French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 113: -Gyeong-Wan- Everything I Ever Wanted to Know

The darkness of Charlotte's theater was like a nice blanket after today. All these rushing thoughts in my head. The lights had dimmed a little while ago, and now we were in for a rare treat. 

Apparently the movie today was a musical from the 1950's. It had been the one Hanako and Chidori had been practicing. I had no idea what the musical was about, nor any of the actors. And I found I couldn't pay attention, even though I desperately wanted to. 

This was because all day, I'd been getting constant texts from people at the hotel. People I knew, asking questions.

The kitchen manager: is the food we had planned for the other dance alright? Did you talk to your friends in the community about what they would want? It sounds like management will get them whatever they want. They really want to make this go perfect.

The housekeeping manager: we cleaned the main ballroom from top to bottom. Even the chandelier was cleaned. Everything is all set. 

The valet manager: how many cars do you think will arrive? Give me an estimate. 

More and more. Something about a DJ and what kind of music people in "my" community would want. Asking for a ballpark number of guests to expect. Asking if the hotel should advertise the event, and how to go about it.

To that last one, I had no idea. It might attract the wrong kind of people. How does one advertise this, so that only the right people see it? It made a protecting feeling pop up. Wanting to protect them, thinking about what had just happened to everyone. My mind going to French Cup and that firework. My stomach dropping about something similar happening, if the wrong sort of person found out. But wondering if such a thing could happen again. However, knowing it wasn't an isolated event. Things like that could happen...

Worry filled me up with every text. And all the while, it only was a reminder of what I didn't get to ask last night. 

There's going to be a dance, Kazuya. Will you go with me?

I'd wanted to ask that two days ago, but it had been impossible. Even telling him about the dance two days ago had seemed impossible. Trying to ask in front of everyone. This seemed like a much smaller problem than the one he'd presented me right at that moment. Right before I was going to ask. But, oh what a wonderful problem it was.

Will you move in with me?

This question.

I'd been worried about where I was going to live. It was true, I couldn't live in the hotel much longer. People were asking me questions about the dance, but what about after the dance? What was I supposed to do after that? They wanted to friendly to the community, but what more use did I have for the hotel? I was really in a transitioning period. And at the end of that period, I'd had no idea where I'd end up and it was vaguely terrifying. And only vaguely, because I hadn't entirely believed it.

Going back to Korea. It seemed like an unreal prospect. As much as I was worried about it, it didn't feel like it could happen. With terrible determination, was it possible to never go back? To not be forced to go back? Part of me thought that after the dance, maybe it was best to tell my former company that I would take the GM position after all. To chicken out, just so I could stay here.

I wanted so badly to work at French Cup. The past few days had felt like an dream entirely. If I took that GM position, I wouldn't be able to work there. I couldn't have both. That devastated me the more I was in French Cup yesterday. Thinking about it. Maybe, I couldn't have both: living in Japan, and working at French Cup. 

But, last night, Kazuya had transformed my world. Giving me all these new thoughts. He'd cried into me as I held him tight. Saying he didn't want me to go back to Korea, ever. That he was determined that I stay here. Even inviting me to live with him.