Chapter thirteen.
The porridge shop , though it had been almost six years passed, still looked like the same as when Jandi and Ga Eul worked together at there when they were attending high school. The name board and the two advertising banners standing at its entrance; nothing has much changed, apart from Geum Jandi not working there any more. As her substitution, one of Master's cousins were working with them-another girl whose attending high school , just like Ga Eul and Jandi was.
After she got the job at the kindergarten, Ga Eul only worked on every Monday and Thursday but as for her family's sudden financial crisis, now she had to work every week day at the shop and four days including Saturday at Madam So's residence. It barely gave her time for her own sanity.
At this hour of the day, only a few minutes after the dark fall, the amount of customers coming to the shop decreases rapidly and for the waitresses it was mostly cleaning up duties that were left for the day. Ga Eul was tidying one of the tables, keeping all the bowls and dishes on a tray when her phone began to ring.
"Ye ... omma..." she answered. " Ani... I won't be late today..." a smile drew on her face. " ani...Anniyo... I am not that tired..." and a chuckle. " did appa come home yet?... ah.. Arasso... just don't wait for me ... to have your dinner... aro?" another smile and then, " anyeong..." hung up the call.
Clearing that table she lifted up the tray but suddenly felt as herself going to collapse; but someone held her firmly by her shoulders supporting her to stand and saving all the dishes and bowls from falling and creating another whole mess.
" Is it that hard for Ga Eulyang to have some rest? Your over work worries a lot of people..."
" Yi Jeong sunbae?" She kept the tray back on the table and let out a weary sigh before looking at the person who held her from fall and was greeted by the signature dimpled grin. Much more weary this time nonetheless it made Ga Eul smile herself.
" Anyeongsae_" the other waitress stopped in a mid bow and chuckled seeing the couple in embrace. Ga Eul, blushing wildly shook Yi Jeong's arms to fall down and smiled uncomfortably. Yi Jeong, smiled and bowed returning the greeting and let her to dismiss herself. After all, they are an official couple now.
Yi Jeong waited there till Ga Eul kept the trays at the counter and bowed Anyeongsaeyo for the last customer, to speak up.
" Ga Eulyang, ...mind going out for a coffee?"
Once they were in his car she was back again to her normal self, that tacky country bumpkin who demanded him to go where she wanted to. And as for her suggestion it wasn't for a fancy coffee shop they went.
As if all her strained energy had magically returned to her somehow, the moment they stepped out from the car, Ga Eul grabbed Yi Jeong 's arm and dragged him to a coffee machine.
Yi Jeong volunteered to pay though it was only thirty dollars and let her choose the taste.
" here.." Ga Eul offered him the little paper cup with the steaming liquid.
"Gumao..." and with a small chuckle she was thanked.
But before having a sip she again grabbed his hand.
"Waeyo?" Yi Jeong gave a quizzical look.
" Sunbae... really don't want to miss the highlights do you?" she smiled and dragged him out.
The cool breeze of the night gave them both a sudden shiver when stepping out to the open after being the whole day inside. From up there, they saw the city with twinkling lights in every window and bright yellowish paths of the streets drawn by the busy vehicles. There was Seoul running to the eternity, at the end meeting the sky spreading its shadow of light to the cloudless night like arousing steam.
"Oh..." he gasped in astonishment and smiled looking at the illuminated Seoul. The buildings and all seemed like glitter dust sprayed on a dark cloth.
" It's our own sky lounge..." Ga Eul began after leading them both to a seat.
"Our?"
"Me and Jandiya..." Ga Eul had the first sip from her coffee. " we came here often when we were younger..."
Yi Jeong again looked at the blurred border of the streetlight meeting starlight and smiled with a nod.
"Ye... Its fascinating..." and turned to Ga Eul, " Gumao... Ga Eulyang... for showing me..."
They sat there in the silence for quite some long time having occasional sips from their coffee, both looking contented about the passing moments and each other's presence. Breaking the silence it was again Ga Eul who awaked her voice.
" It seems like a dream..." they both kept staring at the night sky. " that they are going to get married from another month..."
" It could have been sooner..." Yi Jeong had a sip from his coffee, " if not Jandi had the exams..."
Still staring at the starry sky Yi Jeong smiled unknowingly, for his friend's happiness.
" Geum Jandi... will have more responsibilities after marriage though..." Yi Jeong continued still with his smile, " after all... she would have a hard-to-please mother- in-law..." they both laughed for that.
" Sunbae... what do you think... that made Junpyo Sunbae... fell in love with uri Jandiya...?"
Yi Jeong let out sigh, but did not shifted his gaze from the sky. " Men or dishes... Ga Eulyang.. , ... they are both waiting for the woman who would properly appreciate them..."
"Ye... " Ga Eul nodded having a sip from hers. " uri Jandiya.. will give every bit of love he had ever wanted..." and the smile never left her face.
They let another silence to follow and it was Yi Jeong who spoke at the end.
"Ga Eulyang... what would Ga Eulyang give for the person who would marry her?"
Ga Eul looked down at her half emptied coffee, a little blush painting her cheeks. But when she again looked up at the sky, she spoke with nothing but sheer confidence.
"A home.."
"mwo?"
And they met each other' eyes for the first time for that evening,.
" Sunbae... I'll give him a home...a place he could return, even after losing for the whole world..."
Then again their gaze shifted back to the night sky. Maybe the answer or maybe the twinkle that was in Ga Eul's eyes when answering, made Yi Jeong chuckle.
"Such a Ga Eul thing to say..."
"Mwo?" Ga Eul shot him a look.
" Yet.. " he let out a sigh, " it sounded like a paradise..." and looked at her who was blushing but grinning back at him again with that twinkle in her eyes and most of all.. innocence.
The innocence which made him want to lean in.
The innocence which made her close her eyes when he did.
And ultimately touching the other's lips.
The kiss was long, tender, and passionate. With both of their coffees sitting besides them, their hands were free; Ga Eul's to entwine around his neck and his to embrace her.
Once they broke the kiss, just like the first time, their foreheads laid together inhaling the other's breath, eyes closed and smiling unknowingly. They wanted to be together and they knew they were meant for each other.
Though not that much long and passionate, Yi Jeong again placed another kiss on her cheek when she was dropped back at her doorstep. Ga Eul was almost going to go inside when Yi Jeong remembered to give her one of the envelopes.
" Sunbae..!" Ga Eul gasped seeing the ticket. " Sunbae... is it real ? .. ah.. I..I can not...even...after all these years... sunbae..." she trailed off with a giggle yet her eyes tearing for happiness. Yi Jeong wiped away the few drops of tears which strolled down.
" hope Ga Eulyang would be there... " and with another kiss on her forehead he waved her goodbye for the night.
Back in his studio, he took one of the tickets out. It was an orange one with venues and dates and names written in golden calligraphy to go with the theme of the potter's exhibition. He stared at it smiling to himself and kept it besides the little black velvet box. The box which sat opened, in there held two perfectly matching platinum rings one with a diamond and the other plain, with few letters engraved inside.
A/N:
i am not Korean so it is now that i found out it is mwo which means what :) please don't mind my mistakes i just wanted it to sound more like the original drama :)
Next chapter will be a mostly-jihoo- focused one.
Hope you enjoyed this one.
Any reviews?