A. SEOUL - 3

Lee Umji goes to the bookstore. She spends her weekend observing how the novel is currently trending. She also wanted to buy some books on the practical theory of her work.

Wearing a long sleeve knit shirt and jeans. The summer air was hot enough. Makes the streets seem lonely with people who usually walk when the sun is rising like now.

Not content just to the bookstore. Lee Umji also headed for one of the city government libraries. She only went there for a walk, because it would be difficult to find books, especially novels that were hot on the market.

"Are you fluent in English?"

Someone spoke to Lee Umji, who was standing reading a novel by Nicholas Sparks. Lee Umji turned to see a man wearing glasses with casual clothes plus a beanie covering his head. It looks very indie.

"I am a translator," replied Lee Umji, bowing slightly politely.

"What a coincidence, me too."

Lee Umji smiled. She feels happy to meet someone who has the same job as her.

"But I'm a Japanese translator. Incidentally, I also have Japanese descent."

"Akira Jun."

The man reached out to Lee Umji with a friendly smile.

"Lee Umji."

Not satisfied just shaking hands. Lee Umji and Akira chose to sit at a long table in the library facing each other. Each of them was busy reading the book they chose.

"Office work?" asked Akira after closing the book he was reading.

Lee Umji looked up. Her mind was distorted. "Yes, the Hakyung publishing company."

"You alone?"

"I'm a freelance translator. To be precise, one writing platform uses my services more. So I mostly do it at home."

Lee Umji nodded her head in understanding. She even thought it did that. Works on translations from her apartment only. But she was afraid that she would break her pattern of life, because the last few years working as a translator made het know several writers. That something is done in a place and time that is not fixed makes the mind easily stressed.

These are some descriptions of the writers known to Lee Umji. The same is the case if she only accepts work to do in the apartment. It is not certain that it can always be done there.

"Sorry, how old are you?" Akira asked, not wanting to use the wrong pronunciation when calling names.

"Twenty-five," replied Umji.

Akira smiled. "Turns out younger. I'm twenty-seven."

"Oh Mr. Akira."

Akira laughed. "You don't need to call it that, I'm not in the same workplace with you."

"Still, it's rude to just call out names."

"Brother is a little too ...."

Lee Umji stopped her sentence then smiled awkwardly.

"Yes, we're not that close. But trying to get along wouldn't hurt either, right?"

Akira looked at Lee Umji. Throw in an inviting smile.

"This is my cell phone number. If you have one, just call. Oh yes, I don't have social media," said Akira giving Lee Umji a piece of paper with the arrangement of numbers on it.

Lee Umji stared at the piece of paper. She is now sitting by the bus window. She put Akira's cell phone number in her bag and reached out to open the window.

The view of the bustling city of Seoul filled the corner with Lee Umji's eye. She could see how the Han River was already bustling with people picnicking under the surrounding trees. She think she wanted to do it too, but she once again had to go home to take care of her manuscripts, so that the work would not be too heavy when she entered the workday.

Lee Umji walked from the bus station to her apartment. Along the sidewalk, she was busy staring at her cellphone while carrying a cloth bag containing the books she had bought from the bookstore.

Lee Umji sees Hw Mino's uploaded photo on a campus in New York City. One of Ha Mino's photos has a library background that is bigger and wider than the city library she had been in earlier. But there is another photo where she can see Ha Mino taking a candid shot next to a man who has Asian facial features. She thought she had seen him before, but also doubted that it was just her feelings. Arriving at the apartment, Lee Umji immediately prepared dinner ingredients. She plans to make cheese chicken spinach as not too difficult for her. Because she only needs to sauté and then add grated cheese on top.

Lee Umji decided to take a shower before eating his dinner. Today she felt quite exhausted after spending a few hours outside. She decided to spend her dinner in front of a smart TV that was connected to her Netflix account.

After dinner and washing the cutlery, Lee Umji sat at her desk and opened the book she had bought. But just about to enter the second chapter, her cell phone rings. She picked up a video call from Park Jini via the Kakao Talk application.

But Lee Umji didn't see Park Jini. She only saw a lamp. The spotlight of the front camera displays the roof ceiling along with lights like the position of the cellphone that is being placed on the table.

"Lee Umji!"

Suddenly  Park Jini shouted Lee Umji's name and then showed her face with an unstable camera position.

Lee Umji took a deep breath. She realized that Park Jini was drunk. Park Jini's drunken habit is not a new secret at the company. Park Jini will spend her weekends over beer or soju.

"You don't want to know why I broke up with Ha Mino?" said Park Hini, pointing in front of the camera.

"Go home Park Jini. You're very drunk now," replied Lee Umji intending to cut off the call.

"Uh, don't close it. Come here! And I'll tell you everything."

Park Jini's voice was half screaming when she said that sentence. Suddenly the direction of the camera changed showing a middle-aged woman who seemed to be the shop where Jini drank. "Miss, is she your friend? She was very drunk and will soon pass out, it seems."

Lee Umji was silent for a moment. "All right, I'll be right there."

Lee Umji uses a taxi to get to Park Jini's location to make it faster. She immediately went to the tavern where Park Jini was drinking and found the woman was unconscious.

Finally, with the help of a tavern waiter, Lee Umji managed to get Park Jini into a taxi to go home. Initially, she wanted to bring Park Jini back to her house. But she forgot where Park Jini's house was. Especially when she tried to ask Park Jini, she got another answer.

Lee Umji carried Park Jini up to her apartment. She also occasionally tries to revive Park Jini. But only an obscure rumble escaped the woman's mouth.

Lee Umji throws Park Jini's body on her bed. She then took a deep breath and sipped a glass of water to restore her strength.

"Mino," muttered Park lying on the bed.

Lee Umji, who had been sitting on the sofa, moved closer to Park Jini and then took off her blazer, shoes, socks and bag from Park Jini's body. He then pulled the blanket over Park Jini's body. Meanwhile, she went to her desk and did some work there.

Park Jini seems that her head was very heavy, but she kept her eyes open and tried to sit up. She saw Umji still busy in front of her laptop.

"What time is it now?" asked Park Jini after realizing that she was not at her house.

Lee Umji turned to look at Park Jini. "Are you awake? It's one o'clock at night."

"Oh, I'm sorry I bothered you."

"Next time, control your drinking," replied Park Umji again struggling on her laptop.

Park Jini got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. She vomited her stomach contents and then washed her face.

"Have a drink, you will feel good."

Lee Umji gave her a neutralizing bottle after getting drunk. She herself found the drink in the refrigerator. Not when to buy it. Although she also drank, it was not her favorite habit.

"Thank you."

"Just spend the night here. It's not safe to come home in the middle of the night," said Lee Umji giving advice.

"I think so. My mother will scold me if I come home--"

Park Jini who realized something immediately took the cellphone in her bag. She called her mother to say that she had to spend the night at a friend's house because she had work.

"I'm hungry. Any noodle ramen?" asked Park Jini feeling her stomach empty again after vomiting earlier.

Lee Umji pointed to the top drawer in the kitchen. "Just search there." She went from the desk to the bathroom to wash her face and then lay down on the bed.

"Okay, go to sleep first," said Park Jini seeing Lee Umji had pulled the blanket to sleep, while shse was waiting for the water in the boiling pot.

After eating midnight with gusto. A bowl of ramen mixed with egg and kimchi. Park Jini decided to sit on the sofa for a while so that her food could be digested before going back to sleep. But the board covered in cloth near Lee Umji's desk caught her attention.

Park Jini approached the board and then revealed the cloth covering it. She was surprised to see that the board had a chart drawn on it. A company structure where she and Lee Umji worked. She then turned to see Lee Umji, who was fast asleep.

"Did she forget her memory after being in a coma?" muttered Jini.

☆☆☆