Episode 5. Two Cans of Coffee
The next morning at 8:21 a.m.
Hyunwoo Kang stood at the entrance to Block 84, turning his phone screen on and off for no reason.
There was nothing to check.
He hadn't gotten a message, and he wasn't wondering what time it was.
His hands were simply bored.
To be more precise, he was a little on edge.
“Hyung.”
Jaehoon Kim called to him from beside him.
Hyunwoo slipped his phone into his pocket.
“What?”
“Are you waiting for someone?”
“No.”
“Then why do you keep looking at the entrance?”
“I’m watching to see if anyone’s coming.”
Jaehoon looked around.
“People keep coming.”
“Then I’m watching those people.”
“Oh.”
Jaehoon nodded.
His expression clearly said he didn’t believe him.
Hyunwoo said, “What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
“I won’t.”
“I said tell me.”
Jaehoon’s lips curled up.
“Coffee.”
Hyunwoo’s expression stiffened.
“What?”
“Isn’t today the day you’re supposed to get two cans of coffee?”
“What two cans?”
“You told her to buy two yesterday.”
“You heard that too?”
“Don’t you know how fast rumors spread on a job site?”
“That wasn’t a rumor. You were eavesdropping.”
“I could hear you just fine from a distance.”
“Seriously, first thing in the morning.”
Hyunwoo sighed.
That was when Taesik Park appeared behind them.
“What’s this about two cans?”
Jaehoon answered immediately.
“Lead, the safety manager said she was buying Hyunwoo two cans of coffee today.”
“Oh.”
Taesik looked at Hyunwoo.
“You’ve really come a long way.”
“What have I come a long way in?”
“You used to be the one buying her coffee.”
“That was payment for the bandages.”
“And today?”
“Just because.”
“Just because?”
Hyunwoo paused for a moment.
What had he said yesterday?
One was payment for the bandages.
The other was payment for clearing up the rumor.
Now that he said it out loud, it sounded genuinely weird.
“Forget it.”
Hyunwoo picked up his tool bag.
“Let’s go to work.”
Jaehoon laughed behind him.
“Hyung, when the coffee gets here, can I have just one sip?”
“Why would you get any?”
“You said there were two cans.”
“Both cans are mine.”
The moment he finished speaking, Taesik and Jaehoon burst out laughing at the same time.
Hyunwoo stopped.
“What are you laughing at?”
Taesik said, “Nothing.”
“No, I’m asking why you’re laughing.”
“Because you said both cans were yours.”
“She said she was giving them to me.”
“Right. Exactly.”
Taesik nodded.
That expression of his was even more irritating.
Hyunwoo simply went into the work area ahead of them.
But he knew it too.
How many times he’d looked toward the entrance that morning.
Because he was wondering if Jia would come.
Yesterday had clearly been a joke.
He’d only told her to buy two coffees on a whim.
But now that today had arrived, he was curious whether she would really bring them.
‘It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t.’
That was what Hyunwoo told himself.
It truly didn’t matter.
It was just coffee.
He could buy it anytime at a convenience store.
That was what he thought.
9:03 a.m.
It hadn’t been long since they started working.
Hyunwoo was checking the flange position again.
“A little farther.”
Taesik spoke.
“Got it.”
Hyunwoo pushed the piping.
Clack.
One bolt slid into place.
“That’s it.”
“Put one more in.”
Hyunwoo reached out.
At that moment.
A familiar voice came from a distance.
“Hello.”
Hyunwoo’s hand stopped for the briefest moment.
He looked up.
A white hard hat.
It was Jia Seo.
She had a clipboard in one hand.
And a small plastic bag in the other.
Hyunwoo’s gaze naturally shifted to the bag.
He could see two cans inside.
“Hyung.”
Jaehoon spoke in a low voice from below.
“She’s here.”
“Who is?”
“The coffee.”
“Be quiet.”
Jia slowly approached, greeting the other workers along the way.
Then her eyes met Hyunwoo’s.
The corners of Jia’s lips lifted slightly.
Without realizing it, Hyunwoo smiled too.
“Mr. Hyunwoo Kang.”
“Yes.”
“You’re doing well today, right?”
Hyunwoo immediately checked his PPE.
Chin strap.
Safety glasses.
Gloves.
Safety lanyard.
Everything was in order.
“Perfectly.”
“Really?”
“Go ahead and check.”
Jia looked him up and down.
Then she nodded.
“Passing today.”
Hyunwoo gave a short laugh.
“Do I get a prize?”
“A prize?”
“You said I passed.”
Jia held up the bag in her hand.
“This?”
Hyunwoo’s gaze immediately went to the bag.
“You really bought them?”
“You told me to.”
“I didn’t think you’d actually do it.”
“Then should I not give them to you?”
Jia pulled the bag back toward herself.
Hyunwoo immediately reached out.
“No.”
Jia laughed.
“Even though you’re going to take them?”
“You bought them.”
“I stopped by the convenience store this morning.”
“Are both of them mine?”
Jia paused briefly.
Then she glanced at Jaehoon behind him.
Jaehoon turned his head away, pretending not to care.
Jia looked back at Hyunwoo.
“Yes.”
Hyunwoo took the bag.
Inside were two cans of coffee.
One was sweet coffee.
The other was an Americano.
Hyunwoo asked, “Why are they different?”
“I didn’t know what you liked.”
Hyunwoo looked at Jia.
“So you got both?”
“Yes.”
“I thought you just bought two random ones.”
“I still didn’t know your preference.”
Hyunwoo didn’t say anything for a moment.
It was nothing special.
But for some reason, it made him feel good.
Jia asked, “Which one do you like better?”
“I like sweet things.”
“Oh.”
“Why?”
“For some reason, I thought you’d drink Americano.”
“Do I look like that kind of person?”
“A little?”
Hyunwoo let out a hollow laugh.
“You have a weird image of me.”
“Then have the sweet one.”
Jia took the sweet coffee out of the bag and handed it to Hyunwoo.
“Drink this today.”
“And this one?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Until tomorrow?”
“You told me to buy two.”
“I could drink both in one day.”
“Too much caffeine isn’t good for you.”
Hyunwoo paused.
“Does the safety manager manage coffee too?”
Jia laughed.
“You have too many things that need managing, Mr. Kang.”
“Here we go again.”
“You lose your gloves.”
“Once.”
“You unclip your safety lanyard.”
“That was once too.”
“You put your safety glasses on top of your head.”
“Briefly.”
“Your chin strap, too.”
“I don’t do that anymore.”
Jia nodded, apparently satisfied.
“That’s why you’re doing well.”
Hyunwoo looked down at the can of coffee.
It was cold.
It looked like it had just been bought.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Still.”
Hyunwoo shook the can.
“I’ll enjoy it.”
Jia smiled.
“Okay.”
Then Jaehoon said in a low voice from behind them, “I’m thirsty too.”
Hyunwoo turned around immediately.
“You’ve got water.”
“I want coffee.”
“Buy one.”
“There are two.”
“That one’s for tomorrow.”
Jaehoon looked at Jia.
“Safety Manager.”
Jia answered with a smile.
“Yes?”
“If I follow the safety rules properly too, will you give me coffee?”
Hyunwoo spoke immediately.
“Hey.”
Jia pretended to think for a moment.
“Hmm.”
Jaehoon’s eyes lit up.
“Is that possible?”
Jia smiled.
“If you get called out about four times like Hyunwoo, I’ll think about it.”
Taesik laughed loudly.
Jaehoon laughed too.
Only Hyunwoo’s expression hardened.
“Why are we bringing that up again?”
Jia shrugged.
“It’s true.”
“That story really won’t die.”
“Just be careful from now on.”
Jia picked up her clipboard.
“Then I’ll do my inspection and go.”
“Okay.”
Jia moved toward the other side.
Hyunwoo watched her back for a while.
Jaehoon said beside him, “Hyung.”
“What?”
“You two aren’t anything, right?”
“Right.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“But the coffee’s lasted two days now.”
Hyunwoo lifted the can.
“Today’s only the second day.”
“Exactly.”
“We’re just exchanging things.”
“Okay.”
Jaehoon nodded meaningfully.
“People who aren’t anything to each other sure are taking good care of each other these days.”
Hyunwoo tapped Jaehoon’s hard hat.
“Get to work.”
11:52 a.m.
Lunchtime.
Hyunwoo sat on a bench outside the cafeteria, drinking his canned coffee.
It was sweet.
It was the kind he often drank anyway.
“Hyung.”
Jaehoon sat down beside him.
“Is it good?”
“Yeah.”
“Isn’t it even better because the safety manager bought it for you?”
Hyunwoo stared at Jaehoon without saying a word.
“I’m kidding.”
Jaehoon backed off with a grin.
Taesik was smoking a little farther away.
Hyunwoo took another sip of coffee.
That was when Jia and Sohee came out of the cafeteria.
His eyes met Jia’s.
Jia looked at the coffee in Hyunwoo’s hand.
“You’re drinking it.”
Hyunwoo held up the can.
“Yes.”
“How is it?”
“It’s good.”
“Just good?”
Hyunwoo smiled.
“It’s delicious.”
“Then that’s all that matters.”
Jia and Sohee sat on a bench a little farther away.
Hyunwoo drank his coffee again.
But for some reason, he couldn’t stop being aware of them.
They weren’t right next to him, but they were close enough to hear.
Sohee asked Jia, “Jia.”
“Yeah?”
“You went to the convenience store this morning, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I saw you buying two coffees.”
Hyunwoo’s hand stopped.
Jia glanced toward Hyunwoo for a moment, then turned her head away again.
“Yeah.”
“Neither one was for you, was it?”
“No.”
“Then?”
Jia hesitated to answer.
Sohee smiled as if she already knew.
“Mr. Hyunwoo Kang?”
“Yeah.”
“Why two?”
“He jokingly told me to buy two yesterday.”
“So you actually bought two?”
“I made a promise.”
“Since when are you so good at keeping promises?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You said you’d buy me coffee last month, and you still haven’t.”
Jia looked flustered.
“That was…”
Sohee laughed.
“I guess Mr. Kang is more important than me.”
“That’s not it.”
Hyunwoo pretended not to hear them as hard as he could.
But his ears were completely turned in their direction.
Jaehoon was listening too.
Hyunwoo said quietly, “Don’t listen.”
Jaehoon looked baffled.
“Do you want me to cover my ears?”
“Look somewhere else.”
“You’re listening too.”
“I’m not listening.”
“Then why did you stop drinking your coffee?”
Hyunwoo took another sip.
“I’m drinking it.”
Jaehoon held back a laugh.
Then Jia and Sohee stood up.
Hyunwoo naturally looked up.
As Jia passed close by, she said, “Make sure you drink tomorrow’s too.”
Hyunwoo answered, “Okay.”
Jia walked a few steps, then turned back.
“But.”
“Yes?”
“If you carry it around until tomorrow, it’ll get warm.”
Hyunwoo smiled.
“I’m putting it in the fridge.”
“Don’t forget.”
“What do I keep forgetting?”
Jia laughed.
“Your gloves.”
“Oh.”
Sohee laughed too.
Hyunwoo shook his head.
“I’m really going to be hearing about those gloves for the rest of my life.”
Jia waved with a smile.
“See you this afternoon.”
“Okay.”
The two women walked away.
Jaehoon said, “Hyung.”
“What now?”
“People who aren’t anything to each other say ‘See you this afternoon,’ too.”
“We’re on the same job site. Of course I’ll see her this afternoon.”
“Oh.”
“Stop saying pointless things.”
Hyunwoo put the empty can in the trash.
But the corners of his lips were slightly raised.
Jaehoon noticed and said, “Hyung.”
“What?”
“You’re smiling.”
Hyunwoo’s smile disappeared immediately.
“I wasn’t.”
2:46 p.m.
The job site suddenly grew a little noisier.
“Stop work!”
Someone shouted from a distance.
Hyunwoo looked up.
Short instructions continued over the radio.
It seemed some equipment had malfunctioned in another nearby work area.
It wasn’t a major accident, but the surrounding work had to stop temporarily while they checked the situation.
Hyunwoo set down his tools.
“It stopped again.”
Jaehoon spoke.
Taesik answered, “Wait until they finish checking.”
The workers began moving one by one to an area where they could take a break.
Hyunwoo took off his gloves and walked toward the passage.
That was when he saw Jia approaching quickly from the opposite side.
Unlike usual, her expression was stiff.
She held a radio and kept checking something.
“Yes. I confirmed the stop work around Block 84.”
Jia ended the call.
Hyunwoo asked, “What happened?”
Jia looked up.
“Some equipment nearby malfunctioned.”
“No one was hurt, right?”
“No one’s been injured.”
Hyunwoo nodded.
“That’s a relief.”
Jia checked the area again.
Unlike usual, she didn’t seem relaxed.
Hyunwoo hesitated, then asked, “Are you okay?”
Jia blinked.
“Me?”
“You looked upset.”
“Oh.”
Jia gave a small smile.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
Jia let out a short sigh.
“Messages like that get to me.”
“Why?”
“Because I worry that someone might be hurt.”
Hyunwoo looked at Jia without saying anything.
Jia said, “When ‘stop work’ comes over the radio at the job site, that’s the first thing I think of.”
“Whether there’s been an accident.”
“Yes.”
Jia hugged her clipboard to her chest.
“Being a safety manager doesn’t mean you get used to accidents.”
Hyunwoo thought for a moment.
When he heard a stop-work announcement, his first thought was usually that it was annoying.
I’m not going to finish today’s work.
The schedule’s going to get pushed back.
I have to wait again.
Those kinds of thoughts.
But Jia was different.
What if someone was hurt?
That was what she worried about first.
Hyunwoo said, “You said no one was hurt.”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s fine.”
Jia looked at Hyunwoo.
“Right.”
“Don’t worry too much.”
Hyunwoo gave a small smile.
“We’re careful on our own too.”
Jia immediately said, “You don’t do anything unless I’m watching, Mr. Kang.”
Hyunwoo’s expression hardened.
“You’re bringing that up even now?”
Jia burst out laughing.
“Sorry.”
“Seriously.”
But Hyunwoo laughed too.
The tension that had settled over Jia’s expression moments earlier eased.
For some reason, he liked seeing that.
Hyunwoo asked, “Want some coffee?”
“I gave you coffee this morning.”
“I mean I’ll buy you some.”
“Why all of a sudden?”
“You look a little tense right now.”
Hyunwoo added, “And it looks like it’ll be a while before work resumes.”
Jia hesitated.
“You don’t have to.”
“If you don’t want it, forget it.”
Hyunwoo started to turn away.
Jia immediately said, “No.”
Hyunwoo looked back.
Jia smiled faintly.
“I’ll have one.”
Ten minutes later.
The two of them stood in front of a vending machine inside the job site.
Hyunwoo put in a coin.
“What do you want?”
“Anything.”
“That’s the hardest answer.”
“Whatever you drink.”
Hyunwoo pressed a button.
Two cans dropped.
Clunk.
Hyunwoo handed one to Jia.
“The sweet one.”
Jia smiled.
“Don’t I look like I’d drink Americano?”
Hyunwoo remembered their conversation that morning.
“You do.”
“Why?”
“Your image.”
“Do I look like that kind of person?”
This time, Jia used the same words he had.
Hyunwoo smiled.
“A little?”
Jia opened her can.
“You’re copying me.”
“Who said it first?”
They leaned against the wall beside the vending machine.
They were in the middle of the job site.
Warning sounds and radio chatter came from the distance.
People passed by around them.
And yet, strangely, it was a little quieter between the two of them.
Jia took a sip of coffee.
“This is good.”
“It’s a thousand-won can.”
“I mean the coffee, not the price.”
“Then that’s a relief.”
A brief silence followed.
Jia looked at Hyunwoo.
“Mr. Hyunwoo Kang.”
“Yes.”
“Earlier.”
“What about it?”
“When you asked if I was okay.”
Jia rolled the can between her hands.
“Thank you.”
Hyunwoo shrugged.
“It was nothing.”
“Still.”
Jia smiled.
“People at the job site don’t usually ask me things like that.”
“Why not?”
“I guess they think safety managers always have to be okay.”
Hyunwoo looked at Jia for a moment.
“She’s a person too.”
Jia’s gaze stopped.
“What?”
“I mean, a safety manager is a person too.”
Hyunwoo drank his coffee as if it were nothing special.
“She can be surprised. She can be scared.”
Jia didn’t answer.
The moment she heard those words, something inside her warmed.
Hyunwoo might have said it without thinking.
But to Jia, it sounded a little different.
It felt as if someone was seeing her, not just her position.
Then the radio crackled.
“Work may resume at Block 84.”
Jia immediately stood up.
“They’re resuming.”
“Okay.”
Hyunwoo set down his can too.
They walked back toward the work area.
After a few steps, Jia said, “Mr. Hyunwoo Kang.”
“Yes?”
“I bought you two coffees today.”
“Yes.”
“And now I got one from you too.”
Hyunwoo smiled.
“Looks that way.”
“Does that mean I owe you?”
“Does it?”
“Should I buy you another one tomorrow?”
Hyunwoo looked at Jia.
“Tomorrow too?”
“Do you not want one?”
Jia asked.
Hyunwoo didn’t answer for a moment.
Then he said, “I didn’t say I didn’t.”
The corners of Jia’s lips lifted.
“Then see you tomorrow.”
Hyunwoo smiled too.
“Okay. Tomorrow.”
They returned to their respective positions.
That afternoon.
While working, Hyunwoo found himself looking toward the vending machine several times.
It was nothing special.
One can of coffee.
A few minutes of conversation.
That was all.
But it was becoming a little clearer now.
The time he spent talking with Jia Seo.
He liked it much more than he’d expected.
And Jia felt the same way.
As she moved to another area during her safety inspection, Jia opened her phone’s notes app without even realizing it.
Then she typed a short note.
‘Coffee tomorrow.’
After typing it, she stared at the screen for a moment.
Jia gave a small laugh.
“Why am I writing this down?”
But she didn’t delete it.
From that day on.
Coffee was no longer just coffee to the two of them.
It was becoming a very small excuse to seek each other out one more time.