I opened the door of the store to find the Haechis who had slipped in through the open door gap. I was about to go right in, but Bihyeon stopped firmly in front of it.
“…Bihyeon-nim?”
“Go ahead.”
“You’re not coming in together?”
“I’ll go next time. I’ll wait here, so take your time looking around.”
Coming together but then why? I tilted my head in puzzlement, but for now, with a premonition that the Haechis might cause trouble, I hurriedly went inside. Inside, a sweet smell wafted. In the cozy space, the only customers were a grandmother sitting in the corner and two female students giggling while looking at something on their phones.
“Welcome.”
A woman who came out from inside with freshly baked bread saw me and greeted me with a gentle smile. The moment I saw her, I felt a strange sensation and looked at her pupils as if enchanted. They were clearly deep brown pupils, but strangely, an image of a vast, blue sea rippling came to mind. After staring blankly at her pupils for a while, only when she smiled as if embarrassed did I hastily bow my head.
“Ah, hello. By any chance, did a puppy come in here…”
Oh, right. Haechis aren’t visible to humans.
“Well…”
It was when I was opening my mouth to say something else. Kkuwoong, I saw Byeol smiling brightly and rubbing his head against her leg. I opened my eyes wide and firmly closed my mouth once more.
“Oh my.”
The woman, who had been looking down following my gaze, smiled and picked up Byeol.
“Do you mean this child?”
Huh? Didn’t they say Haechis aren’t visible to humans? I blinked and held Byeol in my arms.
“I’m… sorry. He must have come here after smelling something delicious.”
“It’s okay. Regular customers also sometimes bring their companion friends.”
It seemed like she still hadn’t seen what the Haechis looked like, so I pulled him closer into my arms to hide his appearance.
“…Mm… the bread all looks delicious.”
While petting Byeol’s head as he wagged his tail vigorously, I went to the display case and looked at the bread that was out. Thinking I should buy a few, I took out the card Bihyeon gave me.
“I’ll have the chocolate cookies and walnut pie, please.”
Everything looked delicious, but those two particularly caught my eye, so I pointed at them. She smiled subtly, then after packaging what I pointed at and the mini yakgwa right next to it as well, she held them out to me.
“I’m not sure if you still like yakgwa, but… take it and eat it together.”
“…Pardon?”
“Please come again next time.”
“Pardon? Ah… thank you.”
Giant waves, or the deep sea. Looking at her eyes, that scenery kept coming to mind, so I stood there blankly. She, who had smiled broadly, pressed the packaged items into my hand. Belatedly coming to my senses, I thanked her, then gathered up Dal as well and came out of the café. Bihyeon, who was standing outside waiting for me, looked at my face and chuckled.
“Bihyeon-nim already knew, didn’t you?”
That the being inside wasn’t human. When I spoke softly and frowned, Bihyeon held my hand and started walking.
“I didn’t know from the beginning either. I found out in front of the store.”
– Kkuwoong!
Byeol, who stuck his head out while wagging his tail, tapped my arm with his front paw and pointed at the packaged items.
“Bihyeon-nim, by any chance, that place…”
I thought it was unlikely such a coincidence would exist, but just maybe… could that place be a space from my lost memories? Like the café my mom used to protect. Even as I spoke, it seemed like nonsense, so I smiled and shook my head.
“No, it’s not.”
Bihyeon, who had been staring at me like that, slowly walked into the alley.
“Trust your intuition.”
My intuition… As I stood there blankly, Bihyeon lightly tapped the wrapping paper in my hand, then soon headed toward a dead-end alley. Wondering why we came to a place with no path, I looked around when Bihyeon placed his hand on the wall. At that moment, a doorknob appeared on the door. Wow. Feeling curious, I peeked from behind, and he grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. Beyond it, the palace was visible.
“Oh my, you’re here? You came earlier than I thought.”
The fox, who had been moving busily on the other side, smiled brightly and welcomed us. I reflexively smiled, then instantly had a different thought and opened my eyes wide. And I raised my hand and lightly hit Bihyeon’s arm. Being amazed is one thing, but…!
“What if there had been CCTV there! If there had been other people around…”
“Ah, ow.”
Bihyeon, who wasn’t even in pain but was pretending to be hurt with a calm smile, carefully held my hand.
“I confirmed there was nothing. That place is near the boundary, so ordinary humans don’t really come there either.”
Come to think of it, I did notice there was severely no sign of people. Sigh…
“If it’s like that, please tell me in advance…”
“I’m sorry.”
Actually, thinking about it, there was no way Bihyeon would do such a thing thoughtlessly. Rather, he’d be paying more attention than me. Goodness… Having memories from before seems to make me overreact.
“I’m sorry. I was worried…”
“I know. I know.”
Bihyeon smiled kindly and stroked my head. Then, holding the Haechis who were wagging their tails and bouncing around, he headed to the pavilion.
“There’s a little time left until mealtime… should we eat that?”
What’s going on? Perhaps because the amount I eat has decreased a lot, he didn’t let me eat anything before meals. I nodded and tore open the wrapping right there. Perhaps smelling the sweet scent, the tiger and fox approached the pavilion.
“It smells delicious. Did you bake cookies after a long time?”
“Looks like you baked cookies and brought them.”
“Pardon? No, this is…”
I didn’t make this. The tiger looked at me while wagging his tail as if to say hurry and give it.
“I bought this from another store. Would you like some?”
“Really? That’s strange…”
The tiger, who came close and sniffed, looked at me as if finally noticing.
“You’re right. Smelling it up close, it’s subtly different. I won’t eat it.”
The tiger, whose tail had been swaying slowly, turned around and entered the dining room. The fox also peeked around, then said in that case he was fine too and disappeared with quick steps.
“Ah, right. That person said to give this to Bihyeon-nim.”
I handed the mini yakgwa to Bihyeon. Receiving it, he put one in my mouth and one in his own mouth, then gave all the rest to the Haechis. He was smiling faintly, but his eyes seemed to be thinking other thoughts.
Goodness… I came to possess the Cintamani that was supposedly in his heart, but I have no idea what the original owner Bihyeon is thinking. Yet he knows me so well. While chewing the yakgwa, I took out a cookie, broke it in half, then put half in my mouth and passed the other half to Bihyeon. Crunch. While slowly chewing the cookie that crumbled in my mouth, I trembled my hand slightly as it seemed like a familiar taste.
“…I should go again next time.”
“Yeah. Let’s go together again next time.”
Again together. Those words made me feel good for no reason, so I smiled. I can’t be certain yet, but I think I’ve found it. My mom’s lost café.
‘But, who is that person?’
Someone who produces the taste of mom’s cookies but isn’t human. I looked at Byeol, who couldn’t answer right now, then held him tightly in my arms and closed my eyes. Really, it was a taste that warmed the heart. It would be nice if I could keep making such cookies from now on too. Cookies that make someone happy and warm their heart… Ah, come to think of it, even if I want to make them, I can’t for a while. Perhaps reading my face that had instantly become dejected, Bihyeon tilted his face and looked at me. His kind eyes seemed to be asking what was wrong.
“Mm… they said the oven at the café broke down. So I’m disappointed because it seems I can’t make cookies for a while.”
“Are you very disappointed?”
The voice asking me with a smile was truly gentle. Though it was like treating a young child.
“Yes. I was thinking about trying to make them again soon.”
“Then why don’t you ask me.”
“Pardon? Ask what…?”
For a moment, not understanding the context, I looked at Bihyeon. Those eyes were shining mischievously, making me uneasy.
“Uh…? By any chance, Bihyeon-nim, do you know how to fix ovens?”
“Even I don’t have that kind of skill.”
Right. Seeing how he said last time he couldn’t fix a USB, it seemed machinery wasn’t in the realm of gods. Surely he doesn’t mean he’ll buy a new oven. This deity seems like he’d say something like that. Bihyeon, who had been staring at me, smiled and held my hand, making me stand up.
“Should we take a walk? We need to digest what we ate.”
“Yes.”
Bihyeon’s eyes, which had started walking slowly to match my steps, were directed at me. It’s awkward to say it now that I missed the timing, but should I say it anyway? To tell him not to buy an oven because of me.
* * *
I should have said it. I should have just said it then! I regretted just passing over it, thinking what I was thinking might be a misunderstanding. It was this morning when I was putting star candy in a glass bottle in my room. It was strange that, unlike him, he left me alone. Soon after, his action of going out to the yard and seeming to give orders to the tiger was also suspicious. But I really didn’t know it would be this kind of order. And now, inside the café. At the sight of the tiger, who hadn’t been seen since morning, humanized and installing an oven in the café, I finally pressed my forehead.
“Bihyeon-nim…”
“I also want to eat your cookies.”
As if noticing like a ghost what I was about to say, he smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
“From next time, please tell me in advance.”
“Mm… I’ll have an iced Americano, please.”
Changing the subject. I’m sure he’ll do this next time too, so I moved my lips, then sigh, let out a breath and headed to the counter. Still, I felt good thinking that with the oven, I could make cookies right away.
“Yeonho-nim.”
“Yeah.”
When I spoke to him, the tiger, whose tail had popped out, approached me while swaying his tail.
“I’m sorry, because of me you had to go to the human world…”
He shook his head at my words as if absolutely not.
“I didn’t get it from a human. So it’s okay.”
Then that’s a relief. No. It’s not a relief. No matter how I think about it, this seems excessive, so I smoothly looked at Bihyeon again. Bihyeon, who shrugged with eyes that knew nothing, smiled with his eyes. Phew. I went into the counter and tied an apron around my waist.
“Bihyeon-nim, thank you for the oven.”
“Yeah.”
I smiled while holding back my gaze that naturally went to the oven as I spoke. Then Bihyeon also grinned as if pleased. The boss, who had been waiting beside us for our conversation to end, seemed to be in a good mood as he grinned broadly and bowed to Bihyeon.
“Bihyeon-nim, thank you. There were actually many people waiting for Sola’s cookies.”
“Just don’t push him too hard.”
“Oh my, of course. I can’t see Sola collapsed and lying down again.”
I naturally took out the card Bihyeon gave me to process the payment when our eyes met. Bihyeon, who had been looking at the boss expressionlessly, looked at me. Even smiling with his eyes so kindly that it would melt the heart of the viewer.
