Episode 7: Those Two People. Actually...

"Those two people, you know."

Thud—

"Ahh!"

Both of them jumped, startled by the noise and looked in its direction. A framed photo from the bookshelf had fallen to the ground.

"Oh, that scared me."

Mimo clutched her chest, calming herself as she stood up and picked up the fallen frame.

"The timing is just perfect, isn't it?"

"Haha... This almost never happens. Why did it fall?"

Awkwardly smiling, Mimo placed the frame back on the shelf and looked around.

"Unni, take a good look. Maybe there's a ghost or something..."

"Hey!"

Joking about ghosts was the worst thing someone could say to Mimo.

"I really hate ghost stories. When I was in school and people talked about ghosts, I would cover my ears. I can't stand scary stories at all."

"Then, unni, you can't watch horror movies either, right?"

"Yeah, I don't watch them. I don't even go near anything with the word 'ghost' in it."

"Hahaha. I've found unni's weakness. It's kind of cute."

"What?"

"I'll have to use this someday."

"Don't you dare tease me!"

"Haha. Okay, okay. Let's get back to what we were talking about."

"Right. About those two people..."

---

***

Cheonsu and Taeyeon were sitting across from each other in a café. Cheonsu was focused on his laptop, working intently, while Taeyeon absentmindedly tapped on her phone, clicking through various websites. Thirty minutes passed in silence.

Taeyeon lightly knocked on the table near his laptop with her fist.

"Excuse me, Kang Cheonsu."

Cheonsu, who had been entirely absorbed in his screen, turned his attention toward Taeyeon.

"Huh?"

"Um, well…"

"Yeah."

Cheonsu's gaze couldn't last more than 30 seconds before it drifted back to his laptop.

"How long do you think we've been here?"

"I don't know."

He answered absentmindedly without looking at her.

"Are you really sure you're in love with me?"

"Yeah, I told you that before."

---

Taeyeon first met Cheonsu six months ago. She was working as a fitting model for an acquaintance's shopping mall, and after finishing her shift, she ran into him in the alley outside.

He was looking around, phone in hand, seemingly lost. With his tall figure and glasses, he carried a professional camera slung over one shoulder.

"It's hard to find this place, isn't it?"

She spoke first. Cheonsu looked at her. She was taller than the average woman, with a bob haircut, wearing jeans, a baseball jacket, and flat shoes.

"Yeah, it seems tricky. My map says it should be here."

"Let me see."

Taeyeon snatched his phone and inspected it closely.

"You're on the wrong side."

"Wrong side? Then where?"

"Follow me. I'll take you."

She led the way, and Cheonsu followed her. After a short walk, she stopped.

"Here it is. Right?"

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks a lot."

"No problem. It's always good to help when you can. Buy me something nice if we ever meet again by chance."

With a casual tone, she passed him by. Her short hair swayed in the spring breeze as she walked away.

---

That day, as she finished another modeling job and headed home, Taeyeon found herself pausing in front of a café.

"Huh?"

She walked in and stood in front of a man who was deeply focused on his laptop.

"Knock, knock."

At the sound of her voice, Cheonsu looked up.

"Do you remember me?"

"Oh, yes. You're the one who helped me find the place."

"So, you do remember."

She smiled and naturally sat down across from him.

"It's funny running into you again."

"Yeah, it is."

"It's not that surprising, though. If you live around here, it's bound to happen."

"I don't live here."

"Oh..."

"So, it's pretty surprising, right?"

For the first time, Cheonsu smiled at her, and seeing that smile, Taeyeon suddenly didn't want to leave.

"Do you remember I said if we met again, you should treat me to something nice?"

He pushed up his glasses.

"Yeah, I remember. Let's go."

Quickly packing up his laptop, he stood. Surprised by his sudden reaction, she followed him out.

"Are we eating here?"

Sitting across from him in a shabby little restaurant, Taeyeon glanced around before settling her eyes on the menu. There was only one dish available: *instant tteokbokki*. Below the large print of "Instant Tteokbokki," it listed various add-ons like rice cakes, fish cakes, and noodles.

"Most girls like tteokbokki. Do you not like it?"

"No, I do like it, but..."

"Then it's settled. It's got a 4.8-star rating, so it should be good."

What do you mean, settled? And when did he check the rating? She shook her head, looking at the graffiti-covered walls.

The instant tteokbokki arrived in front of them. She took a spoonful of the broth.

"Wow, it's delicious."

She quickly ladled some into his bowl.

"Hurry, give me your plate. The best time to eat it is right when it's just been cooked."

He handed her his plate, and she filled it with a generous amount of tteokbokki, saying, "Enjoy your meal."

Smiling, she also filled her plate with a hefty portion. Taeyeon ate more than half of the dish, far more than Cheonsu did.

"I'm so full. Thanks for the meal."

As they walked out of the restaurant, she said, "I really enjoyed it."

"I did too. But I've got work, so I'll head off now."

With a quick goodbye, he left right away.

Walking alone, all she could think about was him.

"That guy is so strange. He really just fed me and left. What's with these feelings? I want to see him again."

---

Their third meeting was because of Taeyeon. After work, she made it a habit to visit the café where they had met, hoping to run into him again. Without fail, she checked in every day.

"Oh, he's not here again today. I was hoping to see him."

Disappointed, she was about to walk past the café when...

"Excuse me."

She didn't hear the voice calling her from behind and kept walking.

"Excuse me!"

Suddenly, someone ran up from behind and blocked her path.

"Excuse me, whew, whew..."

It was Cheonsu, panting heavily.

"I called you so many times, but you kept walking. Whew..."

"Oh... I didn't realize you were calling me. You said 'excuse me,' so I didn't think it was for me."

"What else could I say? I don't know the name of the person I've fallen for."

Cheonsu smiled, and Taeyeon's face flushed as she broke into a bright smile of her own.

---

After their third meeting, they became a couple. Six months had passed since then. The sight of them sitting together in silence had become a common scene during their dates. As a freelance web designer, Cheonsu always had his laptop with him, often absorbed in work even when they were out together.

At first, Taeyeon found his focus on work to be intellectual and charming. But as one month, two months, and three months passed, she began to feel stifled.

She grew envious of the couples chattering happily in the café, and Cheonsu's absorbed expression no longer seemed cool. Instead, it made her feel lonelier, sitting by herself at his side.

One day, after more than 150 days together, she let all her feelings out. He listened silently as she spoke.

The next day, he showed up with a ring and a bouquet of flowers and proposed to her. She loved him so much that she accepted right away.

---

Tired of fiddling with her phone, Taeyeon stood up.

"I'm going first."

"Okay. See you tomorrow."

He didn't even try to stop her. That was the kind of man he was...

Sighing in resignation, she left the café.

---

Mimo was carrying the recycling up the stairs, heading outside. The chilly October breeze brushed against her nose. She sneezed loudly from the tickling sensation.

As she diligently sorted the recycling, she heard an unwelcome voice from behind.

"You're supposed to remove the labels before recycling the plastic bottles."

Startled by the curt voice that got on her nerves, she turned around. Standing there was Kang Jaesu.

"Kang Jaesu! What are you doing here?"