Finding the Right Words

Chapter 136- Old and New

"No, Eonni, I didn't get the shipment that the company was sent to me. Was that to my old address? ...I'm sorry! I already changed it in the national registry. They must have sent it before I got it changed."

I stood over the stove, my phone wedged between my shoulder and my cheek. In front of me was a pan of frying bacon, so I couldn't afford to let it burn. Bacon was hard to get in Korea. 

I pulled at the robe I had wrapped around myself. "No, Eonni, I'm making breakfast right now. I'll be there as soon as I can. No, actually, I'm in quite a good mood. Yup. See you soon. Ish." I hung up, setting the phone on the counter, adding, "maybe."

Hands wrapped around my waist, and I felt his head on my shoulder. "Breakfast?" Zhou Mi asked, looking at the food already set aside. 

"When I woke up you were still asleep, so I figured I'd better do some cleanup... since there was quite a mess left last night..." I snickered, letting the bacon go for just a second to kiss him, smiling to myself. 

"I started to, but I got... distracted." He let go of my waist, leaning against the counter. 

I laughed, taking some pieces off of the skillet. "I regret nothing."

He laughed, taking one of the pieces and blowing on it. "Nothing? Nothing at all?"

"Nope. Nothing whatsoever. By the way... Happy Birthday,  Zhou Mi," I said under my breath, turning away and laughing a little.

He froze, his mouth open, and then looked at his phone's calendar. Sure enough, April 19th.

I laughed a while, bringing the bacon and waffles to the table. "You forgot, didn't you?"

"My own birthday? Of course I didn't--"

"You forgot. You got distracted." I stuck my tongue out at him, still laughing. "You should probably put a shirt on, though. I mean, we both have to go to work. And I probably shouldn't be in public wearing just a bathrobe..."

 ~

I arrived at my now for-rent apartment, collecting the box of stuff that had arrived at my door. My new shipment of nail polish, in remarkable, vibrant colors. Of course. Those were my favorites. Aside from advertising for it, I quite liked the company. They actually made good polish.

I put it in my car's trunk (nothing special, just something Kangin let me have for a discount price after I won a bet against him and he was getting a new car), then looked at my watch. I had some time yet before I had to go to the radio station, now that my pick-up mission was done. Maybe I could--

My phone rang before I could finish that thought. It was Jung Ah, of course.

"Minsung, you're not busy for the next few hours, are you?"

I deflated, but was in too good of a mood that day to turn her down. "No, I'm not. What you got, Eonni?"

She seemed a bit surprised that I took the question so well, because she hesitated before she began. "Well, if you can, try to come to the company in the next half an hour. We have an offer from some Asian travel agencies that the company thinks you should take. Oh, and they're wondering when you're going to start working on your new album."

"Today," I answered with a grin.

"...today?"

"Yeah. Today. I'm feeling particularly inspired today."

She hesitated again. "Minsung, are you... okay? You seem abnormally... happy... today."

"Oh, of course! I'm fine! I'm walking on clouds! I'm dancing in the rain and ready to sing at the top of my lungs! Why, is that weird?"