Ga Eun was surprised to see Myung Hwan leaning his head on the dining room table that evening.After putting the small basin of soup on the table, she quickly called, "Doryeonnim?"
He looked up. "Oh. Hello."
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Just very sleepy."
"Then you should rest."
"I'm planning to. I feel like these three days I've been living in school, preparing for that prom. Maybe I'll fall asleep on the actual event," he chuckled.
She smiled, "I'm sure it will go well, Doryeonnim."
"I hope so. Or else the headmaster will kill me."
Ga Eun poured the crab soup into the porcelain bowl and put it in front of him.
"Where's everybody?"
"There's an event at your Seoul Hotel."
"Oh. Right. Even I don't remember. There are too many events. Is Kim Ahjussi with them?"
"Yes, Appa is with them."
"And you're here to babysit me," he added.
She laughed. She was pouring water for him and it spilled.
"Mianheyo," she quickly wiped it and stepped back, standing in her usual position while any member of the Lee family was having their meals, ready to assist them.
His phone then rang. He stopped munching and glanced at the screen.
"Yeoboseyo?" he said to the person on the other line.
He listened to what the person was saying and answered, "I'm eating dinner. You?"
"Yah. Eat soon, ahrasseo? Who will go with me to the prom if you're sick?"
His tone. It was so soft Ga Eun was sure he was talking to a girl.
"Ne?" he laughed and listened again to the girl on the other line.
"I'm sure you'll look good in any color you wear."
Ga Eun took a deep breath, struggling to swallow the sharp feeling that washed over her as she could feel tears pricking her eyes.
"For prom....." he stopped as if he was thinking what to say next, "wear white. I think girls look best in white."
Who is she? This girl that could make Myung Hwan-ssi speak this soft? Is she pretty? Is she equally rich? Is she a nice girl? Where did he meet her? How long have they been together?
Why should I be this stupid and feel my heart is breaking? What right do I have to feel this sad? Ga Eun swallowed and swallowed. Or else she knew she'd sobbed. The imagination of Myung Hwan holding his beautiful girlfriend in an equally beautiful dress swarmed inside her mind. It was unstoppable.
He hung up and reached for the main dish.
He finished and stretched when he stood up.
"Aaaah, gomawo. I'm so full right now. I think I'll sleep well. Don't forget, if you don't see me by 6 tomorrow, it means I overslept. Please wake me up."
"Ne, Doryeonnim. Have a good rest," she bowed.
He left the room while she cleared the table. Tears finally streamed from her eyes when she washed the dishes.
Don't be silly, she told herself.
What hope do you have? He has a right to be with any girl he wants. He could do that. This will not be the last. One day he'll marry a lovely girl that suits him perfectly and you'll still be there to take care of him and his family. So stop being a crybaby.
She was telling that to herself. Over and over again, but she couldn't stop her tears. It was her first heartbreak and she felt really down. For the first time ever, it dawned on her that she was having a crush on someone unreachable. It's not like she thought this would never happen. She knew it would happen. But the pain was just so much.
She passed the hallways looking down, avoiding the other maids to see her tears-stained face.
Thank God Appa is not here, or else he'll surely interrogate me.
She reached for her cell phone and saw there was a new message coming in. It was from an unknown number so she ignored it for a while.
She typed to Seo Ki Jun, "Ki Junnie, today I have my first heartbreak....."
He replied, "What did that guy do to you?".
"He called someone. A girl. I think it's his girlfriend....."
"Oh. Well, I've told you you're in trouble. But I'm here for you. It's okay. You'll get over your feelings. You'll like someone else soon, I'm sure. I don't blame you for liking him. You're a good girl, so, fighting!" Ki Jun typed, entering funny emoticons to cheer her up.
She finally read the new message from the unknown number.
"Hello. My name is Park Jin Yang. I got your number from Seo Ki Jun. This might seem weird, but I really want to be your friend. I think you're a nice girl. Please?"
Ga Eun wiped out her tears. In the future, always, she would remember this fact. That Park Jin Yang reached out to her the first time she had her heartbreak.
"Hello. Sure. Ki Jun's friend is my friend too. Let's talk tomorrow. Good night."
With that, she sat down at her desk and started to write her diary, putting her feelings on paper. It couldn't answer back. But at least it wouldn't judge.
*************************************
"If he looks or talks a bit weird, it's because he's nervous," Ki Jun warned.
"Ki Junnie, you've been saying that for the third time. I get it, this Jin Yang wants to be my friend, and I'm okay with that."
"Ga Eun-ah, the truth is, he doesn't want to be your friend, he wants to get married and have babies with you!"
She stared wide-eyed at him, who was looking mightily concerned and serious. And then she burst out in laughter.
"Now, now, don't think that this is a joke!" he said sternly, his expression was grim.
"Hahaha! Oh, wow! I'm sorry, but your face when you said it was too funny! And besides, we're only in junior high! Who thinks of marriage and babies anyway? We're still kids!"
"Well," he cleared his throat, "Jin Yang does. I mean, since he looked at you. He's been pestering me ever since. Wanting to know more about you. I feel like a grandma selling her granddaughter in a match-making market."
She laughed out loud again. And she was still laughing when Jin Yang saw her.
"Oh, here's him!" Ki Jun informed.
Her laughter hadn't completely finished when she stretched her hand and offered it to Park Jin Yang.
"Annyonghaseyo. I'm Kim Ga Eun".
The boy blinked and blushed before taking her hand. "Annyeonghaseyo. I'm Park Jin Yang. So glad to meet you," he smiled sheepishly.
*****
Ga Eun spent lunch trying to be friendly with Jin Yang. She kept trying to make him talk, but his answers were short and most of the time, he was just staring at her. He even said he needed to get back to class early, and almost ran from the cafeteria.
"Well," she began, glancing at Ki Jun who was finishing the remnants of her caramel pudding, "he doesn't look like someone who likes me. He almost didn't say anything!"
"Can't you see his face? He's super happy talking with you he almost passed out!"
"But he looked uncomfortable..."
"How do you look when Myung Hwan sunbae talks to you? Could you talk easily like when you're with me?"
She didn't answer.
"See, you're no different."
And then he gaped because he saw Ga Eun's eyes filled with tears.
"Yah, yah, yah! What are you doing? What did I do? Why are you crying?" he asked, panicking and giving her tissues—full of stains already.
"It's uh....him....."
"Ne? Who? Jin Yang?"
"No, silly. It's Lee Myung Hwan-ssi...."
"Myung Hwan sunbae? What did he do? What's wrong? What happened now?"
"That prom...I've told you last night. He's going with his girlfriend..."
"Oh. That. I'm sorry to hear that..." he said, patting her back.
She looked down, hoping no other students could see her crying.
"It would seriously happen, right? I mean, he'll have girlfriends. What do you expect, Ga Eunnie? That he'll go with you?"
"No! No, of course not! It's just that...you know. It hurts so much."
"I know it would. That's why I told you to stop liking him. I don't want to see you sad, you're my best friend."
"He speaks so softly....."
"To that girl?"
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"I heard him talking with her on the phone."
"Oh. Aigoo. It's hard. You'll keep seeing or hearing things like this...."
"I guess so..."
"Hwaiting Go Eunnie!"
She cringed, as he started making funny faces.
*****
Several Months Later....
"Don't forget, Ga Eun, 9 o'clock tomorrow. Just wearing a dress will do," Kim Ae Mi, Myung Hwan's mother said to her as she was passing the hall.
"Ne?" she asked in confusion, juggling a stack of documents Lee Chung Ho gave her to put in his office.
"For the ceremony."
"I'm sorry, Samonim, what ceremony?"
"Myung Hwan's high school graduation ceremony, of course. Don't you know? Haven't your father told you?"
"Um...no, not yet."
"Oh. We will attend Myung Hwan's high school graduation ceremony tomorrow. We are given extra seats. So the whole family could come."
"Including me and Appa?"
"Well, that's what I've been trying to tell you. Or you don't want to?"
"No!" she denied loudly, making Kim Ae Mi look at her strangely. "I mean, of course, I'll go, Samonim. But what should I wear?"
"Just wear a dress, dear. That will suit the occasion enough. He's the MC, so we should be ready at 8."
"Ne, Samonim. And do I need to help you prepare? Which dress would you want to wear?"
"That light green dress I bought last month, do you remember?"
"Ne."
"Please prepare the matching shoes and bags. Oh and the jewels too. I think I do have some greens. The simple ones, dear, since this is a school ceremony."
"I understand, Samonim."
"I'll be in my study. While you're in my room, could you also get my beige working bag? The one I used yesterday? The proposal for that clean water charity is there."
"I'll bring it to you after I arrange your dress."
"Good girl. I don't know how we would survive without you and your Appa."
Ga Eun bowed and went to Lee Chung Ho's study.
**********************************