So Far Away | Min Yoongi

31.0

The first thing I did when I got home after that night with Yuri was to count all of the cash inside the envelope.

It wasn't enough.

It was just about half of the price of the machine that Yoongi wanted. Should I get him something else? Something that this money could buy?

But Yoongi didn't want anything else other than that machine.

I broke the piggy bank that i've started using since the first day of school out of desperation. It's my fault for abandoning it and not saving up because it still wasn't enough.

It's Saturday today, and to my surprise, my parents doesn't have work today. It's rare for the both of them to have day offs at the same day because they work at the same hospital. The hospital most known here in my hometown.

"Eunji," my mom knocked from my door and opened it, leaning her head into the door way. "We're going to the mall, do you want to come?"

Ah, I know what they're doing. Since Christmas is a few weeks from now, they planned this day off. It's they day where they buy presents for everyone, or anything they think they should buy for the holiday season. They'll buy it in advance because they wouldn't have the time to do it near the holiday seasons.

And since this happens once in a blue moon, who am I to reject such a glorious offer.

Maybe i'll even find something from the mall that I can give Yoongi instead of the machine. Or maybe a miracle would happen that the machine would be on sale.

I'm hopeful. And desperate.

"Yeah, i'll be there in a bit."

*

"I want this."

My dad pointed at the flat screen tv in the front window of the electronics shop. It's double the size of our current television at home.

"You barely watch tv," my mom intervened. "And whenever you do, it's something Eunji and I doesn't want to watch. Right, sweetie?"

"Y-yeah."  I forcefully agreed.

"That's the point." My dad nodded his head and entered the shop. "I barely watch tv that it should be on the best quality whenever I do."

My dad's always like this. When he wants something, he's going to get it. He doesn't care about anyone's opinions. It's his word that matters the most. He tells you what to do, and you do it. Or else he'll pretend like you never existed.

My mom and I followed him to the store and see him already talking to the salesperson. He's got a huge smile on his face, almost way too happy. And that's when I realized that my dad has probably already bought the tv since they were talking towards the cashier.

My mom followed him but I didn't. Instead, I passed by the music station and stopped there, looking for the machine that Yoongi has wanted. And there it was, displayed on the corner of the row, the same exact machine that he had gotten from Busan. Even the buttons are knobs are the same.

I reach for the price tag and turn it over.

I wish I hadn't. It just made me want to go back to the coffee shop and work again.

"Eunji," my mom looks over at me and gestures me to come to where she is. "Come here."

I walk to her, looking back at the machine. If only I can get you, if only you were a little cheaper... why do you have to be so expensive?

"What is it?" I ask her as I get to where they were standing. My dad swiped his card onto the machine while the salesperson writes into a piece of form.

"Your dad bought it." She whispers at me as she rolls her eyes. "It can't be helped."

"I know, you need to control him sometimes." I half smiled, making her think of it as a joke but I really did mean it.

The salesperson then said that the new television is going to be delivered at the house tomorrow and since my parents both have work, I would be the one responsible for signing the papers when it gets at our house.

When everything was settled, we all walked out of the store and look for somewhere to eat. I looked back at the machine once more just before leaving.

I promise to get you for Yoongi one day. That's a promise.

*

"Lee Eunji?"

A man with pink forms of paper in his hand stands in front of me as I open the door.

"Yes," I said. "Is that the tv?"

I pointed at the humongous box behind him, placed on top of a metal cart. It's almost as tall as him. A truck is parked in front of our house, with the store's name in big letters written all over it.

"Of course," he said, smiling at me. "Please sign these and this bad boy's yours."

He turns to pat the box behind him, then gives me the forms on top of a clipping board. I quickly signed them, a total of six signs for all the forms. I hand it back to him, hoping that it's over. I just want to get this over with so I could continue studying for the tests.

"Perfect." he says, taking back the forms. He goes behind the cart and start to push it inside the house. I gestured him to place the box on the living room, just right in front of our current television.

When he's done, he wheels the cart out after saying thank you. I thank him back and begin to close the door, but before I could completely close the door, he comes back, inserting his hand in the remaining open space.

"Wait! We give this out to people who bought items from us yesterday." He calls out, making me open the door open again. He starts taking a piece of paper from his back pocket, straightening it into a good condition. Maybe it was the receipt. But as I looked down and take the piece of paper from him, it felt as if I won the lottery.

"This promo just started so I hope you shop at our store again!"

It's a coupon.

A 50% off coupon for any item in their store.