The next afternoon I was leaving school wondering what I would do with the hours left before I could go to Rising SUN when Gina skipped over to my side.
"What's up chica!" She said linking her arm with mines. I shrugged.
"Nothing much. I was just about to go home." I told her.
"Boring. Luis is having a party at his house tonight everyone is going. Its going to be crazy! And Jasmine told me that Carter asked her if you would be there!" She squealed excitedly jumping up and down. I rolled my eyes. My friend Jasmine and her cousin Louis were always throwing parties when their parents would leave for the weekend. I was so over that. The same old things happened each time.
"I'm not going." I told her.
She smacked my arm. "You're going. Carter obviously likes you and wants to hang out with you!"
Carter is this guy that all the girls think is so hot and have crushes on. He was nothing but a player though and I wasn't interested. My mom has warned me about his type, my dad was that type so she would know.
"I don't want to go. Plus I can't anyways. I have to be at Rising SUN at nine tonight."
Gina gasped. "This is about you're mom's boss right? You still like him?"
I was going to answer her when I was bumped into from behind making me drop my books onto the ground. I turned to see Shay Lincoln standing there. "I am so sorry. I wasn't paying attention." She said as she knelt down to pick up my things. I was kind of in shock. Shay was a senior, two grades ahead of me, and really popular. She played volleyball and was captain of the cheer squad. I've never spoken to her but I didn't expect her to be so nice either. "Its ok. It was a accident." I told her as I knelt also and picked up the rest of my stuff.
"Sorry. I've been so out of it lately." She continued to say as she handed me my things.
"Its really ok." I assured her.
"Shay!" Natalie Scott called out. She was another cheerleader and Shay's friend.
"Bye." She said before jogging off. Gina snapped her fingers in front of my face.
"Ok. So anyways. You and your mom's boss. Is something going on? Why does he have you coming there at night?" I rolled my eyes and started walking towards the bus stop. I wish it was something like that. But im pretty sure Joon really just wants me to be a taster. "Where are you going? I'll give you a ride home."
I was reluctant to take the ride with Gina and have to listen to more of her questions. But then again I seriously hated the bus. Taking the ride was the better option. As predicted Gina questioned me the whole ride home. She kept insisting that something must be going on and I wasn't a good best friend if I didn't tell her about it.
The girl was so dramatic. I was glad to get away from her.
I went straight to my room and to my closet. What should I wear? I had to look extra special. I was going through all of my things when mom stuck her head in.
"What are you doing?"
"Finding something to wear." I told her without looking over.
"For what? Just wear what you have on."
Eww. No way. This was school clothes. I've had them on all day and I refused to wear it tonight. Finally mom decided to give up on watching me. "Just be ready by eight so I can drop you off." She said before disappearing.
After an intense search I settled on something simple so it didn't seem like I was trying too hard but nice enough that he knew I took special effort. I wore black skinny jeans a pale blue silk camisole top and these wicked cute ankle boots I just bought a week ago. They were wicked. I usually was too lazy to make an effort with my hair and just threw it up into a ponytail but of course that wouldn't do for tonight. So I painstakingly pulled it over my shoulder on the left side and did a fishtail braid. I'd been trying to perfect it for a while now and I must say it looked pretty good.
"Wow." Mom said when I met her in the living room. "You look like you're going on a date."
I blushed. "Its nothing. I just felt like dressing up a little." I lied.
Mom winked. "Sure. I know Seung Yoon's going to think you look beautiful." I groaned.
"Mom. I don't like Seung Yoon."
She just laughed disbelievingly as we headed for her car. Whatever, mom could think what she wanted. Tonight I was on a mission. A mission to make Joon see me as more than just one of his employess kids. I didn't expect him to acknowledge me as a woman but I wanted to be seen as a person, something more than just a kid. So if the most I could hope for was to be a person to him, someone he could talk to, confide in, than that's what I would aim to be.
We pulled up to the resturant and I rushed out the car. "Bye mom. I'll call you when we're done." I said hastily as I slammed the passenger side door shut. I walked inside the front door and smiled at Arron who was at the front desk. "Hey Lani. Back again today?"
"You know I can't stay away from you." I joked winking. He laughed as I passed him and walked towards the kitchen. The place was starting to wind down. They closed in another hour. I walked through the kitchen door and looked around for Joon but didn't see him.
"What are you doing here." Seung Yoon asked sneaking up on me. I jumped startled.
"Will you not do that? I hate when you act all ninjaie"
He laughed. "Is ninjaie even a word?"
"Yes. Its is. It means ninja like.. I made it up."
He rolled his eyes at me. "Whatever. What are you doing here looking like that. If I didn't know better I would think you're here with someone on a date."
"No date. I'm supposed to be a taster for Joon tonight."
He nodded his head in understanding. "Ahhhh. So that's why you're dressed like that. Gonna try and seduce him huh?"
I smacked his arm. "Get your mind out of the gutter. I had no such thoughts."
He arched an eyebrow at me. Ok so that's not true. I did have such thoughts. But I wouldn't actually go through with them.
"Seung Yoon back to work." I heard Joon's voice. I turned to see him entering the kitchen behind us.
"Yes boss." Seung Yoon said hurrying off.
Joon stopped in front of me. He eyed me up and down but didn't otherwise show any reaction to my outfit. He tossed some keys at me and I caught them with ease. "Go wait in my office until we close." He said. And then I swore I heard him mumble. "Can't have you around looking like that." I smiled triumphantly as I obeyed him and went to his office. This outfit was definitely a success.
I spent the next hour idly sitting around Jonn's office. Of course I took the time to snoop around in his office but there wasn't anything interesting. So I sat back in his chair and began texting on my phone. Finally the door opened and Joon stood there. "Everyone's gone come on." He said. I stood excitedly and I followed him to the kitchen.
"What am I tasting?" I asked. He grinned and opened the oven taking out a few dishes. My stomach started to grumble and I smiled sheepishly in embarrassment. "I didn't eat anything. I wanted to leave room for the food." I said.
He laughed. "It's fine. Sit." I obeyed him and sat down as he put food onto plates and placed them in front of me. "You choose what you want to try first."
I looked between the plates trying to decide what I wanted to eat first when there was a knocking sound on the back door of the resturant kitchen. I looked at Joon, who could that be? Usually only employess came to that door but everyone should be gone for the night. "Stay here." He instructed as he made his way over to the door.
I didn't listen.
I wasn't going to let Joon get attacked by some random person looking for quic cash.
I follwed behind him to the door and when he felt my pressence behind him he glared at me. I shrugged. He should know by now that I don't take orders well.
He opened up the door and we both gasped in shock at what we saw.
There was a baby girl, she looked about one, sitting outside the door. Neither one of us knew what to do. We stood there looking down at her, then at each other, and then back to the baby. Then she started to cry and I couldn't just leave her sitting there on the ground. I reached out and picked her up.
"Its ok. Don't cry. Pretty girls don't cry." I said as I bounced her on my hip. I retreated further into the kitchen as Joon closed the door and locked it. Who's baby was this and why would they just leave her sitting outside like that alone? As I bounced her she slowly started to calm down and stop crying. "That's it. Everythings ok." I told her. She actually smiled at me and I grinned at her in return. "I think she likes me." I said looking up at Joon. He nodded eyes still glued to the baby girl in my arms. I shifted her to my other hip and I heard a crinkling in her little coat pocket. I reached insdie and pulled out a piecie of paper. But I couldn't read it because it was all completely in Korean. I handed the paper to Joon. He took it from my hands and began to read it and he fell back sitting down heavily on one of the chairs.
"What? Joon what's wrong?" I asked. He didn't reply as he seemed to read the paper again. Then he crumbled it in his fist looking up at me and the girl.
"Her name is Hana." He said in a strange tone. He really didn't seem to be ok. "Sung Hana. She's one years old... And she's my daughter."
I had to grip Hana tighter because I almost dropped her. Those words pierced my heart. He has a daughter? Who is her mother? My eyes began to water but I took a deep breath refusing to cry. "Where is her mom?" I asked even though I kinda dreaded the answer.
He shrugged. "On her way to California I guess. She says she can't take care of her. That shes my responsibility now." I glanced at Hana hopelessly. "I don't know the first thing about babies." He said warily.