KRYSTAL’S POV

Have you ever been so disgusted in your whole life?

Besides pooping which is not really disgusting since its a natural thing to do.

Me?

Now.

I am so disgusted right now and I don’t know how to react.

Should I unleash my wrath or should I clean up myself first?

Or should I at least get help because OH MY GOD he is heavy! How can he be this heavy when it looks like he doesn’t have any muscles!?

The guy who without notice emptied the contents of his stomach all over my clothes and shoes passed out. Eeeewwww!!! Smells awful! How many bottles of Soju and order of Gopchang did he consumed?!   

And do you know where he landed?

He landed forward on me! I was startled and out of reflex I caught him immediately that’s why we look like two star crossed lovers hugging in front of Halmeoni’s Gopchang restaurant. His head resting on my shoulder while I have my hands on his waist. His full weight was on me that it makes me cringe.

What’s more annoying is passers by thought we are lovers, even taking our photos! Seriously people! Where are those two dorks who calls themselves as my SECURITY?!

*zZZZZZzzzzz*

“Oh wow, now you are sleeping! Hey oppa! I mean, hey you bastard! Wake up!” I painstakingly dragged him to the side of the street back to the plantbox where I left him earlier. Where is Sungjae when you needed him!?

Strange… he called me Mom. Do I look like his Mom? Or I remind him of his Mom when he is drunk?! or do I look like a MOM!!!?

“Sungjae!!! Halmeoni!!” Come on help me! (T_T) I kept on shouting from outside while holding the stranger in my arms. Luckily, Sungjae heard me and immediately went out of the restaurant helping me with the drunk stranger.

“Oh! Noona! What happened?! Why are you carrying him?!”

“What do you think?! He passed out! And he threw up on me! Ugh!” he crinkled his nose with a cringe seeing the state of my clothes. This kid even had the nerve to cover his nose! “HEY! Just help me with him and send him home wherever he lives!”

“Noona, I don’t even know where he stays! And don’t you think he looks a little feminine? I think he’s a girl.” Hmm. He took the stranger in my arms holding him by the armpit facing me. His short black hair almost covering his face that I have to brush it to the side just to see how he looks.   

I tilted up the stranger’s chin and studied his face. Well defined jaw, nose… alright. Eyelashes… pretty. Lips… ooohhh… that’s a nice pair of lips. Sungjae is right. He looks feminine…

The stranger slowly opened his eyes and met mine. His eyes… brown and inviting. Full of emotions that I can’t explain. Sadness? Emptiness?

Then he fell asleep again dropping his head in the process. *Sigh*.

Oh well… Sungjae can take care of him while I take care of this horrible mess I have!

“He does look a little feminine but… whatever. He still threw up on me! How many bottles did he consumed to be that dead drunk?! Eew.” I sneered at Sungjae and took off my soiled jacket waving it off carefully. Arrrrggghhhh!!!! This will have to be taken to the Dry Cleaners or whoever can take away the stain! Good thing I have another layer of blazer inside. But my pants and shoes… (T____T)

“Noona just 4 bottles. But I think its his first time to drink Soju… he’s a tourist. He speaks English earlier that I have to use all the remaining brain cells I still have just to talk to him.” I followed Sungjae when he took the drunk guy to the hidden side of the restaurant. There was a stool there that he often use when he takes his cigarette breaks. I caught him there once that’s why I know. He tried to make the guy sit on the stool but because of too much drunkenness, poor guy slipped down on the cold ground first. Tsk tsk tsk. All I can do is shake my head in pity.

I sat on the stool and took off my soiled shoes. I pouted shamelessly looking on the bits and pieces of what looks like Gopchang and other green and red things. There goes my Roger Vivier… awww…

Sungjae went inside the restaurant then came back a few minutes after, handing me a pack of wet tissue and house slippers 2 times bigger than my feet. “Yah! Do you have anything that won’t make my feet look like I’m a hobbit?!”

“Noona, Hobbits doesn’t have big feet. Unless your feet is hairy then yes you are probably half hobbit…” I tried to kick this fool but he dodged it grinning at me triumphantly. “Anyway noona… I’ll go back inside. Its the golden hour, you know how busy it is.”

“Still lacking manpower?” ugh. My pants… (T___T)  

I looked up at Sungjae while wiping my pants with the wet tissue and saw him scratching his head nodding. The Gopchang restaurant has been operating for over 30 years that is why it looks old but Halmeoni serves the most delicious Korean food that I ever tasted.

I was in High School then and cutting classes… hehehe… when I stumbled upon her restaurant. Yeah, I cut classes back then just exploring all by myself. I only wanted to see the part of the river at Guri Hangang Park that’s why I took a train and reached Gyeonggi-do. Then went on a walk  looking around and got lost at what they call Gopchang Alley in Guri.

Of all the restaurants serving Gopchang that time, it was her restaurant that took my interest. It was my first time to eat that kind of delicacy and I got curious seeing the people inside eating it merrily. I tasted it and it was love at first bite. Since then, I go to this restaurant after classes or if I needed to be alone.

Its not that I don’t have friends, I do have some friends. But I wasn’t the type who hang out with them outside school and weekends doing shopping trips or just being cute around boys. I like being by myself because it makes my mind at ease and I can focus on my reading or eating.

I became close to Halmeoni and her Grandson Sungjae because of my frequent visits. Sometimes when they lack manpower and its the golden hour (it means many customers flock the restaurant) I help them by taking and serving the orders.

Sungjae is a year younger than me and now is on his last year in College. We treat each other as siblings and he’s a nice guy. He stopped for a few years because of monetary problems then continued again when he saved up a little. I wanted to help them but I can’t do anything since I don’t have my own money that time. Plus they don’t know my secret.

I didn’t tell them my real identity, being a Jung and daughter of a chaebol family. I kept it from them because I don’t want them to treat me differently. I want to be treated as a regular person, like a normal high schooler and now a normal office worker.

For them, I am the simple and big eater High Schooler Krystal Jung from Seoul who now works in a big company, who went to London to participate in a Student Exchange Program and studied Music but came home with a degree in Business.  

I know, what I am doing is lying. But there is nothing I can do but continue this lie because in this lie I can be the person I want. Even if its for a couple of hours or so, I can be Krystal Jung who doesn’t have any worries in her life. No worries about running a big company. But if Halmeoni asks me about it I will say the truth.

I sighed and finished cleaning the mess that was made by this drunk guy who is now lying on the ground by my feet. Sungjae already went inside the restaurant and left me with this drunkard, even telling me to take care of the guy for him because he is busy.

“He seems like a good guy, Noona. I had a little chat with him while he was eating, he told me he’s here for a short vacation. Halmeoni also said she saw something good in him like how she saw it in you back then. Weird, right? I promised to take him for a tour tomorrow and he said he will pay me for it so please take good care of him for me Noona!” all I can do was stare unbelievably on that fool who ran back inside the restaurant not waiting for my response.

He completely left me with a stranger! “Okay, let’s say Sungjae already talked to you earlier but how can I be sure that you are not a lunatic who will kill me?!” I poke the guy’s head with the tip of my toe trying to get a reaction. Eh. Still no reaction. “Your tolerance in Soju is poor. Hmmm… its okay considering its your first time.” he answered me with a slight snore, a quiet laugh escaping my lips.

Its hard to trust anyone nowadays. What if this guy… wait. He looks pretty for a guy…

And he doesn’t have any trace of beard on his face. I tentatively reached for the guy’s chin touching his face with my index finger and gliding it carefully. Rough but no stubbles. Even on his nuzzle. Is this possible?

“Hey! Wake up! Pay for the dry cleaning of my suit!”

"…......"

“Why am I even talking to you?! When I can just leave you here and freeze yourself in the cold!” huhuhu (T__T)  How can I walk in the streets looking like this!? And smelling like this!?

And where the hell are those securities!!!?

I reached into the pocket of my blazer and took out my phone, dialing the number of my close-in Security. He answered it after 3 rings, my eyes rolling because he failed again on his task. “Mister Lee, pick me up here. I'm at the left side of the restaurant by the kitchen door.”

“Y-ye! Sa jang-nim!”    

Exactly when I ended the phone conversation, Halmeoni went out to check on me. Great.

My escape plan is a flop. (-__-’)

“Krystal? Are you okay? Sungjae said this young man here threw up on you accidentally…” I answered Halmeoni with a smile when she gave me a long padding draping it over my shoulder. “Thanks Halmeoni.”

“He seems like a good man. Quiet but eager to learn and experience our culture. I was observing him earlier while he was eating, the smile he has on his face was genuine but deep inside something is bothering him.” I nodded at Halmeoni and took a glance at the drunk guy. He is dressed nicely I can say… even his jacket looks new. “Its not that I am saying you should trust him easily because I told you so… but he needs a little help and you are the only one I can think of who can help him.”

Awww… Halmeoni… tsk.

“But what if he tries to hurt me?”

“Then what’s the use of your Taekwondo belt if you won’t use it? You did it once with Sungjae…” hahaha… I rather not. Sigh. Fine,you won Halmeoni.

But where should I bring him? Where is he staying?

Maybe I’ll ask Mister Lee to check his pocket later…

“Okay, Halmeoni. I’ll take him to where he is staying and leave him by the entrance… only that. Just go back inside Halmeoni, its freezing!”

She is so old now, my dear Halmeoni. She’s the same age as Dad… and a widower. Dad was around 50 when I was born, the very last Jung to be born. He and Mom had a 15 year , he was 40 and Mom was 25 when they got married.

Anyway, Halmeoni is a very nice old woman. I have a feeling she already knows about my real identity but she is only keeping it quiet. Waiting for me to tell her about it…