Seol Hee tilted her head at In Kyung’s words.

“What is?”
“That is…..”
Just as In Kyung was about to say something with a suppressed laugh, a thunderous voice echoed from the kitchen.

“Seol Hee, please contact your father. I’m done. Tell him to come over quickly.”
“Yes.”
Their conversation ended awkwardly as In Kyung couldn’t finish what she was about to say.

((()))((()))((()))

“Today’s weather is nice.”
The manager sitting at the reception desk propped up his chin, muttering as he gazed at the clouds floating far away.

“That’s true.”
“There are usually a lot of patients on such days. But today, even though the weather is good, it’s too good so there are few people.”
“Is it because everyone went out to play?”
“Probably.”
It was a sunny day. The sunlight was so strong it hurt the eyes. There were no booked clients today either.

“I want to go out and play on a day like this. Anyway, there won’t be many people in the afternoon.”
“I see.”
The manager pouted at the conversation between Chae Rin and Seol Hee.

“No, I don’t want to go out on such a day. Alone among the couples.”
The manager, who had just reached his 30s, added a sad note, saying he had no boyfriend for three years.

“You could go with friends.”
“My friends all have boyfriends. If I ask them to come out on such a day, I’ll be rejected straight away.”
She hated to be rejected.

Chae Rin laughed at the manager’s muttering.

“Then, do you want to go with me on the weekend?”
“With Chae Rin? Doesn’t Chae Rin have a boyfriend?”
“No, I don’t.”
The manager tilted his head at Chae Rin’s answer.

“I thought there was something…”
The manager who was remembering something clapped her hands.

“Oh, no, you know, the man Dr. Ok introduced you to. Don’t you meet him? You said you did.”
“Jin Ho?”
That reminded her that Jin Ho had liked Chae Rin and asked Eun Woo to introduce them.

“Right. A veterinarian from Wonderland, right?”
“Yes.”
Veterinarian Lee Jin Ho from Wonderland Zoo. Seol Hee, in fact, had seen him at Wonderland earlier than other people at the hospital. She thought he was a nice person and wished things would go well with Chae Rin.

“How is it going? Did you meet?”
Seol Hee was curious, but she didn’t ask because she thought it was not good to pry into personal life. Fortunately, the manager brought up the topic. Unlike Seol Hee’s worries, Chae Rin spoke coolly.

“We’ve been out to eat twice so far.”
“Oh.”
“He was kind.”
Chae Rin talked about her meeting with him.

((()))((()))((()))

“Hello, I’m Lee Jin Ho.”
“Yes, I’m Lee Chae Rin.”
She met him after work on a windy evening. The man she met at the appointed place was noticeably robust, easy to spot even from a distance.

Although she knew his name, they introduced themselves, and headed to eat.

“I have a reservation somewhere. Let’s go.”
“Ah, yes.”
The place Jin Ho took Chae Rin was a restaurant near the animal hospital. She knew its name because the manager had mentioned she’d been there, but she hadn’t gone because it was a bit intimidating for someone in their early twenties.

“Do you like French cuisine?”
“Ah, yes…”
In truth, she had never tasted it. However, she hesitated to say that she hadn’t, in case it made Jin Ho feel uncomfortable. Silence ensued, and then Jin Ho asked with a smile.

“Do you go on blind dates often?”
“No, not often.”
“Me neither.”
This was her first blind date, so she was nervous. In fact, Chae Rin had only recently broken up with her boyfriend whom she had been dating since high school.

She had no intention of dating anyone else, but it was hard to refuse when Eun Woo, of all people, asked if she’d like to meet someone.

It was okay. It wasn’t bad. On the way out after eating, when her skirt fluttered in the wind, Jin Ho asked.

“Are you cold?”
“No, I’m okay.”
“It’s a bit chilly. Would you like to wear this?”
Without hesitation, Jin Ho took off his jacket and handed it to Chae Rin. The oversized jacket draped over her shoulders.

This natural consideration continued even when they went to the café. He got Chae Rin’s drink first, and also handed her the fork first.

When they walked on the road, he walked on the side closer to the traffic. He was like a gentleman, as seen on TV.

((()))((()))((()))

“He’s a good guy!”
The manager nodded at Chae Rin’s story.

“He made a reservation at the restaurant, he’s considerate, and he’s not bad looking either.”

Upon hearing the manager’s words, Chae Rin tilted her head.

“Hmm… yes, he seems like a good person.”
There was something hesitant in Chae Rin’s words. Things didn’t seem to be going well.

“You don’t like that kind of style?”
“No, it’s not that I dislike it.”
Chae Rin chose her words. Although she was still in her early twenties, she had a mature aspect, perhaps because she started working right after graduating from high school. Perhaps she didn’t want to say anything bad since it was a place introduced by Teacher Ok.

“Well, how should I put it, he’s a kind of person I’ve never met before. He’s quite different from the people I’ve met.”
“I see.”