“Sorry I’m late!” Hea Jung ran to the counter while fastening the back of her green apron, tying a tight knot at the back.

 

Tamora turned and poked her on the forehead. “It’s about time you’re here.”

 

Hea Jung just smiled sheepishly before turning to the cashier, calling out for the next customer. She didn’t notice Tamora turn to Jae and poke him on the arm, winking, then nudging him before sauntering out of the counter area.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was eight, but it was still relatively bright outside; the sun barely starting to set. Chatter remained constant in the shop, the sun’s golden rays filtering through the windows that Hea Jung had just wiped down.

 

When she returned to the counter to wipe down the machinery, Jae just stood casually on the side, lazily playing with his phone. “Didn’t you say that you had to study?”

 

“Huh? Oh,” Hea Jung looked up from the blender. “I don’t think I’m going to study.”

 

“What?”

 

“I don’t think I’m going to study.” She repeated slowly, looking back down to the blender. She felt herself turn red. “I don’t know if I want to do it.”

 

“Do what?” Jae had put down his phone now and stood beside her, watching her hands as they scrubbed the rag cloth across the already shining silver of the machine.

 

“Law. Business. I already got accepted at Cali.”

 

“And you’re not going?”

 

Her incessant wiping began to become more furious. “No,” She scrubbed harder. “I hope not, at least.”

 

“What are you going to do, then?”

 

Her hands stopped. “Music.” She said quietly, so quietly it was almost a whisper.

 

Jae blinked in surprise. “Oh… Are you really?”

 

She didn’t say anything and her hands resumed to wiping down the next blender.

 

“I’m really happy for you, Hea.”

 

“Mm.” She murmured. “I don’t know. Getting called back for a second audition doesn’t mean anything. I probably won’t even get through.”

 

Jae grabbed her by the shoulders, leaning so close, so he could see her startled brown eyes. “Didn’t you apply for Julliard? It’s flippin’ Julliard, Hea. Come on, you’ll get through.”

 

She shook her head, looking away. “You’ve never even heard me-”

 

The bell rang as a new person walked in, interrupting her sentence.

 

“You two look like you’re having fun.” Tamora laughed, walking up to the counter, looking amused and she looked at Jae’s hands, which were still firmly gripping her shoulders.

 

Hea Jung turned beet red and quickly tore herself from his grasp, looking away. “We were not!” She hurried over to the counter, defending herself as she spoke quickly. “We weren’t, Tamora, I swear.”

 

Jae didn’t say anything.

 

“Whatever,” Tamora chuckled, walking into the back. “I forgot my textbook here.”

 

After Tamora’s departure, the two didn’t talk, not until they had to close up, when the crescent moon was finally hung high up in the indigo night sky, signalling that it was time to go home.

 

“Here.” Jae handed her her sweater before flicking off the light switch and shutting the door firmly behind him.

 

“Thanks.”

 

When they finally got on to their bus, they sat together at the back as usual, but Jae couldn’t help noticing how Hea Jung kept a careful two inches away from him.

 

He sighed. “I’m sorry about earlier.”

 

She hesitated. “It’s fine.”

 

“No, really, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that. Or have talked to you like that. Your future is solely your decision, I… I just wanted you to be okay in the future.”

 

“Jae, I said, it’s fine. I know you’re just caring for your friend.”

 

It’s more than just caring, Hea….

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Mom, what’s this?” Hea Jung picked up a stapled package of papers that was lying on the kitchen table, her eyes growing wide as her eyes ran over the words printed across the page.

 

“What?” Her mother yelled down from upstairs. “I’ll be right there, hold on.” A few seconds later, her mother appeared at the doorway of the kitchen, her hair tied up loosely in a bun, wearing her usual blue fuzzy bathrobe.

 

“Oh,” She smiled as she caught sight of the papers in her daughter’s hands. “That. I forgot to take them out of the kitchen.” She walked over. “That was meant to be a surprise, but I would suppose not. I’ve gotten you plane tickets to Korea.”

 

“I’m… I’m going to Korea?”

 

“You deserved it for going to Cali. I’m so proud of you, Hea. I’ve been saving up for this just for you.”

 

“Oh, Umma.” Hea Jung sighed happily, hugging her mother tightly. “Thank you so much.” She pulled back. “Are you going too?”

 

“No,” Her mother said, a little quietly. “I won’t be going with you.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“That’s because there’s a second surprise in the envelope.”

 

“Envelope?” Trembling slightly, Hea Jung flipped over the package of papers, and there was a white envelope clipped with the rest of the papers. “Can I open it?”

 

Her mother nodded. “Go ahead.”

 

 

She gently pried open the flap of the envelope, and pulled out a ticket to Infinite’s next concert.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

subscribe and ill luh ya forevah 

~keyz_locket