Moment of honesty

It had been six months since I’ve started coming here.

About the same time our group had debuted.

Cooking King Restaurant.

A quaint, little restaurant, nestled in between a tiny, neighborhood corner store and a dry cleaner.

I reached for the door handle and the bell chimed to signal my entrance.

“Hey Ho Seok. Welcome back. Only you today?” The owner's son, Joon said, as he wiped his hands on his apron, while walking from behind the counter, towards me.

“Um, no. There’s one other person coming. He's just getting something from the car.”

“Ah alright, follow me.”

I followed Joon down mini rows of people seated at low wooden tables, which are spread out across the restaurant. I looked around to the waitresses and noticed that there was something slightly off.

“Umm…. is Cassie working today?”

Someone's gotta take the lead tonight

Whose it gonna be?

A small smile grew on his face.

Oh God, he knows.

“No, but luckily for you, she’s due to come by later. Father asked her to sing tonight. Oh here's a nice booth for you," Joon motioned towards a booth, next to a wall sized window and a few feet in front of a mini stage, before heading to another customer.

The bells chimed again and Jooheon walked in. I saw his eyes wander around the restaurant before they landed on me. I gestured for him to come over, he nodded and proceeded to walk over to the booth.  

The bells chimed again soon after and in came Cassie.

Okay, so there was this waitress. Her name was Cassie. She's from America and I had heard that's she was here to learn Korean history and culture. She appeared to be in her early to mid-twenties and she's black. Every time I saw her, I couldn't help but to stare at her. And no, it was not because she's black. I had seen PLENTY of black people… online and music videos, but that's beside the point.

However, I felt like a creeper when I looked at her.

Well according to Jooheon, I looked like one.

But she’s beautiful.

The instant her eyes locked on mine, a beautiful smile grew on her face. I unconsciously mimicked her. She waved at me and proceeded to walk towards Joon.

"Hyung, why do you have a dumb smile on your face?" Jooheon laughed.

"Wait what?"

"You face," he said as he pointed towards me and began to sit down. I followed after and slid into the booth.

"No reason," I coughed and picked up a menu from behind the napkin dispenser. I slid it over to Jooheon and picked up another one for me.

"Oh goodness, I'm so hungry. I wonder what's the special today," Jooheon trailed off as he scaned the menu. "I've been meaning to explain to you why we were laughing earlier. So during practice break, Changkyunnie tried to convince our manager to  teach him how to drive, using our van because he told some random fan that he knows how to drive," Jooheon laughed.

"No way," I began to laugh.

"What are we laughing about over here?" Jooheon and I looked up to see Cassie with a sly smile on her face and a floral scarf wrapped around her neck.

I'm gonna sit right here

And tell you all that comes to me

If you have something to say

You should say it right now

(You should say it right now)

"Um nothing. Just something that happened in practice," I cleared my throat and looked away.

"Oh I want to know, tell me?" she asked.

"Uh Jooheon's good at telling it, go ahead." Her eyes shifted over to him.

"Oh no, Hoseok hyung here can tell it better than me. Go ahead..," Jooheon trailed off while lightly kicking my leg under the table.

Her eyes shifted back to me.

"Ah well, our maknae tried to convince our manager to teach him how to drive to impress some girl," I lightly chuckled to myself. A snort emitted from her and she covered and continued to laugh.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry," she struggled to say. "Did he go through with it? There's other ways to impress a girl."

"How? I mean how can a guy impress a girl?" I questioned. "Yeah, noona, for example, you. How would a guy impress you?" Jooheon nudged my leg from under the table.

You ready?

"Hmmm, I like a guy who can make me laugh, tries to spend time to see me, and overall someone who I can talk to about anything," Cassie explained before looking directly at me.

That can be me. I made her laugh earlier… and I come here a lot and we've had good conversations, right?.... Right?

"Ha, that kinda sounds like hyung over here," Jooheon mumbled loud enough for me to here.

I sent him a glare.

"Hmm?" Cassie wondered.

I appreciate the effort, BUT I GOT THIS!

You give me a feeling that I never felt before

And I deserve it, I think I deserve it

(I deserve it, I think it deserve it...Let it go)

It's becoming something that's impossible to ignore

I-I gotta tell her how I feel….

My slowly mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out and Joon's voice filled the silence.

"Have you guys decided what you want?" Joon looked over from me to Jooheon.

"I'll have the kimchi jigae, - wait, what's your special today?" Jooheon asked.

"It's Maeuntang, my favorite. You guys should try it," Cassie interjected.

Crap, I can't eat spicy foods. Eff it.

"Okay, we'll get two of them." "But hyung-" I sent him a look.

He knows.

I glanced up at Joon.

"Okay, I'll be back with your orders," Joon informed with a knowing smile.

He knows too. Am I that obvious?

"So, um I heard that you were coming in today to sing tonight… I didn't know you sang," I said.

"Yeah, it's just nothing really. I don't really sing in front of people, but one day Joon's father heard me singing in the back and kinda forced me to sing in here one day before I go back to the US, and since I leave in two days, I decided that today was that day. "

"Wait? YOU'RE leaving?" I yelled. Customers around the restaurant turn to look in our direction.

Crap.

I coughed. "I mean, you're leaving? Why so soon?"

And I can't take it

(I can't take it)

"My visa's going to expire soon and I've been having issues renewing it, so I have to go back," she sighed.

I gotta tell her…tonight.

"Oh Cassie-yah," a voice bellowed from the kitchen area. Joon's father walked into view and headed towards us.

"Boss," Cassie said and slightly bowed.

"I'm hoping you're going to sing tonight, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm thinking about singing soon. Is anyone scheduled to sing tonight?"

"Nope, the stage is all yours." Cassie nodded.

"Well, I guess, I'm going to go sing now," she laughed and turn around and walked to the stage.

"Hwaiting noona!" Jooheon yelled.

Cassie walked onto the stage and plugged in the microphone into the karaoke machine. She began to press buttons until music began to play. She paused the song and spoke into the microphone.

"Hello, " she bowed, "My name is Cassie and I will be singing a song called, Un-thinkable by Alicia Keys." She cleared before pressing the play button. Holding the microphone up to , she began to sing.

Holy sh-- she can sing.

I was so mesmerized by her singing I didn't notice that Joon had returned with our food.

Her gaze shifted to me.

I was wondering maybe

Could I make you my baby

If we do the unthinkable would it make us look crazy

If you ask me I'm ready

(I'm ready, I'm ready)

If you ask me I'm ready

(I'm ready, I'm ready)

I'm ready too….

The sound of applause filled the restaurant and Cassie shyly bowed and muttered a thanks before walking off of stage. Joon's father walked up to Cassie and patted her on the back, while praising her. She blushes and bows again.

"Hyung, are you going to eat?"

"Huh?"

"Your food. It's getting cold."

"Oh right," I looked down at my food.

It just looks hot… I'm going to regret this later.

I took a spoon full of the soup and put some in my mouth.

Oh gosh, it is..

"Isn't it good?" Cassie appeared in front of our booth.

"Yeah it is," I said, proceeding to stuff several spoons of the soup into my mouth.

I need water.

My hand began to reach for the water pitcher as Cassie started to speak again.

"Well that's good. I have to continue packing, so I'm going to leave you guys to enjoy your meal and night. Bye guys," she said before turning to the door.

Wait, no. Don't leave.

"Cassie, uh wait,” I coughed, “Can I talk to you," I stood up and tugged at her arm.

"Yeah sure. Is there something wrong?" I led her to a quiet corner.

"Um, so this is something that I've been meaning to say to you for a while," I began to say.

"Sorry, to cut you off, but your nose," she said while pointing to my face.

I touched my nose and felt something wet.

Snot.

I immediately covered my nose and began to look for a tissue.

Oh God, this is embarrassing.

"Here," Cassie said, while handing me a napkin from her pocket.

I quickly wiped my nose several times and turned back to her.

"Sorry about that."

"It's all good," she laughed.

"Yeahh…… Anyways, I wanted to tell you that… I really like you and I would like to take you on a date, sometime tomorrow….?" I trailed off.

A smile slowly grew on her face.

"I would love too…I thought you would never ask," Cassie answered with her face beaming.

"And that, kids, is how I got your mom," I say looking down at my two sons, before looking over lovingly at my beautiful wife, Cassie.

“Snot? Cool one Dad,” my youngest chimes in.

"Dad, you must've really liked mom," my oldest laughs.

"Yes, I loved her and I still do."