Moonbow - a short novel [Completed]

5.

Yoo-jin waved to me as I parked my car in front of the elders’ house. She looked more beautiful today with her hair swept from her face. She could vie for a beauty title if she wanted to, tall and graceful with an obvious wit. I waved back a little and looked around. The elders’ house looked empty and Min-woo was nowhere in sight.  “Haraboji had his cataract removed yesterday. They’re coming home later,” I heard her say. My guilt pricked me for not remembering Haraboji’s operation. How could I excuse myself for forgetting something important? I stepped out of my car and walked up to Yoo-jin. “I didn’t make it on time. I’m so sorry.” She smiled and pulled me inside Min-woo’s cabin. “Please have a seat.” I found myself plodded on the floor, waiting for Yoo-jin’s serving of tea. Some new random photographs filled the wall, but the family photos were gone. I wondered if Yoo-jin knew about Min-woo’s father, or why he had taken those photographs off the wall. Min-woo seemed comfortable around her, so he must have told her a lot of things. Compared to what she had with him, my moments with him seemed brief and irrelevant. I noticed a rack of feminine clothes in one corner, and a pair of laced pillows on top of the wooden cabinet. This cabin clearly had an additional dweller. I wanted to rush out and drive home in that instance, but I couldn’t leave this place without seeing Haraboji. Yoo-jin came and placed a teacup in front of me. “Here, have some.” I thanked her; she nodded. “Min-woo has said so many nice things about you. I’m so thrilled to have this chance to talk to you,” she said. Nice things about me. Like what? I could not think of a single nice thing I had done for Min-woo. He must have meant it as a joke because my best intentions somehow had always turned into disasters. But it’s innate in Min-woo to speak nicely of their guests regardless of their behavior. Not surprising at all. I sipped a little and let the taste linger in my mouth. Bitter and scalding on my tongue yet soothing as it slid down my throat. I thought carefully of what to say, scared of sounding stupid in front of this beautiful lady. “I’m glad we can talk longer today. How was your stay in Ontario?” I asked.

“It was good. But I missed home. I missed being with my own people. Nothing beats than staying in your own country. No matter how well you fit in there, you will always be an outsider. Whether they treat you extra nice or not so good, you’ll always end up feeling different from the locals. So how about you? I heard you’re a professional model. That’s such a cool job.”

I nodded and sipped some more tea. “It’s okay. Not a perfect job but I appreciate the highs and the lows.”

“But as long as you love what you’re doing, it’s all good, right?”

I nodded again. “What are your plans?” I wanted to know if she’s staying in Korea for good, with Min-woo.

“I have to think about my plans. Nothing particular yet. That’s one thing good about being young. You have all the time in the world to think about your future.”

Was it because she’s including Min-woo in her plans? And so I asked, “Are you and Min-woo…”

“Dating?” Her eyes lit up. She continued, “No. Not yet. But I like him. I like him a lot. Do you think I should confess?”

That question triggered an alarm in me. How do I answer such questions without panicking? “Maybe you should wait till he says something.” I tried my best to sound calm but my hands on my lap were shaking.

Yoo-jin propped one palm under her chin and looked closely at me. “But he’s very shy. I don’t think he’ll ever say anything to me if I don’t initiate.”

“Do you think he likes you back?” What was I thinking? I had to stop myself from cursing out loud.

“I don’t know. I just feel special whenever he’s around. He makes me feel like that.”