Honest (Part Two - Morning)
Yoon Yoo Rae was fully aware of her drinking problem. She’d been that way since her college days, showing up in unexpected places after a drink too many. For the most part, she thought she did a good job curbing this awful habit, but sometimes it got the best of her.
Just like last night.
Yoo Rae rolled off of what she thought was her bed, and in an attempt at getting up, hit her head against something unfamiliar. Her eyes opened against the morning light, and she gasped. What she slept on wasn’t her bed, and this most certainly wasn’t her house.
She sat up, looking at her surroundings. She didn’t recognize any of it.
Suddenly, a door from somewhere in this foreign house opened, and Yoo Rae scrambled to her feet, failing to reach the door miserably. Instead, she hit her knee against the same table she hit her head on, and crumpled into a hangover mess on wooden floors.
“Good morning,” a gruff voice greeted her.
Yoon Yoo Rae looked up, and to her surprise, found her cap staring at her.
“Cap!” She got to her feet, staggering. She sat back down on the couch before she fell a second time. “Where am I?”
“You got eyes. Where do you think?”
Yoo Rae bit the inside of her mouth nervously. “This wouldn’t be your place, would it?”
“You should be more careful about how much you drink.” Gyo Dong left his spot outside his bedroom, walking into the kitchen with some jeans and a button up shirt on. “Take the meds on the table before your hangover symptoms get worse. They should help.”
“Huh? Oh, thank you.” Yoo Rae noticed the few pills next to a glass of water on the table. She took them quietly.
Gyo Dong watched her with mitigated interest as he made his morning coffee. To be honest, he’d been awake for the past hour. Sleep was like water during a drought: hard to come by. He didn’t get so much as a wink last night with Yoon Yoo Rae sleeping in the room next to his, and as a result, he was more tired than usual. The thought of her in his home alone made him nervous, and by 5:30 A.M., he figured he might as well get ready for the day. He hadn’t expected her to get up as early as she did.
“I didn’t cause you too much trouble, did I?” Yoo Rae finished taking the meds, twisting open one of the water bottles. Her headache wasn’t that bad, but the more she hydrated, the clearer her thoughts would be. She wasn’t drunk anymore, but she didn’t want her hangover to dictate what she said.
Cap shrugged. “You were heavy, and sometimes thrashed around a bit, but other than, no.”
Yoo Rae grimaced. “I’m sorry.”
“If you’re really sorry, don’t drink like that again.” Gyo Dong was curious about what made her drink like that in the first place. Sort of. He was curious, but he also had a good idea about what it was, given her words from the night before.
“I had a lot on my mind, so I drank more than I should’ve.” Yoo Rae paused. Was this too much information? No, she decided. It’s perfectly normal for people to drink when they’re stressed, so you’re fine, Yoon Yoo Rae.
“Like what?” Gyo Dong exited his kitchen with breakfast, many bowls containing various sides that he carefully prepared earlier when he couldn't sleep.
This question caught Yoo Rae off guard.
Gyo Dong hoped it would lead to the one thing he wanted to ask her.
“Typical things. Unimportant ones. I’ll probably be over it by next week or something.” Yoo Rae smiled, waving her hand before grabbing a spoon.
Gyo Dong noticed a weight in her eyes that contrasted her smile. Maybe there was something serious genuinely bothering her. While he was concerned about feelings regarding himself, it could be that something else was going on with Yoon Yoo Rae.
“Will you be okay? If there’s something I can help with, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
“No, Cap, I should be fine.” She played with her rice subconsciously. “Some things just resurfaced, but I’ll push them down again. No problems here.”
That sounded a lot like himself.
“Push down what? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Yoon Yoo Rae glanced up from her rice to look at Cap. She didn’t know what was up with him today. He seemed suspiciously interested in why she drank, and his questions made her anxious. In her muddled, hungover state, she wouldn’t put it past herself to say something about her growing feelings for him.
It was an accident, honestly. All the little things he did became bigger things in her head, and before she knew it, Yoon Yoo Rae had become self-conscious whenever he was around. When he entered the room, she couldn’t help but notice. When he looked especially tired, she worried he wasn’t getting enough sleep. She wanted to impress him with her topic choices during their meeting, but he hardly threw her a bone. Yoo Rae was on the edge of her seat, waiting for and wondering if he’d do something, even if small, again.
“I do mind, Cap.” She took a spoonful of rice into her mouth. After swallowing she said, “I’ll reimburse you for today. Sorry about the fuss.”
But before all that, she had her dignity, and she wasn’t going to out herself like this.
“I see.” Gyo Dong delved into his meal. He hadn’t expected anything less of Yoon Yoo Rae: she wasn’t one of the best information gatherers and holders on her team for nothing.
Chewing on the last of his meal, he decided to try a different approach. It was risky, and it made him uncomfortable, but that’s how people changed. By doing what they feared and hoping for the best. If it would bring some clarity, Gyo Dong was willing to throw his hook and take a chance on this line.
“Are you busy this evening after work?” He put his chopsticks down, watching Yoo Rae’s reaction carefully.
The young woman seemed to be taken back by his question. Her mouth slacked and formed an ‘o’ shape in surprise before she shook her head. “I’m not. What’s up? Is there something you need me to do after work?”
“I do, actually.” One corner of Gyo Dong’s lips curved upward, and the other corner followed suit. “I need you to have a few drinks with me.”
It felt good to think about the chance of spending time with Yoon Yoo Rae after work, and even better to ask. Now it all depended on whether she said yes or not.
“Huh? Are we having a work dinner tonight?”
“No, that’s next week.”
“Then, why…?”
Gyo Dong cleared his throat. He wasn’t the best with his words when it came to things of the heart, but he knew it would take practice. Today was his square one. He would tell her about how he felt, and deal with the consequences after. It was useless trying to get over his feelings by himself: it’s been months and hasn’t worked thus far. Maybe after today he’d have some sense of relief.
“Because I have some things to say, and if you’re willing, I’d really like you to listen to them.” Gyo Dong smiled, taking one last drink of his water. “Are you done eating? We should start getting to work.” He read the time on his watch. “Actually, we have enough time to stop by your house if you need to change. How’s your hangover?”
“I—” Yoon Yoo Rae stopped short. It was as if her brain chose the most inconvenient time to short-circuit. “I’m good. Uh, thank you for the meal, Cap. Hangover’s fine, I guess.”
Gyo Dong took their empty dishes back to his kitchen, and left Yoo Rae alone with her thoughts.
What on Earth does he have to say to me? She looked over at her cap in astonishment. And over drinks, no less! She shook her head, refusing to misunderstand. This was what got her in trouble in the first place. Instead of overthinking things, this could be her chance to settle her budding feelings. It’s been months since anything happened, and it was about time she moved on. Cap didn’t like her, and she was wrong to think otherwise.
In the kitchen, Gyo Dong hummed softly to himself. From the corner of his eye, he could tell Yoon Yoo Rae was debating with herself over what he meant. He smiled. Let her ponder all she wants. He always did find her confused face to be enduringly humorous. He wondered what kind of expression she’d make when he told her the truth. Would she smile? Would she frown? If she’s happy, will she cry? If he was too late, would she curse him out? He didn’t know, but he wanted to.
Today was going to be an interesting one indeed.