Seriously Yours

Chapter 10 - Se Ri's Unlucky Day

One of my problems in life is probably being too assertive. Too assertive to the point of saying things freely without considering the other person.

Jeong Hyeok has been so kind and nice to me for the past few days but here I am, doubting his character and angry about the groceries. Aish! I hate my mouth. I want the seat to swallow me up with my embarrassment. This morning, I woke up really early to cook breakfast and left him a note before leaving for my job interview. I am really early so I use the remaining time before eight to walk around the hospital.

Wearing something formal: white long-sleeved polo under macaroon blazer in belted cream wide pants, donned with a printed neckerchief, I strutted the hallway of Halla Hospital to the HR department. It is my schedule for an interview. I still don't have my documents with me but I thought of trying my luck. The HR officer is already scanning some (my) papers, which I think she printed from my application online when I entered the office.

"Yoon Se Ri. Thirty-five years old. From the Philippines," she mouths to herself, she raises an eyebrow when she read the country where I come from.

"Good morning, Miss Yoon," she smiles at me once I have seated on the chair in front of her, the smile vanished easily from her lips as if it was never been there.

"Good morning, Ma'am-" I glance at the name written on her nameplate and continued: "-Seo Dan."

I give her my brightest smile.

She is strikingly the most beautiful woman I've ever seen here yet in Jeju. Her straight hair is neatly tied, so tight that I cannot even catch one strand untamed. Her eyebrows are drawn almost in a straight upward line, making her eyes appear unfriendly. A great match to her curt mouth, I think. I have never questioned my looks, I think I'm not that pretty but not that ugly, but staring at Miss Seo Dan, suddenly I see myself in a mirror. For a moment, I am conscious of how I look and so I push a strand of hair behind my ear.

But one thing made me gulped... she is wearing the same macaroon blazer that I am wearing. She also notices it and her eyes squint in displease. Uh oh! Not a good thing. You know women have this unconscious competitive side of them, especially when they see someone wearing the same clothes.

"Your documents please," she says sternly.

I actually prepared my lines in answer to this but I still stumble for words. I say that something unfortunate happened along the way and I lost my documents. But reassure her to not worry because I have already requested new copies. It will just take some time though.

She stares at me hard.

"You must have known probably, Miss Yoon, that we would not have inconvenienced you to fly here in Korea for a job interview if we are not serious about hiring you. But we cannot proceed to the job interview without the hard and original copies of your documents. No more, no less," she replies sternly.

She says those words in all finality and stands up. I can't even utter a word.

"Thank you Miss Yoon for your time. Let's meet when you already have your documents with you," then she gestures me to the door.

With a deep sigh, I go out of the room. What should I do? It took me a month to get all my necessary documents before. Plus, getting a new PRC ID is not that easy. With a mushy brain, I walk along the streets of the capital with only one thing in my mind. I need to find a temporary job! I can't be a freeloader.

"Good. I don't want the neighbors to think you are just loafing around."

I remember Tae Yoo's words so vividly.

"If I were just living alone it would have been okay. AISHHH! When did it all go wrong?!" I mutter angrily.

Yes, thanks to him, I am all stocked up for a month. But if I was only living alone, at least, I could sleep all day and roll on the floor without someone budging me. And I would not be desperate enough to find a job. I can already imagine his criticizing stare for seeing me idle and 'just loafing around' as he puts it.