Two choices stood locked in a stalemate inside my head.
A woman of reality—someone whose flaws could be solved with money.
Or the road of romance—uncertain, but leading toward a completely new encounter.
I glanced at Kim Minji, who was sipping her caramel macchiato across from me.
Unaware of my turmoil, she burst into laughter at the silly joke I'd just made.
Her smiling face was undeniably beautiful.
And yet, behind that smile, I could see it—
the deep-seated complex she carried.
At the same time, I saw myself just as clearly.
My ugly, materialistic instinct telling me I could "fix" that flaw with money.
This isn't right.
I reached my conclusion inwardly.
This could never become love.
Even if I spent money to make her skin flawless, the relationship would never begin on equal footing.
I would play the savior, indulging in a sense of superiority.
She might end up living with a lifelong sense of debt toward me.
That kind of relationship was unhealthy.
If my past marriage had cracked because of money,
this one would be warped by money from the very start.
I didn't want to repeat that kind of unhappiness—even in my second life.
"Um… Cheolmin-ssi?"
Perhaps my silence had gone on too long. She tilted her head and called out to me.
"What are you thinking so hard about?"
"Oh—nothing. Just got lost in thought for a moment."
I forced a smile and shook my head.
Once I made my decision, my heart felt lighter.
It was time to end this awkward meeting.
I pretended to check my watch and said,
"Wow, it's already this late. I have something to take care of at home this evening, so I should probably get going."
The most classic excuse.
And the most reliable one.
I didn't miss the flicker of disappointment that crossed her face.
She clearly liked me.
I felt a bit sorry—but it couldn't be helped.
Giving false hope would be crueler than drawing a clean line now.
"Oh… already? I see. Okay."
She forced a bright smile and began getting ready to leave.
We stepped out of the café and back into the sticky, humid streets of Sinchon.
In awkward silence, we walked side by side toward the subway station.
"It was nice meeting you today, Minji-ssi."
At the entrance, I extended my hand first.
"Yes, me too. Get home safely."
She took my hand as she replied.
And just like that, we parted ways.
I stood there until she disappeared completely past the ticket gates.
That was the last courtesy I could offer her.
On the bus ride home, I immediately sent Kim Dongcheol a message.
Sorry. She's a good person, but I don't think we're a good match. Thanks for looking out for me all this time. You really don't have to set me up anymore.
I didn't add anything else.
With that, every blind date in my life came to an end.
From now on, I would find my connections—my fate—my own way.
Less than ten minutes later, my slide phone started vibrating violently.
Caller ID: Kim Dongcheol.
Texting clearly hadn't been enough.
I sighed and answered.
"Hey, Park Cheolmin! Are you serious right now?!"
The moment I picked up, Dongcheol's heated voice exploded through the speaker.
"What now."
"What now?! I told you she was my last card! Do you know how rare someone like Minji-ssi is?! Tall, pretty, good personality! She's way out of your league, you idiot!"
"Exactly. That's why it won't work."
My blunt response left him momentarily speechless.
"…Ha. Seriously. What didn't you like this time? Be honest. Did you act like an old man again and get dumped?"
"No. I dumped her."
"…What?"
"It just didn't feel right. I'm tired of forcing things. Like you said, I'll find my own fate. Thanks for everything, my friend."
I deliberately kept my tone light.
Maybe he heard the resolve in my voice—his tone softened.
"…You mean it?"
"Yeah. I do."
"Man… I'm aging early because of you. Find it yourself? Please. You'll just rot at home reading financial papers."
He knew me too well.
"That's why—about what you said before."
"What did I say?"
"About joining some kind of club."
"Club? You? You hate that stuff. Since when do you like mixing with people?"
"People can change. You know anything good?"
"Well… the women at my office keep talking about swing dance. Guys and girls holding hands, sweating it out, making eye contact—you know how it goes."
Swing dance.
Hearing it again, it sounded… appealing.
"Got it. I'll think about it. Anyway, thanks. Really."
"Idiot. That's what friends are for. You owe me a drink later."
After hanging up, I stared out the bus window.
My mind felt lighter.
That conversation had driven the final nail into my resolve.
As soon as I got home, I sat at my desk and turned on the computer.
After enduring the agonizing boot-up time, I opened Internet Explorer.
Back in 2007, the internet world was ruled by Naver and Daum.
I instinctively typed into Daum's search bar.
Swing dance club
Countless cafés and communities appeared.
I clicked the one with the most members and frequent updates.
Enjoy Swing
On the main page was a warm slogan:
"Where dance meets people — Korea's No.1 Swing Dance Club."
As if possessed, I clicked my way inside.
The Enjoy Swing café was overflowing with life.
Unlike the polished SNS platforms of 2025, it had that clunky, chaotic, human warmth unique to 2007.
Cute icons. Flashy banners. Friendly, casual admin posts.
I clicked Photo Gallery first.
Dozens of posts flooded the screen.
August Regular Party Review! (Music 최고! Vibes 최고!)
Sillim Flash Meetup Photos! (Is everyone alive?)
Our Class MT Photo Dump! (1 night 2 days of booze, dance, and tears)
I clicked the most recent party post.
The loading took forever.
2007 internet speed was torture.
Finally, the photos appeared.
Everyone was drenched in sweat, smiling like they were the happiest people alive.
Women in vintage dresses straight out of 1930s America.
Men in suspenders and fedoras.
Hands clasped, bodies in motion.
Women flying gracefully into the air.
Men catching them with solid confidence.
I could almost hear the jazz music through the screen.
Their joy and passion spilled out of the monitor and hit me directly.
I scrolled slowly, entranced.
This world was nothing like the silent library I'd been hiding in all week.
There were no worries about money or success here.
Just music. Dance. People.
Would someone like me even belong there?
A forty-nine-year-old soul stepping into a furnace of youth.
Would I just feel awkward… get hurt… and retreat?
I moved to the Beginner Lessons board.
A new recruitment post sat right at the top.
★ Enjoy Swing 26th Class Recruitment! No dance experience needed! Escape body-stiffness, escape single life! Apply now! ★
Location: a studio in Hongdae.
Time: Saturday evenings.
I stared at the post for a long time.
This wasn't just a dance class.
It could decide the direction of my second life.
No one knew what waited at the end of this road.
It might be a happiness completely absent from my memories.
Or a regret so deep it destroyed everything.
I moved the cursor over Apply for Lessons.
But I couldn't click.
My fingers trembled against my will.
In the end, I closed the browser without clicking.
"Hah… seriously."
A hollow laugh escaped me.
A forty-nine-year-old soul, paralyzed over joining a dance club.
Pathetic.
I leaned back in my chair.
Are you scared, Park Cheolmin?
Yes. I was.
New relationships. New environments.
Everything scared me.
For eighteen years, I had only walked the safe path.
Home. Work. Repeat.
It was suffocating—but comfortable.
Was I about to return to my old self again?
That was when another memory surfaced.
Spring, 2019.
Cherry blossoms falling everywhere.
My wife, watching TV, suddenly said,
"Honey, should we try learning something like that?"
On the screen, middle-aged couples were learning ballroom dancing together.
I lay on the sofa, glued to my phone.
"Nah. I'm tired. Why bother?"
"It looks fun. Let's not stay home every weekend. Let's do something together."
"Later. When I have time."
That later never came.
We never danced together even once.
I always used exhaustion as an excuse.
That fleeting disappointment on her face—
Why did I remember it so clearly now?
"…Hoo."
I stood up abruptly.
Then sat back down in front of the computer.
No more hesitation.
I reopened Enjoy Swing and went straight to Beginner Lessons.
And without pause—
I clicked Apply.
The screen changed to a simple form.
Name. Contact. Short introduction.
I placed my hands on the keyboard and typed carefully.
Name: Park Cheolmin
Nickname:Sseok-Hofeel
2007 was the year Prison Break took Korea by storm.
"Seok-Hofeel," the Korean pronunciation of Scofield, was wildly popular.
I twisted it into Sseok-Hofeel, adding a hint of self-mockery.
A joke only I would understand.
Introduction:
Hello. I used to be an ordinary office worker, but I'm taking a short break now. I wanted to try something new, so I gathered my courage and applied. Nice to meet you.
I clicked Submit.
Application completed.
My heart started pounding wildly.
I checked the calendar.
The first lesson was next Saturday.
One week left.
I looked at my reflection in the dark monitor.
A thirty-one-year-old's face.
With the awkward smile of a forty-nine-year-old man layered on top.
And just like that—
I took my first step toward a brand-new stage in my second life.