Chapter 55 - A Friend of Mine Told Me

"If you weren't dressed in as a gwisin*, no one would be looking at us awkwardly" Ye Rim grumbled moodily when for the fourth time a child gaped and got afraid to cross ways with Eun Ha because of her garments. The child's mother had scowled at the stylist and pulled her son away, while the two women strolled late-afternoon along a busy sidewalk. The fairy shrugged, straightening the gât on her head:

"I don't expect everyone to understand the concept of my exquisite outfit."

"I don't understand it, for example. This blue...ah, thing in just one eye, for instance. What do you call that?" Ye Rim commented rather mockingly.

"Mo-no-cle. Monocle. It's part of my… ahem, Joseon Steampunk concept." Eun Ha instinctively corrected the position of the accessory on her face. "President Baek liked it."

"He must have thought you were cosplaying."

"Humpf! His opinion doesn't matter either. He buys things he doesn't understand, just because they were seen in a magazine or actress X used it. He doesn't understand true style."

"What I'm trying to say is that maybe today you're exaggerating for a simple…" Ye Rim's reasoning was cut short as her friend abruptly pulled her by the hand to go across the street and enter in a fancy and expensive coffee shop.

"No, unnie! Hadn't we agreed that we weren't going to spend on superfluous things this month?" the younger woman protested, but her unnie turned as soon as they reached the opposite sidewalk.

"I'm thirsty. And we passed by 4 coffee shops. But I REALLY want to get into this cafeteria and rest my feet while peacefully drinking a GOOD Americano in a NICE place. We agreed not to spend on superfluous things, but… A coffee shop like that, exactly as this one… It's… PRICELESS," she was quite emphatic, which impressed and confused Ye Rim, but the singer agreed.

"Just this once, okay?"

Eun Ha grinned. "Just this once!"

…

The two girls were accommodated by the waitress in a booth facing the door, with the eccentrically dressed person with her back to the newcomers. But after a good look at the surroundings, Eun Ha took off both her hat and monocle. They made their orders, and Ye Rim's unnie asked,

"Did you say the weirdo doctor left without saying goodbye last night?"

The singer laughed at the 'weirdo', "Yeah, but well, he's a real doctor, there might have been an emergency or something."

"What emergency can a plastic surgeon have? Someone calls him in the middle of the night saying, 'Doctor, the patient is suffering a wrinkle stroke right now, please hurry up!?'"

"Hahah, you're so funny! I don't know why he suddenly left, but I suspect it has something to do with the arrival of President Baek!"

"Yes!" the fairy cannot hide a victorious exclamation.

"What?"

"Aerm… Yes!, you wouldn't believe me, but the oppa sitting behind you is a god! He's so hot! I think he just came back from the restroom. I had a full view on him, he's totally hot!" Eun Ha corrected her exclamation of joy knowing that her plan was working, even starting wrong as it did, when she noticed the stylish man in the booth behind her friend.

Ye Rim was going to turn to check him, but Eun Ha stopped her, whispering, "Don't look now! Also, he is sitting with his back to you. You will not be able to see his face. Wait a little more, them you go to the restroom and grab a good look of him on your way back. He's just awesome!"

"Okay. But… I don't know if I should call Dr. Kim, and ask what happened…"

"Omo, why would you do that? Are you guys having something? Why would you demand explanations about his private life, and why in the world would he have the right to dislike the fact you have friends and fans, when you two have nothing to do with one another?"

"It's not 'demanding explanations', I'd just call to…"

"Justify yourself? Tell him about President Baek and that you returned his expensive gift, and about how you just didn't do it on spot not to embarrass President Baek? Is it really important to him?"

"Oh, I don't think so."

"You aren't in a relationship, and from all that you have reported about that Dr. Kim, he seems to have a bias about you being interested in wealthy men, no matter what. I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks you are an opportunist."

"Oh!" Ye Rim was shocked by her friend's words, but finally agreed. "You're right, unnie. I think he might been thinking something in these lines..."

"He might even think you did it because of him. Returning the coat, I mean."

"But it wasn't because of him! Nor would I tell him that I returned the coat, for what matter."

"Great. So do not call him, Ye Rim. Don't embarrass yourself asking for something he didn't care to tell you. Clearly he didn't think it was important to tell you. Perhaps he was annoyed that President Baek's arrival ruined his plans for a 'one night stand'!"

"But I wouldn't…!"

"C'mon Ye Rim, to a man who acted so rudely at first, all these free rides, patiently waiting for you to do your businesses..." the older one hinted at the air. "Is there a single man in the world who doesn't want something else, a 'big something else', in exchange for his 'kindness'?"

"Wow, unnie, you're scaring me today! I've never seen you as cynical as today…" she sipped her coffee, looking worriedly at her friend. Eun Ha snorted,

"Uhn… Is not like I'm lying. They always want more! True story!"

"True... true story?" Ye Rim raised an eyebrow, suddenly interested.

"There's this... girl... this... Dr. Park's patient! She... was in trouble. Like, with her college grades. Poor thing. It has been difficult. She even started to cheat on the tests. Then that horrible oppa showed up in her life."

"Hm…"

"Seriously! He said to her, 'Listen, I know what you're doing, and if you keep this up, I'll report you!' "

"He's acting right, isn't he? Why is he a horrible oppa?"

Eun Ha grimaced before answering, emphasizing that she had not finished saying,

"Ok, just listen. She replied, 'Okay, I don't want to keep doing that either, I'll stop it.' And him: 'I can teach you, if you wish.' She: 'Wow, great, I'd appreciate, thank you.' He: 'But you will pay me by working for me when I need it.' "

Ye Rim stopped drinking her coffee, staring at her friend doubtfully:

"But… this Dr. Park client… she told you all of this in the dentist's chair?"

"Ah? Oh no. It was while waiting for Dr. Park to arrive. People like to confide in doctor's offices."

"Ah…" Ye Rim was used to some of her bestie's fibbing, and sometimes confronted her, sometimes let it go. But this time, although the story had some typical elements from a fudge by Eun Ha, it didn't look like anything that could happen to her either. "And what's the matter with this deal?"

"All the problems! All what he taught her was mere breadcrumbs, and he demands that she be his... maid."

"What do you mean ?!"

"Yes! He demands that she… do things for him."

"But… what kind of things? No… that kind of stuff… ?!"

"Oh! Not! Not that kind of stuff! But… things. Like… Going to all kinds of places to sort things out…"

"What would it be 'to sort things out'?"

"Ah, well… she didn't specify. I just wonder. She said she has to work out unpleasant things, and... work out what he asks. It is a heavy work. She is feeling… cheated! She thinks the trade is not hanging favorably on her side. That this… Man, this man… He's taking advantage of the situation."

"Uhn, I don't know if I got it right, but then this girl was in trouble because of misuse in college, and if caught cheating, she would end very screwed up. So this man not only discovered it, and didn't report it, but offered to help her honestly get her grades back for some services, but this girl thinks she's being abused."

"Yes!"

"But... Don't you think this girl is used to an easy life? She didn't study, and even cheated. Now she's thinking studying sucks, and she doesn't want to stick to the deal either."

"No! It's not like that!"

"You only heard her side. What do you mean, 'isn't it'? And this man who could have report her? Is he teaching the girl or not?"

"He is, but…"

"For a moment, you reacted in a way that I might even think we were talking about you… haha. Good thing I know you're not in such a situation, and you graduated with praise."

"Yeah, isn't it? Hehe… Of course it's not me. What would it be like? I'm a graduate... Hehe. What a thought! This girl tries hard. She wants to do things the right way. But she also began to think that the man who is teaching her may be diluting the lessons to take advantage of her service. The lessons are super short and summarized, but the work he tells her to do… is a pile of things."

"Wow, who is he, the Karate Kid's master?"

"Haha, you're the funny one today."

"Just thinking… If you're sure this girl is the type who doesn't complain for bullshit, why don't you tell her to talk to that teacher? If it's an exchange, a business relationship, like any other, she should demand what she thinks is right!"

"But… What if the man takes offense and decides not to teach her anymore?"

"Uhn… I don't know. But if he does not teach it for free, there may be several reasons. Most likely, he needs someone to do what he asked her to do."

"Ah, I thought that too. He doesn't even seem to be the type who share tasks."

"Ah? Do you know him?"

"Ah? Not! It's just ... she told this story in detail. It's a long treatment."

Ye Rim shivered at the thought of a long dental treatment. "Poor thing. But then, if so, he will agree to renegotiate."

"If not…"

"Can she get another tutor, perhaps?" at Eun Ha's bleak expression and denial, Ye Rim lost patience. "Ah, I don't know anything. This girl has to confront him and adjust things. If he is a man with good intentions, things will become clear. If, on the contrary, he is intent on enslaving this girl in exchange of shit and silence, she can think of something to do. What?! Are you even listening to me? Aish, tell me a tangled story of someone I don't even know, and I can't even give my opinion? What was this, a monologue? What? Who… ?!" she reacted impatiently to Eun Ha's worried expression, and turned her face to see what her friend was staring at her back.

At the same moment Eun Ha pulled her by the neck, trying to stop her from it, but she spotted the woman coming in their direction, and was seen by her as well. Ye Rim ducked down, but it was too late.

"Aish!"