Chapter 13
Bailey
Emma comes to the restaurant again the next morning, taking a seat by the window for some breakfast ramen. She's smiling like her usual self, yet something about her seems less energetic today. I don't address it at first. But by the fifth sigh, I can't ignore it any longer, and neither can Ethan who's been watching her like a hawk from the kitchen door the entire time.
For both his and my sake, I ask, "Are you okay, Em? You look like something's bothering you."
She looks up from her finished bowl. "Is it that obvious?"
"Well, yeah."
She sighs. "It's just that I knew I'd have to find a job to help support myself after moving out here, but now that I really have to, it's a lot more pressure than I thought. You know I've never had a job before besides babysitting my siblings on the weekends. I don't even know where to begin to look."
While I understand where she's coming from, it's hard to perfectly fit in her shoes. I've been working at my parents' restaurant from the moment they opened it, back when I was in ninth grade. Honestly, it's been both a blessing and a curse. While I always had more allowance than most, it came at the cost of kids coming up to me at school mimicking my mom and dad's Korean accents. I wanted to hide my job for as long as possible, but the secret only went as far as the second semester of freshman year, when a few of the bad kids came to the restaurant for lunch. This happened on a weekend, and the Monday that followed was absolute torture. Really, every single Monday was after that.
"Could you help me out a bit, Bae?" Emma pleads, pulling me away from my depressing thoughts. She folds her hands together in a begging motion.
"Okay, but I don't exactly have any experience with job searching myself," I say apologetically.
"You're so lucky to have your parents' restaurant."
I don't know about that...
"Do you need job?" my mom says, approaching our table from the front counter. The lack of customers at the moment allows for every word of our conversation to be heard from across the restaurant.
Emma isn't one to shy away at showing feelings of desperation. I actually envy how easily she's able to ask others for help. "Yes, Mrs. Cho. Do you happen to know any places with open positions?"
"Yes," she replies with a smile, and I already know where she's taking this. "You can work here."
"What? Really?!"
"Of course. We can use another waitress to make up for Bailey's incompetence."
Yeah, thanks for always going out of your way to compliment your only child, mom. And how does she even know the word incompetence anyway?
Emma's face is back to being as bright as ever. "Thank you so much! When can I start?"
"Today."
"Okay!"
I swear I can feel Ethan's smile radiating from within the kitchen. At the same time, I'm a bit worried about him. He could barely compose himself during the few hours Emma came to visit yesterday. Now he has to deal with facing her for the entire day. That'd be like the equivalent of me having to work with Caleb—
Wait, no. That'd be much much worse. I'd have to quit for sure.
When it's back to just the two of us, Emma says, "You have no idea how relieved I am right now. I've said this a billion times, but your parents are the best."
I shrug indifferently.
"Take my word for it. I sometimes wish they could adopt me. Then, we can be sisters. Just think about that."
"I don't think your parents would approve of that."
"Oh, please. They had three more kids after me. There must be a reason for that."
Emma takes a sip of her soda, which was on the house courtesy of this establishment's master chef. She's staring out at the parking lot that is slowly beginning to fill for the day. I instinctively follow her line of sight.
Memories of last night return to me.
I wonder if it really could have been him...
"By the way, Bae."
"Hm?"
"You didn't get a visitor last night, did you?"
"Huh—" My voice breaks. Clearing my throat, I say, "Um, why do you ask?"
With her gaze still off in the distance, she smiles to herself. However, I'm not sure if it's her usual Emma-smile or if it has some alternative meaning.
She replies, "No reason."
"Well..." I pause.
I'm in dangerous territory. I can't risk my assumption slipping out on who yesterday's late customer could've been. It would be like I was expecting it to be him, which would make everything too obvious. Emma most certainly cannot know. I doubt I'll ever be able to tell her about any of this. It is too embarrassing to live down.
I finish, "No, there wasn't anyone in particular."
"Hm, I see," Emma replies slowly, her smile not fading.

YOU ARE READING
Don't Try the Noodles
Humor***Deliciously Rewritten 2020*** Who says you can only find love in a coffee shop? Korean restaurants work just as well. Bailey Cho has always worked at her family's restaurant during the summer breaks, and this year is no exception. Things are the...