Unexpected

Part 44

"What do you want to eat?" Sangil asks when we're in the car, turning in his seat to face me.

"Korean barbecue!" I exclaim.

He laughs. "Anything else?"

"Bulgogi."

"Vegetables, perhaps?"

"Those can wait until tomorrow."

"Your trainer is gonna hate me, but okay," he says. "Bulgogi for a late lunch and barbecue for dinner."

"Nice," I reply, putting the car in first gear. "Let's find a nearby restaurant and go. I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry, it seems like."

"What can I say, I have a fast metabolism."

"Me, too. At one point I was on a diet to gain weight."

I nod in agreement. "For me, it was to gain muscle. Mostly in my neck and core."

"Yeah, the members have pointed out that your neck—" He abruptly cuts off.

"What about it?"

"That it has a large circumference."

"Which is a polite way of saying that I have a neck similar to a tree trunk."

"It's not that bad," he protests. "Just bigger than average."

"Well, if they tried to withstand five G-forces their necks would be indistinguishable from their heads, too."

Sangil takes my right hand in his. "Don't be ashamed that your body can do what only twenty-one others do."

"I'm not. But I happen to know that an unflattering photo of me from yesterday is going around, so that's contributing to my slight displeasure."

"You mean the one taken soon after the race, where you have sweat stains on your shirt and a crease in your cheek?"

"Yeah, that one. I believe the original hashtag was #keepingitreal. At least my facial expression was somewhat sexy, and I had two low ponytails instead of some helmet hair nightmare."

"Was the crease from your in-ear microphone cord?"

"Yes, all squished to my face by my balaclava and helmet."

The GPS leads us to a nice little place where we eat our fill of bulgogi. With so many cameras at the races, and during much of my time with Sangil, I've become quite adept at ignoring them. Pretty soon even more will follow me around as the Netflix crew want to film me at home in Japan. They already filmed earlier, before the season even started, when I still lived with my parents. Apart from the extremely obvious, being a female driver in Formula One, I think they'll highlight my large family, and maybe the fact that I'm adopted. I've had reporters who haven't done their research ask me why my last name doesn't sound Japanese. And then they'll say it doesn't Russian, either.

After we eat Sangil suggests we go to Seoul Tower, and then walk around Itaewon. We get a few glances our way, I think because of the cameras that are following us around, but otherwise we're ignored. I'm okay with this, but I wonder if Sangil wishes more people recognized him. A catch-22, I imagine. You want more fans, but also your privacy.

At the top of Seoul Tower we look out over the city. "I want to ask for your forgiveness, Sangil."

"Huh?" He widens his eyes at me. "What for?"

"K-Con Japan. I don't know how I could have forgotten. I wonder if I knew. Did you tell me?"

He furrows his brows. "I'm not sure, actually. We - Snuper - were so busy because Sangho wasn't going to be there and we needed to redo the choreo. You and I didn't talk as often in the week leading up to it. I might not have mentioned it. Maybe I assumed you knew. You usually do."

I nod. "I hear most news about you. Perhaps it slipped my mind because I had F1 problems to deal with. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay."

"How did it go?"

"Good, good."

"Let me know if I can make it up to you somehow."

"You most likely couldn't have come anyway."

"I could have sent you an encouraging video."

"Fighting?" He grins down at me.

"With a peace sign." I demonstrate, smiling widely.

He laughs. "That definitely would have encouraged me."

In Itaewon I take his hand as we walk around the busy streets. "Any particular place you want to take me to?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "Not really. This is just a nice area to stroll through."

"Is there anything Korean couples do on a typical date?"

"Not really."

"I mean, in Japan it used to be taking pictures in a photo booth. If they do something different now, I'm unaware of it. I haven't dated in a while."

"That's right. 'Cuz you've been married." He playfully bumps my arm. "Sometimes they dress in couple outfits."

I glance at our clothing. He's in jeans and a black tee shirt; I have on jeans and a hot pink shirt. "Not today, sir. But I could buy us shirts that read 'I'm with her' and —."

"Please, no," he pleadingly interrupts.

"Just one for me, then. With Mrs.Shim on the back."

He eyeballs me. "Is that your idea of a joke?"

"I am being serious."

We stare at each other, with Sangil trying to read me. "You wouldn't. That's not your style. You like vintage when you dress up. Fifties and pinup girl, you said."

"That's when I dress up. For the gym, I'm getting that shirt."

"I don't think you will."

"Just for sleeping."

"We'll see."

"We sure will."

****************************************

Sangil was released from the military for health reasons, but there aren't  any more details about that. Their company was acquired by MLD, the company that manages Momoland, but I'm not sure if I should get my hopes up or not. 

Best Kpop song ever?