[School Gate]

 

“UNNI … sorry for being late …” IU rushed towards Ji-yeon who had been waiting for her there near the school gate patiently.

“Kwaenchana. Shall we go now?” Ji-yeon was eager to go.

“Wait, Yong-hwa is about to reach here,” IU told her as she looked at the corridor.

“Yong-hwa?” Ji-yeon was a bit startled. “I thought it just the two of us,” she said to her.

“We need him because he is more familiar with the dish than us,” IU told the reason.

“Oh…” replied Ji-yeon.

In a split second, Yong-hwa turned up and joined them. Students were rushing to get in the bus. As Ji-yeon was about to step in, she was pushed aside by some students who barged in as fast as lightning. She lost her balance and was about to fall behind but Yong-hwa got her in his arms. He looked at her but she said nothing. He pulled her up. His eyes gazed at hers. She shook her head, trying to clear her senses of him. She wasn’t sure how to react to them. And without saying a single word, he dragged her into the bus. IU had already had her seat when Ji-yeon and Yong-hwa made it.

“The bus is full,” IU said.

“It’s okay,” Ji-yeon said as she grabbed to anything that she could.

Seeing her in such a higgledy-piggledy manner, without warning, he took her hand and placed it on his shirt, asking her to have a grip on it because there was nothing else that she could hang on in the bus. It was really full. Ji-yeon remained silent, not knowing what to say. Her eyeballs moved to the corner of her eyes. Yong-hwa looked calm and in dead silent too.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[Dongdaemun Market] 1

 

“DONGDAEMUN?”

“Yes. Dongdaemun is a wholesale and retail-shopping district in Seoul. As you can see, it is a massive marketplace with all sorts of street vendors, shopping malls, and stalls ranging from those, which sell trendy clothes to those, which sell exclusively buttons. You haven’t been here before unni?” asked IU to Ji-yeon.

“Nope, it’s my first time. It seems like it is possible to find almost everything here,” remarked Ji-yeon.

“Yes. This market is popular with international tourists and good for gift shopping,” informed IU as they went into a drugstore.

Suddenly, Ji-yeon’s cell phone vibrated. A text message received. It was from Yun-ho. He informed Ji-yeon that they have a sudden dance practice. Ji-yeon’s thumbs pressed the keypads furiously.

 

You’ve promised to come over and help me. We have a deal.

 

            Ji-yeon changed her phone mode from silent to normal. And not long after, she got another text message and replied it with a sigh.

 

Yun-ho:

We have a sudden dance practice.

Ji-yeon:

I repeat, you’ve promised to come over and help me. We have a deal.

Yun-ho:

Tell me where you are. Don’t go too far.

Ji-yeon:

Kwaenchana. IU is with me.

Yun-ho:

Where?

Ji-yeon:

Dongdaemun Market. Pyeong~

Yun-ho:

I’ll pick you up later.

 

“Why bother when he can’t even make it,” muttered Ji-yeon. She changed her phone mode to silent.

“Pardon?” IU threw a look at her. She thought Ji-yeon was talking to her.

“It’s nothing. It was just a text message,” Ji-yeon answered her.

“Yun-ho oppa?” she asked her.

“Ne. How did you know?” ‘Did she read my message while I was texting to Crazy Leg just now?’ thought Ji-yeon.

“You two seemed close,” IU said as she grabbed a trolley.

“Yes, we are.” Ji-yeon assured her.

“Unni …”she called as she pushed the cart together with Ji-yeon.

“Ne?” Ji-yeon replied as she looked around. The ingredients list was in her hand. Meanwhile, Yong-hwa was behind them in silent. He had been quiet since they stepped in that shop. He was listening to their conversation.

“Yun-ho oppa …” continued IU. “You like him?” These words stung Ji-yeon with a slight jerk.

“Here it is, the first ingredient,” he snapped. All of a sudden, Yong-hwa’s voice broke the awkwardness between Ji-yeon and IU. He made it on purpose for he didn’t want those two ladies kept arguing about the guy that they were talking about. IU stared at her who was in the middle of taking the stuff that Yong-hwa told just now.

“Unni, you like him …” she murmured in almost inaudible manner and pulled a long face.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[Dance Studio] 1

 

“TWO MINUTES rest,” Mr. Gong Yoo proclaimed.

“I need to go out before 5.00 p.m.,” Yun-ho informed his coach.

“Everyone is working hard, and you want to go out early?” Mr. Gong Yoo threw an admonishing look at him.

“I have an errand to run,” Yun-ho replied him with tensed voice. In his mind, Ji-yeon was his priority. That sister of his was still new here, and she was already gone to a place, which was quite far, and it concerned him so badly. He had lost someone before in his life because of his absence. This time he would not let it happen again.

“Have I not told you not to bother with other things during your dance practice?” The director of the Dance Club of that school was hoping that the school representatives would do well during the tournament. But for Yun-ho, it was too tiring. The director was a dictator. He wanted everything to happen in a way that he thought it should be. No matter what it would cost. That was how Yun-ho defined this 33-year-old coach.

“I am the lead dancer, and I know it. But I also need space and time to do something that I want,” he replied him. “Plus, tonight we still have another practice. Yes I am a dancer and I like to dance but I am not a machine. I am a human. I do get tired…” Yun-ho stared at him. “She’s tired too,” he added with another statement.

“What are you talking about?” Mr. Gong’s voice was firm.

“She is under my concern too,” Yun-ho declared something which was unclear to the director. “The counselor,” he added and marched off towards a chair and sank on it.

Mr. Gong stared at him but his lips showed its silence. He finally knew what he meant. The practice continued. “Be synchronized everyone!” he thundered to the other dancers. “Chang-min, chin up!” another thunderous voice teetered in the air.

They all wondered on why this coach all of a sudden sounded like a military trainer.

“Is that all that you got? You’ve been training for three months and you only show me this crap?!” he bellowed with sharp stare at his eyes. He looked intently at them and breathed tremulously. Someone made his way to the exit. “And where do you think you are going? The practice hasn’t finished yet!” He called that guy on top of his voice.

“I’m all set up,” said Yun-ho, determined. He grabbed his backpack and other stuffs and made his way out from the room.

“Park Yun-ho!!!” The coach called him by his name.

“The moment you step outside from this room, you are out!” he told him strictly.

“So, be it” he replied and disappeared. The rest looked at him in dismay.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[Dongdaemun Market] 2

 

“SO, WHAT we got so far?” Yong-hwa asked IU.

“Minced garlic, sesame oil, sugar, carrots, zucchini, onions, cornstarch, pork loin and potatoes,” IU informed him.

“We have to find thick noodles,” he told the two ladies.

“Dry or fresh?” Ji-yeon asked him.

“Whichever,” he replied. They continued their way to noodles section in that market.

“It sold out. What to do?” IU threw a question.

Silence from Yong-hwa. He looked stuck. He was also a newbie. He hadn’t even explored anything around Seoul yet since the day he settled down there.

“If you can’t find these, you can also use buckwheat, udon, or linguine noodles,” someone supplied suggestions.

“Oppa!” cried IU. She had a sweet smile on her lips.

Yun-ho appeared in front of them. “Hey, where were you just now? Why didn’t you pick up my call?” he asked Ji-yeon.

“Silent mode. Sorry.” Ji-yeon giggled.  

“Haish ...” Yun-ho gave a peek into the trolley and noticed the potatoes. “Oh, you have sweet and white potatoes.” He liked to use a combination of sweet and white potatoes like how his mother used to cook.

“I didn’t know you like this kind of combination too.” Yun-ho looked at them.

“Not me. It’s him,” Ji-yeon squinted at Yong-hwa.

Yun-ho ceased talking and looked at him; the guy who had caused chaotic incident last morning during their PE class was also there.

“What a coincidence,” Yun-ho muttered.

“It’s a family recipe,” Yong-hwa said and walked on to find the bean paste. Yun-ho made no sound but gazed at him carefully. “Here it is,” Yong-hwa gave the bean paste to Ji-yeon to put it into the trolley.

She grabbed it and took a look on the package. “Are you sure this is chunjang? It isn’t written chunjang on it,” she commented to ensure whether he had taken the right one.

“It’s just the same. That’s chunjang, but it might also say jajang on the package,” explained Yong-hwa.

“Whoa, no wonder you are expert with this dish,” complimented Ji-yeon.

Having paid all the stuffs that they bought, they dropped by at some vendors to buy local food. It was already 7.00 p.m. The streets were filled with vendors selling different types of dishes.

 “You want this?” Yun-ho asked Ji-yeon.

“What is this? Whoa, it smells really good.” Ji-yeon sniffed on that reddish-colored street food.

“This is Ddukbokkie. It is a Rice Cake Street Food. The sauce is spicy but it is also very sweet and packed with an immense amount of flavor. The spiciness is cut by the long cylindrical rice cakes which, when cooked become very chewy and soft. Have a go.” Yun-ho suggested his sister a Ddukbokkie.

Yong-hwa was looking around until his eyes ended up glued on IU. She was staring at Yun-ho and Ji-yeon. He knew how she felt. Unable to restrain his concern for that girl, he finally made a move. “Do you mind to accompany me to have a look around here? The foods smell really tasty,” he said.

“Ne?” IU looked at him and mute.

“You said that you would bring me to look around here in Seoul in return for the recipe?” he brought back the deal that they both had agreed before.

“Oh, okay,” she smiled and led him to a food stall, away from the stall picked by Ji-yeon and Yun-ho.

“This is Japchae.” IU introduced it to Yong-hwa and started explaining, “Originally, Japchae was made without noodles. Back to Korea History, it was invented for the King by one of his chefs and he loved it very much that it became famous across Korea.”

Yong-hwa smiled as he listened to IU’s explanations. “I have no regrets for having you as my tour guide. So, what happen now about with-without noodles to this dish?” he asked more.

“In recent times, noodles were added and now they become an essential element to Japchae. The noodles used are sweet potato starch noodles, which give this dish its very distinct chewy texture. And the vegetables are lightly cooked so the flavor is retained. Interested?” IU smiled at him after she finished her crystal clear clarification. “It can be a great alternative to the typical stir-fry that we cook at home when we want something ‘Chinese’, just like you,” she added and her lips drew a smile.

“Sure,” he said eagerly.

Yun-ho looked behind him and noticed that IU and Yong-hwa were nowhere to be seen. He finally spotted the two of them at the nearby vendor. They were talking, smiling and laughing. Having looked at them, smile curved up on his lips. He believed that this hoobae had given up on him. All this while, he knew that this girl had always been there for him but he never crossed his idea that she was nothing other than a growing teenage girl.

Ji-yeon caught him in his eyes. She saw Yun-ho was staring at something and she spun her head to where he was looking at. She figured out something. ‘Perhaps, she was jealous with me?’ That thought scintillated in her mind. She brought back the question that IU asked her at the market just now. “So that’s what it’s all about. She must have misunderstood my relationship with Yun-ho,” mumbled Ji-yeon.

“Yes?” Yun-ho caught it in his ears. “Anything?” he asked her.

“Nothing. We better get going now,” she said to him.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[Staff Room]

 

“YOU’RE STILL here,” someone greeted Ms. Lee Min-jung at the doorway. She turned around and found Mr. Gong standing there with a smile.

“I haven’t finished my work. I got something to settle,” she informed.

“So, that is why you left me?” he continued.

“What are you talking about?”

“I am talking about us,” he said and eyed her.

She paused for a while with what she was doing. “It’s over. I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” said Ms. Lee firmly and resumed her work.

“It’s not natural for you to be mean Min-jung,” he approached her. “As for me, between us, it’s not over yet,” he said, his eyes fixed on her. “I’ve never filed a divorce. I still believe in us,” he said and noticed that she no longer wear their wedding ring.

Yun-ho was about to enter the staff room with a Ddukbokkie that he bought in Dongdaemun street vendors when he heard this conversation. He paused and pulled back behind the door.

Mr. Gong let out a sigh when Ms. Lee didn’t give him a desirable respond to his words. “I haven’t given up on you just yet,” he said at last and made his way out from that room when Ms. Lee showed no interest to talk to him.

Ms. Lee was distracted by Mr. Gong’s confession. Her eyes were rimmed with hot tears. However, she still managed to look cool as if nothing happened. She had cried so many times before. She wanted to be strong with what had happened between them.

“You should give up,” a voice caught Mr. Gong’s ears as he closed the door before him. He looked in front and saw Yun-ho. “I don’t want her to cry anymore.” Yun-ho eyes glistened.

Mr. Gong Yoo remained silent. He marched off towards his car.

“I love her. And I won’t stop,” he told him gallantly. He stared at him for a while before he put the plastic, which contained the Ddukbokkie on Ms. Lee’s car’s side mirror. He took his helmet and choked his motorcycle into life and zoomed out to the school entrance.

Ms. Lee was standing by the window pane and she heard everything that he said. Mr. Gong Yoo kept rooted on the cement. He was thunderstruck with what Yun-ho had said to him. He dabbed his eyes. He now realized that a suspended student was in love with his wife. He could not believe his ears.

This whole scene was witnessed by Yong-hwa who stood still as a rock at the bicycle parking space. He just watched Yun-ho and Mr. Gong left, keeping with him his own opinion about the two men.

And another person with sad eyes was watching this scene in secret, perhaps someone who loves one of the men. She was stung with hot tears. She was crying in silent as she watched him left. She heard it with her own ears. Yun-ho just declared his affection towards Ms. Lee, his own counselor. “Babo.” Her voice stammered and blurred. Without a clear reason, her heart felt like exploding. She ran towards the school gate. Sadness, disappointment and pain clamored within her. She felt lost and weak that she stumbled on the ground, crying. Yong-hwa was watching her from behind. Not moving any inches, she remained there unable to get up.

Slowly, he approached her. “IU-ssi, kwaenchana?”

“Don’t touch me!” she exclaimed and parried his hand earnestly. He studied her face. She looked ill and her face was dreadful.

“Hop on,” he told her. He was indicating the back seat of his bike. Helplessly, she sank on it and held on his hip. She was in tears throughout the ride. Yong-hwa threw a glance behind. He knew that it was the time for him to do something.

 

*   *   *   *   *

TO BE CONTINUED