hyejin
i stood behind the counter, tapping my fingers absentmindedly on the wood. the café was quiet today—almost too quiet. my eyes kept drifting toward the front window, where the store across the street was in plain view. something about it still didn't sit right with me.
i couldn't put my finger on it, but it felt off. there had been some weird activity there lately, people coming in and out at odd hours, lights flickering on and off when no one was supposed to be there. my gut told me to be cautious.
but before i could dwell too much on it, the door chimed, and in walked haerin, a wide grin on her face as she approached the counter. i immediately relaxed. haerin had been a rock for me these past few months, ever since i took over the café.
i trusted her completely—she had great ideas and was always willing to lend a hand.
"hey, hyejin!" haerin greeted me with her usual brightness, leaning casually on the counter. "got a few new ideas i wanted to run by you."
i smiled, already feeling better just by her presence. "oh? what's on your mind?"
her eyes gleamed as she leaned in closer, her voice lowering as if she were about to share a big secret. "soooo, i've been thinking about some ways we can, you know, make a little extra cash. nothing illegal, of course, but ... let's just say it's a bit unconventional."
i tilted my head, intrigued but not alarmed. haerin was always full of interesting ideas, and she'd never led me astray before. "unconventional? lik what?"
"well ..." she started, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone, "i know this guy who can get us some really high-quality coffee beans at a fraction of the cost. we could undercut the competition and still make a decent profit. plus, i've got a few contacts who could help us push our brand in ways that'll have the place packed every day."
"that sounds ... interesting. do you think it'll work?"
she laughed, the sound light and airy. "of course it will!"
i had no reason to doubt her. after all, she had been with me since the start. but as she continued to talk, i couldn't shake the feeling that something about this plan was different, a little too risky.
however, i pushed those thoughts aside. haerin had always had my back, and i knew she only wanted the best for the café.
"alright!" i finally agreed, "let's give it a shot. but we'll keep an eye on things, just to be safe."
haerin grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "you won't regret this, hyejin. trust me."
i smiled back, feeling a bit reassured, but the nagging worry about the store across the street lingered at the back of my mind.
jungwon, who's supposed to be having his day off today, barged into the café later that afternoon, his expression tense, like he was holding back something explosive. i barely had time to greet him before he was already at the counter, glaring at me with an intensity that made me falter.
"hyejin, we need to talk," he said, his voice low but laced with an edge that i hadn't heard in a long time.
i raised an eyebrow, still feeling buoyed from my earlier conversation with haerin. "about what?"
he glanced around, making sure no one else was around, then leaned in closer, dropping his voice even more. "i heard about haerin's idea. whatever she's planning, it's bad news. you can't go through with it."
