Chapter 57: A New Path, An Old Shadow

Choosing ‘cafe’ as his business venture held no particular significance. Had the vacant shop been a hair salon, he would have earned a beautician’s license; if it had been a novelty store, he would have researched the latest trending items. He immersed himself in a new endeavor, if only to forget his memories as a hunter.

‘Since I’m opening it anyway, it would be better to do it to my taste.’

He had plenty of money, after all. Unlike his initial escape, Dongjun found himself growing increasingly serious as he deliberated over cafe locations. Yet, no single spot truly captured his heart.

Among the options, the one that appealed to him most was a spot overlooking the lake at Lake Park. Though a single-story building, its prime location made it exorbitantly expensive, which was why it had remained vacant for so long.

The elderly owner’s insistence on selling rather than leasing was also a factor that appealed to him.

However, financial concerns were hardly an issue for Dongjun, who had lived as an A-rank hunter for years. His hesitation stemmed from a different reason.

‘I don’t want to be involved with *them* anymore.’

Being in the heart of the city, Lake Park was densely populated. It wouldn’t be strange for a familiar face to wander by and discover his cafe. Meeting them, awkwardness aside, would undoubtedly bring back painful memories.

Memories of the hunters who had died, blessed by purification.

He knew he shouldn’t forget them, yet there was no need to deliberately recall them every day, suffering anew.

Dongjun sighed and ventured out to the outskirts, closer to the suburbs, to scout for land. It was a place renowned on social media for its blooming canola fields and picturesque rural scenery.

However, upon seeing it in person, it fell short of Dongjun’s expectations. The canola field was disappointingly small. This remained true even considering it was winter; without flowers, it was merely desolate, not vast.

He could only marvel at how the SNS posts had managed to evoke the feeling of a wide canola plain from such a small area.

Disappointed, he had driven to the next village, only to be even more disillusioned and was about to turn back.

Beneath the evening sky, where sleet swirled, a man stood stock-still. More than his attire, it was his face, touched by the sleet, that first caught Dongjun’s eye.

He thought it was an exceptionally beautiful face, utterly out of place on such a rural road in the middle of the night. By then, his foot had already pressed the brake.

The man seemed oblivious to the car stopping beside him. Dongjun gazed at him as if admiring a work of art. His heart began to pound without warning.

He had initially thought the face was extraordinary, but the true impact came from his aura. A rock-like gravitas and a blade-sharp composure merged, forging an unyielding integrity.

An unshakeable firmness was evident, as if nothing could ever break him. The fiercely swirling sleet seemed to fall solely for him.

Dongjun knew instantly. This man was powerful.

He was a man capable of protecting not only himself but also those around him, with strength to spare. So unlike Dongjun’s own fragile self.

Dongjun’s lips trembled, yet he mustered all his strength to feign nonchalance. He cautiously pressed the horn and rolled down his window.

“Hey. Are you alright?”

It was only after he spoke that he noticed the man’s attire. His tattered jacket, barely even qualifying as clothing, was covered in unbrushed dust and bits of fallen leaves.

As if drawn by an inexplicable force, he picked up the mysterious man. The man was taciturn and entirely devoid of facial expressions. All the way to the inner city, Dongjun secretly watched him, pretending not to.

Uncharacteristically, he initiated conversation and fretted alone. Fearing he might easily be swayed by pity, he even feigned poverty.

It was a lie no child would believe—a person about to open a cafe, a venture now requiring uniqueness to succeed, claiming they couldn’t afford staff wages.

Yet, the man believed him instantly, without a hint of question. It was then that Dongjun discovered the man’s unguarded, soft side, hidden beneath his seemingly formidable exterior.

Far from being disappointed, he found himself liking the man even more.

Indeed, when he led the man to the building at Lake Park and saw a glimmer of interest, Dongjun immediately settled on the cafe location he had agonized over for so long.

His initial fondness deepened rapidly as he got to know the man. Merely being in the same space made his heart race, and he could no longer bear the intensity. Yet, a sudden premonition prevented him from confessing.

A premonition, almost a certainty, that if he confessed his feelings, the man would leave without a second thought.

Dongjun cowardly remained silent. He simply hoped that, this time too, time would solve everything, just as it had diluted his guilt.

‘It’s alright. There’s plenty of time.’

That was certainly true for him. But Yeowon was different.

Yeowon’s unknown past was now closing in, threatening both of them. Dongjun, having left the cafe alone, contacted the private security company he had contracted.

“Yes. Please upgrade the protection level starting today. The additional fee is…”

His words were cut short. Dongjun’s eyes widened when he spotted the person standing beside his car. “Hello? Sir?” The voice from the receiver repeated a few times before fading out.

“It’s been a while.”

Everyone in Grisha considered him their king. But Dongjun, having seen him up close, thought differently. He was an omnipotent god who could command everything in this city.

And that god was now smiling like a devil.

Yeowon belatedly regained his senses. This was not the time to be idle. He picked up the milk tea, which he hadn’t even sipped, and stepped outside.

With trembling hands, he placed the cup in the sink and half-ran back to his room. He shoved his clothes into the sports bag Dongjun had given him, suggesting he might need it someday.

Then, like a broken doll, he abruptly ceased movement.

Dongjun. His thoughts finally turned to him.

Yeowon’s face turned ashen. No matter how shocked he had been, to just let Dongjun leave…!

Yeowon tossed the sports bag aside and stumbled out to the cafe in a panic, untangling his feet and steadying his swaying body. It was as he walked toward the door, opening his phone screen, that it happened.

Knock, knock.

Someone was knocking on the door. It was the door that clearly displayed a ‘[TEMPORARILY CLOSED]’ sign. Yeowon’s steps halted abruptly.

Through the hexagonal glass window, a blurred silhouette was visible. Even from that vague shape, Yeowon recognized him instantly. He flinched, then instinctively recoiled a step.

Knock, knock.

The person knocked again. Still polite, but with more force this time. Yeowon moved with steps as heavy as a prisoner shackled with iron weights. His trembling hand opened the door.

Jingle.

The chime, which he had always found pleasant, now sounded like a warning bell for the first time. Sagyeol entered through the slowly opening door.

He looked unchanged, as if they had parted just yesterday. He offered a languid smile.

“It’s been two years. Have you been well?”

“……”

Yeowon couldn’t utter a word.

“Oh, and this.”

Sagyeol abruptly extended a milk carton. He pressed it against Yeowon’s chest, who instinctively took it. Sagyeol untied the muffler from his neck and slowly surveyed the cafe.

He examined everything with considerable care, occasionally tilting his head. To an outsider, he would simply appear as a customer interested in the interior design. Yeowon stood still, holding his breath. Finally, Sagyeol spoke.

“What is this?”

It was a completely unexpected question. His index finger pointed to a framed picture on the wall.

“A painting… I bought at a flea market.”

“And this?”

“A dreamcatcher from a prop store.”

After pointing out a few more items, Sagyeol hummed.

“Did you choose everything here?”

Yeowon hesitated before replying.

“Not everything.”

“Then?”

For the first time in a long while, his intuition sent a warning. A premonition that speaking the truth would lead to something bad. Yet, he couldn’t lie.

Sagyeol wouldn’t fall for a clumsy lie that even Dongjun couldn’t be fooled by. After a brief internal struggle, Yeowon remained silent, choosing silence even as he worried it might displease the man.

In a fleeting moment, Sagyeol’s gaze drifted to the teacups. It was a minor slip in a very brief interval, yet for Sagyeol, it was enough.

“These teacups. Are these also to your taste?”

He tapped the display case glass. Yeowon couldn’t answer.

Sagyeol, suppressing a twisted smile, walked to the counter. It was a spot usually neglected due to the displayed teacups. He deliberately dragged out a chair with a screech and sat down, propping his chin on his hand.

“A warm Americano.”

“……”

“Of course, you’re buying it.”

The grinder whirred, crushing the coffee beans. Yeowon’s heart felt just as pulverized.

“Alright. How have you been?”

After sitting down, Sagyeol’s speech became truncated. The Sagyeol Yeowon knew only ever used honorifics. Yet, this new way felt more natural, hinting that it was closer to Sagyeol’s true self.

“Well, I can see. You’ve been disgustingly well, haven’t you?”

Sagyeol stared intently at Yeowon’s back as he made the coffee. Muscles that his shirt couldn’t quite contain asserted themselves with every slight movement. His waist, narrow between his shoulder blades, curved inward.

Below that, firm, sculpted buttocks, and the tight space between them…

*Thud.*

The mug was placed before Sagyeol. He smiled faintly and picked up the cup. A new aroma mingled with the subtle coffee scent that had permeated the cafe.

He took a sip of the coffee. It was surprisingly delicious. One of Sagyeol’s eyebrows lifted. He hummed, then dropped the cup he had set aside.

Crash.

The white mug shattered into pieces, and the dark liquid soaked the wooden floor. Yeowon’s already rigid face grew even more strained.

“It’s no fun talking by myself.”

Crrrack.

The spilled coffee instantly froze. The expanding wooden floorboards groaned and shrieked. The surrounding air subtly chilled. Even with the menacing changes palpable on his skin, Yeowon’s expression only darkened slightly.

That was the extent of his reaction. Sagyeol laughed. He felt utterly disgusted. It was because the sight of the man standing stock-still, head slightly bowed, was exactly like the day they first met at the hospital.

“Park Dong-jun.”

Only upon hearing that name did any change finally register. His eyes widened slightly, and his eyebrows rose. Sagyeol felt his gut twist.

“You abandoned me, only to choose that kind of man?”