Chapter 2

I was standing in a dimly lit bathroom. My reflection was staring right back at me as I tried to put my happiest facial expression on. My shift   was about to start and if I was honest with myself, it made me very nervous.

I had received a short training, and Mr. Choi even gave me a hand-made map showing which table was which, so I wouldn’t get confused but my hands were still shaking. In my group of friends I was always known as the clumsy one. Actually, I wasn’t that clumsy. My biggest downfall was being nervous around people I didn’t know. My face would flush bright red and I wouldn’t be able to look anywhere but my feet. Exactly that was the cause to most accidents.

I breathed in through my nose and exhaled through my mouth. A timeless calming technique my mother had taught me when I was young. Repeating this cycle, I slowly counted until ten and only then I was ready to face the restaurant.

Restaurant was still filled with daylight. After all it was only five o’clock. And it wasn’t as packed as yesterday but my mind liked to remind me that the night was still young. The old woman whose name I later learned was Choi Hyun Jae smiled at me and waved me over.

She was holding a tray full of food. There was two servings of bibimbap which made my mouth water and some side dishes. It made me remember that I hadn’t eaten any lunch because I was too stressed.

-Could you please take this order to table 4? It’s those two women, they have been waiting for some time but I have to get ready other orders.-

-Of course, Mrs. Choi. I will take care of it.-

I took the tray out of her hands and slowly approached the table while putting on my best smile but inside I was really worried. Even my hands were shaking. Technically there was no reason to worry. They thought me everything about Korean restaurant etiquette I would ever need to know. Quietly freaking out I was already at the table.

It was a blur. After a lot of smiles and small talk I felt my body leaving the table. I couldn’t remember anything except small details. Like, for example, the colour of the scarf that laid besides one of the women or some questions they asked about me being a foreigner.

I looked over the room; locking eyes with Mr. Choi who gave me two thumb ups and a smile. While my heart still hadn’t slowed down it was filled with warmth which hadn’t been there before. Maybe the night won’t go as bad as I thought.

Opening the doors to my flat I exhaled a breath of relief. My feet hurt but I felt as happy as any person earning their own money felt.  Kicking of my boots I already started planning what I’m going to tomorrow. School was still hard and I needed to be on the top if I wanted to accomplish anything in Korea.  Study time was important but I had promised to hang out with Oh Yoo Ra and treat her to something nice for getting me a job.

But at the moment I was alone in the flat. My flat mate was still at the academy. It still blew my mind just how much time Korean students spent studying. If I would have been brought up in an environment like this I’d probably already be resting in a mental hospital. I never saw her. During the day she was at school, during nights she was at academy and then she stayed up until god knows when doing her homework. The only way I knew she was at home was the neatly placed white trainers at the doors.

I decided to call Yoo Ra just to make sure she was available on Sunday and not doing something with her newly acquired boyfriend. After some random k-pop song she decided to pick up.

-Hey, worker, I was just getting ready to call you! - Her voice rung out happy.

-Hey, I was just wondering if you’re doing anything tomorrow. I thought that maybe we could go out and celebrate me becoming a working citizen. - I laughed and it slightly echoed in the empty room.

There was a silence on the line and that definitely meant something bad. –Well, uh, Hyun Su oppa asked me on a date tomorrow. He promised we’ll go to the Han River and he’ll buy me ice cream. - She sounded apologetic but excited at the same time.

-It’s okay, Yoo Ra. You know me I’ll find something else to do. - I tried not to show my disappointment.

 -Yeah, like lying in your bed for the whole day and consuming dubious amounts of junk food. -She was joking but not really because that is what I actually had planned to do.  –Hey, how about you come with us! I bet oppa won’t mind.-

-And, what? Third-wheel your date? No way! - There are just some things a teenage, single girl shouldn’t experience and this was one of them.

-Okay but promise me you’ll do something productive tomorrow. - She sounded serious.

-I promise! - I said, touched that she actually worried about me. And that was the end of our conversation.