Some Kind of Wonderful

Of Realizations and Denials

"Mom?"

Kim Mi-kyung smiled sweetly at Cha Eun Sang. "Oh, you're home. Don't you have to go to work today?"

Cha Eun Sang kicked her shoes off her feet then went directly to the kitchen.

She poured herself a glass of water. "I will, later at 7 tonight. I exchanged shifts with Chan Young."

Chan Young is her classmate and friend from Jeguk High. He also works at the coffee shop that she works at. Apparently, though, Chan Young owns it. He's just working for fun.

"Must be good to work just for fun and not because he really has to," she thought.

She drank her water. "How about you, mom? Don't you have work today?"

Kim Mi-kyung nodded. "I called in sick."

A sudden rush of panic overwhelmed her. She ran to her mom and checked her arms, her pulse, and her forehead. "Are you okay?"

Her mom gently brushed her hands away. "I'm okay," she said, gently tapping Cha Eun Sang's forearm.

She looked at her. "Really? You're not sick again, right?"

Her mom laughed. "Yes. I just wanted to take a break, that's all."

She looked at her dubiously. "You're," she paused. "You're really not sick?"

Her mom smiled at her. "I'm really okay."

"That's good, then," she smiled back. "I'm just gonna go inside my room and change."

She started walking towards her room.

"Someone came over here this morning," her mom announced from behind her back.

"Let me try to remember." Her mom paused. "He said he's your friend," her mom added.

She smiled even though her mom couldn't see it. "Ah, that was Kim Tan."

"No, that wasn't his name," her mom protested.

She frowned.

"He said he was Choi Young Do."

She frowned even deeper. "Choi Young Do was here?"

How in the world did Choi Young Do where she lived?

Now that she thought about it, she did not see Choi Young Do in school today.

"Was he absent?" she thought then turned around and started to walk towards her room.

Her eyes grew wide when she remembered what Rachel asked her earlier while they were having their ice cream.

She almost choked on her chocolate-flavored ice cream. "What?"

Rachel looked serious. "Do you like Choi Young Do?"

She laughed almost hysterically. "No!"

"No! Really, no!" she added when she saw the look on Rachel's face.

She wanted to ask Rachel what made her ask that, but, decided against it.

Rachel just looked at her then shrugged her shoulders.

Her mom's voice woke her from her reverie. "He asked me if I'd let you meet him for dinner." Her mother paused. "Are you dating that guy?"

She whipped around at the voice. "No, mom," she answered, almost shouting.

"Ew!" She added when her mom looked at her funny. "I'm not dating that guy. Ew! I just owed him some lunch," she added, trying not to sound defensive.