Chapter 1
The Dark Autumn Evening
Outside, Seoul was wrapped in a gloomy, mysterious atmosphere. It was a Saturday evening, and dense fog had covered the streets, making everything outside appear blurred and distant. Although the clock on the wall showed only five in the afternoon, it felt much later. The darkness had settled unusually early, giving the evening the feel of a late-autumn night.
Inside a small, cozy café, however, the atmosphere was completely different. Warm golden lights illuminated the room, casting a soft glow over the wooden tables and chairs, while the sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.
Armin was sitting beside a large glass window, completely absorbed in her work. On the table in front of her sat a warm cup of cappuccino and a perfect slice of red velvet cake, but she had barely noticed either of them.
Her laptop was open, several research papers were scattered beside it, and her attention remained fixed on the screen. She was completely lost in her PhD research, as if the rest of the world had temporarily ceased to exist.
She looked effortlessly beautiful.
Every time she leaned forward to read something on her screen, her long, straight burgundy hair slipped over her shoulder and fell toward her waist. The soft purple undertone of her hair became more noticeable beneath the warm café lights. With a quiet sigh, she tucked the silky strands behind her ear, only for them to fall forward again moments later.
Her large almond-shaped eyes remained focused on the screen, framed by thick, long eyelashes. Her fair complexion appeared even softer beneath the warm light.
Nothing seemed capable of distracting her.
Not the quiet conversations around her. Not the music playing softly in the background. Not even the untouched cappuccino slowly losing its warmth.
Right now, her research was the only thing that mattered.
Suddenly, the café door opened.
The small chime above it jingled, followed by a rush of cold air from the fog-covered street.
Two men walked inside.
One of them was the manager, who immediately glanced at his phone as though checking something important. The other man was Simon.
He was exceptionally tall, standing at six feet one, with a slim, model-like physique hidden beneath a long black wool coat. A dark cap was pulled low over his head, deliberately concealing much of his face.
Thick, dense black hair fell over his forehead and partially covered his ears.
The moment Simon stepped inside, his dark eyes quietly scanned the café.
Then his gaze stopped.
At the window table.
His eyes settled on the young woman sitting there.
Armin.
Her unusual burgundy hair had caught the warm light from the window, making her stand out even in the dimly lit café. She was completely unaware of his arrival; her attention still fixed on the laptop in front of her.
Simon watched her for a moment.
Something was striking about the way she sat there so quietly, completely absorbed in whatever she was working on. She didn’t seem interested in the people around her, nor did she appear to notice anyone entering or leaving the café.
Simon kept his expression calm.
The café was relatively crowded, but fortunately, the table directly beside Armin’s was empty.
Simon pointed toward it, silently signalling to his manager.
They walked over and took their seats.
Simon removed his long coat and leaned back comfortably in his chair. Even with his cap still covering part of his face, his sharp features were difficult to hide. His beautifully defined nose, delicate lips, and the small, distinctive mole on his right cheek gave his face an almost unreal quality.
The manager quickly got up to order their drinks.
A few minutes later, he returned with a fresh cup of cappuccino and placed it in front of Simon.
Simon wrapped one hand around the warm cup and took a slow sip.
His dark eyes wandered toward the window table again.
The brilliant girl was still working.
She hadn’t noticed him.
She had no idea that one of the biggest stars in France was sitting only a few feet away from her.
Meanwhile, directly opposite Armin’s table, a young Korean high school student sat alone.
She had finished her food and drink some time ago, but instead of leaving, she remained seated, looking increasingly nervous.
Her hands trembled as she searched through her schoolbag.
Once.
Twice.
Then again.
Her movements became more frantic.
Finally, her pale face filled with worry as she called one of the female staff members over.
In a low, trembling voice, she said, ”Excuse me... I... I can’t find my wallet. I think I lost it on my way here.”
The staff member’s expression immediately changed.
Instead of showing concern, she crossed her arms and spoke loudly.
"What do you mean you lost your wallet? You already ate everything! People like you always make these excuses to get free food!”
Her voice echoed across the café.
The quiet atmosphere instantly disappeared.
The music playing softly in the background seemed almost insignificant as people at the surrounding tables turned toward them.
A group of teenagers sitting nearby began whispering among themselves.
“Look at her. She came to a café without any money.”
They laughed.
The girl’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
She lowered her head, desperately trying to hold herself together, but the humiliation became too much. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as the cruel whispers around her and the staff member’s harsh words broke her confidence.
At the adjacent table, Simon’s manager looked away, clearly trying to ignore the situation.
Simon didn’t.
His expression changed.
His dark eyes slowly moved across the café, taking in the people who were laughing at the girl. His gaze became cold and displeased.
He hated watching someone helpless being humiliated.
He was just about to signal his manager to take care of the girl’s bill when someone moved before he could.
The girl’s quiet crying finally reached Armin’s ears.
She stopped typing.
Slowly, she looked up from her laptop.
Her large almond-shaped eyes immediately fell upon the crying girl and the angry staff member standing beside her.
Something inside Armin changed.
She couldn’t tolerate injustice.
Without wasting another second, she closed her laptop and stood up.
Her long, straight burgundy hair swayed gracefully around her as she walked toward the girl.
Armin gently placed a hand on the girl’s trembling shoulder.
"Hey,” she said softly. “Why are you crying? Don’t cry. It’s okay.”
The girl’s tearful eyes slowly lifted toward her.
Armin gave her a reassuring look before turning toward the staff member.
The warmth in her expression disappeared.
Her gaze became firm and confident.
She reached into her pocket, took out her card, and held it toward the staff member.
“I’ll pay for her order,” Armin said.
Her English was clear, calm, and commanding.
“Put her bill on my card. There is no need to humiliate a child over a mistake.”
The staff member immediately fell silent.
A flush of embarrassment spread across her face as she took the card.
The teenagers who had been laughing moments earlier suddenly became quiet. One by one, they looked away.
At the table beside her, Simon watched everything.
He hadn’t looked away once.
His attention remained fixed on Armin the way she had immediately stepped forward to protect a stranger, the calm confidence in her voice, and the way she stood between the frightened girl and the people humiliating her.
The warm café light caught the purple undertones of her burgundy hair.
Simon couldn’t help but smile.
It was slow, genuine, and filled with quiet admiration.
The small mole on his right cheek shifted slightly as his smile deepened.
Armin, meanwhile, remained completely unaware.
She was too busy protecting a stranger to notice that she had just captured the undivided attention of a man accustomed to having the entire world watch him.
The young high school student stopped crying and looked up at Armin with immense gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you... thank you so much,” she whispered, her voice still shaking. “You saved me from so much embarrassment.”
Armin gently wiped a tear from the girl’s cheek, smiling warmly. “Hey, don’t cry. It’s okay. You should be brave. Don’t let your tears fall over small things like this, okay?” Her voice was gentle and full of motivation, instantly making the young girl feel safe.
The girl nodded quickly, a bright smile finally appearing on her face. “I want to return your money no matter what! Please, how can I pay you back?”
Armin shook her head, tucking a strand of her burgundy hair behind her ear. “Oh, please don’t worry about it. You really don’t need to return it. It was a very small amount, just forget it.”
“No, no! I insist! I must return it to you,” the girl protested cutely, refusing to back down. “Can you please tell me your name first?”
“My name is Armin,” she replied with a soft smile.
"Armin...” the girl repeated, her eyes shining. “Wow, your name is so beautiful! It suits you so much.”
At the adjacent table, Simon paused, his coffee cup midway to his lips. His dark eyes shifted toward them as the name echoed in his mind. Armin. Hearing her name for the first time felt like discovering a beautiful secret. He kept his face calm, but he memorized every single syllable of it.
"Armin-onni,” the girl insisted again, holding Armin’s hands. “Please tell me how I can return your money. I won’t feel at peace until I do.”
Seeing the girl’s stubborn determination, Armin chuckled softly. She realized she had to give her a way out. “Okay, fine. I come to this cafe every single day around 5:00 PM to do my PhD research work. You can find me sitting right here by this window table.”
“Every day at 5:00 PM... got it!” The girl smiled brightly, standing up and bowing respectfully. “I will come back with your money soon, Armin-onni. Thank you again!” With a joyful wave, the high school girl rushed out of the cafe.
Armin gently waved back, her smile still lingering on her lips. But as she finally turned around to walk back to her own table, her gaze accidentally landed right on the adjacent seat.
For the very first time, Armin and Simon shared a direct, intense eye contact.
Simon’s dark, piercing eyes were fixed right on her, his gaze filled with a quiet, deep admiration. Armin froze in her tracks. For some strange, inexplicable reason, her heart skipped a beat. The bustling noise of the cafe seemed to vanish, and she felt completely stuck under his mesmerizing stare. For a few long seconds, she couldn’t move, completely lost in the intensity of this handsome stranger’s eyes.
Realizing how long she had been staring, a rush of nervousness hit her. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she quickly looked away, shifting her eyes here and there to hide her embarrassment. Flustered, she hurried back to her window seat, keeping her head low as she focused entirely on packing her laptop into her bag. She quietly left the cafe to return home, completely unaware of the lingering impression she had left in Simon’s heart and that this quiet moment may be the beginning of something neither of them expected.
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