Hyun Joong

YAWN!!!

“Shhh! Not so loud, please,” So Min cautioned as she turned from left to right, throwing apologetic gestures to others who were obviously bothered by my umpteen boorish display of boredom. She glared at me like a mother reprimanding her child, and then looked down to continue with her reading.

Unable to oppress the urge to get her attention, and also partly bushed from the tiresome research work,   I stretched my leg below the table slowly and steadily hurled a kick.

“OUCH!!! What the….!” she shrieked.

“Shhh…..be quiet. This is the library.” And it was now my turn to make apologetic gestures to those around us who were displeased by commotion.

Infuriated, So Min gathered her books and handbag, and stood up to walk towards me while shooting her deadliest glare. I had no idea what she was going to do next but that glare sure scared me a bit.

Without warning, she stamped her high heels hard on my toes beneath my leather shoes. “OWWW!” 

“Now, we are even.” Smiling triumphantly, she strutted towards the exit like a model doing her catwalk. 

I had no time to adjust to the pain at my toes. I picked up my stuffs and quickly gave chase after her.

“Sunbae, wait up!” I called out as I limp-run, trying to catch up with her. It amazed me how women could walk so fast and still able to balance themselves even when they were on those stilts under their feet.

She spun around. “For the last time, don’t call me Sunbae!” Then, she continued with her walking until she sat down on a bench beneath a gingko tree. From where I was, I felt that her face suddenly turned melancholic. Quickening my pace, I reached her side and squat down instantly to get a good look at her facial expression. She looked like she was on the verge of crying. Mentally scolding my childishness, I cursed myself for causing her grief.

I wanted to hold her hand to give her comfort, but stopped myself in time thinking that it might irritate her further if I did that. “I..I’m sorry. I was only horsing around…don’t mean to hurt you.”

She looked at me with doleful eyes, “You never change…you still like to bully me.”

I was thrilled hearing the first testament of how I was in the past but at the same time upset that I had been bad and was still treating her badly.

I was going to apologise again for my past behavior when she appended, “But I miss that very much.”

And that was when the tears flowed.

My goodness! Her mood changed like the weather! First, she was angry, then she got abusive, and now she was crying. I started to panic, not knowing how to redeem the situation. I tried to search for something, anything to dry those tears. But I have nothing on with me.

“I’m sorry. Here…please…wipe your tears.” I stood nearer to her so that she could easily accessed to my sleeves.

She looked up at me and made a face, “Your shirt smells.”

I brought my clothed arms to my nose instantly and sniffed them. EEEWWW..she was absolutely right!

That probably tickled her, for she broke into laughter. Oh gosh! Women were so difficult to predict! But then, her laughter was a relief to me, like melodious music ringing in my ears.

Her laughter gradually died down to soft chuckles. “I’m famished. Shall we have lunch?” she invited.

I nodded eagerly in agreement. And then I remembered that my pockets were hollow. “Uh…I have a problem.”

She stared at me wide eyed, questioning my source of concern. 

“Could you pay for my meals first?”

“What? You don’t even have a dime with you?” she exclaimed.

“Hey, don’t shout at me! I couldn’t even remember who I am, how do you expect me to remember either the password to my ATM or my signatures for my bank accounts?” Biting my lips, I glanced down at my feet, suddenly aware of how vulnerable I felt.

As if aware of my emotions, she backed down and spoke softly, “Well…it’s getting cold…shall we have samgyetang?”

I nodded and curled my arms, in anticipation of her hands to hook mine. She took it as if it was the most natural thing to do. We looked at each other, our eyes smiling and my heart fluttering. I breathed in a prayer, thanking Heaven for this day, as I swore I had not felt this alive ever since the day I came back as a man with no past.