So… I was right. This is banchan. {/she’s a little concerned now; judging from past experience, this dish would either be a complete success, or an epic failure, and she wasn’t in the mood to play a guessing game.} Can’t I just… I dunno… get a sandwich or something? Barbeque? Noodles?
{/Stephanie can feel her stomach starting to rumble. She knows she’s starting to get hungry, and he said appetizer? Surely there will be more to come after this. With hesitant fingers, she picks up a pair of chopsticks, eyeing the kimchi warily.} Mind blowing kimchi, huh? {/one bite wouldn’t hurt, right? He didn’t say she had to finish it. She could just try a bit, then ask for the next dish. Plus, it was the least she could do for old man Gong. After all, he was giving her a free multi-course meal…} Wait. This is free, right? I’m just a taste tester, right? {/she’s got enough for a small mouthful between her chopsticks. What could be so bad about a little kimchi?} Alrighty.
{/the pain is almost instant. It’s something akin to biting your tongue and downing a mouthful of hot soup. At the same time. A hundred-fold. Stephanie’s dropped her chopsticks; her cheeks are red, and her eyes are watering.} What. In the actual. F— {/she’s up on her feet, and she’s pushed the plate as far away from herself as possible. It’s only been a couple of seconds, but she’s sure she can’t feel her tongue — or her whole face — at all.} W… w… {/she’s trying to focus on inhaling as much cold air as she can through her mouth; her skin feels sticky and hot with sweat.} W… ater…
(/Blinking as innocently as he could, he looked at her ongoing struggle with academic curiousness.) Water would probably make it worst. I do have some ice cream i made with liquid nitrogen here. (/he pulled a metal bowl out from the hidden freezer below the counter, splashing additional liquid nitrogen in, causing the bowl with ice cream to leak white mist from the cold.)
(/Making sure to stand away of her reach, he continued to talk, the seductively cold remedy to the hellfire in her mouth in his hands.) I first decided to make a kimchi that would be sightlier spicier to open up the palette. Then, I wondered how far I could take it. You're eating that creation, which might I add, really brave of you. I wouldn't even touch it. (/he nods, gazing at the mist escaping from the bowl.) Who knows how much agony that would put me in... (/he chuckled, dodging her lunge at him)
Well... (/he hands the bowl over to her, crossing his arms and watched as she took a large bite of the ice cream from the spoon.) I perhaps might have forgotten to add that this ice cream was made with lemon concentrate... Sort of like a cold, extremely sour bomb.
Darkness was the last thing she saw and now, darkness was the first thing that greeted her. It enveloped her whole like a silken cocoon, swallowing her in its endless abyss. In the pit of her stomach, a violent storm was a-brewing; the almighty Zeus with his raging thunder and lightning bolts taking the form of trepidation, causing turmoil and terror. And in that moment, she believed that if one were to shine a torch onto her face, they’d see the fear lining her blood-drained face in bold, black coal. There was a lump in the back of her throat and it threatened to tear her jaw apart, demanding to be expelled. That was how terrified she was. That was how she thought her life was ending.
In all honesty, she was surprised to still be able to open her eyes another time. Yes, she may have been kept in the dark, literally, but she was still alive nevertheless. But that didn’t stop her from thinking that this was all another figment of her imagination. Maybe she was already dead— but she never really did believe in life after death. Or perhaps it was the alternative— the kidnapping had never trully happened. Maybe, just maybe, this was all a horrible dream. Just as hope began to bud in the crevices of her frightened, fragile heart, it was shot down, stomped upon, buried six feet under by the piercing sound of a door creaking open.
❝ Looks like the princess has awoken, ❞ came a gruff voice, brusque with an underlying tone that sounded both twisted and sinister.
Princess. It was funny how this man had addressed her in such a manner. All this while, she was convinced that a man would be the prince who saved the damsel in distress. Never would she have expected him to take the dark form of evil and lock her away in this faraway place. Perhaps what she needed was a dragon instead of a fork-tongued prince. A dragon would keep her warm. A dragon would keep her safe. Safe from outsiders. Safe from strange men who crept in corridors and blended in with the shadows.
With the door ajar, some ray of light had found their way to the bottom of the loosely-tied piece of clothing covering her eyes. Upon receiving the stimuli, her pupils readjusted their size and she could barely make out the dirty cement floor she was sitting on and the ropes that bound both her ankles to each other. Barely seconds ago, she hadn’t felt a single thing on her but now, the ropes seemed to have tightened, strangulating her ankles until they began to ache and throb, both her feet tingling — no, numb — what with the bad circulation.
When the man spoke a second time, she inched even closer to the cold wall, wishing she could shrink right there in the corner. Could it be considered a display of mercy from their part for leaning her against the wall instead of throwing her onto the hard ground when she was unconscious? No. They probably had something else in mind since they had kept her alive up to this very second. Considering the fact that the man only used the singular form with her and the silence of her surroundings, she assumed that she was alone. It must have been a room of some sort, a small one to be precise, for the man’s voice reverberated just the slightest when he talked.
Now that her mind was fully focused on the present, a different thought slithered into the back of her brain. Right now, the chances of her escaping seemed very bleak— she was on her own, blindfolded, hands and legs bound. Would anyone notice her disappearance? Most likely not. It was a school week and her parents weren’t expecting her home so soon. Friends? She barely had any and even if she did, perhaps none of them cared enough if she hadn’t shown up for classes. Everyone in university was their own person and leaves of absence were very common. Perhaps this really was the last of her after all.
"Now this is a face I've never expected myself to see here again." The unshaven middle-aged male said, seated at his desk as he looked up at Gong Yoo. "I heard you're retired."
"I am." Came the reply, followed by a unmarked envelope being pushed across the table. "Certain situations demanded my personal involvement in them due to time. I'd need something similar to what I'm used to using, old friend. I'm willing to compromise. Speed is of the essence for me, now."
The envelope was pushed back, with a dry chuckle and a shake of the head from the male. "You already called me old friend, there's no need of payment when it comes to favors between old friends, especially for you." Standing from the desk, he motioned for Gong Yoo to wait before the male disappeared into a seperate room, returning with a black briefcase. Setting it on the table, his gaze hardened as the male turned to look at Gong Yoo. "You haven't turned, have you? I'm not releasing the god of war onto my own people, am I?"
"This doesn't concern honor or country. This is something much much more personal than our age old conflict of north against south, old friend." Gong Yoo replied, barely suppressing his laugh that escaped from the question. The male nodded and handed the briefcase to Gong Yoo. "Exactly what you used to use. Silencer and fifty rounds are included within. I do hope it's enough."
"It is. Thank you." Gong Yoo replied before making a short bow and turning to leave. A strong grip stopped his exit as the male held onto Gong Yoo's arm. Picking up the envelope from the desk, he slid it back into Gong Yoo's inner coat pocket. "You almost fooled me with your quick exit, thankfully I'm still as sharp." The male said, patting Gong Yoo's chest, releasing him.
"...Thank you." Gong Yoo said, bowing again, officially leaving. The male sighed as his eyes followed his friend's back, departing down the long industrial corridor, finally disappearing past a corner. He muttered a silent prayer to whomever he is after, the male wasn't kidding about his fear of giving the god of war a weapon. This was the man that was named after the ancient Greek god of war. Retired or not, that man is dangerous. "May god have mercy on your souls." He whispered, closing his eyes in prayer for the soon to be fallen. "We called him Ares for a reason."
[/she starving after long day at work, making her belly rumble. When the girl can not be bothered to cook, she heads down to bistro flux. The perky blonde girl walks in, holding her tummy. People could hear the grumbles, a man approached her] Min- are you hungry by any chance? [/she smiles, holding her tummy] Yeaaaaah. Feed me. Feed me Gongyoo. Give me anything which can afford, hahaha.
Anything you can afford? [/he laughed, leaning backwards away from her while crossing his arms.] Today's menu happens to be quite expensive... [/he sighed.] But since Min is here, Yoo Oppa shall treat her to a meal. [/He said as he threw her a cheeky smirk]
The rhythmic ticking of the second hand held Gong Yoo's attention, his gaze lingering on the large analog clock displayed at the bistro. A surprise visit by a lawyer employed by the ghost of his past would be arriving anytime soon. He had refused to meet anyone working directly to his past, the only compromise they agreed on was this lawyer. The lawyer was supposed to keep random tabs on him, the lawyer's identity to be kept protected and secret from him. Of course, this would mean Gong Yoo already knows details about the lawyer. From the time and dates of his planned visits, all the way to the lawyer's grades in school were already settled and done.
His attention waning from the clock, he allowed a sigh to escape and he began playing with the silverware of the table he occupied in his empty bistro. He had swore to leave his old life behind, this lawyer would probably have a much easier time as compared to years ago. This lawyer would enter the den of the tiger to find a nice adorable kitten. Yes. That was the plan.
Even when he is known to never have his plans go accordingly to his ideals.
[ ` ― shifts through the thin pages of her art history notebook, her eyes scanning the names of influential artists and terms that are important which were written in colourful pens and highlighted, because she just really needed to remember their names. it didn’t help that they were foreign names. she takes a look at her watch. 1:30pm, it tells her. this is the time people are maybe eating, or in class or at work, so she understands why it would be a slow day. ]
[ ` ― she hears the bell above the door ring after she finally finishes reviewing her notes, now reading the book thief by markus zusak, signaling that someone entered the shop. greeting him with a smile and a good afternoon before she watches him walk to the cookbook section, a small section, if she’s going to be honest. the two stay in silence, the customer looking through the books and her reading her book, until she looks back up to him and notices he may be struggling a bit. she stands up from her seat, the chair scraping against the floor making a sound, before walking over to the man. ] May I help you, sir?
[`- The weather was getting chilly as he placed his hands into his jeans pockets to keep warm. Sniffing, he walked into the store to escape the chill for a moment. Returning the smile to the girl seated at the store, and almost on instinct, he moved to where the cookbooks were.]
[`- Hearing her query, he turned to face her with a friendly smile.] Ah... Yes. Do you have anything new in terms of cookbooks? I seem to have everything here. [`- He chuckled as he gestured to the shelves.]
“Also, I’m perfectly aware that creating a thermite is against a few laws and policies of good morality, do you really think I’d attempt to something like that?” Ara would deny if anyone ever questioned, but there was indeed a small pout decorating her reddish lips as she tried to enlighten the other into a new perspective.
He allowed a sigh to escape his lips, a slight shake of his head with his eyes closed followed before a chuckle escaped. "It was a joke. I know you wouldn't create thermite." He said to her, before a smirk appeared at the pause. "If you did, with your cooking ability, it'd probably destroy the building before i could get here."
It was with that same irritating smirk that he began preparing the cookie dough in a bowl, mixing sugar and butter. He moved to his bag and brought out boxes and bags of other ingredients and placed them on the counter. Separating the dough into two portions in separate bowls, he add vanilla to one and cocoa power to the other.
There was a sharpness to his gaze as they moved around with his hands, preparing the cookies with an almost delicate precision. When he was done with a bowl, he handed it to her. "You may help to shape the cookies, I think that much you could do." He teased, before taking a pinch and feeding it to her. "It's edible cookie dough, however, please don't eat it all before we can make cookies."
Moving back to the other batch, he added chocolate chips and mixed them further, beginning his own process of shaping the cookies, he turned over to look at her progress and sighed. Comparing his own creations to her's, he couldn't help but laugh. "How can there be so huge of a difference between our cookies?" He asked, unable to control his laughter, slapping his hand on the counter. Perhaps this was also a testament of how close he has allowed this female to enter his world, as it was out of nature for him to tease someone that much, especially when he knew the other was a absolute beginner to begin with.
"Perhaps we could try to make them all perhaps roughly the same size?"
It was, in fact, bring-your-father-to-school-day, though it didn’t demand the father’s to dress up, like Misun had told him to. Never had he expected to be pranked by his own daughter like this, and yet, here he was, standing in animal pajamas.
Jonghyun felt his hand itching upon the other’s remark, but instead of reacting to an impulse he heaved a sigh and let it go, laughing it off with the other. “Do tell me, Gongyoo, what brings you to kindergarten? I’m sure my fancy tiger suit didn’t make the gossip magazines, so there must be another reason you’re here.”
Perhaps it was coincidence, also the fact that Gong Yoo did pity the father of the young devil. Chuckling softly, he answered. "Well... I'm here to teach parents how to cook healthily for their children, at the same time put on a show for the kids." A cunning smirk appearing on his face. "I might just have the idea on how to make this embarrassing costume work in your favor. Of course... I'd need your full cooperation."
Yes. The plan was simple enough, with him dressed up as a tiger, he could help to make the cooking much more entertaining. Gong Yoo could focus more on cooking than to entertain the kids with cooking theatrics. Helping the man to be less embarrassed was just a win-win situation really.
A heavy sigh escaped through her parted reddish lips, taking away all the air she hadn’t realized she was holding until the kitchen’s window was pushed wide opened as the brunette tilted her head in order to appease her lungs’ covet for pure and fresh oxygen, she silently thanked her precautionary measures of venturing herself in the darkest depths of the kitchen half of the day before her roommate arrived.
Teeth sunk deep into the flash of her reddish lips as the petite girl shifted her body around towards the apocalyptical scenario that had corrupted the once adorable and neat kitchen with ebony fog enclosed in such a smoldering smell, Ara could swear that there wasn’t a single piece of what should had been cookies that could be saved at this point, and honestly, she didn’t even knew why she tried in the first place.
After all, Ara held a vast history of blowing pans,
burning soups
and assassinating dishes in general.
However, it seemed to many that burnt cookies were most likely her specialty, though, it was also pretty obvious to anyone the young girl held dear to her heart that her and a kitchen didn’t sum up to a quality equation. Narrowing her eyes slightly as to avoid any sign of coral coloration in them due the irritation provoked by the smoke, she sighed, delicate hands enveloped in a clothe rapidly clutch around the edges of the broiler before hurriedly placing it on the counter.
Hazel orbs glanced the object with a stir of confusion and apprehension glittering through her irises, perhaps, the term ‘burnt’ has been slightly overrated and overblown to something most accurately described as toasted. Free slender hand toured the entire length of her chocolate colored strands in a silent manner to regain some control of the situation, as her mind was preoccupied with prayers for the fire alarm to not denounce her antics.
“I might or might not have gotten myself into the kind of trouble that only you can understand, Yoo! You see, I’m on the edge of setting off the fire alarm because of my formidable cooking skills and I might need help to start baking cookies from the point zero-…” She rapidly informed as soon as her delicate fingers managed to press the first number on her speed dial. “Can you please come over? I swear most of the smoke should be gone when you arrive.” Ara quickly added seconds before her hazel orbs widened. “Oh my god, the fire!” As she ended the call, she rushed back to the stove to finally turn off the fire.
A mix of amusement and exasperation lined the features of the male, staring at his phone. "Another fire?" He whined, moving to grab his coat and keys, heading out of the bistro and into his car. "Why did I even agree to her father's demand to take care of her? He saved me one time, and I'm stuck as a babysitter here. Why am I even.. Oh wait... I volunteered." He mumbled as he drove through traffic, possibly breaking several driving violations as he sped and arrived at her apartment in record timing.
It was with another exasperated sigh that he pushed the door open to her apartment, black smoke billowing out, fire extinguisher at hand. Rushing to the scene of the fire, a hard squeeze of the handle and white foam extinguished the flames. Annoyed eyes moved to gaze into hazel orbs, a slight twitch in his cheek betraying his emotions. "What did we agree on you cooking?" He asked, sighing once again as he set the extinguisher down. A light flick of his finger on her forehead followed, leaving a faint mark.
Water ran as he helped clean up most of her destruction, clearing the carbon from the pans and trays that she used. An hour later, with much scrubbing and complains, the kitchen was somewhat clean.
Leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his chest, he looked at the younger female and sighed once again. "So could you tell me what were you trying to make? Was it a new combination for thermite, is that why it was so volatile?
Half an hour had gone by but Irene showed no sign of stopping. Why? Ever since she left the mall earlier, she somehow had a strange feeling nagging, tugging harshly at every neuron of her brain, demanding that she paid attention to it. But she was constantly surrounded by paranoia that she disregarded this feeling as just another one of her mind’s hyperactive imagination. There was quite a large number of people around her so of course, they were bound to head in the same direction. The only thing that made her change her mind was the fact that this strange man also stopped when she had to bend down and retie her shoelace that had come undone.
She could see him from the corner of her eye— all athletic build and long limbs. But she couldn’t see his face, no. He had his cap on and his eyes were always cast downwards as he walked. By the second turn around the corner, she was absolutely certain that this man was tailing her. She tried to lose him in the crowd again but to no avail. Whoever he was, he definitely knew what he was doing. When she passed by a car parked by the roadside, she decided to steal a stealthy glance at him. And that was when she finally knew how real fear felt. At that exact moment, it seemed like he knew what she was doing and their eyes caught each other’s gaze in the reflection. His were cold and piercing, and they chilled her to the bone.
The sudden realisation that she had gotten herself into a much deeper mess made her steps lighter, quicker. And he too followed suit. Shoving her hand into her pocket, she tried to fish out her mobile phone but unfortunately, some other pedestrian coming from the opposing lane bumped into her and the device slipped out her clammy hand. By the time she had turned into another street, the crowd had significantly reduced in number and what made it worse was that she couldn’t even tell where she was. Passersby were scattered along the sidewalk and she was too terrified to grab onto one of them and scream for help. She had to act quick yet discreetly. A man was heading her way but he seemed to be preoccupied with the doughnut in his hand. He would have to do. There was no other way for she could already hear the approaching footsteps behind her.
When they were close enough, she made a quick swerve and knocked into him. She tried to tell him, she really did but in this state of panic, she seemed to have lost her voice. Casting him a frightened look, she immediately moved away and resumed her flight. Just another thirty meters till she could make another turn and hopefully lose the man who was hot on her heels. But imagine her surprise when a van suddenly sped past and braked right in front of her. As she spun on her heel, she felt a rough yank on her wrist. Her lips parted to let out a scream but they were soon muffled by an acrid-smelling piece of cloth. The last thing she remembered was being dragged towards the tinted vehicle and the door slamming shut. Everything else had since then faded to black.
"Just a bite." She said, her brown eyes mischievous. An amused smirk crossed his lips, his head shaking no. "Come on! It's just a doughnut." She laughed, pulling onto his arm, jokingly whining. "It's empty calories." He replied, chuckling at her antics. His hand reached out to run his fingers through her hair, cupping her cheek, rosy from the cold. "You're taking your restaurant manager job thing too seriously. Donuts bought from a random store can be delicious too." She pouted, yet still leaning into the warmth that his hand provided. Another chuckle followed, "Fine. I'd take a b-"
A bump knocked him out of his reminisce, the doughnut he was staring just moments ago lowered to his side. A distressed expression followed and she left. He turned, eyes tracing her movement. With the grab, his eyes widened with the grab and before he could react, the van had sped away. Perhaps it was instinct, training that have never really faded, that led him to spin around to scan the crowd behind him. His eyes locked on to a lone male, moving away from the scene. His demeanor and behavior identifying to Gong Yoo that he was the herder.
Irene was a family friend, cousins to his irritating brother not by blood, Daehyun. The fact that she didn't recognize him even with the mask for the slight flu he had, determined the skill of this herder. Irene was taken. He needed to identify the reason and the possibility of her location fast. The way she was taken spoke much about the team that is after her, the herder herds her towards a location where the grab is meant to happen. He would be noticeable, menacing, drawing the mark's attention from her surroundings to the path he'd like her to take. This man was a pro, that much was certain. Gong Yoo always had this ability to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, that much he was certain. However, Irene may just have been lucky enough to run into him just before the grab, the police wouldn't be able to track her down, the systems in place left much to be exploited. Gong Yoo has already been used to working out of the system, something he hopes never to step back into, but a friend's life was on the line, there was no choice in the matter.
As apposed to the herder's ability to project his presence and make the mark aware of his presence, Gong Yoo was an opposite. He was like a shadow, following his mark without him noticing. Eyes followed the herder as he retrieved a phone from the ground, Irene's. The herder made his way to a basement parking lot, keys jingling out. The telltale sound of his car unlocking with the press of a button echoed against the walls. His hand found the handle of the car door, and Gong Yoo appeared. A quick jab against the herder's throat silenced him to nothing more than mere gasping. Strong and thick arms curled around the herder's neck in a sleeper hold. A futile struggle later, the unconscious herder was taken, Gong Yoo driving out in the herder's car, gloved hands on the steering wheel.
The herder groaned as he woke, his limbs bound to a chair. Thick flat ropes bound him so comfortably that he barely felt the bite of restraints that comes with being bound. The sensation of pain turned his attention to the crook of his left arm. Rubber hose tied tightly on his bicep painfully slowed the blood flow, the silver of a needle buried into his skin sent a shiver down his spine. He screamed, fighting futilely against the restraint.
"Oh. You're awake." Gong Yoo said, sitting closely across the other, his face covered by the same surgical mask. Pushing a syringe into the inlet of the needle buried in the other. Clear liquid betrayed nothing of the contents of the syringe. "If you're disorientated it's perfectly normal, there should be still some lingering heroin in your blood. I've also taken the opportunity to help create many scars and marks on you to make you seem like a drug addict. So when your body starts to stink after your death, the police will simply just brush the off as an accidental death. Druggie injects bleach into his bloodstream by mistake while high." He spoke in a personal monologue, amusement lingering in the tone of his speech.
"Of course, this death can be avoided. All you need to tell me is the location of where the girl you've taken is, or anyone I'd be able to contact who knows and that'd be great." He continued, the amusement vanishing, replaced by something much more sinister. "There are many other ways I can find them, but this would be much much quicker, so don't even think for a second that I'd hesitate to kill you."
{/spotting the hanbok, Stephanie works hard to stifle laughter behind her fist.} What the hell…? So I’m guessing that get-up explains the music, huh. {/she looks down at the plate as its laid out in front of her, visibly amazed at how fancy the dish looks.} Wow. Kinda hard to believe you made this.
Oh hold on. Wait. {/upon closer inspection however, she realises the dish is kimchi. Just. Kimchi. Stephanie looks up at Gongyoo, one eyebrow raised.} This… this is kimchi. Kimchi is going to blow my mind? Um… I know I’m from New York and all that, but I can assure you I’ve had kimchi before, old man. And, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I wasn’t really planning on just having some simple banchan. {/she tilts her head in different angles — perhaps there’s something special about the kimchi? — but no matter how she looks at it, there’s no denying it’s simplicity.} Don’t I at least get some rice?
(/ Looking at her with undisguised amusement, he tutted while waving a finger.) Do you think this is a random Korean restaurant? This is but the appetizer for the start of a few course. (/ nodding in smug satisfaction, he pushed the plate closer to her.) Go on.. This would probably be the best one yet. Mind blowing Kimchi. Trust me on that one.
(/ Leaning back, expression carefully curious at her reaction, the corners of his lips tugging upwards. It's not like she needs to know that the mind blowing reason for this kimchi was because it was made with freshly grounded wasabi between the layers and ghost peppers as the base. It burned so bad that he had to use gloves while marinating. Nope. She doesn't need to know that at all.) That's it... One big bite would do.
Food. I want food. {/with her hand on the bistro’s front door, she walks into Flux, almost immediately overwhelmed by the array of aromas.} Hey, old man Gong? {/she stops at the doorway, head cocked as she listens to the music.} Seriously… this song again… {/clearing her throat, Stephanie takes a seat. She’s realising coming to Flux may not have been the best idea — who knows what old man Gong’s got in store for her this time? — but hey. She’s hungry, and in the mood to tease somebody. When she realises she’s been humming along to the song, she groans.} Ugh. This song’s not even that good. Why do I keep hearing it everywhere? Old man Gong! Dude, seriously!
|| Hearing the familiar whining over the music playing in the currently empty bistro, he stepped out of the kitchen, dressed in a Hanbok. A plain white plate in his hand, displaying an elegantly plated stack of cabbage kimchi. ||
Excellent timing. ||He laid the plate down in front of her, looking more like a three Michelin fusion dish than just a simple plate of kimchi. || This would blow your mind, you have to try it. I haven't let anyone tried this one yet and trust me... The experience will ultimately leave you craving.
"Yyyouvs never sseen a drunk guy before?" The liquor soaked into his whole being and waying heavy upon his tongue. Leaning himself up against the taller male’s frame with a long arm draped over the other’s shoulders. Grinning like an idiot before planting his lips to Gongyoo’s cheek for a sloppy peck. "Mmmwah~. Have I-eeee ever told you that you…..ou’re awesome?"
"I've seen a drunk guy enough time, thank you." Gong Yoo responded with as much excitement as an inmate on death row. His eyes blinked rapidly and a single brow raised, a reaction from the younger's kiss on his cheek. A sigh later, a grin emerged on the male's features. "Hey... Do you know how to be as awesome as me? You'd need to spin around really fast ten times while yelling Hwaiting."
Choa nods feeling relieved that he actually gets it. Of course, she didn’t expect him to stop trying, though. “Trust me,” She turns back towards him, “I’ll be risking everything to keep this place up.” Another warm smile plays on her lips as she looks over his shoulder to see an empty street. Choa blinks rapidly, wondering why everyone seemed to be waking up late that day.
Tomorrow? Choa laughs lightly. “Tomorrow, then. I wonder when you’ll ever fall tired of my coffee.” Shaking her head, she leans on the counter watching the way he wiggles his eyebrows. “Okay, that’s just weird.” Choa giggles and places a palm over her mouth. Sometimes how this guy lowers his pride so much to plead the way he does.
"If I ever do, I wouldn't stop coming. There's eye candy." He laughed, gazing at her cheekily at her before gesturing to the cafe. "Books are sexy. Also. I doubt I'd ever tire of your coffee."
Turning to see a a slow stream of regular patrons beginning to flow into the cafe, he gave her a playful wink and a light shrug before moving towards the exit. "Thanks for the coffee!" He shouted over his shoulder before heading out the door.
Yes, I’m sure you’ve got some weird food you want me to try and eventually poison me with, but I can eat a whole horse right now. { his stomach grumbles in agreement, and he hoped he didn’t hear that. }
{ he narrows his eyes. he seems to be agreeable, more than usual and it drove him to be suspicious. surely he didn’t think of sabotaging his job, the bastard? } At the hospital. { he pockets his phone because his mother sent a text about gongyoo again that he didn’t want to read. } Why? { he asks, with just a hint of accusation. i know what you’re thinking, he wants to say. but maybe that was just him being paranoid. }
|| Hands moved to pick up a plate of one of his more experimental food when they froze. ||
As in Hongik Hospital? The place with all the hot nurses? Aigoo~ Daehyun ah! || A complete one eighty degree change in his attitude happened faster than in a blink of an eye. || Hyun-ah! Why didn't you tell Hyung? Don't worry about food. Hyung got you covered.
|| He patted the younger's shoulder in a friendly manner and served Daehyun the daily specials instead of the now forgotten experiment. ||
Anyway... How many nurses do you know? When I ask, I meant single nurses. || He gave the younger a feral grin. ||
The man rolled his eyes away from his conversation partner, as he tried to avoid looking at the kigurumi he was wearing. He then breathed in, and courageously answered to the man before him: “Don’t you know it’s bring-your-tiger-father-to-school-day?” Yes, Misun had managed to convince him he had to go dressed up as an animal. She’d definitely inherited the lying trait from her mother.
Gong Yoo was struggling. In fact, it was taking every single shred of his willpower to not burst out laughing. The amusement was still evident on his face however, a silly smirk plastered on his features. "Well..." He said, trying his best to suppress his laughter but failing. "I think they should make this a compulsory thing... Made my day." He nodded, biting down on his lips once again.
Victoria gave a nod, resting her hand on top of his. ”Of course it will.”
It was the first time she had seen him like that. His eyes had turned darker, refusing to look up and meet hers. She couldn’t begin to imagine what kind of demons were haunting him. She was not there to psychoanalyze or diagnose or anything related to work. No, she was there to offer her support to someone who genuinely needed it, not as a professional but as a friend.
"What is it?"
"Remember when I jokingly said I used to be an agent for the NIS, and we shared a good laugh about it?" He continued, his eyes moving from the table to pierce into her gaze. "What if I told you there are cases where the the truth is stranger than fiction?"
He blinked, digesting the words in his mind before he spoke once again. “A family friend was taken just earlier in the day.” He said, eyes moving to the her hand over his. “Questionable things will be done to secure her safety, or rather things had already been done. I can’t go to the police, it’d probably be too late and…” Hesitation sunk in, a heavy silence followed as a battle against demons displayed in his eyes.
"How do you stop demons of your past from consuming you?" He breathed, his question soft but audible. His eyes locked back to her. "There are certain things that I need to do, yet I’m afraid it’d drag me back into the dark murky bottom which I came from… Any advice?" He ended with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
