The Oasis and The Island

Chapter 1 - Lisa

It was 11 O'clock p.m. when Lisa started her shift at the 24Hs drugstore. She was naturally a nocturne person, so this was one of the best jobs for her. And it was just a 10 minute walk from her home. She got the job indication from her friend Hyunjin, a lovable twenty something tall guy Lisa met at college. Even though Hyunjin was a loyal and upbeat person, he was a little bit shallow and not very much smart. He was still stuck at college after 5 years. His and Lisa's history had a rough start (Hyunjin tried to hit on Lisa several times before realized she was not in to him or any other men therefore) but after sharing stories about an unpleasant experience, they became the best buddies.

After 4 years, she left the university with a philosophy undergraduate degree and a huge debt in her pocket. So much for the dream to finish college. Even though she was not a fan of social interactions, her plan after college was to be a philosophy professor. In some way Lisa thought she could do some good to the world making teenager's yet-to-be-adults use their brains to do something useful, like thinking about the origins of their own agony. It is an unusual way to help the world, but that was exactly what Lisa was, an unusual person, tired of her attempts to make sense of the ordinary things of life.

What Lisa did not expect, was getting so much trouble in her budget, ruining her bank account and the opportunity to fulfill her dream (or her destiny). Anyway, after college her plans had to change, in order to pursuit her master degree and possibly to apply for a position in a respectful university. Her plan now was to gain enough money to pay for her debts, her rent and other monthly bills, in 3 or fewer years, and then she could finally go to grad school.

The job at the drugstore didn't seem like a good deal at first. She had to deal with people (sick people, hypochondriac people, lost parents, drunken old men, horny teenagers, and all you can imagine) and her patience with people in general was not her forte. But the plus side was the endless minutes, some night's even hours, when Lisa didn't have to deal with one single costumer. This idle moments was reserved for another activity that helped (and even more every day) Lisa increase her income and make her more optimistic about her goal to vanish her debts. When no one was around, Lisa used her free time to write lesbians femslash novels to sell them in the form of e-books at the Amazon store. An activity she mastered very well, only known for her roommate and former college friend, Jisoo.

Lisa liked to have her adventures with all the different kind of women; she didn't have really a specific type. Somewhere in her mind, she thought this encounters made her a better writer, which gave her to not a good, but great stories to be tell. Which led her to bigger sales numbers and thereafter more money, and more money meant less debt, less remaining days working at the drugstore. And all of that logic was enough for Lisa to feel good about her short term relationships and one night stands. She never promised anything serious. It was all in the description of her profile at a random dating app. Lisa was lucky to have a breathtaking look, making it easy for her to find what she wanted for the week. Unfortunately, she had had her heart broke once, but even that was useful in her side job. That was, at least, how she would like to label that dark moment of her life. Another (bad) experience.

When Lisa was distracted by deep thoughts about her future, the door of the store was open. Lisa let out a relieved sigh when she saw who was coming into the store. Tonight, Lisa was working on the cash register, on a station across from the prescription counter, where Hyunjin, her only other co-work was attending.

In a fast speed through the aisles, Lisa saw the golden hair of a tiny costumer. She seemed to be in her mid-20s. Her name was a mystery to Lisa. She had noticed the girl in the store for a couple of times, and every time Lisa sees her, somehow her heart seems to beat a little bit faster. That scared Lisa at first. Never a girl had caught her attention like that, what was kind of a discomfort. Not that Lisa was against to be in a serious relationship. Deep down, she did want to have someone by her side of the bed in a daily basis. But the problem is that Lisa never felt any kind of feeling or connection to anyone at that level. And this girl, this costumer she has only seen by the third time and barely traded two words, was the first person ever to intrigue Lisa in a more complex way.