If you take off this blindfold and you see a spectacular view of earth, I want to hear you call me oppa.
Chapter 3: I'll Call You Oppa
"Your writing is just amazing, Miss Kang! We could use your skills in our company." the president praised as he flipped through the papers.
"I'm glad to hear that, sir." Haley smiled.
"And to know that you've been living in Canada for 10 years is just brilliant, because we really need more English writers to contribute with our magazine. Two of our translators had quit because they decided to get married and start their own writing business."
"I see."
"Okay, before we officially hire you, we would like to test your skills." he handed her an opened Macbook with an blank page on Microsoft Word, "Within twenty minutes, write about a story that comes to your mind right now."
"Should I edit it too?"
"No, I just want to see how quick and creative you are when you're putting down ideas on paper. Do you think you can do that?"
"I'll show you what I got, sir!"
"Great! Your time...starts...now!" he said as he slammed a timer onto the table. It was automatically counting down.
Haley leaned her back on her chair and her fingers immediately danced on the keyboard. A story was immediately created in her head as she typed every single word on the computer. The manager kept his eye on the timer from time to time while Haley focused on her task without even taking her eyes off the screen.
BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP!
"Time's up! Hands off the keyboard please!" the manager announced.
She tapped on the full-stop key just as the timer rang. She then passed the Macbook back to him and sat with her hands resting on the table. She watched his eyes moved left and right. She posed confidently with her back straight, palms flat on the table, and legs glued together, yet she swore that she could feel the back of her white blouse stained with a big visible splat of sweat.
"You're hired." he finally spoke.
"Sorry?"
"Your story is on point, even though it definitely needs editing. This is what I'm looking for, originality and readiness." he explained, "Welcome to Seoultizen, Miss Kang."
Haley beamed as she calmly got out of her of chair and shook hands with him.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you, sir! Thank you so much! Gomapseumnida!" she replied.
"Follow me, please."
Haley slung her handbag onto her right shoulder and followed him down the hallway, into an elevator down two floors, and straight through an pair of automatic glass doors.
"Oh. My. Gosh."
Stepping into the office was like an explosion of colours hit against her face. A huge television-like screen was placed at the top of a wall. The cubicles were made of colourful desks, iMacs, and writable whiteboard walls that allow employees to doodle and decorate. A small coffee and ramen bar was located at a corner of the office and three separate rooms were at the back. What caught her eye the most was an enormous collection of past issues stacked on two wall-to-ceiling bookshelves.
"Melvin-ssi!" the manager called.
"Yes?" a voice replied.
A guy wearing a a checkered shirt and dark jeans came to them with a friendly smile. His bleached blonde hair with a spiky end at the front reminded her of a K-Pop star.
"This is Kang Hyo Hae. She'll be joining our team."
"Annyeong haseyo." he bowed.
"Ah, yes, annyeong haseyo." Haley bowed back.
"If you don't mind, can you show her around the office? And then, we'll have a meeting in half an hour."
"On it, sir!" he replied.
"The name's Nam Chae Young, but I'm fine with Melvin too." he said as he stretched out his hand.
"It's nice to meet you." she smiled as she shook his hand. She suddenly felt an electrifying sensation on his palm.
"AHHHH!" she screamed and yanked her hand off.
Melvin guffawed and held his stomach tight. "Works every time! Hell yeah!"
"What works?"
"This!" he answered as he held up his palm to show a portable hand shock glued on his palm.
"Mwo ya!" Haley whined.
"Oh! I knew it! You can speak Korean!"
"Well, of course I do. But I'm not fluent in speaking it."
"Really, Melvin? You should stop doing that to newcomers." one of his co-workers rolled his eyes.
"Nope, I'm gonna use this to every single one of the newbies." Melvin snickered.
"Geez, he's 21 but he's still like a child." the co-worker hissed.
"Whoa! You're 21?" Haley exclaimed.
"Why yes."
"At first I thought you're older than me!"
"And I thought you're a high school student."
"Excuse me! I was a graduate from University of British Columbia and I was a journalist of Metro News in Vancouver!"
"Whoa, calm down, midget! I'm just saying."
"Well, it's nice meeting you, Melvin. If you excuse me, I'll find someone else here to show me around."
Haley was about to walked off but Melvin blocked her.
"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! I just like pulling pranks on people. It helps me to relax."
"Good to know."
"Well Mr. Hwang told me to be your guide for the day so I have to do it anyway."
Melvin introduced her to the staff, the conference room which sign was on the first door, the resource and media room which was the middle room, the washrooms behind the third door, and the bar.
"I think I'm gonna enjoy hanging out at this bar the most." Haley said.
"I know, right? You can get free refreshments here! You can even bring coffee and ramen brands of your choice! Oh! And one more thing!"
Melvin showed her a red cubicle with nothing but an iMac, keyboard, and mouse.
"This is where you'll be sitting."
"It's perfect! Plus red is my favourite colour." Haley smiled as she sat on a comfy-looking swiveling chair at the desk.
"And that's not all." Melvin giggled. He skipped to his table which was right behind her.
"I can torture you whenever I want from here."
"Whatever. I'll have my ears shut just to ignore you."
"Hey, stop being fussy with me." Melvin laughed as he spun on his chair like a merry-go-round, "So now that you have your own desk, you can personalize it whatever you want."
"Sweet!"
"But don't overdo it, otherwise you won't focus on your job."
"Yeah, I know that."
Haley settled her bag down and switched the desktop on.
"This is actually better than the office back in Vancouver." she thought.
"Oh, I'm almost forgot! Haley, you wanna join us for dinner tonight?" Melvin asked, "We're gonna go for samgyeoupsal."
Haley almost accept the invitation when she remembered the promise she had made with Jamie the other night.
If you've come up with an idea for our first date, you can text me anytime this week.
"Do we have to stay back tonight?"
"You're lucky that there's no project due tonight, so we can go home at six tonight." Melvin replied.
"Hmm..." Haley tapped her chin, "I guess I have to pass. I might have plans tonight."
"Sure, maybe some other time then." he shrugged.
"Guys! Meeting's in five minutes!" one of the co-workers warned.
"Oh gosh! You're right! We have to get ready then!" another one flinched.
Haley quickly searched for Jamie's number on her phone and texted,
Hey, Jamie! It's me, Haley. I was wondering whether u want to meet up 4 dinner 2nite?
Haley grabbed her bag and followed the staff to the conference room. In seconds, her phone buzzed with a reply from Jamie.
Sure, whr can I pick u up?
Haley: You can just stop by at my hse. I can't remember my house add. but I'll text you as soon as I get home.
Jamie: U work at Seoultizen right? I can just pick u up there.
Haley: No, you don't have to. I have to get back home and change.
Jamie: U don't have to worry about that. I can help u with that.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Haley gasped. She bumped into one of the co-workers when she made her way to an empty seat.
Haley: What do u mean? I have to pick a dress and put on makeup and all.
Jamie: Trust me. Just meet up at the entrance 2nite. ;) See u then!
"What in the world..." Haley said to herself. She slipped her phone into her bag just as the manager came in.
* * *
"Yes! It's 6! Let's go eat!" Melvin shouted as he flail his arms in the air.
"Right! I'm starving!" another one said.
Haley grabbed her stuff and shuffled through the maze of cubicles.
"Whoa, Haley, where are you going? You're in a rush?" Melvin asked.
"Huh?" she turned back, "Oh! Yeah, I...uh...I have a date tonight."
"Ooooooohhhhhhh!" the others echoed.
"Who's the guy?" a female employee, Ming asked.
"He's a friend." was all she could answered.
"You're not giving us details?" another one begged.
"Hey guys, she's new. Give her some space, will ya?" a male employee snapped.
"I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, alright?" Haley said, "Have a good night, everyone!"
"Good night!"
Haley went to the elevator, down to ground floor, and out through the revolving glass doors. No car was parked by the curb. She checked the time. "Maybe he'll be here late." she thought.
Just as she was going to call him, a shiny silver car rolled through the roundabout and stopped smoothly in front of Haley. Jamie got out of the car in a classic black and white tuxedo.
"Are we going to a formal event?" Haley asked, surprised.
"Not really."
"But you're all dressed up!"
"I told you not to worry." he winked as he grabbed her hand. Her heart did the somersaults again when he dragged her to the passenger seat.
"Otoke!I should have gone home and change!" she panicked.
Jamie ran and settled in behind the wheel, "Relax, Hyo Hae! I have everything planned out!"
"But..."
"Hey hey hey! I've already told you, it's all good!"
Jamie noticed Haley's brow furrowed while driving. He sighed and finally nudged her in the elbow.
"I have something for you. There's a bag at the back. Can you get it for me?"
Haley did so and couldn't helped but stare inside. She pulled out a black velvet dress with a medium-length skirt and a chain of roses sown along the halter neckline and around the short sleeves.
"It's beautiful!" she smiled.
"There's another bag behind me."
She spotted another bag at the back and found a pair of white heels. She also squealed when a little makeup bag was stored under the shoes.
"Oh! Jamie!"
"Glad you like them." he blushed, "Now where to?"
"Huh?"
Do you have an idea for our date?"
Haley thought for a moment, and suggested, "Somewhere that has affordable food and a good view of the stars."
"Oh! That's tough! But I think I know where."
"Is it Namsan Tower?" Haley guessed.
"The restaurants there are pretty expensive."
"Oh right! Where to then?"
"You'll see."
* * *
Jamie parked his car in front of a fancy-looking restaurant with a"Grill 5 Taco" sign on the top right.
"This place looks expensive." Haley said.
"No, the food here is actually affordable, isn't that what you want?"
"Well, yeah, that's what I said."
"Hold on, let me get the door for you." Jamie unbuckled his seat belt and went of the car. Clutching the two bags of her attire for the night, Haley couldn't help smiling even when Jamie opened the passenger door.
"I'm sure you're gonna love it here. This place is actually popular because it's owned by a K-Pop star."
"A K-Pop star, eh? Who is it?"
"You have to guess."
"What? Really? Come on, tell me who is it!"
"I'll tell you after you change into your dress." he replied and led her through the entrance.
The two were welcomed by a spacious dining area, a kitchen at the back, and aroma of tacos and quesadilla that swirled in the air.
"Wow. This looks great!"
"The washroom's over there. I'll wait for you here." he said as he sat at a table in the middle row.
"Okay."
Haley was relieved when the black dress fitted her body perfectly and the heels matched with her big feet. After she stuff her work clothes into her purse, she decided to go for a simple pink eye shadow, mascara and light red lipstick. The makeup bag had granted her wish, no, all of Jamie's gift in the two paper bags had granted her wish. It was better than she expected.
Jamie stood up once he heard a click from the washroom door. His eyes were glued on her for ten seconds.
"What?" Haley asked.
"You...you look gorgeous." Jamie gushed.
Haley blushed, :Well, it all thanks to you."
Customers who sat at the tables also looked at Haley in awe. All eyes were on her as she walked to Jamie, like a goddess who strode to her chamber.
"Don't you think we look a little too formal here?" she whispered.
"It doesn't matter. This is our date after all." Jamie smiled.
A waiter approached them after they got seated. He patted on Jamie's shoulder and chatted in Korean.
"Oh! Haley! This is Lee Dong Hwa. He's the K-Pop star's brother of this restaurant." Jamie introduced.
"Annyeong Haseyo!" Haley greeted.
"Annyeong Haseyo!" the waiter replied coolly.
"So his brother is the K-pop star eh?"
"I know! Pretty cool right?"
"So who's the celebrity?"
"I've told you. You have to make a guess."
The waiter handed them the menus while Haley was deep in thought.
Lee Dong Hwa. That sounds kinda familiar. Lee...Dong...wait a minute...Lee Dong Hae?
"Lee Dong Hae?" she said.
"That's right!"
Haley squeaked like a fan girl.
Jamie immediately explained to the waiter in their native tongue. Haley wished she could understand the entire conversation.
"So this is Dong Hae's restaurant. That's cool." Haley said.
"You've heard of him before?"
"Yeah! I'm a big fan of Super Junior."
"Oh yeah? You don't look like a K-Pop fan to me."
"Have you ever heard of Hallyu?"
Jamie burst out laughing.
Dong Hwa left with their orders listed minutes later. Haley rested her hands on the table, but her mind was tangled with worry. She didn't know what to ask him.
"You know, I feel like we're in a pilot episode of We Got Married." Jamie said.
"Huh?"
We Got Married? That Korean reality show about celebrity couples?"
"Oh! That show! I only watch the ones with Super Junior in it."
"Looks like you're in love with them."
"Um..well...they're like the first K-Pop group who has caught my heart."
"Compared to me?"
Haley paused. Jamie looked at her attentively.
"The members in Super Junior are handsome, but I guess...you're much more handsome than them."
Jamie immediately had a ten-foot smile on his face, "Wow! I'm flattered."
"Geez, looks who's tooting his horn now."
"I'm not, really, I'm happy that you said that."
"Your welcome."
"What about you? Do you like Super Junior too?"
"Yeah, they're pretty awesome. But I'm also into Big Bang."
"Ah, yes. They're like the biggest K-Pop group in the world right now."
"So do you prefer Big Bang or Super Junior?"
"Hmm..." Jamie tapped his chin and looked up the ceiling.
"I have to say...Big Bang."
"I see." Haley replied, disappointed.
"But my favourite star right now is you."
Haley covered her mouth with her hands. She laughed so hard everyone in the restaurant could hear her.
"What?"
"Stop! You're embarrassing me!"
"Yup, this definitely feels like a We Got Married episode."
Just like the satisfied looks on the customers' faces, Haley was impressed at how delicious the food was. From the short rib taco to the kimchi quesadilla, Haley savoured every single bite.
"Do you like it?" Jamie asked.
"I don't like it." Haley replied.
Jamie's eyes widened.
"I love it." Haley smiled.
"Ah! That's a relief! I thought you really mean it!"
"Hey, can you ask Dong Hwa whether his brother is here?"
"Why? You wanna see him?"
"Do you mind?"
"So you're saying you would rather see Dong Hae rather than having an awesome dinner with me?" Jamie gasped, "Oh! My heart hurts!"
"What? Are you jealous?"
"Ah, if I'm not jealous then how could I ever let go off the most wonderful girl I've ever met even though we've only met for three days straight? Mmmfffmmm..."
Jamie's mouth was suddenly stuffed with a forkful of fries. He saw Haley putting her fork back.
"Just to stop you from talking." she giggled.
"Well, thanks for stuffing my worried mouth with your concern." Jamie laughed in return.
* * *
"Now, the second wish you mentioned this evening was a good view of the stars, am I correct?" Jamie asked as he revived his car engine.
"Yup, that's right."
"Hmm..I'm not sure whether this place I'm gonna bring you to is considered as romantic but...I'm giving it a shot."
"And where is this place?"
"You probably don't know. Besides, I bet you've not explored the entire Seoul yet."
"Duh, I haven't been here in years."
"So tell me, what does it feel like living in Canada?"
Jamie focused on his driving like a professional, but he never failed to cut the silence between them.
"Oh! It's like...a multicultural paradise."
"A multicultural paradise? Sounds exotic."
"Yeah, there's like people of all kinds and we experience different cultures together."
"Sounds cool, then why do you come back here in your hometown?"
Haley looked at her window. She watched as street lights and cars zoomed by.
"Before I came here, there was a little voice calling me that I hadn't had touched my inner Korean yet."
"You mean your roots?"
"Yeah. My parents are pretty Korean, but my siblings and I are not. We moved to Vancouver when we were still kids and we were transformed into Canadians. I just feel like I had to come back just to have a real Korean experience, you know. The life of a Korean. As I dropped my job back then, I realized on how stupid I was of doing so, but at the same time, I was hungry for an adventure."
"Inspired by Gulliver's Travels?"
"Sort of." Haley winked.
"Speaking of adventure..." he said as he parked his car at a deserted parking lot, "here we are."
"Where are we?" Haley asked.
"I don't exactly know the name of this place, but if you look further, you can actually see the whole state."
"Is that even possible?"
"There's only one way to find out." he said as he got out of the car.
"You sure this place has a good view of the stars?" Haley asked.
"Do you trust me?" Jamie held out his hand.
Haley inhaled and looked into his eyes, "I trust you."
"Then I want you to put this on." he fished into his tuxedo pocket for an eye mask.
"Blindfold? Is this a trick?"
"If you take off this blindfold and you see a spectacular view of earth, I want to hear you call me oppa."
"Fine. Deal." she agreed, "But what if you're wrong?"
"Then, you won't be consider me as romantic." he replied, "I'll send you right back home and you can weep on your pillow for the rest of the night."
Haley responded with a small laugh and covered her eyes with the mask.
As they walked straight ahead, Haley could feel the soft, comforting warmth on Jamie's hands. He never let go off his hands and his voice was like a gentle guide to the blind.
"Okay! Stop!" he signaled, "You can take off the blindfold now."
As she removed it, darkness was replaced by a postcard-like view. Seoul was illuminated with millions of little colourful lights, accompanied by the cluster of white stars above.
"Isn't this the greatest scenery or what?" Jamie boasted.
"I can't believe this." Haley held her breath, "It's like stars on both land and sky, like heaven."
A chilly breeze slammed against her face. She dug her hands into the blazer she wore over her dress. "Geez, I should have changed back into my work suit. I just realize that autumn is around the corner!"
She then felt an extra layer wrapped over her back and arms. But it wasn't just a coat. Jamie embraced her back with the unbuttoned front of his coat covered her arms like a mother bear.
"Are you my human jacket?" Haley chuckled.
"I guess you can call me that." Jamie beamed.
They spoke nothing but sank into their first hug as they gazed at the scenery for what seemed like forever. Haley wanted to take a photo, but she remembered that she left her phone in the car. Still, she was very mesmerized by the beauty of life right in front of her eyes, and she snapped a mental photo into her mind to remember it for the rest of her life.
"What time is it now?" Haley finally uttered.
"Why? You're in a rush?"
"I have work tomorrow."
"Oh right! I have filming tomorrow as well."
"Man I wish I can stay and see this till the day I die."
"Me too."
Haley heard him sigh near her ears. His breath was hot.
"Oppa."
Jamie looked at her, stunned.
"You've said it!"
"I guess I did."
"Now I am the happiest man on earth. No, the happiest man in the universe."
"Hey, so if I call you oppa, what do you call me?"
Jamie rested his chin onto her right shoulder, "How about dongsaeng?"
"I've heard that the terms oppa and dongsaeng are common."
"But they represent someone special, that what I think."
"Yeah, I agree." she replied, "We should come here again!"
"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't ditch this away from my to-do list!"
Haley's cheeks hurt, but she didn't care. She was all smiles because he was by her side.
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