Chapter 48 - Americano, please

"So you really had no doubt hyung Dae Won would like it?" As soon as the waitress served their orders at the coffee shop on a famous Seoul street, and left, Dr. Kim casually asked.

"Is this what people don't like about me? Should I have doubts on myself? Or should I feign modesty?"

"No. It's good the way it is. One who is silent is never heard."

Ye Rim grinned: " Exactly! And, wow, you spoke just like my unnie's mother! She kept saying that to my unnie: 'don't be shy, don't be ashamed of what you can do! An intelligent woman has to fight for her space. But for that, you can't ever hesitate. Take your talent and go ahead, no matter what people say! Do not hide what you are. Anyone who stays silent is never heard!' "

"This ajuhma seems to know better," he conceded, sipping his coffee. "I think she and my mother would be good friends. And I see that you followed her advice well. Your friend too, I suppose."

"That's why we came to the capital." Ye Rim agreed. "Eun Ha came to be a successful fashion designer; and I, to sing." She drank some of her coffee before completing. "We were born on the same day, one hour apart. If there is anything to be believed in what the shamans say, then it must be true that there is a relation between one's time of birth and their life's destiny."

"Why do you say that? Do you believe that?"

"Well, sometimes I don't want to believe that much, but I think unnie and I are a lot alike, although she's more reserved. And also, at least professionally, we have been facing similar situations."

"I always find this kind of belief quite funny. I mean, I don't know what to think. I had a twin sister, my noona for 10 minutes. And, well, she's not here anymore. I mean, should I have died too?"

"Gosh, I'm so sorry. And that kind of situation, it's, well… really when you stop to think, it doesn't make much sense."

"So that's what I think."

They looked at each other as a little silence fell on the table after this comment. Kim winked at her, and Ye Rim sweetly smiled back.

"About what you said before, about your unnie's mother. I think if she needed to say that kind of thing, it's because her unnie needed to hear it. Unlike you."

"Oh!" Ye Rim pretended to be offended, but knew why he was saying that. "It is true. We always listen to what we want to."

"So, will you or not, listen to what hyung Dae Won said?"

Ye Rim set the cup of coffee down carefully. She had been taken aback by Kim Jun Hyeon's direct question.

"I don't know if I should."

"Why, Ye Rim?"

"Why… I don't know if I have time to waste on this now. I mean, things didn't work out before. I have a.d.u.l.t responsibilities now." She stared at the man in front of her, deciding what to tell him about it, but she decided to keep it concise by now. "I shouldn't be selfish and immature."

He seemed to expect her to say something more, but then said, gently, "Ye Rim , I don't know what your wishes are, but maybe they can be adjusted to a new perspective. If you can't, for whatever reasons, try a career in a group or solo by an idols agency… well, that's not the end. There are alternatives and ways to reach your goal."

"Omo! You're being kind and understanding, oppa!" Ye Rim was thrilled by his words, and although she didn't know if they were mere words of comfort or the doctor's real thoughts, she was a little intimidated by the deep course of the conversation. They were talking about things important to her, and she felt a little exposed. She didn't want Dr. Kim Jun Hyeon to pity her. She was not, at any moment, a person to be pitied. So she set out for nonsense, trying to dismiss the subject in this way.

"Why, I can be a gentleman when I want to!" He laughed, apparently taken by surprise as well.

"It still lacks a little," and she pinched her fingers, showing a little distance between them, "to be the gentleman your grandfather is, but you're doing well. Keep it up the good work, oppa. One day, maybe."

"Omo, omo! This woman!" he was theatrically outraged. "Mocking my sincere efforts!"

They laughed, met their eyes, and they both knew there was, at that moment, a spark of electricity between them. Kim dismissed it casually, though.

"My grandfather is a ladies' man, don't delude yourself or listen to him." his tone wasn't serious, though.

"How can you talk about Mr. Go like that ?!"

"I'm just repeating what my grandmother said! She kept saying he seduced her because of her money. But they lived well until her death. If that's what she said is true, I think he did his job well."

"Mr. Go always talks about his late wife with a look of longing. So I guess he was just a romantic… unlike his grandson."

He scowled, but didn't deny the singer's accusation.

"Why did she say that? Was she rich?"

"Ah, well… Not that my grandmother was rich… but she owned something, while Grandpa didn't have anything but his charms. But it is an interesting story. Whether you know it already or not, old Mr. Go was an incorrigible bohemian in his youth. After the war, he had nowhere to return to, and lived recklessly with friends, after women and binges, year after year. A friend of his, Mr.…"

"Young, "she added, guessing.

"Yes, Mr. Young, he owed my grandmother an amount of money. Big money. A car he'd bought from her and never fully paid for. And Grandpa owed Mr. Young money. That's how it went."

"This story is getting fun."

"My grandmother had been widowed in the war, and she was older than him by far… I believe they had 12-15 years difference."

"That's a lot."

"Yes. She had a small grocery store here in the capital. Twists of fate, my grandfather, to repay his debt, come one day to Mrs. Min's grocery store to indirectly pay Mr. Young's debt. But in reality, the debt was bigger than he imagined. And then he offered to work in the grocery store until he paid the debt."

"Oh!"

"It seems like somehow romance happened. But my grandmother was tough, until the end of her life, by the way. She straighten Mr. Go out. He had to give up his binges and such. It was only several years later that my mother was born. It was a surprise to the couple, they say. But my mother took after my grandmother I guess. She is also a tough business woman."

"So you took after Mr. Go?"

He scratched his head, laughing. "Should I answer honestly?"

"I'll be surprised if you say yes." You don't look alike at all, not even physically."

"Yeah, that's right. But maybe I have something from him. Or at least, several similar tastes. It may have been because we lived with him more than with the Kim family."

"What are your tastes like? Binges and beautiful women?"

"What's wrong with liking such things?!" he laughed. "But my grandfather taught me many good things. I think he learned many important things as a man without a dime in his pocket or a roof upon his head. It made my family and my materialistic grandmother better people too."

"Awn, so sweet, oppa!"

"It's true! "He defended himself, a bit ashamed. "It's corny, but it's true!"

"Okay, but tell me: I've heard here and there that Dr. Kim has a background as a dancer."

He widened his eyes, and said, "Why, has Miss Ye Rim been interested in my past?" As he feigned a sly, arrogant smile, Ye Rim could see that he had suddenly become self conscious.

"Why, I've got a little bit of curiosity, that's it. It seems so disparate, a plastic surgeon and a professional dancer, to be the same person!"

"Yes, it is. Also, I'm not a professional dancer. I'm just a plastic surgeon." His tone was no longer cheerful. But Ye Rim wouldn't give up that easy.

"Was that supposed to be a secret?"

"You're so annoying! No, it's not a secret. I bet you can find something on the internet."

"Should I make a search then? Won't you tell me?"

"It's just an uninteresting story. I wonder why you are so interested."

"But can I make a search? Isn't that considered stalking?"

He shook his head, laughing charmingly, and without answering. He looked down at his coffee cup and asked, "Would you like anything else? May I order some more?"

"In fact I have to go soon. Earlier I got a message that the club got a reservation for 10 people."

"That's great. May I take you?"

Ye Rim was a little surprised, but she didn't want to say goodbye to him just yet.

"You can, if only you help me in my research."

"What research?"

"Research on the dancer-surgeon?"

"Aigoo…!"

"Oppa!" she used her charms on him, till he showed he was defeated.

"Okay. Search for videos of kid dancers. Here you got it. I'm terrible with mysteries. Perhaps you find something, I don't know. You've got a big spoiler."

"Ah… kid dancers… "she was surprised, but would ever have guessed. No doubt she would take a look at such type of videos later. To imagine watching a small Dr. Kim dancing seemed like good fun.

"You're already smiling at the thought of seeing me dancing!"

"Of course, oppa! I'm curious what you looked like as a child."

"Omo, what did I do…?"