The Insider Ghost Ship: She Said, He Said

CHAPTER 17: She Said: About the Gift That Never Was (Part 2)

"Are you the one he's waiting for?" The restaurant owner asked. "I told him we're closing, and he asked if he could wait for a few minutes more."

"Ye." Song Hwa answered. "It's my birthday but we had to take care of some things so we couldn't meet at an earlier time."

"Uh, then you must be Song Hwa!"

"Ye, je ireumeun Chae Song Hwa...."

"Great! Come in, I have something for you."

Hesitant and confused as to how she knew her name, she sat down on one of the chairs and waited for the restaurant owner to come out. Moments later, she emerged from the kitchen, all smiles, holding a white paper bag.

"This is for you." She said as she handed it to her. She peeped inside and saw a small box with a card.

"The card is not signed so we don't know his name. But since you described him, I'm sure we're talking about the same person."

She was speechless and nervous at the same time. She took the small box and opened it. A small ring with a simple butterfly design was contained inside.

"Aww, this is so romantic!" The restaurant owner exclaimed in delight. "Ppalli, ppalli, put it on...."

As she was having her moment, and the restaurant owner watching in excitement, the owner's husband emerged from the kitchen.

"What's going on?" He asked. "Oh, you...you...." He said as he saw her holding the ring.

"Don't say another word." The restaurant owner whispered. "Let's leave it at that."

"No! She has to know!" The husband replied, disappointment wreaking in his voice.

"I think you should leave." The restaurant owner suggested, fearing that her husband might spill the beans and spoil the moment for her. But somehow, she was curious about it. What was it that the husband stubbornly insisted that she had a right to know? To her surprise, she found herself asking.

"Ahjussi, what was it that I need to know?"

"Anida...Just go and enjoy the gift...." The restaurant owner interrupted.

"I found that gift in the trash." The husband blurted out.

"Aah, jinjja! Wae gurae?!" Asked the restaurant owner.

She was speechless before, now she was dumbfounded.

In the trash? He threw it away? Why would Ik Jun do that?

"Mianhae you have to find out about that."

"Gwaenchanayo, Ahjumma." She stood up to leave. She was afraid there was more revelations from the husband, she might not be able to take it.

"Maybe you two need to talk...."

"Ye, geureossumnida, Ahjumma. Kamsahamnida. Annyeonghi jumuseyo."

"Ne, neodo."

She left the restaurant, her heart aching and her feet heavy. She still could not figure out why would Ik Jun throw away his birthday present for her. They definitely needed to talk. She thought of texting him, but her phone was already dead.

Joha...It's for the best.

She did not want to be the one bringing it up anyway.

If Ik Jun bought a ring as a gift, he could be planning to confess about his feelings for her. If he had thrown it away, it was apparent that he had changed his mind.

But what made him chicken out?

She shook her head to erase Ik Jun and everything related to him—including what just happened—out of her mind.

She arrived home a few minutes before midnight. She went straight to her room, threw her bag on the floor and plugged her phone to recharge. As the power turned on, so did an incoming message alert. It was from Ik Jun.

The message was sent at eleven twenty.

She threw herself on her bed, tossed and turned, expecting sleep to find her, but it did not. She opted to lie still, staring at the ceiling, counting kimchi servings, but still no sleep. She sat up and rethought about what transpired—and what did not.

She took the ring from the box and put it on her finger. It was a perfect fit.

How did he know my size?

The thought of talking to him about it came to mind once again. She wanted to clear the air between them so badly, she would talk to him right now...If he would open up about it.

What will Ik Jun say if he sees me wearing this? Should I show it to him?

He had his own reasons for throwing the gift away—reasons that he might not want her to know. Nobody else could say what was going on in his mind that moment but himself. She would forever be grateful if he would share a piece of it with her, so she could understand why he did what he did.

Sleep did not come for her early. It was probably three in the morning when she dozed off, which meant she only had three hours of sleep because she woke up at six. It was a Saturday anyway, so she need not hurry. She pulled the blanket over her head and tried to sleep again and succeeded after thirty minutes.

She woke up at ten in the morning, not feeling very well. Her throat felt sore, and her head ached big time. Her mind commanded her to get up, but her body just did not want to.

Must...stay...in bed....

She did not know what caused her sore throat and headache, but for now, the only reason she could think of was Ik Jun. She was making such a great deal out of what was supposed to happen last night. And her grave disappointment for its failure to come true took a toll on her—physically, mentally and emotionally.

She spent the rest of the day in bed, feeling sick. The guys checked up on her through text messages—most of them coming from Ik Jun. Messages that literally checked on her.

Are you awake already?

Have you eaten breakfast? Lunch?

Are you okay? Why don't you reply?

Do you want to hang out at the karaoke bar?...

To all these, she just had one reply.

Mian. I can't right now.

She wanted him to know that she was not feeling well, but it might prompt him to go to her. After last night, she was still apprehensive about meeting him. She might need the weekend to prepare herself and act as naturally to the best she could, until he decided that he wanted to talk about it. She prayed that it would not take forever.