Hate You, Love You. | Jenlisa

76

"Okay, so you have experience with working in a bakery?" Aunt Jiwon asks as we stand in the middle of the closed bakery. It opens at 9am and I arrived an hour early so she'd 'show me the ropes'. Also I wanted to make a good first impression as an employee,

"Not quite," I say as she hands me one of her custom made aprons. "I worked at a diner. Kai's Eat 'N' Grillz."

"Oh, I know that place." Everyone knows that place. "They serve the best burgers." It was alright. "I heard the police are looking for the owner and he was involved in some sort of accident. Haesoo told me all about it because he watches the news more than I do."

I nod silently. The memories of that day still replay in my mind constantly, the only difference is that now, I don't let it consume me.

"Poor man. I hope he's okay," she says sympathetically. "The world is a dangerous place."

"I hope he's okay too." She notices my change in mood and looks at me, concern gracing her features. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

A lot of shit did happen and is still happening.

"He was my boss," and my boyfriend and I loved him. "He was nice to all of his employees and he just disappeared without a trace. It's a huge loss."

Kai could be anywhere in the world right now, or if my innate instincts are right, he could be six feet underground. I want to assume that he's probably somewhere, living off the grid till things cool down.

I'm trying my best to be positive.

"You must be sad," she responds softly in a motherly tone. I nod. I'm more than sad. "I'm angry, hurt and confused. A very bad combination even more so now that lady red has come for her monthly visit.

"I was, but I'm over it." I answer, giving her one of my best fake smiles. "I just hope that the police can find him." Find his location, a shoe print, a fingerprint, a hair sample, anything, so that I'd know for sure that he's alive. "His family is probably more worried than I am."

I never knew Kai's family. That was one of the many things he kept me in the dark about. I've asked him about them several times and every single time, he dodged the question.

The only information he did provide was that they don't live in Korea. It was obvious that they weren't close because every time I brought up the subject, he'd shut down.

"You're right. He's quite young too. I'd hate to hear that something bad happened to him."

I swallow the lump in my throat.

"Anywho, since you've worked in a diner before, then you'd have no problem working at a bakery. In fact, I think you'd find it easier. The crowd is crazy sometimes but it's tameable."

I'm glad for the change in topic. The distraction is exactly what I need right now.

"Our busiest periods are usually in the mornings because people come here for breakfast before heading to work or school or wherever it is they're going to and like you saw yesterday, it was crazier than the town's fair." A bit of an exaggeration, but okay.

"Things get better in the afternoon and then the place is next to empty in the evenings."

"Noted."

She hands me a rag and instructs me to clean the counter. "When do you go back to school?"

"On the 15th," I groan and she chuckles. "I don't want to go back to school." Resumption is a week from now and I'm dreading it already. The only plus side of it is that I graduate soon and I'm off to a university I haven't even picked yet.