"You.." Ji Hoo began quietly as he approached Jan Di, considering her question briefly, "...want to go out to eat?"
"...What?" she repeated, staring at him with an expression of confusion. She blinked rapidly as she waited for him to clarify his words.
"Do you want to go out to eat?" he repeated with more clarity, blinking slowly at the expression of confusion that was evident on her features. "For breakfast? It'll be my treat."
Anything to get you away from here.. Even if just temporarily.
His eyes caught sight of a blushing Jan Di, whose cheeks were flushed a scarlet color. Embarrassment? he asked himself, knowing her current expression well enough to understand how she felt. At times, Jan Di's expressions were readable, but he wasn't sure why she was at all embarrassed by his question. Although tempted to ask, he brushed aside his curiosity.
"Ah.. S..Sure!" agreed Jan Di rapidly, nodding her head and rushing past him. "Nothing too expensive, Ji Hoo!" she added before leaving the room.
Standing idly by, for a couple seconds, Ji Hoo exhaled tiredly. He peered around the room, recalling vague moments of peace between the family. The family of which included Ji Hoo, Jan Di, and his grandfather, but also his friends who would always have a home there. His home always felt safe from the world, where Ji Hoo could protect all that he loves: Jan Di. But now his own security—especially Jan Di's safety—were being threatened by the unknown. Someone who knew enough about the two and seemingly wanted something in return. It was almost impossible to stay calm.
She's been in danger before..
Ji Hoo rubbed his chest where the wound had once been. A wound he received from protecting Jan Di when she was in danger. And he would take another bullet for her if necessary. Fate, for some odd reason, didn't want Jan Di to be with Ji Hoo—but he didn't believe in such a thing. Fate was for those who couldn't overcome the obstacles of a relationship.
"We weren't fated to be," he mumbled to himself, turning around and leaving the room. He began to head to his room where he would get dressed for the long day ahead of him. "But I don't believe in fate."
He met Jan Di outside in the chilly weather. His eyes scanned her outfit to make sure she dressed warmly for the winter air and to his surprise, she did. A hat, thick gloves, heavy coat and boots; all meant to keep her warm on that winter day. With a tiny smile, he gestured to his vehicle.
"Shall we go?" he asked her.
"As long as I pick the place," she replied slyly, with a small grin.
He blinked at her response, but nodded his head in agreement. "If that's the only way I can take you out then...sure. Where did you want to go?"
"Well, every time I went to school, I always walked past this nice little restaurant on the corner. But it smells good!" Jan Di gave a thumbs up to Ji Hoo with a wide smile. "I want to try it...and who better to try it with than you?"
"That's very kind of you, Jan Di. I'd be glad to try this restaurant with you, as long as I pay," he negotiated, returning the sly grin she offered him earlier.
"Hmm… I guess. But next time I will pay," scoffed Jan Di playfully.
She then took off to his vehicle which he unlocked with the click of a button. As he began following after her, he glanced around the area briefly, catching no sight of anyone. He was relieved, but he also wished he could find out who was haunting Jan Di through his phone. He even went as far as to try to recall the moment he lost his phone. Ji Hoo was normally a very careful person, but somehow his phone was found by someone who obviously stalked the couple.
He settled himself inside the car, buckling himself in—double checking Jan Di's seatbelt—and started the vehicle, only to take off a moment after. Luckily, there was little traffic. And throughout the ride, Jan Di gave directions to the restaurant she was enthusiastic about. She was right that it was a tiny restaurant on the corner, halfway between Shinhwa and her home. At first glance, Ji Hoo realized how plain it was, with smudged, glass windows and an uneven sign. The paint coating on the letters of the sign was also peeling off.
"It's a little run down," he commented as they got out of the parked vehicle. "Let's see what they have to offer."
"Yeah, it is a little run down," murmured Jan Di hesitantly. She glanced over at Ji Hoo who stopped beside her. "We don't have to go to this one, you know.."
"What?" Ji Hoo blinked slowly at her previous comment, confused by the sudden change in mood. "Why not?"
"Well.." She rubbed her arms uneasily and averted her gaze. "It is a run down place.. Maybe we should go somewhere else."
Is she feeling ashamed?
Ji Hoo glanced over at the restaurant with the crooked 'open' sign on the front door. "So what if it's a little run down? There's nothing wrong with that." He patted her on the head teasingly and began to approach the restaurant. Peering through the smudged, glass windows, he realized how empty it was inside. A couple customers were sitting around separately, eating their meals in peace. But she was right again; a certain scent lingered outside the restaurant. "Being run down simply means they've been in business for a while. I'd rather eat here then any other place at the moment." He turned to Jan Di, who was approaching the restaurant slowly. "I think it's a great pick, Jan Di."
With more confidence now, Jan Di smiled brightly at him and strolled through the door he opened wide for her. A little bell rang at their entry and the two were greeted by a young man with unusual blond hair. Ji Hoo—following directly behind Jan Di—noticed how much lighter his hair was compared to his own; most likely after being bleached a numerous amount of times. Ji Hoo found it rare, as many people sought a life of normality. But the young male before them didn't seem to mind, as he smiled brightly under Ji Hoo's observant gaze.
"Hello!" he greeted in a pleasant tone, bowing slightly to the two. "And welcome! You can take a seat wherever you like."
After the initial greeting, the young, nameless boy rushed off to tend to the other customers scattered around the diner. Jan Di peered around the empty room before glancing back at Ji Hoo. "You can pick the seat," noted Ji Hoo quickly. Within a minute of searching, Jan Di found a seat at a worn out booth where the two sat across from each other. After situating themselves in the booth, Ji Hoo was the first to glimpse through the menu lying on the wooden table. Flipping it open, he searched for the breakfast section, where he examined the items on the menu. "Is there anything you're particularly hungry for?"
"Nothing in particular," responded Jan Di quietly, peeking at the menu. "If I'm honest, I'm not that hungry.."
"That's a surprise," commented Ji Hoo jokingly as he set down the menu, smiling at her from across the table. "You're a food enthusiast."
"Hmph." She closed her menu and folded her arms across her chest; flashing him a brief grin of her own. "And you'd be a nap enthusiast, I'm sure."
"Do you think that's odd?"
"Partly. But I like that odd side of you."
"Then I guess we're both two odd people meant to be with each other," murmured Ji Hoo, reaching his hand across the table, where Jan Di had placed her hand. He slipped his hand right into hers, their fingers tangling naturally as they gazed into each other's eyes during the silence that surrounded them.
"Have you decided what you wanted?" boomed an enthusiastic voice beside them.
Jan Di—frightened by the loud sound—yanked her hand away to her lap, focusing her startled gaze on the same young man that greeted them earlier. Pulling out a notebook from his dark apron, he kept the same smile as earlier on his features.
"Sorry," he apologized quickly, "I didn't mean to give either of you a scare."
"It's fine," replied Ji Hoo, nodding his head in response. "Yes, we're ready to order."
"Wow," murmured Jan Di, leaning back into the booth while stretching her arms. "That was surprisingly good!" Ji Hoo had finished his breakfast not too long after her, setting aside the empty dishes for the server to pick up. "What did you think, Ji Hoo?"
"It was delicious," he agreed, leaning forward in his seat. "I'm glad you suggested this place. I wouldn't have stopped by here if it weren't for you."
"I hope the bill isn't that much," murmured Jan Di, half to herself as she glanced across the room where their server was speaking cheerfully to another customer. She watched him as he rushed from table to table in a polite manner.
He's a busy person.. Only one employee?
Soon after tending to the other customers, their server rushed back to their table. "I hope everything was fine. Do you mind if I take these plates for you?" he asked, reaching for the plates as if he already knew the answer.
"Ah, sure," responded Jan Di with a nod of her head. As their server began skillfully picking up all their plates, balancing them perfectly in his two hands, Jan Di squinted at the name tag on his buttoned shirt. "Young Jae, thank you," she spoke right after.
Surprised by her comment, Young Jae dipped his head in thanks. "You're welcome. It's my job to make sure all the customers have a pleasant experience here." Leaving their table briefly to drop off the dishes, Jan Di and Ji Hoo waited patiently in their seats for the check that had yet to be delivered. Within a moment, Young Jae returned with their check printed out and placed it on the table.
While Ji Hoo reached for the money in his jacket, Jan Di decided to converse with their overly generous server who was about to leave them again. "Are you the only one who's working here today?"
"Ah, yes," spoke Young Jae with a brief nod of the head.
"Must be rough," she commented quietly with a small smile. "It seems overwhelming."
Young Jae's smile faltered only slightly at her response, but he gave a small shake of the head. "Not necessarily.. We're hardly busy."
"Still, I think it'd be better if they at least hired one more person to help you out.." mumbled Jan Di.
"While it's kind of you to think so, this business doesn't usually need two servers on a daily basis," Young Jae murmured, collecting the money laid out on the table by Ji Hoo. "We could hardly afford that.." After examining the amount of money, Young Jae blinked rapidly in surprise. "You...you need change, right?"
"No," Ji Hoo replied quickly, pulling on his jacket. "Keep the change. Jan Di, are you ready?"
Jan Di nodded her head quickly, zipping up her own jacket. "Yes, let's go—"
"Ah, wait!" began Young Jae, bowing his head to both Ji Hoo and Jan Di who were beginning to get out of their seats. "You're...Jan Di?" he asked quickly, then turning his gaze to Ji Hoo. "And who are you?"
"Ji Hoo," he replied.
"Thank you both very much.." Young Jae murmured, bowing gratefully to the two once more. "I hope to see you two again soon."
"Thank you for your pleasant service," replied Ji Hoo with a smile of his own. Then, hooking his arm with Jan Di—surprising her with that action—he strolled alongside her out of the restaurant; the bell sounding their departure.
Once they were outside, Jan Di glanced over at him. "So how much did you leave?" she asked.
"Enough to help him out," replied Ji Hoo as they headed to their vehicle.
"Help him out?" she repeated curiously, tilting her head to the side. "How did you know he needed help?"
"Don't you think he looked rather young?" asked Ji Hoo, staring on ahead of him rather than at her.
"Hm.. Yes, he did."
"He reminded me of you."
"What..?"
Ji Hoo finally stopped and turned to face her with what appeared to be a sad smile. "Young and already working a difficult job serving people like that.. I'm sure you've done the same for a while. He reminded me of you because you would work multiple jobs. His situation must not be very different from yours if he is working at a young age like this."
"I.. I guess you're right," Jan Di agreed quickly, her heart feeling heavy at the thought. The loss of sleep; the difficulty maintaining good grades; the hours she sacrificed to study. She was even more upset that she didn't recognize another student struggling to live in their world, as she once did. But Ji Hoo—despite not truly knowing the struggle of a world stricken with poverty—was able to recognize a young man working to succeed. And he paid him generously after realizing. "You're kind, Ji Hoo."
"It's not kindness," responded Ji Hoo quickly as he unlocked the doors to his car. "I respect anyone who works hard like you. I realize not everything is simple. Even attending school is a struggle. But you've shown me that anything is possible, as long as you believe in yourself. Anyone who struggles like you did deserves some compensation for spending their childhood like that."
Jan Di watched him with admiration as he seated himself in the car. Seconds following after, she glanced over at the rundown restaurant before getting inside the vehicle.
I still believe you're kind, Ji Hoo. You're both kind and respectful.