Chapter 4: The Affogato Dilemma

Despite the dreary weather, Yeon-chae’s face was radiant. His cheeks, flushed with what seemed to be a delightful mood, were constantly moving as he eagerly answered questions that hadn’t even been posed.

“But I really wasn’t looking for you. It was just quiet there, a good place to study…”

“Oh? What are you talking about?”

Yoonwoo, who had been absently scrolling through today’s lunch menu on the campus cafeteria app, looked utterly bewildered, unable to grasp the context of Yeon-chae’s words. Seeming to believe Yoonwoo didn’t trust him, Yeon-chae’s expression turned anxious as he launched into a string of defensive explanations.

“The nearby places are always so crowded and loud. Even though the cafe where you work is a bit of a distance, the tables are well-spaced, and the music is soft, which makes it easy to focus. I’ve actually been there a few times before, but you weren’t around. I guess you don’t work every day…”

“Ah, my cafe?”

Only then did Yoonwoo finally catch on to Yeon-chae’s meaning, nodding slowly. Upon hearing his explanation, it struck him as something utterly unhelpful for the cafe’s sales. ‘Low capacity and slow table turnover, isn’t it?’ Though not the owner, Yoonwoo, a conscientious part-timer, couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry.

“You’re right. Our cafe tends to be a bit quiet.”

“It certainly is. Are you the only part-timer there?”

“Yeah. The cafe is small, and the owner is often around, so I’m sufficient as the sole part-timer.”

“What are your working hours?”

“Me? I work Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, and full-time on Fridays.”

“Ah, I see.”

Yeon-chae replied with a serious expression, continuing to walk.

As they exchanged their rambling conversation, they found themselves already in front of the agricultural college cafeteria. Yoonwoo, chuckling softly as he pushed open the entrance door, mused that walking was sometimes quite pleasant. He hadn’t bothered to worry about Vitamin D, but it was true he hadn’t exercised much lately.

“You really should exercise. Your stamina will weaken if you don’t. Would you like to go to the gym with me? I heard the campus gym has a fitness center and a swimming pool.”

Yeon-chae, ever the stickler, pressed the issue again. Yoonwoo, who loathed all forms of exercise, scowled deeply.

It was as if a switch had been flipped; Yeon-chae began rattling off a detailed list of every conceivable exercise one could do at the gym or outdoor sports field. Yoonwoo, who had been patiently listening in silence right in front of the cafeteria entrance, finally snapped.

“Alright, alright! I’ll exercise, just stop talking and let’s eat first!”

“What kind of exercise will you…”

Yeon-chae’s mouth, which had been about to launch into another spiel, suddenly snapped shut. Yoonwoo, having reached the end of his patience, had unceremoniously grabbed his wrist. Unlike his earlier stubborn resistance at the entrance, Yeon-chae, to Yoonwoo’s surprise, allowed himself to be quietly pulled along, standing docilely before the menu board with his lips sealed. Only then, perhaps from a wave of embarrassment, did the soft, pale skin around his cheeks bloom with a rosy blush.

“Want to try that? It looks delicious.”

Yoonwoo pointed to the picture of jjimdak on the menu board. As he did so, the hand that had been gripping Yeon-chae’s wrist naturally relaxed its hold. Yeon-chae’s full lips subtly pursed for a moment before he nodded repeatedly, his gaze fixed intently on Yoonwoo rather than the enticing *jjimdak* photo.

“Alright, alright. I’ll exercise. Happy now?”

Yoonwoo waved a resigned hand in the air.

Many had tried to coerce Yoonwoo into exercising throughout his life. His older brother, who reveled in intense sports like Jiu-Jitsu and shooting, was one such person, as were his boisterous alpha twin younger siblings, who constantly badgered him to join their games. Yet, for Yoonwoo, exercise was akin to a foul-tasting herbal concoction he’d reluctantly swallow to cling to life just before his final breath. Beneficial for the body, yes, but overwhelmingly bitter on the tongue. Incredibly bitter.

“The indoor pool at the gym has excellent water quality. They use seawater, so there’s no lingering chlorine smell. Swimming is a full-body workout, and since it’s low-impact, it’s great for your joints…”

“What? My joints?”

Yeon-chae, his tray piled high with *jjimdak*, trailed after Yoonwoo, passionately extolling the virtues of swimming. Yoonwoo, his brow furrowed, tried to conjure an image of himself stepping into a swimming pool.

He would have to shower, don a swimsuit, flounder in the water for an eternity, then emerge, shower once more, and finally change back into his clothes. The mere thought of such a process was enough to utterly deplete him, body and soul.

Yoonwoo shook his head emphatically. He had found an impeccable excuse.

“I can’t swim.”

‘Oh.’

Yeon-chae let out a small, deflated sound, clearly disappointed. He must truly love swimming. Yoonwoo couldn’t help but crack a small smile at the sight of his soft, pouting cheeks, which were adorably puffed out.

“You’re a good swimmer? How nice for you.”

Despite his aversion to exercise, Yoonwoo always found athletes impressive, which was why he occasionally enjoyed watching sports channels. Though he’d never given much thought to swimming, picturing Yeon-chae’s broad shoulders gracefully slicing through the water, it seemed like a perfectly fitting image for him.

Yoonwoo felt a pang of disappointment, contemplating his own arms that stubbornly refused to build muscle, no matter how much strength training he attempted. Though, to be fair, he hadn’t truly put in enough effort to claim ‘no matter how much.’

As Yoonwoo diligently stirred his spoon, lost in his own meandering thoughts, Yeon-chae shook his head at him.

“No, I can’t swim.”

“What?”

‘Then why did he even bring up swimming? What a peculiar kid.’

“Well, they offer lessons, so I thought it would be nice if we could learn together.”

Yeon-chae offered his explanation, his face crestfallen. This was after he had gulped down his entire meal with astonishing speed, making the twenty-five-minute walk feel utterly wasted. Yoonwoo, who had attacked his jjimdak with such fervor it seemed he might bury his nose in the tray, finally lifted his head after a long while.

“Are we still on the topic of swimming?”

“It’s good to know how to swim in case you ever get shipwrecked at sea…”

“Why on earth would I get shipwrecked at sea?”

“…It could happen.”

The corners of Yeon-chae’s long eyes took on a slightly prim expression.

While he found Yeon-chae’s persistence endearing, the thought of the arduous process involved in swimming quickly made him feel utterly exasperated. After returning his tray to the dish collection point, Yoonwoo shook his head decisively as he pushed open the exit door and stepped out of the cafeteria.

“We’ve already ‘exercised’ for an hour today. Isn’t an hour of activity sufficient for one day? Do we really need to do more?”

“What hour are you talking about?”

“It took twenty-five minutes to get here, and it’ll take another twenty-five minutes to walk back.”

“Then that’s ten minutes short.”

“What?”

“Would you like to go to the co-op cafe by the pond for some coffee?”

“What?”

“If we stop there on the way back, it’ll make it exactly one hour.”

“Oh…”

Yoonwoo found himself utterly overwhelmed by the freshman’s boundless energy. It felt akin to taking an excessively spirited puppy out for a walk.

As fate would have it, today Yoonwoo had neither afternoon classes nor a shift at his part-time job. Just as Yeon-chae had confidently predicted, the persistently overcast sky had cleared beautifully while they were inside having lunch.

“Let’s go together, Senior.”

Yeon-chae, who had been walking alongside him, suddenly paused and turned to look back at Yoonwoo.

Spring sunlight cascaded over Yeon-chae’s finely sculpted face. His light-colored eyes gleamed like molten gold, and with each slow blink, his long, luxuriant lashes trembled ever so faintly.

Yoonwoo, his expression blank, thought to himself.

‘Just a moment ago, it looked like rain. But it’s not raining after all.’

“…Alright.”

Yeon-chae’s eyes crinkled into crescents, disappearing as he broke into a wide, brilliant smile.

With all his excuses effectively vanished, Yoonwoo found himself reluctantly heading towards the pondside with Yeon-chae.

The building by the pond housed a cafe operated by the student cooperative, bearing the same name and offering an identical menu to the co-op cafe situated directly in front of the business school. Despite grumbling about the pointlessness of coming all this way, Yoonwoo dutifully indulged Yeon-chae. For a freshman, still fresh from admission, everything on campus was a source of wonder and excitement, a time of boundless enthusiasm.

“No, actually? There’s a menu item sold only here.”

“What? How could the menu be different if it’s the exact same co-op cafe?”

Yoonwoo shook his head, dismissing the idea as utter nonsense. While he no longer bothered to trek this far, Yoonwoo was, after all, a third-year student. Back when he was a freshman like Yeon-chae, he’d deliberately frequented this very spot, eager to soak in the picturesque tranquility of the pondside.

“The menu is identical. I’ve been here countless times myself.”

“No, you’re wrong. They have affogato here.”

“…Affogato?”

He had never once heard of a co-op cafe, known for its thousand-won Americanos and two-thousand-won lattes, offering affogato. It had to be a mistake, yet Yeon-chae’s expression was surprisingly assertive.

“It’s true. Just wait here; I’ll be right back with it.”

“Oh? Hey, I’ll get…”

Yoonwoo couldn’t possibly let a freshman, who had only just shed his minor status upon admission, treat him. He tried to protest in a fluster, but Yeon-chae had already taken off with long, swift strides. His broad shoulders and sturdy back receded into the distance before disappearing into the cafe. Yoonwoo’s hand, left hanging in the air with nowhere to go, eventually dropped to his knee.

‘Well, it’s not an expensive place.’

He mumbled the excuse, but the thought of Yeon-chae paying for coffee, after Yoonwoo had only treated him to cafeteria food, weighed heavily on his conscience, increasing his sense of obligation. Resolving to treat him to something delicious off-campus next time, Yoonwoo gazed thoughtfully down at the pond at his feet.

The pondside was deserted, likely due to it being prime time for afternoon classes. This overgrown area seemed suspended in time, secluded from the rest of the campus. With every gust of wind, branches adorned with delicate pink petals swayed gently. It was almost the season for cherry blossoms to fully bloom.

“Here you go, Senior.”

A paper cup was suddenly thrust before Yoonwoo’s vacant gaze. He looked up to find Yeon-chae beaming, holding two cups. His clear cheeks were flushed crimson, suggesting he had hurried back. The color was like cherry blossom petals, peeking out like new sprouts.

“There’s really affogato?”

Yoonwoo accepted the paper cup with a skeptical expression. Yeon-chae’s long, white fingers brushed against his fingertips, and the fleeting warmth felt like the spring sunshine.

“I told you so.”

“This is suspicious…”

Peering into the paper cup, Yoonwoo saw a scoop of vanilla ice cream floating atop coffee. Moreover, the coffee wasn’t espresso; it looked like instant coffee. Yoonwoo was speechless, his mouth hanging open.

“Hey, this is just instant coffee poured over ice cream!”

“Just try it, Senior.”

Yeon-chae’s low voice softened and rose slightly, taking on a sweet, coaxing tone. Yoonwoo couldn’t fathom why he was smiling so charmingly, like the Wicked Queen tempting Snow White with an apple. Yoonwoo tried to turn his head away, a look of reluctance on his face, but Yeon-chae had already moved closer, spooning a generous amount of the ‘affogato’ (what Yeon-chae insisted was instant coffee ice cream) and holding it to his lips.

“Say ‘ah.'”