The third memory happened in the middle of the night.
It was 1 A.M. and Ga Eun was doing her homework in the kitchen. Her glasses were on and her hair was piled high. Her books were spread on the kitchen table top. She typed furiously. She must hand in her homework at 8 AM and she was almost done.
She liked that time of the day. The house was empty and the other maids and servants were sleeping. It felt so peaceful. There was no sound except the hum of the refrigerator.
"Ga Eun?"
She turned sharply at the door. Lee Myung Hwan was standing barefooted there.
"Doryeonnim? Do you need anything?"
"Coffee, please. I'm sleepy but I need to finish a paper."
"Oh my God. We're alone here," she thought, doing nothing except staring at him, and it made him said, "I can make it myself if you're busy."
"Oh, no, no, no! I'll make it now!" she sat up noisily and took a cup. Two spoons of coffee, one sugar, two spoons of milk. Mix everything only with hot water.
And his coffee was ready. She laid the cup in front of him.
"Thank you," he said after a sip. "I like your coffee. You always mix it right. It only tasted right in cafes or if you make it. My friends can't make it like this, I don't know why."
Do not blush right now, she told herself. Do not. Blush. In front of him.
She failed, but she was grateful he didn't say anything about it.
"Homework?" he asked conversationally.
"Ne."
"When do you have to hand it?"
"Eight o'clock tomorrow morning.
"Ah. I'm luckier then. Mine is for eleven o'clock."
She nodded but went silent again.
"So, how's high school, Ga Eun?"
It was almost the end of the school year, the second semester of her tenth grade.
"It's great. I'm learning a lot. I like my school and friends."
Myung Hwan hummed and drank more of his coffee.
"What about you, Doryeonnim? How's college?"
"Okay" he laughed, "Not much to tell about, I guess."
"Is it very different with high school?"
"Hm.....yeah. I think so. Because in high school, your teachers guide you, make sure you're in the right track. In college, it's different. There will be no lecturers who'll tell you to study or do your homework or even scold you for not being in class. It's up to you to graduate or not."
"Ah. I see."
He finished his coffee.
"Do you like what you are learning, Doryeonnim?"
He thought for several seconds. "Um....I study Finance because I have to. You know, to take over from Appa one day and all that. At least I don't hate what I'm learning."
She felt glad for the information. Anything about him that came from himself was great. She was absorbing the information and storing it in her memory.
"What would you study? In university?"
"If I could go—"
"Of course you could."
"But—"
"Are you....maybe thinking of the fee?"
"I—ne."
"Don't worry. I think Abeoji already made an education insurance under your name."
"Oh. Appa never told me that Sajangnim—"
"I know for sure. I heard Abeoji said it a year ago."
The idea made her felt so relieved she sighed softly. She needed to ask her Appa to make sure of it.
"So. What will you study?"
"Well, I've read some books and I think I want to study International Relations."
It was his turn to smile widely, in surprise. "Interesting choice."
"Waeyo?"
"I think you'll do well if you learn that."
He smiled and got up, "Well, it seems you'll never finish your homework if I'm here. So I'll leave you alone. I wish you luck to finish it on time. But don't get sleepy tomorrow."
"Gamsahamnida, Doryeonnim."
He patted her shoulder before leaving the kitchen.
Days after that, whenever she remembered that conversation, she couldn't stop smiling.
***********************************
Kang Ga Eun wouldn't know how it felt to have a girl as a best friend, since her closest friend was a boy. One day two years previously, when she was still in junior high school, she went to the nearest groceries armed with a list from her father, his spices supplies for dinner had ran out. She opened the door with a ding and immediately looked around for what she needed.
"Annyeonghaseyo, what do you need?"
Ga Eun turned to see a tall boy wearing a green apron and eyeing her with a rather bored expression.
"Ah. Annyeonghaseyo. I, um, need some canned food and vegetables. For western cuisine. And I don't really know which one is basil and what is red pepper and—"
"Don't sweat yourself. Give me the list. I'll take it for you."
She gratefully handed her list and the boy moved quickly, getting lettuces and paprika and vinegar oil. "Um, please make sure you choose the freshest vegetable. Or else my Appa is going to be mad."
The boy chuckled. "No worries, chingoo (friend). I'm used to hear that from my Appa too. Give the best to those who pay, he always said."
Ga Eun smiled. "Maybe Appadeul (all fathers) are always like that."
"Yeah," the boy agreed. "Here you go, chingoo," he gave Ga Eun two bags full of what she needed, before running to the cashier and produced the receipt.
As she took the money from her wallet, Ga Eun asked, "Are you working here alone?"
"Ne? Oh no, thank God. I think I'll die young if I'm alone here. Nope. My dad owns the store. We have two helpers to get around, they are currently delivering orders from people who called—by the way, you can do that. Just call and we'll deliver what you buy to your house. Here's my Appa's name card. My parents are out to visit my Haelmoni—I hope she's okay. She's old and I'm a bit worried, you know? Haelmoni's always been a bit fragile—so here I am alone."
His overflowing information was amusing her. As if he was holding back the whole day and desperately needed a friend to talk to.
"Well, I have to go now. Appa is waiting for this or else nobody could cook the dinner."
"Ne. Gamsahamnida. Please come again," the boy bowed, sounding like someone who had said that a million times.
Ga Eun went back home with a light heart.
The next day, in her junior high school, when she passed the hallway to the cafeteria, she met that boy again.
Both were pointing fingers at each other and laughed.
"This is your school!" he exclaimed.
"What is this? I thought you're already in college! You're so tall!"
"I'm in 8th grade. You?"
"Me too!" Ga Eun answered.
"I'm in 8 C."
"Oh. I'm in 8 A."
"Ah. I'm Seo Ki Jun," the boy offered his hand and she readily shook it.
"Hello. I'm Kang Ga Eun"
"Neeee?!" he squealed out loud. "So you're that Kang Gaa Eun who never came down from the top 5 in every exam? Oh wow, seriously, let's be friends! You need to teach me Math and Physics and, and maybe tell me how to survive this year!"
She was surprised and laughed. "Okay. Maybe we could study together" she said readily. She was usually so shy with new people, but this boy was so funny she couldn't help to feel at ease.
"Thank you!" Ki Jun said in English. "If you come to my store I guess you live close by right? Maybe we could go to school together."
"Okay. I live in the Lee family's house."
"Whaaaaaaaaat? Don't joke around!"
"No! I mean it! Appa is their butler and I'm helping him, I'm like a maid there."
"But you're underage! You can't work!"
"You are underage but you work at your grocery, right?"
"Yes, but it's different, we own the store! Of course I have to help or else Appa might hang me with those egg noodles!"
Ga Eun laughed again. "It's perfectly the same. I live there. So of course I have to do what I can. It's not too much though, I always have enough rest and have time to study."
"Ah. Okay, I get it. So how are they? That Lee family? They are quite famous. Just this morning I saw on TV...." with that, they went on with their conversation, having lunch together.
Since that day, they were inseparable. They went to school together and she helped him get better marks, while he helped her to memorize all the names of herbs and vegetables and made her father pleasantly surprised with her.
"I think, Ga Eun" her Appa said one day, "You might be able to cook something simple for the family soon. I'm glad you could tell the names of so many herbs now."
"A friend told me, Appa."
"Ah. Then you have a good friend. Keep her."
"He's a boy. A funny one."
"Oh. From your school?"
"Yes and the groceries."
"Hm?"
"I mean he's the son of the owner of that groceries store down the road."
"Ah. I see. I think I've seen him. He's a decent kid."
"He is," Ga Eun approved, smiling as she remembered another piece of their funny conversation that day.
*******************************
Author's Note:
I hope you like the first two chapters!
If you were Kang Ga Eun, would you fall for Lee Myung Hwan too?
Please add this story to your library.
This book is already done and it already reached chapter 42 in my Patreon, but using the name of a Korean actor and actress.
If you want to read it, you can find it on my Patreon or Karyakarsa.
The links are on my X/Twitter account: ladylia257
Or you can also follow my special X/Twitter account for this penname: luna_priestess8