CHAPTER 3

THE THING ABOUT I T A E W O N

 

 

Justine's childhood friend from the Philippines hadn't stopped sending her Bible verses.  Maybe for a good reason, too: she needed that encouragement when a random man popped by during dinner Saturday night.  She knew at some point during the weekend of her stay at her parents' house that a man would pay a visit, but the sight of the tall, dark, and handsomely chiseled Filipino entrepreneur two years older than her still threw her off.  At that moment, her phone buzzed (“No phones at the table, Justine!” reprimanded her mom, who was more or less still upset with her daughter about her comment the previous night), and on the screen flashed Proverbs 31:25: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”  So Justine clothed herself with some strength and dignity, and showed as much grace as she could throughout dinner.

 

That didn't mean Enzo had to, though.

 

Enzo was more or less pissed at the presence of this man.  In fact, Enzo always became angry whenever their parents invited over a man for family dinner.  To him, it was like utilizing a kid's birthday party to promote a company product (which had happened on more than one occasion to Sierra and Justine).  It disgusted him.  And he made it known.

 

“I thought family dinners were for family only, ma,” Enzo said pointedly, his eyes glued on the man seated beside Justine which used to be Sierra's seat.

 

Unlike with Justine, their parents couldn't say anything to Enzo.  They needed their son to agree to take over the company, and they had to do that by winning him over.  It wasn't that Enzo had their parents wrapped around his little finger because that wasn't the case at all.  Their parents could just as easily appoint the current CFO, but their pride in blood was stronger than that—they needed Enzo, and if they wanted him to sign the CEO contract when he turned 30, they needed to appease him.

 

“Well, Enzo,” their mother cleared , “Daniel here could be a member of the family soon.”  She smiled at the guest when she said this.

 

“In that case, can I call Sierra?”

 

Justine snorted, forcing the smile tugging on her face to go away.  Their father glanced at her; Justine stuffed her cheeks with as much sinigang and rice as she could to avoid confrontation.

 

The night went on.  The tension in the atmosphere put there mostly by Enzo nulled the Daniel dude void.

 

Sunday night, Justine flew back to Seoul.  Monday she was at work, showered with questions by Jinwoo about the weekend she spent at her parents'.  She answered each question; it was a relief that Arirang put their cubicles next to each other, really, so it was easier to converse in hushed tones.  Jinwoo was still loud, though.

 

Now, it was the same day, but at night, and Justine opted to have dinner with her sister at her apartment in Itaewon — the neighborhood was known for being the hub for foreigners living in Korea.  The sisters were currently seated on the living room floor, eating chicken adobo out of rice bowls on a small table while Sierra's three-year-old son, Matthew Myungsoo Choi, ran around waving his Pororo stuffed toy.  Sierra's husband Myungjoon was still at work.

 

Sierra Choi née Rey was a 28-year-old woman happily married to a Korean man and the mother to an insanely adorable toddler.  In Korean culture, wives didn't take their husbands' last name, but because Sierra insisted (and argued that because she wasn't Korean), she took Myungjoon's surname.  She had already been in a relationship with Myungjoon for four years when she turned 25... but it was a secret that only Enzo and Justine knew.  Their parents, meanwhile, continued to set her up on dates, and had her meet a man nearly every week after her 25th birthday.  Then one day she snapped — she told them about her relationship in a manner that, to this day, still made Justine quiver.  As a result of her rebellion, their parents disowned her, and stripped off her name from every wealth she had within the Rey family that all Sierra brought when she left the manor were her clothes and a burning rage for their parents' stupid rules.  Soon after, she married Myungjoon.  Every month since she left, though, both Enzo and Justine secretly funneled money from their allowances into Sierra's bank account.  At the same time, Sierra's name became an expletive in their parents' household like she was Voldemort: mention it, and their parents lose their minds.

 

When they were kids, Justine looked up to Sierra the most.  She was three years older than her (and one year younger than Enzo), so Justine would mimic her sister quite often from the clothes to the mannerisms.  Then they grew up, and the changes were evident, especially in their physical attributes: Sierra's facial features were sharper than Justine's.  She had a strong jaw and grew up long-limbed and perenially skinny.  Nearly everything about her she inherited from their father, but she had their mother's temper.  Maybe that was why they clashed often.

 

“Goodness, that sounds like hell,” Sierra mumbled after Justine told her how the weekend went.

 

Justine swallowed the food in before responding.  “It was.  Enzo saved me, though.  The whole night he was throwing shade.”

 

“Glad to know he's still the same,” Sierra said.  She turned to her kid who was wiping the door with the plush.  “Myungsoo, come here!  Eat your greens, sweetheart.”

 

Myungsoo jogged over clumsily in his diapers, landing on the space between Justine's crossed legs.  His aunt fed him some of his greens, and he stayed idle resting his head on Justine's abdomen.

 

“When does Myungjoon get home?” Justine asked as she gingerly removed her blazer jacket.  Myungsoo was unbothered, playing with the plush like it was a toy plane.  “It's about to be 11, ate.  Isn't this a bit late?”

 

“He gets home usually around midnight,” Sierra sighed.  “But nurse hours are pretty unpredictable.  I consider it a miracle if he gets home before 1 in the morning.”

 

“I can stay until he gets home.”

 

“No,” Sierra said, collecting the empty bowls.  “You go home and get some rest.  I know After School Club is filming tomorrow.”

 

“Well, before I go,” Justine said, grabbing her sister by the wrist before she could stand.  “I need some advice.”

 

Sierra stared at the hand gripping her wrist.  Sometimes she couldn't believe how well Justine had grown up.  Her younger sister had always copied her when they were younger, but now that they were grown, Sierra was glad Justine didn't follow after her messy footsteps.  She put down the dishes and waited patiently.

 

Justine absentmindedly placed her hands on Myungsoo's knees.  The little boy was deep in his own world, truly unaware of the crisis going on in his aunt's head.  How Justine wished to have that carefree mind.

 

“i just...” she sighed.  The thing was she didn't tell Sierra about the late-night sailing with Enzo.  She wanted to get Sierra's opinion untampered by Enzo's actions.  “I don't actually want to get married.  You know?”

 

Sierra's eyebrows furrowed.

 

“I mean, I don't want to get married if it's arranged.  It just... It doesn't feel right.  Plus, our parents are being so stressful and really, really close-minded.”  Justine heaved another sigh, maintaining eye contact with her sister.  “And I come over and visit you, and I just feel... light.  I don't know.  Your life seems... better.”

 

“Oh, Tin...” Sierra shook her head.  “Tin, my life is not better.  Okay?  I'm a stay-at-home mom whose parents don't support her.  I mean, I don't regret what I did, but it's different when you have parents to turn to.”

 

“I have them and, Sierra, I don't know if I want to turn to them for anything at all.”

 

“That's not true,” Sierra replied.  “You're grown but you'll always be the youngest.  You need our parents and I do, too, but the difference is that they would want to help you.”

 

Justine's eyes were stinging a bit.  “I hate what they're doing, ate.”

 

The corner of Sierra's mouth lifted.  “I did, too.”

 

“And you made your choice,” Justine replied.  “You had a choice and you made one.  I want that for me, too.”

 

“And now look at me.  I'm waiting for my husband to get home from an exhausting job, my siblings give me money like I'm their kid...” She nodded at Myungsoo was beginning to doze off.  “Matthew could have had a better life if I had listened to our parents.”

 

“But Matthew wouldn't be here if you did,” Justine smiled sadly.

 

Sierra sighed and reached over for Justine's hand.  “Look, you want my advice so here it is:  Just... bear with them.  It's not the best idea and it's not what you want to hear, but I don't want you to turn out like me.”

 

Justine scoffed a smile.  “What, in love with a lovely home and a lovely family?”

 

“Rejected,” Sierra said, “by her old home and old family.”

 

The frown on Justine's face was palpable.  She shook her head.  Of all people, she thought Sierra would understand her better.

 

“Be better than me, Justine,” Sierra said, tightening her hold on Justine's hand.  “You deserve way better than me.”

 

 

 

“I want to go somewhere,” Kris muttered out of the blue.

 

Tao looked up at him.  He was seated on the floor of the living room while Kris took over the entire couch.  “Where?”

 

“I don't know, but I'm kind of hungry.”

 

“I can cook,” Yixing said beside Tao.  “Tell me what you want and I'll make it.”

 

The Chinese line was watching a movie in the living room while everybody else was doing their own thing in the dorms.  Most of them were in their rooms, but Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, and Chanyeol were all in the kitchen.  Whenever they were together, the Chinese line conversed in Mandarin.  A piece of home away from home.

 

“No, I want to go out,” Kris said.

 

Luhan shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth.  “Do you want to eat Chinese food?”

 

Yixing knitted his brows.  “I can cook Chinese food.”

 

“No, I'm going out,” Kris said, swinging his legs from the couch.  “Does anybody want to come with?”

 

The other three raised their hands and scrambled up to their feet.  They left the movie playing as they strolled over to the doorway.

 

“Where are you guys going?”  Baekhyun called out to them.

 

“We're going out to eat!”  Tao replied.

 

“Can I come?”  Baekhyun said.

 

Kyungsoo smacked his hand.  “You have food in front of you.”

 

“No, Chinese only!”  Tao responded, giggling with Luhan.

 

The four Chinese members pooled into Kris's car.  Yifan the driver knew exactly where to go for Chinese food.  There was this restaurant in Itaewon that he found on Yelp and had been eyeing for the longest.  The reviews promised a tranquil atmosphere with savory Chinese cuisine for affordable prices.  All he needed was time.  He didn't really picture bringing people with him, but watching Luhan and Tao argue in the backseat about anime gave him the idea that perhaps bringing them along was a good thing.

 

“You're deep in thought, ge,” Yixing said.  He'd successfully tuned out the argument of the eldest and youngest EXO-M members and noticed Yifan's silence.

 

“No, just thinking about food,” Yifan said.  “I'm hungry.”

 

“I told you I could have cooked.”

 

“Ah, stop with that,” Yifan muttered.  “Yelp said this restaurant we're going to is good, and I've been wanting to go.”

 

Yixing tilted his head, staring straight ahead.  “What restaurant?”

 

“I forgot.”

 

“Yah, hyung!”  Yixing exclaimed.  He switched to Korean.  “Do you even know where we're going right now?”

 

“I do now be patient!”

 

In less than a minute, two sets of debate sprung up within the vehicle all the way to Itaewon.

 

 

 

Justine helped Sierra wash up.  She also helped her tuck Myungsoo to bed before leaving the apartment.  Before she left, her sister repeated her advice.  Justine said nothing and only smiled before entering her car.  Sierra went back inside, but Justine remained parked by the curb.

 

Something stung behind her eyes.  A lump the size of family obligation and arranged marriage formed in .  Justine's vision began to blur as though she was trying to read something in small print, but before her tears fell, her phone rang, the chorus of SHINee's Tell Me What To Do blaring in the dark quiet of her car.

 

“Y- Yeoboseyo?” she hiccupped, dabbing a finger at the corner of her eyes.

 

“Justine!”  Jinwoo greeted.  “Is everything okay?”

 

“Um, yeah,” Justine nodded.  “Yeah, I'm okay.  What's going on?”

 

“Well, this is really inconsiderate but... can you grab some food for me on your way here?”

 

Justine's lips curled into a wonky, watery smile.  “You haven't eaten?”

 

“Not going to lie, I haven't,” Jinwoo pouted on the other line.  “I was going to make me some dinner but then I got called back to the studio to help set up for EXO tomorrow.  I just got home.”

 

“But I'm in charge of tomorrow's episode.  I didn't even know they needed any help.”

 

“Ah, ani,” Jinwoo said.  “It wasn't anything big, but they stressed me out for no reason.  Now I feel too tired to cook anything.”

 

“Arasseo,” Justine nodded.  “What do you want?”

 

“There's a Chinese restaurant there in Itaewon.  Madame Gao's Kitchen.  It's my favorite Chinese restaurant and it's only five minutes away from your sister's apartment.”

 

“Got it.  Madame Gao's.”  Justine started the car, momentarily pushing aside any thoughts of her family.  “Justine Rey Delivery will be there soon!”

 

“Thank you!  I'll pay you back when you get here.  Drive safe!”

 

 

 

“Madame Gao's Kitchen,” Luhan read the sign above the restaurant when they exited the car.

 

Kris had parked directly in front of the restaurant.  Like many others, this restaurant was located in a strip, tucked between an ATM station and a barbecue place.  In fact, nearly every other establishment in this part of Itaewon was a food place.  

 

“What time is it, ge?” Tao asked Kris.

 

The leader checked his watch.  “11 on the dot.”

 

Yixing peered through the clear glass windows of the restaurant, spotting about four other patrons inside.  “Not a lot of people.  That's good.”

 

Kris nodded.  “Let's go in and eat quickly so we can get home before midnight.”

 

The four entered, a tiny bell going off in the doorway.  The cashier was about to greet them when they all waved their hands gingerly, signaling her not to call any attention to the group.  Upon recognition, the cashier froze, but nodded in understanding.

 

Kris and Yixing sat beside each other while Luhan and Tao seated themselves across from them.  Soon they were able to order, and not long after their orders were taken, the foods were served.  The ensemble smelled amazing: roasted pork that Yifan ordered dripped with its juices, coupled with the wonton noodle soup stationed under his chin, its smoke billowing in neat ripples; Luhan had kung pao chicken and xialongbao served to him in a black steaming basket, glistening under the steam; Tao had wonton noodles also and bai qie ji, Cantonese poached chicken that waited delicately near the edge of the table; and Lay went with a large serving of extra spicy Hunan beef and fried rice.  When the server brought their drinks, there was barely any room left for the large cups.

 

 

 

Justine found Madame Gao's fairly quickly, but finding parking was still tricky even though it was nearly midnight.  There was a short string of cars in front of the restaurant, so she had to park on the adjacent street.  The weather was 30ºC flat, but the pavements were damp and the wind was picking up.  She jogged to the restaurant quickly.

 

The bell on the doorway jingled as she strolled over to the counter.  She and the cashier exchanged greetings before she dialed Jinwoo.

 

“Jinwoo-ya, I'm here.  What did you want?”

 

“Medium steamed chicken dumplings and wonton noodle soup,” she said.  “Oh!  And anything you might like.  I'll take care of it.”

 

Justine repeated the order to the cashier, ordering some dumplings for herself.  She paid for the order and excused herself for a bit to use the washroom.  She left the restroom with her eyes darted to the floor so she didn't notice that somebody was directly in front of her.

 

“Ow!” she cried out, rubbing her right shoulder.  She bowed immediately and continuously.  “Ah, aigoo, jwesonghamnida.  I'm really sorry, I wasn't looking.”

 

“A- Aniyo,” came the reply.  It was a man's voice.  “I was on my phone, I'm the one who's sorry.”

 

When Justine got a good look at the guy, she nearly fell over.  She wasn't a huge EXO fan, but she could definitely recognize that baby face and deer eyes anywhere.

 

Luhan noted the glint in her eyes: She knew who he was.  Almost immediately, his face turned pale as a look of panic struck his features.

 

“Ah, it's okay, don't worry,” Justine bowed reassuringly, waving her hands.  “I know you but I'm not a fan.”

 

They stared at each other in utter shock for several moments.  Justine squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment.

 

“I mean,” she began when she opened them, “I'm not too big of a fan to cause you any trouble.”

 

She couldn't believe this was happening now.  Fan or not, bumping into a famous person was always a surprise.  It was different when she met celebrities at Arirang because it was bound to happen — it was a proper setting to meet notable people.  A dim hallway leading to the restroom was not.

 

Luhan glanced at her up and down.  The woman in front of him was wearing a navy-blue-striped white blazer, cream-colored shirt, khaki capris pants, and khaki boat shoes.  She held a large brown purse in one hand.  By her get-up, she seemed professional enough to be the tranquil kind of “not too big of a fan” kind of fan that she allegedly was.  At least, he hoped so.

 

He quickly flashed a friendly smile.  “Ah, well, it's okay then.  Let's be careful next time, yes?”

 

“Yes, I agree,” Justine nodded.  “Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Luhan-ssi.”

 

The words were out of before she even realized.  She faced a wide-eyed Luhan apologetically.

 

“Please don't misunderstand,” she explained quickly, chuckling nervously out of habit.  “I work at Arirang at After School Club.  I know EXO will be guesting tomorrow.  That's what I meant.”

 

“That's good then.  I didn't know what to think,” he chuckled, his eyes smiling.  “We'll see you tomorrow then.  Have a good night.”

 

Justine bowed respectfully and scuttled away just in time for her order.  The cashier handed her the to-go bag over the counter and she bowed, dashing out of there as fast as she could.  She couldn't wait to tell Jinwoo what just happened.

 

 

 

 

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OMG this update took f o r e v er

i literally had this chapter just sitting in my drafts for the longest but i kept getting lazy to finish it fkjsflksj i'll try my best next time!

i decided to add a bit of EXO interaction to this chapter just to spruce things up.  it's a good gateway to what'll happen eventually in the next chapter ;)

you guys, describing the food that the Chinese line ordered made me so hungry omg

anyway, i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

thank you for reading♥

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