French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 74: -Kazuya- Get Your Spicy Hands Off Him

"Wait, so you're Gyeong-Wan's ex-girlfriend?! That is wild!" Miyuki squealed, her hands clasped together against her purple blouse. 

"Yes, I am," Seo-Yoon said confidently. 

I edged a little imperceptibly closer to Gyeong-Wan at this. Did he feel it? My thigh against his in this ridiculously red and yellow booth at Chirp's? She went for another level ten spicy chicken wing, her perfectly manicured fingertips covered in the red powder already. Looking at her, I wouldn't have thought she'd get dirty like this. How wrong I was. In fact, she was proving to be full of surprises. 

At French Cup, after Nikki had gotten back from running my errand at the Nguyen's, their whole story had come out. We'd all sat together eating strawberry tarts, a plate of decorated chocolate strawberries between us. I'd wanted so badly to give one to Gyeong-Wan personally. Actually, I'd wanted to feed him one...something I'd tried hard to forget as they'd spoken enthusiastically about their story.

They'd met when they were really young. They had a bond immediately, and then went to school together. She'd even defended him against bullies. It all sounded really adorable, and I would have thought so if I hadn't known where it would lead. 

Gyeong-Wan had asked her to be his girlfriend when they were seniors in high school. According to her, he'd never kiss her. He'd funnily claimed that a first kiss is for when you say "I do" at the altar, using his Christian values as an excuse. She'd been suspicious, because most boys just want one thing and he clearly didn't. Still, she'd chalked it up to his always being pretty shy and to his level of respect for her. She didn't push the issue, but she did think it was odd. He was also an athlete in track and field, and was in a lot of events in the sport. So, he was always busy with that or his studies. When he'd picked up weightlifting, too, towards the end of their senior year, she threw up her hands at the issue. It was clear to her where his priorities were. 

They'd regaled us with stories from their college years. They'd ended up at different colleges, due to their parents' values. She'd gone to an all women's college in England, and he'd gone to a pretty prestigious university in Korea. While apart, they of course discovered their differences as adults, but still tried to make it work. She'd been very into her studies and future career planning, and Gyeong-Wan nervously told us that he'd discovered he was gay. It sounded like a romantic comedy, but how serious it was. 

They'd talked to us for a while, with Nikki absorbed in every morsel of conversation, but my mind had drifted. Watching one of the strawberries on the table. I'd liked Seo-Yoon when I hadn't known who she was. I still liked her, but it was hard now. Gyeong-Wan had told us at the beginning of the conversation that they'd broken up and had come to a good understanding, but did she really understand that? I expected them to be close. They'd been best friends since kindergarten age after all. But, they were so close...

Now we were at Chirp's. We'd picked up Miyuki along the way, who'd been on her way to Chirp's anyway. Now they were both telling her the same story, both Miyuki and Nikki not being able to get enough. They hadn't had this kind of good gossip in years. 

"Hmm, it's not so weird," Miyuki was saying now. "I even dated a girl when I was in my early twenties. I get needing to please your parents."

"You dated a girl?! Who is she?! Why have you never told me?!" Nikki was positively bouncing in his seat. Now this was good gossip. 

Miyuki pointed her finger in the air. "It was only for two weeks! I did it and then broke up with her and told my parents, 'there, see? I did it! Now leave me alone!' Parents, I swear."

Nikki crossed his arms as if chilled to the core. "I'd never do that. To fool an innocent girl. Oh, I mean..." He leaned forward, his hand going toward Gyeong-Wan in a gesture as if to touch his shoulder if he weren't so far away. "I don't mean you fooled Seo-Yoon, here. I meant Miyuki is a pig."