Good Boy

I

"Thank you Mrs. Kim! I'll make sure my mother receives these rice cakes!" said the young lady in a red peacoat.

"Have a nice day Sojung! Remember the keys will be under the mat like always!" said the older woman.

Sojung smiled at her with a quick nod and made her way out the door. The fresh spring air filled her lungs during her small walk home. With no school and no work today, Sojung gladly made her way up the hill to her home for a day of relaxation.

'I can't wait to make some sundubu-jjigae when I get home,' she thought to herself.

Sojung Hwang, or the "Doe Eyed Maiden" as those in her neighborhood called her, was a fresh college graduate ready to go out in to the world on her own. That is, when she finally gets the job she wants. For now she has to settle with babysitting and walking the Kim's precious eskimo dog. Apparently, their son was a famous performer who didn't have time to take care of his dog so he left it in the care of his parents. Sojung has only met him once but hadn't really remembered much of him. All she knew was whatever his mother would brag about and he was constantly on the road. 

Everyday at noon, she would be there to pick up the dog and return him two hours later. And when the married couple were busied with work, she would gladly keep the dog with her until they arrived home. And would you know it, the white fluffball would grow attached to it's caretaker. More so that it's appropriate owner is constantly battling with gaining the dog's love and affection, unbeknownst to Sojung. 

"Mom I'm back! I've brought rice cakes from Mrs. Kim!" her voice boomed into the small home where her parents awaited her arrival. 

"Hello doe!" her father called out to her, the nickname he gave her when she opened her eyes for the first time. Hence why her nickname is what it is. 

"Hello dad! You're home early," she commented while kissing his cheek, removing her coat. 

"There weren't as many customers today so they let me out early," he said while reading his book again. 

"How is Mrs. Kim? She's always at work and I hardly have time to talk to her," Sojung's mother responded while being handed the rice cakes. 

"She sends her hellos as always and that I will dogsit again tomorrow," the younger responded. 

"When will you actually go out and do something sweetheart? You can't take care of dogs and kids forever. You could perform at street plazas or sell albums with your piano pieces," her mother nagged. 

"But playing piano isn't my passion mother. I want to work in a day care. I want to take care of children. Maybe later on become a teacher," she responded while heading into the kitchen. 

"Ah why? Just marry a rich man instead. You're beautiful and more than capable of having children-"

"Mother!" an embarrassed Sojung squealed at her mother. 

"I'm just saying. I don't want you to go on in life working constantly to maintain a stable life," she concluded, genuinely concerned about her daughter's future. 

"Don't worry honey, our little doe has her head in the right place. I trust she knows what she's doing," her father commented. 

Sojung was completely grateful for her parents. They were always supportive of her and made sure she had what she needed. But with all the hard work and bills to pay they couldn't afford having another child. Sojung had always wanted a younger sibling. Teach them to tie their shoes, feed them their favorite snacks, joke around with them, maybe even help them through their 'awkward phase'. Alas, she could only resort to the care of neighborhood kids instead. The Kim's also had a young daughter but she was away at school so there was hardly any time for the two to hang out. 

"I'm gonna make some sundubu-jjigae for dinner," she called out while taking out some tofu from the fridge along with other ingredients. 

"With seafood or with meat?" her mother asked. 

"Whichever you two want," she kept the refrigerator door open while waiting for their responses. 

Exchanging glances and muttering to each other they agreed with seafood. With that, Sojung began preparing the dish while insisting her mother to stay seated since she's been working all morning long. Within half an hour the food was ready, they joined at the table together to say a quick prayer before eating. 

Dinner was always the same in the home. The three would go on about their day, crack open a bottle of sparkling cider for every meal, discuss what needed fixing, and eventually cleaning up. Haeun, Sojung's mother, would talk to her daughter about the gossip going around her work. Always some sort of extravagant plot would arise during her shifts, then again she worked at a nail salon so she wasn't surprised. The maiden would always exaggerate her expressions when her mother told her something she knew was bent out of truth but out of good intentions. 

Soon her parents would go into their room to sleep while Sojung went to the piano in the corner of the room to practice. It is true she didn't want a career in music, but she did enjoy gracing her fingers over the keys while playing familiar tunes. It always excited the kids she babysat when she'd play popular nursery rhymes for them, even more so when she taught them how to play it. 

Currently, she was playing to the tune of a popular song that had been playing on the radio. She found the music notes online and decided to learn it on her own out of enjoyment. Since she mostly listened to American music she always learned pieces from English speakers. One of her most favorites being Ed Sheeran. What she couldn't play on guitar she made up for it on piano. It made her thrilled to learn English and study up so that one day she could travel to Los Angeles or Miami, someplace warm where her skin could glow radiantly beneath the rays. 

Once she had finished what she needed, she closed the lid onto the keys and went to close the curtains and turn off the lights. She looked down to the Kim household to see the lights were still on and some commotion going on, even the sound of barking could be heard. Sojung smiled to herself and closed the curtain before turning the lamp off and setting off onto dreamland.