Your POV:

The sun ray lightened up my new room in this beautiful morning as I stretched out while I was still on my bed feeling sleepy, the clock on the wall indicated that it was 9 already, so I moved away from my comfortable bed and went to wash before I head out to look for a new part-time job.

When I was done I grabbed a bread in a hand and a newspaper on the other hand, “So what kind of job I’ll try this time?” I said to nobody in particular and sat down on the couch. I looked for things that I’d enjoy and do well at, so I circled some interesting options that were near the house and went out to the described place to go and give them my resume. The first one was a boutique shop, so I went in and looked around but no one paid me any attention so I tried to make myself noticeable in order for the workers there to come and assist me but still no one came so I went out and crossed this option out as I didn’t want to have such a coworker to deal with.

Moving on to the next shop it was a bakery, I went inside and looked around before asking for the manager in charge. A girl greeted me with a bright smile “Can I help you with anything” she said, I was about to ask her for the part-time job position when I suddenly heard a sound of glass breaking, we both turned around to see one of the workers collecting the shattered glass with her bare hands. The girl that was beside me a moment ago rushed to her co-worker to assist her, and as expected one of them injured herself in the process, just then the manager stormed in the room, as he saw what was going on, he raged in anger and started shouting at his employees which seemed inconvenience at such a situation, “What are you going to do about this” he shouted at the one who dropped the class “and now you’re bleeding as well, how will you give customers food with such a bloody hand now” he had a point but there was no need to handle things with such harassment. Why would I need to handle such an atmosphere every day? So I excused myself from the scene and crossed that one as well.

I started to think that there is no good place near my house even though I’ve just started the search. I went for 3 other places but it was either not suitable for me or they didn’t accept me because I’m not Korean. I went for a place that I decided that it’ll be the last one for today since its past lunch-time and I ate nothing but the bread from my breakfast and an apple.

 The last option was a beauty salon, there wasn’t that much signs indicating that it’s a salon so I got a bit suspicious “Let’s try our luck here”, I pushed the black door and went inside as a heard a jingle from the bell that was above me indicating that they have a customer. “Wow This looks fancy” I said surprised but I kept my voice low.

In a matter of few seconds one of the workers welcomed me in with a dashing smile painted on her face “eososeyo, omo welcome what can I offer you?” he started Korean but then changed into English when she realized that I’m not Korean, “It’s your first time right? Your face seems new to me” she said while still smiling ‘She seems nice, and this place looks like a great place to spend everyday life in it’. I then drifted my attention back to the girl as I answered “Yeah, I moved to Korea recently, it’s almost a week since I arrived” I said that in Korean so that she would speak comfortably “can I ask how long has you been working here”. “Its ok you can speak to me in English if it suits you more, I’m half Canadian. And regarding your question I’ve been working here for 2 years so far” she replied ‘I’m starting to like this place more’ “Ooh good to know, my name is Sara and I came for the available part-time job on the paper” I started with the main subject “I’m Emma but people here call me Em, I know my name is short already so this sounds a bit weird but we’ve all gotten used to it. Currently our boss is not here but you can wait for here, I guess you noticed that the shop is a bit hard to find but there’s a reason behind it.” He looked at me for a while and then said “I’m not judging you or anything but this job is hard to get, I can’t tell you more as for now but if you met the boss you’ll understand how things go here” I started to feel nervous and I didn’t speak much but I managed to say “nice to meet you Em, and thank you for the information. I hope I get this job-” I was cut by the same sound that I heard when I first entered which was the jingling bell, Em looked around then looked at me with guilty eyes “I have to take this one since the others are busy and we don’t have many people on this shift, I’ll come back to you soon don’t worry” with that all that I saw was her back while she was working and a smile from her reflection from time to time.

After few minutes another worker came to me and asked if she could offer me any drinks, “Cool water please”, she came back with a bottle of water that she placed in my palm and sat next to me. “I heard that you desire that available part-time position” she said, I nodded my head slowly then she chuckled and said “I hope you get the job, so do your best and good luck, I’m Bora” when she finished she stood up “well not sister’s bora but I have the same name of an amazing person so I really like it” she smiled brightly and moved a step to the back “I need to go back to work, I’m sure this won’t be the last time I’ll be seeing you in”.

Just when I started to get comfortable in my place the doorbell ringed indicating one more costumer, but suddenly I heard people welcoming that person “Hi Boss” “welcome back” “eonni someone is here for you, you might like her” as if that was my cue, I stood up and turned to face the door. Then an unfamiliar sweet voice spoke “I hope it’s a good one this time, and not a freak”. With that one sentence I went back to nervous mode again, just then she looked my way and asked “is she this one?” “Yes boss” Em answered and winked to me, “Bring her in after 2 minutes”. I’m getting more and more nervous as time goes by. After saying that one last sentence she started taking step toward a door that was little bit further away behind me, she walked with a poker face which as I mentioned made me more nervous, when she was near to me I bowed as a sign of respect, then she passed by me, but what I didn’t know was that she started smiling right after passing me.

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