Chapter 2: Curious George and Tabi

People are always telling me in various ways to “Get a Life.” From middle school to high school, then from college to now everyone around me has anyways seen me as a no life. For the longest time could not understand it. I have always enjoyed being me and living this life the way I feel best, but I guess for a normal person my life is boring. Even in a great a city as Seoul I still am a no life. I wake up every morning at 5am and got for a run for three hours. I then go home, shower, work on my comic for a bit or hang out with The Old Man or my hall neighbors for a bit. I walk around the city, taking pictures for references. Then end up at my favorite café. It doesn’t even have a name, I think. I find my favorite spot and work for hours there till the sun drops low in the sky and I head home. At home I eat, listen to music and draw some more. Ending with me going to sleep.

To me this is the life of my dreams. To others I feel that I am a hermit that never comes out of its cave. I don’t have a boyfriend, and never really had long relationships back in America. I don’t really have friends in Seoul, just neighbors which as never really bothered me. My little brother always tells me that when he is older he is going to mail me a package that states: “Crazy Cat Lady Starter Kit.” Inside will be three cute little kittens. I laugh and my mother would cringe. I never thought of doing anything but drawing comic day in and day out. To me it isn’t a job. It is a passion. I would go to big fashion stores in Seoul and look at dresses. Then try on expense dresses so I could see how they fall on the body and take pictures of myself to use in my comics. The store-ladies would eventual figure out that I wasn’t there to buy, but to take pictures and I would be forced to leave. The only changes in my days were the days I went to office to turn in the manuscripts or out to eat with the other manhwakas. (Korean comic artist for those who don’t know the term) To put it simple my life is boring. To me is it a dream, but then again I have never known anything else. Just me and a cat, speaking of which…

“Kitttttiiieeeessss~” I coo in English as I stare googolly-eyed at the box full of cute, adorable kittens at the pet shop I stumbled across. Er…more like I was hunting one down. I can’t take my eyes of all the little balls of fur. Some playing, some sleeping, some looking at me curiously. “Omo, I just want to take them all home with me.” I mutter thinking more and more that I might end up a crazy cat lady like my little brother says. “Darn, him.”

I can’t help it, I play with all of them. The salesman blabs on about each one, telling me the bred and where they were brought up, etc. I am not even listening. Me, I am in kitty heaven~ I decide right then that I am getting a kitten, and after playing with the fluff balls for an hour I decide that I am  not just getting one, but two.

When I walk out of the store with to kittens in my arms and supplies in my backpack, my smile would have reached all the way to China. I skip around bouncing the two kittens. They were perfect. One was as playful as ever, fighting the straps of my backpack like it was the little guys prey. Gah so cute~ I was glowing staring at his little light brown body as he tried to kill his “prey.” I smile and kiss the other one on the head. He was completely black with white on the front of him face, like he got too curious and stuck his face in white paint. An man was he ever curious. He kept staring all around me and watching the floor with big green eyes.

I chuckle in complete bliss, “Now aren’t you just the little Curious George.” It is too cute. I find myself showing everyone my kitties. The Old Man gets a chuckle out of me in my blissful state. Chung Ae is immediately put on my Hit-List when she says she isn’t a fan of cats, and it is all I can do to contain myself as I skip/dance/hop/run to my favorite little café. I run through the doors, the chimes ringing behind me as I skip to the counter.

“Aajjjuuummmnniiii,” I sing as I skip up to the lady at the counter. “Lookie, lookie~! I got kitties~!” I squeal hopping up and down showing off my new little friends.

“Aigo, what am I going to do with you, running in here like this. You will scare off the customers.” The older woman sighs and takes the two kittens from me looking at them. “Oh so cute.”

I roll me eyes, “Pfh what customers.” Then I make a display of looking around the empty shop really hard only to have my eyes land on the hooded figure in front of me. I shift my gaze down to see a very handsome man smiling at me with cash in his hand. “Oh my, I’m sorry.” I quickly say as I move with a bow to let the man finish ordering.

He laughs and smiles. “It’s fine. They are very cute kittens. I’m a dog person myself, but those bundles of fur are hard to resist.” He laughs again and gets his drink.

I smile at him and get my kittens back from Ajumni, “Where is Cho Hee?” I ask the elderly woman. “I thought she might want to play with my new friends.”

The older woman laughs, “Oh she is around here somewhere. Don’t worry she wouldn’t miss seeing Young Bae.” I tilt my head and shift my gaze to him. Where have I heard that name before?

“YOUNG BAE~!!!!” I hear Cho Hee scream as the little seven year old launches herself into the man’s arms. He laughs and picks her up spinning her around. I watch in amazement as he hood slides off revealing none other that THE TAEYANG. My mouth is about to fall off its hinges while I stare at the glory that is Taeyang. He just laughs as he continues to spin the little girl. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!!! I immediately bury my face in the two kittens that meow in protest and flip the switch. The screaming fangirl in my mind is gone. Locked under my will-power. I look up again now on power-save mode. Everything is concealed in a perfect mask that took years of experience to perfect. Taeyang stops spinning the giggling girl and glances in my direction with a worried look. I laugh and smile at them.

“Ah it appears that my kittens have lost the fight for Cho Hee’s attention today.” I pout at my kittens.

“KITTIES!!!” This time Cho Hee comes at me jumping up and down. “Can I hold them, please, please, please, please, please, please?” She whined all in one breath.

I can’t help but laugh at the little girl. “Okay, but you have to settle down. They aren’t use to all the noise you are making.” I squat down on knee in front of her. Cho Hee’s eyes were as big as golf balls as she stared at them. “This is Tabi,” I say gesturing to the light brown cat. “And this is George.” I gesture to the black one.

Cho Hee’s brow comes together with concern. “Why did you name such a cute kitty George?” She looks at me with disgust.

I burst out laughing Taeyang’s presence almost completely forgotten…almost. “Because this little fella is a little Curious George.” She tilts her head in confusion. “It’s an American T.V. show. I’ll show you it some time.” She nods, her curls bouncing around her. Tabi seeing the “prey” start attacking her hair. She giggles.

“Here you can hold him. Be carful not to let him get away.” I hand her Tabi and she holding him like he might break, gently petting him. I smile and stand only to meet the intense gaze of Taeyang.

I stick out my tongue and flash a peace-sign. “I win.” He smiles and I feel my insides do strange things. A gitty feeling is coming in wave over me. I swear to myself. Power-save mode and gitty do not mix in my system.

“Aigo, look at you. Well I might as introduce you too. This is Emily, Emily this Young Bae.” The older lady gestures to each of us then goes back to preparing his order.

“No, he is my Young Bae!” Cho Hee pipes up. I look down to where she her standing in front of Taeyang, she feet spread apart, and her cheeks puffed out. I just laugh at her, and take a step closer to Taeyang. “I’m warning you Emily.” Her chest all puffed out glaring at me. I take another step and she turns to Taeyang. “Young Bae hold Taki for a second.” She hands the little brown fur-ball to him and turns to face me. I watch her roll up her sleeves and get into a fighting stance. Taeyang and Ajumni are laughing nonstop. Now close enough to touch Taeyang. I keep my gaze glued to Cho Hee and poke Taeyang’s shoulder.

“NOOOOOOO,” with a yell the little girl launches herself at me, pulling on my legs, trying to knock me over. I laugh and George meows in annoyance. “How dang you touch my Young Bae!” She kicks me making me stumble a bit.

“Aw Cho Hee you’re making George upset. I might hurt him if I fall.” With those two sentences she suddenly stops and stares at George with big, watery eyes.

“I’m sorry Georgie! I won’t do it again.” George just lays his ears back and stares at her in wonder. I ruffle her hair and give her George. Which she immediately treats like a victim, and pats him lovingly while glaring daggers at me. I stand up and smile at the group.

“Aigo, what am I going to do with you Cho Hee.” Ajumni shakes her head and places Taeyang’s drink on the counter. I look over at Taeyang to see him completely captured by my little Tabi. He smiles and swings the strings of his hoodie watching the cat pounce on it and swoosh its tail.

“Oi, Tabi don’t get too attached to him. You still have to come home with me.” I pout crossing my arms as I glare at my kitten, who is now completely in love with Taeyang and his strings. Taeyang laughs and rubs under the kitten’s chin making him fall sideways purring. I sigh shaking my head as I watch my two cats be spoiled by their holders.

“He is very cute.” Taeyang says, smiling at me now and holding out the kitten for me to take. I pull Tabi back to me.

“You should think about getting a cat.” I say to Taeyang while Tabi purrs in my arms.

“Oh no I’m a dog person.”

A crazy idea pops in my head and before my power-save mode can stop it a little of the gitty, crazy me slips out. I grasp Tabi’s paws out like a zombie and hold him out in front of Taeyang. “Come to the dark-side, we have kitten~!” I say in a low voice like Tabi is talking. As soon as I say it I flush with embarrassment as Taeyang laughs his quiet chuckle.

He pokes the cat’s nose. “Sorry Tabi, I like the good-side,” then grabs his drink off the counter. “Well I have to be going. Bye Cho Hee.” He smiles and pats the girls head and walks forwards the door. “It was nice meeting you Emily.” He gives me a light bow and a wave to Ajumni and is out the door, the chimes jingling behind him.

“Ah such a nice young man,” Ajumni mutters cleaning some glasses.

My curiosity got the best of me. “Does he come here often?”

Ajumni eyed me suspiciously. “Sometimes, he is a busy man so some weeks he is here everyday and some not at all, but he comes when he can. Cho Hee adores him.” She kept eyeing me as I collected George from Cho Hee’s arms. “He is single to, you know.” I stare at her in surprise then roll my eyes. So that is what she was thinking.

I say good-bye and quickly make my escape from Ajumni’s gaze, feeling the need to be at home.

~~~

I continue about my daily routine, but some things changed. Now I always get the company of Mr. Arms when I go running in the mornings, and I find myself constantly going to the café. I know I should not expect myself to see him, but my insides turn to butterflies at the thought of meeting him. I want to see Taeyang again. I ignore the feeling of course. After ignoring it before for the sake of friendships, among other things, the feeling is easy to hide. Of course that doesn’t change the fact that it is indeed there.

I sigh and climb out of bed before the alarm goes off, to the sound of George crying for food. I glare at him as he sits with innocent eyes at the foot of my bed. How can anyone be mad at those eyes? So of course I get up and feed him and just decide to go ahead and dress for my run. After me and both cats are fed I watch them fall asleep on my pillow before jogging out for my run.

I have given up on seeing Taeyang again. After trying for four weeks to see him the effort just wasn’t worth it anymore. I hop on my toes for a minute testing the weights in my hand before blasting my music and running down the trail at full speed. Not even looking for Mr. Arms I just want to run.

Author’s Note

>.< Yes, I named the cat Tabi, which I know is one of the nicknames used for T.O.P. sue me. I’m a T.O.P. fan~ <3

The chapter actually was changed several times. At first I was going to make Chapter 3 this chapter, but then thought there needed to be a chapter to introduce the characters in the café, so I added this one. I hope all of my lovely readers enjoyed it. Yes, I know there wasn’t much involvement in this chapter, but I was still introducing characters, so bare with me~ The next chapter is going to be fun.

Hrhrhr  >:3 Because I’m an evil author and want to make my readers drool thinking of the next chapter I’m adding in a preview of it. The whole chapter is in Taeyang’s point of view. Trust me, there will be lots more Taeyang for here on out~! Enjoy and don’t forget to comment~!

Preview…

The bells of the café doors chime as I walk in out of the cold. I see Ajumni smile at me from the counter. I give a bow and walk over to her. “One Americano please,” I say as I peek on the other side of the counter searching for Cho Hee.

The old lady chuckles, “She isn’t here today, son. She went out with a friend.”

“Oh, aw she is going to be disappointed if she finds out,” I say with a smile.

“Pfh, like I’m going to tell that rascal that she missed you. She will never go out if I do.” She rolls her eyes and hands me my drink. I hand her the cash and pick it up when she hands me another drink. “Here, can you take this to the blonde in the corner. She completely forgot to get it and now she can’t hear me with those ear-things in.” She gestures to her ears like they are some sort of evil device. I turn to gaze at the girl sitting in the corner only to find Emily sitting there. I pick up the other warm drink and walk towards her watching her work.

The whole table is covered in drawings. She doesn’t even notice me as I watch her sing to herself and sketch on a big piece of paper. I take the moment to look her over. I can’t decide if she is cute, y, or something entirely different. She has long beautifully legs that stick out from under the table, because of their length. Her bleach blonde hair is cut short and tousled as she runs her hand through it concentrating hard on her work. Ink smuggles on her hands and face makes me have to suppress a laugh as I watch her. I glance down at her iPhone to see what she is singing to in English only to see my face staring back at me and “I’ll Be There (English Version)” Scroll across the screen. I freeze, did she realize who I am? I think back to the first time we met. She didn’t seem to know then, but… I abruptly sit and the seat across from her.

“You forgot your drink at the counter.” I whisper leaning forward.

“Hm… thank-you Ajum-” She says while slowing turning her gaze to mine her eyes widen when she sees me.  Here it comes, I think, she recognizes me. Cover blown.