day, Hongdae street was bustling, even on a weekday. Serin waited for Junhyuk at their meeting spot, looking around. She felt excited thinking that her dream would begin somewhere in this vibrant district filled with youth.
"Serin-ssi!"
She turned at the voice behind her to see Junhyuk approaching with a smile. Beside him was a short, bob-haired woman.
"Hello. I'm not late, am I?"
"No, we just arrived too. Let me introduce you, this is Min Jiyoung, my university classmate. Jiyoung, this is Lee Serin-ssi, who I told you about yesterday."
Jiyoung extended her hand with a bright smile.
"Hello! Junhyuk talked about you a lot, Serin-ssi. You want to open a cafe, right?"
"Yes, hello. I don't know anything yet, but I'm eager to learn."
"Then, shall we first take a look at my cafe?"
The cafe 'Luna,' guided by Jiyoung, was located on the first floor of a two-story building. Despite its vintage exterior, the interior was modern yet warm. Most importantly, it was lively with many customers.
"Wow, it's really amazing. And so many customers..."
"Thank you. I opened it three years ago, and it's just now getting established."
Jiyoung meticulously explained every corner of the cafe to Serin. She kindly showed her everything from the order counter and how to store coffee beans to how to use the espresso machine.
"I didn't realize there was so much to pay attention to."
"That's right. I felt overwhelmed at first too. But it becomes fun as you do it. Especially when regular customers appear, and you see them enjoying the coffee you made, it's truly rewarding."
Just then, the cafe door opened, and a man entered. He looked to be in his early 30s, dressed in a suit with a neat appearance.
"Jiyoung, one americano again today!"
"Yes, Taemin oppa! Who did you come with today?"
The man called Taemin looked at Junhyuk and Serin with a curious expression.
"Oh, let me introduce you. This is my friend Junhyuk and Serin-ssi, who will be working at our cafe from now on."
"Hello. I'm Park Taemin. I'm a regular here."
Taemin handed Serin a business card with a smile. It read 'Marketing Consultant.'
"Is this your first time working at a cafe? Feel free to ask if you have any questions. I know all the cafes in this neighborhood inside and out."
"Thank you. Please take care of me."
Taemin took his coffee and said to Serin,
"Serin-ssi, if you have time after work, shall I show you around the nearby cafes? As I mentioned yesterday, each cafe has a different concept, so it might be helpful for reference."
Junhyuk's expression stiffened for a moment. He seemed displeased that Taemin was showing interest in Serin.
"Oh, no, I can..."
"It's okay, Junhyuk-ssi. Taemin-ssi seems to know this area well."
At Serin's words, Junhyuk looked disappointed but said no more.
After Taemin left, Jiyoung began to explain the job to Serin in detail.
"I'm thinking part-time, five days a week, about six hours a day. The hourly wage is 12,000 won, and I'll give you a bit more on weekends."
"The conditions seem too good..."
"Because you're Junhyuk's friend. And because Junhyuk said you really want to open a cafe, I'll teach you a lot specially."
"Thank you so much."
"Then, can you start tomorrow? From 10 AM to 4 PM."
"Yes, I'd love to!"
After the job was settled, Junhyuk and Serin left the cafe. Jiyoung stayed behind to attend to customers.
"That's a relief. Jiyoung-ssi seems like a good person."
"Yes, she's been a really kind friend since university. She'll help you a lot, Serin-ssi."
However, Junhyuk's expression was somewhat stiff. Serin noticed.
"Is something wrong?"
"No... it's just Taemin-ssi..."
"What about Taemin-ssi?"
Junhyuk hesitated for a moment, then spoke honestly.
"He's known as a playboy. He shows a lot of interest in women."
Serin chuckled.
"Are you perhaps jealous?"
"That's... no, it's not like that..."
Serin's heart warmed at Junhyuk's flustered appearance. She could feel his concern for her.
"Don't worry. I don't have time to think about anything else right now. I'll be busy learning about the cafe."
"Still, be careful. If Taemin-ssi approaches you..."
"Junhyuk-ssi."
Serin cut him off.
"I'm not interested in anyone but you, Junhyuk-ssi."
Junhyuk's face instantly turned red. Serin was also surprised by her own words, and her face flushed.
"I mean... I just want to focus on cafe work right now."
"Ah... yes, right."
An awkward silence fell. But it wasn't a bad awkwardness.
"Then, shall we have lunch to celebrate? It's your first job, after all."
"Okay. But I'll pay. You introduced me, Junhyuk-ssi..."
"No, you can't. I'll pay today."
"Then I'll pay next time. When I get my first paycheck."
"It's a promise."
The two linked pinkies, making a promise. It was like a couple, but they hadn't yet spoken the word to each other.
Over lunch, Serin was filled with anticipation for her new life starting tomorrow. And seeing Junhyuk genuinely listening to her story beside her warmed her heart.
'With him, I feel like I can overcome any difficulties.'
Serin thought to herself, smiling. A new challenge had begun.