Chapter 3

### Chapter 3: The Cat-Themed Café

The Leisure Time Café is a completely European-style, vintage building located in Cheongdam-dong.

The walls are made to resemble ancient bricks, giving the entire building the appearance of a medieval castle that has been weathered by time. Vines cover half of the wall on the ground floor, spreading from the base all the way up to the small balcony on the second floor. Upon closer inspection, one can see tiny flower buds scattered among the vines, which will likely burst into full bloom in a few days.

These plants were specially requested by Lee Shin-ha from his grandfather, who lives in the UK. They combine the characteristics of ivy, climbing plants, and roses, remaining green all year round with a long blooming period and numerous flowers.

Stepping into the café feels like entering an ancient castle in a European town. Various green plants intertwine with black, brown, and coffee-colored decorations. Vintage wall lamps, a rustic fireplace lined with pebbles, a small round table in front of the fireplace, a carpet with ethnic patterns, and wooden rocking chairs create a nostalgic atmosphere. Most of the tables and chairs are made of solid wood, custom-made with Lee Shin-ha selecting some designs and drawing a few blueprints. The styles are all European vintage, exuding an ancient and elegant charm.

Wooden bookshelves are found throughout the café, made from sturdy solid wood, giving a sense of weight and stability. The books on the shelves are diverse, some brought by regular customers, some found at second-hand book markets, and others sent by Lee Shin-ha's uncle in the UK, including English original books and various magazines. His uncle once jokingly asked if he should bring some "playboy" magazines, but Lee Shin-ha sternly declined.

Most of the books in the café have been read by Lee Shin-ha, and if you browse through them, you can find his notes and insights.

Most of the indoor plants are potted, with succulents and aquatic plants like lucky bamboo, touch-me-nots, and other small, cute flowers on the tables. Hanging plants like spider plants and pothos are placed in corners and on pillars. To prevent pests, some carnivorous plants like pitcher plants, sundews, and Venus flytraps are also grown, adding a touch of beauty.

In a dedicated corner, there are various cute cat beds and climbing frames. A small row of cat grass is planted in the corner of the cat beds. Lee Shin-ha also specially formulated some odor-eliminating solutions, which the staff use to spray during cleaning, as even though the cats are trained not to defecate or urinate randomly, their saliva can still leave a smell.

Park Min-ya, a single mother with a 12-year-old son, is the manager of the café. She is not particularly beautiful but exudes a gentle and intellectual aura. The café's success since its opening is largely due to her excellent management skills and superior coffee-making techniques. In the second year of operation, Lee Shin-ha transferred 15% of the café's shares to Park Min-ya, giving her full management authority. Park Min-ya has not disappointed, with the café's daily performance being the best proof.

Besides the delicious coffee, the café offers a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere and cute cats. If time permits, one can read books, listen to music, play with the cats, or simply relax for a long time. The café's food is also a major attraction, with a wide variety of dishes such as Canadian maple syrup pancakes, French pancakes, Belgian waffles, dorayaki, bagels, Italian zabaglione, Napoleon pastries, lava cakes, tea cakes, mochi, and yokan. The menu is updated regularly, making it a favorite among food enthusiasts who often discover pleasant surprises here.

Driving to the café, Lee Shin-ha parked his car, took out a cardboard box, and locked the car before entering the café.

"President, do you need any help?" The speaker was Mi-yeong, a long-time employee of the café, known for her sweet and adorable appearance, which is very popular with young men.

"No, but can you call Min-ya and bring me a cup of Blue Mountain coffee?" he said, heading to the back yard.

Behind the café is a small, private courtyard not open to the public. The ground is covered with grass and stone paths, with plants along the walls. In the center is a wooden pavilion where one can enjoy coffee on sunny days, and the cats often come out to bask in the sun.

On the left side of the courtyard are two rooms: one for storage and one for employee rest. The larger room is used for entertaining friends and is also where Han Min-ya works. It is elegantly decorated.

The walls are made of red bricks, with a few soft and comfortable sofas surrounding a glass coffee table. A plant is placed on the table, and a bookshelf is on one wall, displaying some of his works. The other two walls are adorned with landscape photos he took during his travels.

Mount Fuji in Japan, the Grand Canyon in the US, South Island in New Zealand, Palm Beach in Florida, the Golden Temple in India, the Rocky Mountains in Canada, Uluru in Australia, Mayan ruins in Mexico, Inca ruins in Peru, Niagara Falls, Petra in Jordan, the pyramids in Egypt, the city of Venice, and the Great Wall of China. Looking at these beautiful landscapes, one can't help but feel a strong desire to embark on a spontaneous trip.

Entering the room, Lee Shin-ha placed the cardboard box on the ground, moved the plant on the table to the side, found a utility knife, and cut the tape on the box. He opened the box and removed the paper scraps.

At this moment, Han Min-ya entered with a cup of coffee.

"Min-ya, can you help me with this?"

Park Min-ya set down the coffee and, together with Lee Shin-ha, carefully moved the model to the coffee table. After checking that the model was undamaged, they sat on the sofas, drinking coffee and discussing the café's recent status and performance.

Although he visits the café every week to drink coffee and relax, he does not interfere with the management. Park Min-ya has often mentioned to him that he is a completely hands-off owner.

Park Min-ya left the rest room to help in the front hall, as it was lunchtime, and the staff needed to take turns for lunch, making it a busy time.

“I-was-doubling-over-the-load-on-my-shoulders, Was-a-weight-I-carried-with-me-everyday......”

Just as Park Min-ya left, Lee Shin-ha's phone rang. It was a call from his friend, Shi Ge.

"Hey! Shi Ge, what's up? Did you miss me?" Lee Shin-ha teased.

"You little rascal, always up to no good. What are you up to? I need to talk to you about something," the person on the other end of the phone said.

"What could it be? Can't you tell me over the phone? I'm at the café in Cheongdam-dong."

"I'll come over later. I have a show to film right now, but I should be able to get there around 4 PM. I'll talk to you when I get there. I have to go now, so just wait for me at the café. See you then, bye." Liu Zai-shi quickly finished speaking and hung up.

"..."

"Wow, no wonder he's a host. His mouth is like a machine gun, blabbering away without giving me a chance to speak." Lee Shin-ha shook his head in exasperation.

"It's still early. Why not go see Hyo-ri?" He decided to act on his thought and called Hyo-ri.

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