Someone to Love

Three

"So, Lucas, where is this place that you want to go to?" I asked as I buckled my self in.
"Uh, you did your shopping at Costco, it's time I do mine."
"I think Costco has everything, what you need wasn't there?" I asked
"No, I'm pretty particular with my taste." He said
"Drive away."
He drove at his own pace, cars behind us honked and honked but Lucas didn't even care about them.
"You're driving in New York traffic this slow?" I said
"Let them be who they wanna be." He said
I just looked out and watched as we drove ever so slowly through the concrete jungle.
Good thing Hayden Industries were a bit far from central New York, because the last thing I need is anyone from there recognizing me.
"A Korean supermarket?" I said as he parked at a convenient store
"Yeah!" Lucas said, obviously sounding excited.
"Okay, that's why you didn't get anything from Costco?" I asked
"I don't know if you have noticed but one morning when you woke up from your night of drinking, all of my food stash went away. I hid them."
"Oh, sorry. I'd replace them. I'll pay for whatever you shop here-"
"No, no need, it's fine. I think we're really supposed to share." He said
We entered the store and it looked like 7Eleven, but it's not.
The woman behind the counter looked happy to see us, I guess part of the job or something.
"Oh, ahjumma!" Lucas said
"Oh, -" the woman started to say, and Lucas went to the counter and spoke with her in Korean.
And I just went around and looked at whatever the store has to offer.
"Time to do some shopping." He said, coming to me with a basket
To be honest, I thought when if I were to live with a doctor, I'd be forced to eat say, cabbages all the time or something like that. But this doctor, Lucas Seo MD, what the actual fuck.
The first aisle that he looked for was the aisle that contained the imported instant noodles.
"Are you really buying instant noodles?" I said as he browsed through the aisle.
"Why not? "
"You're buying things whose labels you can't even understand." I said
He glared at me, and put about 20 packets of noodles in the cart.
"And to think I was being self-conscious about the things I'm gonna buy." I said
"I couldn't care less about the things that you bought.
We were at the freezer where Lucas is looking for jars of Kimchi.
"Well, I like kimchi." I said
"Really? You're not just saying that right?"
I shook my head.
"No, when I went to Seoul, lovely place by the way, I think I never had enough kimchi. Just pure happiness." I said
And then he started speaking Korean.
I raised my eyebrow.
"Huh?" I said, he just shook his head and went on shopping.
He studied each noodle brand.
"Are you missing home?" I said
"You mean Korea? " he said
"Yeah, you're buying a lot of Korean products."
"A bit. I've been here long, I started college here,I went to Stanford-"
My eyes widened.
"No shit?" I said
"What?" He said
"I went to Stanford too." I said
"Cool. Then I went straight to medical school, And now I'm 29 and a neurosurgeon."
"So, seeing brains is just the norm for you."
"It's just the normal 8am for me." He said
He just went on putting noodle packs on the basket.
"You're really gonna have that like everyday?" I asked
"My job is demanding you see, sometimes I stock some of these in my office because I go on for hours in operation and couldn't afford to have the time to cook up actual meals." He replied
I nodded.
"But that's unhealthy."
"I know. It's just time is-" he just shrugged
And we kept on walking around the store.
"You don't want to get anything?" He said
"Huh?"
"I mean, we're already here. And it will be a month or so before we come back." He said
I shook my head.
"I'm fine." I said
"Suit yourself." He said as he walked to the check out counter and started talking to the lady in Korean.
And I just stared at them, but then I noticed that they were speaking in Korean whilst looking at me, which lead me to think that they are talking about me.
I looked away because they really might be talking about me, but then I noticed that Lucas shook his head.
They kept talking and talking and I just decided to check my phone for ANY news from anyone.
And still nothing, I'm sure because my Do Not Disturb mode has been turned off ever since I left home.
No emails, no messages, no pokes, what the actual hell happened to my friends? My so called family?
Even fucking work mates?
"You seem to know the woman long." I said as soon as we started to drive away from the store.
"Ah, yeah. Ahjumma and her family has been probably the only Korean people I know here in New York. I don't know if you have noticed but I'm a bit quiet and reserved."
"Really? You are?" I said
"Yeah, yeah. "
"So, you don't know any Korean people from Stanford?"
"There were Koreans there. But they were say, Americanized the instant they got away from Korea. " he said
"Oh. Sorry."
"I had friends in college, but what they did wasn't my thing so, I eventually lost them and they lost their slots in college."
"So they flunked out?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry to hear that."
"Not your fault, you weren't there. And it was my fault, didn't really try to reach out to them."
"You know, for a quiet and reserved guy, you really do talk a lot." I said
He frowned.
"Does that bother you? If it does, I can stop talking-"
"No! No, I like it. It's actually the first time in a few days that I actually have someone to talk to."
"I find Melia weird." He said
I laughed.
"What?!"
"Does the smell of her apartment door weird you out? Roses and flowers." He said
"It does. The front door reeks of it." I said
"Yeah, and it looks like an apartment for old ladies, the whole building! I'm the only man left in it. And good thing I am barely home." He said
"Don't worry, I'll keep your apartment free from the roses and the flowers." I said
After bringing to the apartment the groceries, my phone rang.
"I have to get this." I said, going to the balcony.
My mom is finally calling.
At this point, I really don't care that I paid a few thousand bucks for this place.
"Mom, hi." I said
It took her a while to respond, but the noise in the background suggests that she was in a busy place.
"Mom?" I said
"Ara! Hello. You called?" She said
I frowned.
"Yeah, a few uh, days ago."
"Ah! Well, I'm over here in Rome and was wondering, do you happen to know where Trattoria Il-"
What the fuck, my mom called me to ask where a restaurant is? In fucking Italy?
"No, Mom. I haven't been in Italy since 2009."
"Oh, what a shame. Anyway."
"So, uh, I'm not living with-"
"Sorry to cut this short, Ara, I have to go." She said, hanging up.
I groaned.
I stormed back in the apartment, looking for any bottle of vodka, and drank straight from it.
Lucas was pretty shocked.
"Uh-" he started, as he put some groceries in the cabinets.
"What's for lunch?" I said, putting back the bottle where it came from.
"Uh, I-"
"I'm cooking." I said
"Ara, I uh-"
"Sorry about that. It must've shocked you but I do drink when I get frustrated. I kill a few brain cells once in a while, and-"
"I'm cooking." Lucas whispered
And so he did, but what he "cooked up" was his Korean noodles.
"Are you sure you're willing to give me one bowl of your stock?" I said
"Yeah, it's worth it. And I really am not in the mood to wait for actual food. Do you eat spicy food?" He asked
I nodded.
"Good."
He served up a bowl of red soup.
It was red.
"It's red." I said
"I asked you if you eat spicy. And it's my favorite. And you'll probably see a lot of that here." He said as he dug down his soup.
And he ate it like it wasn't spicy, it was spicy. Very spicy.
"What flavor is this?" I asked
"Spicy Kimchi." He said
"But Kimchi is already spicy." I said
"That's why it says spicy kimchi. It's extra spicy."
He was really enjoying this meal, don't get me wrong, it does taste good but I have hyperacidity.
"You don't like it?" He said
"I like it." I said
"You do? But you're not eating?"
"I have a fear of burning my tongue."
He frowned and then kept on eating his noodles, and I did too but dang it, so spicy.
After that, he decided to take a nap because apparently, he uses his day off to catch up with sleep and I holed up in my room.
My mother called me up to ask if I know of a place in Italy? What am I to her? Fucking Google Maps?
To be fair, I wasn't expecting her to be any warmer to me.
All I want is someone who'd support me, not financially, just support me emotionally. Just be there.
But then, I have no one, I'm all alone in this world. No one to tell my problems to, no one to talk to, Lucas might be here but we're not gonna be that close, he's working and I'm not.
I just want someone.
I went out my room and sat down the kitchen and drank vodka.
It seems to me that vodka is the only thing that is constant to me now.
I had been feeling down these days and Absolut  has been the only thing with me.
And I think I am passing out on the dining table.
"Ara? Wake up." I opened my eyes and saw Lucas, and it was still sunny.
"Oh, I uh, thought it was your day off and you're taking a nap. Sorry to wake you." I said, getting a hold of my self. Hell, I couldn't even see him that clearly.
"Are you okay?" He said
My head was spinning, huh, I must have dozed off a few moments ago.
"Don't worry about me. Go back to your nap." I said
"Ara, I'm going to work." He said
I frowned.
"I thought it was your day off?" I said
"No, it's Saturday." He said
"What?"
"This drinking habit has gone too far." He said
"You don't know me." I said, standing up and going back to my room.
It has been a month since I moved in here, and I basically own the house because Lucas is rarely home.
The last time that I have had a proper conversation with him was when we did some grocery shopping and then after that we just shared some hello's and hey's and how are you doing.
So, I got bored and instead of drowning myself in alcohol, I did what I had to do, I stood up and I will try to move on.
Honestly, this is the break that I have been waiting for ever since high school graduation.
Today is Thursday, which means mail day, and I went down at the commons area to look at our mailbox.
Well, of course, I wasn't expecting anything for me other than credit card bills, so I got them and walked back to the apartment.
But then Lucas was coming up to.
"Hey!" I said
"Ara, hi." He said
"You're home early." I said as we walked.
"Yeah, tomorrow's my day off and I had a clear afternoon so I decided to go home." He opened the apartment and we entered.
"Well, you could have told me, I could have poured you a glass of water." I said
"What?"
"Nothing."
"No work again today?" He asked
"Yeah, uh, the beauty of freelance." I said
He just nodded.
"Long day?" I said
"Uh, Ara, we're just roommates. I don't think I need to tell you how my day went." He said as he entered his room.
I frowned.
Okay, all I wanted was someone to talk to. I haven't been talking all day and my extroverted self is dying.
Since I have no one to talk to, I decided to drive to somewhere, anyway my car needed a warm up.
I had no where to go so I decided to go to a Starbucks.
"Ara?" I heard someone call.
I turned around and saw a good friend.
"Sophie?" I said, she rushed in and hugged me.
"Oh my god, it's been so long !" She said
Oh my god, it's been so long since I have ever made any physical contact.
"How have you been?" I said as we took a seat.
"Everything's great! I think the last time I saw you was when we graduated from college." She said
"Yeah, yeah. What have you been up to ever since?"
"Well, since we are friends, I'm telling you that I'm engaged."
"Oh, wow! That's amazing." And then she showed me the ring.
A three-carat, pear shaped, Harry Winston-
"Wow." I said
"I know!"
"Who's the lucky man?" I said
She smiled.
"You probably know him, he's from Stanford. "
Sophie, I remember you, rich and stupid.
Just because I went to Stanford, that doesn't mean that I know everyone from Stanford.
I frowned.
"What's his name, maybe I do know him."
"Edward Maine." She said
Shut the fuck up, I don't know him.
"I don't think I know him."
"Didn't expect it though. So, anyway, how have you been doing?" She said
"I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
"Why?"
"Well, it's news all over Hamptons that you ran away from home." She said
"Huh?"
"Ah! The first news was your mother ran off with some other guy and then you hearing about this also ran away from home." She said
I frowned.
"Uh, Sophie, you do realize that I'm the one you're talking to."
"Yeah, could you confirm it?"
"Where did that news come from?"
"People talk, Ara. So, speak up."
"That's not true, Sophie."
"Then why are you not coming home to Hamptons? That Maserati of yours is pretty iconic."
"I moved out of the Hamptons. I decided that I needed to be on my own for a while."
"So, where's your Mom?"
"In Italy, on a business trip. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to work." I said walking away.
I sat down inside my car, in my apartment's parking area for about an hour.
The thing is, my family well, my father cannot handle rumors that well, especially when the rumors originate from the community that he lives in.
He's gonna end up suing everybody for defamation or something. Unless he proves to himself that the rumors are true.
I decided to call my dad.
"Hello?" I said
"Mr. Hayden can't come to the phone right now, but please feel free to-"
"Lily?" I said
"Oh, Ara! Hi."
"I was wondering where Dad is?"
"He's in a meeting, and I don't think he's in the mood to talk to you."
"Right. Uh, I just wanted to check up on him."
"He's doing great. I do hope that you also do."
"Yeah, no, uh, don't worry about me."
"Trust me, he's not. I have to go, Ara." And then she hung up.
I took a slow walk back to the apartment, but then when I opened the door, Lucas was talking to some one.
"Oh." I said
Lucas and man looked at me.
And then Lucas started to talk to him in Korean.
"Hi." He said to me.
"Uh, hi." I said
"I'm Jae Kyung, Lee Kyung's brother." He said, offering me his hand.
"Lee Kyung?" I said
Then this Jae Kyung guy smiled.
"Lucas, uh, he translated his name or something. I'm sticking to my roots." He said
I blinked.
"Ara, Ara Hayden." I said, shaking his hand.
This brother of Lucas, seemed more friendly than Lucas.
And then the they started to talk in Korean, again.
Lucas stood up and then stood next to me, and then started to talk.
"What's going on?" I whispered
"I'm going to owe you big time."
"Huh?"
"Uh, Jae Kyung, uh, this is Ara, my girlfriend."
"Girlfriend?" I said
I do not know what the hell is going on and I am sure as hell that I am not even close to dating this moody neurosurgeon.
"Yeah, uh,-"
I don't know if I should go along with it or-but then I looked at Lucas and he looked like he really did need my help.
"Yeah! Girlfriend, we have been dating for a while, eh. And I really don't know why this is the first time Lucas has ever introduced us." I said
I saw Lucas relax a bit.
"Well, first of all, I didn't know that hyung has a girlfriend." Jae Kyung said
"Ah! Well, we met at Stanford and told me that his family was in Seoul and-"
"Didn't have the time and money to visit?" Jae Kyung said
"Yeah." I said
"Eonnie!" Jae Kyung shouted and hugged me.
"Oh my god." I said
"Jae Kyung, what are you-"
"This is the first time that you introduced a girlfriend okay? And it's time that we had a fluctuation in the gene pool." Jae Kyung said
"What are you talking about? You're freaking her out." Lucas said
"Oh, eomma's gonna be so thrilled." He said as he ran to the balcony.
I looked at Lucas.
And then he motioned for the front door and we walked to the garage and entered my car.
"Girlfriend. Lee Kyung. Jae Kyung. What the hell is going on?" I said
"Right, okay. Don't get mad at me."
"Can you tell me what's going on?"
"Okay! I was raised in a very conservative Korean home. And pretty much in the country side-"
"Lucas, this isn't the time for your back story."
"Just listen. So, they can never accept the fact that I am living with a girl that is not my girlfriend, fiancée, or I'm not in a relationship with. It's either you go along with it or find a new place to stay." He said
"Oh, now you're giving me an ultimatum." I said
"No, it's not that. It's just that, I really would like it if we just got along with it. You're not so bad yourself."
"What are you talking about?"
"Please? Just get along with it, I'd be more than happy to shoulder all expenses with this arrangement."
"It's not about money, Lucas. I'm not an escort."
"So, it's okay for you to pretend?" He said
"Yeah, fine. What ever. Just don't kiss me or something. Plus, I don't have anything else to do. And I haven't seen other people besides you. So, might as well get along with it." I said
"I owe you big time, Ara. Thank you."
"That you do, Doctor Seo."
He nodded.
"Wait, do we have to like, hold hands or something?" I said
"We'll just be ourselves." He said
"Ourselves being occasional hellos and goodbyes in the kitchen."
"Yeah, we're bad roommates."
"Me? No, you're the bad roommate."
"Okay, I'll accept that. "
"Good."
We went back up and I saw his brother again.
"So, Jae Kyung-"
"Ara, where did you and my brother meet?" He said as we sat down the couch.
"Ah! At the supermarket. He was buying a lot of those Korean kimchi-flavored spicy noodles. And I happened to be passing by the Imported Goods section."
Lucas was just looking at me.
"Well, hyung likes noodles a lot." Jae Kyung said
I nodded.
"That's the only thing that he cooks around here." I said
"That's true." Lucas said
"Do you cook, Ara?" Jae Kyung said
"She does." Lucas said
"Really?" Jae Kyung said
"Why? Is that unbelievable? " I said
"No, it's just that Mom would like you a whole lot better if she knows that you cook." Jae Kyung said
"Jae Kyung-" Lucas started
"Well, you're gotta have to introduce her to mom. You're living in together, and she's gonna freak."
I looked at Lucas.
"Why don't I get to know my sister-in-law?" Jae Kyung said
"Sister in law?" I said
"It's bound to happen anyway."
"Not in the near future." Lucas said
"So you're not planning on settling down? With her?"
I raised my eyebrows.
"I do, I do, but we're both career, yah, you come in here, uninvited, and then you're preaching to me about marriage? Jae Kyung, these kinds of relationships happen in America. We can do good with or without marriage." Lucas said
"What he said." I said
"You're just saying that." Jae Kyung said
"Huh?" I said
Then Jae Kyung just shook his head.