Chapter 5 First Day

Luch Time. I'm standing in front of Architecture building, waiting for Jongin but he didn’t come out. After a while, there were two boys  who went out of the building. I couldn't wait him any longer, maybe I had went to Jongin myself and I could ask them where Jongin's class was. I forgot to ask him this morning. How troublesome.

"Excuse me, Do you know where can I find Kim Jongin?" I asked. They stopped walking as they see me.

"Kim jongin... that freshman, right? Maybe he's at the freshman's studio in 5th floor." Said one of them. “You can take the elvator.”

I bowed. "Thank you." 

Together with some people, I took the elevator and pressed the 5 button. Then, the door opened. I saw Kim Jongin and some of his friends, they got out from the studio. And, he saw me.

"Oh, you really come." he aprroached me with shock expression. Now, I really didn’t know whether he was serious or just kidding. If he really didn’t expect me to come here, maybe I could just eat with my friends and didn’t have to come here.

"Jongin, you won't join us?" one of his friends asked.

Kim Jongin shook his head. "I have to take my reward, you guys go without me."

"Okay, see you later." His firends went first, leaving Jongin and me.

He then put his hands in his pocket. "So, where should we eat? I'm not in the mood to choose the place."

"Well, I'm the one who treat you so I'll choose the place. Don't expect anything, cause I had to control my expenses." I said as I walked first.

His lip had a small curve, "I know." and followed me.

-----

We went to a cafetaria close to student center. The location is in the middle between architecture and business building. I was in line to order the food while he was sitting and waiting. After paid for the food, I returned to my seat.

"You really don't dislike anything, do you?" I asked to make sure, I really didn't know his favorite food or food that he disliked.

He nodded, "I'm okay with any food. As long as it's edible."

"Good."

There were no words after that. I didn't know what to talk about when we're waiting for the order. He just focused on his tablet and I had nothing to do so I just looked around the cafetaria. We are stranger to each other after all. How in the world we live in the same apartment and even have lunch together?

After some moment of silence, our order came. It's jajangmyeon. 

I could smell it's aroma, it made me really hungry.... literally. Well, I missed my breakfast this morning and I guess I shall do it from now on for my saving. I took my chopstick and said, "Jal meokkesseumnida."

My chopstick moved quickly. I slurped the ramyeon and tasted the sauce flavour, the food down to my stomach slowly. This was happiness. Happiness is simple indeed. When I was busy eating my jajangmyeon, my eyes caught on Kim Jongin who was staring at me, still didn't touch his food.

"Why? You don't want to eat?" My voice wake him up from his mind.

"You can give it to me." I said as I tried to take his bowl, but he grabbed it fast.

"Eat your own food!"

I shrugged, "Well, I thought you don't want to eat. You didn't touch your food at all and just looking at me." I said, returning to my food. 

"Look at the way you eat! It's like you haven't eat for three days."

I lifted both my eyebrows, "I'm hungry and it's so tasty."

Kim Jongin shook his head and start eating as he occasionally looked at me.

Now, my bowl is empty. I the sauce at my lips and put my chopstcks on my bowl. A few moments later, Jongin also finished eating.

"It's good." He commented. "But I know another place who has the greatest taste jajangmyeon I ever know." 

His words made me interested, "Really? Where is that? Is it far from here?"

"Not too far though. You can treat me there for another lunch next time."

"Is their jajangmyeon really great?" I asked again for the detail.

"Yes, both their jajamyeon and sauce are homemade, and there's dumpling as well. They have secret recipes from their family since decades ago." Kim Jongin described it enthusiastically. We started to have a nice conversation, maybe because we shared same interest. Even I started thinking that he was a nice guy actually.

Until he changed the topic.

“I have a task for you today.” He took a piece of paper from his chest pocket and handed it to me. “Before returning home, purchase items in this list.”

It looked that he was serious about those servant things we talked about this morning. I blew up my bangs. Well, I had no choice except became his servant...

I read the list, there was five items that I needed to buy, but... acrylic... balsa... what are these?

“Where can I buy these items?”

He shrugged, “Well, I don’t know. You have to found out that yourself.”

My eyes grew bigger. “But... I don’t know any place and worse, I don’t even now what these items are.”

“You’ll find these items at craft shop or stationery shop, but I don’t know where the one which sell all these stuff together. I just come to Seoul like you.” He said calmly.

Yeah, he was in Germany during high school, that’s why he knew Sanghyun oppa. I wonder what relationships that Sanghyun oppa had with this annoying guy. And... about the store, maybe I could ask around later.

-----

“Chanmi!” I ran towards a woman who became my close friend in just a few days.

She turned her head and stopped walking. “Oh, Mina-ya.”

I grabbed her arm, “Want to accompany me to buy some stuff?”

she thinned her lip. “Sorry, I have a part time.”

I sighed. “You can’t, huh?” It seemed that I have to wandering around the city just by my self.

Wait, did she say ‘part time’?

“You said that you have a part time work?” I asked to make sure.

Chanmi nodded. “I work part-time at a cafe.”

“Do they still need a part-time worker? I need to make money for my living here.”

“I think they still need a new employee. If you want to, just come to my work place. Maybe you can start working today.”

“That’s a good idea!” I exclaimed.

-----

Exodus Cafe, a cafe served various coffees and deserts. The cafe was not very far from our college, so most visitors are youngster. It was cozy and a good place for leisure. In my opinion, it was an ideal work place for me as a part-timer. The salary was good and the owner was really kind, he is a young master named Kim Junmyeon. I’m lucky enough when I came here they were still recruiting a new employee and I could work starting today.

My shift ended at 09.00 pm and it’s time to went home. Thank god my first day went smoothly. It's been a long day, a very very long day. 

“Let’s go home.” Said Chanmi when I got out from the staff room. She prepared earlier than me.

“Yeah.” I reached by her side, but there’s something bothering me.

“What’s wrong?” Chanmi turned her head at me who suddenly stopped walking and checked my own bag. “There’s something missing?”

I shook my head when I found all my belongings still there inside my bag. “It’s not that...”

I don’t know what but I was sure I missed something. When I checked my pocket, I remembered what I missed.

“Oh no...”

“What happen?” Chanmi worried.

“I forget to buy something, do you know where I can find a craft shop or a stationery?”

Chanmi was thinking, “Hmm... I haven’t go around city yet... what do you want to buy exactly?”

I re-read the list, “Well, acrylic, pencil, paper... stuffs like that.”

“May I see it?” A guy turned up before us, he is Kim Minseok, a barista in this cafe. Like us, he just ended his shift and was going to go home because he didn’t wear his uniform anymore.

“Oh, Minseok-ssi.” I bowed to him. He’s senior in our work place, and older than us despite of his baby face.  

He smiled, “I heard your conversation before. May I see that list?”

“Of course.” I handed the paper to him.

After see the list for a moment, he handed it back to me. “There’s large stationery store not far from here. You can buy these items there. I think it still open around this time.”

Heard that I felt relieved, “Really? Thanks, sunbae. Can you give me the address or the instructions so I could get there?”

“No need for that, I’ll take you there.” He said as he smiled.

Author's note

I made Xiumin appeared in this chapter! I really like him making coffee so I put him in this story as a barista.

I also use "Jal meokkesseumnida", that means "I'll enjoy this food"

Please wait for the next update~