Strawberry Wine

twenty three

Chae Young received a phone call from her brother. As she had expected, her father was not happy.

"Are you sure of it?" her brother asked.

"I am."

"Why?"

"I feel happy. And secure. I belong here."

"Perhaps it's a phase..."

"If it is, let me please live it out."

Silence.

"Oppa, trust me."

"I do, Chaeng, I do."

"Don't worry about me."

"I don't, actually. I know what you're capable of."

"I miss you both."

"Appa misses you a lot."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. And don't worry about Appa. He will come around soon."

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes I am. He loves you, don't he?"

"Alright."

"Take care, Chaeng."

"Take care, Oppa."

***

"So what's it like dating Jung Kook?" Lisa asked abruptly. They were at a local convenience store eating ramen. Chae Young had a tutoring job to rush to in twenty minutes and Lisa was on her way for a shift at a café.

The question seemed strange to Chae Young. It felt as if Lisa was asking about someone she had met two weeks ago. But she had known Jung Kook since forever. He had always been there, even when they were not "dating".

Chae Young searched for a word apt enough. "It... it feels right."

"Wow," said Lisa, with a soft smile. "You say it like an adult, like someone who is ready to get married or something."

Chae Young chuckled. "Jung Kook is the type who makes you think of marriage."

Lisa's eyes widened and she paused eating. When Chae Young looked up from her cup, Lisa explained, "I'm here wondering what to eat for dinner and you think of stuffs like marriage?"

Chae Young giggled. "Yeah, I know it sounds stupid."

"No, no, no, its not! I'm fucking jealous."

Chae Young laughed. "Don't be. Everything has its time. If it's not its time, it won't feel right."

"I see why Jung Kook is into you," said Lisa thoughtfully. "Both of you talk as though you have lived many lives."

Chae Young was surprised. "Do I? Do we?"

"Kind of," said Lisa, turning back to her ramen. "Jung Kook has always been out of reach for many girls but in a way different from other popular boys. There were always a lot of pretty girls around him, you know. Not just pretty faces but smart ones too. When I first arrived, I also had a crush on him. It was easy to. But with time, I realized he was... sort of in another world. He was not like any boy I had known. He seems oblivious of how attractive he is and that makes him all the more attractive. But you couldn't have a conversation with Jung kook like you can have with other boys his age. It felt as though everything you said was stupid and teenagy."

Chae Young paused eating to listen. She had never wondered how Jung Kook would appear to others.

Lisa saw her expression and having to enjoy an engaged audience, continued, "I grew to admire him in a way different from admiring a crush. Well, I also thought he was too mature... you know, like too serious for my liking. I like the warm, friendly type." Here, she smiled to herself and put a mouthful of ramen into her mouth. Chae Young's mind instantly jumped to Tae Hyung.