Chapter 4: The Cousin & The Anonymous Sender

Ji Yong tapped his ballpen on the counter as he looked absentmindedly at the customers going in and out of the record store. 

It had been three days since his first visit to that café Park Sandara is working at. Three freakin’ days! He was amazed he had survived that long without seeing her. He may have sounded overreacting but he didn’t care. It was the truth. He had been itching to visit her again; even Young Bae and Seung Ri surely know about this since he’s been ranting to them nonstop. Why must his work be so demanding at the wrong time? Is this a sign that he should just give up on her?

He shrugged off the thought. Of course, he won’t give up just like that. Not now, not when he’s seeing a very high chance of making her his.

Ji Yong laughed at the idea. Who was he kidding? He wasn’t anywhere near getting her. She already rejected him. And what’s even worse? It was just their first meeting when that happened! And it’s all thanks to Ji Yong and another one of his lame ways of wooing ladies.

Yeah, Kwon Ji Yong has had his fair share of experience in courting girls. And all of them turned out the same way: a failure. If the situation wasn’t him chickening out, it would be the girl having feelings for another guy. Well, there was one time when he successfully had a girlfriend, but it didn’t last long ‘coz he found out that the girl was cheating on him with another guy.

Yup, that’s how unlucky Ji Yong is when it comes to love. That is why when he saw Dara, he tried to be a different man. Maybe that way, luck would turn around for him and it would be easier for him to get her. But then his plan backfired; he was still unsuccessful. But instead of giving up, he considered Park Sandara as his challenge and he would do anything he could just to make her say yes.

Ji Yong leaned his head on his hand that was on the counter and closed his eyes. He stayed like that for a few minutes until a thought came to his mind and he raised his head and pointed his index to the ceiling like an enlightened little kid.

“I’ve got it. I know what I should do next.” Ji Yong said to himself rather loudly, smiling.

“Um, excuse me?” the customer in front of him said. 

“Oh. Mianhe.” Ji Yong said, scratching the back of his neck, as he turned to the customer and began to go through the items to punch in the prices on the cash register.


-


Dara went inside the grocery store. She was on her way to work when Bom called her and asked her for a favor to buy something important since “that time of the month” came to her so suddenly. As always, Dara was off to the rescue for her bestfriend. 

When she already got what she needed, along with a few other items, Dara made her way to the cashier. It wasn’t a very busy day so the line wasn’t long. Dara was thankful that there were only two of them in the queue. She was supposed to be at work in fifteen minutes.

“That would be 4,500 won, miss.” the clerk said to the customer before Dara.

The customer, who appeared to be a teenager, fished out her wallet from her body bag and counted her money. She bit her lip as she realized she was short on cash.

Dara, who had been waiting in line and had been watching all along, noticed the girl’s expression and discreetly handed her some money. The girl gave her a puzzled look. Dara mouthed the words “It’s okay.” and gave the girl a subtle smile. The girl slowly took the money from Dara and then responded with a grateful smile and a bow with her head. Dara responded with her very own bow.

The girl gave her payment to the clerk and got her items. As she made her way out of the store, she looked back at Dara and gave her a final swift bow and a smile.

Dara checked out her items and carried the medium brown paper bag in one of her hands as she went out of the supermarket. She hadn’t walked very far when someone called out “Unnie!” to her.

Dara looked back to find that it was the teenager she helped earlier. It looked like she had been waiting by the store front.

“Annyeong haseyo!” Dara greeted her cheerfully.

“Unnie, thank you so much for helping me, earlier. I’m sorry for causing you some trouble. I didn’t realize I didn’t bring enough cash.” the girl said as she bowed.

“Oh, it was nothing. I’m always willing to help somebody in need.” Dara said in gentle voice.

“I feel really ashamed. Please, let me repay you, unnie.” The girl replied.

“Yah, it’s really nothing. You don’t need to pay me back.” Dara said, waving her palms lightly.

“Well, I can’t thank you enough then, unnie.” the girl smiled and bowed once again.

“Don’t mention it. I’m Park Sandara, by the way; Dara, for short. What’s your name?” Dara replied, extending her hand which was free of the grocery bag.

“I’m Minji, Gong Minji. It’s nice to meet you Dara-unnie.” the girl replied as she shook Dara’s hand.

“Nice to meet you, too, Minji.” Dara replied, vigorously shaking Minji’s hand.

“I haven’t you seen you around these parts before. Are you new here?” Dara asked as they walked along the sidewalk.

“Yes, unnie. Um, actually, I’m just here to have a look at the Hongdae campus. But since I’ll be a freshman this coming semester, I’m also looking for some place to board in.” Minji said, putting her hands inside the pockets of her jacket.

“Oh, really? What would be your course?” Dara asked.

“I’ll be taking up Visual Arts since I really have this passion for drawing, unnie.” Minji said with a smile.

“Wow. That’s really cool, Minji-ah.” Dara said with an admiring look in her face.

“Thanks, but it’s really nothing. How about you, unnie? Are you also studying at Hongdae?” Minji asked this time.

“Yeah. I’m currently taking up my masters in Writing.” Dara replied.

“Woah! Cool! That’s really awesome, unnie!” Minji replied in a delighted tone.

“Well, yeah, somehow, it is. But I’m stuck with my thesis at the moment. You know, my adviser is really fond of me so he keeps putting my writing output on hold. I’m thinking he might miss me when I graduate.” Dara said jokingly.

“Haha! You’re so funny, Dara-unnie! No wonder you’re adviser won’t let you graduate yet.” Minji said as she let out a cute laugh.

“I’m just kidding, by the way. But, I actually think my assumptions are true. Anyway, since I won’t be getting out of this place any moment sooner, I’m kinda busying myself with work. I work as a part-time barista at Starbucks during daytime, while I do the academic stuff at night.” Dara said as they continued walking.

“Woah. Isn’t that tiring and stressful, unnie? Working at day and studying at night?” Minji asked.

“It was when I first started, but I guess I’m used to it by now, so I really don’t feel that tired anymore. Anyway, do you need any help in finding a place to board in?” Dara asked.

“It’s alright, unnie. I actually have a cousin working here. He would be helping me find a place. Besides, you have already helped me enough today.” Minji replied as they stopped at the junction just in front of the university entrance.

“Oh, okay, then. Well, I guess this is my stop. I hope to see you around. You can always drop by the café when you need someone to talk to.” Dara said.

“I will surely do, unnie. I also hope to see you in campus. I’m really glad I’ve met a friend even before my college life has started.” Minji replied.

“And it’s really nice to have met a dongsaeng like you.” Dara said with a smile.

“Bye, Dara-unnie! Annyeong! Thank you so much, again!” Minji said as she made her way to the pedestrian lane.

“No problem, Minji-ah! Take care! Annyeong!” Dara replied, waving her right arm.

Minji gave a final smile before finally walking across the now empty street.

“What a sweet kid.” Dara remarked with a smile on her face as she crossed the other part of the junction and made her way to the coffee shop.

Dara went inside the changing room to find a waiting and half-panicking Bom standing by the comfort room door.

“There you are! I was worried something might’ve happened to you. What took you so long?” Bom said as she placed her hands on her hips.

“Sorry, Bom. There was just something that kept me. Here you go.” Dara replied, getting the packet of sanitary napkins from the brown bag and handing it over to Bom.

“Oh, thank you. Once again, you’ve become my savior. Seriously, what would I do without you?” Bom said in a relieved tone.

“Yah, enough of the drama and get changed already. I saw Choi-sajangnim attending to the customers by himself; he might be needing help already.” Dara replied, chuckling.

After fifteen minutes, the girls both went out of the changing room and joined their boss, Choi Dong Wook, in taking the orders of the waiting customers.

“Yah, Dara-ah, a little boy dropped off this bouquet just a while ago. He said it was supposed to be for you.” Dong Wook said, pointing to the bunch of flowers on one of the counters.

“Really?” Dara said, slightly taken aback. She looked at the direction where her boss was pointing. She saw a lovely, medium-sized bouquet of vibrant yellow and pink daisies laid on the counter. She couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the flowers as she took the bouquet in her hands.

“Woah, Dara, looks like you’re getting more and more popular among the fanboys these days.” Bom teased, nudging Dara’s arm with her elbow.

“Yah! Stop it, Bom! Anyway, did the boy say who the flowers were from, sajang-nim?” Dara said, inspecting the bouquet for a message tag.

“Aniyo. Actually, I was too busy to ask. So, I just told the little boy to place it on the counter.” their boss replied as he placed two washed glasses on one of the racks.

“So, who is it from, Dara-ah?” Bom said, peeking behind Dara’s left shoulder and trying to also read the message written on the tag.

“Oh my, isn’t that sweet? This guy—whoever he is—is so totally into you!” Bom said, shaking Dara light from behind by clutching her shoulders.

“Yeah, it sure is sweet. It’s a shame he had to leave out his name. I wonder who sent it.” Dara replied, gently touching the petals of one of the pink daisies.


-


Ji Yong couldn’t help but feel all warm and fluffy inside as he watched Dara admire the bouquet in her hands through the coffee shop front window. After giving the bouquet to the newspaper boy, who was hanging around by the sidewalk, and tipping him to give the flowers to Dara, he quickly ran across the street and hid himself in an alley directly facing the coffee shop. That bouquet cost him a third of his salary, but seeing Dara all smiling and happy as she held on to the bouquet, it was all worth it. Ji Yong shifted his bucket hat and sunglasses as he continued to watch Dara. He suddenly felt his phone vibrating. He fished it out of his pocket and immediately answered after finding out who was calling.

“Yoboseyo? Minji-ah, what’s up?” Ji Yong started.

“Ji Yong-oppa! Where are you? You said to meet up by the university entrance at 1 o’clock, right? It’s already 1:35!” Minji said through the other line.

“Sorry cousin, I had something else to attend to. I’m on my way, okay? Bye-bye.” Ji Yong replied and then hung up.

He casted a final glance at the smiling Dara inside the coffee shop as he made his way to the university.