Sweetness and Light ✓ || Hueningkai X Reader

Chapter 10

The next day, you go to the Magnificat by yourself. Thank goodness the penguin stuffed animal is still in stock. It's so big that it costs a small fortune, but you get it easily. The hard part is taking it back home on your bike. You eventually end up having to walk the bike home instead of riding it, which takes forever, but it's worth it for Kai.

Then, you ask Mr. Hatsuharu if the restaurant can be closed early on August 14th. Since it's a Tuesday, he allows it. The next day, Aunt Mary takes you for a ride in her car across town to a party shop, and you spend all of her money on streamers, balloons, and the like. You learn that green is Kai's favorite color, so you make sure to get lots of party supplies in that color.

You put everything together in a bag and get ready for the big day. You let Saya, Holt, and Hana know as soon as you get the day reserved, and they agree to help you set everything up on the big day. The next two weeks pass incredibly slowly, but Kai does come back to Michi's on a Saturday night with the rest of the crew.

"We were thinking of stopping by here on my birthday," Kai explains. "Is that okay with you?"

"Well, yeah, but I would stop by late so I can get off shift and hang out with you."

Kai smiles. "Okay!" And you scribble a note on a receipt and hand it to Yeonjun, explaining the real reason why you need Kai to stop by late on his birthday.

August 14th finally arrives, and you spend most of the day humming along to some tune in the back of your mind, getting things together. "Today's the day," Aunt Mary says with a smile. "Hey, I think I'm gonna stop by for this birthday. Is that okay?"

"I guess so," you say, "but don't take it over."

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not like your dad. Things don't have to be all about me all of the time."

"Aunt Mary," you ask, "what if I don't want to go back home yet?"

"You mean you want to continue working here at the restaurant? I mean, I certainly wouldn't mind. Might have to start charging you rent, though." When you pout, Aunt Mary laughs. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! I'd want for you to save up money for whatever you want to do next."

"Well, that's the thing...I got to thinking the other night, when I was riding my bike home from the mall. I think it's okay that I don't have a big dream that I'm working toward. Maybe it's okay that I'm just saving money and living my life right now. Maybe it's okay if I never find a dream! Instead, maybe what I need to do is just live life to the fullest, every single day. Being in Los Angeles has taught me that I like to try new things, but whereas you like to travel all around the world to try new things, I think I want to stay in one place and try the new things that exist here. There aren't a lot of new things for me in my hometown. I've already seen most everything that there is to see. But here in Los Angeles, the possibilities are endless. I could go all over L.A. and still not see everything there is to see here. I could probably spend the rest of my life here, just discovering new things."

"You know, I like that," Aunt Mary says. "I really like that. You're not just staying because of your little boy toy, right?"

You laugh. "No, Aunt Mary. He has to leave and go back home. But it's more than that. I was thinking that I could apply to work at the Magnificat. I don't know if or when they'll take me, but Trius -- he's the guy I keep meeting there who works there -- he said that I would be a shoo-in if an opening ever came up. They're looking for people who can offer hospitality without giving too much of themselves away, people who aren't just there because of famous acts or whatever. So I think I'd fit perfectly. I wouldn't even have to live here -- I would live at the mall, but of course I would come see you all the time. Getting to meet all sorts of new people, living and existing around the mall, going on the Ocean Front Walk...I think if I experience all of those things, then I'll have an even better idea of what I want to do with my life. But the most important thing that I want to do with my life is that I want to live it. I don't want to spend all my time locked into some career in an office like my dad wants, or to be squeezed into a career by college. Maybe I'll go to college someday if I decide to do something more specific, but not now. My life is just getting started."

Aunt Mary gives you a hug; she knows you like them. "I agree, sweet pea. I will support you. Let me talk to your father. He's not going to be very happy with you, but if I mention you'll still be working here, he can't dispute it too much. The Magnificat pays very well, and if you've got someone on the inside who knows you, that's even better. Getting a job is less about what you know and more about who you know. Who knows? Maybe some good connections will come out of you knowing that Korean kid."

"I hope so. but even if they don't, it doesn't mean my friendship with Kai was for nothing." Friendship, you think to yourself. That's all we're ever going to have.

With that, you eat a quick sandwich and bike to Michi's. You still have to work your entire shift before Kai shows up later on, but you're glad you had that conversation with Aunt Mary. You're gonna need all the help you can get going up against your dad on something like that.

"You seem very at peace today," Holt says when you walk in the door. He pats you on the head. "Whatever you were once worried about, let that peace carry you forward." And you don't know what he did this time, but you don't worry about your father or Aunt Mary or your future for the rest of the shift. You live in the moment, just like you told yourself that you would do.

Without dwelling too much on the past...without worrying about the future. Living in the present. They always called it a gift, but you never understood that until now.