Postcards From Africa

*4*

Tae was not blind to the fact that she was stared at where she went. Even the next day, going down to breakfast in the shop across the street, the man at the till came rushing to her before she could even take two steps inside.

"No speak engrish," he hastily said as two of the customers inside glanced at the exchange over their shoulders, trying to pretend they weren't eavesdropping.

Tae simply smiled. "Naneun hangugmal-eul handa, ahjussi (I speak Korean, uncle)," she said. Then she proceeded to order in perfect Korean, not breaking tense once.

The man just gaped like a fish out of water.

The woman behind the counter, seeing that the man was frozen, quickly got the order ready and handed it to Tae with a small tight smile which she didn't return. She took her food then headed back to her apartment, seeing the need to now start cooking for herself.

As she warmed the food up, she promised herself that she would go grocery shopping before the end of the day with the help of her GPS and google.

Choi Hyun had tried to call her but she needed a breather today so she didn't answer him, even though her phone rang. She needed to teach him a lesson in showing a bit of respect and humanity when it came to how black persons were treated in Korea.

If she was going to eventually work with him, he needed to leave his prejudices behind because unless he did not do his research properly, the group of companies was owned majorly by people of colour, black and brown. Only a small percentage was white, not because of exclusion but because when the business started, in a crime ridden city, it was considered a very high risk and most people refused to invest.  Not even when they saw the company growing. So the businesses that had come together had decided to target almost completely, only people of colour.

And that was whom Choi was going to work with whether he liked it or not.

If he was going to join the 'family', he had to learn to not be embarrassed of being seen with Tae as the first step because his product was going to target Koreans at large, meaning that either Tae or some people...black people...from the company would be around him most of the time. If he was embarrassed now, boy, did he have more coming.

The phone rang again and Tae looked at the caller ID. Mr. Choi Hyun. Let him sweat a little longer.

Choi seemed to give up and Tae smiled into her buttered toast with dagwood, egg, sauce and fried fish.  When she had finished breakfast, the phone blasted Asa's Fire on the mountain and Tae groaned, answering.

"Yes, dad?"

"I just got a call from one of the shareholders. Choi called."

"Oh, really?"

"Look, you know that just like you, I don't like nepotism but this family friend of Choi's father owns one of our best selling products and we can't lose him."

"Fine. I'll answer Choi."

"How is he? Character wise."

"He's an absolute delight."

Her dad laughed. "Oh, how you serve only the finest sarcasm. Is he that bad?"

"Well, he's got a good head on him, that's for sure but he's like some Koreans...racist. And this will be his downfall if he will be joining us because our company is mostly black owned. I was just teaching him a little lesson by not answering his calls but we don't want Gerard up your ass again about this, do we?"

Her father chuckled. "That man is a pain in the ass. But after your review, Choi might just be the new and fresh product we are looking for. Make sure that by next week's end, his proposal will be fit to actually be turned into something. You know I sent you because I trust you-"

"Also because I'm the only one that speaks Korean in our company. I always love how it shocks the people here. Anyway dad, let me answer Choi's calls and I'll talk to you later. Tell mom I love her."

"Will do. My baby, Happy Birthday in advance just in case I forget. You're going to be only two years shy of thirty. I will send you a little something to cheer you up in the evening, alright?"

In exactly three days, it would be Tae's birthday. "Please let it be Amarula."

"I have raised a drunkard. Good lord help me. Goodnight."

"Its morning here," Tae chuckled. "Goodnight, dad. Love you."

"Love you too."

The call ended.

.

Arriving at the gate, Tae buzzed Choi's number and almost immediately, the gate opened.

She called him and he immediately answered. "Come on down. We are not working at your place today. I haven't had lunch."

A while later, a sour looking Choi came stomping down to the gate and Tae tried not to laugh at his pitiful looking self. He stood beside her without even a simple greeting, a backpack on his black shirt clad back.

"Good afternoon to you too," she said with a satisfied smirk.

He glanced at her. "Why didn't you answer my calls?"

"Why should I answer the calls of someone embarrassed of being seen with me?"

"I never said I was embarrassed-"

"You didn't have to say it. Your body language was enough, Oppa," she teased.

"I am not that old," he said. "I am only turning 30 in a few days."

Tae scrunched her face. "How few?"

He stopped a taxi and they got in. He glanced at her for directions.

"We're going to your favorite place to have lunch," she told him. He may not be her favorite person but after yesterday's Chilli Soju Soup, she figured he might have a good taste bud.

A small smile made its way to his face like a child being given candy. "Seoul Kitchen," he told the driver and the car began to move. He turned to the woman beside him. She still looked the same as yesterday with her makeup and red-ish hair. "My birthday is in three days."

She groaned. Loudly.

"What?" he said.

"We share a damn birthday," she grumbled.

It was his turn to groan. "How old are you? It is usually hard to tell age with you people."

She frowned at him. "You people?"

He quickly defended himself. "I meant some black people don't look their age. Some look young and some look older. Take Jada Pinkett-"

"I'm surprised you even know her."

"I wouldn't if it wasn't for those American Awards where the I-Robot guy slapped the other one. Anyway, his wife, she barely ages. And then there's you. You look 30."

"Excuse you. I am 28, rude ass."

"See?"

"Shut up."

"Maybe if you removed the heavy makeup, you would look younger-"

"Shut the fuck up, Choi Hyun!"

"And you say I'm the rude one."

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, with two grumpy people in the backseat.