Evenstar

13. Shopping in Dongdaemun

"Appa, I'm going to Seoul tomorrow. I need to buy a dress for Ae-Cha's wedding." Dae Eun called her dad early in the morning, before his meetings began.

"Good! Buy all the clothes you need. We're going to Bulgaria for your birthday!" Chung Hee was happy to be bringing his whole family to Europe, but he had a few business meetings to attend to first before they could tour around.

"I'm not going with you, Appa. That's a business trip and you know it. You know how I hate those trips." Dae Eun had been to many overseas business trips with her dad after she graduated from university. He always hyped it up as something fun, but they ended up stuck with the client or business partner the whole time. Dae Eun vowed never to go with him on these trips again.

"But we're all going! You'll be left here on your birthday if you don't come."

"That's okay Appa, just bring home a nice gift for me. And let's go on a trip here when you get back - just us, no clients."

"Dae Eun-ah, you're making me feel bad. We can't miss your birthday."

"You won't miss it. You just promise me that we'll celebrate when you get home. I have things to do anyway."

"Okay, I can never win with you. Buy all the clothes you want tomorrow, my treat."

"I'm just buying a dress. Cha-yah will glare at me if I don't show up on Saturday looking my best."

"Okay, buy the most expensive dress you can find."

"No, Appa, I'll just shop at Dongdaemun. They have some pretty nice dresses there that don't cost that much."

"I'm paying!"

"No, you're not. I have money. I can buy clothes."

"Dae Eun-ah, I don't want you looking like a poor relation at your cousin's wedding!" Chung-Hee couldn't understand why his daughter was fiercely independent. It was at times like these when he really regretted sending her to the US to study.

"I'll look fabulous, you'll see Appa. By the way, I'm bringing Sunhee and Uncle Jun-Ho, okay? We'll stay overnight at my apartment and come back the next day." Sunhee was Nana's niece and Uncle Jun-Ho her Appa's trusted driver. He was almost as old as her dad and had been with them since he was in his teens. He was like family.

"Okay. Are you sure you're not coming with us to Europe?"

"I'm sure, Appa. I'll be expecting lots of gifts though. Tell them to buy nice things, not necessarily expensive, okay?" Her brothers had no sense when it came to picking out something for her, but she was always hoping their taste would improve over time.

It was almost 10 AM when she hung up. There wasn't much to do today except prepare for tomorrow's trip. She was also looking forward to eating out with Sunhee and Uncle Jun-Ho. She was craving for burgers, pizza and fried chicken - which was considered junk food at home.

She asked her Uncle Jun-Ho and Sunhee to pack for the overnight trip. She also prepared sandwiches for them to eat on the way. They'd leave tomorrow before 7 AM  so that they could be in Seoul in time for a good lunch. She wasn't looking forward to the wedding on Saturday though. Whenever their family and clan gathered together, everyone kept asking her why she didn't have a boyfriend, when she was getting married, or what she was going to do with her life. She would often hear comments from her distant aunts and uncles that life was passing her by. She was only 26, she wished they would give her a break.

By 8 PM she was ready to turn in. She was already in bed when Taehyung's message came.

"How was your day?"