FF Chapter 5

The man, who had been scanning Ji Yeonwoo with his dark brown eyes, slowly moved his body and made way toward the counter.

After finishing their transactions, Choi Muhyeok and Ji Yeonwoo sat down at a table outside the convenience store. Ji Yeonwoo thought it was too cold to sit there for long, but Choi Muhyeok was the first to speak.

“You must have been really busy, Ji Yeonwoo.”

“Pardon?”

Ji Yeonwoo, who had been lightly tapping his feet to chase away the cold, stopped and lifted his head. Choi Muhyeok, despite only wearing a suit without a coat, sat on the chair looking at Ji Yeonwoo without showing any signs of being cold.

“You didn’t answer my calls.”

His heart sank as if he were guilty of something. Was that missed call really from him? It was impossible to tell how much of what he said was true or false. It could have been a test, but there was no way to confirm it. If he had known, he would have at least saved the number, even if he didn’t pick up.

“Oh, the call, the call.”

He knew he had to act as naturally as possible. But his body and words felt awkward, not aligning with his thoughts.

“I checked the call late, so I couldn’t get back to you.”

“You checked it late, huh? I didn’t know that and kept waiting.”

“Uh, um, was it something urgent?”

Choi Muhyeok, with his hands in his pants pockets, silently stared at him. Before their gazes could meet, Ji Yeonwoo quickly averted his eyes, glancing sideways before naturally lowering them to the ground. He thought that if he made eye contact, the lie might be exposed.

“Well, it wasn’t anything urgent. Just… wait, where’s my phone?”

Hearing him fumble over his words, Ji Yeonwoo widened his eyes and looked at him.

Choi Muhyeok stood up and began patting down his jacket and pants. For the first time, his face showed an expression of confusion that Ji Yeonwoo had never seen before.

“Could it be that you left it at the convenience store?”

“If I had, they would’ve told us. That clerk has been watching us sit here from the beginning.”

Following his words, Ji Yeonwoo turned toward the convenience store, and the clerk quickly averted their gaze in another direction.

While Ji Yeonwoo was momentarily distracted, Choi Muhyeok walked over to the parked car, opened the passenger-side door, searched for something, and then tilted his head in confusion.

“Tsk, maybe I left it at the office. This doesn’t usually happen.”

Choi Muhyeok frowned as he tilted his head again, his expression becoming visibly troubled.

“Sorry, but could I borrow your phone for a moment?”

Choi Muhyeok approached with an awkward expression, asking for help. Ji Yeonwoo, knowing how important a phone is for a businessman, couldn’t easily refuse. Thinking it was no big deal to let him make a quick call, he unlocked his phone and handed it over.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

His expression relaxed as he dialed a number and brought the phone to his ear. He turned slightly toward the car, resting one hand on his hip. Suddenly, a phone notification sound was heard.

Ji Yeonwoo turned toward the sound. Choi Muhyeok retrieved his phone from inside his neatly folded coat on the passenger seat.

“Oh, it was here all along.”

Choi Muhyeok walked back, slightly embarrassed, holding both phones in his hands with a sheepish smile.

“Thanks for letting me use it.”

“It was in the passenger seat?”

“Yes, it was inside the coat, so I didn’t see it.”

As he spoke, he handed Ji Yeonwoo’s phone back. Ji Yeonwoo unlocked it, thinking about how it had been in the coat, and noticed a missed call in the recent call history—right from the number Choi Muhyeok had just dialed.

“That’s my personal number, so save it.”

Ji Yeonwoo, scrolling through the recent calls, turned toward the direction of his voice. Choi Muhyeok was already standing by the driver’s side door.

“Uh, wait…”

Ji Yeonwoo, as if he had something to say, stood up and reached out toward him.

“If I call again, I hope you’ll answer next time.”

With that final remark, Choi Muhyeok waved his phone lightly toward Ji Yeonwoo, who stood frozen in place.

Was he emphasizing that it was his personal number, implying it wasn’t the one on his business card? But all of his actions flowed so naturally… Something felt off, making Ji Yeonwoo frown and tilt his head in thought.

‘Did he know where his phone was the whole time?’

As this suspicion arose naturally, it spiraled into more questions.

‘Maybe he even knew I hadn’t saved his number…’

Ji Yeonwoo recalled how awkwardly he had responded to the question about why he hadn’t answered the call.

He found himself staring blankly at the rear of Choi Muhyeok’s car, which had already moved far away.

‘Is this what they call being outfoxed?’

As he watched the car disappear into traffic, Ji Yeonwoo thought of Choi Muhyeok’s face, smiling as he waved his phone playfully.

“Hah… I got completely fooled.”

Ji Yeonwoo let out a small sigh and chuckled to himself as he turned to head home.

݁˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚

A week passed since then.

Everything was the same as usual.

The flower shop, Flower Fiancé, was filled with the scent of flowers, with quiet classical music playing in the background, and various well-kept flowers in full bloom.

The only thing that had changed was that Ji Yeonwoo’s attention kept drifting toward his phone.

For Ji Yeonwoo, the phone was just for making calls and checking the time. Often, he couldn’t even find it because he rarely looked at it while working. Since the alerts were set to vibrate, whenever he misplaced it, it often took quite a while to find it. But now, keeping his phone nearby and checking it constantly wasn’t something he normally did.

Wearing a white angora knit sweater, jeans, and a brown apron, Ji Yeonwoo sat on a stool in front of the counter, gazing out the large glass windows. It was already dark outside.

“…Of course.”

He couldn’t stop thinking about what Choi Muhyeok had said in front of the convenience store, asking him to answer if he called again. They hadn’t met socially, so he thought it wouldn’t hurt to answer if the call came again. But since that day, there had been no calls from Choi Muhyeok, and he hadn’t visited Flower Fiancé either.

Not that he felt particularly disappointed. After all, someone as high-ranking as an executive in a successful company wouldn’t have any real interest in the owner of a small flower shop. It was probably just casual small talk out of politeness.

It wasn’t something worth dwelling on, just one of the many fleeting encounters that happened in this space. Yet, why did he feel so down?

He had been stirred up by kind, exciting words, only to be left alone for a week. He felt as if his feelings had been toyed with by that man.

Ji Yeonwoo lowered his gaze from the window, his shoulders drooping.

— Ding.

Startled, Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes shot open.

“…!”

His gaze reflexively turned toward the door as it opened.

“What’s with you? Why are you so startled?”

It was his friend, Seo Eungyeom. Eungyeom was dressed sharply in a suit, probably just off work. Ji Yeonwoo, who had been staring at the approaching Eungyeom with a surprised expression, quickly glanced at the clock on the wall. It was earlier than Eungyeom’s usual time off.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“I got off early. After working overtime so much, they told me to go home early today.”

Eungyeom casually placed his briefcase on the seat next to Ji Yeonwoo.

“So, were you expecting someone?”

“No.”

“Tsk, really? Your face clearly says you were disappointed that it wasn’t the person you were waiting for.”

“What… no, it’s not like that.”

Eungyeom narrowed one eye and brought his face closer to Ji Yeonwoo’s, scrutinizing him. Feeling caught, Ji Yeonwoo’s lips moved wordlessly before closing tightly.

“Who was it? Was it the person you mentioned on the phone last time? Am I right?”

Eungyeom was eerily sharp. If Ji Yeonwoo said even one more word, he felt that all his feelings and vulnerable thoughts would be exposed in front of Eungyeom.

“Hey, I’m hungry. You haven’t eaten yet, right? Let’s go, what do you want to eat?”

Realizing he had to escape, Ji Yeonwoo took off his apron and placed it on the counter.

“Already? There’s still a lot of time until closing.”

“Well, it’s not every day that a friend comes by. Get up. How about some pork belly and soju?”

Before Eungyeom could even answer, Ji Yeonwoo busied himself with closing up. He quickly organized the desk and tapped the screen of the register to finish the day’s transactions. Eungyeom silently watched him with an observant gaze.

The pork belly restaurant they went to was a regular spot, the same place where Ji Yeonwoo had both laughed and cried over drinks during his marriage and subsequent divorce.

They ordered their usual and began chatting about the mundane happenings in their lives. Most of Eungyeom’s conversation was grumbling about his boss, while Ji Yeonwoo listened. When the topic occasionally shifted to the person Eungyeom was dating, Ji Yeonwoo found himself wondering how to respond, but he desperately avoided talking about Choi Muhyeok.

A week without any contact or visits from Choi Muhyeok probably meant their connection had ended. There was no need to overanalyze casual words like “let’s grab a meal” or “I’ll call you.” Ji Yeonwoo didn’t want to give them unnecessary meaning.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but his reactions became exaggerated, and his voice grew louder. Though the noisy restaurant drowned out most of it, Ji Yeonwoo could feel himself getting more and more drunk.

The problem likely stemmed from the fact that he had continued drinking, even though he wasn’t much of a drinker. Eungyeom, sitting across from him, began to blur into two. Realizing it was time to stop drinking, Ji Yeonwoo decided to call it a night.

— Buzz.

His phone vibrated on the table. Ji Yeonwoo, who had casually glanced at the screen, suddenly widened his eyes.

[Managing Director Choi Muhyeok: Are you off today?]

It felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. He sobered up instantly. Was he at the shop? The time was nearing 7:30 PM, and Ji Yeonwoo would normally still be at the shop until 8 PM.

The phone’s screen darkened after the preview disappeared, and Ji Yeonwoo hurriedly grabbed it. His thumbs quickly moved across the screen, typing a response.

— No, I’m not off, but I’m not at the shop right now. Are you there?

[Managing Director Choi Muhyeok: Yes. The lights are off.]

— I’m sorry. A friend dropped by for a visit.

[Managing Director Choi Muhyeok: Ah, I see.]

The fast-paced conversation came to a sudden halt. Ji Yeonwoo stared at the screen, gripping his phone with both hands, feeling his palms start to sweat. After a brief pause, another message popped up.

[Managing Director Choi Muhyeok: I see you’re having dinner.]

— Yes.

[Managing Director Choi Muhyeok: Got it.]

And then, silence. One minute, two minutes. As the quiet stretched on, Ji Yeonwoo grew inexplicably anxious. Regret washed over him. He should’ve stayed at the shop. He didn’t blame Eungyeom for visiting, but he didn’t want to miss out on what felt like a promising connection. With that thought, his fingers moved impulsively.

— Would it be alright if I called you once I get home?

The moment the message sent, Ji Yeonwoo took a sharp breath. His mind went blank, and his fingers felt stiff.

‘What are you doing, Ji Yeonwoo? What did you just do?’

He stared at the message window, where silence now reigned.

It was over. Alcohol had ruined everything. They say alcohol makes you brave, but why did it always make him say things he couldn’t take back?

The number “1” next to his last message disappeared, but there was no response. Sweat started to gather in his palms as the silence dragged on. Just when his anxiety was about to peak, a new message from Choi Muhyeok appeared.

Ji Yeonwoo stared blankly at the final message.

[Managing Director Choi Muhyeok: I’ll wait.]

“…!”

Choi Muhyeok had a knack for catching Ji Yeonwoo off guard with unexpected responses. But this time, the surprise came with a flutter of excitement.

From that moment, Ji Yeonwoo barely remembered finishing the pork belly or the conversation with Eungyeom. His mind was entirely focused on his phone and getting home.

As if on cue, Eungyeom received a call from someone, and the gathering naturally wrapped up. Not long after, Eungyeom’s acquaintance came to pick him up, and Ji Yeonwoo quickly hopped into a taxi heading home.

As soon as Ji Yeonwoo opened the front door, he hurriedly came inside. Without even thinking of washing up, he sat down on the sofa and took a few deep breaths. He could faintly smell the alcohol in his breath. He repeated deep breaths, waiting for his breathing to calm.

He didn’t want to appear as though he had rushed home. That would make him seem like someone eagerly waiting for Choi Muhyeok’s call.

He tried to act as relaxed as possible, as if he hadn’t rushed home and as if he hadn’t been waiting for a call.

With one hand on his chest, calming himself, Ji Yeonwoo found Managing Director Choi Muhyeok’s number and pressed call. The screen darkened, and the name “Managing Director Choi Muhyeok” appeared as the dial tone rang.

[This is Choi Muhyeok.]

Soon, a familiar voice came through the phone. Was it his imagination? The voice sounded cold and businesslike. Ji Yeonwoo suddenly felt at a loss for what to say.

Just as Ji Yeonwoo began to hesitate, unsure of how to respond, Choi Muhyeok spoke again through the phone.

[Did you get home safely?]

His voice had softened. Hearing the drowsy tone made Ji Yeonwoo’s face flush with warmth for no reason.

“Yes. I just got home.”

[Do you have a car?]

“No, I took a taxi.”

[You should’ve warmed up before calling. It’s cold out.]

“It’s fine. I don’t get cold easily.”

As Ji Yeonwoo spoke, he glanced down and realized he hadn’t even taken off his jacket. No wonder he felt hot. He had thought it was because the alcohol was making him warm, but now he realized it was because he hadn’t taken off his clothes. With his phone wedged between his shoulder and ear, he began taking off his jacket, starting with one arm.

The room was so quiet that the sound of the jacket rustling seemed unusually loud. Nervously, Ji Yeonwoo continued to remove the jacket carefully, afraid the noise might be heard. But then, breaking the silence, Choi Muhyeok’s voice came through the phone again.

[It’s only now that we’re finally talking.]

“…!”

[How have you been?]

Even though it was just a simple greeting, Ji Yeonwoo felt as though he was swaying like a reed in the wind. Just hearing those words—asking how he had been—felt like all the bottled-up discomfort he’d been carrying was suddenly released.

That relaxed voice tickling his ears was so pleasant to hear. This isn’t fair, it’s too much. Ji Yeonwoo, who had been standing still, ran a hand down his face. His earlobes, peeking out from his hair, had turned red.

“Yes. I’ve been doing well. How about you, Managing Director?”

[I’ve been a bit busy.]

“Because of work?”

[Work… yes. That, and some personal matters.]

“Oh, I see.”

Repeating what Choi Muhyeok had said, Ji Yeonwoo unknowingly sighed in relief.

Before hearing from him, Ji Yeonwoo had already made assumptions about why Choi Muhyeok hadn’t come by. He had convinced himself that the actions and words from the day he brought flowers were not signs of interest, just fleeting curiosity, and that Ji Yeonwoo had simply been forgotten with time. But hearing the explanation that there was a reason why he couldn’t come was a relief.

Even though he told himself he hadn’t been waiting for the call, deep down he knew it was a lie. Just like Eungyeom had pointed out, every time the door opened, or his phone rang, Ji Yeonwoo had been secretly hoping.

As if understanding that, Choi Muhyeok began to explain his situation, one step at a time.

[I had to go somewhere. I upset someone.]

“Oh, so you had to go somewhere.”

Hearing that made Ji Yeonwoo feel somewhat unfairly aggrieved.

‘Really, though? He couldn’t find a single moment to send me a message? He even deliberately left his number for me by pretending to forget his phone—was it that hard to send one text?’

Perhaps, to Choi Muhyeok, sending a message wasn’t that important. After all, their relationship hadn’t really even started yet, so he tried to understand.

But maybe it was the alcohol. Underneath his rationalization, waves of disappointment began to roll in.

“You must’ve gone far, huh? Since you didn’t contact me.”

The mixture of moderate intoxication and his sulking feelings caused him to say something that sounded like a complaint.

Through the phone, he heard a soft chuckle.

[Were you waiting?]

Before the amused tone of his voice had even finished, Ji Yeonwoo sprang to his feet. Standing in the softly darkened living room, his face showed clear signs of embarrassment.

“N-no?”

[It sounded like you’re disappointed, though.]