Cheonha couldn't be happier, and she couldn't hide it. Things were going too well. She and her mother were together again, in a place where they could spend the rest of their lives in peace. Where before Seoul had seemed crowded, noisy, and overwhelming, it was now cheerful, friendly, and convenient. The Namdaemon market stood just around the corner, and Cheonha had comfortably acclimated to the tangled web of streets in the area. As she hauled her bags of fruit and vegetables home, all emotion was the glitter of elation. Sure, Aldaris leaving stained her happiness a bit, but she still had her foreign friends. Her english improved every day as she spoke with them.
Better than Bethany is at learning korean, she thought, haughtily. Ah, I wonder if it will rain this afternoon. Let it! Omma and I will stay in and watch TV. That drama we like is playing tonight.
Cheonha's cell phone rang. She shuffled her grocery bags around just in time to get it before her Turtles ringtone came to an end. Wasting a note or two of it to check the name, Cheonha smiled and hit the answer call button.
"Yobuseyo!" Cheonha said. "Eunha, what's going on?"
"Nothing, that's the problem. I'm so bored. Can I come over tonight?"
Cheonha considered this a moment and nodded to herself. Eunha hadn't been over since her mother came home. It made sense that Eunha felt lonely. "Absolutely. I'm going to be watching a drama with my mother tonight, but you can come watch it with us! I forgot that I haven't introduced you to her yet."
"What? Your mother is here? I thought you said that she was in the north."
"The agent that I was working with finally brought her home!" Cheonha's happiness spilled off of her broad smile and fell straight into the phone receiver. "She's ready to receive company, I think."
"Wow, congratulations! That's wonderful!" Was it just her imagination that Eunha's voice took on a tone of doubt? "But how long has she been with you?"
"Since five days ago," Cheonha happily lied. "I told you that I was working with an agent, yes?"
"You did...it's just...that was really fast!" Eunha said. "You must have a very good agent. Expensive, too."
"Yes, but I have been saving money. Charlie was worth every penny, though!"
"Charlie?"
"Yes, that's what we call my agent." The side street was never one much for traffic, but Cheonha always looked both ways before she crossed anyway. Somehow crossing a street and talking on a phone at the same time felt dangerous. "I can't tell you about him because that's against the rules, but he's the best!"
"If...if, for the sake of argument..." Eunha stammered, choosing her words carefully. "If I had someone that I wanted to bring down from the north, could this Charlie help?"
"I wish you'd told me sooner!" Cheonha gasped. "Eunha, you must always tell me these things! Charlie's going to...retire soon. I don't know if he will find anyone again."
"Are you sure you can't speak to him?" Eunha pleaded. "I do have the money to pay him. Can't you tell him that I need some help, too?"
"I...I don't know. Charlie's going back to...to Ireland, I think. He really wants to go home, so I don't know." Cheonha bit her lip, thinking intently. She had done research on hiring people to rescue North Koreans so that she could come up with easier lies, but having never done it, she could never be sure she was lying correctly. "I think maybe what I can do is have him talk to one of his friends. Maybe he knows another agent who can help you."
"Really? That would be great!" Eunha dropped her conspiratorial tones and relaxed. "Is it really okay to visit you tonight to see your mother? I know that you and her will want to spend time together. I won't get in the way of that, will I?"
"Not at all. Mother likes meeting people, and she likes fried chicken as much as I do."
"Haha, is that a hint? Okay, I'll bring over the fried chicken. Does your mother like spicy flavor?"
"Omma loves spice. She wants to try the cheese flavor, too."
"You two are food twins. It's going to be a chicken buffet, because my favorites are barbeque and original. Do I need to bring some cola as well?"
"Um..." Cheonha thought about it for a second and peeked at her grocery bags. "Yes. I have normal cola at the house, but I forgot to get the lemon-lime. I already have the garlic bread and japchae, so don't worry about bringing any side dishes."
"This must be a really good drama if you're preparing a feast for it."
"You're the one that offered to bring fried chicken. Every day with fried chicken is a holiday."
Eunha laughed. "I can see why you say that. Is 5:30 a good time to come over?"
"Yes, that's good. Mother likes to eat a little earlier than usual."
"Alright, see you then."
"Itaga popshidah."
Cheonha hung up and entered her apartment building happily. She had a normal life, now, and she realized that this was the happiest she had ever been in her life. All thanks to Aldaris, she had the life she had always wanted, yet never dared dream of. She grinned with happiness, silently wishing that Aldaris would be as happy as he had helped her become. Such thoughts carried her to the elevator, and Cheonha stuffed her phone into her pocket to make the task ahead easier.
Pressing buttons with full arms is irritating. Cheonha managed it anyway, and the elevator doors opened for her. I wish Eunha was here to help.
Cheonha yawned. She really hadn't done much that day, so there was no real reason for her to be tired. But she contentedly went to her door, thinking about all the things she would cook that night. It really did feel like a holiday because of the fried chicken. Cheonha hadn't had it since her mother had arrived, to spare her mother's stomach.
Lee Suha looked up as the door opened. She had been sitting on the couch with a book, but it fell forgotten at her side as she brightened and stood, arms reaching out for the grocery bags. In that instant, Cheonha knew the future. She knew her mother would insist on making dinner, and then insist on preparing side dishes for when Eunha arrived later. She was always so eager to be of use, but she didn't have to be. Omma was here, they were together, and they were going to be safe. Cheonha relaxed and let herself enjoy what she dreamed would be one more day in a long line of them.
*t*
I'm on the food stamps. They call it EBT benefits now, but yeah. Engh...I officially apologize to and thank all the people who are subsidizing my substinence. That has nothing to do with Aldaris, but I just wanted to put that out there. I can't wait until I finally have a positive impact on the economy again. I just got done reading a book on how FDR's stupid welfare policies screwed up America's economy for generations. Not looking to be a negative on America's ledger my whole life, you know.
But yeah, this is a journal about Charlie, so on with it. So I was having a meh day. I'd just bought up some food with the EBT card, had some dinner, caught some annoying flies in a honey-filled tupperware bin, and lay down on the floor and had an existential crisis until bedtime. I was tired from walking with groceries, and I didn't want to do anything but sleep.
And I couldn't. Sleep, that is. So I got on my computer and watched some downloaded episodes of Project Runway on my computer for the thirtieth time. Still couldn't sleep. I drank some water, did another cryptogram, and read my book on dealing with difficult people. Didn't work. That's when I started to pray. Normally when I can't sleep, it's because something is wrong with someone. The more I prayed, the weirder I felt, and I started to pace around the room.
Because I was so alert, I immediately noticed when the air began to taste like electric soda. The recall unit again? I would have been annoyed, at any other time. Because I sensed it, I had enough time to stuff my feet into shoes. Only my sandals, unfortunately. Sneakers would have been more convenient.
Actually, Charlie was annoyed enough for the both of us. I'd appeared in his control room, and he was at the computer. The instant the blue stuff dissolved, he grimaced as though I'd just interrupted him doing something either bad or thought-intensive.
For some reason, and I'm only just remembering this now, the stars were actually moving outside. Normally Aldaris' ship moves too slow to notice how the stars and Earth react to his orbits, but nah, dude was orbiting way faster this time. Huh. I wonder why.
In any case, once Aldaris finished glaring at me, he stopped the ship with rapid, annoyed banging on the controls. Wait, oh, I know. He was trying to go back to the K Sector. I can't believe I forgot something like that. Trust me, I have reasons.
At the time I was really antsy, and barely registered Aldaris' annoyance. I started pacing around his bridge, and he looked at me like I'd lost my mind.
"Charlie," I said, still pacing. "Charlie, can we...can we check on the guys? It's just...I really, really think something is wrong, and...it's like somebody I know is in really big danger."
When I said that, Aldaris just stared at me, almost angry-like. But then he got control of himself again.
"As you can see," he said carefully. "I am in no such danger."
"That's why we need to check on everyone else." I said. "I can't sleep. I can't."
"Bethany, did you at all consider that this may be a symptom of your own personal circumstances, rather than a premonition?"
"Cheonha," I squeaked. "Find Cheonha. Where is she? Please...hurry..."
My throat tightened, and it suddenly became hard to breathe. My arms started to shake, and I felt lightheaded. Still, Aldaris did nothing. Well, nothing besides scrutinize the hapless girl having a panic attack on his bridge.
"Charlie! Hurry!"
I didn't watch. I was starting to feel nauseous, so I sat on the floor and focused on breathing. Aldaris, I guess to make me calm down, finally did go to his computer and start poking at it. The tension in my lungs subsided, and I could kinda breathe again. I felt silly, for a second wondering if I was getting worked up about nothing.
It wasn't nothing.
"Bethany!" Aldaris snapped.
I jumped to my feet.
"Ready yourself!"
"Right!"
Shaking the fog from my head, I steeled my nerves. Images without words popped into my mind, a silent briefing from the telepath. It took only moments, and in only seconds I was teleported out again.
-t-
Eunha turned onto the street, past the convenience store and towards her friend's apartment building. Eunha had been the one to recommend an apartment to Cheonha, so she had chosen a building within walking distance of her own. Eunha was in a fairly good mood. The smell of the chicken, far too abundant for three people, was starting to make Eunha sick with craving. She couldn't wait to pull it all out and eat. Of course, she would have to be polite and say hello to Cheonha's mother, first. Eunha didn't mind. She had lots of questions to ask, and surely there would be a polite way to ask them once she got there. After that would come the chicken. Eunha looked down at the little boxes in her plastic bag and smiled.
I really do like my job, sometimes. Hm, if Suha is like her daughter, she'll probably be reluctant to share her feelings. I'll have to get on her good side tonight.
A twenty-something looking guy running down the sidewalk interrupted her thoughts. He ran straight toward her, and Eunha dodged to the side so he wouldn't run her over. In an instant, he was gone. Shaking her head, Eunha went on. She'd almost gotten back on her train of thought before another human missile sped out of a side alley. The figure barely slowed down in time to keep from knocking Eunha over.
"Shillehhamneedah!" the missile called back as she ran forward, right where the man had come from.
Despite the decent accent, the voice immediately revealed itself as foreign. The woman's blonde ponytail bobbed up and down as she ran; clearly this was no Korean. Eunha blinked, but straightened her shirt and continued walking.
Why is everyone in such a hurry?
All too ready to put strange runners out of her mind, Eunha tried to retreat back to her thoughts. Until she noticed that the foreigner had turned into Cheonha's apartment building. Eunha walked faster, a tense feeling rising in her stomach. Torn between her dignity and her fear, Eunha couldn't get to the apartment building fast enough. As she entered, fear's side began to win. Eunha ran up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Dread forced her up ever faster. Her heart jumped to her throat at the sound of a loud banging. Eunha discovered the blonde kicking down a door. Cheonha's door!
The instant the strange woman in glasses noticed Eunha, she glared and shouted. "Handepone! Il il ku, chonwa-haeyo!"
With one final kick, the door crashed open. The foreigner instantly ran inside, and Eunha behind her. Neither shrieked when they saw the sight inside, but neither could be blamed if they had. Inside was Cheonha, lying on the floor, a gash of red darkening her side and the carpet surrounding.
"Handepone!" the foreigner repeated as she ran to Cheonha's side. "Chigumyo!"
\\\\\
Author's Notes:
- Handepone means cell phone - literally it's "hand phone," just like it looks. Il il ku is "one, one, nine," or Korean 911. Yes, theirs is 119, if you're ever over there (England's is 999, for the record). Chonwa means "phone" and -haeyo is the polite suffix for "to do." When used without haeyo, chonwa is a noun. Lots of words in korean are like that, as in, they're a noun when by themselves, but a verb when put with the -ha suffix (which converts to -hae in certain circumstances, like when paired with polite style -yo). Kinda convenient, really. However, the sentence above is merely a polite way to say "[I'm] calling on the phone." It's not a command or a suggestion, as my character was in too much of a hurry to say it right. Adding an honorific to make the latter verb -haseyo would make it a command or an honorific statement, but I still don't have all this down pat, so don't quote me.
- I didn't mean to make all the Korean girls have "ha" names. That's just how it turned out. I mean, Suha gave her daughter a similar name because she thought it was cute, but Eunha's just a coincidence.
- Yeah, even though it's been years since I started this story, timewise it all takes place in six months. Slow updates don't mean time in the story passes as quickly. It just means I need to stop slacking.
Author's Notes New:
- Fun fact, vinegar does catch flies. They always say honey catches more flies than vinegar, but I know from experience that vinegar does too.
- I really did have a panic attack, once. It sucked. Feels sort of like a heart attack, except both arms are numb instead of just the left. The part about not being able to sleep is also true. I'm too sensitive a person.
