HYEWON MINDS HER OWN BUSINESS
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IV
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Time flies really fast when all you do is stand and stare at the glass door of the convenience store that the girl is working at. She would stare at it while a ballpoint pen is at her palm, clicking the lock with her thumb multiple times just to have some noise inside the store.

If that doesn’t cure Hyewon’s boredom, she would pull her sketchpad from her bag and start doodling whatever the comes into her mind. It would start with a simple circle – perfect or not, it doesn’t matter – then it would transition to that of a fruit. She would add details to it to make herself satisfied of it – a dot enough for the eye, a slanted line below the eyes, creating a smiley – the sound of the pen scraping the rough texture of her sketchpad, she was confident with every she had committed.

It was a beautiful feeling.

Her fantasy was cut off when the glassy door opens.

Someone enters the store – a student to be precise. At this hour? She murmurs to herself. Usually, students would already be at their homes, sleeping or whatever they do.

The girl walks to the farthest isle of the store, where all the drinks ranging from sweet to alcoholic are stored at. She assumed that the girl would be either taking cola or cider, along the way to the counter she would grab some snacks to nib at.

But that wasn’t the case at all.

The student girl walks to the counter, her slim hands gripping on the green bottle – a familiar one that she can even tell from one glance that it was not a beverage appropriate for students.

Before scanning the barcodes from each product the student has brought to the counter, she stares straight thru the girl right in front of her. “Aren’t you a student?”

The girl looks up, eyebrow creased at the sudden question. “Huh?”

“I was asking if you are a student.”

“Of course I am. Why the question?”

Hyewon  grabs the bottle and raises it, “This is liquor right here missy.” From the way the student reacts, even she was surprised at the drink she brought to the counter.

Feeling the redness crawling up on her face, she bows furiously. “I-I’m sorry! I must have pulled the wrong drink!” She grabs the liquor from the girl’s hand. “I’ll return it immediately!”

And off she goes, going back to the isle where she got the liquor and pulled out the one she was looking for. Not gonna lie, that was kind of hilarious to watch. The student must have been so out of it that she even mistook the soju as cider, not mentioning that they have the same color of bottle.

It didn’t take long for the student to get back at the counter and this time, she finally got the right drink for her. “Here…” she places the bottle of cider at the counter table. “I’m really sorry about that…”

Hyewon laughs, “Don’t worry about it. Must be the stress eating your brain.”

“Tell me about it.”

She proceeds taking care of the student’s order. With how fast she scanned every product, the student could clearly see that she was in the part-time industry for many months. Or was it? She pulls a plastic bag and puts everything there and hands it over to the student. “Thanks.”

Before she can even leave the store, Hyewon pulls out another plastic bag and folds it for her. She places it inside the bag. Girlie gives her a questioning stare. “What’s the extra bag for?”

“You might need it to carry those things under your eyes.”

Said girlie pouts. “They’re not even that big!”

~*~

When the clock struck 1 after midnight, she knew that her night shift was already over. She removes the vest, folding it properly and placing it back at the storage room. Coming inside was the other part-timer that also volunteered to do the night shift. He sees Hyewon coming back from the storage, ready to finally leave the hellhole.

“Good work today, Kwangbae.” That nickname. When did he start calling the girl? She doesn’t remember at all, nor does she even care at this point. It’s not that she doesn’t like it, but she preferred being called by her real name.

“You too, hyung.”

“Seriously, you should just call me by my name.”

“No, thank you. I’m sticking with hyung.” A shuddering feeling crawls on her skin when the guy gave her a pout. “That’s gross.”

“Take care~” 

After that small interaction, Hyewon does a final wave at his friend and finally leaves the store. As she steps outside, the warm heat coming from her body replaced the cold chilly feeling after basking her whole body under the blasting aircon from the store. She stares at the sky, clouds are not that visible and she can see the moon clearly which was accompanied by the thousand stars staying in the sky.

Even though it was night time, Hyewon doesn’t feel cold at all. Maybe she got used to it.

Her walk didn’t last long as she reaches her apartment. It was a simple 3-story apartment enough to house 30 applicants.

Outside the entrance, an old man wearing a white uniform was sitting at the plastic stool, his back behind the brick wall. It was obvious from his loud yawn that he was tired from guarding the entrance.

She stifles a chuckle behind her hands, Hyewon pulls something out from her bag – a triangle kimbap and a small bottle of milk.

The old man heard footsteps coming to him, a smile forms on his face as soon as he sees the girl.