Start Again

Chapter Sixteen

My eyes widened as I turned to check Audrey's reaction. Her head was nearly halfway between the clothing racks now, yet she wasn't successfully hiding the redness of her cheeks.

"She's not my girlfriend," I started, "but you may want to ask her if she needs help."

"Does she speak Hanguk?"

"Ask her yourself."

The shop assistant shyly approached Audrey. "Sillyehamnida," she said, causing Audrey to pull her head back out of the clothes. The redness had subsided from her cheeks.

As the shop assistant spoke to Audrey, and realised that Audrey did speak Korean, and thus began to help Audrey find clothing, I began to ponder her reaction. Why did Audrey duck her head in the clothes when the lady asked if she was my girlfriend? Why did she blush? Did she possibly... like me back? The thought stirred butterflies in my stomach. I turned around, my eyes searching for her. The shop assistant was leading her to a change room with a stack of clothes. Her face was lit up in delight. How do I ask her if she feels the same way? What do I do if she doesn't? But why would react that way if she didn't? She has to, right? What do I do in this situation?

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialled Baek Hu's number. I needed some advice on this. To avoid Audrey overhearing me, I stepped out of the store.

"Yeoboseyo?" Baek Hu answered.

"I have a dilemma and I need your advice."

"Right now?"

"Well, right now would be good. I might have to react to your advice today since the day is going so well."

"You've lost me. Start from the beginning."

I took a deep breath. I still hadn't told Baek Hu that I liked Audrey. I hadn't even told Ji Soo. It wasn't scared to tell either of them, nor did I want to withhold the information because I was ashamed of admitting it. It was the opposite, in fact. I wanted to tell everyone. But it felt wrong to tell others before Audrey knew. Yet, how do I tell her? "You were right."

"I'm always right. But what about, exactly?"

"I like her. I like Audrey."

There was silence on the other end.

"Baek Hu?"

I heard a sniff sound from the phone.

"Baek Hu? Are you okay?"

"I'm so proud," he half said between sniffs. "Our Joon Soo is growing up."

I rolled my eyes.

"So what's the problem?"

"How do I tell her?"

Baek Hu sighed. "It's really sad that you're twenty-six years old and don't know how to confess to a woman. Where are you now?"

"Out shopping with her. We're spending the day together. I asked her questions and it turns out there is someone she likes and I hope it's me but... I don't know how to ask. She didn't answer when I did."

"Hmm. If she does like you, then with a response like that I'd imagine she's waiting for you to tell her first."

"So what do I do?"

"Tell her."

"How?"

"You say 'Audrey, I like you'."