Naima looked at Hyunbin, a shy smile tugging at her lips.
"Okay then… I'll treat you to coffee later," she murmured softly, trying to sound casual — but her heart was already pounding like a drumline.
Hyunbin leaned in slightly, that calm, teasing smile still on his face. Without a word, he handed her his phone.
"Give me your number," he said in that confident, second-lead-but-still-mysterious tone that only existed in K-dramas.
Naima froze, staring at the phone like it was a ticking bomb.
"Oh… I… don't remember… it's a new Korean number," she stammered, cheeks flushing red.
In her head: Naima, this is insane! You literally just woke up and now you're giving your number to a hot oppa?! Calm down, don't look like a total dork!
Hyunbin raised an eyebrow but kept that faint smile.
"Let me save my number in yours," he said casually, already reaching for her phone like it was the most natural thing in the world.
At the other table, Jaeho and his friends were watching with barely hidden curiosity.
"Omo," whispered Sooah, eyes widening. "She's wearing a ring… maybe she has a boyfriend?"
Minji leaned forward, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Seriously? That ring looks like an engagement ring, doesn't it?"
Sungho arched a brow.
"If she's got a boyfriend, why is she eating alone? Weird…"
Still standing near Naima, Hyunbin glanced at his phone, then looked at her again.
"Oh right… your name?"
"Naima," she answered softly.
Before she could say more, Hyunbin repeated slowly, playfully mispronouncing it,
"Na Lee Ma? Are you Korean?"
"No, it's one word. Naima," she corrected quickly, trying to sound firm but still awkward.
"Ah… no family name?" he asked, curious.
"Treublut," she replied, her breath still slightly shaky.
"Is it French or German?" Hyunbin asked, his gaze suddenly serious.
Naima swallowed hard. I don't even know where that came from!
What came out of her mouth instead was,
"Indonesian."
"Ohhh… Bali?" Sooah chimed in, surprised but warm. "Bali—wow! So, are you a tourist or living here for a while?"
Jaeho smirked. "A pretty tourist from Bali, huh? Careful, Hyunbin, don't fall too fast."
Minji laughed. "She probably just arrived today — that's why she looks totally clueless, haha."
---
When Naima stepped out of the café, the bell above the door chimed softly. Hyunbin's eyes followed her until she disappeared around the corner.
Sungho squinted. "Hmm… Treublut… why does that name sound familiar?"
Sooah sipped her drink. "Maybe it's a skincare brand?"
"No," Sungho shook his head. "Not a product name. More like… a person. Someone important."
Jaeho clapped his hands once. "Alright, enough gossiping about strangers. Anyway, you guys coming to the seminar next week? Big lineup — speakers from Europe, Australia, the US, Japan, Singapore, all in one!"
Sungho suddenly gasped. "Wait—!" He fumbled for his phone. "Look at this! One of the speakers is J. Treublut! He's a professor from Germany, living in Switzerland."
Minji leaned in. "No way. Then what's his connection to that girl?"
Sungho smirked. "Rumor says… his wife's Indonesian."
Sooah's hand flew to her mouth. "So that girl could be… his daughter?"
"Possibly," Jaeho murmured. "But then, why did she say she's Indonesian?"
Sungho shrugged. "Some people have dual citizenship. Or maybe she took her mom's nationality."
Sooah chewed on her straw, eyes distant. "But she said she just arrived in Korea… If she's really the daughter of a famous professor, why would she eat alone in a tiny café like that?"
Silence hung for a moment.
Hyunbin emerged from the kitchen, drying his hands with a towel. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Nothing," Jaeho teased. "Just saying… maybe your new customer isn't just any girl."
Hyunbin smiled faintly. "Maybe. But I have a feeling… she'll come back."
---
Yeouido Hangang Park
Naima sat on a wooden bench, nibbling on a fish cake she'd just bought.
"Why does everyone here look like a skincare commercial? One guy's glowing, another's smile looks filtered," she muttered to herself.
Just as she was about to take another bite, a small white dog darted out of the bushes.
"Oh my gosh, you're adorable!" Naima laughed. "But nope, you're not getting my fish cake—ah! Don't jump on me!"
Before she could move away, a man's voice called out behind her, slightly breathless,
"Snowy! Geogi isseossguna!"
Naima turned around to see a man in his thirties approaching, a little out of breath.
"Mianhaeyo," he said in Korean. "She just runs to people she feels comfortable with."
Naima hurriedly opened her translation app.
"It's okay. She's cute," she said with a shy smile.
He crouched down, patting the dog's head.
"Her name's Snowy," he said gently. "She usually doesn't go near strangers."
Then he looked up at Naima. "But it seems she likes you."
Naima grinned. "Well, I like her too. But she almost ate my expensive fish cake."
The man chuckled softly and stood up. "I'm Park Jiwoo. Veterinarian. And you?"
"Naima."
"Na Lee Ma?" he repeated with a playful tone. "You Korean?"
"Not Na Lee Ma—just Naima. One word. Not Korean."
"Oh, foreigner?"
Naima nodded. "You too, Doctor...?"
"Just Jiwoo," he said lightly. "Doctor sounds too formal."
He glanced at Snowy, now sitting obediently by Naima's feet. "There's a dog park not far from here. I sometimes volunteer there. You can come if you want."
Naima tilted her head. "Sure, as long as Snowy doesn't get jealous."
Jiwoo chuckled. "She'd be thrilled to have a new friend."
Naima crouched and petted Snowy. "New friend, huh, Snowy?"
Snowy barked softly, as if replying. Jiwoo laughed.
"See? She already said yes."
Naima looked up at him, smiling. "Okay then, Doctor-not-Doctor."
"Deal," Jiwoo said, tapping her shoulder lightly. "Let's go—before Snowy drags you there herself."
Snowy tugged at Naima's shoelace again.
Naima sighed, laughing. "Okay, okay, I'm coming! But you're buying me ice cream later."
Jiwoo grinned. "Fair enough."
They walked side by side, Snowy trotting happily between them — as if the K-drama world itself had come to life for Naima today.
Naima could barely hide her grin. The first handsome guy who's not even in the K-drama I watched! But the vibe… still totally K-drama. Handsome, kind, smart—ugh, a complete main-lead template.
Jiwoo looked at her with an easy smile. "New in Korea?" he asked in smooth, accented English.
Naima nodded quickly. "Yeah. Just a few days."
"Then you must get lost sometimes," he chuckled. "I'm free today. Would you let me be your guide?"