9. ONEW

“Friends Jinki-ssi. Call me Jjong.”

I raised my brows.

“I don’t feel comfortable calling you by just your given name. You are so much older to me. It seems disrespectful somehow.” Jonghyun hesitated in using my name.

“Hmm okay. I understand your problem. But I don’t feel very friendly thinking of being –ssi or hyung to you.”

“Do you have a nickname?”

I shook my head, “No, just Jinki and Jinx. Minho had a couple of names for me but I don’t ever want them used. Don’t even want to think about them. Ugh!” I even shuddered as they went through my mind.

Jonghyun laughed at my reaction. “You are a softie you know. You made me think of a baby rabbit when I first saw you.”

“No, no, no you cannot call me toki. I refuse to answer to toki. If you call me toki, I will call you gangaji.”

“No puppy. I am a yong. I am jjang. I am super dragon. That’s why my friends call me Jjong in short. ”

“You are short for sure.”

“Whatever you say toki.”

“No, no toki. Think of another new name.”

“I got it, I got it. Onew.”

“Onew.” I rolled the word on my tongue and said it aloud a few times. Hmm it was okay.

“Sweet, pretty, gentle Onew.”

I blushed. I had not blushed in ages and then came along this puppy and made me blush with a new name.

“Ummappa I am hungry.”

I looked at my watch and found it nearing Minki’s usual lunch time. I still had to prepare lunch at home. Imo and the girls would be returning in an hour’s time.

Jonghyun repeated his offer to take us out to lunch.

“I am sorry we can’t go, I have to prepare lunch for my family. They will be returning soon.”

“Ummappa tan ajeossi have lunt with us?”

I looked at the two faces. One with puppy dog eyes and the other with big round eyes. I ignored the first and concentrated on the second. Seeing my indecision, Minki took hold of Jonghyun’s hand and stood beside him.

“Ummappa please.”

“Ok ok turn off the pitiful looks. I can’t take them anymore. Ah my poor eyes,” I covered my eyes in pretense.

“You are my best ummappa.” Minki kissed me.

“I am your only ummappa silly.”

We went home with Jonghyun following us on his bike. It was difficult to get Minki into the car with me. She wanted to ride home with him and experience a bike ride for the first time in her life. He had to promise it for another day.

At home Minki entertained him while I prepared lunch. She began explaining who was who in the house and even showed him pictures of everyone so he would recognize them. I was worried about imo’s reaction to our guest. In all the months there I had not invited anyone as a guest. I reminded myself that I did not have anyone to invite before. I served both of them orange juice.

When imo returned she was very surprised but welcomed him. I introduced him as the police officer who had gotten me out of a sticky situation. I briefly narrated the accident. Imo thanked him for his timely intervention. I informed her in the kitchen that Minki had invited him for lunch. I looked so doubtful that imo smiled and patted my back and asked me to stop worrying. She winked at me and continued seriously that having a police officer friend would be an asset for me as a single parent.

"But why are you winking imo?"

"Because I can't help but notice how cute he is and he can't keep his eyes off you."

"No, no, imo it's nothing like that. I am happy the way I am and he has girl friends."

"It won't be difficult to change his mind. He is definitely interested in you."

"No imo. My life is already a mess because of one guy. I am happy by myself. I don't want a relationship. Why complicate life unnecessarily?"

Imo served lunch to her mother-in-law. I set the table and called everyone. Lunch was surprisingly easy and fun-filled. Jonghyun kept everyone laughing with his funny narratives of life of a policeman. Even Soo-jin and Jiyeon were laughing and enjoying his company.

We were talking long after lunch was over. Somewhere during the free-flowing conversation, Minki got down from my lap and went to sit in Jonghyun’s lap. He lifted her up and settled her into his lap without breaking off from the story he was relating. She wrapped her arms around him and went to sleep. When the story was over, he realized what had happened. He looked at me helplessly wondering what to do with a sleeping Minki. Imo was sitting next to him. She took Minki from him and went to the bedroom to tuck her in. She winked at me as she returned. I crossed my hands in front of my heart, making her laugh as she sat down again. Jiyeon looked torn between continuing to sit in Jonghyun’s company or go and sleep with Minki. He solved the problem by telling her she can talk to him when he comes by another time. She happily skipped off to take a nap.

I prepared coffee for us while the other three kept talking. The puppy really loved to talk. Soo came to the kitchen to help me. She informed me that imo was busy grilling him about his personal background. She grinned when I face palmed myself. Her next question reminded me that she was on the verge of completing 16 years.

“Oppa he likes you. Do you like him?”

“Soo, don’t even bring up that topic. Imo has already grilled me before lunch. I feel as if I have traded places with you. I pity the guy you bring home. Because it will not only be imo and uncle, the poor guy will have to face my grilling too. He is just a friend Soo. Let me enjoy having a friend in my life. It has been many years since I enjoyed another guy’s company with no strings attached.”

“Minki also likes him oppa. And he kept watching you throughout lunch. Are you sure he thinks of you as just a friend?”

“Where is my baby Soo gone? Who is this halmeoni in her place? You clung to my legs and went to my in-laws’ place with me when I got married. And now you are giving me advice on my lack of love life. Oh my god! I think it’s time we got you married. Hmmm Jonghyun is a readymade candidate. He is settled in life. Is in law enforcement. Makes you laugh. Let me go and propose for you over coffee.”

“Oh no, no, no, no, oppa. You cannot wriggle out so easily you know. I don’t want a guy who keeps looking at my sweet oppa as if he wants to eat him up. Out with it oppa or I will start tickling you.”

She began tickling me without giving me a chance.

“Stop Soo, stop. Oh please. Ok I will confess. Just stop please.” I pleaded in between fits of laughter that I tried to keep low key.

She stopped and smirked at me in victory.

“You are an evil girl Soo. I will find a tickle master for you. You just wait. And I will bribe him to tickle you three times a day.”

She wiggled her fingers in the air.

“He is nice Soo. Really nice from what I can make out. After all I have met him only twice till now. It’s too early to tell. And me trying to judge a person? See how badly I failed with Minho. I cannot trust again so easily. Let me enjoy my singledom please.”

“Oppa there is no word like singledom.”

“There is now.” I grinned at her and she hugged me.

“Jinki are you making coffee or growing coffee beans?” My aunt called out.

I could hear Jonghyun’s tinkling laughter.

“Imo you sent your evil halmeoni daughter after me. How am I supposed to do anything if she keeps tickling me?”

“Soo tickle him when Minki and Jiyeon are awake. They will love to help you. For now I am dying for my coffee.”

Soo carried the coffee for us.

“I am caught between evil women of this house. I pity my poor imobu. The sole man controlling three witches.”

Jonghyun began laughing loudly.

I mock pouted at him. “Don’t laugh baby dragon. Visit them a few times and you will know how much I am suffering.”

He laughed even more.

“Imo is your grilling over? You have driven the poor guy crazy. See how he is laughing. He is my friend. F.R.I.E.N.D. He is not courting me that you make him go mad on his first visit.”

The puppy spoke then, “Imo even if he stops talking to me, can I still visit you? I have not laughed this much in my life.”

“You take care of my Jinki and he will be your friend for life. He is one of a kind in this world.”

“Hush imo, you are making me sound like a brand. Soo never ever bring your friends home. They will go straight to sanatorium from here.”

The light-hearted banter continued till Jonghyun took his leave. He had night shift and wanted to catch some sleep.

Later that night I got a text message from him. I was reading a novel in bed. Everyone was already asleep.

What time will you sleep? Can I call you before you sleep?

I am already half asleep. How about a rain check?

I am bored. Talk for five minutes?

You will get Jinki overdose. Read a girly magazine.

I don’t have any in the station.

Flirt with a woman in the station then. Arrange a date.

Ok. Will you go out for lunch with me tomorrow?

You cannot date me you puppy. Ask a girl out there.

But there is no one soft here like you toki.

I thought you wanted my help to continue dating girls.

I compared my last date with you. To stop that, I need to take you out on a date.

You spent almost all day with me today. Enough material to compare. No dating me.

Onew?

What Jjong? I am sleepy.

Have you kissed a girl?

Did you not listen to me today? Minho was my one and only.

Would you like to kiss one? We can double date.

No way. Knowing you, it would be a double date with two lesbians.

You cannot know me so quickly.

I do.

I am not talking to you anymore.

Good. I am going to sleep.

Good night toki. Sweet dreams. Dream of me.

Only in your dreams. Have a good shift. Flirt a lot. Good night.

You are not letting me flirt. I am trying to do as you just said.

Good night. I am not answering any more.

Good night. Sleep tight. Let only Jjong bite.

I turned off the phone and continued with my reading.