The New Bride

Eight

The restaurant was booming with business by the time we settled down. It was close to dinner time for most of the town residents, causing the popular fast food places to become busy. People were swarming in and out with hot food in their hands and sometimes a drink.

Bo-mi couldn't have cared less about the crowded space. When food was involved, she would have started a war just to fill her empty stomach. If given the right kind of food, she would eat it with no end in sight.

"Ya," I called Bo-mi with a stern voice. "Quit emptying my pockets for food!" My eyes never left the french fry pile that was quickly becoming smaller. One by one, she ate away the food and had no remorse.

Jae-won chuckled lightly, leaning back in his chair as he looked around the building. "It's alright, Lilla. She is still young; she has to eat a lot."

I scoffed. "She isn't growing much anymore." Glancing at Jae-won from the corner of my eye, I pursed my lips. "She is two years my age. Two years added onto fifteen. And do know what she would be in Korea? Two more added years!"

Bo-mi stopped chewing her food for a moment to stretch out her fingers. "Seventeen, plus two," she whispered with a full mouth. "Is nineteen. Oh! I'm nineteen!" She waved her hands in front of my face.

Jae-won's eyes about popped out of his head. "Really? Wow, I didn't expect that."

Almost on instinct, my arm stretched out to hit his chest. He flinched from the sudden movement yet, couldn't help but laugh. "Stop it, you pig. Either way, she is still too young for you."

Both Bo-mi and Jae looked to me. "Lil, you gotta fix that jealousy of yours, it's making you stupid." She shook her head at me, moving back to her drink.

I pouted, leaning back into my chair with a slouch. "I'm not stupid." I could feel Jae lean over so that his arm could rest behind me on the top of the chair. "Don't do it."

"You are two years younger than her, Lilla. Even if she is nineteen in Korea, you are seventeen," he reminded me with a slight laugh. "Ah, but don't worry. You are the one I will be marrying."

I rolled my eyes, pushing his shoulder roughly so the space between us increased. "Stop it, Jae-won. Don't make me call your mother." My eyes met his so my threat would stick well, but it didn't seem to make a difference.

Bo-mi sighed. "I thought you were growing up too fast," she said sadly. "Maybe just in certain aspects." After finishing her last fry, she stood to her feet and cleared the area. "Lets go!"

We all walked out of Mcdonalds, preparing ourselves for another few hours together. I couldn't truly get ready for the situation, seeing as I can't handle just twenty minutes with them. They are a tag team; working together to insult me by adding on to each others sentences. I was going to regret doing this, very quickly. In the back of my mind I was cursing the two out. 

"Ah, we're here! Let's get going, Lil. I wanna see if they have any good deals on art stuff." She leaned against me as she attempted to whisper into my ear. "If I can't buy my own merchandise, might as well make them."

She wrapped her arm around mine, dragging me into the Hobby Lobby store. As she did so, the automatic doors popped open and allowed her to be amazed with the unique and beautiful items. She seemed like a child.

"Ah, wait." Jae dropped his hand on my shoulder, pulling me backwards. "We need to choose something together."

I looked to Bo-mi. "I'm sorry, can I?" I bit my lip out of guilt, watching for her reaction.

She shrugged. "I don't care. Just meet me in the art section when you are done." She started to walk in when a cashier made her stop.

"Excuse me, but you can't have bags in here."

I titled my head to the side, my eyes immediately going to her school bag on her back. "Bo-mi! Why do you still have that?" I jogged up to her, grabbing her bag and waiting for her to take it off. "Give it me, I'll put it in the car."

I carried the bag to Jae's car with him following behind. He popped open the trunk, allowing me to throw her bag in with my own. Just as I was to close up the vehicle, my phone had rang once again.

This is my heart beat song and I'm going to-

"Hello?" I answered the phone in question, as the phone number was not recognizable.

"Lilla-mi! It's so good to hear someone answer the phone. How are you, dear?"Jae's mother's thick Korean accent boomed through the phone as she excitedly spoke to me. I looked to my husband with raised eyebrows as he stared at me.

"I am fine, Mrs. Bak. And you?" I motioned for her son to get his phone out, encouraging him to look for missed calls.

"I'm wonderful! Thank you for asking," she sighed from happiness. "Is Jae-won with you?"

I narrowed my eyes at him as he showed me the list of missed calls on his phone. "Yes, he is. Would you like to speak with him?"

"Ye!" (yes)

I handed him my phone without a word and started to head inside the building. I could hear him struggling to speak to his mother as she scolded him. Although it was different for me to hear his voice speak in Korean, I made less effort to listen. Rather, I was trying my best to get away from him before his mother went after me, too.

After awhile of looking through things by myself, Jae-won exhaustedly came up to me and shoved my phone into my hands. "Here. Don't ever answer her calls again, she will never stop talking."

I smiled. "Did poor little Jae get scolded?"

He scowled, a part of his lip curling upward. "She thought I was ignoring her."

"Weren't you?"

"No," he deadpanned. Although he was annoyed with me, he still followed me around to the next aisle for more decorations. "You know, for a child, you are quite irritating."

I shrugged off his insult. "You aren't a saint either."

He shook his head. "Mother thinks you are an angel," he said sarcastically. "I can't see it."

I turned around to grin up at him. "Don't worry, Jae, your sight won't be gone forever. You aren't permanently blind."

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가슴은 뛰고 있어
여전히 널 보고 있어
자꾸만 숨이 막혀서

아직은 멀리에서
너를 지켜보고 싶어
내가 또 왜 이러는지

My heart is racing
I’m still looking at you
Because I keep running out of breath

I’m still watching over you
From far away
Why am I being like this?