"I think it's to do with the marketing," Hajin ventures, swirling around the contents of her shake. "It's rather weird to have an art exhibition in a cosmetic shop, is it not? The customers who came in yesterday didn't even realize we were selling Goryeo-inspired make-up until we told them."
"What, really?" Baek Ah asks, surprised.
Hajin nods. "They just wanted to see the artifacts. We've even had history students come in. Just this morning, we received requests from schools to allow their students in for a field trip. It's starting to feel like a museum, actually, rather than a store."
"So the traffic is good..." Baek Ah says slowly, "but the sales are low."
"And we don't even charge an entrance fee to the exhibit."
Eun shrugs, not looking surprised. "I told Wonnie-hyung it was a bad idea."
"Won?" Hajin asks, wondering if he meant that Won: the treacherous ninth Prince.
He nods. "Another cousin. There are a lot of us," he adds, probably mistaking her worried look for that of confusion, "Anyway. He's totally into history. He's even helped fund researches about Goryeo life. That's how he came to get the paintings and artifacts. Of course, they're not the real deal, only imitations. The real ones are being kept safe elsewhere."
"He's very good at managing restaurants and finances, but apparently, when it comes cosmetics..." Baek Ah sighs. "I wonder why So-hyung even agreed to his idea in the first place?"
Eun shrugs, popping a cherry tomato into his mouth. "Maybe he thought it was a good idea, too. They're both eccentric, they are."
"So is eccentric?" Hajin laughs at the term.
Eun flashes her a grin. "He's too serious sometimes. Everyone in the building's scared of him. Much like Yo-hyung, to be honest, except at least hyung hangs out with us sometimes. So-hyung only does when he's forced."
"No, you're not being fair," Baek Ah chides. "He's busy. He's not even the eldest, but you know uncle pushes him the hardest."
"That's what he gets for being so smart," Eun says with a 'what can you do?' shrug.
"Is that why you're always downplaying your talents?" Baek Ah asks wryly.
Eun gasps and clutches his chest dramatically, "Me? Downplay my talents? I don't know what you mean." He turns his attention back to Hajin. "I think it'll be wrong to go against the current marketing strategy so early on. Besides, today's a weekday, so sales are expected to be slow somewhat. Let's observe it for another week or two."
"Oh? Do you have an idea?" Baek Ah asks, looking impressed. "Just like that?"
Eun winks at them both. "I'll let you know. Meanwhile... who wants dessert?"
"It's on the house."
It's a new voice and all three of them turn to see who it belonged to.
"Hyung! We were just talking about you," Eun calls, happily waving him over.
Hajin finds herself gaping again for the third time that day. Two people had just walked into the restaurant... a man and a woman. And she's having mixed feelings about seeing them together. Or, indeed, seeing them at all.
"Oh? Nothing bad, I hope?" Won grins, coming over and pulling up a seat. "Gosh, I'm hungry. What're you guys having? Chaeryung-shi, there's an empty seat over there."
"Ah yes, sir," Chaeryung nods, stuffing some papers into a briefcase as she takes the empty seat beside Hajin.
Then, to Hajin's extreme discomfort, Won looks at her. "Judging by your uniform, you're an employee at the Goryeo cosmetic line."
"That's right, hyung. This is Go Hajin," Baek Ah introduces. "Hajin-shi, our cousin, Wang Won. He owns this restaurant along with others around the city."
Hajin is too stunned to speak, but if Won thinks her reaction is strange, he doesn't show it. Instead, he remarks lightly, "I see you ordered a salad. Is that why you have such good skin? Or is it because you're a user of our products?"
He's complimenting her. Out of all the brothers, Won was the one she had hated the most. And now he was complimenting her. And Chaeryung is still his assistant. Hajin feels completely wrong-footed and not sure at all how to react.
"Hyung, did you say dessert was on you?" Eun asks excitedly, already asking for a menu.
Won turns his attention away from Hajin, "Yeah, order anything you want. It's only right I treat you guys since I'm older."
"Alright!" Eun giggles. He pauses and peeks out from behind his menu to smile at Hajin. "Hajin-ah, would you like some dessert?"
"Huh? Oh... I'm actually quite full already," she says with a weak little laugh. "But you go on ahead."
He pouts at her. "Come on. Hyung is treating! There's always room for dessert. Besides, you're too thin." He leans towards her. "Shall I pick one for you?"
She forces a smile. "Oh, alright then. Nothing too heavy, though..."
He winks at her and disappears behind his menu.
Baek Ah and Won had started discussing something, which meant Chaeryung was the only one left in the group for Hajin to talk to. Hajin's feeling conflicted on all levels. She had felt devastated upon hearing of Chaeryung's death in the past, but the fact remained that Chaeryung had lied to her throughout the entirety of their so-called "friendship". She still thinks of her as a little sister... but could she really trust her again?
"So... it's Chaeryung-shi, right?" she ventures.
Chaeryung looks at her and nods. "Yes, Miss. I'm Mr. Wang's assistant."
"Ah, yes," Hajin smiles, extending a hand. "I'm Go Hajin. I work at the Goryeo make-up department."
"It's nice to meet you, Hajin-shi."
Hajin wonders what to say next. "How long have you been working under him?"
"About 2 years. But I've known him since I was a child," she replies.
"Ah. Were you schoolmates or something?"
"Oh no, nothing like that. All the sirs went to private schools. My family could never afford to send me," she replies with a little embarrassed laugh, "My father was Won-nim's chauffeur before he died."
"I... I see. I'm so sorry to hear that."
Chaeryung waves off the apology with a laugh. "There's nothing to be sorry for. He was very sick and in pain, so death was kind of a blessing for him. But after he died, Won-nim employed me right away, so I'm grateful because I can keep supporting my family."
Hajin nods thoughtfully. Their situation doesn't seem all that different from a thousand years ago. She lowers her voice conspiratorially and leans closer to her to ask, "And how is he as a boss? Is he... nice? Does he maybe force you to do things?"
Chaeryung looks shocked by the questions. "H-he's a good boss, really. He works a little too much, I think, so those of us under him need to match his pace too. But that's the reason our CEO chose him as the company treasurer. He's good with money, being an accountant. There's no one else our CEO trusts."
Hajin tries to conceal her doubt. The 9th Prince... trustworthy?
"So, Hajin-shi, what about you? How long have you been working at our cosmetic line?" Chaeryung asks, taking a sip from the glass of water the waiter set down in front of her.
"About a year," Hajin replies. "It would have been longer but I had to quit for some personal reasons."
Chaeryung simply nods, not pressing her for further explanations. Instead she asks, "And what are your hobbies? Why make-up, of all things?"
"I know how to mix make-up from scratch," Hajin explains wistfully, remembering that time she had taught Chaeryung how to make soap in the 8th Prince's home. "Foundation, lipstick... bath soaps and all that. I went to school for a year to study how. I suppose I just like beautifying people, you know? To feel like someone's day has been made better because of me." She smiles, lost in memories. "I'd love to do your make-up sometime."
Chaeryung blushes and laughs shyly, "Ah, no... I'm not pretty enough for that..."
"Nonsense!" Hajin scoffs. "All girls are pretty. If you ever need help with anything, just call me. Okay?"
Chaeryung looks flustered by the offer, but she bows her head, a big smile on her face. "I'll remember that, Miss."
"And there's no need to call me 'Miss'. Just call me Hajin."
"I-"
"Hajin-ah!" Eun calls happily from across the table. "Our desserts have arrived!" He gestures to three waiters behind him, all carrying trays loaded with cakes and pastries. Hajin's jaw drops in horror. "Quick, pick one! You too, Chaeryung-ah. I'm sure hyung means to treat you too," Eun says, ordering the waiters to unload everything onto the table and to clear their empty plates.
"Are you sure you can finish all that?" Won asks with raised eyebrows.
"Baek Ah-"
"Nope," Baek Ah says with a quick shake of the head. "I think I'll pass."
"Fine," Eun snaps, glaring at him. "Then Hajin and I can finish it."
"B-but... I said nothing heavy!" Hajin protests halfheartedly, because now that she sees how pretty and meticulously made they are up close, she wants to try all of them.
"Don't worry. Chaeryungie will help us, won't you?" Eun asks brightly.
"Ah..." she glances at Won first, as though for confirmation, but he had already turned his attention elsewhere. So instead, she nods and says, "I'll try, Eun-nim."
"See?" Eun hands Hajin a teaspoon, looking incredibly pleased and satisfied. "Just to taste? Come on, Hajin-ah, there are so many delicious-looking ones. Aren't you curious? I know you are. They say all girls like sweet things."
Hesitantly, she accepts the spoon. "Oh, alright... but I just know I'll regret it later."
Eun grins. "You only live once, after all."
As she takes a spoonful of chocolate mousse, she's finding it hard to hide the knowing smile from spreading across her face. "You only live once", he said. She had thought the same at some point in her life, too. But now that she knows better, she can't help thinking about how different and yet how familiar their current lives are compared to their lives in the past. And she can't help but remember the one person in the world who can sympathize with her in a way no one else ever could.
She retrieves her phone from her bag and checks her messages. There's only one from him, sent right after her last text about an hour ago:
"Have fun"
She runs her thumb thoughtfully over the message. She had thought all along that he would be pressing her to say the words back to him since she's never really said them out loud before... but she realizes how wrong she was and how deeply patient and considerate he's being towards her. She doesn't know what keeps holding her back from saying the words; why she feels choked whenever she thinks about them. She knows she loves him; she just can't bring herself to say it.
Really, what's wrong with me? she thinks, sighing inwardly.
"Hajin-ahhhhhh," Eun's drawl snaps her back to attention. "Why do you look like that? Is someone bothering you?" He gasps, straightening up. "That's it, isn't it? Don't worry, Hajin-ah, I know the perfect guy to help! Jungie'll teach him a lesson! He's a black belt, and he's almost as good as So-hyung! Although, I suppose asking for hyung's help would be more appropriate considering-"
"No, no, no one's bothering me!" she says, hastily hitching a smile back onto her face. Did he say... Jung? "I just have a lot on my mind, that's all."
"Oh," Eun says, deflating visibly. He sticks his fork into a piece of chocolate cake and pops a large chunk into his mouth.
"But... Jung...?" she asks tentatively.
He looks up, surprised. "But you should know Jung! He's So-hyung's youngest brother. You've never heard of him?"
"Oh! Yes, I've heard of him. Of course I have. I was just making sure," she says. She tries for a nonchalant tone, but inside, her heart's beating twice as fast in her chest. Thinking of Jung just made her think of her daughter, but the Jung of this time can't possibly give her the answers she so desperately needs. And yet, how can she deny her desire to see him again too? After all, she had always thought of him as a younger brother, even though she realized a little too late that his regard of her went beyond that.
"You know So-hyung?" Won asks, eyeing her speculatively.
She looks at him and nods wordlessly, still not knowing how or where to place this present day 9th Prince.
"Oh, that's right. I didn't know until recently too," Eun says. "She's his girlfriend."
The surprise on Won's face is evident. He's so shocked, in fact, that he actually turns his body to face her directly, and his eyes travel all over her, as though assessing her value. There it is. He's about to show his true colors. He's going to say So would never date an ordinary girl like her. He's going to do everything in his power to make sure-
"I didn't even know hyung was interested in dating!" Won exclaims at last, looking her right in the eye. "Or at least I thought, like me, he just didn't have the time. So he's interested in cute girls after all." To Hajin's great surprise, Won actually laughs and claps Baek Ah's shoulder. "All this time I thought he might finally be forced to marry one of those prim and proper ladies of his mother's choosing. He couldn't have run from them forever."
"You and I both know he's shown no interest in that department, hyung," Baek Ah smirks, draining his soda. He sees Hajin's expression and immediately flushes. "Th-that is- I didn't mean- of course not you, Hajin-shi!" he says at once, looking increasingly flustered by the minute. "I meant he's not interested in the prim and proper girls- not to say you're not prim and proper- but he's always found a way to get out of such situations, saying he's not ready for mar- but I'm sure it's different with you- I mean, you are dating after-"
"Yah!" Eun frowns, grasping his shoulder. "Get a grip. You're giving me a headache. I'm sure you're confusing her too."
Hajin isn't really listening, though. She's too busy trying to sort out her confused thoughts. Is the 9th Prince of this time the complete opposite of the 9th of the past? Does he not have hidden motives anymore? Has he learned to be considerate of others, rather than of his own skin?
"What say you, Hajin-ah?" Eun's looking at her with an expectant smile.
"What?" she asks blankly.
"The party," he explains, "the one aunty is hosting this Sunday. Will you come?"
"Er... by 'aunty', do you by any chance mean...?"
"Of course," he says, looking at her quizzically. "If you want to marry our hyung, you'll have to meet his mother first."
And break! Now to reply to some comments:
ChocolateandRoses: Thank you! Well, the drama began with a lot of humor and fluff too, so... *wink2*
KY: I'm glad you like it keke I remember Eun in the earlier episodes... he was pretty blunt too, though he was more careful around the much older ones like So, Yo and Wook. That's the mindset I had while writing this :)
nn: I'm flattered that you check it everyday! I'll definitely try to update everyday to keep you happy.
ChildlikeEmpress: I'm glad you noticed his reaction to the letter :D And I agree about So needing more than spicy noodles in his fridge LOL hopeless man. You're welcome and I'm glad you like it so far!
vanessa97: Thank you! \ ^o^ /
Thank you so much for the kind reviews. I'll repay you all with a worthy story! And what's a good story without a few heartaches ,eh? v( ̄∇ ̄)
