This is a short update.

Don’t tell me that you can understand me so easily
My ugly and crooked heart may even come
to resent you

“Sandara.”

A soft voice called with her door being pushed. Dara scrambled out of her bed to greet her mom.

“Mom. You’re home.”

Without any word, her mom handed her a red plastic bag that Dara believed it’s some new stationery that she always got when her mom would be home for more than three days. Delighted, Dara took the plastic bag, mumbling a thank you to her mom before she looked up to her.

Wrinkles on her skin, a solemn look in her eyes, and the tiredness that was crystal clear on her face. But Park Minchan still looked beautiful.

“Mom, you should rest. There’s food in the fridge. Would you want me to reheat it for you?”

Minchan shook her head. Her eyes scanned around her room and then trailed to her daughter. After a while, she left to get some rest.

Dara sighed as the figure of her mother disappeared into her room. That was their every month routine since Minchan rarely came home because she worked in various jobs; being a cashier at two malls and then cleaning houses at weekends.

Dara reheated the food anyway and then got into her room to get ready for her work. Since it’s Saturday, Mi would open her restaurant a little bit late than usual because Mi would like to get her sleep two hours longer.

...

“Dara, could you please take orders? Hayi said she’ll be late.”

Dara hesitantly nodded her head. She warily walked out of the kitchen after putting on her mask. Mrs. Hwang always scold her for wearing it but Dara was stubborn. She was afraid that her face would scare the customers away. Mi didn’t say anything, only let her do what she thinks the best.

If Jiyong was here, what would he say about it?

She mentally slapped her face. She should not think about Jiyong now. She needed to work and focus.

There were already a lot of customers waiting for their orders to be picked up. Dara went from one table to get the orders and then went back to the kitchen to let Mi and Mrs. Hwang knew so that the customers would not be waiting for too long.

She did her job without even looking straight at the customers. But her eyes looked away from the notebook when a familiar voice called her name when she stopped at one table in the corner to get the orders.

“Hello, Dara!”

Seungri chirped happily to see her. With him were none other than Jiyong and Taeyang. Her eyes automatically trailed to Jiyong. Their eyes met for a moment before she broke the eye contact to look down at her notebook. She thought she heard Taeyang snort.

“What would you like to order, sir?” She asked politely. Although they were people that she knew, they were still customers.

“Seolleongtang, bibimbap, hm, this chicken looks great. Then, this-“

“Yah. Why are you ordering so much?” Taeyang butted in when it was only Seungri talking.

“I’m hungry! Daesung said he will join later us since I asked him. He’s a rugby player so he should eat a lot. Ack! Jiyong!”

Seungri shrieked when Jiyong smacked his head.

“It’s not you who are paying.” He glared at Seungri.

"It's your nonna's restaurant. You could ask for free." Seungri shamelessly said.

The two keep bantering without even noticing that they attracted attention from customers around. Seungri shrieked every time Jiyong threaten to smack him. Dara was amused. She was smiling behind the mask but didn’t say anything.

“Your eyes are crinkling. Are you smiling?” Taeyang asked Dara bluntly, making Seungri and Jiyong stop fighting.