[ys] To Find You (1/10)
A/N: So there's a background story to this, if you'll bear a little with me on this.
Every morning on the way to work, I pass a couple who cycle to work on the same bike together. And for the longest time, I've been wondering - what if that was Yongseo?
Then I just turned back the time dial to the 1960s and you have this ;)
Can't promise constant updates, but I hope you guys like what I have for now.
+++
When her family moves to Jangan-gu, Joo-hyun is late to work for the second day running.
She slides into her usual spot next to Tae-yeon. “Thanks for covering for me, unnie.” She says softly, beneath the sound of the whirring gears and the dull clank of machinery that fills the entire factory.
Tae-yeon doesn’t look up from her work, where she’s in charge of placing the keypad of the calculator neatly within its allotted compartment. All the girls on their line, including Joo-hyun, do the same work and even for experienced workers like themselves, it’s still a task that requires a modicum of care and attention. “No worries, maknae.”
Tae-yeon is her senior at work; has been ever since she was assigned to show Joo-hyun the ropes seven months ago. Since then, Tae-yeon has not just become her work mentor, but also a close friend that Joo-hyun is grateful for. “But just so you know,” Tae-yeon says, lowly, “He was snooping around earlier. Asking where you were.”
Joo-hyun does not have to ask who the he is - there can only be one person Tae-yeon is referring to: their boss, the factory manager- Mr Kim Wang-geon, who is a ‘slimeball’ in Tae-yeon’s candid words to Joo-hyun on her first day.
Joo-hyun’s seen enough of Mr Kim to know that Tae-yeon’s opinion is justified, and she shudders a little, taking one of the flat keypads from a box beside her station and positioning it just so under the machine above her. “I’m sorry, unnie.” She apologizes with a sigh. “I woke up earlier to catch the bus today… but it never showed. I ended up walking until I saw it coming in the distance, but by then it was too late. I was late.”
Tae-yeon clucks her tongue against her teeth, a low noise of sympathy. “Jangan-gu really is a ways from here.”
“We had no choice.” Joo-hyun says finally, fingers dipping and flying back to the ever-moving belt of calculator bodies. Both girls do not mention that the move from the middle-class Yeongtong-gu to the backwater district of Jangan-gu is due to financial reasons; that much is understood.
“I know.” Tae-yeon says. There is a brief pause between the two of them before the older girl speaks up, her voice thoughtful. “Hey. I know someone who lives in Jangan-gu and works here in SE. He cycles to work everyday; I know it would be no trouble for him to pick you up along the way.”
Joo-hyun doesn’t reply for a moment, focused on getting a particularly tricky part in. “I don’t know, unnie.” She says uncertainly. “I don’t want to be a bother to anyone. And cycling? All that distance? Wouldn’t I be giving him more trouble than anything? It’s alright, I’ll just - ”
“Nonsense.” Tae-yeon has a firm air about her that will not be brooked, and this is the side of her that surfaces now. “Jung Yong-hwa works in the packaging sector; he lifts refrigerators for a living - don’t tell me he can’t cycle a little ways with you to work. Plus you barely weigh anything, you skinny chicken.” She says airily and Joo-hyun has to smile at that. “Let me just run it by him, and I’ll let you know.”
“Unnie,” Joo-hyun whines half-heartedly. She doesn’t have the energy to fight an unstoppable Kim Tae-yeon this early on in their shift, especially when her attention and hands are being diverted to work.
“Maknae,” Tae-yeon throws back at her, mimicking her tone. “Stop fussing. Yong-hwa’ll be okay with it. I’ll let him know your address. Meet him out there at 6.45 tomorrow; you guys might need more time to get to work as its your first ride together.”
Joo-hyun sighs, turning her attention back to the conveyor belt. There’s no fighting with Tae-yeon unnie when she has her mind made up like this, she thinks. I’ll talk to this Jung Yong-hwa tomorrow when he picks me up, let him know he doesn’t have to do this beyond tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll be secretly glad to hear that.
+++
At 6.45 am sharp the next day, Joo-hyun finds herself waiting outside her house. She shifts her weight from one foot to another, looking at the pink wash of the breaking dawn. The morning chill bites into her exposed skin. Perhaps I should run back in for my cardigan, she thinks idly.
There is a faint whir of bicycle gears then; Joo-hyun looks at the corner of the street and sure enough, a man on a bicycle is cycling towards her, surely and steadily until he comes to a stop before her.
Joo-hyun has never seen the need to mix around with the male co-workers at the factory - and there are quite a number of them - which means that the man standing before her is practically a stranger. She bows politely, shyly. “Hello. You must be Jung Yong-hwa ssi.”
The man is not much taller than her; then again, she’s always been tall for a girl, much to the consternation of her mother, but he gives her a deep bow of greeting as well. “I am. You must be Seo-hyun,” He says, using the name which she usually gives to strangers. Tae-yeon unnie must have told him, Joo-hyun thinks, and she feels a wave of gratitude wash over her for her absent work friend.
She nods, and Jung Yong-hwa, seemingly satisfied with the brief introduction, gestures to his bicycle. “Well, hop on.”
Joo-hyun holds back a little, digging the toe of her shoe into the dirt. She tries to find the right words for what is to come next. “Listen, Yong-hwa ssi.”
He looks at her expectantly, arms already braced on the handlebars of his bicycle and Joo-hyun feels an unexpected thrill of nerves shoot through her.
“I know Tae-yeon unnie probably coerced you into this.” Joo-hyun says, trying to aim for a joking tone, but somehow feeling as though she’s failing spectacularly at it. “And… I’m very thankful that you came today; I really appreciate the ride. But you don’t… you don’t have to come tomorrow.”
Joo-hyun bites her lip, avoiding his eye, but all the while, she is very aware that Jung Yong-hwa is watching her way more closely than she would prefer.
The next words out of his mouth though, causes her head to jerk up, looking at him. “Why not?’
His hands fall from his bicycle then, and he tucks his hands into his pockets, obviously waiting on her answer.
Joo-hyun feels herself gaping, before she scrambles to give an answer. “I just mean,” She says awkwardly, interwining her fingers behind her back tightly. “That I really appreciate your kind gesture, and I know you’re only doing this because of Tae-yeon unnie. But I’m saying… you don’t have to?”
Jung Yong-hwa raises a single eyebrow.
That is all the impetus Joo-hyun’s mouth needs to run off on its own volition. “I’m sure you don’t really want to anyway,” she says with a stilted laugh. “I mean, Jangan-gu is really far from Yeongtong-gu; it’s what, a thirty minute cycle and if you’re taking me on your bicycle, I’d just slow you down? Plus, I can’t make you cycle me there everyday; it’s tiring for you and you have to work and I don’t want you to show up to work exhausted even before the day has begun. So, yeah. You don’t have to come tomorrow - ”
“Seo-hyun ssi - ”
“I’ll tell Tae-yeon unnie that I’m good with taking the bus; I’ll just get up earlier.”
“Seo-hyun ssi.”
“I’m serious. I mean, I’m thankful to you and Tae-yeon unnie for working this out, but you really don’t have to - ”
“Seo-hyun.”
Joo-hyun shuts up, looking at him finally. Great, she thinks. My first encounter with Jung Yong-hwa and he thinks I’m a babbling idiot.
But Jung Yong-hwa’s eyes are amused, and Joo-hyun softens a little, because whatever it is, Jung Yong-hwa is not unattractive, with his height, his eyes and his smile, but that realization only serves to make her more nervous than anything.
“It’s really no trouble at all,” Yong-hwa says gently. “And we can walk some of the way, if it makes you feel better about tiring me out.”
Joo-hyun mulls it over, quiet.
“I do live in Jangan-gu too, just like you,” Yong-hwa continues. His eyes never leave her. “I know the bus can be a pain. Hence,” He indicates the bicycle and its accompanying seat behind. “Do you see anyone else sitting on the bicycle behind me?”
It’s not a real question, not a fair question, but it provokes an unexpected smile from Joo-hyun nonetheless. “No,” She concedes, matching his teasing tone.
Yong-hwa swings one leg over the bicycle, straddling it. “Well then,” He says easily. “Get on. We’re going to be late for work.”
Every morning on the way to work, I pass a couple who cycle to work on the same bike together. And for the longest time, I've been wondering - what if that was Yongseo?
Then I just turned back the time dial to the 1960s and you have this ;)
Can't promise constant updates, but I hope you guys like what I have for now.
+++
When her family moves to Jangan-gu, Joo-hyun is late to work for the second day running.
She slides into her usual spot next to Tae-yeon. “Thanks for covering for me, unnie.” She says softly, beneath the sound of the whirring gears and the dull clank of machinery that fills the entire factory.
Tae-yeon doesn’t look up from her work, where she’s in charge of placing the keypad of the calculator neatly within its allotted compartment. All the girls on their line, including Joo-hyun, do the same work and even for experienced workers like themselves, it’s still a task that requires a modicum of care and attention. “No worries, maknae.”
Tae-yeon is her senior at work; has been ever since she was assigned to show Joo-hyun the ropes seven months ago. Since then, Tae-yeon has not just become her work mentor, but also a close friend that Joo-hyun is grateful for. “But just so you know,” Tae-yeon says, lowly, “He was snooping around earlier. Asking where you were.”
Joo-hyun does not have to ask who the he is - there can only be one person Tae-yeon is referring to: their boss, the factory manager- Mr Kim Wang-geon, who is a ‘slimeball’ in Tae-yeon’s candid words to Joo-hyun on her first day.
Joo-hyun’s seen enough of Mr Kim to know that Tae-yeon’s opinion is justified, and she shudders a little, taking one of the flat keypads from a box beside her station and positioning it just so under the machine above her. “I’m sorry, unnie.” She apologizes with a sigh. “I woke up earlier to catch the bus today… but it never showed. I ended up walking until I saw it coming in the distance, but by then it was too late. I was late.”
Tae-yeon clucks her tongue against her teeth, a low noise of sympathy. “Jangan-gu really is a ways from here.”
“We had no choice.” Joo-hyun says finally, fingers dipping and flying back to the ever-moving belt of calculator bodies. Both girls do not mention that the move from the middle-class Yeongtong-gu to the backwater district of Jangan-gu is due to financial reasons; that much is understood.
“I know.” Tae-yeon says. There is a brief pause between the two of them before the older girl speaks up, her voice thoughtful. “Hey. I know someone who lives in Jangan-gu and works here in SE. He cycles to work everyday; I know it would be no trouble for him to pick you up along the way.”
Joo-hyun doesn’t reply for a moment, focused on getting a particularly tricky part in. “I don’t know, unnie.” She says uncertainly. “I don’t want to be a bother to anyone. And cycling? All that distance? Wouldn’t I be giving him more trouble than anything? It’s alright, I’ll just - ”
“Nonsense.” Tae-yeon has a firm air about her that will not be brooked, and this is the side of her that surfaces now. “Jung Yong-hwa works in the packaging sector; he lifts refrigerators for a living - don’t tell me he can’t cycle a little ways with you to work. Plus you barely weigh anything, you skinny chicken.” She says airily and Joo-hyun has to smile at that. “Let me just run it by him, and I’ll let you know.”
“Unnie,” Joo-hyun whines half-heartedly. She doesn’t have the energy to fight an unstoppable Kim Tae-yeon this early on in their shift, especially when her attention and hands are being diverted to work.
“Maknae,” Tae-yeon throws back at her, mimicking her tone. “Stop fussing. Yong-hwa’ll be okay with it. I’ll let him know your address. Meet him out there at 6.45 tomorrow; you guys might need more time to get to work as its your first ride together.”
Joo-hyun sighs, turning her attention back to the conveyor belt. There’s no fighting with Tae-yeon unnie when she has her mind made up like this, she thinks. I’ll talk to this Jung Yong-hwa tomorrow when he picks me up, let him know he doesn’t have to do this beyond tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll be secretly glad to hear that.
+++
At 6.45 am sharp the next day, Joo-hyun finds herself waiting outside her house. She shifts her weight from one foot to another, looking at the pink wash of the breaking dawn. The morning chill bites into her exposed skin. Perhaps I should run back in for my cardigan, she thinks idly.
There is a faint whir of bicycle gears then; Joo-hyun looks at the corner of the street and sure enough, a man on a bicycle is cycling towards her, surely and steadily until he comes to a stop before her.
Joo-hyun has never seen the need to mix around with the male co-workers at the factory - and there are quite a number of them - which means that the man standing before her is practically a stranger. She bows politely, shyly. “Hello. You must be Jung Yong-hwa ssi.”
The man is not much taller than her; then again, she’s always been tall for a girl, much to the consternation of her mother, but he gives her a deep bow of greeting as well. “I am. You must be Seo-hyun,” He says, using the name which she usually gives to strangers. Tae-yeon unnie must have told him, Joo-hyun thinks, and she feels a wave of gratitude wash over her for her absent work friend.
She nods, and Jung Yong-hwa, seemingly satisfied with the brief introduction, gestures to his bicycle. “Well, hop on.”
Joo-hyun holds back a little, digging the toe of her shoe into the dirt. She tries to find the right words for what is to come next. “Listen, Yong-hwa ssi.”
He looks at her expectantly, arms already braced on the handlebars of his bicycle and Joo-hyun feels an unexpected thrill of nerves shoot through her.
“I know Tae-yeon unnie probably coerced you into this.” Joo-hyun says, trying to aim for a joking tone, but somehow feeling as though she’s failing spectacularly at it. “And… I’m very thankful that you came today; I really appreciate the ride. But you don’t… you don’t have to come tomorrow.”
Joo-hyun bites her lip, avoiding his eye, but all the while, she is very aware that Jung Yong-hwa is watching her way more closely than she would prefer.
The next words out of his mouth though, causes her head to jerk up, looking at him. “Why not?’
His hands fall from his bicycle then, and he tucks his hands into his pockets, obviously waiting on her answer.
Joo-hyun feels herself gaping, before she scrambles to give an answer. “I just mean,” She says awkwardly, interwining her fingers behind her back tightly. “That I really appreciate your kind gesture, and I know you’re only doing this because of Tae-yeon unnie. But I’m saying… you don’t have to?”
Jung Yong-hwa raises a single eyebrow.
That is all the impetus Joo-hyun’s mouth needs to run off on its own volition. “I’m sure you don’t really want to anyway,” she says with a stilted laugh. “I mean, Jangan-gu is really far from Yeongtong-gu; it’s what, a thirty minute cycle and if you’re taking me on your bicycle, I’d just slow you down? Plus, I can’t make you cycle me there everyday; it’s tiring for you and you have to work and I don’t want you to show up to work exhausted even before the day has begun. So, yeah. You don’t have to come tomorrow - ”
“Seo-hyun ssi - ”
“I’ll tell Tae-yeon unnie that I’m good with taking the bus; I’ll just get up earlier.”
“Seo-hyun ssi.”
“I’m serious. I mean, I’m thankful to you and Tae-yeon unnie for working this out, but you really don’t have to - ”
“Seo-hyun.”
Joo-hyun shuts up, looking at him finally. Great, she thinks. My first encounter with Jung Yong-hwa and he thinks I’m a babbling idiot.
But Jung Yong-hwa’s eyes are amused, and Joo-hyun softens a little, because whatever it is, Jung Yong-hwa is not unattractive, with his height, his eyes and his smile, but that realization only serves to make her more nervous than anything.
“It’s really no trouble at all,” Yong-hwa says gently. “And we can walk some of the way, if it makes you feel better about tiring me out.”
Joo-hyun mulls it over, quiet.
“I do live in Jangan-gu too, just like you,” Yong-hwa continues. His eyes never leave her. “I know the bus can be a pain. Hence,” He indicates the bicycle and its accompanying seat behind. “Do you see anyone else sitting on the bicycle behind me?”
It’s not a real question, not a fair question, but it provokes an unexpected smile from Joo-hyun nonetheless. “No,” She concedes, matching his teasing tone.
Yong-hwa swings one leg over the bicycle, straddling it. “Well then,” He says easily. “Get on. We’re going to be late for work.”