At seven on the dot, Jennie opened the doors to their modest gym and greeted the man waiting to enter.
"Morning Jen!" greeted the clean-shaven man at the door. He sported a crew-cut and held two sports bags in one hand. "How was the fight last night? Did Lisa take down Kamikaze?"
Jennie gave an exaggerated sigh. "Hey Matt. And I'm afraid not, Momo and my idiot back there took it to their heads to...head-butt."
She sighed again when the man laughed and ruffled her hair with his free hand.
"I'm sure the crowd still loved them. You still got the money didn't you?" he called over his shoulder as he made his way inside. "Aiishh it's chilly in here. AC still down?"
"Sorry," Jennie said apologetically. "I'll try to have a look at it once I'm a little free..."
She turned away, relieved to hear the man greet Lisa, who was on her speed ball round.
Jennie's face broke into a smile once she spotted a familiar looking Japanese girl with shiny black hair and a purplish black eye walking up to the entrance with an unfamiliar girl in tow. "Momo hey! Glad you're still alive this morning. And who's this?"
"Figured I should introduce you guys to my girlfriend. We're catching a cab to her class later so I thought a quick couple work-out for today would be good. And where else but at the Vault?" Momo grinned. She wrapped an arm around the other girl's slight frame.
"Jen, this is Dahyun, my girlfriend. Dahyun, this is my Korean trainer, Jennie Kim, the one I told you about? I mean I train at her place while I'm here in Seoul," Momo said giddily.
She seemed to be unusually cheerful for a Monday morning workout and Jennie suspected her so-called girlfriend had something to do with Momo's happy mood.
Jennie smiled at the shy girl and bowed. "Pleased to meet you, Dahyun." She eyed the sports bags they were holding. "So you gonna be boxing together or....?"
"Oh yeah absolutely!" Momo said enthusiastically, "Dubu here also practises boxing! Isn't that convenient?"
"Uh, sure," Jennie chuckled then turned with a sheepish grin towards the quiet girl. Dahyun gave a her small smile.
"Hope you guys have fun then. Momo, I'll leave it up to you to show her around? Lockers are at the back, Dahyun. It's not much anyway, I'm sure you've seen better, far more equipped gyms—"
"Momorin speaks very highly of the Vault, as well as you and your sister, unnie," Dahyun smiled kindly, "don't worry, I've been to many gyms. As long as there's a locker and shower and a punching bag, I don't need anything else."
They strolled inside, Momo nattering nineteen to a dozen making Dahyun chuckle quietly.
Jennie watched them go with a little shake of her head, wondering how long they'll last—Momo didn't exactly have a reputation for being able to hold down a girl for long.
Meanwhile, traffic was gradually building up.
Jennie took a broom to sweep the entrance as the sun rose steadily higher. It was a clear day and the brunette felt in unusually good spirits, even whistling tunelessly as she worked.
She cared about the little gym she -co-owned with Lisa, their pride and inheritance. She always gave her best to ensure it was running smoothly—that meant even getting down and dirty when a toilet got blocked, or a sink got plugged, or a shower-head wasn't working. She even had gotten around to fixing the AC but it kept breaking down—it was quite old.
The Vault, as it was called, was a tiny place, with Jennie and Lisa's flat located above it. There weren't even half of the fancy machines and equipment you found in decent gymnasiums but still, they made do with what they had.
There wasn't much place for heavy machinery anyway.
"Jennie, good morning!"
"Irene, hello!" Jennie bowed, embarrassed she was still holding on to the broom. "I was just...sweeping a bit." She blushed, always rather in thrall of the elegant woman.
"Don't worry," Irene laughed and tossed her head, "it's not like it's my first time here now is it? I know my way in, I'll just get changed."
Jennie smiled after the woman disappeared inside.
Irene was one of the Vault's valuable regulars and Jennie's closest friend, along with Matt, or Matthew according to his membership document.
Document....a mere piece of paper....
They didn't even have any funds to issue fancy gym membership cards.
Jennie's mood abruptly soured. There she went again...
Everything circled back to money.
Her stomach grumbled, remembering she hadn't had breakfast yet. Jennie frowned at her watch then scanned the road in front of her.
What's taking her so long today?
Immediately, Jennie began to worry, thinking up all sorts of terrible scenarios.
Like maybe the line was too long, or the diner had run out of bagels or somebody mugged her and stole those precious bagels or she was involved in an accident—
"Jennie unnie!"
Jennie's face broke into a relieved smile once she saw the young bubbly girl practically skipping over to her.
"Here you go, breakfast bagels, nice and toasty, fresh out of the oven! Sorry, the line got a little long," the girl explained in one breath as she handed over the box in her hands.
Her face had a perpetual grin pasted on. She wore her mahogany brown hair in plaits today.
"Somi, you had me worried there for a second," Jennie beamed then gestured wryly at herself. "I'll be coming along soon... I haven't even changed from my run yet."
"Yeah, I can smell." Somi said mischievously.
"Yah!" Jennie held up her broom to chase a giggling Somi. "You'll pay for that, I'll make you lift kettlebells!"
"Meanie!" Somi stuck her tongue out at Jennie before zipping inside.
Jennie shook her head, turning her attention to the small, white cardboard box Somi had given her.
She inhaled deeply, savouring the heavenly scent of the freshly toasted bread, bacon, melted cheese and fried egg, whilst picturing the flavours bursting on her tongue.
Jennie smiled broadly.
Breakfast bagels to start off the day was a great mood-booster.
***********************
introducing some other characters...
also updating cos i'm needy :-P
is it me or is the bagel kinda waving?
maybe i'm just hungry...