“Are you going to tell me what happened?” Cora asked, following MinHee towards her room as she fixed the criss cross bowtie around her neck. She and MinHee were getting ready for their morning shift, which had been conveniently placed directly after her birthday party, when neither girl could fully function.

MinHee stopped in front of her dresser and turned to Cora. “Nothing happened. I started vomiting and he stayed to make sure I didn’t choke in my sleep or something.”

Cora stared at her in confusion for a moment before laughing heartily. “You’re kidding right?” MinHee shook her head and opened her dresser, pulling out a pair of small black socks and starting back towards the living room, the laughing Cora following her. “You threw up? And Jackson saw it? Man, I bet that did wonders for your relationship.”

MinHee rolled her eyes and grabbed her shoes. “I don’t see how it matters what it did. There is no relationship for it to do anything to.”

“You and Jackson don’t have a relationship?” Cora asked, raising an eyebrow. MinHee nodded. “Then why have the two of you been suspiciously suspicious since the beach house.”

MinHee could feel a blush starting on her cheeks. “I have no clue what you mean.” She then hid behind a curtain of her hair and proceeded to put on her shoes. Cora simply stared at her triumphantly and then the two started out the door.

They were silent, without signing, the entire walk to the restaurant, and once inside, they both went their separate ways. Cora was hostess, yet again, and MinHee had been saddled with another kitchen job. She hadn’t minded though, work was work.

She hadn’t minded until she got partnered with Jinwoo for bar duties. He was already waiting behind the bar, drying the inside of one of the glasses, when MinHee walked over. His eyes lifted from the cup, and he glared at her slightly before looking back down.

She was not going to go over there. She was not going to talk to him, ever. So instead, she turned and started towards Cora, who was inspecting her nails behind the podium. MinHee started signing viciously. “I think that I’m not feeling well again. I probably shouldn’t be at work.”

Cora’s eyes flittered from MinHee’s hands to her face, and she caught MinHee looking towards Jinwoo, so her eyes followed. “What did that little bastard do now?” Cora asked, putting one hand on her waist.

MinHee shook her head. “Nothing. He did nothing. He’s fine, I’m just feeling ill.”

Cora didn’t look convinced. “I’m going to kick him into next week-” She was cut off by the door opening and the bell sounding the arrival of customers. “Soon,” She muttered under her breath before turning and offering a bright smile to the three girls who had walked into the restaurant. “Hello, and welcome to-” 

One of the girls gasped. “MinHee?” She asked, and everyone turned to her. She was a very thin girl, with long legs but a short stature, and dark brown hair that was done up in a cute sock bun. Her eyes, which were two different colors, were wide and fixed on MinHee, and her dainty little hands lifted. She was suddenly using sign language. “It’s been so long.”

“Jin Ae!” MinHee said, starting forward. She hugged the girl quickly and took a step back. “What are you doing in Korea?”

The girl, Jin Ae, smiled and began signing again. “I live here now. I got a modeling contract over here a few years back, and have been here ever since. My foster parents actually live just down the way.”

“That’s great! How’s school?” MinHee asked, unbothered by the fact that no one understood what was going on.

Jin Ae shrugged. “It’s school, but hey, it’s got to happen right?”

The two laughed and then MinHee turned to Cora. “Oh I’m so sorry, Jin Ae, this is Cora Matthews, my roommate.” She said, gesturing to Cora. “She understands Korean sign, but not Chinese.”

“You were speaking Chinese?” Cora asked doubtfully.

Jin Ae nodded. “Yes,” She said this, in Korean. “I’m actually from Shanghai.”

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