Dark Secrets

Chapter 8: On the Way Home (1 of 2)

When serving customers at VIP room I need to prepare them a drink of their choice, and the young man asked me a cup of tea.

The room is so quiet and it’s just the sound I make while making the tea, I can sense that he’s watching me from a distant.

“Mint tea, Sir, as you requested.” putting the cup carefully on the table. “I’ll call a waiter to take your order, Sir.” I turned my back to him and walk towards the door.

“You never served VIP customers before, aren’t you Ms. Ha?” he asked with a calm voice while taking a sip on his cup of tea.

“Did I make a mistake?” I mumbled as I turn around to face him again. “I apologize, Sir, I’ve been here for only a month, Ms. Edna always handle the VIP customers, and you’re my first … sorry, I’m saying too much excuses to cover up the mistake I made.” bowing my head to him in 90 degrees.

“I think I scared you. You didn’t do something wrong, you’re new here so I figured you never served VIPs before.” he uttered.

“Ah, haha, gosh.” I stand up straight again. “I thought I offended you or something, Sir. Well, then if there’s nothing else, I’ll go now.”

“No need to call a waiter, I want the chef’s choice. I trust Chef Musgraves preferred meal for my dinner this evening.” he said.

“I’ll relay the message to the kitchen, Sir.” I’m about to leave the VIP room when he talked to me again.

“Will you come back here again and make me another cup of tea?”

“Of course, Sir, if that’s what you want.” smiling at him before I leave the room and close the door behind me.

“I saw you accompanied Sir Richy earlier.” Charli, one of the waitresses, approached me immediately as soon as I got out from the VIP room. “Is he there?” putting makeup on her face.

“Yes, but he already told me that he wants Chef Musgraves choice, if you come inside to take his order, he might think that I didn’t relay his message to the kitchen. Will you serve his meal later instead? Oh, he also wants another cup of tea.” giving her opportunity to serve the man a tea since it’s obvious she likes him.

“Thanks, I’ll take it from here.” Charli smiles at me while we both climbed downstairs.

I went back to my post at the reception area to welcome customers and assisted them to their table at the dining area.

The restaurant is open from 9am to 9pm only, and it becomes my job to flip the signage at the door that we’re closed for the day.

Regular staffs begin their shift at 3pm and they’re the ones who completely closed the restaurant at 11pm which is the end of their shifts while me since I’m only a part-timer who works at 4pm to 10pm I rarely do the cleaning but before I leave for the evening it’s my duty to make sure that all customers are out already.

“VIP Room C is still occupied?” I suddenly remembered the young man whom I took to the said room. “What could he probably do alone in a room? It’s not like dining will take him 3 hours long.” I mumbled.

I checked the other 9 VIP rooms before I go back again to the occupied room and sighed heavily as I knocked the door.

“What took you so long to come back for me??” crossing his arms and legs while looking at me. “I’ve been waiting for you, Ms. Ha.”

“Huh??” I noticed that he still has a cup of tea on his table. “Why would you wait for me, Sir? Also, it’s almost 10pm, Sir.” (Aren’t you going home yet??) trying to be polite to him.

“Are you done with your shift, Ms. Ha?” he asked with a smile.

“Huh? Uh … yes Sir.” (That’s why I want you out here now for me to go home.) forcing out a smile on my face.

“Then I’ll wait for you outside, Ms. Ha.” he stood up and walked past by me. “You’re the first person who made me wait, Ms. Ha.”

“What the hell is wrong with this guy?” I mumbled as I watch his back. “He’s not a p*****t, right?? He’s too decent to be one.”

I told the others about the dishes in the VIP Room C before I went to the locker room and change my clothes to casual attire.

“Great work everyone! I’ll see you all tomorrow!” bowing at others before I opened the door to leave.

“See you tomorrow, Desa!” staffs said to me one after another. “Be careful on your way home, maknae!”

“I will!” I stepped out from the front door and saw the young man standing at the side. “You really wait for me, huh?”

“I prefer you talk to me that way and stop calling me Sir.” he said.

“My shift’s over and we’re no longer inside the restaurant so I’ll drop the formality.” walking towards the station to catch the last train.

“That’s more I like it. I’m Diso Richy, by the way.” extending his hand to me as he introduces himself while we’re walking together.

“Daiso??” (Is he a Japanese American or something?)

“Yeah, Diso, D-I-S-O, spells like disco if you removed the C.” he said.

“Ah, Sorry. I thought it’s D-A-I-S-O which is a Japanese name.”

“Well I can speak Japanese, but I assure you I’m Korean … with Belgian father that’s why my last name is Richy.” smiling at me.

“I see.” nodding at him as I climbed down the stairs of the station.

“You haven’t introduced yourself yet.” following me down.

“Desa Ha.” glancing back at him. “My name got misspelled too most of the time as T-E-S-S-A in English, here in Korea they completely change my name to Han Dae San.”

“Well you got a complicated but simple name. Haha.” waiting for the train with me.

“You’re not going to follow me home, right??” (He’s a kind looking man but I can’t let my guard down to someone I just met.)

“I can walk you home if you want me to, do you want me to walk you home?” he uttered as the train arrives.

“No, I’m good.” I declined him immediately as I get inside the train.

I know he heard that I refused his offer but he still rides with me.

“What are you doing??” thinking that he’s a stalker who follows me vulgarly and even befriend me on the way.

“What do you mean?” he sits on the booth.

“Are you really supposed to ride this train??” keeping my distance.

“Yes, I lived near the Chang-dong station. Why? You think I’m following you home??” staring at me blankly.

“Ah, haha.” I sit on the booth across him. “Is he playing with me?”

When we reached Chang-dong station he really got off the train and waved goodbye to me with a bright smile.

After 5 minutes, I reached the Dobong station and walked towards home for 20 minutes.

“I’m home.” I already said it before I realized that Tae Ro is no longer around and I’m all by myself since last night. “I should get used on living alone.” sighing.

I rested for a while before I took a quick shower and study a bit to catch up the lessons, I’ve missed from being absent.

The next day, I walked for half an hour to dropped by at the bakery in Banghak-dong where I promised Troye that I’ll buy pastry or bread every Thursday even though it’s a bit pricey.

“Fairy bread??” Troye smiling at me because of my bread choice for the day. “That’s actually my favorite when I was a kid.”

“I just want butter toasts bread with a lot of colorful sprinkles for today, also I lost 6000 Won because of my 2 days absent from work.” getting in to his car since he offered me a ride with him.

“By the way, Mr. Swift and his son are still in the country but they’ll leave this Sunday morning. I haven’t seen you all day yesterday because I got so much to do in class … just letting you know about them and also Mr. Swift wants to see you before they leave.” Troye starts the engine of his car.

“Yeah, I brought them here so I should at least send them off.” glancing at him. “Thank you for taking care of them when it should be me who takes responsibility.”

“Nah, it’s actually part of my duty when we’re working on a case.” staring on the road with his hands on the steering wheel. “The boys are onto action while Alessia and me take care of the aftermath.”

“The boys??” looking at him in puzzlement.

“Ah, Only Alessia is the female in SOS. That’s why she’s extremely happy when we recruited you, and so am I, SOS won’t be full of men anymore. We’re 3 in the group, and what’s great about it is we’re all nursing students, although there’s one of us who’s from the college of medicine. 5 mining engineering students, and 4 graduates from different fields.” Troye explained to me the members of SOS.

“So, SOS consists of 11 boys and 1 girl, don’t you think that adding me to the group will make the number 13 and it’s not an ideal number.” trying to make my way out.

“13 is actually a holy number unlike what everyone believes. Also, you’re one of us now, you can’t back out, you, me and Alessia can be a perfect sub-unit. I mean just look at the case with Tae Ro, it’s just us 3 although you mostly worked on it and a bit help from VP.”

“I’m still not sure if I should join SOS or not, you know I’m contagious right? I brought death to my friends before.” I said.

“Why are you the terrorist who bombed the stadium? They were just caught up in that unfortunate event, and it so happened that you survived, it’s not your fault that you’re safe and they’re not.”

“You don’t get it.” looking at the other side. “I’m supposed to die with my friends that day but I ended up unconscious at the park across the stadium instead of burned into ashes like everyone. Don’t tell me that I was blown away because that’s f*cking impossible.”

“So, you cuss too, huh?” Troye chuckles. “That’s a mystery to solve.”

“Can SOS really help me on my case?” turning back at him.

“That’s our specialty solving supernatural cases.” he smiles at me.

When we arrived at the campus, we separated ways on the parking lot, while I’m walking towards my classroom, I saw my classmates holding their books as they walk in the hallway.

That’s when I realized that it’s prelim exams today and tomorrow.

I don’t know if I got affected by Tae Ro’s unawareness of time but I can’t put the blame on her when I’m the one who got attached.

I’m a walking dead after taking 4 consecutive exams today, although I know that tomorrow is another exam day, I still went to my part-time job to earn money, also it’s pay day today.

I just stayed up all-night to review but it wasn’t a good idea at all.

I always took a nap after I pass my paper to my professors and I almost end up sleeping in the classroom on my last exam if not for the student who woke me up because of his seat.

I can’t be drowsy on my part-time job so jogged from the campus to the restaurant to keep me awake for 7 more hours.

To be honest I wanted to take a leave on my Saturday class but PE and Social Welfare class is only once a week so I got no choice but to attend and of course, it’s prelims so the day is extra special.

“Sh*t, I forgot that it’s a group dance test!” I mumbled.

Well, I don’t have a group and obviously no one would take me in short notice since they all practiced together and I know nothing about their choreography, so I told the PE instructor that I’m going solo which made me the first one to present among the groups.

The only dance I know is ballet, I don’t have a music prepared on my own but the classical music being played from the other class is loud enough to be my background so I just danced along the music as I see fit to be its choreography.

After my performance, my classmates applauded but the instructor doesn’t seem to be please with my dance.

“Student Ha, come with me to my office.” she said sternly.

“Yes, Ma’am.” (I think she’s going to scold me privately.) following her inside the office which is just at the back stage.

“You got a sense of rhythm, Student Ha. I would give you the highest score if only you’re prepared at least a bit, but that improvisation is exceptional. Were you doing ballet before?” observing me.

“Yes, ma’am. I got my scholarship at Jamil School in Vancouver through dancing ballet since 2nd grade until I graduated high school.”

“Jamil … that’s a school for elite people, right?” her brows furrows.

“Yes, ma’am.” I replied politely.

“Student Ha. I got a proposition for you, you don’t have to attend my classes anymore and you’ll have a perfect grade, if you join the dance club of our university.” handing me a club registration form.

“I don’t need to attend PE class anymore and my grade is good as perfect??” confirming her offer.

“Yes, members of dance and athletic clubs doesn’t have to attend PE classes, that’s good for 2 years since you don’t have PE on 3rd year.”

“I guess I’ll take it. I’m not a member of any club yet, anyway. I heard students must be a member of at least one club.” I uttered.

... To be Continued ...