[Prologue - 0.6] Existence
Don't know if you guys remember me but here's an old fic I recently picked up and writing at full speed ahead. I will post 1.0 and beyond as single posts as soon as they're up. It's YulSic for now. <3
Prologue
"Just one rep more and I’ll be done." She said in her head as she struggled to lift the 15 lb. weight. Ever since she moved to this city, she hasn't done anything that wasn't a routine. She had moved 3 months ago from Damyang after her parents forced her to find a job in Seoul instead of wasting her life as a new college graduate at small town. She didn’t hate the idea of it, but she did miss the stillness of it all.
Kwon Yuri was used to the sound of the bamboo leaves rustling instead of the sound of footsteps and car sirens that welcomed her in Seoul. Indeed, she was lonely and the only outlet she had was television, the Internet, and her workouts that she's doing now. She works at a 30-person company that makes toys and she was in charge of answering the phone calls and taking online orders.
Yuri worked 9 hours a day, 6 days a week with workouts spread out in those six weeks. The pay was not something she could complain about but she really didn't have anything to spend it on anyway. Nothing at the mall really appealed to her, as she felt like everything she could ever want, she already had. New clothes, a new phone, and a new watch would all be nice but she always thought, what for? It was difficult to justify the reasons to get new things and much less brand name items.
At the age of 23 she felt like she was having this identity crisis in which every answer to a question pertaining to herself is "I don't know". She felt stuck in this strange melancholic place that she couldn't comprehend and moreover, she was more and more detached from her own thoughts.
She breathed hard and heavy after setting down the dumbbell on the rack on the wall. It was already 10 P.M. on a Sunday night and the only thing she could hear was that annoying sound of the fluorescent light that shone above the apartment gym. She could feel her heartbeat pumping on her eardrums as she tried to get as much oxygen on her lungs.
They say exercise was supposed to make you feel good afterwards, but somehow she was feeling the opposite. The eerie loneliness from her apartment, her job, and her life was imminent.
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0.1
Yuri shut her alarm after the beep even began. She stretched and yawned a bit before heading to the bathroom and she got ready for work.
She takes the Purple line every single day, at exactly 7 in the morning. The train is full of people she somehow can recognize but they wear the same boring expressions day by day. Everyone looks bored, tired, and upset like they would much rather be staying home instead of commuting to work or school. She thought that maybe she would want that too, considering that there was something interesting to do at home. The trip takes 10 minutes with 3 minutes of walking time to the company office but she always goes an hour early to save time from the morning rush.
"Good morning." She greeted the guard and she ascended to the floor where she worked.
Her cubicle is small and it's as plain as when she first received it. She was the first one in the office and the first thing she does is turn on her computer and browse the internet for the things she keeps track of. She grew fond of baseball ever since her father introduced her to the sport and she had been silently keeping track of the rankings without missing a beat.
“Hey… did you hear there’s a new girl joining our office today?” She heard Chung Ho, a co-worker who was walking into the office, say to someone on the phone. “Seriously, I heard she’s smoking HOT.”
How he spoke made her remember the time when she was new and the guys hounded around her, only to realize how boring she was. She would repeatedly be asked out on dates and with the ones she said yes to, there was an awkwardly tense atmosphere generated probably by her. Ultimately, they found that there was nothing appealing about her personality although she had repeatedly been envied by the girls in her department with her fair skin and great build.
“Aw geez you say that whenever someone gets into our department!” His friend, Han Sol protested.
“No, I’m serious this time! I took a peek yesterday when they were taking an interview and man, oh man, that smile. It shot me so hard.”
“Whatever.”
“Let’s make a bet. If she’s hot, you’ll give me 40,000 won straight up.”
Yuri took a deep sigh. She shut the conversation out because she knew it was going to be pointless and idiotic to even eavesdrop on something like that. It’s good that there is someone new but it doesn’t concern her at all. She continued browsing through the endless pages of the internet until she noticed Han Sol pull out his wallet and give Chung Ho a few bills or so.
She looked up and she saw a beautiful girl walking into the office which was behind a glass door.
Indeed she was quite a sight.
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0.2
The girl that walked by looked beautiful in office clothes and she could hear whispers all around, men and women alike. She had a well-proportioned body, with a beautiful face even if they were hidden under sunglasses. When she finally went into the innermost part of the office, the crowd began to quiet down and she was then introduced by the Supervisor.
“Everyone, this is Jessica Jung. She will be working in our department as a Record Management Assistant so please cooperate with her.”
She smiled and a few of the men already started talking to her as she passed by the corridor towards her cubicle. Yuri clicked away on her computer, silently closing the tabs she had been browsing and onto her workspace. She was one of those people that wanted to get their jobs done promptly, so she did just that. Slowly typing away a proposal to be sent to a potential company partner, she began to get more and more into her work.
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12:00.
She was halfway done with some papers that needed to be inputted into the computer but it was now time for lunch. The new girl, Jessica, has been getting all the attention with her cheerful attitude and warm comments that seem to be captivating people one by one.
“Hey Jessica, do you want to eat with us?” Hyun Jin asked who was on her way to the cafeteria with Yuri.
Yuri silently groaned although she didn’t understand why. She assumed that perhaps it was because associating with Jessica meant that people would start to bug her and ask questions. This was an obvious excuse although she can openly say that she is not fond of the girl with her matter-of-fact-ly aura that she gave out.
“Umm, sure!” Jessica cheerfully said. Yuri was reminded of how she didn’t like that cheerful tone either.
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During their lunch, Hyun Jin and Jessica were the only ones talking as Yuri did not know what to ask. It has been around 25 minutes since they started their lunch and it will soon be over in 20 minutes. They have been talking about make-up, previous jobs, and things they like to do in their spare time. She had found out that Jessica grew up in America and moved back here to Seoul when she was in elementary school. Besides that, nothing really stood out. Jessica graduated and looked for a job which managed to land her this job just like her and the rest of them. There was really nothing in particular that was different.
“So Yuri, you said you lived in the countryside most of your life right?” Jessica started to talk to her.
“Yeah. It’s a small town, nothing special.”
“What do you do for fun?”
“Umm...catch birds, make kimchi, go fishing…” She felt slightly embarrassed that it sounded old fashioned and boring. It sounded more like manual labor than fun.
“Oh that sounds interesting!” Jessica said with a sweet smile she didn’t expect to see. It was hard to tell if she was forcing the smile or being genuine about it but it definitely took Yuri off guard.
“Geez, I wish I was as pretty as you two.” Hyun Jin pouted. “Seriously, if Yuri wasn’t such a hick with non-boring hobbies, those guys would be talking to her 24/7. Don’t you agree Jessica?”
Jessica chuckled a bit but Yuri paid no attention. She is not pretty Yuri thinks, but she does want to look good and appropriate which is why she maintains her figure.
“Whatever you say, Hyun Jin. I don’t want to fan the flames of insecurity.”
The lunch went surprisingly well that Yuri is somewhat happy that Jessica got the job. If it would’ve been someone else, it may be that they would’ve gotten someone else that had an attitude. Despite of her assumptions, Jessica wasn’t bad at all.
“Guys, we’re going to have a drinking party for Jessica tonight. I’m saying this now so that everyone can clear all their plans. We’re gonna drink a lot tonight!” Their supervisor announced as he walked into the cafeteria. Yuri raised her hand after he finished speaking.
“I’ll pass sir, I don’t really drink alcohol.”
“No, even if you don’t, you have to go. We must show Jessica our full heartwarming welcome. I need everyone to be there.”
Yuri sighed. She was never big on alcohol because of how much she took her health into priority. This was probably the reason why people don’t usually hang out with her, simply because she’s just plain and boring. She spends her weekends working out, watching T.V. and doing chores she couldn't do on weekdays. It is boring, monotonous, and unfortunately, it is definitely her.
"Alright."
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0.3
After a long day’s work, they all set out to leave to a small Karaoke room. Their party consisted of roughly 12 people with around 7 girls and 5 guys in total. As they ordered, it was pretty obvious that most of the guys brooded over Jessica because she was new. She received the same treatment when starting out but it wasn’t as prolonged as this. Jessica responded to them sweetly and she laughed at their corny jokes and she was living up to her part as an ideal girlfriend. Yuri wasn’t sure why she’s taking notice of this girl but she lets it pass. Why not, she can think however she wants.
The food and drinks came and Yuri was pressured to drink Soju even if she really didn’t want to. Mainly she drank because her boss kept on giving her glances which made her feel small. She had only drank once or twice, with family and with friends that she hung out with when she attended college. The main reason why she didn’t drink was the hangover she gets the day after, and it was really pointless. Why do something your body’s going to pay for?
Their group drank each bottle that came in and it was obvious that most people were starting to feel tipsy. Yuri had already stopped after her fifth shot and she had sobered up at that point. A good number of them started to gather at the karaoke machine while she and others were just sitting down enjoying drinks and conversation. She looked at everyone and they looked happy while she looked at herself and noticed that she was just there for being there.
Again she was embarrassed and it was too late now to take part of the fun. Most of them were waiting for their song to queue in and their time was going to be up in 15 minutes.
“Guys let’s make Yuri sing!” She heard Jessica speak out from the crowd.
“You’re saying that because it’s your turn is soon and you don’t want to sing!” A guy began to tease.
“No not at all! Come on it’ll be fun!” Jessica gestured Yuri to come over.
“I’ll pass.” Yuri declined. There was no way Yuri was going to say yes to something nerve-wracking like that
“Come on!!” Jessica pulled her arm to let her stand next to her. Everyone else cheered them on.
“Sing already!!”
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The rental for the Karaoke room was finally up and they set out to leave. Everyone planned their train rides back to their respective houses. Yuri was grouped with two other girls that were going to get off at Seoul station while she had to take the train to a farther station to transfer. When those two girls left, she took a seat and closed her eyes to take a quick nap.
She definitely had a good time since she saw everyone have fun. Those kinds of things isn’t something she was used to nor was it something she’d take into habit. She disliked drinking, and she can’t sing for peanuts. But nevertheless, it helped her understand her co-workers in how they deal with stress a bit more.
“This is Dongdaemun station, please bring all your belongings when exiting the train.”
Yuri stood up to leave the train. Then she noticed someone that stood in front of her. It was definitely Jessica Jung.
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0.4
The girl standing in front of her was Jessica Jung. THE Jessica Jung that she works with in the mornings. The fact that Jessica was there held much significance as she had said that she was going to take the bus back to her house. But yet, it was as if she lied to them to board this train instead.
Yuri was just about to call her when Jessica pulled out her phone instead.
“Hello.”
A brief pause was made and Yuri could barely hear it anyway.
“Yes, I’m on my way there.” Jessica had said as she swiped her train pass to pass the train gate.
Yuri stayed silent as she swiped her card. Jessica was going to the same transfer as her.
It was already obvious to Yuri that what she’s doing is essentially stalking but she went ahead anyway. Jessica’s tone of voice and how she spoke to the other person on the line was definitely different, and that already had her curious.
----
Arriving at the Yuri’s stop, it was just her luck that Jessica got off too. It was somehow coincidental in a way, as maybe Jessica lived in the same area she does. Jessica took a right after two blocks, making it opposite of where she lived at but she decided to go trail her anyway.
Then after countless turns, Jessica went inside a Seven-Eleven haven’t gone out ever since. Yuri had already been waiting for around 20 minutes although she didn’t understand why she even bothered.
Jessica is just a workmate she met less than 24 hours ago and what she does outside of work is not her business. She is entirely capable of taking care of herself, and knowing what is good or bad for her. Yuri had no reason at all to pry into her personal life and it is definitely unacceptable that she’s stalking. So why? Why is it that she still had that curiosity looming in her mind?
Was she fond of Jessica as her workmate? Or what?
Yuri didn’t fully understand but she focused on the most immediate thing ahead. Where the heck is she? The fact that the store is small made Yuri uneasy to go in. Yuri would easily be seen by anyone in the store and Jessica might find her creepy since she obviously followed her.
To go in? Or to stay?
It was just a tough decision to make but she had to choose one. She stomped her way into the store and she slowly made her way through the cashier.
“It’s 12,000 won.” She heard Jessica’s voice.
“You guys don’t offer discounts here at all?” A guy said with a somewhat casual voice.
“No, if you don’t want to pay, go somewhere else.”
“Fine fine, sheesh.”
Her ears perked up with what she just heard. Jessica was surprisingly cold to the customer and it was so different compared what she heard on that afternoon. It was as if it was a whole different person.
"Ma'am just let me know if you're looking for anything specific."
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0.5
That voice was enough to make her freeze on her tracks. She mentally kicked herself for being stupid since she followed her when she’s not supposed to. Lots of questions flooded her mind and it definitely did not sound right. Jessica who she met as sweet was working at a convenience store with a cold and nonchalant attitude.
Leaving her doubts for later analysis, she quickly grabbed a snack to avoid suspicion. Jessica was right by her aisle as she felt her eyes land on her. She grabbed whatever she could find and she kept her head down while she went to the register, carefully avoiding any potential chances of being found out
“Will this be all?” Jessica had said to her and Yuri meekly nodded her head.
She didn’t hear anything from Jessica after that, that she wasn’t sure if she would have to look up or not. It would mean she’d be found out but at the same time, there was no other option left for her to do.
She looked up and Jessica looked like she had seen a ghost.
Jessica quickly took off her apron as if that would make her look like not a worker there at all.
“Yu-Yuri! What are you doing here?”
Yuri became embarrassed as well and she could tell Jessica was in some sort of panic. It was clearly emphasized on their company’s contract that they are prohibited from taking another job unless they are approved by a superintendent after a year of good performance. Jessica had only started working for the day, which was obvious that she may not have left the job before accepting the position at their office.
“I-uh, I got hungry and I live around uhh-here.” She said while pointing to some imaginary corner she just made up.
Jessica quickly dropped the barcode scanner and pretended that she was clueless about what she was talking about. For a minute or so, nothing happened in the store and Yuri stayed quiet as she waited for Jessica.
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Eventually, Jessica let out a defeated sigh as she picked up the apron and wore it again. She scanned Yuri’s snack and asked for 3,000 won for it. Yuri fumbled to give her the money and Jessica gave the snack in a plastic bag.
“Yeah, whatever. I guess I’ve been found out. I do work here and it’s okay if you tell our boss.” Jessica said while trying to sound like she was uncaring but Yuri knew that she did.
Yuri felt bad. It definitely wasn’t her plan to bust Jessica and make her quit as her curiosity got the best of her. She wished she walked away and went back to her house instead of following and sneaking up on Jessica like she did just now. Now, Jessica will quit her job and she would lose yet another new person to be friends with at that cold and lonely office.
“Can you tell me why you’re working here when you know that it’s prohibited?” She took charge.
Yuri was always more passive than most people but she was not entirely shy. She spoke her mind if she needed to and she can say things without stuttering, given that her motives were clear. The only problem she had with most people was that she didn’t have too many things that concerned her.
“No, it’s okay Yuri. I think it’s just easier to tell them that I quit.”
“I don’t think it’s something serious…”
There was still no response.
“…right?”
The only thing Yuri heard were the cars that occasionally passed the roads they were close to. Jessica kept her head down and Yuri waited for a response that Jessica would hopelessly give. She assumed that it’s nothing serious as Jessica looked and acted proper in the short time that they have met.
It may be that Jessica owed huge amounts of money to the Kkangpae that she is forced to pay it back, or maybe Jessica was some rich girl that ran away from home. Or worse, Jessica may be a corporate spy against the company that they both work for which does not make sense since she is taking a low paying job at a convenience store.
“Okay fine, I’ll tell you.” Jessica finally spoke. “I’m homeless.”
Yuri’s brows shot up as she got caught off guard with what she just heard.
“Wha-"
“No seriously, just tell them I quit Yuri. I don’t want to go into specifics.” Jessica’s voice was more collected this time but Yuri was not convinced.
Yuri hesitated with the next thing she about to say. She felt like it was an obvious response to Jessica’s statement although it was a reckless one. A girl she met today, who she just found out was homeless and for some odd reason, it felt too bothersome to not care. Normally other people would just walk away and let her be but she was not like those people. To her, it was a way to just choose a path and go full straight ahead towards it.
“Well, alright then fine. You can live with me.” She said with doubt filling her up. It felt like a heavy rain cloud was over her head, waiting to pour and engulf her.
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0.6
“Are you patronizing me?”
“No!” Yuri bolted back as Jessica raised her voice. Yuri immediately realized that what she just said was embarrassing to her and to Jessica and now she just created an even bigger mess than she began with.
“Look, I’m sorry but if you need a place to stay, my place is way better than living here. Chances are you’re going to be losing more sleep than you can possibly imagine with working two full jobs. Despite of the downtime you’re gonna have here, you’re probably not gonna be able to take naps of more than 10-20 minutes. I’m just offering help, I’m not judging you at all.”
Jessica looked reluctant as she hesitated and understood that too. What she was asking was a difficult decision to make as most of us don’t want to receive help from people we barely know. That gives an impression of weakness and vulnerability which we’re only meant to show people that are close to us.
Assuming that Jessica is still going to reject her offer, Yuri decided to just call it quits. It’s already late and she’s tired, plus she still has work in the morning.
“Alright, I guess I’ll g-"
“I’ll take it.” Jessica firmly replied. “I won’t be able to give you much for the next few months but I will definitely give you some money for allowing me to stay with you. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow and we can go to your place tomorrow after work.”
“Okay.” Yuri almost let out her smile but she suppressed it. It felt refreshing to have a new change in her monotonous life and it doesn’t sound bad at all. Jessica seems like a nice and kind girl, not to mention hardworking.
“Don’t tell anyone about it. I don’t want you to accidentally tell them that I’m homeless with two jobs on the side.”
“Understood. I’ll see you tomorrow morning then.”
----
Prologue
"Just one rep more and I’ll be done." She said in her head as she struggled to lift the 15 lb. weight. Ever since she moved to this city, she hasn't done anything that wasn't a routine. She had moved 3 months ago from Damyang after her parents forced her to find a job in Seoul instead of wasting her life as a new college graduate at small town. She didn’t hate the idea of it, but she did miss the stillness of it all.
Kwon Yuri was used to the sound of the bamboo leaves rustling instead of the sound of footsteps and car sirens that welcomed her in Seoul. Indeed, she was lonely and the only outlet she had was television, the Internet, and her workouts that she's doing now. She works at a 30-person company that makes toys and she was in charge of answering the phone calls and taking online orders.
Yuri worked 9 hours a day, 6 days a week with workouts spread out in those six weeks. The pay was not something she could complain about but she really didn't have anything to spend it on anyway. Nothing at the mall really appealed to her, as she felt like everything she could ever want, she already had. New clothes, a new phone, and a new watch would all be nice but she always thought, what for? It was difficult to justify the reasons to get new things and much less brand name items.
At the age of 23 she felt like she was having this identity crisis in which every answer to a question pertaining to herself is "I don't know". She felt stuck in this strange melancholic place that she couldn't comprehend and moreover, she was more and more detached from her own thoughts.
She breathed hard and heavy after setting down the dumbbell on the rack on the wall. It was already 10 P.M. on a Sunday night and the only thing she could hear was that annoying sound of the fluorescent light that shone above the apartment gym. She could feel her heartbeat pumping on her eardrums as she tried to get as much oxygen on her lungs.
They say exercise was supposed to make you feel good afterwards, but somehow she was feeling the opposite. The eerie loneliness from her apartment, her job, and her life was imminent.
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0.1
Yuri shut her alarm after the beep even began. She stretched and yawned a bit before heading to the bathroom and she got ready for work.
She takes the Purple line every single day, at exactly 7 in the morning. The train is full of people she somehow can recognize but they wear the same boring expressions day by day. Everyone looks bored, tired, and upset like they would much rather be staying home instead of commuting to work or school. She thought that maybe she would want that too, considering that there was something interesting to do at home. The trip takes 10 minutes with 3 minutes of walking time to the company office but she always goes an hour early to save time from the morning rush.
"Good morning." She greeted the guard and she ascended to the floor where she worked.
Her cubicle is small and it's as plain as when she first received it. She was the first one in the office and the first thing she does is turn on her computer and browse the internet for the things she keeps track of. She grew fond of baseball ever since her father introduced her to the sport and she had been silently keeping track of the rankings without missing a beat.
“Hey… did you hear there’s a new girl joining our office today?” She heard Chung Ho, a co-worker who was walking into the office, say to someone on the phone. “Seriously, I heard she’s smoking HOT.”
How he spoke made her remember the time when she was new and the guys hounded around her, only to realize how boring she was. She would repeatedly be asked out on dates and with the ones she said yes to, there was an awkwardly tense atmosphere generated probably by her. Ultimately, they found that there was nothing appealing about her personality although she had repeatedly been envied by the girls in her department with her fair skin and great build.
“Aw geez you say that whenever someone gets into our department!” His friend, Han Sol protested.
“No, I’m serious this time! I took a peek yesterday when they were taking an interview and man, oh man, that smile. It shot me so hard.”
“Whatever.”
“Let’s make a bet. If she’s hot, you’ll give me 40,000 won straight up.”
Yuri took a deep sigh. She shut the conversation out because she knew it was going to be pointless and idiotic to even eavesdrop on something like that. It’s good that there is someone new but it doesn’t concern her at all. She continued browsing through the endless pages of the internet until she noticed Han Sol pull out his wallet and give Chung Ho a few bills or so.
She looked up and she saw a beautiful girl walking into the office which was behind a glass door.
Indeed she was quite a sight.
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0.2
The girl that walked by looked beautiful in office clothes and she could hear whispers all around, men and women alike. She had a well-proportioned body, with a beautiful face even if they were hidden under sunglasses. When she finally went into the innermost part of the office, the crowd began to quiet down and she was then introduced by the Supervisor.
“Everyone, this is Jessica Jung. She will be working in our department as a Record Management Assistant so please cooperate with her.”
She smiled and a few of the men already started talking to her as she passed by the corridor towards her cubicle. Yuri clicked away on her computer, silently closing the tabs she had been browsing and onto her workspace. She was one of those people that wanted to get their jobs done promptly, so she did just that. Slowly typing away a proposal to be sent to a potential company partner, she began to get more and more into her work.
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12:00.
She was halfway done with some papers that needed to be inputted into the computer but it was now time for lunch. The new girl, Jessica, has been getting all the attention with her cheerful attitude and warm comments that seem to be captivating people one by one.
“Hey Jessica, do you want to eat with us?” Hyun Jin asked who was on her way to the cafeteria with Yuri.
Yuri silently groaned although she didn’t understand why. She assumed that perhaps it was because associating with Jessica meant that people would start to bug her and ask questions. This was an obvious excuse although she can openly say that she is not fond of the girl with her matter-of-fact-ly aura that she gave out.
“Umm, sure!” Jessica cheerfully said. Yuri was reminded of how she didn’t like that cheerful tone either.
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During their lunch, Hyun Jin and Jessica were the only ones talking as Yuri did not know what to ask. It has been around 25 minutes since they started their lunch and it will soon be over in 20 minutes. They have been talking about make-up, previous jobs, and things they like to do in their spare time. She had found out that Jessica grew up in America and moved back here to Seoul when she was in elementary school. Besides that, nothing really stood out. Jessica graduated and looked for a job which managed to land her this job just like her and the rest of them. There was really nothing in particular that was different.
“So Yuri, you said you lived in the countryside most of your life right?” Jessica started to talk to her.
“Yeah. It’s a small town, nothing special.”
“What do you do for fun?”
“Umm...catch birds, make kimchi, go fishing…” She felt slightly embarrassed that it sounded old fashioned and boring. It sounded more like manual labor than fun.
“Oh that sounds interesting!” Jessica said with a sweet smile she didn’t expect to see. It was hard to tell if she was forcing the smile or being genuine about it but it definitely took Yuri off guard.
“Geez, I wish I was as pretty as you two.” Hyun Jin pouted. “Seriously, if Yuri wasn’t such a hick with non-boring hobbies, those guys would be talking to her 24/7. Don’t you agree Jessica?”
Jessica chuckled a bit but Yuri paid no attention. She is not pretty Yuri thinks, but she does want to look good and appropriate which is why she maintains her figure.
“Whatever you say, Hyun Jin. I don’t want to fan the flames of insecurity.”
The lunch went surprisingly well that Yuri is somewhat happy that Jessica got the job. If it would’ve been someone else, it may be that they would’ve gotten someone else that had an attitude. Despite of her assumptions, Jessica wasn’t bad at all.
“Guys, we’re going to have a drinking party for Jessica tonight. I’m saying this now so that everyone can clear all their plans. We’re gonna drink a lot tonight!” Their supervisor announced as he walked into the cafeteria. Yuri raised her hand after he finished speaking.
“I’ll pass sir, I don’t really drink alcohol.”
“No, even if you don’t, you have to go. We must show Jessica our full heartwarming welcome. I need everyone to be there.”
Yuri sighed. She was never big on alcohol because of how much she took her health into priority. This was probably the reason why people don’t usually hang out with her, simply because she’s just plain and boring. She spends her weekends working out, watching T.V. and doing chores she couldn't do on weekdays. It is boring, monotonous, and unfortunately, it is definitely her.
"Alright."
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0.3
After a long day’s work, they all set out to leave to a small Karaoke room. Their party consisted of roughly 12 people with around 7 girls and 5 guys in total. As they ordered, it was pretty obvious that most of the guys brooded over Jessica because she was new. She received the same treatment when starting out but it wasn’t as prolonged as this. Jessica responded to them sweetly and she laughed at their corny jokes and she was living up to her part as an ideal girlfriend. Yuri wasn’t sure why she’s taking notice of this girl but she lets it pass. Why not, she can think however she wants.
The food and drinks came and Yuri was pressured to drink Soju even if she really didn’t want to. Mainly she drank because her boss kept on giving her glances which made her feel small. She had only drank once or twice, with family and with friends that she hung out with when she attended college. The main reason why she didn’t drink was the hangover she gets the day after, and it was really pointless. Why do something your body’s going to pay for?
Their group drank each bottle that came in and it was obvious that most people were starting to feel tipsy. Yuri had already stopped after her fifth shot and she had sobered up at that point. A good number of them started to gather at the karaoke machine while she and others were just sitting down enjoying drinks and conversation. She looked at everyone and they looked happy while she looked at herself and noticed that she was just there for being there.
Again she was embarrassed and it was too late now to take part of the fun. Most of them were waiting for their song to queue in and their time was going to be up in 15 minutes.
“Guys let’s make Yuri sing!” She heard Jessica speak out from the crowd.
“You’re saying that because it’s your turn is soon and you don’t want to sing!” A guy began to tease.
“No not at all! Come on it’ll be fun!” Jessica gestured Yuri to come over.
“I’ll pass.” Yuri declined. There was no way Yuri was going to say yes to something nerve-wracking like that
“Come on!!” Jessica pulled her arm to let her stand next to her. Everyone else cheered them on.
“Sing already!!”
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The rental for the Karaoke room was finally up and they set out to leave. Everyone planned their train rides back to their respective houses. Yuri was grouped with two other girls that were going to get off at Seoul station while she had to take the train to a farther station to transfer. When those two girls left, she took a seat and closed her eyes to take a quick nap.
She definitely had a good time since she saw everyone have fun. Those kinds of things isn’t something she was used to nor was it something she’d take into habit. She disliked drinking, and she can’t sing for peanuts. But nevertheless, it helped her understand her co-workers in how they deal with stress a bit more.
“This is Dongdaemun station, please bring all your belongings when exiting the train.”
Yuri stood up to leave the train. Then she noticed someone that stood in front of her. It was definitely Jessica Jung.
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0.4
The girl standing in front of her was Jessica Jung. THE Jessica Jung that she works with in the mornings. The fact that Jessica was there held much significance as she had said that she was going to take the bus back to her house. But yet, it was as if she lied to them to board this train instead.
Yuri was just about to call her when Jessica pulled out her phone instead.
“Hello.”
A brief pause was made and Yuri could barely hear it anyway.
“Yes, I’m on my way there.” Jessica had said as she swiped her train pass to pass the train gate.
Yuri stayed silent as she swiped her card. Jessica was going to the same transfer as her.
It was already obvious to Yuri that what she’s doing is essentially stalking but she went ahead anyway. Jessica’s tone of voice and how she spoke to the other person on the line was definitely different, and that already had her curious.
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Arriving at the Yuri’s stop, it was just her luck that Jessica got off too. It was somehow coincidental in a way, as maybe Jessica lived in the same area she does. Jessica took a right after two blocks, making it opposite of where she lived at but she decided to go trail her anyway.
Then after countless turns, Jessica went inside a Seven-Eleven haven’t gone out ever since. Yuri had already been waiting for around 20 minutes although she didn’t understand why she even bothered.
Jessica is just a workmate she met less than 24 hours ago and what she does outside of work is not her business. She is entirely capable of taking care of herself, and knowing what is good or bad for her. Yuri had no reason at all to pry into her personal life and it is definitely unacceptable that she’s stalking. So why? Why is it that she still had that curiosity looming in her mind?
Was she fond of Jessica as her workmate? Or what?
Yuri didn’t fully understand but she focused on the most immediate thing ahead. Where the heck is she? The fact that the store is small made Yuri uneasy to go in. Yuri would easily be seen by anyone in the store and Jessica might find her creepy since she obviously followed her.
To go in? Or to stay?
It was just a tough decision to make but she had to choose one. She stomped her way into the store and she slowly made her way through the cashier.
“It’s 12,000 won.” She heard Jessica’s voice.
“You guys don’t offer discounts here at all?” A guy said with a somewhat casual voice.
“No, if you don’t want to pay, go somewhere else.”
“Fine fine, sheesh.”
Her ears perked up with what she just heard. Jessica was surprisingly cold to the customer and it was so different compared what she heard on that afternoon. It was as if it was a whole different person.
"Ma'am just let me know if you're looking for anything specific."
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0.5
That voice was enough to make her freeze on her tracks. She mentally kicked herself for being stupid since she followed her when she’s not supposed to. Lots of questions flooded her mind and it definitely did not sound right. Jessica who she met as sweet was working at a convenience store with a cold and nonchalant attitude.
Leaving her doubts for later analysis, she quickly grabbed a snack to avoid suspicion. Jessica was right by her aisle as she felt her eyes land on her. She grabbed whatever she could find and she kept her head down while she went to the register, carefully avoiding any potential chances of being found out
“Will this be all?” Jessica had said to her and Yuri meekly nodded her head.
She didn’t hear anything from Jessica after that, that she wasn’t sure if she would have to look up or not. It would mean she’d be found out but at the same time, there was no other option left for her to do.
She looked up and Jessica looked like she had seen a ghost.
Jessica quickly took off her apron as if that would make her look like not a worker there at all.
“Yu-Yuri! What are you doing here?”
Yuri became embarrassed as well and she could tell Jessica was in some sort of panic. It was clearly emphasized on their company’s contract that they are prohibited from taking another job unless they are approved by a superintendent after a year of good performance. Jessica had only started working for the day, which was obvious that she may not have left the job before accepting the position at their office.
“I-uh, I got hungry and I live around uhh-here.” She said while pointing to some imaginary corner she just made up.
Jessica quickly dropped the barcode scanner and pretended that she was clueless about what she was talking about. For a minute or so, nothing happened in the store and Yuri stayed quiet as she waited for Jessica.
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Eventually, Jessica let out a defeated sigh as she picked up the apron and wore it again. She scanned Yuri’s snack and asked for 3,000 won for it. Yuri fumbled to give her the money and Jessica gave the snack in a plastic bag.
“Yeah, whatever. I guess I’ve been found out. I do work here and it’s okay if you tell our boss.” Jessica said while trying to sound like she was uncaring but Yuri knew that she did.
Yuri felt bad. It definitely wasn’t her plan to bust Jessica and make her quit as her curiosity got the best of her. She wished she walked away and went back to her house instead of following and sneaking up on Jessica like she did just now. Now, Jessica will quit her job and she would lose yet another new person to be friends with at that cold and lonely office.
“Can you tell me why you’re working here when you know that it’s prohibited?” She took charge.
Yuri was always more passive than most people but she was not entirely shy. She spoke her mind if she needed to and she can say things without stuttering, given that her motives were clear. The only problem she had with most people was that she didn’t have too many things that concerned her.
“No, it’s okay Yuri. I think it’s just easier to tell them that I quit.”
“I don’t think it’s something serious…”
There was still no response.
“…right?”
The only thing Yuri heard were the cars that occasionally passed the roads they were close to. Jessica kept her head down and Yuri waited for a response that Jessica would hopelessly give. She assumed that it’s nothing serious as Jessica looked and acted proper in the short time that they have met.
It may be that Jessica owed huge amounts of money to the Kkangpae that she is forced to pay it back, or maybe Jessica was some rich girl that ran away from home. Or worse, Jessica may be a corporate spy against the company that they both work for which does not make sense since she is taking a low paying job at a convenience store.
“Okay fine, I’ll tell you.” Jessica finally spoke. “I’m homeless.”
Yuri’s brows shot up as she got caught off guard with what she just heard.
“Wha-"
“No seriously, just tell them I quit Yuri. I don’t want to go into specifics.” Jessica’s voice was more collected this time but Yuri was not convinced.
Yuri hesitated with the next thing she about to say. She felt like it was an obvious response to Jessica’s statement although it was a reckless one. A girl she met today, who she just found out was homeless and for some odd reason, it felt too bothersome to not care. Normally other people would just walk away and let her be but she was not like those people. To her, it was a way to just choose a path and go full straight ahead towards it.
“Well, alright then fine. You can live with me.” She said with doubt filling her up. It felt like a heavy rain cloud was over her head, waiting to pour and engulf her.
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0.6
“Are you patronizing me?”
“No!” Yuri bolted back as Jessica raised her voice. Yuri immediately realized that what she just said was embarrassing to her and to Jessica and now she just created an even bigger mess than she began with.
“Look, I’m sorry but if you need a place to stay, my place is way better than living here. Chances are you’re going to be losing more sleep than you can possibly imagine with working two full jobs. Despite of the downtime you’re gonna have here, you’re probably not gonna be able to take naps of more than 10-20 minutes. I’m just offering help, I’m not judging you at all.”
Jessica looked reluctant as she hesitated and understood that too. What she was asking was a difficult decision to make as most of us don’t want to receive help from people we barely know. That gives an impression of weakness and vulnerability which we’re only meant to show people that are close to us.
Assuming that Jessica is still going to reject her offer, Yuri decided to just call it quits. It’s already late and she’s tired, plus she still has work in the morning.
“Alright, I guess I’ll g-"
“I’ll take it.” Jessica firmly replied. “I won’t be able to give you much for the next few months but I will definitely give you some money for allowing me to stay with you. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow and we can go to your place tomorrow after work.”
“Okay.” Yuri almost let out her smile but she suppressed it. It felt refreshing to have a new change in her monotonous life and it doesn’t sound bad at all. Jessica seems like a nice and kind girl, not to mention hardworking.
“Don’t tell anyone about it. I don’t want you to accidentally tell them that I’m homeless with two jobs on the side.”
“Understood. I’ll see you tomorrow morning then.”
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