6/2/2015

Down the Rabbit Hole

“Excuse me.”

Minzy looked up and recognized Kwon Jiyong. He’d dined here at the restaurant three times in the past week – and he was a good tipper. “Mr. Kwon, how are you?”

“Fine, thank you.” Jiyong felt foolish for doing this but he was getting impatient and couldn’t find any other way around it. He glanced at the nametag of the girl standing before him, even though he already knew her name from the last time he was here and she had served his table. “Miss Minzy-ah, I’m wondering if you could help me.”

“Certainly, Mr. Kwon. How may I be of assistance?”

 Jiyong bit at his lower lip. He hoped this girl didn’t think he was some sort of stalker, but he had to find out more about that girl he’d seen last week. He was beginning to think he’d imagined her. “Last week Thursday my friend and I had dinner here. There was a waitress on duty that, well… I’ve been trying to find.”

Minzy blinked and tried to keep the surprise from showing on her face. But she must not have done a good job because Jiyong waved his hands in front of him, as if to ward off any negative thoughts she might have of him.

“Please know I’m not a stalker or anything like that.  It’s just that… I’d really like to speak with her. But I haven’t seen her here since that night.” Jiyong took a business card and gave it to her. “In case you’re worried about who I am, this is where I work. I’m also a business student at Seoul University. Would it be possible for you to tell me the waitress’s name?” he asked.

Minzy opened but didn’t say anything. Kwon Jiyong was a handsome man. Several of her female waitresses had noticed his repeat visits to the restaurants and speculated he was waiting for someone each of those nights. But they couldn’t quite understand since he always only booked for a party of 1, and always said he was dining alone. But now Minzy understood – he was looking for one of her wait staff. But who? And should she give the information? She wasn’t too sure but she thought there was a rule against something like that. But Kwon Jiyong was so handsome, he was obviously rich, and he seemed normal – not a psychopath or anything. But still…

“I know this sounds strange and you might be wary of giving me the information,” Jiyong said. “Please understand I don’t do things like this, but that girl… I just can’t seem to forget her.”

His cheeks flushed a little, and Minzy suddenly smiled. This was, after all, rather romantic. A wealthy patron sees a girl waitressing here and is attracted to her. She was intrigued to know which of her staff had caught his eye. “Well, I don’t know if it’s right that I give out that kind of information…”

Jiyong nodded, looked down. Of course, he understood. He had even known it all along but he’d been unable to stop himself from asking. “It’s okay if you can’t,” he said, sounding defeated.

He was about to turn away when Minzy stopped him. “You seem like a really nice guy,” she said, causing Jiyong to pause and look at her with renewed hope. I won’t give you her name, but maybe I can tell you when she’ll be on shift again. You can come back and have dinner again that night and I’ll leave it up to you – and her – to see if anything, well, you know, develops between the two of you.”

Jiyong beamed. “That sounds fair enough. I really appreciate it.”

Minzy smiled back at him. “You said you were here last Thursday?”

“About 7:30 that night.”

Minzy typed in her password onto the laptop and looked through the schedule. “Thursday… that would have been the 7^th ,”  Minzy paused, looked at all the names of the females on duty that night. And then she saw Dee’s name, and her heart leapt with glee. Something told her Dee was the one Kwon Jiyong was looking for.

“Can you describe her for me?” she asked, keeping her face and voice calm.

Jiyong nodded. “I only saw her briefly. She was small, very petite. Brown hair – she wore it up in a bun. She was very beautiful. Little makeup.” Jiyong shook his head, trying to recall as much detail as he could. He’d seen her so briefly though, and from a distance too. “She was servicing that table,” he pointed to the area he’d seen her that night. “I believe that table there next to that window.”

Minzy could barely contain her excitement. It was Dee!

OMG – the other single waitresses, if they knew, would be so bummed. But Minzy really liked Dee, and she thought Dee and Kwon Jiyong actually made a good pair. Oh, but what to do? Dee was only helping out here that night. She wasn’t a regular. Her regular assignment was over at the Jung-gu branch.

Jiyong saw the hesitancy on Minzy’s face and he wondered what it meant. Was the girl he was interested in perhaps unavailable? Maybe she was married or had a boyfriend. He hadn’t thought of that. But he didn’t think she would be married, she looked rather young. But a boyfriend – well that would make sense since she was beautiful.

“Is there a problem?” he asked, his voice a little anxious. “Is she – married?”

Minzy shook her head. “Uh… no… If it’s the one that I’m thinking, which I’m pretty certain it is, then no. She’s not married. I’m not sure of a boyfriend though honestly.”

Jiyong nodded. The more he thought of it the more it seemed likely to him that the girl he saw would have a boyfriend. He knew he shouldn’t even be here pursuing this mystery girl like this since he was technically, unavailable himself. He was supposed to be marrying Park Sandara – if he hadn’t chased her off and she wasn’t currently missing.

“May I ask you something, Mr. Kwon?” Minzy inquired.

“Of course!” Jiyong pushed all thoughts of his supposed to be arranged marriage or engagement to Sandara off to the side. He knew he couldn’t forget about it but, at the same time, he couldn’t stand not knowing more about this girl who had gotten under his skin.

“Is this why you’ve been having dinner here often this past week? Were you here to look for her?”

Jiyong looked a little sheepish. “Yes, it is,” he admitted. “And honestly Miss Minzy-ah, I only saw her so briefly that night, I’m not even certain if what I feel right now is real. It was one of the reasons I came back was so that I could have a better look and to see and confirm what I felt that night.”

Omo! Minzy felt excitement course through her. “And… what feeling might you think you have for her?” she asked. It was a little forward of her to ask, but this wasn’t a normal situation, and she had to look out for Dee as well!

“I think… she may be someone I’d like to get to know better,” Jiyong stated. “If I see her again and I still feel the same way I did that night, I would want to ask her out.”

Minzy smiled inwardly, crazy with excitement – omg!! She cleared , and as calmly as she could, said to Jiyong. “Mr. Kwon, have you ever dined at our other restaurant – the one in Jung-gu?”

Jiyong’s brows furrowed a little. “No, I don’t believe I have.”

Minzy gave him what she hoped looked like a professional smile and not a full out leer. “I’d highly recommend it to you if you’re ever in that part of the city. It’s slightly smaller than this restaurant but the service and food there is equal to our branch here. In fact, when we’re short on staff here, we often call that branch and ask if there might be anyone who was available and willing to help out here.”

Minzy paused and she gave Jiyong a pointed look, hoping he caught on to her hints. Jiyong considered her brief explanation, and then a light went on in his eyes.

“By chance, Miss Minzy-ah, were you folks short-staffed last Thursday?” He did recall it had been busy, but then again this restaurant was always busy.

“I believe we were,” Minzy said, still staring at him. “If I recall correctly, we had to borrow some help from that sister restaurant of ours.”

Jiyong’s eyes lit up. That’s why he hadn’t been able to see the girl again here! She was on loan from another restaurant! He wanted to laugh out loud, giddy that he’d made progress and might actually be able to see this girl again!

“So where exactly is this restaurant located?” he asked.

Minzy pulled out a card and jotted an address down, and then slid it across to him. “I think you’ll find the service there just as efficient as I hope you’ve found our service here, sir.”

Jiyong smiled brightly at Minzy before picking up the card. “I’m sure I will. Thank you so much, Miss Minzy-ah.” He slipped her a generous tip before he turned and left.

*

No sooner had Dara stepped out of the dressing room for work and then she found herself grabbed by Gummy and dragged off to the office.

“Whoa, what’s going on?” she asked.

Gummy her, her gaze narrowed with intensity. “You!”

Dara blinked, wondering what she did wrong. “Me?” Her brows drew together in a worried frown. “Did I do something?” She was relieved when Gummy suddenly grinned, but her gaze still stayed locked on Dara.

“I know a secret…” Gummy said, her voice half singing.

Dara froze. Had she been found out? Did Gummy know who she was? “A… a secret?” Dara asked, dry.

Gummy nodded, then laughed. Minzy had called her earlier and told her what she had done. Gummy didn’t know who Kwon Jiyong was but based on what Minzy told her, the guy was hot, rich, single, and seemed genuinely nice. AND he was interested in their Dee!

“I can’t tell you,” Gummy stated, then laughed as she saw Dee frown.

“Well, what kind of secret is it?” she asked. She didn’t think Gummy would be this giddy about finding out she was Park Sanjin’s daughter. But then again, who knows how she would take the news?

“Hmm, should I tell you?” Gummy stood, seeming to entertain the thought for a while.

“Tell me!” Dara squealed, dying of curiosity now.

“Mmm – no, I think I’ll just wait to see how things turn out,” Gummy said, mysteriously. “Besides you’ll know soon enough. Now just make sure you look your best tonight and do a great job like you always do.” With that Gummy ushered her to the door as Dara protested. “Go on now, you’ll be late!” Gummy said, pushing her out the office and closing the door behind her.

Dara stood frowning and wondering at Gummy’s cryptic message. Was she getting a raise??

Dara was still thinking about what Gummy’s secret was as she helped the others to prep the dining area. But once the doors were open she soon forgot all about Gummy and the secret as the restaurant quickly got busy. Every once in a while though she’d see Gummy, who was manning the entrance desk, look her way and smile. It made her a little uneasy but Dara pushed it aside knowing that, whatever it was Gummy was keeping a secret, she trusted her.

It was almost 7:30pm when Bom crossed paths with Dara as the latter was coming out of the kitchen. “You have a customer at table 10,” Bom told her. “He’s a hottie too, and he’s alone! I was trying to get Gummy to seat him in my section but unfortunately it’s all full!”

Dara just laughed at the pout Bom made. Bom always wanted to get the good looking men customers, but unluckily most of those that fell in Bom’s ‘hottie’ category were usually not dining alone. And even if they were alone, there was a no fraternizing rule that Dara good naturedly believed was was made specifically for Bom .

Dara was still smiling as she thought of Bom and headed off to wait on her new customer at table 10.  She saw as she approached that he had his back to her and was looking over the menu. He was well dressed, she could see. Black silk shirt, black pants, expensive shoes. His hair was cut short but stylish. She wondered what he looked like – then remembered Bom had said he was a hottie. Well if Bom said he was hot than he probably was.

As Dara neared the table she suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach and she felt uncharacteristically nervous. That Bom’s got me all anxious now, she thought, and nearly frowned. Closing the last few feet between her and the man at table 10, Dara glanced briefly towards where Gummy was stationed. Her anxiety level ratcheted though when she saw Gummy staring intensely back at her while chewing on her lower lip, trying hard not to smile. What the hell?

Dara glanced back at the table, just as she came up to it. She turned to greet the guest, a smile on her lips. And then she froze in horror as she came face to face with none other than her arch enemy, Kwon Jiyong!

**