In the dining area of the cafe, Rania navigated to the back and placed the hot plate on the table in front of Mr. Yang and bowed slightly to Mrs. Kwan, “Would you like anything, ma’am?” she inquired, as politely as she had always.

Mrs. Kwan playfully smacked Rania, “You dare still call me that? You make me feel old every time!” she added and Rania chuckled, nudging Mrs. Kwan back.

Mr. Yang smiled and asked, “Have you been well? Any updates?”

Rania shrugged, “I can’t complain. Living above the café is a blessing! I love it here but I’m ready to go home, too,” she added easily.

Mr. Yang frowned, “Are you sure you don’t want this abroad program to continue?” It was a painstaking process, lying to her and creating a cover for her staying instead of going home to the States, but the doctor had insisted on keeping her close by for about a year before he gave his personal guarantee that her leaving South Korea would cement the block in her mind.

But Rania shook her head, “No, no. I’m good here. Plus,” she added a bit nervously, “it’s only for a while longer and business is picking up. I want to help out as much as possible! Maybe we’ll make it into the magazine this year before I go,” she added and bowed slightly before walking back to the kitchen.

Mr. Yang sighed and Mrs. Kwan put in softly, “I will feel the impact of her leaving but I understand it is best for her. I wonder if she will forget me, too,” Mrs. Kwan added, shaking her head absently.

Mr. Yang knew how great it would be for the café if they were featured, but also knew that, as long as GD still checked through the publications for sightings and news, it wasn’t safe, and so he sighed, “We’ll figure something out.” He always made sure as to make no promises he couldn’t keep. The last time he did was right after the accident, when Rania still remembered.

When he finished eating, he bade Mrs. Kwan a lovely evening and walked into the kitchen, where Rania was cleaning up. A few others of the kitchen staff had changed into casual clothes and Taeyang sat and talked with her and TOP comfortably. When everyone saw Mr. Yang, they jumped up and bowed, greeting him formally. As did Taeyang and TOP.

Mr. Yang smiled kindly and stated, “Thank you for the meal. Please, take care,” he added.

Everyone bowed and thanked him for the compliment. Taeyang and TOP sat back down and Rania added, “Come back soon, Mr. Yang!” And then Mr. Yang turned and walked out of the kitchen. And then to her team, Rania dismissed them, “Thanks for the hard work! See you guys tomorrow!”

As they left, Rania inspected their stations and then pulled off her apron, hanging it on the hook. Taeyang’s phone vibrated and so he pulled it out of his pocket. He read the message and checked his other messages, finding he had quite a few. He stood and stretched, “I have to handle some stuff. Thanks for the meal, noona.” He gave Rania a quick hug before rushing out.

As if on cue, TOP turned away as Rania pulled off her outer clothing and slipped on a comfortable top and jeans. When she was done, she turned and smiled, “I’m done.”

TOP turned back to her and jumped off his seat, “Let’s take a walk!”

Rania grumbled, as expected, “I’m tired. I just want to sleep!” but TOP grabbed her wrist and dragged her from the kitchen, past Mrs. Kwan as she locked up, and out the back of the café.

Once outside, he let go of her wrist and she fell into step next to him. He smiled and nudged her with his arm, “Had anymore creepy dreams?”

Rania shuddered and admitted, “This time, I saw a turntable and lots of lights. It was weird but, I wanted to jump up there or something like that.” She let out an uneasy laugh and stopped when a hooded young man stepped in front of her.

TOP looked at the stranger and then swallowed, having been prepared for such confrontations, but hadn’t really done it in a while. But he stepped in front of Rania, who frowned at his sudden heightened level of protectiveness. “What do you want?” TOP demanded.

Rania reached out to grab a handful of TOP’s jacket, “Seunghyun.”

But the hooded man lifted his face into the light and replied, “I want to talk to her.” His eye passed over TOP and rested on Rania. His gaze, which was bereft and filled with a tumult of unspoken emotions, made Rania furrow her brow.

With the light in his face, TOP recognized the young man as Kim Woobin, a famous actor and model who was popular in Asia and Europe mostly. TOP noticed Rania’s lack of recognition and shook his head, “She doesn’t know you. Back off,” he added.

When Woobin took a step forward, TOP did, too, but Rania pulled him back, “Seungia. Let me talk to him.” TOP opened his mouth to argue back but Rania stepped around him and stood next to him, looking into Woobin’s face.

Woobin turned to her and swallowed. He reached up a hand and tried to brush the back of his fingers against her cheek, but she flinched backwards, so he dropped his hand. “Where have you been?” Woobin asked, his heart in his throat, tears in his eyes, a deep sense of loss being filled with her presence.

But Rania replied, “Do I know you?”

Woobin felt as though he had been struck and took a step back from the impact. “Ran, do you really not remember me?” he asked, very hurt.

Rania sighed and turned to TOP, “Didn’t I just ask him that?”

TOP shrugged and Woobin looked from Rania to TOP and demanded, “Why doesn’t she remember me?” And when TOP shrugged, Woobin shouted at TOP, “Tell her who I am!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Rania raised her hands and shoved Woobin away from TOP. “Back off, buddy. I’m sorry if you’ve mistaken me for someone else. It happens, apparently. Have a good evening,” she added, and grabbed TOP’s arm, dragging him past Woobin, who stood very still before he turned around and watched them go.

Confused and emotional from the encounter, Woobin waited a bit and then followed, unable to do anything else. Rania had disappeared so suddenly from his life eight months ago, he had contacted her a few times but never heard from her. Finally, when someone from his team mentioned seeing someone who resembled her, he came immediately. It wasn’t until he saw her deliver a dish to Mr. Yang that he was sure it was her.

So he waited for her to get off work and was surprised to see TOP with her. But that was not unusual. They had become good friends. Mostly because of her being GD’s interest, but something in her eyes and demeanor during their last encounter threw him off. Of course, he expected her to be a bit cold, that’s just the way she was, but her reaction tonight was completely unexpected. There was no awkwardness nor anxiety in her actions, she sincerely didn’t know him. And that bothered him.

***

Woobin walked alone from his apartment to the corner store. He was hungry and all he could do was think of eating Ramen. He’d been too busy to hang out with friends and saw photos of them meeting without him. But he couldn’t say anything because of his current situation, so he simply decided to do it for himself.

He walked directly to the instant food section and stopped, seeing a young woman stare at the options. He kept his distance, searching for the one he wanted, but the young woman peeked over at him once and then twice. When she did again, she walked over to him and tugged on the sleeve of his jacket. He looked at her, surprise she actually approached him, and she asked, “Which one is best?”

‘Oh, an American,’ Woobin thought to himself. He swallowed and answered to the best of his English knowledge, “Ramen is the best.”

The girl nodded and then motioned to the ramen on the shelf and then repeated her question. So, Woobin grabbed his favorite brand and flavor and handed it to her. She grabbed an extra one and then walked to the counter. Woobin frowned and grabbed one before heading to the counter. He watched her pay for the two Ramen and then returned and gave him one, placing the one in his hand on a random shelf. “Thank you,” she smiled and walked for the exit.

Surprised, Woobin followed her and stopped her before she walked out. “Eating this now?” he asked, waving the ramen in front of her.

The girl nodded, “I want to, but I need a pot and water.” 

Woobin nodded and then frowned. When the girl turned and walked out, Woobin followed and fell in step next to her. “I walk you home.”

The girl smiled and then nodded, “Okay. But I am packing pepper spray, so don’t get any funny thoughts.”

Woobin nodded, not understanding it all, but having the decency of walking a girl, especially a foreigner, home. He wondered if she suspected him but when she suddenly stopped, Woobin looked up to see that they had arrived at the building next to his. He let out a laugh and she looked at him.

“You okay?” she asked, quite concerned.

Woobin pointed to his building and replied, “I live in there.”

The girl smiled and nodded, “We’re neighbors, then!”

At that moment, a group of girls walking back from another direction called out to her and so Woobin stepped aside. They all looked like travelers, not from the same place, but one girl, a Korean noona turned to him and then frowned, “Who are you?”

Woobin bowed slightly as the girl introduced him, “I met this guy at the corner store. He helped me pick out my ramen. I get to eat ramen,” she half sang, excited and enthusiastic.

The Korean noona, Stephanie Kwan, rolled her eyes and, as the other girls headed into the building, she turned to Woobin and thanked him, “Thank you for helping our lost duckling. Would you like to come up and eat with us?” she added, quite suddenly.

Woobin shook his head, “I don’t think I should.”

But the girl from before slipped her arm through his and led him into the building, “Hey, buddy, the more the merrier.” So, inside he went, Stephanie followed, smiling, as if knowing it would happen regardless of his answer. They rode the elevator up and stopped on one of the top levels. There, the girls walked down the hall and into a spacious, however quite empty, apartment with four rooms. There were at least ten of them there, preparing their food and chatting merrily.

Woobin stood by the door and then Stephanie walked closer and answered his silent question, “Air BnB made this trip possible.” Woobin nodded, having heard of the service but never having used it himself. And then Stephanie called out, “Rania, you should make your Ramen in the same pot!”

The girl who he had met at the corner store, who Stephanie called Rania, turned and hurried over. She took his Ramen package and asked, “Do you want an egg?”

“Take him over there with you,” Stephanie urged and so Rania s her arm through Woobin’s and pulled him through a melee of other girls, before stopping at the pot she had put on the stove. She filled it with enough water and then opened the packs of Ramen.

“How do you eat your Ramen?” she asked, looking directly at him.

Woobin felt strange that she seemed so direct but he replied, “An egg, cheese, and in a bowl.”

Rania smiled and nodded slowly, “Cheese, eh? I’d never heard that one.”

Woobin smiled and watched her cook quickly but not skip any steps. When she put in the egg and turned off the heat, he covered the pot. She looked up at him and he smiled, “To keep warm.”

“Brilliant!” Rania exclaimed and hurried to grab bowls. Woobin picked up the pot and carried it to the living room, where the girls sat around a single television, watching the show “We Got Married”. As the JjongAh couple came on, Rania hooted happily before she shushed those around her.

Woobin opened the pot and they filled their bowls before eating. Wondering if he should tell them he knew the male, and then he froze as his photo and named passed. He turned but none of the girls said anything to him. He frowned and then realized that they didn’t understand much Korean but enjoyed the feel of the show. Stephanie, who did understand pointed out, “Rania really likes this couple. She thinks they’re adorable.”

“Really?” Woobin asked, pretty interested.

Rania nodded, “They’re cute and fun! Dang it, if I had a guy like that, I’d fall so hard for him,” she added, finishing her noodles and going back into the pot for more.

Woobin nodded, “Date a Korean man. Many are like that,” he added.

“Are you like that?” Stephanie asked pointedly.

This time, all the girls turned to look at Woobin, even Rania, who waited for his answer. Too embarrassed and shy, Woobin looked away, blushing, and Rania laughed to ease the tension, “I guess we have our answer.”

And then Stephanie laughed, “I guess we do. Go for him, Rani!”

Woobin waved his hand but the room exploded with a sudden shout as the male kissed the female in JjongAh. Woobin forgot what was going on as they started talking and laughing very loud. Somehow, they asked him about Korean males and he was left to defend his gender to a room filled with foreign females. He wondered why they were so over the top and then realized that it was just a way to cope in a new country. That night, Rania told him about the Spinstas and what they did year-round, and he found himself excited for their last event that he would get to see her in action at, the Karrest party.