A week after what I dubbed the “Kyuhyun incident”, I was viral. There was a picture of me (my face was thank GOD) trying to shove past the bodyguard and Kyuhyun taking my hand. I was facing away from this camera at this point. Still, I was embarrassed and prayed that no one would be able to tell it was me. The kids in my classes that day knew, though, and they bothered me to no end. Fortunately this stupid thing ended in about three days. Three days of TORTURE. The story was that I was a fangirl who was being violent and then Kyuhyun in all his mercy was kind to me and even (le gasp) held my hand. Netizens were jealous and I had never received so many hate messages in my life. Thank God Hyemi was there to do her best to fight them off online (and give them the truth) and in real life. (I was threatened, tripped, someone one day sprayed paint all over my clothes…yeah. It was bad.)

                I decided that I really really hated Kyuhyun and vowed to never listen to Super Junior again. He ruined my life. 

                Life soon went back to normal, slowly, but the damage had been done. I was terrified of going to class and covered my face as much as possible. I was terrified a camera was nearby so I was paranoid. But mostly I just wanted to kill Kyuhyun for ruining my life by trying to be charming.

                One afternoon a month after everything was over, I received a phone call from my mom. “Hon, I think I just found a job for you! Do you remember your babysitter Mrs. Cho?”

                Um…wow. This was totally out of the blue. “Um…a little bit. Why?”

                “Well, her son is working now, and needs an English tutor for his job. You know how it is these days.”

                “So she wants me to tutor him English? Will I have time?”

                “More time than if you got a regular part time job; you would probably only go once or twice a week for a few hours but his mom said he is willing to pay a lot.”

                I thought about it for literally ten seconds before blurting out, “I’ll do it!” I had never really been a teacher before, but I suppose it would be a good experience for me should I decide to use my degree to teach at a school or have private piano lessons.

                “Ok, here’s her number.”

                I wrote down the number and dang I couldn’t have hung up on my mom fast enough. I quickly dialed her number and after only a few rings she picked up.

                “Hello?”

                “Hello Mrs. Cho? It’s me, Teagan Tate.”

                “Ahhh Yoonhi-ah~!” she cried. She was the only one in my memory to call me Yoonhi, but I didn’t mind.  “How are you doing?”

                “I’m doing ok. I’m in the middle of my third year at college right now so I’m busy. You know how it goes.”

                “Ah, yes…a college student…I can’t believe it! I remember when you and my son were young you were both so cute!  You always used to beg him for piggyback rides but he always used to drop you! And oh…you were always asking lots of questions to him, even though he wasn’t much older than you…you always wanted him to teach you math. He always refused. He was mean to you back then, but I know he actually really cared about you,” she sighed. “Anyways, now you two are all grown up and dealing with life and how busy it is. My son is really busy these days, too, but his company is making him learn English. As if he needs more work!” she tsked. “That’s why he asked me to contact someone who I thought would be good…he can’t just have any teacher, you know. And since you’re American, well…it sounded like a perfect idea to me!” she explained.

                “Well I think it’s a great idea and I’d love to help,” I smiled, large numbers of won flashing before my eyes.

                “Great! Well, my son is in town this weekend. Would you be able to come over this Saturday, say around one or two? I would like you two to meet again. It’s been a long time, you know.”

                I happily agreed and she gave me her address.

 “ I will see you then, Mrs. Cho!” I said happily.

                “Ok, dear. You take care of yourself, ok?”

                “I will, I promise! Bye!”

                As soon as I hung up, I started dancing in my apartment. “I have a JOB! I have a JOB! YEAHHHHHHH!”

                As it turns out her apartment was actually pretty close to mine, so it didn’t take too long to get there; only about a 20-minute walk away. I was a little nervous about this meeting, but more excited than anything to start getting paid so I could stop eating ramyun and rice every day and so I could wash my clothes more than once a month.

                I knocked on her door and she answered it almost immediately. I barely had time to greet her before I was instantly grabbed my Mrs. Cho with a small squeal as she pulled me in. “Ah! Just look at you, all grown up! Ah…you look just like your father. A little fat of course but that’s not your fault,” she looked me up and down.  “I can’t believe you’re here! Oh, here I am talking to you and you haven’t even gotten to take off your shoes yet! I’ll be in the kitchen; we can talk there.”

                I slipped off my shoes and hung up my coat before going and sitting in the kitchen with Mrs. Cho. Her apartment was nice. In what memory I had of her apartment when I was little, it wasn’t this large and, well, clean!

                She must’ve noticed my curious expression as I gazed around the open area of the apartment. “We moved once my coffee shop took off and my son started working,” she said as if she had read my mind. “We are definitely blessed,” she told me, taking my hand and sitting me down at the open “bar” while she poured me ginseng tea; my favorite, incidentally. “I’m sure you want to meet my son. He will be here in about ten minutes; he just texted me,” she smiled with motherly pride as she waved her iphone in the air. I was suddenly reminded that I needed to pay my cell phone bill and I mentally groaned, hoping it wasn’t too much. Well, at least I have a job now, I thought. It shouldn’t be as hard next month to pay the bill…

                “Are you ok?” Mrs. Cho asked, noticing my vacant expression.

                “Ah, yes. I was just reminded of something I need to take care of later, that’s all,” I smiled, taking a sip of the tea. It warmed me up in an instant in spite of the cold November air outside.

                “I understand,” she smiled warmly and sighed. “You are an adult now and a student. I can only imagine your worries,” she grinned. “I met my husband in college,” she looked off nostalgically as she leaned against the counter. “He was so handsome back then,” she sighed dreamily with an expression that reminded me of Hyemi when talking about Jaehyun.  I giggled.

                “Is he not handsome, now?” I asked jokingly.

                “He’s gained a few pounds and a few gray hairs, but yes, he’s still handsome,” she smiled. “Still, I’d like to go back to his army days. Now, then, he was very handsome,” she told me. “It seems like my son inherited that gene,” she chuckled.

                I smiled, chuckling along with her.

                “That reminds me!” she exclaimed. “Do you have a boyfriend these days?”

                “No, Mrs. Cho, I don’t. I’ve actually never had a boyfriend,” I admitted reluctantly.

                “Really? As pretty as you are?” Mrs. Cho pinched my cheek lightly.

                “To be honest I’m not surprised. Most Korean guys only go for Korean girls, and even the American guys in Itaewon, where I worked as a barista at a Starbucks in high school, don’t find me attractive. I have just accepted it by now,” I shrugged.

                “Don’t give up just yet, Yoonhi-ah,” she took my hand gently. “There’s someone for everyone,” she reminded me. “My son hasn’t really dated much, either. If he has, he’s never told me or brought her over. But then, he is so busy,” she shook her head.

                “Mom, I’m here,” a voice called. She stood up hurriedly to greet him.

                “Ahh my son!” I could hear her hug and kiss his cheek. “You don’t look so good…you need to eat more! Come in and eat and meet your English tutor,” she said as she guided him in the kitchen and into sight. And what I saw made me choke on my tea in surprise.