𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞
ˑ༄ؘ ۪۪۫۫ ▹◃ ۪۪۫۫ ༄ؘ ˑ
4 years later
It's been four years, four years since Lisa settled here in this small town with her bundle of joy.
Lisa had known a lot of people here and had been quite used to the way they were staring at her. It reminded her of the time when she was young and her mom was selling Korean street food on the street, people would suddenly come up and compliment her looks as her mom just rubbed her hands on her knees and showing a stiff smile on the passerby.
"Your child?"
"Yes."
"How pretty. She looked like a Barbie doll."
"Thank you."
"You're pretty as well. Where's your husband anyway?"
"Huh?"
This happened most of the time. The conversation started with them being praised for their beauty but after finding where or who the golden seed of her other half came from and after her mom would tell them the truth, their faces turned black and started murmuring things she could only describe as offensive and insulting.
Listening to their murmurs only became a whisper in her ears and despite walking on the street confidently, everyone still barked behind her back. They started speculating where she came from and what was her job before she landed in Pyeonggul.
If she started dressing up, every married lady in their neighborhood would presume that she was seducing their husbands and would always block her way out of nowhere saying things like:
"Why were you wearing such revealing clothes? At least show some decency while walking on the street."
Or they would accuse her of something like:
"I saw my husband talking to you. Are you seducing him huh? You're really live up to your image, huh? Are you even trying to poison him with a love potion? Excuse me but my husband wouldn't take you as a mistress. You're too good for a trash like you."
Lisa was quite used to them now because as harsh as they would always stomp her under their feet. She also has the three unnies who always came to her rescue and would scold any of those stereotyped jealous people who came at her for an absolutely ridiculous reason.
"She was only wearing a dress-up to her knee and she was not even wearing a bikini? How can you say it was too revealing? You're just jealous because she looked like a Queen and you looked like.....her maid. Right? Ha. Ha. Ha."
"What did you say?!"
"Why? You couldn't accept that? Talk about decency when you're the one that didn't have a decency for bullying girls in front of daylight! You're obviously just wanted to create a drama and make you feel like the victim so people would side with you! What kind of sick person you are!"
The fighting would start after the accuser would start pulling up her hair and the three unnies hair as everyone would start to separate them.
Then after that, they would laugh at each other with a bloody noses and remembering the silly things that had happened a while ago.
Although the unnies were there to save her most of the time, the bullying and accusation still continued.
"What? Are you making us laughed? Your husband and her? This goddess would like your husband? Wow! You're so confident for your own husband when she could easily get married to a young handsome guy. Don't make me laughed with your pathetic accusation!"
Despite everything that she was experiencing, she was still very happy that there were still some who would defend her despite the unfair treatment the society had bestowed upon her. Despite some people being harsh with her just because she's a single mom, she still found that secretly, they took good care of her. Sending her food for hers and her daughter and when sometimes she forgot to cook, especially when she had overtime at work, they would pack up their leftovers and brought her to her home.
"You just came back?"
"Yes."
"We have leftover crab for dinner. Here it was."
-----------------
"You haven't cooked yet?"
"No."
"Oh, we have extra jjajangmyeon for dinner. Keep it."
----------------------
Additionally, she had been working as a waitress in a famous crab restaurant here for four years now. She was quite well-known around this town.
The three gossipers also volunteered to take care of Lily whenever she was not around or doing some errands. They also always bought gifts for her baby girl every Christmas and birthday. Her baby even quiet became the center attraction of the town. They were wishing she could grow up faster and bring pride to Pyeonggul.
"Please grow up soon Lily so we can have an actress or an idol coming from this town!"
She often heard them say whenever she walked around the town with Lily in a troller.
Lisa chuckled as she remembered how proud she had to be given birth to her baby girl. It seemed everyone was her godfather and godmother.
Because of too many gifts she received every birthday and Christmas, the closet she had at home was already full that sometimes she just donate old toys of Lily to the orphanage in our area.
She was quite happy with her life here. Her Jisoo unnie also kept in contact with her and visited her when she can. Right now, because she also started working in a coffee shop just the next town and also sending Soobin to school, she started visiting less.
Soon, Lily was going to school too. Lisa needed to save enough money for her daughter's monthly allowance, uniform, and school projects. This was why she had been working much harder than ever. She even tried to ask Unnie Jisoo if she could at least asked her boss to give her a part-time job at the coffee shop she was working. She hasn't received any response yet.
If you asked her about her dream of building a coffee shop here in Pyeong-gul, she hasn't abandoned that dream yet, however, her priority was her daughter. Lily was always above everything else.
Saving every month was a bit hard especially when she stand as the father and the mother of the house. These were some cons she had experience in her single parenthood.
While she was checking for her savings account and looking at how much she needed to add for her daughter's education, the phone beside her suddenly rings. Jisoo's name pops up out of nowhere.
"Hello, Unnie"
"Oh, Lisa."
Said Jisoo on the other line. Her voice was high pitched than normal and Lisa imagined her wide smile while she was on the phone, talking to her.
"I have good news for you,"
Lisa kinda gets what she means so she said this as her prediction.
"Let me guess, you're boss is fine with it?"
"Wow, as expected with the SMART MANOBAN. Yes, he wanted to meet you and schedule an interview with you for his coffee shop. I have told him about your story and he was even willing to help you by increasing your salary by 5 percent!"
Lisa's mouth opened so wide as she tried to his the flickering of her eyes and the sudden drumming of her heart. She couldn't believe that someone was willing to help her even beyond giving her a part-time job.
"Are you serious Unnie? That's too much."
The woman screamed as she jumped up and down, grinning was while Jisoo was laughing in the other line.
"I know right. I already told him that he shouldn't be that attached to your story but he still insisted."
Her voice changed to a lower tone and it almost cracked. Heavy breathing escaped her lips that sounded ecstatic on Lisa's end as she asked why she suddenly became like that.
"Well, apparently, my boss was also raised by a hard-headed single mom after his father died so it reminded him a lot about your situation. This is why he had so much sympathy for you as he had seen her mom struggled to feed her 3 sons."
Hearing this, Lisa felt at ease because it means that she was not the only one having such a dilemma of single parenthood. What a strong woman indeed for her to work hard to see her three kids for a good education.
"It seemed like his mom is such a strong woman to be able to raise her 3 sons alone and without a husband."
From what Jisoo said, Lisa was inspired. She was inspired to find a woman that was even much stronger than her. Something she could get inspiration from with her own troubled life.
"I wish I could talk to his mom someday and asked her what was her secrets for raising her 3 kids so well. Now that one of them becomes successful."
"Indeed. Apparently, not only Jungkook is successful but his two brothers are as well. One is a popular music composer and producer, and the other one is a well-known prosecutor. He told me that he would like you to meet his mom too. "
Oh... So Jungkook was the name of Jisoo's boss. She hadn't met this man yet but she already felt good about him.
"Okay unnie, tell your boss that I'll be there at 5 pm after my shift. Just send me the address."
"Okay, Lis."
After that, Lisa dropped the call. She went to her little angel on the sala playing with her car toys again. Her daughter didn't like many girly things. She leaned more towards boys and gender-neutral toys rather than barbies, babies and cooking utensils stimulators.
She snooped down low meting her daughter's gaze and Lily smiled at her, pointing her lips for a kiss.
She kissed her.
So cute.
Lisa thought.
"Baby, are you ready to go to Unnie Chaeyoung, Unnie Soohyun, and Unnie Yuna today? Eomma needs to go to work."
Lily looked at Lisa, now pouting her lips.
"Lily doesn't wanna be with Unnies because all they do is keep talking about who my Appa is."
Lisa reached down and muffled her daughter's hair. She was much aware of these three unnies who kept on asking about Lisa's baby daddy, and how they wanted to keep pinching her daughter's cheeks just because apparently, she looked like a model and they couldn't help but fell in love with her.
They stop bugging Lisa who was the father of Lily ever since her baby got her first tooth. Of course, she wanted to tell them the truth but she also respected the privacy of that person. Especially that he was not aware that he has a daughter with her. So whenever the topic of Lily's father comes out, Lisa did her best to budge question and would answer vaguely as,
'He is someone not important that's why he is not part of our life. Besides, Lily is mine only. Lily doesn't need a father since I'm already enough.'
Lisa gave a peck to her daughter's cheeks before saying:
"Just tell them that you are mommy's daughter."
The cutie pie in front of her lookout and pointed out her mom's nose. She pouted like a cute kitten and resumed eating her lollipop.
Lisa's heart had been attacked by the overall giddiness she felt inside looking at her precious daughter that she couldn't help
The desire to pinched her chubby cheeks as well.
"Hmmm... Why my cutie pie is still sad?"
She slowly pinched her daughter's puffy cheeks and Lily looked at her mom before saying:
" I wanna know who is Dada too."
She was frozen. Of course, she knew that sooner or later Lily will gonna asked who was her father. However, as of this moment, being emotionally ready had not been established.
She felt guilty for having to hide to her daughter her father's identity. Lisa had no choice but to do so. Revealing Lily to the public was risky. Especially that her father was a public figure and working in an industry where just a small gossip could make a difference and it may or may not destroy your reputation. She never wanted to bother him like the last words he told her on their parting day.
Lisa wanted to resolve this issue just privately so she moved out of her trance and caressed her daughter's hair before saying:
"Baby, mama promise that she will introduce Lily to Dada, but right now, Mama needed to go to work to save up so Mama and Lily can go to Seoul and meet Dada, okay?"
Upon hearing her momma's word, Lily's eyes shone like stars in the night sky and Lisa's heart was overflowed with adoration. Who would have rejected her child? No one can say no to Lily Manoban. She is the cutest, prettiest, and sweetest child in the whole universe.
"Weely?"
Ughh. This was very illegal.
Lisa thought again when Lily tried to speak with her in her high pitched cute voice. Lily always does these puppy look at her whenever she requested something at her. She couldn't resist her daughter. Who wouldn't be?
Everyone who had their sons and daughters would claim to the whole universe that their baby was the most beautiful creature ever alive. Lisa was not exempt from the baby fever she was having of her child. She nodded as she responded to her baby. While still caressing her. She then added,
"This is why Lily needed to be a good girl and let the Unnies take care of her cause mama is going to work."
This time, Lily didn't argue anymore. So Lisa carried her.
She noticed that her baby girl had been getting heavier that she could no longer lift her up without struggling.
"Lily is happy because Lily is gonna meets Dada soon. We would become a complete family!"
Lily said while playing with Lisa's hair. Lisa looked around and never responded to her daughter's words because she didn't wanna disappoint her just in case her father wouldn't wanna see her.
What if he would not believe her? What if he would not let Lisa explained and what if he wrongly accused Lisa of cheating?
Lily might as well ended up being disappointed with her father. This was one of the reasons why Lisa was not yet ready to meet him.
Aside from that, there were too many issues that were not yet solved between the two of them. She rather met him alone first before bringing Lily to him.
Lisa had packed all the necessary things to not get Lily bored at the Unnie's store which became Lily's second home. She brought a cassette tape of children's songs to keep Lily entertained while she was away.
Lisa opened the door of the small noodle restaurant the three unnies worked at and they both greeted her with a smile.
"Aigoo, our Lily is soon to be a maiden yet she still wanna clings to her mama like a koala."
Chaeyoung unnie said teasing her daughter.
Lily hides in embarrassment on the back of her mom.
Yuna unnie spoke while smiling,
"Come here Lily, Eomma needs to work so let's play with auntie Yuna okay?"
Lily came out of her hiding and went to Yuna unnie before Lisa pulled her up and showered her with goodbye kisses that Lily started pushing her away.
"Goodbye baby! Be a good girl, hmmm?"
She arrived at her work ten minutes late. It's been her 3rd time arriving late on her work this week but Dara Sajangnim never said anything. She knows her situation as she was also a single mom herself.
Although Lisa never really asked about her personal life, one thing she knew was that her sajangnim was already 50 years old and yet she doesn't have many wrinkles on her face. She still looked like in her last 30s. Her youngest son was almost the same age as hers but he was just born 6 months later.
"I'm sorry I am late again, Sajangnim."
"That's fine, just go ahead and clean the kitchen, and after that open the store so we can start taking orders."
"Ne, Sajangnim."
Lisa put on the apron as she carried her everyday tasks at the restaurant.
It would be a long day.
***
Lisa already requested an early leave to Dara sajangnim as she told her that she needed an interview for her part-time job, although she never really specify to her what kind of job it is.
She hurriedly catches a bus on her way to her second job. She remembered vividly what Jisoo had told her about the reason for the sudden change.
She needed to job very much so she never complained when she called saying: 'boss couldn't wait for you at 5 because he needed to go to Seoul to manage his other coffee chains so the meeting was moved to 4:30 instead. Please clear your schedule before that, Lisa.'
Lisa was sweating from running and from the extreme heat of the afternoon sun. She was also shaking and very pale as negative thoughts flooded her mind. Though she was a good baker, she had never really tried being a barista before so she never really knew how this would all turn out.
Lisa left out a heavy sigh, looked around for a bit to catch some oxygen as she glanced at her watch.
It's already 4:05, and she had to race against the ticking bomb but every bus that passed by was full of students from different schools around the area. This was the time when students from high school, senior high, and college are going home. The reason why all the buses were stuffed like sardines and she could not even stand there.
She secretly curses herself that she should have taken a taxi instead.
However, she remembered time and time again that she needed to save money for her daughter's education.
It was already 4:25 when Lisa get off the bus.
She was running. Running so fast to get into the coffee shop in time.
She finally saw the sign after relentlessly checking the place.
Love's Cafe.
What a corny name for a coffee shop. The owner must be a hopeless romantic man.
She hurriedly went inside and she was immediately hit with the smell of coffee and a warm atmosphere from everyone who was taking peace by overlooking the passerby and casually sipping at their coffee and eating a dessert. The aroma surrounding the place had brought back memories to her.
It felt warm and familiar. The interior design was also Rustic and has an inviting feel to it.
She saw Jisoo at the cashier counter and she waved at her. Jisoo quickly noticed her and gestured her to sit on an empty chair.
"You came on time. Go ahead and sit. I'll call him so just wait for a while."
She then grabbed her telephone and seemed to talk to someone before going to Lisa's table.
"Just stay here, Jungkook is just finalizing his papers for the interview. Meanwhile, just drink this while you are waiting for him."
The older left her with an iced caramel macchiato on her table that Lisa refused to accept but Jisoo insisted.
"It's fine Lisa, you will be working here soon so just pay me next time."
Jisoo winked at her before leaving her with no choice. So she savors the caramel macchiato that was given to her for free by Jisoo.
She savors the balance of sweetness and bitterness on every sip. She compared it to her life. Sometimes there was a hint of sweetness and sometimes there was a hint of bitterness.
She checked her watch, and it was already 4:35. She looked over the clouds and the nervousness still ran on her veins as her legs started to shake unconsciously and her heart suffocated her. No one still came out to meet her.
I thought he was in a hurry to get to Seoul that's why we move the time? Why he is not here yet?
Before Lisa could give up, a man In a denim jacket with a white T-shirt tucked underneath his trousers suddenly sat in front of her.
He has somewhat long messy brown hair and his chocolate orbs that went to look straight into Lisa's soul are glimmering with light.
He walked as if he owned the universe.
(Insert One-day music by BTS)
This man is Apollo-god in the level of his visual. Lisa couldn't keep away her eyes from him. She was totally mesmerized. She suddenly remembered someone that has the same length of hair the same as him—the man who used to be a part of her world. The mAn she used to love, Lily's father.
She was suddenly distracted and because her thoughts wander again to that man so she didn't notice her future boss was already in front of her until he spoke.
"You must be Lalisa Manoban."
He smiled showing his bunny teeth in front of her. Lisa's mouth was still open and couldn't close it out especially with the whole snack in front of her.
He went to sit down and she suddenly smells the strong aroma of coffee that lingers in him.
He extended his arms to have shaken hands with Lisa, and thats only the time she was taken back by the reality and took his hand as well before saying:
"It's my pleasure to meet you, Jungkook Sajangnim."
Jungkook just smiled as he looked at her adorable face right now. Especially on how big her eyes seemed to reflect the fluorescent lamp inside the coffee shop and then she saw him walking towards her.
She must have thought that the boss here was an old man and so she was surprised to find out he was pretty much young.
Jungkook chuckled before saying:
"Just call me Jungkook, Lisa."
The female still was uneasy with how he treated her so she just bowed down her head and say:
"Y-yes, of course, Mr. —Jungkook."
Jungkook just chuckled once more as he was much amused by how red the cheeks of the woman was in front of him.
"You will get used to it, Lisa. Jisoo is like that too when she first started."
Jungkook leaned forward and looked directly into Lisa's eyes. She suddenly felt flustered because she couldn't meet the intimidating gaze of Jungkook but she did her best to just looks at them. Giving off the same intensity as him.
He smirked before he spoke to Lisa once again.
"I asked Jisoo to let you come here so I can take a closer look at you, and since now that I do, would it be best if you can start working tomorrow?"
Lisa was shocked at how easy the interview was but then she recovered quickly. Her heart is pumping in her chest. She couldn't give her excitement but she still acted so coolly in front of him.
Her expression though was actually caught by Jungkook. He had seen how her eyes glow up as if she was looking at him like he was the only person she saw in the world.
"Su-sure. Tomorrow then."
Lisa said with a much high pitched voice than normal. She was even surprised that she unconsciously making her voice sound much higher.
Jungkook on the other hand just stared at her. He must admit that Jisoo noona is very pretty but Lisa is another level of gorgeousness. He also noted that she looked like a foreigner and then he remembered that she was a Thai.
Her sweaty forehead and flushed cheeks and the way she stands so gracefully with the occasional shock on her face, he would be lying if he says that Lisa is not cute. It is because she is really cute and beautiful.
Just then for the first time in a long time, he heard his heartbeat once again.
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Words: 4000
Revised
This is Dara Sajangnim by the way