Lisa collected all the dirty dishes and separated those food that could be eaten by her owners dogs and cats while throwing the plastics and any rubbish that could not be used and washed the plates in the basin with a running water and a soothing lemon dish washing soap that enveloped her senses, making her feel at ease after hours of hardwork. She reminded herself that after 6 pm, she needed to go to her other part-time job so she had to hurry up.
Yestreday after the interview was done, she and her boss had talked a lot of interesting things from the basebal player thy both adore or the music taste they had in common. He even jokes to her about most things and making her laughed a lot that she almost had a tears on her eyes, while everyone turned to looked at them. Sadly, he needed to go back to Seoul after 5 pm so she just stayed with Jisoo until 6. They talked about a lot of things they haven't talked since it was already been 3 months when they have seen each other. After that, Lisa fetched Lily from Aunt Yuna and she was already been asleep when she put her to bed.
Today was her first day at her part-time job, and already asked Jungkook yesterday if she could bring her daughter with her since she was a mostly well-behaving child. The man immediately agreed with a smile painted on his face as he nodded his head gently that almost made her heart melt. Especially of the way his chocolate brown eyes seemed very glossy and dilated than usual as he showed her his pearly teeth and his infamous bunny smile.
Tempering those details in her head made her smile as she Lisa glanced at her waterproof watch and saw only an hour from now, she would be on her new job. She snickered at the thought because she was finally working at something close to her profession and to her heart.
Ah, she also missed the feeling of sipping coffee in hot weather with everything being enveloped by the aroma of coffee and the picture toque scenery of a garden in front of them. She used to do it during college days with her beau.
Lisa shook her thoughts out of her head when she started remembering the good times she had with him. Despite the enveloping dull pain in her chest, she couldn't deny the fact that once in her life, she also exchange promise of love with another person and had once lived with him like an obeying girlfriend she was. However, everything changed because those lovely lingering feelings in her veins were wiped out entirely as the separation took place and she suddenly found herself all alone in this prying world of uncertainties.
Lisa just turned focused back on washing the dishes as another tear fell into her eyes and in the effort of removing herself from the past, she must now faced her reality. Reality that in front of her were pile of unwashed dishes, the piling bills she had to pay, and to save up money for Lily's education fees.
Dara Sajangnim noticed that Lisa was a little quieter today and seemed so lost in her thoughts that she almost broke the glass while she was washing the dishes.
She asked her if she was okay which she obviously responded that she was, but never really asked her as to why she was feeling down. Se only hoped it was just because she was tired as she heard Lisa growled in pain while stretching her back.
She wished that Lisa could have worked on one of her son's coffee shops instead but it was already too late to ask as she was already been accepted to another coffee shop.
"Lisa, it's fine, I'll finish washing the dishes just clean the store and wipe away those mess on the table then you can go. I don't want you to be late on your first day."
Lisa looked at her smiling then reciprocated her boss gesture as she bowed down her head before proceeding to get the mop and and cleaning other utensils. Dara watched as she turned her back at her at started cleaning while playing a tune with her whistle. This was the first time she saw her smile genuinely.
Dara smiled to herself. Something good might happen to her aside from landing a job and Dara muttered that she might have seen a handsome guy working there that had piqued her interest into slowly feeling a little admiration for him. She snickered and thought carefully that Lisa might get a wedding bell soon knocking on her home and Dara would be the first one to celebrate for her success on seducing a man.
***
"Goodbye Sajangnim!"
Lisa bowed down to her boss, then waved her hand for a goodbye. Dara hurried to gave her leftover food however, Lisa had already walked really far away, and was jumping over while walking like a little teenage girl in love.
"Aish! That girl!"
She muttered laughing before she went inside to do whatever she was doing.
Lisa was whistling as if she was flying in every step she made. She was just feeling giddy that she almost tripped on a small little rock that she step on. Everytime she remembered his bunny smile, unconsciously, she would smile so widely am her yes shone so bright that everyone looking at her saw the blooming red cheeks she painted on her cute chubby cheeks.
If she was still single, she might have already had a crush on her own boss. However, she remembers she was already a mother so she tried restraining herself and she smile no kore . She didn't need love for anyone anymore.
She believe that she never deserve it in the first place. She got pregnant without a husband and she knew that her new boss deserved better single lady's that never bought a baggage of responsibilities in very step she made. He deserved a young and a free bird. Unlike her, who had been caged in her own cell. Lisa pouted. She believed that loving her was just a waste of energy. No one wanted pick up another person's trash. All she needed was her primary focus on her daughter'a well being.
Oh, Lily. I almost forgot my Lily because I keep thinking about this unnecessary thoughts.
She said to herself.
Soon, she arrived at a simple big bungalow house. This house belonged to her friend, Yuma unnie. She knocked a few more times on the wooden door before her daughter opened up and clung towards her legs.
"Eomma!"
She screamed hugging her knees. Lisa picked her up and showered her with kisses.
"Is my daughter extra good today?"
She asked before she noticed that her daughter was wearing a red lipstick and a pink blush plus a blue eyeshadow.
Wtf did the three unnies do to my child?!
She thought to herself.
She looked at the three middle-aged women and also found them squatted on the floor. Their faces were full of makeup... They look like some drag queens being inspired by cheap Harley Quinn makeup with their mismatch eyeshadow. Their face was laughable right now as they all looked like a girl version of Peneweiss, the IT clown.
She held her daughters faced and curiously asked to the three ladies,
"What happened here unnies?"
The three could only look to Lily with so much regret in their minds before gazing back at her in a puppy faces. Lisa looked at her little girl. Ha! She never thought her baby girl was into makeup too.
The child looked at her with guilt while playing with her little hands. She couldn't look straight into Lisa's eye before she bit her lips saying:
"I am practicing makeup cause I wanna be pretty like mama when Dada showed up."
Lisa's heart swell. She couldn't really say bad to her baby girl. She felt guilty too for putting her in the dark about her father. The guilt was eating Lisa up. She didn't even notice that a tear already escaped her eyes.
Lily looked at her. Surprised that her mama was crying. Lily held her hands tightly before saying:
"Eomma, I am sorry. Please don't cry Eomma."
Lisa was taken back of her daughter's word so she wiped away the tear that has left her cheeks and smiled lovingly at her daughter.
"Ani, Eomma is just happy because Lily is finally growing up."
Lily fidgetted her hands. Her lips trembled and her cheeks flushed with pink but she still manages to smile back at her mama. Showing her cute little pearls.
"When I grew up, I'd be as pretty as Eomma so please stop crying."
Lisa's tears couldn't stop falling from her eyes as Lily hugged her tighter and running her little fingers at her back. Seemingly comforting her.
The three ladies could only look with pity in their eyes. They know how hard it would be to be a mom. They were mom themselves too and feeding kids as a single parent is not an easy job. Especially with a curious one like Lily who kept on mentioning who her dada was.
Lucky for them that their sons and daughters were all in senior high school and that they didn't have to do much on them anymore. However, Lily was still a four-year-old kid, and kids her age still needed guidance as they tend to be spoiled and reckless. They totally understand where Lisa's sentiments coming from.
Meanwhile, Lisa couldn't help but cry in front of her daughter. She doesn't know why she was being so emotional all of the sudden as her tears started falling one by one and the rain started pouring outside. However, it seemed that all the guilt in her heart for the past 5 years had finally eaten her alive and by crying, it had escaped her body and the burden was lift off her shoulders.
She was sorry because she thought that she was doing her good for not telling her who her dada was. She reminded herself that she made Lily with another person, and Lily was not just an object for her to owned. She was just sad that she could never really live in peace not until she had told Lily the truth.
She finally decided that within this week, once she got time, she would contact him and would tell Lily who her real father was.
"Mama, stop crying, please. Lily won't do it anymore."
Lily hugged her while patting down her back as she always does.
Lisa looked at her daughter with tears still running on her eyes. An overwhelming emotions still there silently creeping out of her broken heart. She patted down her head gently and said :
"Don't worry about mama. Mama is just having many problems, okay? But mama can make it and after that, mama will tell you who is Dada, okay?"
The little girl only nodded. Lisa then took her hand and bowed down to the 3 ladies before walking out the door.
"Come here, lets go home. Mama is going to another work and mama will bring you."
The three ladies peeked at the door as they watched Lisa walked down the road holding her daughter's hand.
"She'd been through a lot," Soohyun said.
The two ladies agreed before Yuna said.
"I wish someday, she could finally be happy and maybe found someone who will truly accept her."
They then went back inside to clean up the mess that Lily made.
***
Lisa arrived at her work with Lily. She was greeted with Jisoo who then played Lily for quiet sometime before she started taking orders. The coffee shop were half empty and a solemn atmosphere was spread a crossed as few people sat on the tables with coffees and drinks and deserts still unfinished as they focused on their mobile screen and their computers.
Lisa was destructed when Jisoo put Lily into her arms before pinching her two cheeks, saying:
"I miss this brat here. Hmm, I wanna pinch your cheeks every time."
Lily could only look at Aunt Jisoo's eyes because she couldn't complain. Her auntie Jichu was so good to her and always bought her everything so she just let her pinched her cheeks.
Jisoo gestured Lisa to changed the uniform and Lisa obliged. She went to the backroom of the coffeeshop, and observed its cleanliness and modem chic designed before she took out her uniforms in the locker assigned to her. Before she could enter the changing room, she saw her boss on his way to the kitchen as his face covered in sweat and his manly pheromones spread like love potion in the air.
"Lisa, you're already here."
His hair 'was still messy as her sweat drenched uniform showed the outline of his tone muscle underneath. His godly feature didn't escaped her lists stare at him. Added the fact that his current self looked like a snack. Lisa noticed that he came out of the storage room and on his right hand was a mop.
What a humble man. He was the owner of the shop and yet he was not afraid to use a mop and towel wipe to clean the storage room.
She thought. A sudden tag on her heart was felt again and a smile creep on her face as she obviously was excite to meet him again.
(Insert Everyday by Hae Bin)
Her gaze traveled on the tattoo on his veiny hands and he just became ten times hotter in her eyes. She just stared at him before he gestured her to change to her uniform. She was embarrassed so she hurriedly went to the changing room without looking back.
Meanwhile, Jungkook just stopped on his way and looks through the glass door to see if he has something on his face. He wondered about the strange behavior of his new employee. She looked at him as if she was lost in thought. He found her features really cute though.
He shrugged the though off and after a while and he put the mop and the towel wipe back in the faculty room before proceeding to go to the cashier counter where his eyes were met by an adorable smile of a child.
"Dada?"
***
Lisa just finished changing her clothes so she went straight to the cashier station when she spotted an unusual view.
She saw Lily was reading a storybook on her boss lap while his boss was smiling ear to ear as she watched the little kid smiled back at him. He had his two hands on the table while feeling giddy watching Lily flipped her hands on a big book and pouting her lips in the process.
She looked so much like her.
He thought.
Lisa's feet suddenly moved to go to their position when she was caught by Jisoo's two hands. Lisa looked at her confusingly.
"Just let them. Lily is having a great time with our boss there. No worries. I told Lily it wasn't her dad. However, she still wanted to play with the handsome ahjussi as she called our boss."
"What?!"
Lisa was shocked by what her unnie just said. Handsome ahjussi?
"Besides Lisa, Jungkook is fond of children. He loves children and looks-"
Jisoo pointed her finger to the two who were just having fun as Lily read the book out loud again and again and Jungkook just laughed.
Lisa then saw two ladies in front of the window, admiring their boss and her child. Jaws opened eyes were ogling as they out their hands on the glass wall.
"Awe looked at how cute this father and daughter is! I suddenly wanted to go to the coffee shop so we can just take a glance at them. They were so cute!"
One of the adolescent girls exclaimed while the others were smiling widely with phones on their hands seemingly taking a picture of the two.
"I'm going to post in on outstagram!"
"Me too! I'm gonna tell my mom that I'll marry a man like him!"
"Yah! I saw them first!"
Lisa was ready to fight with them for taking pictures of her daughter without her permission but Jisoo still stopped her with her strong little hands that made her looked at her unnie.
"Calm your tits, Lis! Just watch and see how we're going to attract many customers today."
Jisoo whispered beside her. Lo and Behold! The teenagers did go inside the coffee shop and ordered ice americanos.
There were 15 people lining up just for at the counter Jisoo was really busy taking their orders while Lisa was still stunned on her feet. Not coming to terms with what was really happening.
There were murmurs inside the coffee shop, and with others still talking about the two cute bunnies on the table near the glass wall of the coffee shop.
"Awe, it was just like watching a movie. I would wish to have a husband like him someday!"
One of the ladies whispered.
"Do you think his wife is there?"
The others questioned who was the mother until one curious teenager shamelessly asked Jisoo if she was his wife.
Jisoo just chuckled and called Lisa who was still looking at them, and not noticing that people are piling up in their coffee shop.
Lisa, who was still in daze and just admiring her daughter playing with her boss, had quickly looked to Jisoo unnie, who were now pitting up a big smile on her face. If she had met Jungkook earlier than him, he might be a great father to Lily. Unfortunately, things do happened for a reason.
Lisa slapped herself after daydreaming of wishing that Jungkook was the father of Lily instead. He might be a hands-on parent like her but all those were just her theories and sumptuous about the guy. Her thoughts were cut short when she heard Jisoo called her once again.
"Lisa!"
That's when Lisa noticed that a lot of students was already lining up for an order and they seemed to all looked at her, waiting for her to respond then she finally did.
"Ne, Unnie?"
She hurriedly went to Jisoo's side and Jisoo gestured her to take the order of the teenager while she was preparing for ten iced americanos.
"What's your order?"
Lisa smiled. The latter just looked at her with open mouth.
"Iced americano."
The teenager said not taking off her eyes on her. Lisa found it odd that all their eyes just went back and forth between hers, Jungkook, and hers again but she just shrugged it off and continued to take their orders. Giving them their order number.
"We will just show your number on the tv monitor there so you can take your orders on the counter.
They just nodded. Still in awe with her beauty.
When they went to find a seat, they just whispered to themselves that the coffee shop is full of visuals plus there was a visual family working there too.
" Gosh, I needed to went here more often, maybe I can find a handsome guy like him!"
The teenager with blonde hair and bangs spoke while licking her lollipop.
"Me too."
Said the rosy blonde-haired next to her.
The two of them just then enjoyed their iced americano while talking about the random stuff.
***
It was already passed at 10 pm when Lisa had finished her shift and close the store. She was so tired because a lot of people had come to the coffee shop like ants attracted to a sweet.
Jisoo told her that it was the first time the shop is compact with people that even the outside tables were occupied and it was because of Jungkook and Lily.
Jisoo even joked at her about marrying Jungkook instead as he seemed to be a responsible father bit Lisa shrugged the suggestion completely, calling it a rubbish and unrealistic.
"Unnie, stop talking nonsense."
The older unnie just laughed before going back to what she was doing, arranging the plastic cups and the straws and spoons needed for tomorrow morning.
Jisoo already went home first since her shift ended at 6 pm and she was fetched by Jin. She hugged Jin-Oppa and told him that they should catch sometime as she missed him a lot. Jin told her that he would informed her when they already had a clear schedule and promised her that he would hang out like before once he was done shooting the film of an adopted novel.
Lisa said her goodbye.
"Make sure you remember your promise, oppa."
"I will dongsaeng!"
She really missed hanging out with them. It was been a long time.
Now, Lisa just changed to her normal clothes and Jungkook just changed in simpler outfits. He wore a black shirt, pants, and timberland.
He must have like Timberlands that much. She bowed down at him while she was carrying her sleeping angel on her back. She must be tired of playing with Jungkook.
They already closed the shop when Jungkook spoke up:
"I can drop you off."
Lisa was shocked by his sudden offer but politely declined.
"No, it's fine. I would just ride off a bus."
"Are you sure? You would be uncomfortable especially Lily is in your shoulder, and it would be a long ride. She's already heavy. I dont want you to come to work complaining about backaches."
Jungkook opened the door of his car and gestured Lisa to come in. Lisa hesitated but since her baby was sleeping and her sleep might be disturbed if she will ride a bus, she politely nodded and ride Jungkook's car.
The ride from their home was quiet with only the radio playing romantic songs. Lisa looked at the passing lights of ever street while thinking about what happened in a day. She was so emersed in her thought that she flinched when she suddenly heard a familiar melody on the radio.
Passenger Seat by Stephen King.
Her heart beats fast as this one was her favorite song.
She was so immersed in the song that she didn't notice how Jungkook was already staring intensely at her. She was in the passenger seat while her baby girl was sleeping in the backseat. If people didn't know about their story, they might think that they were one big happy family.
Lisa was smiling and her eyes were still glued on the window. Jungkook had been throwing glances at her since she decided to ride with him.
"And I've got all that I need
Right here in the passenger seat."
Lisa hummed the songs and seemed that she had forgotten all the worries she had 5 hours ago.
Jungkook eyes beamed as his heart was beating fast. He couldn't help now that the radio was playing such romantic music. The vibe between the two of them was also romantic. He could only wish to be with her all the time, together with Lily.
He could only wish though as the ride come to stop in the front of Lisa's house.
The lady had smiled at him, carrying Lily on her arms. Jungkook leaned forward for her to hear what he gonna say next. Lisa's heart beats in a slow and warming way as she looked at the man before her,
"I really loved it when you smile Miss Manoban. Please bring Lily again. I enjoyed playing with her."
Jungkook smiled at her, showing his bunny teeth, and with that, he halts his car carrying with him not only his belongings but also someone's heart.
†
Words: 4025
This is such a heartwarming chapter.
I dont have anything to say anymore but I am so happy to all of you who had read my story and gave it a try. Please check out my other Liskook story too, titled Queens.
I also poured out my hearts on that story.
I also appreciate it if you share my stories with others who haven't heard of it.
Please leave me a star ★!
Have a great day!
Revised