New Normal - Chapter 65

The silence lasted only a few seconds, but it felt way longer. Juwon sat there, lips pressed together, like he was lost in thought. Then, as if he’d made up his mind, he finally spoke.

“Oh… did I never tell you? Both my mom and dad passed away when I was eight. It was… a traffic accident. A truck hit them.”

His voice trailed off. The corner of his mouth twisted slightly, almost like he was trying to make light of it but failing. He cleared his throat, looking away, then rubbed the back of his neck with one large hand.

“They died instantly at the scene. It happened so suddenly… I barely even remember anything now.”

The answer was way heavier than Jisoo had expected. She’d asked out of casual curiosity, but somehow the conversation had ended up digging into a deeply personal wound. Her hands slipped under the table, unsure of what to do with them.

“You were so young…” she murmured.

But Juwon just nodded like it was nothing.

“It’s in the past. I don’t really think of it as some huge pain anymore.”

That was a lie—and a very incomplete one at that. His calm smile looked peaceful, but it carried a quiet emptiness, like there was a part of him that had never been filled.

Jisoo had the feeling he was hiding some kind of unshakable void. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to pry any further.

Sensing the heavy mood, Juwon gave a faint laugh. “This conversation’s getting a little too depressing. Anyway… don’t worry too much about my family or about Mrs. Kwon.”

He smiled lightly, but there was still a subtle wall there—like he was keeping her at a certain distance. Jisoo couldn’t quite shake the awkwardness. She understood, though. Maybe he didn’t want pity, maybe even hated the idea of “cheap comfort.”

This was the kind of thing only time could heal. She could wait until he decided to talk on his own.

But… you don’t trust me enough to lean on me like that, huh.

The thought stung a little, and her mood sank.

Noticing her change in expression, Juwon leaned forward and tapped the back of her hand.

“For the record, no matter what people around me say, I make my own decisions.”

His voice was warm, but he had completely misunderstood why she was upset. Still, she let it go.

He moved a little closer, lowering his voice. “And for the record, not once have I ever thought you were just some ordinary woman. You’re… special, Shin Jisoo.”

The unexpected sweetness made her grab her coffee cup just to have something to do with her hands. Her cheeks warmed, and the corners of her lips betrayed her with a shy smile.

Seeing her face change by the second, Juwon chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, giving him a side glance.

“Cute,” he said simply.

“Y-you’re too… blunt. You keep saying things like that, and it just—makes people embarrassed.”

He tilted his head, teasing. “Embarrassed? You went to the ER after sleeping with me, and you’re still shy about stuff like this?”

“Hey! Keep your voice down!”

Her eyes widened, darting around the café. Juwon just laughed, clearly enjoying himself.

When she sat up straighter, flustered, he laughed so hard he had to wipe his eyes. Then, as if to break the lingering awkwardness, he picked up his fork, cut a piece of toast, and held it to her.

“You’ve barely eaten. Come on, have some. Or do you want me to order something else?”

“…No, it’s fine. There’s already too much…” she muttered, still pouting from his earlier remark but letting him feed her anyway.

That’s when a familiar voice called out—

“Oh? Jisoo?”

She froze, turning her head.

It was Choi Seyeon.

Gone was her usual high-end look, today she was dressed casually, almost like a college student. She’d been about to sit with her friends but stopped mid-step and walked toward Jisoo.

Jisoo’s mind raced, panic rising. Seyeon glanced between her and Juwon, surprise flickering in her eyes.

Juwon looked at Seyeon once, expression unreadable, then turned back to Jisoo. He clearly had no intention of greeting her.

Seyeon’s gaze bounced between the two of them, curiosity written all over her face.

“Oh wow… what are the chances of running into you here?” she said with a sly smile.

Jisoo forced an awkward smile. “…Yeah, right.”

“Well, I’ll let you guys eat. I came for brunch with a friend. See you around, Jisoo.”

Seyeon gave her a knowing look before heading back to her table.

Jisoo stared at her retreating back, then looked at Juwon. He calmly sipped his coffee. “Shall we go?”

***

A few hours later, in a downtown café, Jisoo sat waiting. Her mind was a mess.

She’d half-expected Seyeon to contact her after that run-in with Juwon… but not this quickly.

The text had come just as she was stepping into the elevator at her apartment.

[Choi Seyeon: Hey, do you have time today? Won’t take long. Just wanted to talk.]

It had caught her completely off guard.

Back home, she’d had another realization—she had been wandering around earlier in an old, worn-out tracksuit she used as pajamas. How many people had seen her like that?

Now, here she was—makeup done, decent clothes on, and more nervous than she wanted to admit.

She already knew Seyeon and Juwon had once been set up on a formal blind date. In fact, Jisoo had met Juwon herself because she’d gone in Seyeon’s place that day.

After the brunch incident, Juwon had briefly mentioned the date. According to him, it had ended abruptly, with him being the one left hanging. He’d brushed it off, saying it didn’t matter.

So… what was this about?

Through the café window, she spotted Seyeon walking over in the same outfit as earlier. Their eyes met, and Seyeon smiled politely before coming inside.

“Sorry, I’m a little late,” she said brightly, setting her bag down. “I’ll just grab a coffee real quick.”

Jisoo nodded and watched her at the counter, wondering when they’d get to the point.

Seyeon returned with an Americano, her expression calmer than usual—no playful eye-smiles, no unnecessary small talk. She just sat there for a moment, hands wrapped around her cup, steam curling between them.

It didn’t take long for Jisoo to realize this wasn’t a casual meeting.

“I’ve been wanting to have coffee with you for a while,” Seyeon began. “Just never had the timing. I wanted to thank you too—for back when you were my mentor.”

“Oh… there’s no need for that,” Jisoo replied, taking a sip.

But Seyeon reached for a shopping bag and slid it across the table.

“This is just a little something. You worked hard teaching me.”

Inside was a sleek black box from a luxury brand.

“Oh—no, I can’t accept this,” Jisoo said quickly. “You really didn’t have to…”

“It’s just cosmetics. Please, take it.”

Even after a few refusals, Seyeon insisted until Jisoo reluctantly accepted it.

For a moment, neither spoke. Then Seyeon’s fingers traced the rim of her cup.

“…I was a little surprised earlier,” she said at last.