"So… what did you order for us?" Seung-hoo asked, glancing at the counter and then back at Ye Yeon, clearly bracing himself for whatever answer she was about to give.
Ye Yeon straightened in her seat like she had just been asked something extremely important.
"Pandoro and, uhh… Tiramisu," she said proudly, lifting her chin a little. "But order anything you like. Pandoro and Tiramisu are my orders."
Seung-hoo blinked. "…That's a lot of dessert."
She shrugged. "Dessert is important."
He let out a small laugh and reached into his jacket, pulling out his wallet. "Oh… okay then. Here." He stood halfway from his chair, already preparing to walk to the counter. "I'll just pay for everything now."
"No, no, no—wait!" Ye Yeon said quickly, waving her hands in front of him. "You don't have to do that."
He froze mid-motion and looked at her. "Why?"
"It's on me," she said casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Seung-hoo stared at her for a moment. "…On you?"
"Yeah." She nodded. "You're the one who ran all over the city to get here. That alone deserves coffee and cake."
He hesitated, fingers still gripping his wallet. "But I can pay. It's not a big deal."
"It is a big deal," she said, leaning forward slightly. "Im the one that invited you. Let me do it."
Seung-hoo opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again. His shoulders slowly relaxed. "…You're stubborn."
She smiled. "Only when I need to be."
For a second, neither of them spoke. The café noise filled the silence—cups clinking, someone laughing near the counter, the low hum of music from hidden speakers.
Seung-hoo glanced around uneasily. "People are still staring."
Ye Yeon looked around too and frowned. "They are."
"They think I'm about to fight a dungeon boss in here or something," he muttered.
She snorted. "If that happens, I'm hiding under the table."
He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I didn't mean to cause a scene. I tried to come quietly."
"You jumped across buildings," she said flatly.
"…Yeah."
"That's not quiet."
He rubbed his face. "I forgot what normal looks like."
Ye Yeon softened a little when she heard that. "You don't have to be a Hunter in here, you know. You're just Seung-hoo."
He looked at her, surprised.
"Just… Seung-hoo," she repeated. "The guy who's bad at being on time and drinks coffee too fast."
A small smile tugged at his lips. "You really don't hold back, do you?"
"Nope."
The server approached their table with two plates and a tray. One held soft slices of Pandoro dusted with powdered sugar, and the other a neat square of Tiramisu. Two cups of coffee followed, steam curling into the air between them.
Ye Yeon clapped her hands lightly. "See? Perfect timing."
The server placed everything down and walked away, still sneaking glances at Seung-hoo.
Seung-hoo stared at the desserts. "…This looks expensive."
"It was," she replied. "So eat."
He picked up his fork slowly. "You really don't want me to pay you back?"
She shook her head. "Just sit. You look like you're about to apologize for existing."
"…I kind of am."
Ye Yeon tilted her head, watching him closely. "You've changed."
He paused. "In a good way or a bad way?"
"I don't know yet," she said honestly. "You look tired. And… heavier. Like you're carrying something you don't want to talk about."
Seung-hoo looked down at his coffee, watching the surface ripple slightly as he set the cup down. "Maybe I am."
"Hehe… I guess you don't want to talk about it, huh?" Ye Yeon chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood.
Seung-hoo didn't answer right away. Instead, he lifted his cup and took another sip of coffee. The bitterness lingered on his tongue, grounding him. Ye Yeon followed suit, wrapping both hands around her cup like it was something warm and precious.
For a while, they just… talked.
Not about Hunters. Not about rankings. Not about Rifts.
They talked about small things.
"The coffee here is really good," Ye Yeon said, taking another sip and smiling. "It's not too sweet, and not too bitter either. Perfect balance."
Seung-hoo nodded. "You sound like a food critic."
"Hey, I take desserts seriously."
He laughed quietly. "I noticed."
Time slipped by without them realizing. Outside the café window, the sky slowly shifted into shades of orange and violet. People came and went, some still whispering when they recognized Seung-hoo, but eventually the noise faded into the background.
By the time Seung-hoo glanced at his phone, it read 5:37 PM.
"…We've been sitting here a long time," he said.
Ye Yeon blinked. "Already?"
They both stood up slowly, stretching a little as if waking from a nap. For a moment, Ye Yeon hesitated, fingers nervously gripping the strap of her bag.
"S-Seung-hoo…" she said softly.
He looked at her. "Yeah?"
"Can you… come to my house?"
The words came out shy and rushed, like she was afraid they might disappear if she didn't say them fast enough.
Seung-hoo froze. "…Your house?"
"Y-Yeah."
He tilted his head, clearly confused, still processing what she had just said. "O-okay…?" he answered uncertainly. "But… what for?"
She avoided his eyes, fidgeting with her sleeves. "Y-You'll k-know once you g-get there…"
Her stuttering made his heart beat a little faster. Whatever this was, it was important to her.
"…Alright," he said finally. "I'll go."
Her face immediately brightened. "R-Really?"
"Yeah. Lead the way."
They walked out of the café together, the small bell above the door clanking as it closed behind them. The evening air felt cooler now, brushing against their faces as the city lights began to flicker on.
The walk wasn't long. They didn't talk much, but the silence wasn't awkward—it felt thoughtful, heavy with things neither of them knew how to say.
Soon, they stopped in front of a two-story house tucked between other buildings. It looked simple but sturdy, with warm lights glowing through the windows.
Seung-hoo looked up. "Wow… it's tall."
Ye Yeon smiled faintly. "Thanks."
"Do you live with your family?" he asked. "It's a pretty big place."
Her smile faltered just a little.
"My parents… died because of a Rift."
Seung-hoo stiffened. "O-oh… I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "Don't be. They were Hunters."
There was pride in her voice, but also something fragile beneath it.
"So… they didn't die in vain," Seung-hoo said quietly.
Ye Yeon nodded. "That's what I tell myself."
They stood there for a moment, the front gate between them and the house feeling heavier than it should.
"Let's go inside now," Ye Yeon said, forcing a small smile.
Seung-hoo nodded and followed her in.
The door creaked softly as it opened. Inside, the house felt strangely quiet—too quiet for such a large space. The first thing Seung-hoo noticed was the shelves lining the walls.
Trophies.
Medals.
Framed photos of Hunters in combat gear.
Some were old and faded. Others shined like they had been polished every day.
Seung-hoo slowly looked around, eyes widening. "These are… your parents'?"
Ye Yeon nodded. "Yeah. I didn't want to move them. It feels like they're still here when I see them."
The air inside the house felt different—thick with memory and pride and something unsaid. Seung-hoo stepped further in, careful with every movement, as if he might disturb something sacred.