Episode 14:
BETWEEN THE SUNSET
AND THE SILENCE
June 20, 1997
5:00 PM
YOON SOLBITNA BUBBLED with excitement at the thought of seeing Jeon Jung Hyeok again. Just days prior, she had eagerly shared the news of Chaoreum's new location with Hwang Yoo Rin, mentioning it was the very same restaurant they visited in Apgujeong, where she had first met Jaehyun and Wonwoo. Yoo Rin's reaction was nothing short of jubilant; she promptly invited Solbitna to the grand opening. And so, here Solbitna stood, outside the restaurant, clad in her short overalls and crisp white sneakers.
The second location of Chaoreum was conveniently close to the boarding house. It was just nestled in the corner of the bustling main street. After strolling through the cramped alley for a good five minutes, the restaurant was the first thing that Solbitna caught sight of.
The weather was comfortably mild, which made waiting outside bearable even though Yoo Rin was running late. Inside, the atmosphere buzzed with activity. Ahead of Solbitna, a line of eager customers, predominantly young adults, stretched out, with even more milling behind her. After an impatient ten-minute wait, Yoo Rin finally made her entrance. The crowd queued with Solbitna collectively turned their heads as Hwang Yoo Rin popped out from the luxurious white Jaguar, a sight that left them in awe. The Seodaemun District, home to Sinchon, lacked the opulence typically associated with areas like Gangnam in Seoul. Therefore, the sight of Yoo Rin emerging from such an extravagant car naturally captured the attention of everyone nearby.
"Sorry I'm late," Yoo Rin apologized to Solbitna as she approached, her expression slightly flustered. "The traffic at Hannam Bridge was a nightmare."
"It's fine, it's been slow here too." Solbitna replied, pulling Yoo Rin close as they continued to wait in line, exchanging updates on their mundane lives. Min Hee was supposed to be with them today, but something suddenly came up at home, hence her absence. Aside from Solbitna's encounter with her attractive new neighbour, there wasn't much excitement to report; each day seemed to blend into the next with monotony. As for Yoo Rin, since the festival had ended, she hadn't mentioned much about Wonwoo or Jaehyun. Solbitna couldn't help but wonder what might have transpired between them.
"So how's your boy doing?" Solbitna asked at last, noticing the line inching closer to entry.
"Busy," Yoo Rin responded, her fingers idly tracing the hem of her blouse, a hint of sadness crossing her features at the mention of him. "It's baseball season, so he and his teammates are training day and night."
"Oh," Solbitna murmured sympathetically.
"They have weekly games against other high schools, and there's the Bonghwang tournament in August too. I really miss him."
The mention of busyness and missing someone stirred a thought in Solbitna's mind about Jaehyun. It was clear now why she hadn't heard from him either.
After a bit of a wait, an usher finally led Solbitna and Yoo Rin to a free table inside. Once seated, Solbitna took a moment to survey her surroundings. The interior maintained the traditional layout reminiscent of the Apgujeong location, albeit with some subtle modern upgrades. Even with these changes, the atmosphere retained a comforting familiarity.
Hwang Yoo Rin and Solbitna perused the menu, which had not changed. The two teenagers discussed their options, seeking a meal they could both agree on. All seemed to be proceeding smoothly until Solbitna's attention was arrested by a familiar silhouette in her peripheral vision, prompting her to pause mid-sentence. There, emerging from the kitchen, was Jeon Jung Hyeok, clad in a black t-shirt branded with the restaurant's logo and an apron. As he approached the front desk, the telephone rang. With the attendant busy helping another customer, Jung Hyeok answered it.
Yoo Rin glanced at Solbitna to confirm a menu item, only to be taken aback by the scene transpiring before her. Solbitna appeared to have transformed into a different persona entirely, propping her cheek with one hand as she gazed at Jung Hyeok in the distance in awe.
"You are drooling," Yoo Rin quipped upon realizing Solbitna's fixation on Jeon Jung Hyeok. Well aware of Jung Hyeok's allure—his striking looks, physique, and gentle voice—Yoo Rin knew he effortlessly captivated women, even managing to enchant their housekeeper, Park Juyeon. While it was no secret that Jung Hyeok was one of the heartthrobs in the restaurant industry, Yoo Rin never anticipated Solbitna, whom she considered a paragon of asexuality due to her perpetual disinterest in most men, to be so openly smitten.
The sound of Yoo Rin's voice snapped the seventeen-year-old back to reality, prompting her to hastily wipe her mouth, though there was no actual drool.
Yoo Rin grinned mischievously. "Crushing on a married grown man—how scandalous. You are a goner, Miss Sol."
"I am not," Solbitna protested, her face reddening as she turned away.
Just then, a young boy, who was about as tall as Kim Taehyung, approached their table, donning the same uniform as Jung Hyeok and the other staff members.
"Have you decided what to eat?" he inquired, retrieving a notepad from his pocket. His voice was small, but smooth with a light airiness to it. His facial structure was delicate and rounded, which suggested that he was slightly younger than the two girls.
Yoo Rin placed their order, while the server quietly jotted down their selections, his expression neutral. Observing the boy's lack of enthusiasm compared to the other workers, Solbitna could tell he badly wanted to go home. Once he had finished, he quickly excused himself.
When Solbitna glanced back towards the front desk, Jung Hyeok had disappeared.
"You know, he's only thirty-four," Yoo Rin remarked, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "Not too bad, right?"
"Who's not too bad?"
"The owner. It's just a sixteen-year gap. Nothing major. You should totally go for it, babe. I'm one hundred percent supportive."
Solbitna's expression twisted in disgust. "That's ridiculous. I'm not about to land that poor man in jail, okay?"
"Tsk, I've had crushes on older guys in the past," Yoo Rin boasted. "I'm talking fifties, not thirties."
"You fall for every guy you meet," Solbitna retorted sharply. "Maybe worry about yourself first."
"That's mean," the other girl frowned.
Before long, amidst the bustling crowd, Solbitna heard her name being called, "Sol!" At first, she dismissed it, knowing 'Sol' was a common name among girls in Korea. That person might have been searching for a different Sol—who knows? However, when her entire first name, "Solbitna," rang out a second time, it jolted her from her thoughts. The girl whipped her head around, scanning the crowd for the source.
"Yoon Solbitna, over here!" A waving arm caught her eye, and Solbitna locked onto the caller.
"Is someone calling you?" Hwang Yoo Rin inquired, noticing her friend's sudden distraction.
At a table in the far corner of the restaurant, Solbitna's gaze settled on Jeong Jaehyun. The girl squinted, trying to confirm whether it was truly him or merely a trick of the light. But there he was—undeniably the real Jeong Jaehyun. He was accompanied by two others, whose backs were to her, making them unrecognizable. That detail faded into irrelevance because only Jaehyun mattered now.
"Oh my god, he's here too?!" Yoo Rin gasped as she caught sight of Jaehyun rising from his chair and making his way toward their table. "Did you invite him, Sol?" she asked.
"Absolutely not!" Solbitna replied, her voice mixed with surprise and apprehension. Her eyes tracked Jaehyun's progress as he weaved through the crowded restaurant, deftly maneuvering between tables and politely sidestepping other customers. Her heart thumped audibly in her chest, each step he took raising her anxiety.
"Talk about fate," Hwang Yoo Rin whispered to herself just as Jaehyun arrived, smirking at Solbitna.
"Hey," Jeong Jaehyun greeted, his dimples deepening as he flashed a warm smile at both Yoo Rin and Solbitna. "I didn't expect to find you two here. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"It sure has! Come, have a seat," Yoo Rin insisted. Jaehyun paused for a moment, deciding where to sit, before ultimately choosing the vacant spot beside the short haired girl.
"Sol mentioned this new location of Chaoerum, and I wanted to check it out with her," Yoo Rin continued. "She lives really close by, you know."
"Oh, do you really?" Jaehyun turned slightly toward the said girl, his expression one of genuine interest.
"Yes, I do," Solbitna replied, managing a somewhat awkward smile.
Jaehyun shifted his focus back to Yoo Rin. "I wish Wonwoo Hyung could have joined us today. He would have been so happy to see you, Yoo Rin. He's been buried in baseball and preparing for the CSATs this past month."
Besides serving as captain for his team's baseball games and preparing for the upcoming tournament in August, Jeon Wonwoo was also a high school senior. Aware that his time in sports might be temporary, he understood the importance of excelling in other areas. If he failed to join the KBO League, the highest level league of baseball in Korea, he knew he needed to perform well on his university entrance exam to secure his future.
"I'm aware," Hwang Yoo Rin sighed hopelessly. She then asked, nodding towards his table, "Who are you with today?"
"My classmates," Jaehyun answered, his gaze flickering back to Solbitna even as he spoke to Yoo Rin. "We were at a study room and came here because we were starving."
While they spoke, the server they'd interacted with earlier returned with their order. Yoo Rin and Solbitna had opted for samgyeopsal, so he carefully arranged three plates of pork belly on their table, alongside two small containers of rice, a tray of fresh lettuce leaves, and an assortment of side dishes and sauces. Noticing Jeong Jaehyun, who hadn't been there earlier, the server locked eyes with him briefly before shifting his gaze to Solbitna and then looking away.
"Oh, don't mind me," Jaehyun said with a sheepish grin to the young server. "I'm just visiting for a bit. I'm with those boys," he added, gesturing back towards his own table.
The server nodded silently and departed after setting everything up. Solbitna then took the tongs and began grilling the meat on the charcoal stove.
"Enjoy your meal," Jaehyun said, standing to leave. "I should head back now."
Yoo Rin and Solbitna nodded, offering him a smile, and Jaehyun returned to his table.
About half an hour into their meal and conversation, Solbitna noticed Jaehyun and his two classmates getting ready to leave in the distance. They walked to the front counter, settled their bill, and left the restaurant. About twenty minutes later, Yoo Rin and Solbitna finished eating as well. As Solbitna tidied the table and stacked the bowls for easier collection, Yoo Rin signaled the same young server to bring them the bill.
The server nodded and walked over to the counter, but returned moments later without a bill in hand.
"I was told that your bill has already been settled," he informed them.
"What?" Solbitna's eyes widened in disbelief. "That can't be right."
"The cashier said that someone already paid for it," the server explained.
"Did they say who it was?" Yoo Rin asked.
The boy's gaze lingered on Solbitna a bit longer this time, almost as if he was engraving her entire face to memory. He responded shortly after, "I think it might've been the guy who sat next to you."
"Huh?" Yoon Solbitna said, her mouth hanging open in pure confusion as she looked at the boy.
Hwang Yoo Rin couldn't contain her amusement at Solbitna's expression. She stifled a laugh with her hand and began to giggle to herself. It turned out that Jaehyun had indeed secretly paid for their meal when he paid for his. He had specifically instructed the cashier not to reveal his identity, but the server had caught on anyway.
The two girls thanked the young boy and made their way out of the restaurant.
"I told you he's interested," Yoo Rin couldn't resist saying as they walked towards the door, a proud smile on her face. "He even paid for your meal. You should just date him, Sol."
"You're so confusing," grumbled Solbitna, her brows furrowed in frustration. "Earlier, you were pushing me to make moves on the owner of this restaurant, and now you're telling me to date Jaehyun. Which is it, really?"
"Why are you asking me? The choice is yours," Yoo Rin retorted playfully.
"Whatever," the seventeen-year-old rolled her eyes as she pushed through the exit door. "Jaehyun probably paid for our meal thinking of you."
Despite Yoo Rin's persistent hints about his potential interest, Solbitna remained steadfast in her disbelief.
As soon as they stepped outside, a fresh breeze greeted their faces. Glancing to the side, they noticed a long line of people still waiting to enter. With Yoo Rin and Solbitna out, the usher promptly ushered in the next few guests. Turning to the other side, they spotted Jeong Jaehyun squatting beside a lamppost, engrossed in something he held in his hands. Upon closer inspection, they realized he was tinkering with a Game Boy, his fingers dancing over the buttons as he focused intently on the screen.
"Huh, not only did he pay for your meal, but he also waited for you," Yoo Rin teased Solbitna again, nudging her playfully in the side.
"Ugh, shut up!" Solbitna groaned, playfully slapping Yoo Rin's arm. Although her protest wasn't loud, Jaehyun's sharp ears picked up her voice. He quickly stood up, brushing off his clothes as he turned their way.
"Jeong Jaehyun, why are you still here?" Hwang Yoo Rin questioned him, her tone one of mild surprise. "I thought you left a while ago."
"Oh, um," the boy stammered, clearly uneasy. "My friends went to get drinks, but... I don't know, they haven't come back yet. I think they ditched me."
His explanation was clearly fabricated, a poorly constructed lie that didn't hold together.
"Are you both heading home now?" he inquired.
"I am," Yoo Rin replied with a smile, "but Sol isn't."
Solbitna looked at her bewilderedly. That wasn't the plan.
"I overate and my stomach is really upset," Yoo Rin explained, pressing a hand to her abdomen to emphasize her discomfort. "I'm on the verge of throwing up, so I need to get home and take some medicine. Could you keep an eye on Sol for me?"
Although Jaehyun sensed the underlying ploy, Solbitna took the request seriously.
"Why didn't you say something earlier?!" she scolded, sounding almost matronly. "Really, Yoo Rin, you know better than to eat so quickly. I have medicine at my place just down the block. Let's go together and get it. Can you hold on until then? Humming a song might help. Try humming something, Yoo Rin."
While the girl appreciated Solbitna's genuine concern, she was slightly let down by her friend's failure to pick up on the subtle hints. She glanced at Jaehyun, catching him grinning at Solbitna's earnest reaction.
"Sol, relax. I'll manage on my own," Yoo Rin reassured, walking toward the white vehicle parked across from the restaurant. As she crossed the street, she called back, "I'll give you an update later. Don't worry! Bye!"
"How can I not worry, gashinaya?" Solbitna murmured to herself, watching Yoo Rin climb into the vehicle. "You're so..." Her voice trailed off as Mr. Oh started the car and they pulled away.
Once they had departed, Solbitna sighed and turned to Jaehyun, finding themselves alone together once more.
"So, what now?" she asked, approaching the eighteen-year-old, more at ease with him than in their past encounters.
Jeong Jaehyun appeared visibly uncomfortable.
"What's the matter?" Solbitna asked immediately, stepping closer to examine him.
"My leg... it's asleep," Jaehyun groaned, his discomfort evident. He leaned against a lamppost for support, lifting his numb leg while placing his other hand on Solbitna's shoulder for balance. He winced as the pins-and-needles sensation persisted.
"What were you thinking, squatting outside for who knows how long in this scorching weather? You should've waited for us inside," Solbitna chastised, her tone laced with concern as she steadied him by his bicep.
"I... wasn't waiting for you," Jaehyun stubbornly maintained, although his blush suggested otherwise.
Solbitna noted the redness of his ears, a telltale sign of his embarrassment. Eventually, Jaehyun managed to alleviate the numbness by rotating his leg a couple of times. Standing straight again, he tried to brush off the incident.
"Leg cramps are the worst," he remarked casually, turning to face a serious-looking Solbitna. "Are you mad?" he asked tentatively, his expression filled with fret.
"You..." she began, a playful tone in her voice. "Were you the one who paid for our meal?"
Jaehyun hesitated before responding, "No, I didn't." His ears reddened further. Attempting nonchalance, he added, "Why? Did someone cover it? That's nice."
"Your ears turn red every time you lie," Solbitna pointed out, observing him closely. "Don't they?"
Jaehyun's silence indicated that he was caught off guard, which confirmed Solbitna's doubts.
"You don't need to lie. Our server told us it was you."
"For real?" Jaehyun exclaimed, frustrated. He muttered something unintelligible under his breath, which sounded like, "Ugh...kook...that snitch."
"So, how much was the bill?" The seventeen-year-old asked, pulling out her wallet. "I'll pay you back."
"No, what the heck!" Jaehyun protested in English, stopping her hand. "This is exactly why I didn't want anyone to know. I knew you'd do this."
"No shit!" Solbitna asserted firmly. "I hate being in debt to anyone. Now, tell me the exact amount. C'mon."
"No. I don't remember," the boy responded, sealing the conversation with a stubborn shake of his head.
Yoon Solbitna's face tightened, as if she were wrestling with the urge to unleash a stream of curses at him, but she held herself back.
"Just consider it a repayment for last time," Jeong Jaehyun smoothly interjected, referencing the meal they had shared with the boarding house tenants during the festival.
Solbitna's face dropped, and she let out a dry chuckle. "No, that doesn't count. I didn't pay for that meal—the others did. Just be honest, Jaehyun."
"I already told you, I don't remember."
"Then how can I make it up to you?"
Jeong Jaehyun paused, a playful smile forming. "How about you buy me dessert?"
"What kind?"
"Which do you like?"
"I'm not sure... maybe ice cream?"
"Perfect, ice cream it is. I know just the place."
Together, Jaehyun and Solbitna caught a bus, disembarking a few stops later in Mapo-Gu. As they walked through Jaehyun's neighborhood, he confidently led the way, setting a relaxed and friendly tone. He was particularly inquisitive about her interests, ranging from her favourite desserts to how she spent her leisure time and the type of music she listened to. Solbitna explained that her free time was often consumed with studying. On the rare occasions she wasn't studying, she'd be engrossed in novels and magazines, or sometimes just rotting in bed. Occasionally, she spent evenings with the tenants, though their adult conversations sometimes made her feel alienated.
"So, Yoo Rin was right," Jaehyun remarked. "You really are a studyholic."
"Are you saying that to insult me?"
"Of course not," he reassured. "It just tells me how dedicated you are to your studies."
Solbitna offered a wry smile. "I sort of have to be."
—Or else, she feared, her father would never like her.
When it came to music, Solbitna said she listened to whatever was popular among teenagers like Seo Taiji and Boys, H.O.T., and Turbo. She was into music but she wasn't a connoisseur of music.
"And what about you, Jaehyun? What songs do you listen to?" she inquired, aiming to keep the conversation lively as they approached an ice cream shop.
"I've been into American R&B lately," Jaehyun shared. "I've been listening to SWV and Aaliyah a lot these past couple of months."
"I'm not familiar with them, but their names sound interesting," Solbitna replied as they entered the shop.
Inside, they made their selections at the counter—Jaehyun chose pistachio, his favourite, while Solbitna opted for cookies and cream. After she paid, they sat down at an empty table.
"I've noticed you have a really good English accent," Solbitna continued, trying to connect the dots. "Is it because you listen to a lot of American music?"
Jaehyun laughed softly, his face contorting adorably as he reacted to the chill of the ice cream. "That's part of it, but mostly it's because I used to live in the States."
Solbitna's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"
"Yep, I lived in Connecticut for four years before moving back here when I was nine."
"Heul! What's America like? The farthest I've ever traveled is to Seoul."
"I'd say it was very diverse—nothing like what you see in movies."
"Oh. Well, I'm sure it was a great experience for you, regardless."
Jaehyun nodded, his signature dimpled smile making another appearance. He looked so endearing that Solbitna couldn't resist smiling back. As they continued to chat, Jaehyun found himself increasingly intrigued by her. Initially, her reserved demeanour and sharp tongue had seemed daunting, but as they talked more, he discovered that she was quite a warm, perceptive, and vibrant person.
The two teenagers lingered for a good while at the ice cream shop. While Jaehyun polished off his dessert, Solbitna found herself caught up in conversation, and before she knew it, most of her ice cream had melted away. She couldn't recall all the details of what she had shared; the topics flowed seamlessly from one to the next. She recounted a humorous story about how she became friends with Yoo Rin and Min Hee. Before Solbitna transferred to their school, the two girls had been classmates in 10th grade, so they were already good friends. Initially, Solbitna felt isolated during her first few days, as none of the other girls seemed eager to engage with her, possibly put off by her inadvertently aloof demeanour.
Then, she shared with Jaehyun a pivotal incident that had unexpectedly warmed her relations with two classmates. One day, while walking home engrossed in memorizing English vocabulary from her notepad, she was startled by two figures rushing over to her.
"You're the new girl in our class, right?" Solbitna coudn't recall her name at the moment, but the speaker was Hwang Yoo Rin.
"Yes. Why?" Solbitna responded, a hint of caution in her voice.
"Your legs are bleeding," the second girl, with a deep and resonant voice, pointed out. It was Song Min Hee.
Startled, Solbitna looked down and saw to her horror not an injury, but a streak of menstrual blood—her period had started unexpectedly! When she turned around, she noticed that the high school girls walking behind her had seen it too. Some looked disgusted, while others giggled. Overcome with embarrassment, Solbitna's face flushed deep red. Fortunately, the girls quickly came to her aid. Yoo Rin handed her a travel pack of wet wipes, and Min Hee draped her light jacket around Solbitna to provide some privacy as she cleaned herself up in the corner. From that moment, their friendship solidified.
When Jeong Jaehyun and Yoon Solbitna exited the ice cream shop, the sun was already setting. The sky was painted with strokes of purple and pink, casting a soft glow reminiscent of cotton candy. It was now seven-thirty in the evening. Jaehyun walked Solbitna to the nearest bus stop where they sat together on the bench, quietly absorbing the breathtaking scene above them.
"This kind of moment really makes me feel grateful to be alive," Jaehyun said out of the blue.
Solbitna turned to look at him, pausing to take him in. She now found herself wondering which was more captivating—the sunset-streaked sky or the boy beside her.
The eighteen-year-old noticed her intense gaze and turned to meet her eyes. The girl quickly looked away, a shy blush colouring her cheeks. Jaehyun smiled softly at her reaction.
"Solbitna-ah," Jaehyun called fondly with his eyes fixed on her, savouring every syllable of her name with his deep, sultry voice.
The atmosphere had shifted subtly; what was light and easy between them just moments ago now seemed tinged with a new, silent tension. Solbitna wondered what had changed. Was it the resonant timbre of his voice? The way the fading sunlight accentuated the contours of his face? Or perhaps the sudden chill as the evening air grew cooler?
"Yes?" She managed to reply, trying to sound nonchalant. She kept her gaze deliberately on the vibrant hues of the sky, fearing her expression might betray her if she looked at Jaehyun again.
"I want your phone number," he said straightforwardly, his request cutting cleanly through the twilight.
Caught off guard by his direct request, Solbitna broke her resolve and met his gaze directly. "My number?"
"Yeah, we're friends, aren't we? I realized today that you're a really nice person to talk to, so I was hoping to get your number to stay in contact."
Friends. That's right. That's what they were, and friends exchanged numbers all the time; Solbitna reminded herself there was nothing to overthink. She had shared her number with Yoo Rin, Min Hee, and even with Yoongi, Pureom, Jimin, and Taehyung for emergency purposes. It was perfectly normal, so why did her heart feel like it was pounding uncontrollably in her chest at this simple request from Jaehyun?
"Sure, I'll give it to you," Solbitna said, snapping back from her fleeting thoughts. "But... I don't have a pen—"
Before she could finish, Jaehyun swiftly produced a pen, seemingly having pulled it from his school bag while she was momentarily lost in thought.
Solbitna gave an awkward smile as she accepted the pen. Jaehyun extended his left arm toward her, subtly offering his wrist as a canvas. Understanding his cue, she carefully wrapped her small hand around his forearm to steady it, then began to write her number on his skin. The intimate act, simple yet charged, made her heart skip a beat again as the pen traced the digits across his wrist.
As Solbitna finished writing, Jaehyun smiled warmly at her. "I'll give you a call if I feel like hanging out," he said, his tone friendly.
Just then, the approaching bus caught Solbitna's attention. She stood up, responding, "Okay. Thanks for today."
"Thanks for the ice cream too. I had a great time," Jaehyun replied as the bus doors began to open.
Solbitna quickly boarded the bus, exchanging greetings with the bus driver and dropping her fare into the coin box. Through the clear windows, she could see Jaehyun still watching her. Their eyes met briefly as she made her way down the aisle, Jaehyun giving her a wave which she awkwardly returned.
Suddenly, the bus jerked forward, catching Solbitna off balance. She stumbled and fell to the floor, her heart sinking as she realized Jaehyun's shocked expression through the window. But before she could even react, the bus had already pulled away, leaving Jaehyun behind, unable to do anything to help.
"Haksaeng, are you okay?!" The old bus driver exclaimed, concern evident as he glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
Solbitna, who had landed awkwardly on all fours, took a moment to regain her composure. She noticed the other passengers staring, their eyes wide with concern and curiosity. "Yes, I'm alright," she replied, managing a small, reassuring smile for the driver. She gripped the bars tightly, steadying herself as she finally settled into a vacant seat. As the bus headed to Sinchon, Solbitna took a deep breath, trying to shake off the embarrassment of her fall and the lingering warmth of the evening she'd spent with Jaehyun.
SWV —
WEAK
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