Soo Min

I've been feeling really anxious and I've been tapping my feet all morning while waiting for Jihoon to come. I woke up at six even though my work starts at 8, I haven't gotten any proper sleep because I keep on fidgeting around my bed that's why I decided to just give up and prepare myself for my first day at work.

"Where are you now Park Jihoon" I said as I impatiently fiddled with my hands. I don't know if I'm just being anxious but I feel like he's taking too long.

An eternity later, I heard someone knocking on my door so I opened it. Jihoon was holding a plastic in his hands with a smile on his face.

"Good morning"
"What took you so long?"
"I'm not late, you're just early"

I rolled my eyes and just ignored him; I wouldn't scold him this time because he's doing a favor for me. He took out the food inside the plastic bag that he held awhile ago,

"What do you have there?"
"Instant ramen"

I chuckled and laughed lightly, even though he's so generous and food is his life, I think he just can't cook.

"Yah, don't laugh, I made those with full effort"
"Really? I'm not laughing, it's just cute"
"Who's cute? Me?"

My smile faded. I furrowed my eyebrows and pretended to retch. Jihoon is nice but sometimes he's just too confident.

"Let's eat" I said trying to divert the topic.

He smiled at me like a kid which made his eyes disappear and his fluffy cheeks lift up. I furrowed my eyebrows at him and continued to slurp on my noodles.

"Why are you being cute? "
"No, I'm not, I am naturally cute"

I almost spat my food but luckily, I didn't. I am currently dying from the second-hand embarrassment this has caused me. I cannot deny he's cute but he doesn't need to emphasize that. 😭

~~~~

Jihoon insisted that he walk with me going to the bookshop since it's still early and he would also stop by to pick up Aunt Hyeori's laundry and go home to watch TV after that. A few meters away from the bookshop, I stopped walking. I don't know why but my chest started pounding and my palm started getting sweaty.

"Go on, give them your best shot"

I stood there frozen and still don't know what to do. I feel nervous and overwhelmed.

"Hey, Min, you'll be okay. Just smile, don't worry I'll try visiting you later, I just have to go and pick up aunt Hyeori's clothes from the laundromat"
"Do you think I can do this?"
"Yes, you can! You've come all the way from Seoul and you are a very strong girl, now go"

I took a deep breath and waved goodbye to him. I got inside the bookstore and saw Film fixing some books.

"Hi Film, good morning"
"Hi Min, it's your first day, right? So, are you ready?"
"I'm nervous"
"don't be, work here is just easy"
"I do hope so"
"So, shall we start the orientation? Though it's not that formal, I'll just get you familiar with how things work here"
"Sure, I'll be listening attentively"
"Okay, first up is the books, books can be bought or borrowed..."

I listened to her attentively and took notes of the details about the products. The borrowing and buying of books are a bit complicated but I can handle it. And the rest of the other school supplies are just for purchase. I think I can handle work here, plus Film is a very nice girl.

"...and lastly, students come here to study and read usually at 3 or 4 in the afternoon"
"How about you Film? What time do you usually go to class?"
"I have classes in a few minutes, at exactly 9:00"
"oh, good luck"
"And by the way, Unnie- yah, don't worry, you can have a day off during weekends"
"Hmm, I actually don't think about that"

A few minutes from now, Film would go to class and I will be taking over in handling the store. Film's friends came to pick her up to go to school and I overheard her talking about a guy I think named "Haru". I didn't really hear it properly but I just shrugged it off and minded my own business.

The work was pretty easy and customers were very minimal, they only come from time to time.

At around noon time, a middle- aged woman came inside the store, she went straight to the children's book section and picked out 3 books that are for kids. She approached the counter and brought out her wallet, she noticed that I was staring at her with that amazed look in my face so she smiled at me with a loving look in her eyes.

"It's for my daughter"

I just smiled back at her while swiping the barcodes of the books. I remember my mom; she always took me with her whenever she gets inside the bookstore but I never dared to ask her to buy me a book and she never did buy me a book as well. I wasn't in good terms with my mom since I was a kid but she's still my mom.

As soon as the woman already paid for the books, I stapled the receipt on the bag and gave it to her. She thanked me and then she left. How lucky her kids would be, their mom bought them a story book to read at night, while the only thing my mom bought for me when I was a kid was a strawberry lollipop.

After a few minutes of having very few customers, I eventually got bored and stood up to get a book to read. Even though my mom didn't buy any books for me when I was young, I always sneaked inside the book store to read behind a bookshelf, in that way I always read a book until the middle part and never finish reading it.

I was really immersed in reading, that I didn't notice the door slowly open. I looked at it and got creeped out because it was slowly and carefully opening by itself. I stood up to where I'm seated to see what was the reason why door was opening only to see a small kid struggling to open the door by himself.

I didn't see him since the table was high and I was sitting down, I hurriedly opened the door for him since he looked so small to be able to open that door by himself. Once he got in, he ran to me, panting.

"Ahjumma, (ma'am), do you know where they sell markers to use for a colorful drawing?"
"There, you can see it there"

I pointed the shelf of markers to him and he ran towards that. He looked so excited because he was running around all the time. When he successfully got the box of markers from the bottom shelf that he wanted he again, ran to me and told me that he was going to pay for it.

I borrowed the box of markers to laser its barcode and I noticed that it was a Tinkerbelle marker. He eagerly waited for me, looking at me like I was some kind of alien.

"Is this for a friend?"
"Uh, yes, I'm going to give it to my sister, it's her birthday"
"Really? How old is she?"
"She's sixteen and she likes to color"
"wouldn't your sister want a 'big- girl' markers?"
"Big girl markers are expensive; I only have an exact amount"
"Hmm, that's okay, I'm sorry I have to take your money"

I was shocked at how thoughtful this kid was, even if he only had a little amount of money, he still thought of a little gift for his sister. He handed me his crumpled money while I pack his box of markers.
He happily received it and I opened the door for him again, he got outside of the store happily and waved goodbye to me, such a cute kid. He reminded me of when my sister was still young.

~~~~~

The time finally came, students were crowding in the place. Commonly buying pens and school supplies and others are borrowing books. A long queue formed in front of my desk while I busily punch the barcodes of their products.

In the middle of hurriedly assisting customers, Film arrived from school. She took half of the line that was building up in my desk. I was confident that I'm not too slow as a cashier since I worked as a cashier at a convenience store before and it was in Seoul, knowing that Seoul is a busy city, so I know that I was just doing fine.

The line that was once full and crowded, eventually decreased until it was just one or three customers. I was too preoccupied in clearing my desk that was now full of returned books and book cards that I didn't notice that someone was standing in the line.

"Is the store already closed?"
"I'm sorry sir I was- "

I was cut off when I saw Park Jihoon holding a few school supplies; standing in the line. My cheeks blushed and I couldn't hide my smile. I chuckled nervously and buried my face on my palm to hide my pink- tinted cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" I said while smiling
"I'm here to buy this"

He showed me a single piece of ballpen and smiled cheekily.

"Payment, sir" I said while pursing my lips, trying to hide my smile.
"Here" he handed me the exact amount and sat on one of the tables there

"You can't sit there; you have to borrow a book"
"Where will I wait you 'til your shift ends?"
"You can wait outside, or else you'll have to pay a per hour rate"
He stood up and went outside. I went back to my desk counter with Film's eyes following me.

"Noona, is that your boyfriend?"
"No, he's just a friend"
"what do you mean 'just a friend'? The way he looks at you with all that gooey eyes, he's crazy for you!"
"Shh, you're too young how would you know that?"

She chuckled and I went back to the book that I was reading since I got cut off when customers started swarming the store.

~~

"Noona, I'll just go to the bathroom"
"Yeah sure, we'll be closing in 30 mins. Though"

Film said and stood up to go to the bathroom. I just nodded briefly and continued to read the book. The door opened and I was greeted by a tall guy with hazelnut- shaped eyes. He was young but you could easily get fooled by his height and think that he's twenty. But he's not, he's a student on 11th grade.

He was returning a borrowed book that he borrowed three days ago; because his book card says so. While I was writing the required information on the log book, his eyes just kept staring at me so I thought that he might want to get into a conversation so I tried to communicate nicely with him.

"Learning Korean?" I asked since he borrowed a book about learning how to speak Hangul

"Uhm, yeah, by the way, are you new here?"
"Yes, it's actually my first day working here"
"Well, that's a good reason to come here"
"Excuse me?"
"I said, I think I'll come here more often"
"Uhh- okay, that's nice"
"My name is Haruto, I'm from Fukuoka, Japan"
"Oh great, I'm Soo Min, I'm from Seoul"
"Really? Well it's a good thing you moved here"

This kid just keeps hitting on me and he thinks that I still haven't noticed it. Can y'all understand that I am not open for occupations, I can't even understand myself sometimes. I admit he looks fine, but he's just a kid, he still got math problems to solve so chill. I just quickly wrote down the details and gave him his book card so that he can leave.

Just when Haruto opened the door, Film got out of the bathroom and hurriedly went to her desk counter.

"Did he return his book already?"
"Uhm, yes, why?"

A frown formed on her face and her lips pouted,

"Why?"
"I shouldn't have gotten to the bathroom"
"WHY?"
"My crush already returned his book"

My gosh, kids these days really go for someone's faces over their personality. But that's something that I shouldn't be bugging about though so I just minded my own business and waited for the clock to strike exactly 5:00 so we can move on to closing the store.

~~~~~

"Hi"
I greeted Jihoon with a smile as I got outside the bookstore since we were done closing it. His expression was flat and his eyes weren't lively like they usually were.

"Hi, who was that?"
"Oh, that's Film, she works there but she's just a part time"
"No, what I mean is the guy that shook your hand"
"Ahh, the kid from a while ago, that's Haruto"
"Was he hitting on you?"
"I think"

He just hummed as an answer and continued walking. I felt his pinky finger touch the back of my palm, so I just intertwined my pinky with him. Maybe he needs a little something like this because we didn't get to hang out much today so I just gave it to him.

A smile started carving on his lips and his mood was lifted up a little.

"That feels nice" he said with his eyes disappearing in his smile.

I just interlocked my pinky finger with him during the whole walk and just simply enjoyed his presence. I admit that I missed Jihoon's silly laugh for today but I'll get used to it, eventually.