Day 07: December 20th

 

Busan

 

"Thank you for shopping with us!" Yuri smiled politely at the customer. "Please come back again soon."

 

Yuri frowned as she watched the customer nearly ran into a person pacing around the front entrance. 

 

"Minju, I know that it's nearing closing time, but you are still disturbing our customers by walking back and forth at the entrance." Yuri said from her position at the front counter.

 

Minju turned around. "They are late! Their train arrived over a hour ago!"

 

"Didn't you say they have to check in and drop off their luggage at the hotel first? Maybe they got held up?"

 

"And Yujin wouldn’t answer my calls!" Minju said as she threw daggers at her phone. "Where are they?"

 

Yuri gave up and returned to what she was doing before. She just hoped that Yujin would arrive soon before Minju exploded.

 

Just then, one of their employees called out Minju's name.

 

"Minju-ssi, there's a phone call for you."

 

"Now? Who is it?"

 

"It's Hana-ssi from the community centre. She said she wanted to talk to you about the children's fair the supermarket is sponsoring after the New Year's."

 

Minju looked at the entrance, trying to decide whether or not to take the call.

 

"Why don't you go and take the call?" Yuri spoke up. "Maybe Yujin will arrive when you finish the call."

 

Minju remained silent for a few seconds before nodding. "Okay, I'll take the call. I will be really quick!"

 

Yuri watched Minju walked to the office and let out a sigh of relief as she could have a few minutes of peace. Just then, someone else called her name.

 

"Joyul!"

 

Yuri looked up to see Yujin walking into the supermarket with two people behind her.

 

“Ahn Yujin!" Yuri walked out from behind the counter and gave Yujin a hug. "You know you are the only person that calls me by that name."

 

"Where's Munju?" Yujin asked as she looked around the supermarket.

 

"You are anxious to see her too, huh?" Yuri said with a teasing smile. "Up until a few minutes ago, she was actually guarding the door, waiting for you to come. She's taking a call in the office right now; she should be back very soon."

 

"Ah, I see." Yujin nodded. "Joyul, let me introduce you to my co-workers, Choi Yena and Jang Wonyoung."

 

"Hello, we are the Ahn puppy’s co-workers." Yena said. "You can call me Yena and this one here giant baby."

 

“Unnie!” Wonyoung slapped Yena’s shoulder lightly. “She’s just kidding. You can call me Wonyoung.”

 

Yuri chuckled at Yena's introductions. "It's very nice to meet the both of you. My name is Jo Yuri. You can call me Yuri."

 

"Joyul is one of Minju's best friends." Yujin explained. "You will meet the other person at dinner tonight."

 

Just then, Minju walked into the main entrance area and her eyes lit up when she saw Yujin.

 

"Yujinie!" Minju ran over and embraced Yujin in a hug.

 

"Minju!" Yujin wrapped her arms tightly around Minju.

 

"Yujin, I've missed you."

 

"I've missed you too." Yujin replied softly.

 

Yujin closed her eyes and inhaled in Minju's familiar scent. She pulled back and placed her forehead against Minju’s. She looked into the other woman’s eyes and started to caress Minu’s face softly.

 

"Okay guys, I hope the you of two realize that you have an audience."

 

The two of them pulled apart when they remembered that there were other people around.

 

"Wonyoung, it's always nice to see you.” Minju gave Wonyoung a hug and then added as an afterthought. “Oh you too, Yena-unnie!" 

 

“Hey!" Yena protested. "I don't feel very welcome right now. You hugged Wonyoung but you didn’t even come over and give me a hug."

 

"Oh all right!" Minju walked over and gave Yena a hug. "Happy, now?"

 

"Yes, thank you."

 

Yujin smiled as she watched her girlfriend and co-worker.

 

"How was the train ride?" Minju asked as she walked back to stand next to Yujin.

 

"It's not so crowded, so that was good." Yujin answered as she picked up Minju's hand and intertwined their fingers together.

 

"You guys must be hungry?" Minju asked as she looked at the clock on the wall.

 

"I'm so glad that you had asked!" Yena answered.

 

Yuri laughed at Yena's response. "Well, we just have to close up here, and then we can go for dinner."

 

"Ah Yuri, do you mind closing up?" Minju asked Yuri.

 

"Sure, it's not a problem."

 

"Thanks Yuri! Yujin, why don't you stay here and follow Yuri to the restaurant? Hii-chan will be meeting us there."

 

"What about you?"

 

"I'm going to go home first, then I will meet you guys at the restaurant."

 

"Is everything okay with Halabeoji?" Yujin asked with a slight frown.

 

Minju shook her head. "Everything is fine. I just want to make sure that he has everything that he needs."

 

"Why don't I go with you?"

 

"It's okay." Minju reassured Yujin. "I won't take very long. I will see you guys at the restaurant."

 

Minju waved goodbye and walked out of the supermarket.

 

Once Minju left, Yujin turned to Yuri. "Joyul, is everything okay with Halabeoji?"

 

"I think so.” Yuri replied as she nodded. “At least Minju didn't mention anything to me today. But Minju worries about Halabeoji whenever she has to go out in the evening, so she usually checks on him beforehand." 

 

“I see."

 

"Why don't you guys go wait in the office?" Yuri suggested as she pointed towards the office. "We can go once I'm finished closing up."

 

"Okay." Yujin nodded. "We will wait for you then."

 

They went into the office and waited for Yuri to finish with her job. Once everything was done, Yuri led them out of the supermarket and onto the street. They walked a few block and stopped in front of a small restaurant called ‘Eunbi’s’.

 

"I hope that you guys are hungry." Yuri turned to the group and smiled.

 

"I think Yena-unnie is starving." Wonyoung pointed to Yena.

 

"Good, because I think you will love the food here."

 

The group walked into the small restaurant and Yuri noticed Hitomi sitting in a corner, eating a plate of food.

 

"You are eating already?" Yuri shook her head in amusement. She knew how much Hitomi loved food.

 

"I'm just doing some taste testing for Eunbi-unnie!" Hitomi denied. Just then, her face lit up. "Ahn Yujin!"

 

Hitomi stood up and hugged Yujin.

 

"Hey, Hii-chan! How have you been?"

 

"I've been good!" Hitomi smiled happily. "It's nice to see you back!"

 

Suddenly, a woman with long black hair walked out from the kitchen. "Oh, everyone is here already?"

 

"Eunbi-unnie!" Yujin ran over to the newcomer and embraced the woman in a hug.

 

"Welcome back, Yujin!" The woman patted Yujin softly on the head.

 

"I'm really sorry to interrupt this family reunion..." Yena raised her hand. "But would anybody care to do a little introduction?"

 

"Oh, I'm so sorry Yena-unnie. I got so excited that I had forgotten. Eunbi-unnie, Hii-chan, these two are my co-workers, Choi Yena and Jang Wonyoung." Yujin pointed to the woman next to her. "This person here is the owner of this restaurant, Kwon Eunbi. And the person over there still eating is Honda Hitomi. She's Minju's other best friend."

 

"Stop making fun of me!" Hitomi stuck her tongue.

 

"I miss you too, Hii-chan."

 

"Well, welcome to Eunbi's. I hope that you will enjoy tonight's dinner." Eunbi smiled warmly at the group. Suddenly, she noticed that there was somebody missing. "Hey, where's Minguri?"

 

"Minguri?" Wonyoung asked.

 

"That's Eunbi-unnie’s nickname for Minju." Yuri answered. "Because unnie said that Minju resembles a frog."

 

“Yujin, I like your friends. They are such interesting people!"

 

Everybody laughed at Yena's comment.

 

"So, we are just missing Minguri?" Eunbi asked.

 

"Who's talking about me?" Minju said as she walked into the restaurant.

 

"Speak of the frog!" Eunbi continued as she ignored the look from Minju. "Anyway, I have prepared a number of different kinds of dishes for you. Let me go and bring them out."

 

Eunbi went back into the kitchen as the group settled into their seats. Yena sat down next to Yuri and noticed that the other woman had dropped her purse onto the floor. She picked it up and carefully cleaned it with a napkin.

 

"Yuri-ssi, you had dropped your purse." Yena handed the purse back to Yuri. "There was a bit of dust on it, but I had cleaned it off for you."

 

"Thank you so much, Yena-ssi. That's kind of you."

 

Yena shook her head. "It's nothing."

 

Just then, Eunbi brought out the food and the group began to eat. As they ate the food, they kept a nice conversation flowing. Minju looked around the table and was glad to see that everybody was having a good time.

 

"Yujinie?"

 

Yujin turned to Minju. "Hmm?"

 

"Welcome home." Minju whispered softly.

 

Yujin squeezed Minju's hand softly. "I'm happy to be home."

 

It was the happiest Minju had felt in a long while, mainly due to the person who was sitting next to her.

 

It was the best start to the Christmas holidays she could have ever asked for.