A baritone voice boomed around the tight-spaced vicinity followed by a gruff yet comprehensible order. It’s crystal clear that the bar manager wished for the customer’s request to be done promptly.
Table Ten apparently clocked in an order of two classic margaritas – the most notable beverage of its time. Jisu had just finished placing down mugs on a booth in the corner, trying her mighty best to ignore the blatant ogling of said consumers who could probably (no, definitely) pass as her step-father. Gripping the large metal tray, she pursed her lips and turned around, ready to flee the scene.
“Choi. Table Ten.”
Jisu barely suppressed a grunt.
It’s the 22nd of June 1951, and the abrupt declaration of a lockdown in about three days caused the people to crowd pubs like this to savor the remaining hours of their ‘freedom’. Jisu, the unofficial breadwinner of her family didn’t want to give up this good-paying waitress job. She badly needs to save up cash. No one knew how long this nationwide confinement will take place, the current president didn’t dive into details anyway.
She took exactly fourteen strides to reach the table. There seated two regulars, probably in their early twenties if the impressive physiques were an indication. Jisu identified them as Hanbin and Jiwon based from their loud chitchats.
“.....now, thirty minutes and i’ll bruise your skull if she doesn’t come.” The threat was the first thing Jisu heard as she neared the lads. She decided she couldn’t care less and gently moved the glasses from her tray to the wooden table.
“Lucky me, then.” Jiwon donned a lopsided smirk and pointed towards the entrance.
Now, to be clear, Jisu is observant, not nosy. It just sucks that humans will always be curious, though. The twenty year-old craned her neck to the left and promised to take a swift glance, only for the image to be carved in her mind for time without end.
Clad in a jet-black leather jacket and cargo fitted pants, walked in a woman who could undoubtedly put goddesses to shame. Confusion whirled in her sharp hazel-brown orbs, trying to locate companions amidst the crammed bar. Tanned fists were clenched, as if someone was going to deck her then and there. Chesnut-colored locks harmonized with her features, and Jisu couldn’t stop staring. She wouldn’t, anyway.
The world paused for a moment, and as cliché as it sounded, the waitress can’t find another way to put how the ambiance felt around her. When the baffling woman turned towards their way, Jisu was a goner.
A smile made its way to her crimson lips, pleased to spot the two friends...or boyfriend and a chaperone. Jisu’s heartbeat seemed to match the rapid pace of the latter’s walking. The waitress looked away, attempting to convince herself that she’d forget this whole scenario give or take two to three business days. She was ready to forget this in two to three days.
But then the woman just had to open her lips.
“I'm sorry, I was buying stuff for tomorrow.” uttered with a voice lower than Jisu’s, yet clear enough to send her into a tingling mess.
God, they’re probably weirded out why she’s still here–
“No biggie, Yeji. Now ask the lady right here for something to eat and be seated.”
Yeji. what a striking name, she thought.
That was when Yeji took a glimpse of the brunette. Jisu felt stupid, just standing there in front of the newcomer and not on her knees, worshipping her. She fiddled with her deft fingers, hence the way Yeji widened her eyes in appreciation had gone unnoticed.
“I'm going with her,” Yeji responded in a hush tone, and Jisu wondered why. “Back to the counter. I'll order there. Probably going to finish there, too.” seventeen words and not once did Yeji take her brown orbs off of her while speaking. Hanbin looked back and forth between the two women, and eventually sighed.
Jisu was hyperaware of the presence tailing her back to the counter that stretched across the back of the pub. God almighty it’ll be impossible for her to survive this encounter. She focused on getting it over with, to at least keep her sanity by the closing time of this bar. Why is it so hot in here? Jisu blamed the number of people.
“How may I be of service?” she mustered up the most professional look she could do. Jisu can do this, she can maintain her job by NOT throwing herself into the brown-haired’s arms.
She CAN do this.
“Tell me your name, and I’ll tell you how I like my carbonara.” Yeji wore a shit-eating grin. Too shit-eating for someone she just met four minutes ago.
she CAN NOT do this.
------
Yeji was still seated on the stool in front of her by the nearing end of her shift. She kept her promise of finishing meals and beverages on the counter. Hawk-like eyes observed Jisu’s calculated moves, from wiping the remaining mugs squeaky clean to throwing rubbish right into the trash can.
Jisu wiped her hands on her knee-length skirt. She can’t avoid the woman now. She tried for the last two hours, only responding to meal-related inquiries. But not this time. Not when yeji was failing to hide a smirk behind a palm clamped over her own mouth.
Pretty girl is getting a little asshole-ish.
(Not that she protests against it, nonetheless.)
She must have looked so worn out, because the next moment Yeji’s features morphed into something akin to concern.
“You’re done working. Sit down in front of me, please?” Jisu slowly exhaled. It was a long day, and she isn’t the type to ignore this kind of short break. She dragged a stool and situated herself before the woman.
Hanbin and Jiwon excused themselves earlier, informing Yeji that they’ll be back at the camp or wherever it was. They’re probably hikers, Jisu guessed.
“How long have you been working here?”
“Two years.”
Yeji’s look was of pure shock. “You’ve been here since fifteen? That’s child labour!”
Jisu blushed profusely. Yeji’s presumption of her age is flattering so. “I'm 20 now. Do the math.” she smiled. God it had been a day since she genuinely smiled.
“Oh...” the latter seemed embarrassed. “I don't feel so bad about it now.” she mumbled.
“About what?”
“Nothing.” Yeji switched back to her jolly demeanour. “Do you want a share of my drink? You look like you need it.”
“Do I really seem like I have an appointment with the grim-reaper tonight?” Jisu said in faux offence and sadness. She still took the glass of gin from the latter’s hands.
“N-no! No, no. You look a bit tired, yes. Maybe not only a bit. But even so you’re still fucking enamoring and-“ she seemed to realize where her own statement was going and let out a string of profanities. “Oh dear oh Lord. I'm so sorry I'm stupid 24/5. Can’t afford to be dumb on weekends, though.”
Jisu made a sound of elation. Good gracious she really needs emotional support by now.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” that’s a lie. She would kill to get to know someone as beautiful as Yeji, but the latter didn’t need to know that.
Minutes passed by, and Jisu was confident she could make a seven-paged narrative essay about the woman before her eyes. Apparently, Little Gay Yeji wasn’t from Seoul, and was originally raised in Hongdae by her cousin Hanbin instead. Her parents were unfortunately gunned down after being mistaken as murder suspects. Yeji couldn’t seem to stray away from the busy streets of Hongdae, despite the memory it brought. She even jokingly promised to bring Jisu there someday. Yeji shared the stories behind her eyebrow slit, her calloused hands, and even the fading scar beneath her left ear.
Jisu spilled a fair part of her narrative, too. And every now and then, Yeji would throw in some cheesy lines or compliment remarks which made her turn a bright shade of red. The woman clearly enjoyed seeing her all flustered and fidgety. The swarm of people was slowly clearing out, yet the two couldn’t give a shit to the surroundings. Because to Yeji and Jisu, all that mattered were the soft sighs and shy smiles being emitted from each other’s lips, those short yet coincidental staring contests, and the warm fingertips that were slowly tangling with each other over the cold countertop.
It’s like finding acquaintance in a crowd full of unfamiliarity. A still image in a busy picture.
Jisu was starting to envision her and Yeji slowly getting casual over coffee hangouts on tuesday mornings. Or dinner on friday evenings. Maybe include some book-reading in a downtown library. A simple debate about the classic ‘pineapples belong on pizza’ sounds promising, too.
They’ve found something simple and plain, and both knew they were ready to turn it into something complex and beautiful. A signal is all it takes. Something along the lines of—
“I’d like to get to know you more.”
Yeji said it first.
“I’d like to get to know you more, Jisu. heaven knows two and a half hours won’t suffice.”
Jisu let out a full-blown smile.
“What’s stopping you, then?”
She didn’t expect the dimming of the latter’s grin. Yeji started to dart her orbs everywhere but Jisu, her smile more and more dissipating.
Was Yeji just kidding?
Shit...did she read too much into the situation?
“Military.” Yeji cleared her parched throat and broke Jisu's incessant internal panicking. Her voice appeared so small, so fragile as if Jisu should treat her words with much delicacy.
“Jiwon, Hanbin, and I. We’re members of the military.”
The brunette let her continue, butting in was useless if you’re clueless as fuck anyways.
“It’s about the lockdown. I think the North wants to rough us up. The forces are sending us in tomorrow, just in case.” Yeji slowly clarified. She still couldn’t bear to look at the poor woman right in the eye.
“Oh.”
A beat.
“Where?”
“Gwangju. Perhaps you don’t know, but the reason this place is crowded is because half of our department decided to spend the last night in seoul here tonight.”
Jisu couldn’t believe it. All her life has been all about silence and going with the flow. It has always been being open only to the people she knew. The first time someone saw right through her and challenged her being, this happened.
“Who are the ones involved?”
“China and North Korea are going against us and the US.” both of them winced. This was going to be big.
“I hope it doesn’t last. I want you to be safe, Yeji.”
Said woman donned a somber smile. “I'm a soldier, petal. The word safe only applies to the people i vow to protect.”
Jisu tried her best not to react to the nickname, but to no avail.
"Then I want to get to know you too. Is that an enough reason for you to take care?”
Yeji gave her the last beam of the night.
---
It was a silent agreement to leave the vicinity after neither spoke for minutes straight.
They exited the bar together and walked straight towards the parking area, fingers softly brushing against each other.
Yeji’s other hand was clutching the lapels of her jacket, unsure of her next move.
She turned around and faced the younger of the two. Her mind was on the process of creating a punchline, or a good remark, or a proper goodbye. But the way Jisu stood there, looking a little too hopeful yet helpless broke the hell out of her.
They weren’t sure who met who first, but neither could give it a thought when they’re pressed up against each other, lips meeting in a sweet peck. It’s short, undemanding, nothing too promising, but a little assuring. The action conversed a million questions and answers only two flames of souls could decipher. People don’t need months to see through someone and crave for more of them. Sometimes it takes a little more than two hours and a little less than three.
Jisu was the one who broke the moment first. She rested her forehead against Yeji. And if the chaste kiss wasn’t enough to convey what she has to say, she repeated it with every breath of air caressing latter’s face.
“I'm ready to get to know you.”
“Then be ready for Hongdae, too.”
There it was. The end of simple and plain.
---
Three days later, the Republic of North Korea fired its first arm in the heart of Gwangju.
One year later and it’s the same.
The death toll surpassed the ones of the Vietnam War. Every single day, Jisu couldn’t help but to fret about her family. About her. They’re in dire need of supplies, everyone was practically put in a twisted survival game, and she had no idea if she still carried on through the war or...
---
On the 27th of July 1951, the guns fell silent and the war was officially ceased. South Korea had successfully defended its territory, although losing the city of Kaesong to the other party.
It took three more months for small businesses to start from scratch again. Jisu applied for a job at a newly-built resto right where the former bar stood years prior. She tried to convince herself that the wage was the reason for her to start there again, but her heart knew better.
---
It was a breezy night in October, and Jisu was scrambling to take in orders left and right the area.
She couldn’t even be bothered to look at them in their faces, obviously just wanted for this shift to be done with.
Something weird struck her guts as she dragged her undersized feet towards table ten. She doesn’t know why, but her questions were answered right away the moment she saw who were sitting comfortably.
Hanbin and Jiwon.
Jiwon was situated in a shiny black wheelchair, helping himself with the menu presented. Hanbin looked finer, sans the several scars and bandage enveloping his left hand.
That’s when it started to hit her.
“Where’s Yeji?”
Jisu was busy getting a whiplash by rapidly looking around that she missed Hanbin’s small smile.
“She’s gone.”
Her body went stone rigid.
No.
Oh hell, no.
Four hundred and eight-seven days. All that waiting and fretting and almost fucking dying and reapplying to this place because Jisu knew this is where she’ll come back for her now only to know that she's–
“Oh God, look at your face.” Jiwon snickered. “She got it bad for her, bro.”
“What?” Jisu was gripping the small notebook resting on her right palm. What’s comical? What’s with their stupid grins?
What the fuck was happening?
“You know how I like my carbonara by now.”
It’s her.
It’s Yeji.
It’s Yeji and her voice had matured to be a lot huskier.
It’s Yeji and she’s a little less than three feet away from Jisu. Hanbin mouthed something along the lines of "you didn't let me finish so..." but it was all blurred to her.
It's Yeji and when the younger shakily turned her body towards her direction, she was greeted by the same old leather jacket.
It’s Yeji and with a small and fading scar on her left cheek. It's her and she’s smiling – no, wearing a shit-eating grin.
“Let me tell you how I like my Jisu, for a change.”
It’s Yeji and Jisu couldn’t help but to cry a river. Her friend Chaeryeong seemed to sense the commotion, and decided to be in-charge of the pending orders. Jisu would have to thank her for that later.
She might not have shown it, but Yeji was afraid she’s a little too late. The younger might be crying because she thinks Yeji is some sort of a ghost, and not because she’s elated to cross paths with her again, for all she knew. So she asked her a question. A signal. A confirmation.
“Are you still ready for hongdae?”
Jisu’s frantic nod did it for her.
“You know I am. Always have been.”
There it was. The start of complex and beautiful.
fin.