Friday's Time Traveler

Chapter 3. A midwinter night’s dream ( 2)

Translated  and Edited by Gigi 

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The breakroom, which was always busy with employees who had escaped from piles of work, was quiet for some reason, not fitting the stigma of the place. Of course, this was possible because there was only one person remaining in the company. Seonwoo, who preferred the rooftop even in the middle of winter just because it was quiet, looked around the interior of the breakroom with fresh eyes. After all, there was nothing wrong with having more space.

 

After putting the coffee beans in the pot filter and pouring in water, and the rest was up to the machine, Seonwoo stood still and killed time. He slowly moved his hand only when the smell of coffee came up. It was a motionless gesture, like a doll whose mainspring was almost completely released.

 

“Why on earth am I so tired?”

 

Even after thinking about it for a long time, the inside of his head was as blurry as the sea at dawn with water mist. Then, as the cup with strong coffee was filled, Seonwoo suddenly realized why he was so tired. The problem was yesterday. A family gathering held in the plausible cause of Christmas. It didn’t look like it but he had a good relationship with his family.

 

He was a blunt person, but he was a proud son to his parents, and he was a good brother to his only sister since childhood. Each of them had a busy schedule, so they couldn’t get together often since a few years ago, so unsurprisingly, a family gathering once a month was always a welcome appointment.

 

The reason he avoided family gatherings from this year was because of a ridiculous and unnecessary social system. Marriage. It was not big enough to end the family relationship, but it was uncomfortable enough to avoid them.

 

Unlike Seonwoo, who had no intention of marrying for a long time, his parents seemed to have the thought that their son would marry his true girlfriend named Baek Yejin. She was also the first girlfriend who Seonwoo introduced to his parents.

However, he never talked much about dating or the separation. Just like that, he broke up with Yejin silently, and his parents only knew about it three months later. It was a peaceful weekend at the breakfast table.

 

“Is Yejin doing well?”

 

“I don’t know. But I’m sure she is doing good.”

 

“Did you two fight? Why did you answer like that?”

 

“I broke up with Yejin.”

 

When the unexpected bomb returned to the usual greetings, his parents were surprised. Seonwoo understood that his relationship with his parents would change tremendously when he implicitly revealed his long dream of being a bachelor to them. He didn’t care for any blind dates. He wanted to grow old peacefully as a bachelor accountant, and he didn’t want to die from stress under his parents who kept setting up dates for him.

 

“We are not asking you to marry her, but try to meet her once and see.”

 

Perhaps if it was another problem, he would have closed his eyes and obeyed his parents. But not yesterday. Letting them win was probably the best thing, but there were some things in life that must not be backed down. And that was what  happened yesterday.

 

“Ugh.”

 

The arduous thoughts that continue steadily draw out a deep sigh. Seonwoo pressed the tired eyelids firmly and lifted the cup with one hand. It was not a problem that would be solved by continuing to worry, and it was not easy enough to hold onto a problem that could not be done as intended. First of all, he has a deadline to meet…

 

“It will be okay. What makes you sigh so loud?”

 

“Ouch! It’s hot!”

 

Suddenly, Seonwoo jumped up in surprise at the voice coming from behind his back. The hot coffee had spilled on the back of his hand, but there was no time to look at it. Not knowing that his hand was burned, and looking back in a hurry, Seonwoo saw a strange woman with her eyes wide open in the breakroom where no one was present until a while ago.

 

“What are you doing? Wait. Is that hot coffee on your hand?”

 

The woman hesitated and pointed to his hand. As Seonwoo nodded, a smile disappeared from her face. The woman grabbed his arm and dragged him to the sink.

 

“Hey, wait….”

 

Suddenly, cold water spilled over the back of his hand, and he frowned at the tingling feeling. The woman, who looked at his expression and his hand with an anxious look, bit her lips as if she was upset.

 

“Sorry. I didn’t think Seonwoo would be so surprised…”

 

She looked as daunted as a dog with a drooping tail. Seonwoo, whose hand had been held by the woman, slightly removed his hand from the sink in a feeling that she was getting upset.

 

“It’s fine. I’m not seriously injured.”

 

“Can I get you some ice? Or medicine? Or do you want to go to the hospital?”

 

“No need to make it a big deal. I am not a patient…”

 

Seonwoo, who had been speaking casually, suddenly stopped. Then he suddenly squeezed his eyes and looked at the woman’s appearance with a very tenacious glance. In embarrassment, the woman who had only her eyes rolled back and forth quickly.

 

“It can’t be….” Seonwoo muttered desolately while correcting his posture. “No way you saved me on Friday night, didn’t you?”

 

“Uh, do you remember?”

 

The woman, who only squeezed her cuffs, was overly embarrassed. Seonwoo opened his mouth blankly and pointed at her.

 

“At that time, at the crosswalk……. Right?”

 

“Yes, that’s right!”

 

“Do you know how worried I was because you just disappeared without a trace that day?”

 

“Were you worried? Seonwoo worried about me?”

 

Sudden reprimand, the woman quietly blinked.

 

“Were you really worried about me?”

 

“Isn’t it natural to worry for the person who saved me, and cried sadly, then suddenly disappeared?”

 

It was a very annoying feeling, as if he still couldn’t forget the absurdity of that day. Even though he was deep in thoughts with a confused look on his face, the woman was busy muttering, covering her cheeks with both hands, rather than feeling bad.

 

“l just got excited.”

 

“I beg your pardon?” Seonwoo asked with a curious tone.

 

“Seonwoo said you were worried about me. How can I not be excited.”

 

“No, what is it……. Why on earth are you excited?”

 

“I didn’t mean to be excited. If you came in front of the truck on purpose, it would not work.”

 

The woman smiled brightly and put her hands on her waist.

 

“Anyway, you don’t have to worry anymore. As you can see, I am fine.”

 

Then Seonwoo, who glanced past her in a shudder, said, with his lips glued to the mug.

 

“Does your eyes’ color naturally look like that?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Your eyes are red,” Seonwoo glanced at the woman’s eyes. “You cried, too, that day.”

 

The woman’s eyes, who had been calm, fluttered strongly at once. Avoiding the eyes of Seonwoo who was watching her closely while sipping coffee, she hesitated for a long time. Then the gaze, which had been staying only at her feet for a long time, climbed up slowly, and the woman started laughing.

 

“I guess it’s because of the cold wind. I have some dry eye syndrome.”

 

“”Why didn’t you say you were chopping onions?”

 

“Yes, I should say so.”

 

Seonwoo was discouraged by the woman’s natural response. He shook his head relentlessly and headed for the sofa with his coffee cup.

 

“But do you work here? I didn’t know.”

 

“It is natural that you do not know that I am working here.”

 

After saying that, his pace stopped.

 

“So how did you get in here?”

 

Somehow, the atmosphere became awkward. Fortunately, the woman who was quick to notice and cheerfully accepted anything was asked, rarely struggled with the answer.

 

“Well, it’s a secret.”

 

Of course, it wasn’t the answer Seonwoo wanted to hear.

 

“I will call the guard.”

 

“Oh, no!” The woman hurriedly caught Seonwoo’s arm, who tried to leave the breakroom without hesitation.

 

“I know I look suspicious enough, but I’m not really a weird person. I’ll be out soon. Okay?”

 

“You can’t do that. How do I know if you didn’t steal anything?”

 

“I really didn’t. If you don’t believe me, would you like to search like the police do that in the dramas?”

 

The woman pretended to take off her sweater. Seonwoo frightened and stepped back.

 

“What kind of search are you thinking?!”

 

“No, I’m afraid that Seonwoo will continue to doubt…”

 

“But I’ll keep doubting you.”

 

“Then what can I do for you to believe me? If I can resolve your doubts, I will do everything Seonwoo tells me.”

 

It was a determined attitude as if she was going to war. Seonwoo asked nervously if he had a bone pain, pressing his temple.

 

“Okay, what the hell are you? What kind of person are you to be able to come in someone else’s company at this time?”

 

“Will you remember it?”

 

“What?”

 

“Yoo Jina. It’s my name.”

 

Suddenly, Seonwoo stayed quiet for a moment. Somehow, an indescribable weird feeling came over.

 

“I didn’t ask for your name.”

 

“But you can’t keep calling me ‘you’.”

 

“I’ll keep calling you ‘you’.”

 

“I think only Seonwoo is uncomfortable.”

 

The woman widened her mouth. Seonwoo slowly closed his eyes and tried to manage his irritation, but it was not very effective because the bad luck that has continued since today or yesterday was taking its peak one after another.

 

“Whether it’s uncomfortable or not, that’s my business. And why do you call me so friendly? Don’t call me that way.”

 

“Do you prefer me calling you Mr.Seonwoo or just Seonwoo..?”

 

“Ah. Don’t call me like that.”

 

“You’re really too much. You already forgot that I saved you on Friday? Still, I’m your lifesaver. Why are you being difficult about titles?”

 

Suddenly, when Friday night’s topic came up, Seonwoo couldn’t say anything. Even if he tried to refute it, there wasn’t any mistake in the woman’s words. Had it not been for her, he would have been in the hospital by now, or worse, he would be dead by now. He felt guilty to be angry with such a title. Eventually, Seonwoo opened his mouth reluctantly.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

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“Cha Seonwoo.”

 

The woman who gathered her eyebrows and stared at him with a little sigh as if she couldn’t help it.

 

“Because you’re offended, so I’ll call you Cha Seonwoo from now on. Well, it doesn’t seem to make a big difference, and it sounds a little much still, but it can’t be helped.”