Chapter Six

 

            “Uh. Excuse me.”

 

            “Yes? May I help you?”

 

            “Mm. I’m not Ahn Sohee,” a brunette-haired man said, pointing at a vanilla frappe wrapped for take-out. The name was written on a small, pink note that stuck to one side of the plastic cup.

 

The cashier boy immediately checked his list and bowed apologetically to the customer.

 

            “I’m sorry, sir.”

 

            The man grinned.

 

            “It’s fine. But I really need that mocha frappe addressed to a Lee Donghae,” the man chuckled. “’cause that’s me.”

 

            “Ah, yes. I’ll go get it immediately, sir,” the boy said and called for one of the other employees.

 

            Donghae waited by the table. CKL café reminded him of Starbucks probably because of how it operated. It wasn’t as high class but that was its charm or so Donghae noted. The vanilla frappe stayed within his reach. He looked around in hopes of spotting anyone who looked like an ‘Ahn Sohee’. No one was coming up to the table to claim the wrapped up beverage and his mocha frappe was taking so long. He noticed the cashier boy was too busy handling the other customers so, just to lessen the trouble, Donghae took the vanilla frappe and sought out whoever ‘Ahn Sohee’ was. There were quite a few people in the café during that time. Donghae heaved a deep breath and approached one of the tables. Two women who looked like they were in their forty’s chatted over coffee. Donghae had a feeling that neither of them ordered a vanilla frappe for take-out.

 

            “Pardon me but by any chance, did either of you order vanilla frappe for the go?”

 

            He held up the beverage for the two ladies to see but both of them shook their heads.

 

            “Sorry. We didn’t order anything for take-out,” one of the ladies said.

 

            “Ah. Thank you. Excuse me.”

 

            Donghae examined the area some more. From a distance, he heard the two ladies giggling.

 

            “What a handsome man.”

 

            “Yes, yes. Very.”

 

            I can’t say they’re wrong now can I? Donghae said to himself and laughed. Ah, who are vanilla frappe owner?

 

            Donghae dropped by at two more tables. The first table he went to sat three girls and two guys. Their jaws dropped when Donghae came over, the situation making Donghae’s eyebrows furrow.

 

            “Uhm. Did you—“

 

            “Oh my gosh! That’s your boyfriend?!” one of the girls shouted at her friend who sat next to her.

 

            “Wha—“

 

            “Yaah! So you like older guys?!” one of the guys said next and they all laughed.

 

            “Uwaa. Oppa, you’re so cool!”

 

            Donghae smiled a little as he waved a hand in front of the youngsters.

 

            “You got the wrong guy. I’m looking for a Miss Ahn Sohee,” Donghae explained. “Perhaps one of you…” he trailed off.

 

            The teenagers looked down in embarrassment. Donghae understood that they mistook him for someone else and they felt ashamed. He walked away without a single word. He passed by the claiming area on his way to the next table but his mocha frappe wasn’t served yet.

 

            A woman sat alone this time. She was reading a book. Donghae guessed that she was a noona. She wore corporate clothes and seemed a bit cold with her physical features.

 

            “Mm…”

 

            The woman closed her book when she saw Donghae standing next to her table. She scanned him from head to toe. A chill ran down Donghae’s spine and he swallowed hard.

 

            “Yes? What is it?”

 

            “Are you Miss Ahn Sohee? If so—“

 

            “No, I am not,” the woman interrupted Donghae midway and went back to reading her book.

 

            Donghae didn’t bother excusing himself anymore and just hurriedly moved away. He claimed his mocha frappe, said ‘thank you’ to the very apologetic cashier boy and took a seat near the built-in platform. He had a usual spot over at the right side corner where he preferred to watch performances. There was a good view of the stage from there.

 

            “Huh,” Donghae muttered as he inspected the vanilla frappe next to his mocha frappe. “It’s going to be such a waste…”

 

            He didn’t mind it for awhile. Sipping his mocha drink, he surveyed the place from his seat. Perhaps he didn’t notice before, the couple who sat a few tables away at the back. The man’s back was turned to Donghae and all he could see of the fellow was his light brown hair and white shirt. Donghae saw the girl perfectly. She wore a punkish but cool-looking, dark blue and white striped dress, BROOKLYN 29 printed on the front, black leggings and white knee-high Converse sneakers and her hair was pulled up into a ponytail. She had that distressed look, like she wanted to leave. The situation left Donghae with an uneasy feeling. He was always such a knight, protecting the girls and all. He continued to watch as he wanted to make sure that the situation was what he thought it was before he goes over there.

 

            The girl stood up, about to leave when the man suddenly grabbed her by the wrist and kept pulling her back to her seat. Donghae rushed over.

 

            “Hey! Can’t you see she’s in pain? Let go!” Donghae demanded, placing a hand on the other gentleman’s shoulder to turn him over. “I said— Teukie hyung?!” Donghae gasped upon seeing the man’s face.

 

            “Omo! Donghae! Long time no see!”

 

            Donghae remained in his stance, stiff and stunned. It was his hyung, the very same person whom he met when he was in high school.

 

            “C’mon. Sit with us, Hae,” the man offered and pulled out a chair from the table beside them. “It’s been so long. I’m surprised you even recognized me.”

 

            Donghae sat down and smiled.

 

            Aside from his hyung’s hair, everything else was still the same as he remembered they’d be; the porcelain skin, twinkling eyes and the ever so famous dimply smile the man had. Park Jungsu was his name. Donghae could partly remember the reason why his hyung, by three years, told him to make use of ‘Leeteuk’ instead of ‘Jungsu’. It was because Jungsu’s best friend gave him that nickname.

 

            It means ‘special one’, Donghae heard Leeteuk’s voice in his head, the aforesaid explanation from a few years ago. Donghae liked flashbacks.

 

            “Oh, so you know each other?” Leeteuk pointed back and forth toward Donghae and the girl.

 

            Donghae tittered.

 

            “No. I came over because I thought you were a bad guy.”

 

            Leeteuk pouted.

 

            “How mean! Why would you think that?”

 

            “Because she looked troubled, hyung. And you were forcing her to sit down when she clearly wanted to leave. I think.”

 

            The girl didn’t speak and only listened to the conversation. Leeteuk glanced at her then looked back at Donghae, the boy looking rather confused.

 

            “Ah. Because she wanted to claim her order over there,” Leeteuk pointed to the waiting table. “But I said I’d get it for her instead. Oh but this little lady is quite stubborn.”

 

            The girl blushed greatly, Donghae observed. He smiled at the picture.

 

            “I see,” Donghae said at last since the matter had been cleared up. “Your girlfriend, hyung?”

 

            Leeteuk laughed aloud which made the girl shrink amidst their presence. Donghae was confused all over again.

 

            “Cute girl, isn’t she? But she isn’t my girlfriend. She’s my student.”

 

            “Oh so you really did go and become a teacher. Hm, hm,” Donghae thought aloud and Leeteuk stifled a chuckle.

 

            “What, you thought I wouldn’t be able to make it?”

 

            Donghae paused. He could vaguely make out Leeteuk’s determined face from way back when. It was from that time when Leeteuk confided to Donghae about his passion for teaching. Even after they lost contact, whatever happened and whatever the reasons Donghae certainly did not know, his admiration for the older was still there. Donghae was the little brother Leeteuk never had, him the wacky hyung Donghae needed, the one he could share his silly antics with. They were that confident with one another.

 

            “That’s not— wait!” Donghae interjected. “That’s illegal!”

 

            Leeteuk tilted his head at the sudden outburst.

 

            “What is?”

 

            “Tha-that!”

 

            Donghae raised his two index fingers, each pointing at Leeteuk and the girl.

 

            “Eh?”

 

            “Flirting with students! Oh hyung. I know she’s cute but—“

 

            “You got it all wrong! Are you crazy?!”

 

            “You’re the one who’s crazy, hyung!”

 

            “Let me explain—“

 

            “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ll keep it a secret, don’t worry~”

 

            Leeteuk smiled awkwardly at the people who were watching them. Donghae was too noisy.

 

            “Hae—“

 

            “No no. I don’t need any explanations. It’s all good.”

 

            “Listen—“

 

            “Leeteuk sonsaengnim bumped into me earlier and he invited me for a talk. I’m not interested in my music teacher.”

 

            Donghae and Leeteuk gawked at the girl. She pouted at the huge misunderstanding.

 

            “How rude of me. We’ve been talking for so long but I haven’t properly introduced you two yet,” Leeteuk cut in. “Hae, this is Sohee-sshi. I used to be her adviser in 9^th grade but she graduated recently so—“

 

            Donghae rose from his seat at once and dashed back to his original seat. He returned with the vanilla frappe and handed it over to the girl.

 

            “Ahn Sohee?”

 

            The girl nodded.

 

            “Phew. I’ve been looking all over the café for you. You didn’t claim it and I thought it’d be a waste so… Ah. I’m Lee Donghae by the way.”

 

            Sohee bowed her head slightly in gratitude.

 

            “Thank you.”

 

            “No problem. No problem.”

 

            Leeteuk and Donghae talked more. There were occasional pauses just to check in on Sohee if she was still following their conversation. They’d catch her staring at the platform every time they did so. Also, Donghae already took his mocha frappe to their table for him to enjoy it better.

 

            It was a little before twelve when Sohee excused herself.

 

            “I was supposed to meet my cousin outside. I only went here for a quick take-out,” she simply explained. “Because Leeteuk sonsaengnim pulled me over, my cousin must have thought I got lost but in fact, my stay here was only prolonged.”

 

            Donghae finished his drink and bid his goodbye as well. He didn’t forget to exchange numbers with Leeteuk though.

 

            “I’ll go ahead as well. Kids shouldn’t be walking in the streets alone. I’ll take care of her, hyung,” Donghae spoke, not missing Sohee’s flushed expression.

 

            Leeteuk acknowledged Donghae’s proposal.

 

            “Thanks. That Little Miss doesn’t know her way around. She’s not used to going out alone.”

 

            Donghae kept that in mind and escorted Sohee out the café.

 

~*~

 

            As usual, it was hot. And like last time, Sohee forgot her umbrella. She scolded herself in her head, taking a big sip off her vanilla drink grumpily. Donghae was looking from side to side.

 

            “Wait here, ‘kay? I’ll be back.”

 

            Then off he raced into the crowd.

 

            Hongdae was as busy as ever. It was even more active now that it was summer. Students of various grades were probably playing around, Sohee guessed. A group of girls passed her by. They laughed loudly and chattered all the way. Sohee wondered if her friends were around. She wouldn’t know.

 

            The atmosphere had changed then. It was getting windier and the crowds had calmed down. She clutched the plastic tumbler with both of her hands securely. The foam in her vanilla frappe had long dissolved into the mixed, caffeinated refreshment. The cool of the beverage slowly changed into liquid, dribbling down her fingers and wetting her palms ever so slightly. There was no sign of Donghae’s return that moment. From outside CKL café, under the small shade that the building provided, the sunlight was catching up to the ends of her sneakers. She let it be.

 

            “Should I leave? What should I—“

 

            “Sohee-sshi!” went a distinct shout.

 

            Sohee looked to her left then to her right. Donghae was sort of brisk walking toward her, a plastic bag in hand.

 

            “Hello again~” Donghae greeted and patted Sohee’s head.

 

            The girl was indifferent to the friendly gesture.

 

            “Since you didn’t have an umbrella with you and I forgot mine, I went and bought one. I felt like Teukie hyung would scold me if I let you walk under the sun,” Donghae clarified and took out the small automatic umbrella from the plastic bag. “But I’m not saying that I think you’re too fragile and stuff. It’s just that, UV rays are really dangerous and since you’re a girl, your skin should be protected from that danger.”

 

            After cutting the price tag that dangled on the umbrella’s handle, Donghae flicked open the umbrella, grabbed Sohee’s right hand and made her hold onto it.

 

            “There you go.”

 

            Sohee gazed at the umbrella.

 

            “Thank you but you didn’t have to. I’ll pay you back.”

 

            Donghae shook his head.

 

            “Nah. Don’t pay. Just make sure to bring that umbrella every time you go out. It’d be bothersome if you don’t, you know.”

 

            “Yes but—“

 

            “Let’s go and find your cousin now,” said Donghae, giving the girl another pat on the head. He smiled warmly. “Okay?”

 

            Sohee diverted her attention to the left and began walking. Donghae laughed to himself as he followed.

 

            “What a shy kid.”

 

            They strolled deeper into Hongdae. CD stores, knick-knack shops and eateries came into view. Donghae only looked at Sohee’s walking figure.

 

            Walking next to her! Why didn’t I think of that? Oh. ‘cause it’ll make her feel weird. Hmm… Donghae pondered as his feet took over.

 

            Just then, Sohee stopped and so did Donghae from a few steps away. Sohee looked over her shoulder, Donghae being still while the people around him kept walking. Sensing that there was something wrong, Donghae paced himself to the girl’s side.

 

            “Hey. Something wrong?”

 

            Sohee began walking again without replying. Persistent, Donghae walked with her.

 

            “Tell meeeee~ tell meeeee~ what’s wrong? What’s wrong?” Donghae childishly asked, not facing Sohee and instead focusing on where he was going.

 

            She slurped the last of her vanilla frappe, still ignoring the childish man.

 

            “Oh. Do you want to throw that? Give it here.”

 

            Donghae took the empty plastic cup from Sohee and ran to the side where there happened to be a trash bin.

 

They strode aimlessly throughout the district in silence. Donghae gave up on pestering his young friend.

 

“You wouldn’t take the umbrella if I gave it to you,” Sohee blurted out. “So the only thing I could do is make you walk under it as well.”

 

Donghae tried his best to contain his laughter but failed and he just ended up bursting.

 

“That’s very clever,” he commented and took hold of the umbrella himself. “Since you did that, I’ll hold on to it then. Bet you didn’t see that coming, huh?”

 

Sohee clasped her hands behind her and nodded thoughtfully.

 

“I didn’t.”

 

Donghae raised his arms in the air and along the umbrella went up, up, up. It was a victory gesture.

 

“Yes!”

 

Sohee played along and clapped her hands. People stared at them and giggled.

 

             They continued walking. They took a turn here and there. It was when Donghae recognized the arcade place they passed a few minutes later that he began to have thoughts. He saw that arcade place for five times already.

 

             “Where are you meeting your cousin exactly, Sohee-sshi? We’ve been walking and walking and it’s already,” Donghae paused and checked his wristwatch. “Twelve-twenty. Hasn’t he messaged you yet?”

 

Sohee opened-closed her hands in front of her, still walking.

 

“I don’t have a phone,” she said, not bothered. “I have to find that boutique on my own as a challenge.”

 

“What boutique?”

 

“Pink Panda.”

 

Donghae scratched the back of his head and let out a sigh. Sohee was panicking in her head. A late realization struck her: she was bothering Donghae.

 

“You could’ve told me. We already passed by that boutique back at—“

 

             “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you along. I thought you’d leave after you gave me the umbrella but you were actually following me. I’m really sorry. And just awhile ago—“

 

Donghae pulled Sohee into a corner and wagged a finger at her.

 

“One, no apologies. Two, I told Teukie hyung that I’d be responsible for you until you see your cousin. Three, why don’t you have a phone?”

 

            Sohee looked down on her shoes. Donghae felt the urge to pinch her cheeks just to make her laugh but he couldn’t possibly do that. They just met and skinship was a definite no-no.

 

            Sohee didn’t look like she was going to reply so Donghae held her hand and dragged her to the right direction. To hell with first-meeting regulations, was the only thought that ran through Donghae’s head. People were gathering and that meant huge, bumping crowds. Donghae held Sohee’s hand tighter.

 

~*~

 

            A very tall gentleman approached them upon reaching Pink Panda’s entrance. Donghae stared wide-eyed at the pair of lengthy legs.

 

            “Thank you so much for taking care of Sohee-ah,” the man told Donghae before hugging his young cousin. “Are you her friend?”

 

            Sohee pulled away and opened .

 

            “He’s—“

 

            “Yes. I am,” Donghae retorted.

 

            Sohee was at a loss of words.

 

            “A classmate?”

 

            “I just graduated from university. A business student at your service!” Donghae playfully saluted.

 

            Sohee’s cousin smiled.

 

            “I didn’t know you had university friends, Sohee-ah. Since you’re only turning a freshman after a few weeks from now,” the tall fellow awkwardly spoke to Sohee. Even Sohee felt a bit uneasy.

 

            “Her 9^th grade adviser introduced us awhile ago.”

 

            “Is-is that so? That’s nice.”

 

            Donghae grinned.

 

            Sohee’s cousin turned to her and whispered something. Donghae recognized the accent and the words the man spoke.

 

            “Omo! You speak Mandarin too?!” Donghae exclaimed in perfect Mandarin.

 

            The man faced him in quite a shock.

 

            “I’m actually Chinese,” the man said delightfully. “I’m a distant cousin of Sohee-ah’s. I didn’t know business students are required to learn Mandarin.”

 

            “Not really. My family has a business firm in Beijing so it’s a family business thing.”

 

            “Wow!”

 

            “Does Sohee-sshi know how to speak in Mandarin too?”

 

            The two men glanced at Sohee, the poor girl dazed and out of place. They chuckled to themselves.

 

            “I’m trying to teach her but even I’m working on my Korean,” the lanky gentleman shared and laughed again.

 

            “I’ll gladly teach her for you. I might even help you with your Korean,” Donghae offered.

 

            They were heading toward a good start. They got back to speaking Korean. They felt guilty for leaving Sohee out of the conversation.

 

            “Zhou Mi.”

 

            The man extended his hand and Donghae took it right away.

 

            “Lee Donghae.”

 

            “Thanks again for taking care of my cousin. I hope you don’t think I’m mean for putting her through that challenge. Someone had to teach her how to get around and who else would be the best teacher if not experience, right?”

 

            Donghae agreed with a little nod.

 

            They exchanged numbers as well. Zhou Mi thanked his new friend one last time before heading back into the shop. Sohee turned around and was about to enter the boutique but Donghae grabbed her by the arm.

 

            “Your umbrella, Madam.”

 

            The childish man passed the rolled up entity to Sohee.

 

            “Uhmm…”

 

            “’Donghae oppa’ would be nice. ‘Donghae oppa’.”

 

            Sohee blushed in embarrassment for the nth time. That guy was too silly.

 

            “Donghae oppa.”

 

            “Yes~?”

 

            “Is that true?” Sohee paused, hooking the umbrella strap around her wrist. “Being my friend I mean.”

 

            Donghae smiled. He never got tired of smiling yet that particular smile that time seemed different. It was the most charming smile out of all the smiles Sohee had seen Donghae make that day.

 

            “Of course.”

 

            Sohee’s lips curved into a small smile as she turned toward the shop and prepared to leave.

 

            “If you need anything like, say, a tour around Hongdae or Chinese lessons, ask your Zhou Mi oppa to call me since you don’t have a phone!” Donghae cried out, making Sohee look over her shoulder. “And if you do get a phone, get my number from your Zhou Mi oppa and call me ASAP! Okay? Okay!”

 

            The silly man winked at the shy girl. They both laughed. He watched her enter the boutique and disappear from his sight. Then, with a goofy grin, he went his own way.

 

~*~

 

Pink everywhere! Dresses, shirts, pants, shoes, heels — almost everything was pink. It was Sohee’s first time visiting Pink Panda and she could only describe it in one word: cute. It was a rather spacey boutique. There were three changing rooms, about five mannequins displayed all around the shop and there was even a shoe station.

 

            Sohee didn’t have to look around for her cousin as she spotted the man almost instantly. With two clerks beside him, he was picking out dresses then skinny jeans, shorts then cardigans, even blouses and skirts. The two clerks’ arms were heavy with all of the gentleman’s choices. Sohee kept her distance.

 

            “Sohee-ah!” Zhou Mi hollered and found Sohee sitting on one of the benches in the shoe station. “Try all of these okay?”

 

            He pointed to the clothes that the two clerks held on to with all their strength. Sohee pouted.

 

            In the end, Zhou Mi bought everything he picked out, excluding two pairs of pants though. Everything. Sohee carried one paper bag on her left hand, the umbrella tied to her right wrist while Zhou Mi took care of the other five. They entered a nearby McDonald’s next for lunch. Sohee ordered medium-sized fries and iced-tea. Zhou Mi didn’t order anything.

 

            “Why did you buy so many stuffs for me?” Sohee brought up, taking two sticks of fries and nibbling on them.

 

            “Graduation gift.”

 

            “Gifts,” Sohee corrected.

 

            Zhou Mi laughed.

 

            “Very exact, hm?”

 

            Zhou Mi tore the ketchup sachet a little then squeezed the red solution on to a small container. He took a stick of fries and dipped the tip into the container.

 

            “Does it taste good?”

 

            Zhou Mi put the treat in his mouth and chewed slowly. He nodded. Sohee decided to try and even got a bit of ketchup on her lower lip. Zhou Mi had to point it out for her to notice. She reached into her left pants’ pocket and took out a white hanky.

 

            “Ah. Wrong,” she said and returned the cloth to that pocket and took a baby blue cloth from the right pocket.

 

            Zhou Mi chuckled at his cousin’s silliness.

 

            “Why do you have two handkerchiefs?”

 

            “This one’s mine and the other one is— what time is it?”

 

            Zhou Mi checked his cell phone.

 

            “Quarter to two. Hey wait a minute. Don’t you have—“

 

            Sohee gripped the paper bag and got to her feet.

 

            “Oppa, hurry. I’m late.”

 

~*~

 

            The taxi stopped in front of HLC Towers and Sohee hurriedly got off. Zhou Mi volunteered to take all six paper bags home. It was more like, he didn’t have a choice.

 

            The lobby was empty. Sohee gripped the umbrella’s base as she neared Kyuhyun’s office. Being tardy for the first time, Sohee felt her stomach churning. She twisted the doorknob and went inside the office. Kyuhyun was lying on the couch, a thin gray shirt clad his body and the usual black pants to go with it.

 

            Sleeping?

 

            Sohee closed the door quietly and took a seat on one of the single-seaters.

 

            “I’m sorry for being late.”

 

            Kyuhyun didn’t move. His eyes were still closed, head propped on the armrest and arms folded over his chest. Sohee felt bad. She untied the umbrella strap around her wrist and left it on the chair, standing up to take the white handkerchief in her pocket and advancing toward the sleeping man. She copied Kyuhyun, sitting on the coffee table and whatnot, ever so hesitant to examine the gentleman up close. A peaceful expression decorated his profile, his shallow breathing nice and easy to listen to and his lips tucked and moist. His chest would rise then descend right after, air exiting simultaneously from the nostrils of his high-bridged nose. This was the only time Sohee saw a man’s face from a close range. It was interesting.

 

            Sohee poked at the gap in between Kyuhyun’s eyebrows, the space wrinkling a bit as the man gradually stirred from his slumber. Arms raised over his head for a stretch, he opened his eyes and saw his client beside him.

 

            “You’re late,” he said then followed by a yawn.

 

            Sohee gently pressed the white cloth to Kyuhyun’s cheek where a lone drop strayed from his eye and sloped there. Kyuhyun welcomed the pleasant motion, later receiving his handkerchief from his young client. They showed each other a warm smile.

 

            “Now. Talk to me.”