. Escaping Anguish (I)

[E]merging from the back-kitchen, Shin Ha-eun hastily ended a phone call, and attempted to communicate the words:

"Hey, Tae-sung, something urgent came up! Unnie just called to say she's not coming back…" Her words trailed off, as she approached the counter to carefully place the phone back in its place.

Then redirecting her attention to Oh Tae-sung, her eyes widened slightly as they landed on an unexpected customer.

The sight of him sent a jolt of surprise and confusion through her, her heart quickening its pace.

Did he come here for her? How did he even know she worked at this café?

The questions raced through her mind, mixing with a spark of excitement that flickered in her chest. At first, a low smile crept to her face at the possibility of his presence in here being intentional.

But as her focus sharpened, her heart plummeted like heavy weight. The sight of 'their' intertwined hands sent a sharp pang of pain in the pit of her stomach.

Emotions seemed to be swirling inside her when Tae-sung's voice cut through the tension, pulling her back to reality. He raised an eyebrow, focused on taking the order of the couple waiting at the counter. "You were saying?"

"I-I..." Shin Ha-eun stumbled over her words, her eyes still locked on the man nearby, hand in hand with a stunning woman.

He looked so different, dressed in a long white-sleeve shirt and black pants, his signature curly hair slicked back. This was not the way she was used to seeing him, especially not when they were together.

Their eyes met, and she saw a mixture of disbelief and shock etched on his face. It was evident that he hadn't come here for her. In fact, he seemed to be on a date with someone else.

Breaking the awkward silence, the man finally spoke, "Shin Ha-eun? What are you doing here?"

"A-ah! W-well… I work here!" she managed to reply, her chest tightening.

Her mind was trying to deny the dreadful possibility that he might've been cheating, but the woman's next words shattered any lingering hope she had left.

"Oh?" The woman next to him chimed in, her tone dripping with mockery, "Is she the boring-ass girlfriend you've been complaining about?"

Shin Ha-eun's expression darkened, hurt evident in her eyes, and her voice trembled slightly as she questioned, "Jo Kwang, what is going on here? Can you please explain?"

Jo Kwang's face contorted into a frown, and he let go of the woman's hand to turn and face Shin Ha-eun directly. His words stung like a knife, intentionally cruel.

"Well, it was only a matter of time! You never understood me anyway, always so clueless!"

"W-what do…?"

"See?! That's exactly what I mean!" Jo Kwang sighed with exasperation, running a hand through his hair as if trying to contain his frustration. "You're just too dumb to take a hint, and it's exhausting!"

"J-Jo Kwang, you can't mean that…"

"Oh, but I do! Can't blame me for getting tired of you, can you?"

Tae-sung, who had been quietly observing the tense exchange, couldn't help but ask, "So, you two know each other?"

"Not anymore, apparently!" He interjected sharply.

Struggling to hold back tears, Shin Ha-eun blinked rapidly, her voice still shaking as she asked, "W-what are you saying?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Jo Kwang sneered at her, his bitterness overflowing, "I'm breaking up with you!"

The woman next to Jo Kwang showed little interest in their emotional clash, rolling her eyes impatiently and muttering, "Whatever. Let's go somewhere else!"

Ha-eun stood there, feeling utterly helpless as the love of her life callously nodded at the woman beside him.

The woman wasted no time in wrapping her arms around Ha-eun's now ex-boyfriend, casting a smug smirk over her shoulder at Ha-eun, as if claiming victory over a defeated rival.

From the sidelines, Tae-sung bore witness to the scene, watching as Shin Ha-eun bit her lower-lips, her face veiled in sorrow, and her eyes welling up with tears.

He scanned the café, grateful that there were no other customers present to intrude on her pain.

Once the troublemakers had finally left, Oh Tae-sung approached her cautiously, a hint of concern evident in his eyes. "Are you alright?"

Shin Ha-eun attempted to gather herself, but a solitary tear escaped her left eye, tracing a path down her cheek. She swiftly brushed it away, trying to maintain her composure.

"I'll take care of everything here and let Ju-hee noona know! You can head home early if you want!" Oh Tae-sung suggested gently, unsure of how best to comfort a heartbroken woman.

After wiping away the remnants of her tears, Shin Ha-eun shook her head resolutely. "No, really, it's fine! Unnie asked us to close the café today anyway. She got caught up in something!"

"I understand," he replied, his voice tinged with sympathy and a hint of bitterness. "If you ever want to talk or need a listening ear, I'm here for you!"

Shin Ha-eun managed a small smile, "Thank you, Tae-sung. I appreciate it!"

***

Beep! Beep! Beep!

One after another, her calls went unanswered. She had reached out to a couple of friends, hoping to find support, or a shoulder to cry on, but it seemed like everyone was occupied or unreachable at the moment.

"I should have just taken Oh Tae-sung up on his offer for barbecue," she muttered, her lips pursed with regrets.

She felt utterly miserable, holding back her tears as earlier's heart-wrenching situation replayed in her mind.

Resigned to her circumstances, she decided to head home, contemplating calling in sick for a few days to wallow in her sorrow, accompanied by chips and ice-cream.

"What a jerk he turned out to be! I can't believe he dumped me like this!" she vented, letting out her frustration at how he had cheated on her. But beneath her masked anger, she couldn't help the gnawing sense of inadequacy.

As a tear trickled down her cheek, she hesitated near the entrance of an alleyway, swiftly wiping it away, hoping to avoid drawing attention from passers-by.

Out of the blue, a voice, warm yet unfamiliar coming from the alleyway, startled her. "Hey there, what's wrong, sweetheart? Who made such a beautiful lady cry?"

The words came from a man with a few tattoos on his arms and a couple of bruises on his face, causing a momentary shiver to run down her spine.

Was he perhaps a thug?

Acting on instinct, Shin Ha-eun took a step back, discreetly slid her hand into her bag, her fingers grasping the pepper spray buried inside.

Sensing her defensive demeanor, the man quickly raised his hands in surrender. "Whoa, calm down there, will ya! I'm not a thug or a thief, for that matter!"

"That's what they all say!" she retorted, her guards up.

"But I'm telling you the truth! I promise, I'm not a thug," he insisted earnestly.

Shin Ha-eun studied him cautiously, trying to gauge his sincerity. The man's expression seemed genuine, and she began to relax her grip on the pepper spray slightly.

"Then how do you explain the..." she hesitated, glancing at the visible bruises on his face.

He took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling the smoke away from her as he approached. "Got into a fight at work last night," he admitted, trying not to sound defensive.

"You're really a..." she began, her judgment evident.

Cutting her off, he retorted sharply, "I'm not what you think. I work as a host at Wine Mystic, and believe me, we're treated like garbage there."

Her curiosity piqued, she repeated, "A host?"

"Yeah," he affirmed with a nod.

In another life, he thought, he might have pursued someone like her. She was undeniably his type. But reality had other plans, keeping him trapped in a life he despised.

With a cautious yet curious tone, she asked, "Then who are you, and why did you approach me?"

He flashed a friendly smile, attempting to put her at ease. "Name's Kim Han-sol. I saw you looking distressed and thought I could help. I didn't mean to startle you."

Her guard began to waver as she sensed no ill intentions from him. "Alright, Kim Han-sol. I appreciate the concern, but it's just been a tough day!"

"I get it. We all have those days," he replied sympathetically. "Do you want to talk about it? Maybe sharing would make you feel better."

For a moment, Ha-eun contemplated his offer. She yearned for someone to confide in, even if he was a stranger, but ultimately decided against it. "No, thanks! As if I would believe you."

Despite her skepticism, Han-sol insisted, "If you don't trust me, you could always visit Wine Mystic and see for yourself!"

"You want me to go to a host club?"

He replied with a hint of playfulness in his voice, "Where else but there to heal a broken heart?"

Surprised by the unexpected remark, she stammered, "H-how did you..."

"Know? It was pretty obvious!" he interrupted, watching her nod in agreement. "But wanna hear something?"

He casually tossed the cigarette to the ground, extinguishing it with a stomp.

"What?"

"I think your boyfriend is an idiot for cheating on you!" His candid words brought a faint hue of pink to her cheeks.

"Alright, I guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a try," she declared, attempting to change the subject and surprising herself with her unexpected decision.

"The host club?" he asked in confirmation, arching an eyebrow.

"Y-yeah, why not?" she replied with a nonchalant shrug, as if trying to prove a point.

"I won't be able to be your host tonight, but I can suggest Wine Mystic and hook you up with a friend!" he explained, gesturing to his bruised face. Then added with a cocky smirk, "Don't worry; I'll make sure you get some discounts on all the drinks!"

Her response came out hesitantly, almost like a question rather than an agreement. "A-ah? Okay?"

Noticing her uncertainty, Han-sol sensed that she might be having second thoughts about giving the host club a try.

"Don't be scared! You'll be alright," he reassured her, offering his hand.

Though hesitant, she eventually accepted his offer, allowing him to lead the way to the club.