My chest felt queasy and tight, so I thumped it a few times before going out into the hall to straighten the chairs.
I could feel someone watching me, but I forced myself to ignore it.
“Have you heard about the festival?”
Ack.
The voice suddenly came from behind me, and I nearly toppled over in surprise. Apparently Lord Bihyeon hadn’t expected me to startle like that either, because he quickly grabbed my arm when I staggered after catching my foot on a chair.
“The festival… what, what do you mean?”
“The festival, exactly what it sounds like. The day you said you were taking off.”
“Yeah… I heard.”
“Hm? Are you sick?”
Lord Bihyeon looked at me and took another step closer, and I hurriedly backed away.
“No… Ah, right. I actually have something for you.”
When he suddenly gets that close, it makes me feel even weirder.
Awkwardly changing the subject, I slipped behind the counter and grabbed the shopping bag.
“Oh— but did you order yet?”
“No. You looked scared.”
Lord Bihyeon pointed at Boss Bbiik, who was sending him tearful, intensely eager looks.
“…I’ll help you with your order. An Iced Americano, right?”
“Yes. But what’s this?”
“A ribbon for the mountain spirit. The one I gave them ended up back with me, remember? It’s been bothering me.”
“They’ll like that. Go tie it on for them yourself.”
Myself…?
The memory of the goat glaring at me so terrifyingly flashed through my mind, and I shook my head quickly.
“…The goat is really scary.”
“Oh, Malgum went back to the forest. They’re not home.”
Oh… really?
Then I should make the walnut pie for the spirit too.
“I’ll give them this later and then head home.”
“No need. Since you’re already coming, stay and eat breakfast. Lord Hyeonung keeps nagging me about why I never bring you.”
Lord Hyeonung?
He talks rough on the outside, but he takes care of people a lot. I chuckled softly and went behind the counter to ring up the order.
“Oh, right. Here.”
As I took the card he held out, he pulled something else from his pocket.
Two round beads that looked like soap bubbles.
“The kids wanted me to give these to you.”
“What are these?”
If he said “the kids,” he must mean the Door.
Smiling faintly, I accepted them.
Huh?
…Ack!
My hand suddenly dropped as if something yanked it downward, and Lord Bihyeon quickly supported my hand from below. They were tiny, but unbelievably heavy.
“Wh-what is this?”
“A gift from the guardian lions.”
So what is it?!
I stared at him wide-eyed, my lips moving soundlessly, and Lord Bihyeon chuckled under his breath.
“It’s not anything bad. Just decorate somewhere with it. You could even keep it in this café.”
If it’s not bad, then… I guess I’ll take it.
Still suspicious, I looked at him again. Laughing softly, he squeezed the beads in his palm and then held them out again.
The beads had transformed into two beautiful ornaments glowing with soft light.
“Hang them on a door. They’ll work well there. They carry the power to block calamity.”
So these are something incredible too…?
Lord Bihyeon, who had been quietly chuckling, tilted his head while looking at my face.
“So, where will you put them?”
“It’s a secret.”
One would stay here. The other… I’d keep it for now and secretly hang it in Lord Bihyeon’s palace later.
Smiling to myself, I held the ornaments tightly, turned around, and walked back to the counter. After carefully placing them inside the shopping bag, I made the drink and handed it to him.
“Hm… Are you just not greedy? You’re giving one away instead of keeping both?”
“I said it’s a secret. And besides, there’s already something incredible at my place.”
I said it a little stubbornly for no reason, then laughed softly and forced the drink into his hand.
“That’s true. I’ll come back later.”
Looking at me with amused eyes, he turned as if to leave.
“See you later.”
Phew.
I let out a small sigh, then bowed and waved with a smile.
Boss Bbiik, who had been hiding in the corner of the counter and peeking out, finally approached me once Lord Bihyeon left.
“Seriously, you’ve got no fear at all… I’m heading out too. See you later, Hansol. Oh! Right.”
Boss Bbiik, who had been about to leave, suddenly seemed to remember something. They rummaged through their pocket and pulled out a white envelope, handing it to me.
“This is a bonus. Thanks to you, our sales tripled this time. You little lucky charm.”
Oh, a bonus.
My eyes lit up as I took the envelope. It felt pretty thick.
“I’m off!”
“Yes, take care!”
After seeing Boss Bbiik off with a smile, I leaned against the counter and sighed.
When I looked inside the envelope, it was filled entirely with fifty-thousand-won bills. I hadn’t expected this much, so my eyes widened as I hurried into the staff room and put it inside my bag.
Whoa…
Is this really right? It looks like it’s well over a million won.
If that’s the case, I could probably take my time finding an afternoon part-time job for a while…
Good thing I worked hard baking cookies back then to make a good impression. If I’d gotten fired, I would’ve regretted it forever.
After carefully locking my bag, I came back out to the hall and scratched my cheek.
Then I took out one of the ornaments Lord Bihyeon had given me, walked to the door, and hung it at the very top.
The ornament swayed gently, shining with a beautiful light.
Smiling at it, I brushed my hands together.
Just as I was about to turn around—
The door burst open with a Ding-a-ling—.
Startled on my way back to the counter, I turned around with a shiver.
It was the fish, whom I hadn’t seen in a while.
They staggered in looking utterly exhausted, but when they saw me, they broke into a bright smile. They looked like they might collapse any second.
Well… they were a fish, after all.
“Hello. Nice weather today, isn’t it?”
“Hello, Eoun. But… are you okay?”
I grabbed Eoun’s hand with a Squelch. and guided them over to the counter.
Heh heh, they laughed.
Even while laughing, their eyes were half-lidded with exhaustion.
Fish eyes, sure… but still.
Every time I saw it, it amazed me. Even though it wasn’t a human face, their fatigue showed clearly in their expression.
Do fish even have facial muscles…?
No. I should just give up trying to think logically about anything that happens here.
“You’re busy preparing for the festival, right?”
“Yes. Very busy. I haven’t slept for days, so it’s exhausting, but…”
Eoun gulped down the cold water I handed them and continued.
“It’s such a wonderful day, you know. I want to prepare well and make it a joyful festival.”
I smiled faintly and nodded.
“I’m sure it’ll be beautiful and amazing.”
“I hope so. I’ll have an Iced Americano and some cookies.”
“With three extra shots, right?”
“Make it four….”
“You look like you might collapse if you do that….”
“Do I? Then three will do. I have to go back and work afterward.”
I almost told them that even three was a lot, but instead I just smiled and made the drink.
“Hm? Hansol. I didn’t pay for the cookies. Should I give you my card again?”
“No, it’s okay. It’s been a while since you visited, so they’re a gift.”
“Oh my! Really? Thanks to you, Hansol, I think I’ll have the energy to get through today.”
Seeing them smile so brightly made me smile too.
Along with the cookies, I also packed the pudding they usually liked and handed it over with the drink.
“Thank you, thank you. I should give you something too.”
“No, really, you don’t have to—”
Hmm.
After thinking for a moment, Eoun’s eyes widened.
They reached into the shopping bag hanging from their arm and pulled something out.
It was a piece of fabric in a beautiful color.
They held out several pieces in front of me, comparing them, then nodded firmly.
“We sell fabric during the festival. Yes! This one suits you perfectly. It matches the color of your bracelet exactly.”
The cloth blended green and blue beautifully.
I raised my arm and glanced at my bracelet, then quickly shook my head.
Do these beings just not understand the concept of only receiving something…?
Whenever I give something small, they return something several times bigger. It almost makes me feel guilty.
This fabric alone looked expensive.
“What time does your shift end? Five?”
“Yes… but…”
“Then I’ll make you a handkerchief and bring it later. Look forward to it. This cloth is the best one we produced this time.”
I shook my head rapidly, but Eoun added,
“Do boys not use handkerchiefs? Then give it to someone precious to you as a gift. It’s simply my thanks for making my day brighter.”
While I fidgeted awkwardly with my fingers, Eoun stuck the absurdly long straw into the bowl on their head and slurped.
“You know, ever since you came here, it’s been such a joy every time I visit this café. Boss Bbiik was right. You really are a lucky charm.”
Since coming here, it felt like I’d heard more warm compliments than in my entire life.
My ears burned.
Scratching my head, I laughed softly and nodded.
“I’m happy every day since I started coming here too.”
Whenever moments like this happen, my chest tingles in a way I don’t know how to handle.
“…It feels like I might finally be able to remember at least one happy memory.”
I muttered the words quietly.
Then I felt someone staring at me.
Startled, I lifted my head and laughed awkwardly.
“…I’ll get going now.”
Eoun, who had been looking surprised, flinched slightly.
Then their phone rang loudly.
After checking the time, they turned and opened the door.
Even as they waved and left, Eoun kept looking back at me.
Their eyes were full of concern.
I smiled and bowed to signal that I was okay.
Only then did they finally close the door completely and leave.
Whew.
I let out a long breath and leaned against the counter.
Why did those words suddenly slip out?
I’ve never told anyone how I really feel before.
Then again, I couldn’t.
After my parents died in the accident and I ended up living with my aunt, I went through all kinds of things.
Honestly, it’s amazing that I’m even still alive.
And because of that…
With each passing day, it felt more and more real that my aunt had cursed me.
The tiny bit of doubt I had was slowly turning into certainty.
Back then, and even now, I hoped it wasn’t her…
I picked up my phone, removed the case, and took out the piece of paper Lord Bihyeon had written his number on.
Even the edge of that paper had begun turning slightly black.
Knock, knock—
I had been staring at it blankly, but the sound startled me and I quickly shoved the paper back into my pocket.
“Welco—”
Hm.
The door didn’t open again, which gave me an ominous feeling.
I walked out from behind the counter and opened it myself.
No one was outside.
Tilting my head, I muttered, “What?”
“I’m down here! Down here!”
Huh?
Following the voice, I looked down.
A tiny white mouse was hopping up and down, waving its little paws.
“Yes! Down here! Boss Bbiik asked me to deliver the coffee beans!”
Oh, right. We only had one bag of beans left.
But looking at that tiny body, I wondered how it could possibly carry them.
I crouched down as low as I could so we were eye level.
“Hello. Where are the beans?”
“Over there! Wait here, I’ll bring them. You just need to sign this.”
The mouse held out a sheet of white paper.
I couldn’t read what was written on it, but the mouse poked insistently at the bottom.
“Here. Here.”
“I’ll move the beans myself.”
Taking the pen the mouse handed me, I wrote down my name.