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2020
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Above the door, a bronze bell no smaller than her fist chimed. It was a heinous thing, a small fish hanged within it that would hit the metal signalling the arrival of a customer or in her case, a jubilant employee.
Byun Nari teetered into the sushi restaurant, a crate weighed down heavily in her arms that she hiked further up her chest as she brushed past the reception podium and into the open planned floor. Flexing her fingers around the handle, Nari plopped the fresh crate of tuna onto one of the wooden tables, blowing a breath and draping her arm across the top.
“Special delivery!” she chimed. She could hear scuffling in the back of the kitchen before a man rounded between the metal door, a cloth in one hand and a sharp sashimi blade in the other.
“You’re early today” he said. Nari raised a brow at her boss, Hwang Yang-jung. He was a tall, well-built man in his forties. Nari would always catch him in his uniform as he all by lived in the restaurant. Ink of all kinds tattooed across his body, his arms up to his shoulders and even his back. His hair was cropped short, jet black much like hers and time had begun to wither at his aged face. Yet his hands could still expertly gut a fish and wield a knife that no one could ever dare to master.
Now if you looked at Mr Hwang at face value, one would come to the immediate conclusion that he was undoubtably, very scary. But to Nari, he was a softie under all that glares and sneers. Yang-Jung would never admit that though, especially not to the ravenette he had grown a soft spot for.
“You know considering I’m your favourite and all, why am I still lugging around crates double my size” Nari huffed as Mr Hwang wiped his knife before placing it on the table. She heard a scoff from the kitchen, rolling her eyes in jest as she raised her voice in salute. “Morning to you too Mr Kwan” she heard a low chuckle before Mr Kwan, Mr Hwang’s only other employee called back to her with a two-finger salute as she hovered over the door frame.
Yang-jung shook his head in dismissal, jutting a finger out in her direction before gesturing to the crate behind her. “Get that to the back and prep for service” he ordered, but Nari brushed past him, already bundling the crate in her arms and depositing it to Mr Kwan who would do it for her. He didn’t trust her anywhere near the fish nor with a knife. Yang-jung knew this and so did she.
“You know, we never really have customers” she said as she gathered her hair, as dark as her mother’s, into her palm before securing it with a tie. Grabbing the white apron and fastening it around her waist, she slumped down in a chair at one of the tables, took out her phone and glanced up at her boss.
“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to work Nari” he said as she lifted her hand to her cheek, a glimmer in her eyes that Yang-Jung knew held some sort of importance to her.
“What?” he asked when he saw her lingering stare, her fingers itching towards her device like withdrawal.
“You remember what day it is right?” she said hopefully. Nari’s smile simpered when he merely raised his brow, his face as stony as ever. ” You can’t have forgotten. I’ve been raving about it for weeks” she cried, her brown eyes wide and betrayed. Yang-jung’s lips quirked at her distress before she lurched for her phone, opening YouTube and shoving it in his face.
The older man merely shook his head.
”It’s the KBFC tournament today. Come on Mr Hwang, it’s all everyone’s going to be chatting about for days. Who are they going to crown rookie champion?, who will be the finalists? You know the prize money is 10 million won. The whole of Seoul is watching.” She gushed as the commentators’ narrations blared through her little speaker.
“I have my predictions on the finalists, I’ve been watching them. The way they move, the way they feel in the ring. There’s two contenders I’m certain will be in the final.” She said as Mr Hwang disappeared back into the kitchen, but she knew he was listening when he replied with an ‘and who might that be’.
Nari perked up as she glanced down at her phone where two men were battling it out in the ring.
“Well first, his name is Hong Woo-jin. You know the name right. He’s a marine, like you. I even remember he worked with Mr Moon at one point. Don’t know what though but he’s strong and fast.” She said. “The problem with Woo-jin is he is too cocky and believes victory is his birthright. His ego is inflated by the fact he’s a marine. That arrogance will cost him. But he’s light on his feet, it’s like he knows the ring, but his speed and precision means nothing when he underestimates his opponent. I think that’s exactly what’s going to happen in the final”.
Yang-jung rounded from the corner to the back where he grabbed some stuff before disappearing back to the kitchen but not without a little ‘and the other one’
Nari’s face lip up, she turned in her seat, her head resting on her arm that laid across the wooden beam behind the chair. “He’s my personal favourite. An underdog. A rookie. His name is Kim Geon-woo and if he plays his cards right, may just win” she praised before her attention drifted to the screen where said guy, draped in blue had just delivered a knockout, progressing him further up the ranks. ” I’ve never seen someone with such control and strength. It’s like he channels it into his swings and every single person goes down with just a left hook. It’s amazing. He’s impenetrable and unmovable. Humble too. It’s almost as if the fates have written it. Maybe Geon-woo will finally humble Woo-jin” she chuckled before Mr Hwang emerged from the kitchen, a plate of an array of different sushi platters in his hand that he placed before her.
“Seems interesting” he said, a bit dismissively as he grabbed silver chopsticks and placed himself across the table, occupying the seat in front of her. ” If only you channelled this much passion into doing your job” he said as Nari sighed exasperatedly, bowing her head before grimacing as he picked up a sushi roll.
” Mr Hwang” she whined, grimacing as her face scrunched up in distaste. Now the thing is, Nari wasn’t a huge fan of sushi anymore, although Mr Hwang’s were practically to die for, he made her experiment with new testers every time they got fresh produce. Eventually she got sick of it, but as much as she complained she wouldn’t trade it for the world. Because Mr Hwang looked after her when no one else would. Not after that tragic day.
“You know the routine Nari” he said as he gestured to the roll. “Say ahh”
It was if he was coaxing a child from the way her nose scrunched in distaste. If anyone walked into the restaurant, they would never believe their eyes that Hwang Yang-jung, one of the most respected marines and if not the most feared man in Seoul, was sat across a young twenty-five-year-old, his mouth dropping in enactment as he fed her sushi. But Nari was accustomed to this, his soft and caring demeanour. But Nari knew to never mess with him more than his limits. He genuinely cared for her, but she had seen him with others and something in her always questioned how he was so naturally gifted with knives.
So, her lips parted, and the sushi roll was placed on her tongue. Nari bit back her grumble, swallowing with effort but her eyes rounded with shock. This was not bad, at all. Yang-jung smirked, his satisfaction and triumph all but smeared across his smug face as she looked in disbelief between him and the sushi roll.
“Holy shit that’s good” she exclaimed as he let out a rare chuckle.
“Tried something knew” he shrugged. “Told you she’d like it” he suddenly said before they heard a soft bang followed by Mr Kwan’s grumble of deprave “Well I’ll be damned”.
Nari’s and Yang-jung’s attention was pulled at the sound of the bell echoing across the devoid restaurant. Their head turned in synchronised confusion until Nari was up on her feet in seconds and clearing the restaurant to the door where a man had entered with a grin matching hers.
“Uncle Lee”
Lee Du-yeong, a devote husband and loyal best friend to Hwang Yang-jung has easily become her favourite person besides her brother and Ms Yoon who worked at her cafรฉ in the more subdued part of Seoul.
“Hey kiddo” he smiled as her arms wrapped around his frame. Now if Hwang Yang-jung was the scary, unapproachable, never smiling friend, Lee Du-yeong was his opposite. His floppy black hair rested just above his eyebrows, tall and well-built with a smile so warming you couldn’t help smiling too. He was gentle, open and more of a father figure to her than her actual one who remained cooped up at the hearth back at her home. Nari never got the details on how they met, nor how amazing the two seemed to work together despite their clear distinct personalities. She didn’t pry but there was always some cloud of doubt that hovered over her head at what the two used to do before the restaurant and before she had met them.
” You’re in a chipper mood” Du-yeong gleamed as he slung his arm around her shoulder, Nari leading them back to where Yang-jung sat up straighter. “Yang-jung” Du-yeong greeted as his best friend nodded back, no hint of a smile on his face but no malice there either. That was just how they operated.
“What brings you here Du-yeong” Yang-jung said as he slithered out of the booth, leaving the plate for Nari as he stood before them.
“Thought I’d drop in, see this troublemaker and grab a bite for Mi-kyung” he said, his hand rubbing her shoulder in a comforting manner, his smile stretching across his face.
“How is Mi-kyung?” Nari asked. Mi-kyung was Du-yeong’s wife. A beautiful and kind woman whom she had only ever seen photos of. She had never personally met the woman but from the way Du-yeong spoke about her, it could only be good things. There was so much love in his tone at the mention of his wife that she had desperately wanted to meet the woman who made him so happy. But Du-yeong always declined, always made an excuse which was almost instantaneously backed by Yang-jung.
That always bothered her, the way he’d suddenly grow nervous and uneasy. The both of them. It always seemed as if they were on the lookout, always looking over their shoulder and Nari, couldn’t figure out why. So, she tried digging up their past and all she got was results not found. It always lead her to question who exactly were Hwang Yang-jung and Lee Du-yeong, and why did they always seem so secretive around her.
Du-yeong saw the look that flittered across her face, his eyes softening before masking it with a grin.
“Mi-kyung is great. She gives her greetings by the way, to you and Nam-gi. How is your brother by the way, I’m sure he’s growing up to be a big man” he deflected as Nari, oblivious as always, nodded with a soft smile.” I feel a lot older seeing him grow taller. You know he just turned nine. He looked a lot like dad” she trailed, her fondness for her brother dimming at the mention of their father.
“You should bring him to the restaurant some time, I’d love to see how big he’s gotten” he said, trying to ease her which she was grateful for. They knew her father was a sore spot for her, along with her mother. They wouldn’t tell her the depths of their knowledge, how they knew all too well the life that was ripped from her. When their boss, Mr Choi, had approached them, telling them to look after her and her family, they disclosed the fact that they knew her and her mother long before she knew them. Where it was orchestrated, her working at Yang-jung’s restaurant to meeting Du-yeong who would offer her solace and protection. They didn’t dare let her know any of it. They would let her live in ignorance for her own protection but it didn’t settle the firing pool of guilt that would eat the both of them up at night every time they saw her.
Nari nodded bashfully, before Yang-jung took it as his sign to make his presence known, handing Du-yeong a packet as the two shared a brief knowing glance.
“I best be heading off” Du-yeong said as he made his way out the restaurant to his sleek black motorcycle that awaited his arrival. “See you around kiddo” he said as she lifted her hand into a wave.
“Now back to the final” she chimed as the bell signalled his departure. Yang-jung watched as she made a beeline straight for her phone, wringing her hands anxiously as a sigh rattled his chest. A feeling of dread crept up on him but he swallowed it, supressed it, and retreated back to the kitchen.ย ย
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