Even If It’s Not Love - Chapter 47-1

“What if Dong-min really is interested in you? What will you do?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve never thought about it.”

“Ugh, this is frustrating. I want you to think about it now.”

“I don’t have any thoughts in particular.”

“Oh my, why? Someone like Dong-min is fine.”

“Because I don’t want to meet anyone, nor can I afford to do so.”

“You’re so stubborn.”

When Yoo-hwa didn’t give any particular answer to Yi-seul’s grumbling, the conversation naturally ended.

Yoo-hwa took the clothes out of the cabinets that were organized by color and size, checked their measurements, and placed them in plastic bags for delivery. Then, she put them down in a box next to her feet.

Yoo-hwa tried to recall Dong-min’s face, whom she had just seen. She definitely recalled the reddened ear tips, but she didn’t remember his face. She fumbled around her foggy mind. Then, she remembered someone’s face.

Not the one with the red ear tips, but someone she wanted to forget.

When the sharp eyes that were staring at her suddenly came to her mind, she dropped the plastic bag she had in her hand. However, as if nothing had happened, Yoo-hwa naturally picked up the plastic bag again.

***

Unlike leaving work at 4 p.m. as usual, there was suddenly a request in the afternoon to work overtime. They said there would be a problem in the delivery and that it would be troublesome if they refused, while also saying that the package was already coming down to the delivery area.

Yi-seul said she couldn’t do it because she had to go pick up her second child at daycare, and the employee argued, “What should I do then?”

“This is why you don’t hire old ladies.”

One of the employees, who normally did not like Yi-seul, sighed as if she had listened to everything.

“Damn. I guess you don’t think you’ll become an old lady too? Ah… You don’t have a man asking you to marry him? Well. That’s obvious.”

Then, the angry Yi-seul answered, not backing down.

“What did you say?”

“Didn’t you hear? That’s a problem. You’re still young, but you don’t have ears.”

“Ah, I’m speechless. So you can’t work overtime? Then what about this?”

“I see, you were never able to distribute your work properly to the point you’re behind in work, and now you’re asking me what to do? Don’t you get paid a monthly salary so this doesn’t happen?”

“How many times do I have to tell you that an order suddenly came in?”

“Didn’t you have an event? In that case you should have expected a rush of orders and told us to expect overtime work a few days in advance. What do you want me to do when it’s almost time for the children to come back home from daycare? What should I do about my kid then? Do you want me to leave him alone on the street? Will you take responsibility if something happens?”

“Ah, that’s enough. What can I say? What about Miss Yoo-hwa?”

Both Yi-seul and the employee’s gaze flew to Yoo-hwa at the same time. Though their sharp eyes might be prickling her, Yoo-hwa quietly said the words she had prepared.

“I’ll do it alone.”

“Then it’s settled. Let’s have Miss Yoo-hwa do it. I’ll give you 1.2 times your hourly rate since you’re working overtime. Okay?”

The employee glared at Yi-seul while emphasizing that she would give her 1.2 times her hourly rate, and then went upstairs to the office.

“People might think she’s the one paying us. So annoying. And of course, you have to get paid more for working overtime. What was she showing off for?”

After that, Yi-seul repeatedly said, “What if the office staff accepted such a suggestion in a rude way?”

As soon as it was time to get off work at 4 p.m. and Yi-seul, who was exuding a displeased mood, left, Yoo-hwa had to work alone for a long time, but she was rather comfortable.

No one asked her about Dong-min, and no one interrogated her about what she did, whether she graduated from college, her past, etc., so she was able to relax.

Above all, it was good because since she was focusing on the work, there weren’t any thoughts in her mind. There would be no sudden memories popping up, nor would she suddenly remember someone’s face.

Yoo-hwa, who was leaving work at a later time than usual, let out a deep sigh. The street lamps were lit up above the darkened street.

“Excuse me.”

“…”

“Hey, Miss Yoo-hwa.”

Suddenly hearing her name, Yoo-hwa’s shoulders stiffened automatically. The tense Yoo-hwa turned her head around and let out the breath she had been holding in when she saw Dong-min standing a few steps away from her.

“Is something wrong?”

After feeling relieved for a moment, she became worried that he had found a problem with the work she had finished.

“It’s nothing. I saw you leaving work, so I called you to say hello.”

“…”

“Are you going this way? I’m going this way too… Haha.”

Dong-min smiled awkwardly and looked at Yoo-hwa. Yoo-hwa looked at Dong-min without giving any particular answer. It wasn’t that she was struggling about what to say, but she was emotionless as if asking if that’s all he wanted to tell her. At Yoo-hwa’s reaction, who was coldly indifferent, Dong-min had an awkward look on his face, but he didn’t back down.

Yoo-hwa turned around without saying anything. The troubled Dong-min walked side by side with her, a few steps away. An excited smile spread over Dong-min’s face as he faced the night breeze.