8 Days Later

Rain pattered heavily against the roof shutters as the wind rattled through the leaves of nearby trees. The air was warm with the scent of rain, as thunder rumbled off in the distance. Eun Kyo hurried to bring in the vegetables from her grandmother's garden. The older woman had made quite a living by selling carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, and other small vegetables that she grew. Carefully, the 17 year old placed the bags of produce unto the floor.

"I think I got them all Halmeoni," she announced, drying her hands with a towel, "they should be fine and ready for the market." An elderly woman stood up from the table. She still had traces of beauty, little crinkles around her eyes, and lovely gray hair.

"Thank you Eun Kyo. My dear, you work much too hard. You spend so much time at home when you should be out with your friends."

"On a day like today I'd much rather be inside." The gorgeous teenager smiled, gazing through the glass slide screen door. She loved rainy days. They had a certain romantic appeal to them. One wouldn't know it, but she was secretly very romantic, although she had a blatant distrust of men. "I cant imagine who would want to be out in weather like this."

For a moment, neither of them said anything, just enjoying the soothing rain, when something caught Halmeoni's eye from down the road. She couldnt see it very well, but the figure appeared to be a small girl.

"Eun Kyo, ya, jeoge mwoya? (What is that?)" Eun Kyo looked out to where the woman was pointing. Her eyes widened in shock.

"It's Soo Mi!" She jumped up and grabbed her umbrella, racing out unto the stone road where her friend was, soaking wet.

"What are you doing out here like this?"

Soo Mi sniffed. "I was waiting for Dong Hoon by the noodle shop for 2 hours, but he never showed. He stood me up!" Eun Kyo took her crying friend by the hand and escorted her inside the house. She touched the girl's forehead with the back of her hand; Soo Mi was incredibly warm, and her ear appeared to be swollen, bits of dirt clumped around the stud. The grandmother tsked when she saw it, heading toward the medicine cabinet for the anti septic. When she returned she had the medicine and a cotton swab.

The 70 year old poised herself to take the earring out, two fingers on the earlobe and two on the earring back. "Brace yourself. Hana, dul, set!"  Soo Mi yelped a little, and then felt a soothing cool feeling on her ear as Halmeoni dabbed it with the cotton ball. Just as she was putting a bandage on, the lovestruck teen sneezed.

"Aigoo, you need to change clothes. Eun Kyo, find her something to wear, she'll have to spend the night here. I'll call and let her father know where she is." Eun Kyo nodded, leading Soo Mi to her room. The rain was still coming down steadily against the glass window. Soo Mi headed to the bathroom to shower. As the water began to run, her friend leaned up against the door. She had to find out what had just happened.

"Ya! Did you really stand outside waiting for that guy for a whole two hours?" the skeptical one questioned, crossing her arms.

"Macha (Right)!"

"You don't think its rude of him to not even call and let you know he would be late?"

The 17 year old on the other side of the door shouted back. " Im sure he has a logical explanation."

Eun Kyo scoffed. "Well you'd better have a logical explanation for when your dad sees that ear of yours. That filthy earring! You don't even know where that thing has been!" Minutes later, Soo Mi finished her shower and changed into white capri shorts and a light blue tank top. She picked up a pillow from the bed and flung it across the room at her friend, whacking her on the side of her face.

"It's not filthy, its special, and I saved up a whole month to get this ear pierced. I heard that Haha likes girls with earrings, I did it so he would at least notice me," her brown eyes were watering up, "So, why did he stand me up?" More tears were coming now, making her eyes and nose redder than they were before.  Soo Mi let out a sneeze.

"Hurry and get into bed." Eun Kyo watched as Soo Mi climbed unto the comfortable mattress and pulled the blankets up. "I'm about to make cabbage soup. I'll save some for you."