Sora's POV
"I'm really sorry about your phone," the young man with long dark ginger hair in a low ponytail said, slipping a sleek business card into my hand. "Call me once you decide if you want it repaired or if you will just buy a new one. I'll pay for it. But I need to go now. I'm in a hurry."
Well, so am I!
And just like that, he walked away.
No lingering glance. No asking if I got hurt or not. Did not even help me pick up the rest of my cards that were still scattered on the ground.
He's just… gone.
Meanwhile, I was frozen here, staring at his retreating back like an idiot and silently drooling over the view. Invisible drool, but drool nonetheless.
Just look at that perfect ass!
I didn't even get mad anymore. Mostly because, yes, he was cute. But also because he carried that quiet confidence mixed with just the right amount of coldness that made my brain short-circuit, and my jaw drop. Kinda rare these days.
But why do I feel something off from his aura?
My intuition and the energy I sensed from him tell me that we will surely meet again.
"Too bad, he's handsome but also Mr. Snob, hmp!"
I look at my hand, which was still holding the card that he gave me back.
"Judgment card… Hmm… Looks like he is going through a transformation, huh? Or maybe he is gaining some clarity on whatever situation he is in. Good for him… He will have an awakening soon. Much better if he wakes up from my bed, haha!" I chuckled at myself like a fool in the middle of the walkway.
I gave myself a light slap on both cheeks and quickly gathered my cards.
Wake up, girl. Stop joking around. You're late and cursed, remember? Save that man while he can still run.
After giving myself that pep talk, I put my cracked phone and tarot cards with a sigh back in my bag before heading straight to my pet shop.
The moment I pushed the door open—
"Happy birthday, Sora!!!"
Party poppers exploded. A plastic horn blared directly into my ear.
I flinched, then burst into a smile when I saw the culprits—Soojin, Nari, and their toddler daughter, Yoona, all beaming at me like I was a colorful rainbow after the rain.
Yoona wobbled toward me, holding a small wrapped gift. "Appy betday, Antie Chola!" she chirped, still can't speak clearly... So cute!
My heart melted instantly. I took the gift and gave her cheek a playful pinch, earning a giggle.
"Oh, you guys didn't need to get me anything. A kiss and a hug from Yoona is more than enough," I said, crouching down and spreading my arms wide. "Come here, baby girl! Give Auntie the biggest hug!"
She ran into my embrace, and I scooped her up, spinning her in a circle as she squealed in delight. Then I handed her back to Soojin, who looked at me like I was their unofficial second parent.
How can he not? I took them under my wing without hesitation when they eloped because Nari was pregnant and they're just teenagers, just right after the fire.
"I knew it. The birthday girl has arrived." Logan's voice came from the connecting door between the clinic and the shop. He leaned casually on the frame, smiling with that familiar, warm smile.
I walked to him and let him pull me into a hug.
"Happy birthday, Sora. I hope this year finally brings you some peace… and maybe happiness too." He handed me a small box.
I squinted at it dramatically. "Let me guess, another cat or dog figurine for my collection?"
He chuckled. "To my defense, it's a breed you don't have yet."
I laughed, but then my expression softened. "Look, I'm really sorry I'm late. Something happened to my car again, but it's fine now. Can we move our coffee date to Sunday instead?" I asked, giving him a guilty little pout.
"If we turn it into lunch or dinner, sure. Even better, bring the girls if you want. The more the merrier. The clinic's swamped today, so rescheduling it is just perfect. I just snuck out when I heard your voice," he said.
Before I could respond, one of the staff rushed toward him.
"Doc, emergency. Two-year-old basset hound—vomiting and not eating. Slightly dehydrated."
Logan gave me an apologetic smile. "I have to go. See you Sunday."
"Go, go. I'll see you at lunch," I reassured him.
Then I wandered toward Nari at the counter to collect the week's earnings.
"Wow… this is a lot more than what we had last week," I breathed, my chest lifting with a tiny spark of hope. I felt like I could actually inhale without my debt squeezing the air out of me.
"Yeah," Nari said proudly. "Dr. Phillips always sends his patients here before going home. He practically advertises for us."
A small smile tugged at my lips. "Logan is really something. If it weren't for him, and this shop holding on for dear life, I probably would've sold my building just to keep my head above water." I didn't say the part about lying awake every night, calculating which bill could wait and which one couldn't.
"Doc is really nice," Nari said, giving me a teasing grin. "You and him… you'd look cute together. Is it really impossible for you two to date? Not even a tiny chance?"
I let out a playful scoff and laughed. "How many times are you going to ask me that? Logan and I are good friends. Great friends, actually. And he's close with Yejin and Hanna, too. Why don't you pester them instead? Besides, Logan doesn't like me like that."
"Are you sure?" Soojin chimed in from behind the counter. "When he looks at you, his eyes get all soft and… affectionate."
I waved him off. "Of course, he loves me. He's basically my male best friend. And I love him too, just not in the romantic, dramatic K-drama way you're imagining." I lifted the day's earnings, careful not to drop a single bill. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to deposit this before the bank closes. Then I still have readings to do at the plaza."
I stepped out of the shop, but after a few strides, I stopped dead in my tracks.
My mind flickered back to the man I'd collided with. I tilted my head, trying to sift through my memory, as a familiar feeling suddenly came back to me.
"…Why do I feel like I've seen him before?"