My Ex-Girlfriend Regrets Dumping Me

26 – Opportunity (3)

“Ha-yeon, I’ll go to the bathroom for a bit.”

Inside a quiet store.

Hyun Joon spoke to Ha-yeon and went out the door.

The PC room was located inside a large complex center, so the restroom used was a public building restroom.

As the building was big, it took some time to come and go.

“Yes.”

There hadn’t been any orders for a while, and Ha-yeon casually sent Hyun-joon away.

But shortly after he had left, an alert rang.

Ding-dong! An order has been placed at seat 131.

Ha-yeon checked the alert and looked at the seat number on the monitor.

It was seat number 131. The seat with that number was right in front of the counter.

When Ha-yeon glanced up to check, she saw Geon-yul sitting in that very seat.

“…Ah. Of all times, why now?”

Just now, Hyun-joon had gone to the restroom.

When an order came in, he had to serve the food himself.

Then, even if she didn’t want to, she would have no choice but to face Geon-yul.

“For now, let’s get prepared. Since Hyun-joon may return at any moment.”

Anyway, since they received an order, they had to start preparing.

However, since preparing food took time, Hyun-joon could return within that time.

She surveyed the food that had come in while making such hopeful predictions.

It was just two cups of ramen and drinks.

They were dishes that take less than 5 minutes to make.

For the time being, Ha-yeon cooked the menu as slowly as possible.

But it was such a simple menu selection that it was completed quickly no matter how slowly you cook it.

“Why isn’t he coming? What’s going on?”

Preparation for food had already ended.

But Hyun-joon showed no sign of returning.

Ha-yeon rolled her feet anxiously, unable to settle.

The ramen was gradually soaking up the broth and expanding.

If she were any later, customers might have filed complaints.

Honestly, she didn’t know if this dimwit girl would understand.

Ha-yeon had no idea about her personality.

“But that would make things even worse.”

If she served them now, she could honestly avoid getting involved with them.

After all, she didn’t pay much attention to the faces of part-time workers.

Especially in an internet cafe, where she focused on the game screen and not on people’s faces.

But if there were a complaint, she would inevitably have to apologize as well.

And she had no choice but to face them.

Anyway, she was in a position working at the store.

“Yeah. Let’s not cause trouble for the store because of my personal issues.”

Nevertheless, Ha-yeon wasn’t by nature a wicked woman.

In the end, after struggling with herself, she decided to serve and loaded the food onto the cart.

Instead, she tightly wore the large mask that was provided for hygiene purposes, covering down to under her eyes.

Checking her reflection in the mirror, she wondered if it meant she wouldn’t get caught if she did well.

“Please… don’t notice… please.”

While pushing the serving cart and moving, Ha-yeon continued to be cautious of Gun-yul’s gaze.

He was absorbed in both the game screen and the girl next to him.

Moreover, the two of them were wearing headsets, seemingly immersed in the game.

They didn’t seem to pay much attention to her.

“I brought your order.”

She said it in a hushed voice, trying her best to disguise herself.

They still remained focused on the screen.

Did neither of them hear?

Seeing the in-game character moving urgently, it seemed like a crucial timing.

“Haah… I brought your order!”

When Ha-yeon spoke with a considerably louder voice than before, the girl turned to look at her.

She was honestly scared, but luckily it turned out fine.

If Geonyul had turned around, there might have been something unexpected happening.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear you because I was focused.”

The bobbed-haired girl smiled bashfully and apologized politely to her.

That smile was truly charming.

But as Geonyul thought about how that smile had enchanted him, his mood soured.

Nevertheless, he didn’t show that emotion.

Maintaining a professional attitude, he spoke to the girl.

“Where should I put the ramen?”

“Oh, it’s over there.”

Both of them had a drink, but there was only one bowl of ramen.

And from what the girl said, it seemed like this was Geonyul’s order.

Setting down one drink in the place next to the bobbed-haired girl, he picked up the ramen.

And silently, secretly, Hayeon tensed up as she turned toward Geonyul’s side.

She hadn’t been looking at this side because she was focused on the game.

For a moment, she gazed fixedly at his face.

Geonyul, engrossed in something, looked quite cool.

Enough that she wanted to keep looking at him a little longer.

“Oppa.”

The girl called out to Geonyul from the side.

It seemed like she was trying to let him know that the food had arrived.

But he didn’t respond to the girl’s words.

“Not now. I have to finish quickly and leave.”

Facing Geonyul could lead to an awkward situation for no reason.

Soon, Hayeon regained her senses and noticed the empty space next to his mouse.

“I’ll put it there and leave.”

That way, she could leave without speaking to him, just by placing the ramen there.

As Hayeon leaned down to place the ramen on the empty spot next to him,

“Oppa, look over here. The food arrived!”

“Jiya, what did you say?”

The girl beside him exclaimed in frustration.

Geon-yul moved his arm in an attempt to take off his headset as if nothing had happened. He twitched his arm.

“……what?”

Ha-yeon was momentarily too surprised.

The ramen bowl, which was held on Geon-yul’s elbow in motion to take off the headset, was nudged, causing it to lose balance from her hand.

ㅡ aaah!

The ramen bowl bounced off and spilled on Ha-yeon’s thigh.

The sound of the ramen bowl tumbling on the floor echoed loudly.

The hot broth trickled down her body along the inside of the clothes.

“aaah!”

In the immediate intense heat, Ha-yeon screamed in terror.

Her hand trembled.

As her legs lost strength, she collapsed in her seat.

*

“aaah!”

I realized that I had done something wrong when I heard the screams of the slender woman.

Certainly, something was nudged when I tried to take off my headset.

And when I turned around, the ramen bowl was already rolling on the floor.

“Oh… Oppa? What do we do?”

Jia, who was frozen next to me, was staring at me.

And next to me was a girl sitting in hesitation with ramen broth splashed on her jeans.

Her legs were covered in ramen broth, and the ramen noodles were sticking to them.

I sat down in a hurry and apologized to the part-time woman.

“I-I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

“Aah… I…”

She was too shocked to speak properly.

Unknowingly, my hands were trembling.

The woman, too, seemed too shocked to respond.

She wasn’t visible very well because of the mask, but her wrinkled face indicated that she was suffering from pain.

It didn’t seem like this would end just like that.

I felt like I shouldn’t leave it alone.

“What should we do? Should I call 119?”

“Hurry and call. I’ll start looking up first aid for burns.”

With trembling hands, I searched for information on how to treat burns.

First, it seemed like we would need cold water.

I thought I should take the woman to the restroom.

There was no other place with water nearby.

“Ugh… Ahh…

The woman continued to moan in pain.

I clenched my lips and prepared myself.

The sooner we treated it, the better. There was no time to argue about whose fault it was.

At least, it happened because of my mistake.

I was terrified of the outcome, but I had to take responsibility.

“Can you walk? Or should I carry you?”

The woman sobbed, tears streaming down with her moans.

I looked at Jia, feeling helpless.

Soon, it seemed like Jia had finished the call with the ambulance.

“It’s not far, they’ll be here in about 10 minutes.”

“Really? Thanks, Jia. I’m sorry, but can you help this lady for a moment?”

“Uh… Sure… Okay, brother.”

Jia’s eyes were still shaking, but she followed my words.

I crouched down and successfully lifted the woman who had collapsed.

“And when 119 arrives, can you please tell them we’re in the restroom? If an employee comes, please explain. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

I felt a surge of guilt towards Jia.

This happened during our date, but there was no choice.

As Jia responded, I pushed the door open and hurriedly headed to the restroom.

I started splashing water urgently.

I urgently flung open the door to the men’s restroom.

Fortunately, there was no one inside.

Checking the sink, I was thankful to see a showerhead attached to it.

Perhaps because the building was newly built, it seemed to have been designed to be easy to clean.

“I’ll just put it down for a moment.”

There was even a chair inside the restroom.

I sat the woman behind me in the chair and followed her instructions from my phone.

I told her not to try to forcefully undress and to cool down with her clothes on.

I turned the showerhead to a moderately cold direction and told her, “It’s going to be a little cold. I’m sorry, but please bear with it.”

She nodded at my words.

It seemed like I was only now able to properly recognize her face.

I hadn’t been able to see her properly because I was still flustered.

Somehow, her gaze seemed a little familiar. Where could I have seen it before?

Anyway, that wasn’t important.

I turned on the shower.

“…Ugh.”

A stream of water poured out and soaked her clothes.

The ramen noodles and broth slowly washed away, and her jeans and the T-shirt she was wearing on top became wet.

I anxiously thought about when the paramedics would arrive.

How much time had passed like that?

The woman spoke to me first.

“Um… Yul… I think I’m okay now. You can stop.”

“Yes? But how do you know my name…”

Surprised, I watched as she gently removed her mask.

Under the traces of tears, a familiar face was revealed.

“… It’s cold because I keep getting splashed with water. Now.”

She looked at me awkwardly, as if to say it’s okay.

“Why, why are you…”

I could only be surprised naturally.

The woman I had brought was none other than Hayeon.