This was not the time for him to feel heartbroken seeing her sitting here with that guy.
He somehow forced himself to stay composed and walked toward the assigned table to serve the dishes.
"Your order, sir!"
He said, placing the dishes in front of them.
Ji-a looked at him in shock. She had never expected to see him in such a state.
In her eyes, Mi-noo and his family belonged to a well-off background—just like her own.
"Mi-noo!"
She asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"
As soon as Shi-hoon heard his name, he turned to look at him. A sly smile appeared on his lips.
He hadn't seen Mi-noo's face clearly in class because Ji-a had been standing right in front of him, but he had heard his name before. From their conversations, he had already guessed that Ji-a and Mi-noo were quite close—probably childhood friends.
Mi-noo placed the dishes and left without saying a word. His face was expressionless. He didn't even answer Ji-a's question.
Shi-hoon watched him with suspicion.
"So this is Mi-noo, your childhood friend? The one who recently moved to this city with his family?"
"Mi-noo..." he muttered, then suddenly smirked again.
"Is he the same one you used to talk about? The one you promised to marry when you both grew up?"
"Hmm… yeah, that's him."
Shi-hoon glanced at Mi-noo, who was heading toward the table in front of them.
"Mi-noo… this should be fun."
A dangerous smile spread across his face. Something was definitely brewing in his mind.
Mi-noo, who was heading toward another table to take an order, suddenly slowed down.
"So… do you still hold onto that promise?"
Shi-hoon's voice reached his ears.
That was enough to make his steps falter.
"That was just childish nonsense. We were both immature. I only enjoyed playing with him because I had no other friends.
That's why that promise thing even came up—just so I could keep playing with him. It meant nothing more than that. Don't get the wrong idea, honey."
Ji-a spoke carelessly, her tone completely indifferent.
Talking about something that meant so much to Mi-noo, and calling him "honey" in such a sweet tone—it hurt him deeply.
"I'll just go to the restroom."
Ji-a turned and walked away.
She didn't notice Mi-noo, as her back was facing him, and the restroom was ahead.
Mi-noo reached the table to take the order.
Click!!!
The moment he stopped near their table, Shi-hoon secretly took his picture and continued eating as if nothing happened.
After returning home, he took a shower and sat down for dinner.
"How was your first day?"
Mi-ha asked worriedly, looking at his blank expression.
"By God's grace, it went well."
That was all he said before getting up from the table.
"Mom! I'm really tired. I'm going to sleep."
Saying that, he went to his room.
Mi-ha watched him until his door closed.
.......
For the next few days, he tried to focus on his new job…
"Useless!!"
The manager barked.
"I've been watching you for a week now. Plates breaking, food spilling, delays in taking orders! If I had known you were this incompetent, I would've never hired you. I feel like throwing you out right now, but I'm stuck because of the contract."
"Half your salary will be deducted."
Just as the manager turned after lashing out, Mi-noo fell at his feet.
"Sir! Please don't do this. Don't cut my salary. I promise—no, I swear I won't make any mistakes again. I'm even willing to work overtime!"
Tears streamed down his face.
There were no customers around, and the entire scene was unfolding in the main hall. The staff watched him with pity.
"AAhhhh!!!"
The manager kicked him in the face, sending him crashing to the ground.
"Only half your salary is being cut—you should be grateful! Otherwise, after all the damage you've caused, I feel like I should—kk…!"
THAAP!!!
The slap echoed through the entire restaurant. The manager stumbled back a few steps.
He had left home without breakfast because Mi-ha was asleep, and he didn't want to wake her.
She later prepared breakfast and came to the restaurant. As soon as she entered the main hall, the crowd made her uneasy.
She heard shouting.
As she moved closer and finally saw the scene clearly, her heart sank.
Mi-noo was on the ground, begging the manager, who then kicked him in the face again.
Mi-ha couldn't take it anymore. She rushed through the crowd and slapped the manager hard.
The manager staggered, then raised his hand—
Mi-noo quickly stepped in front of his mother, taking the slap himself.
"Sir! Hit me as much as you want—but if you even raise a finger at my mother, I'll forget my limits."
His voice burned with fury.
Even after such a hard slap, he didn't move an inch.
At that moment, his face looked terrifying—like a starving beast ready to tear its prey apart.
Everyone present froze in fear, including Mi-ha.
"Get lost!!! I'm firing you!!!"
The manager shouted, trying to sound firm despite his shaken expression.
"You're firing me? I spit on this job!"
Mi-noo didn't stop. Holding his mother's hand, he walked away.
"And one more thing—deduct your losses from my salary. Keep whatever remains for yourself… consider it a charity from me and my mother."
Those were his last words before leaving the restaurant.
.....
The journey back home from the restaurant passed in complete silence.
Fear was clearly visible on Mi-noo's face, and Mi-ha's silence was eating away at him.
Mi-ha opened the door and stepped inside. Mi-noo followed right behind her.
The moment he closed the door and turned around—
Thapp!!
The slap landed hard across his face.
He had expected it.
The moment he saw his mother's silence, he had already understood—He knew he was in serious trouble.
"I told you not to take that job, but no—you didn't listen to me. I was in so much pain today… and you are the only one responsible for it."
Mi-ha said in an angry tone.
He stood there with his head lowered, guilt written all over his face.
Hic… hic…
A soft, broken sound of sobbing filled the silence.
Mi-noo looked up in panic toward Mi-ha. Seeing the tears in her eyes, he hurried forward, reaching out to wipe them away—but she pushed him aside.
Without another word, she turned and locked herself inside the room.
....