Finest Jin

Make a Date

Once he had food in front of him, Jin relaxed. Eating was his element. Even convenience store ramyeon fuelled his passion. Suddenly, my shy boy had plenty to say. My end of the conversation was relegated to nodding and making sounds of agreement. He even shared one of his jokes and while I did not understand the punchline, his laughter was infectious. 

"You are very different when you eat." I complimented him. "Let's eat together again."

Jin was quiet a moment, considering, then nodded. It was a date. What was the Korean protocol on this? Do I ask him? Was that inappropriate? He didn't elaborate and my courage was waning. When he swallowed his mouthful silently, then reached for his soda pop, I followed suit. Shoot. The moment had passed. To try to set up plans now would feel forced. 

"Are you working here in Seoul?" 

"Nae....you?" 

"Teaching. At a high school." 

"Ahhh..." 

"I write curriculum too." I said 'curriculum' in english. I didn't know that word in Hangul yet. At his confusion, I tried to explain. "Books, for teachers...school books."

"Ah!" That seemed to garner some impressed reactions. "You...write school books?" I confirmed it. "Good...very good." 

"Thanks." I sipped the last of the soda. It was getting cold sitting again. I gathered up the bowls and cans and deposited them in the waste bins. We bundled up again.

"You live...here?" He asked, gesturing to the city streets with a gloved hand. 

"Yes...umm..should be this direction..." We set off. I had never been to this part of the city yet but we could only be a few blocks from the areas I knew. We walked several blocks, turned a few times, then stopped. I spun in circles. We were lost. He asked the address but I did not feel confident trying to pronounce it. Instead, I pulled it up on my cell phone and held it out to Jin. He took it, eyes narrowed, thinking. Then he copy and pasted it and sent it in a message. When his phone chimed, he pulled it out and entered the address into his GPS. I was relieved. My Hangul was still halting. I had not yet managed a working relationship with the GPS on my phone. Jin hooked my arm in his and we set off down the street, him confidently leading now. 

In just 2 turns and 4 blocks, we were standing in front of my apartment. 

"Thank you, SeokJin-nim. I was worried there, for a minute." He smiled. I pointed to our apartment number. "If you ever want to come by, we are in 12, third floor." Jin reached into his pocket and handed me a bar of chocolate, with a ribbon tied around it. 

"Thank you, Ay Telly-ssi." He gestured to his hand. 

"Anytime. It was my pleasure. I hope to see you again. Next Monday?" He shook his head. 

"Soon. Good night." He bowed to me, formally. I did the same. He waited until the door had shut behind me before I watched him through the glass door, walking away. The view here was gorgeous.

I floated up all three flights of stairs and went carefully into my apartment. My oldest, Cher, was sitting reading by a little lamp. The others were asleep on their mats on the floor, faces hidden under their sleeping masks. My mat was laid out, blankets and pillow in place. 

"Thanks, Bear." She looked up and immediately her eyebrows shot up. 

"Sure...what happened to you? You can't stop smiling!" I grinned even bigger. 

"You will never believe what I did tonight...or who I spent these hours with."

She put her book down, grinning. 

"Spill it."