Work Text:
It took a week for Gyeong Seok's heat to subside. It was seven days that Hyun Ju survived on occasional messages from Gyeong Seok and pictures of Na Yeon with funny notes that sometimes brought a smile to her face in the middle of her new job at the Room Salon Mingle.
After having several part-time jobs and getting as a consequence a health condition that was now almost resolved, the recent job offer as a security guard and sometimes internal supervisor of the Room Salon came to her like a glove. Being recommended by her neighbor Young Mi (who had moved in a few weeks ago to the apartment next door and was also a bartender at Mingle) and having belonged to the army had helped her greatly in making the owner Seong Gi Hun look very convinced with her during the interview.
“Ah, one more thing, Ms. Cho”
“Just tell me Hyun Ju, Mr. Seong”
The man nodded, smiling, “Okay, okay...so Hyun Ju, I just wanted to tell you that...uhm, you don't have to worry about someone bothering you, okay? In my establishment, I don't tolerate any discrimination and my employees and customers know that very well. However, if by any chance someone steps out of line, give them a beating and then let me know, okay? I'll take care of the rest”
Hyun Ju's eyes widened slightly in surprise at the words she heard, but she couldn't help but let an incredulous smile creep across her face, “Okay, Mr. Seong...I'll consider your advice. Thank you”
She had barely been working for three days and she had already had an incident with a customer who had not tolerated that an “abominable” alpha-like her dared to forbid him from groping the hostesses of the establishment. The result was all too obvious: that man was banned from the place with a few too many ugly bruises on his cheek that would not go away easily. Fortunately, boss Seong told her that she didn't have to worry about a lawsuit or anything like that because he knew for a fact that the little man would be incapable of making a move that would risk his long business career.
“The boss is sometimes scary,” Young Mi said, ”He can be funny and cheerful with everyone, but when someone breaks the rules or wants to take advantage of us by simply having less power or money, his expression changes and, well...it's scary”
Hyun Ju knew that Young Mi had not lied when she saw the other face of the boss for the first time, but far from feeling fear, she felt reassured to know that the boss of the Room Salon was a person who saw to it that his omegas, betas and, alphas employees were treated with the respect they deserved.
Just on the seventh day and after Hyun Ju made sure that the Rooms had the special ventilation systems for pheromones in order and Dae Ho, one of the security guards, let her know that he had already received the extra shipment of whiskey from the liquor distributor, a message came to his cell phone from her. The buzz was audible and she slyly pulled her cell phone out of her pocket to check her messaging. Pleasant was her surprise to find the news that Gyeong Seok's unexpected heat was over and he was ready for a conversation.
“...I know today is impossible because it's Sunday and it's already too late for us to meet, but I want you to know that any day next week would be fine with me. Well, I just wanted to let you know that. I hope you are doing well at work. Take care, Hyun Ju”
Hyun Ju took a deep breath as she read the message again, trying, in turn, to assimilate every word in her brain with her concentration bent on it. She wasn't going to lie: she was looking forward to meeting Gyeong Seok again. The night she fell asleep with the heat suppressants taking effect in her body, the only thing she dreamed about was Gyeong Seok; his smile, his voice, his pheromones, and his inexplicable ability to awaken in her a sea of emotions she thought she would never feel for anyone. Life, which had been so hard on her in many ways, seemed to want to redeem itself by allowing her to meet the person who was, apparently, her fated mate.
With that in mind, Hyun Ju took another deep breath and with a determined look, she wrote a message to Gyeong Seok, proposing to meet on Tuesday at a time and place that suited him best. Hyun Ju was willing to accommodate the time and place that Gyeong Seok wanted, as he too would have to think about who he could leave Na Yeon with (Hyun Ju was almost certain that he would ask Mrs. Geum Ja, the owner of a modest food stall who lived near his building, to take care of his daughter) Between those thoughts and the slight nervousness she was beginning to feel about the upcoming meeting, she hadn't noticed that Young Mi had approached her with two cocktails for her to drink.
“Unnie! I have two very innovative proposals here and I'd like you to...oh,” Young Mi stopped in front of Hyun Ju who had heard almost everything she had told her. However, surely her face must have given her some hint that something had happened because right away the girl looked at her with an amused and even teasing smile, “You have that face again”
Hyun Ju let out a nervous laugh as she took a sip of the cocktail Young Mi held in her right hand, “I don't know what you mean,” she said then handed the glass to her and took the other one.
“Let me tell you, unnie, I've had some suspicions about your strange behavior for a few days now,” Young Mi looked both ways, making sure Dae Ho or any other employee wasn't around, “ Did you happen to find someone special?”
Hyun Ju had to make an effort not to blush. Impassive and unperturbed, she handed the cocktail to Young Mi, “It's not...”
“It hurts me when you lie to me,” Young Mi pouted, ”Which one was the best?”
“The one on the right,” Hyun Ju answered right away.
“I sensed it. I think I should try this other one, but this time adding a quarter ounce of lemon juice to it,” muttered Young Mi thoughtfully. Then, she sighed and looked at Hyun Ju again with those discerning eyes that hid a hunger to satiate her curiosity, “You found someone, didn't you?”
“Young Mi,” Hyun Ju said, half begging and half firm in her position.
“ Come on, you know I won't tell anyone”
Hyun Ju sighed. Young Mi how much she wanted could be very convincing or maybe she was too weak to her lovely new friend's pleas, “You promise?”
“I promise for the few weeks of friendship we've had and the many more to come,” Young Mi vowed.
“Well,” Hyun Ju said, arranging a lock of her hair behind her ear, “I met someone”
“An omega,” Young Mi affirmed. Hyun Ju didn't respond but the slight pink tinge on her cheeks was evident, “Oh, the incomprehensible attraction between alphas and omegas that a beta like me doesn't understand. A complete fairy tale you're living in!”
“Young Mi,” Hyun Ju warned.
“But well, what's the name of...?”
“It's working hours, Young Mi,” Hyun Ju interrupted, cutting off her opportunity to inquire further. Then, she discreetly turned on her headset and the microphone attached to the lapel of her clothes and cleared her throat before speaking, “120 here. The bartenders' area is ready to start preparations. What's the situation at the lobby?”
Young Mi, knowing the conversation was over, gave her a small pout before turning away and returning to her bar with the other bartenders. A static noise was heard before Dae Ho answered her, “This is 388 responding. There is a group of six customers who have no reservation but want the VIP Room with betas and omegas hostesses”
“No, impossible. The VIP Room is booked for an important business group in... erm, half an hour,” interrupted the head of security, Jung Bae, “Dae Ho, let them know that we can offer them the betas and omegas hostess service but in another Room. The VIP definitely not”
“Okay, Sir, yes Sir!” cheerfully replied Dae Ho.
Mr. Jung Bae let out a raucous laugh, “Good boy, good! I like that spirit!”
Hyun Ju just shook her head, sketching an amused smile as she continued to listen to the two men's animated chatter.
On Tuesday afternoon, Hyun Ju headed to Mrs. Geum Ja's modest food stall with the firm conviction that it would be, first and foremost, a lunch full of watchful eyes.
It had been no coincidence that Gyeong Seok had first proposed to her to eat at the food stall where he sometimes served as a waiter: Hyun Ju sensed that Mrs. Geum Ja, an elderly beta woman who had grown fond of Gyeong Seok and Na Yeon, was worried that the alpha who had caused Gyeong Seok to stay in his house for a week was a person with ulterior motives that were not good. In the call she had with Gyeong Seok, he had told her, in a slightly apologetic tone, that after lunch they could go talk at a park a few blocks away.
“Okay,” Hyun Ju said, “I think having lunch with Na Yeon earlier would make me happy. I haven't seen her for days”
Those words calmed down Gyeong Seok who sounded calmer during the conversation. After telling her that Na Yeon was excited to see her again and had prepared a gift for her, the call ended with a farewell from Hyun Ju. Thus, the day passed without further complication and when Tuesday came, Hyun Ju woke up in a renewed mood. She spent the whole morning cleaning her small apartment and when it was time to get ready, she concentrated on it down to the smallest detail. Once she confirmed in front of the mirror that she looked decent enough, she took a deep breath and went outside.
After a little more than half an hour, she got off the subway and walked a few blocks between streets and stalls of people encouraging potential customers to buy their products. Hyun Ju observed everything calmly and was even interested in the price of some fruits, however, when she was about to ask the woman the price, something bumped against her legs, startling her.
“Unnie!”
Na Yeon looked at her with a huge smile showing her small, whitish teeth. Hyun Ju sighed in relief as she noticed it was her.
“Hello, Na Yeon”
The little girl shook her head in amusement, “I'm Princess Na Yeon!”
Hyun Ju let out a giggle, remembering their first meeting, “Oh, right, princess. I forgot,” the little girl also let out a charming giggle, and clinging tighter to the woman's legs she rested her chin and looked at her with childish adoration. Hyun Ju, stroking her head, asked softly, “I see you came alone. Where is your-”
“Na Yeon!”
Gyeong Seok, unlike Na Yeon, looked relieved, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Hyun Ju could guess, just by watching him slowly approach her, that Na Yeon had slipped out of his sight just like what happened at the amusement park. That's why Hyun Ju couldn't help but smile fondly, realizing that their second meeting had been similar to the first. And just as it happened in the first meeting, Hyun Ju couldn't help but feel that tingling in her chest and a magnetic force that felt like an invisible chain unfurling from within her with the desire to join him. And if the nervous look Gyeong Seok showed her when he greeted her meant the same thing, Hyun Ju could only think of how curious but wonderful the bond between fated mates was.
“I found her, daddy!” said Na Yeon holding his hand as they started walking towards the food stall.
“You did, but I told you that Hyun Ju knew how to get there and there would be no need to go looking for her...”, Gyeong Seok said, trying to sound serious.
“But I found her earlier!”, Na Yeon insisted.
“But you let your dad know that you would go out to look for me?” Hyun Ju asked, tilting her head forward a bit to look at her.
Na Yeon opened her mouth but shut it right away. She frowned her brow, debating something internally, finally sighing and shaking her head, “No,” she said. Then, she leaned her head on the hand that his daddy was holding and said in a little voice full of regret, “Sorry, daddy”
Gyeong Seok smiled kindly towards her, “Apology accepted. Now, why don't you go get the gift you gave Hyun Ju?”
Like every little child, Na Yeon cheered up at those words, and letting go of her father's hand, she ran towards the food stall without falling in the course. Hyun Ju couldn't help but laugh at such a change of mood.
“She was so excited to see you,” said Gyeong Seok, ”She kept asking me how many minutes until you arrived”
“I guess she inferred from your last answer that it was just a few minutes before I arrived and decided to leave”
Gyeong Seok sighed, somewhat defeated, “She's a very smart and clever girl,” Then, shooting a quick glance at Hyun Ju, he added with palpable shyness, “She also knew that I was looking forward to seeing you again. Maybe that's why she wanted to bring you with me.”
Hyun Ju's heart skipped a beat and when she paused to look at Gyeong Seok, she could tell that he was visibly embarrassed by his rash statement. Oh well, could she deserve someone as sincere as him? Hyun Ju was about to respond (perhaps with “Me too” or “I counted every day of the week for this”) but an old woman's voice interrupted her even before she had a chance to open her mouth.
“How long do you plan to stand there for, come in, come in!”
Mrs. Geum Ja despite being an old woman, had a strong voice and the aura of a mother from head to toe so Hyun Ju didn't hesitate for a second to obey her. The food stall was relatively empty except for two customers who were drinking soju without paying much attention to her arrival and a messy-haired man with glasses who came out of the kitchen area wiping his hands on his clothes.
“Good afternoon,” said Hyun Ju, bowing to the two, “My name is Cho Hyun Ju, but you can call me...”
“Hyun Ju, right, dear?” interrupted Geum Ja looking at her with an evaluative tinge in her eyes. Hyun Ju nodded, “Oh, welcome, welcome! We're glad to meet you finally, aren't we, son?”
“Oh, yes, sure, sure,” he replied a little awkwardly. Then, he bowed his head to Hyun Ju and smiled, “I'm Yong Sik. Nice to meet you.”
“Gosh, good thing you're polite now that you're sober!”
Gyeong Seok held back a laugh as soon as he saw how Yong Sik looked at his mother with exasperation, “Mom, I already told you that...”
“Yes, yes, I know, but, uhm, dear...Hyun Ju, right?” said Mrs. Geum Ja with some hesitation. Hyun Ju nodded but something in the tone of the woman's voice and her countenance made her alarms go off and her smile waver a millimeter, “You...you're very tall aren't you? Maybe it's because you're alpha? And your voice sounds a bit deep, are you sick perhaps? And, well, your—”
Immediately, Yong Sik put his hands on his mother's shoulders, and with visible nervousness, he mumbled, “Mother, I think we should prepare the special menu for her! You remember that even Gyeong Seok and Na Yeon haven't eaten, right? Let's go, let's go! If we delay too long, she will think that the business you run doesn't respect its customers!”
Mrs. Geum Ja wanted to protest but her son guided her against her will towards the kitchen area, both disappearing behind a door. Hyun Ju, who had said nothing, stared at the scene with her hands tense on the strap of her purse. She was used to innuendoes, malicious or not about her transition, but still she couldn't help but feel a knot in her stomach every time it happened. As if the phantom fear of being pushed away because of it presented itself at every opportunity in her life. Hyun Ju pressed her lips together. What if Mrs. Geum Ja rejected her, what if somehow that rejection towards her was expressed in front of Gyeong Seok and he followed in her footsteps? Hyun Ju clutched her hands even tighter to the leash striving not to give the matter any more thought.
But perhaps it was her obvious change of mood or something in her connection with Gyeong Seok that alerted the man who immediately rested his hand on hers. The touch was unexpected, but not invasive enough to be rejected, and although it startled Hyun Ju, the tension in her body gradually dissipated as she looked at Gyeong Seok's face. His calm and serene gaze conveyed a certain warmth to her that she could not explain.
“Mrs. Geum Ja is a good person,” he said, “I trust her, but I trust me and my judgment even more, do you understand?”
There, right there was Gyeong Seok's message implied. Something simple and said without any hesitation or hesitation at all. Said with a natural assurance as if he was talking about something that didn't need to be made clear but he had done it just to calm her down.
Suddenly, the tension disappeared and the turbulent pessimistic thoughts had no chance to take root any longer in her head. Gyeong Seok was on her side and wanted her to trust him more than what others would say. Even though they were just getting to know each other, he wanted her to know that he would be on her side... Unable to help herself, Hyun Ju was deeply impressed by such a gesture, and after nodding with a small smile, Gyeong Seok also reciprocated with the same.
If anyone had seen the scene, they would have refrained from interrupting an intimate and sentimental moment, but since Na Yeon was a little girl excited to show off the gift she had made and had finally found among the clutter of her notebooks and books, she could care less about such a situation. So oblivious to everything, Na Yeon came running and almost screaming with excitement towards Hyun Ju, who automatically paid the most attention to her. Gyeong Seok, seeing that he had been defeated by his daughter, had no choice but to give up for now. Next, the three of them walked to a table and once they sat down, Na Yeon began to explain the drawing she had made to Hyun Ju.
“Unnie is a heroine. You have pink, see?”, Na Yeon's little finger pointed to a pink spot almost unrecognizable if you didn't pay attention to the details, “You have a red colored sword because I like the color and it looks cute and heroines have swords, right? I also put flowers, lots of flowers and I drew me because, to me, unnie is my heroine”
Hyun Ju could swear that her smile could no longer fit on her face and as she ran her fingers over the paper, she exclaimed looking at her, “And to me Na Yeon is my princess,” the little girl laughed covering her mouth, as if she was embarrassed or enjoying the compliment and Gyeong Seok wished he had had a professional camera so he could capture the moment, “I really liked your gift, princess. Can I take it home?”
Na Yeon nodded, “Will you take care of it?”
“I will. I plan to put it on my special wall, you know, there I put pictures or drawings that are very important to me.”
Na Yeon, like any curious girl, started asking her about the things she had in her house. And while Hyun Ju answered her with patience and tenderness that kept Na Yeon delighted, Gyeong Seok just stood there, looking at them and feeling an inner peace he had secretly longed for a long time ago.
As Hyun Ju and Gyeong Seok left the food stall, making a promise to Na Yeon that they would return with some sweets for her, Mrs. Geum Ja stopped them just when they had walked a couple of blocks away. Her voice shouting out their names and their breathing agitated, showed that Mrs. Geum Ja had wanted to stop them at any cost. For an instant, Hyun Ju thought that something urgent had happened, but seeing the woman's nervous expression and the bag of tangerines in her hand, she erased that thought at once. She gave no further explanation as to why she had run the risk of falling and breaking a bone, and even though Gyeong Seok reminded her to be careful, Mrs. Geum Ja seemed more interested in telling Hyun Ju something than worrying about her health. After a couple of minutes where Hyun Ju read the doubt in her look and voice, Mrs. Geum Ja bowed her head to her, apologizing for her misplaced questions. Needless to say, both Hyun Ju and Gyeong Seok were surprised, but Mrs. Geum Ja continued to insist that it had not been her intention to make her uncomfortable.
“I'm an old woman raised the old-fashioned way, dear. It's not a valid excuse, I know and that's why I'm trying to make amends for the first impression I left on you,” she exclaimed rubbing her wrinkled hands together.
Her voice, though firm, carried a tinge of regret, and her slightly hunched shoulders betrayed the weight of her regret.
“Don't worry, Mrs. Geum Ja,” Hyun Ju said in a reassuring tone, “I know from Gyeong Seok that you are a good person. And the fact that you took the trouble to come all the way here and tell me what you told me says a lot about you.”
The old woman seemed to cheer up at those words and letting out a short tired sigh, continued, “You are very understanding, dear”
Hyun Ju smiled and, for a second, her mother's image overlapped with the woman's, “I'm only understanding with people who deserve it, Mrs. Geum Ja”
After a few more words and Mrs. Geum Ja's invitation to attend her birthday, Hyun Ju and Gyeong Seok continued their way to the park in a silence that didn't last long. Whether it was commenting on Na Yeon's drawing skills or the route Hyun Ju had taken to get there, the atmosphere was filled with the two's voices until they arrived at the park. This was a wide place, with evergreen trees around it, bushes, and several benches around an imposing statue. There were few people; a few dog owners and the occasional couple with their children, and the only noise that glistened was secret laughter and murmuring.
Both Gyeong Seok and Hyun Ju sat on a bench and between them put the bag of tangerines that Mrs. Geum Ja had given them to eat. Not knowing how to start or what to say, Hyun Ju took one of the tangerines and began to peel it slowly, feeling anticipation or anxiety climb from her feet to her head with each passing second. Gyeong Seok imitated her, silent and with a thoughtful countenance, looking almost meditatively at the fruit. His finely sculpted profile was caressed by the afternoon breeze, as the locks of his hair fluttered like tree leaves in autumn; a season of the year that also made sense with his age and the years that rested in the lifelines of his forehead or mouth. And even though Hyun Ju had made an effort to eat in silence, glancing briefly at Gyeong Seok in the process, she couldn't help but feel an electrifying attraction run down her back as she looked at his profile, she was fascinated to discover little things she had ignored before. Things like the tiny mole on his left ear or the shape of his sideburns, neatly outlined and slightly elongated. Things that anyone would pass over in Gyeong Seok, but something in Hyun Ju urged her to admire with the awakened instinct guiding her after years of asleep.
The instinct she thought lost had returned to her with almost everything that being an alpha entailed and it had returned only because she had met Gyeong Seok on a day that she swore had been like any other but had made a difference between yesterday and today.
“What are you thinking about?”
Hyun Ju blinked, coming back to herself. Gyeong Seok was looking at her, gesturing appeasingly as he shook his hands from the remnants of tangerine he had eaten at one point when Hyun Ju had become immersed in her thoughts.
“I...,” she mumbled, lowering her gaze to her hands that held the half-peeled tangerine, “...I was thinking about the recent changes in my life”
“Positive or negative changes?”
“Just changes”
“May I know which ones?”
Hyun Ju sighed and raised her head, looking straight ahead.
“I got a better job that allows me some financial stability,” she said, “I found a friend who apparently wants to be my friend for a long time,” Hyun Ju could only think that if Young Mi had heard her she would have pouted in indignation, “My coworkers are nice and respectful to me”, perhaps even wary of not making her angry because ever since they saw her ‘take care’ of the customer who insulted her, they had bet that she would have been able to beat the head of security Jung Bae, “And, by the vagaries of life, I'm getting back what identifies me as an alpha, but...”
A silence lingered between the two and as Hyun Ju didn't seem to want to continue or there was something that prevented her from continuing, Gyeong Seok dared to intervene, “It's your pheromones, isn't it?”, Hyun Ju said nothing, but a perceptive gesture of discomfort or embarrassment was caught by the man. Perhaps that was why Gyeong Seok steered the conversation in another direction, “I think you missed mentioning a few more changes,” the woman, visibly curious, turned to look at him with a slight frown. He, not letting that gesture distract him, shook his head in small affirmative gestures that were similar to those of his daughter when she wanted to convey that she understood something without interrupting, “You met Na Yeon, a lovely and intelligent little girl. And I'm not just saying that because I'm her father,” that comment made Hyun Ju laugh a little which caused Gyeong Seok's heart to warm up and gave him some courage to continue, “And you also met me. While I'm not as adorable as Na Yeon, I'd like to think that I'm at least someone interesting and worthy enough to be a part of your life”
“Gyeong Seok...”
“Because regardless of what you think, Hyun Ju, I wish you would agree to get to know me better,” Gyeong Seok's cheeks flushed and while his gaze wavered, he remained focused and unperturbed on Hyun Ju's touched face, “And I would also like to get to know you better,” Hyun Ju slightly half-opened her lips, but was quickly interrupted by Gyeong Seok, “However if you don't want to...”
“No!”
Gyeong Seok looked hurt with the answer. So much so that his voice came out with a plaintive whine, “No?”
“No, no. I'm not saying 'no' to your proposal, I'm just saying 'no' to the insinuation of your...uhm,” Hyun Ju wiggled her fingers over the tangerine she still held in her hands as she tried to sort out her thoughts. The fact that Gyeong Seok was looking at her with an underlying hope in his irises only made her even more eager to give a coherent answer, “I'd like to get to know you better too, Gyeong Seok,” The man couldn't help but show his joy as his smile widened further and, against his wishes, a light scent of sandalwood pervaded the atmosphere. It wasn't as strong as days ago, but it was perceptible enough for Hyun Ju to notice and her chest tightened with a sense of familiarity that she had longed for since that day when she first met him, “But...”
“If the 'but' has to do with your pheromones...”
Hyun Ju offered an apologetic smile, "It has to do with and I think it's important"
“Just because you can't emit pheromones yet doesn't mean I consider you any less my fated mate, Hyun Ju,” Gyeong Seok clarified firmly and matter-of-factly, “And I say ‘yet’ because we still need to go for a medical consultation.”
“We?”
“Ah,” Gyeong Seok seemed to realize his mistake instantly, "Sorry, I said 'we' out of habit, you know, Na Yeon sometimes gets sick and...well, if you wish to go to the hospital on your own it seems to me...”
“I would like you to accompany me,” Hyun Ju interrupted this time in a sudden burst of fearlessness. Perhaps because of Gyeong Seok's pheromones or maybe because of her stupid alpha instinct that craved to be by his side for as long as possible, “I think if we both go, the doctor will be able to get a more general idea of what's wrong with me. After all, the subject of fated mates is a very delicate thing to deal with in the medical field.”
“Of course,” Gyeong Seok's face lit up, ”We can schedule an appointment as soon as possible if you wish”
“I will first try to contact my doctor. He knows my medical history well so I would like to know what he thinks about this,” Hyun Ju said thinking that she should check her furniture and drawers for the doctor's business card, ‘I will let you know when I contact him.’
“Yeah, sure" Then Gyeong Seok rested his hand on the back of his head and, with some hesitation, asked, “You mentioned that your days off are Tuesday and Thursday, right? So, if you're off this Thursday, how about we go to dinner?”
“To Mrs. Geum Ja's food stall?” ventured Hyun Ju.
“No, I mean a restaurant. After all, I owe you dinner or lunch...and well, I think there we can talk more calmly about us”
Oh.
Gyeong Seok wanted to start dating her. Gyeong Seok had invited her to dinner. Simply put, this was a...
“Is it a date?” asked Hyun Ju to make sure she had gotten the message right.
Verbalizing the message clearly caused Gyeong Seok to blush even more, but far from backing down, he nodded and that was all Hyun Ju needed to know.
“It's okay,” the happiness in Gyeong Seok was easy to identify, even more so if his pheromones seemed to be just another extension of his body that was eager to capture the interest of Hyun Ju, who, it should be emphasized, had been delicate enough not to mention it because there was something special about receiving that kind of attention coming from the only omega who had been able to awaken in her something that she thought was lost and that, from now on, would be a part of her life. A life that, it seemed, encouraged her to know what people call real happiness. With that in mind and a future that was looking more and more promising, Hyun Ju flashed a smile and asked, “Do you mind if we go buy the candy for Na Yeon? I'd like to know what her favorites are so that the next time I visit her I can bring something she likes”
Gyeong Seok's eyes sparkled in recognition, as they always did when Na Yeon was mentioned, or better yet when Hyun Ju mentioned Na Yeon with a unique fondness and appreciation that warmed his heart.
“Of course,” he said, “Just a word of warning: she loves candy, so I always have to be careful that she doesn't overeat”
Unfortunately for Hyun Ju and her weakness for children, Na Yeon was a very persuasive little girl who knew how to use her tenderness to her advantage. Especially if it came to getting more candy from her favorite heroine.