Work Text:
For whatever it’s worth, this isn’t exactly the direction Chaeyoung had planned for her life to take.
It just kind of happens.
It starts with the end of a twelve hours shift at the little 7-Eleven, with a mind that drifts and feet following it - down to the water, across the bridge, towards the neon lights and loud noises of inner Itaewon. She’s not sure if it’s her tired mind or the lateness of the hour, but she feels as if inside a fish bowl. As if she’s swimming while everyone else is walking, all the noises distant and strange. And maybe there’s a part of her that’s waiting for someone to tap the glass - to scare her back to reality. But she merely swims through the crowd without really noticing anything but the lights. So many lights. They lead her down a less crowded street, and then to the right.
Without really noticing it, the sign over the bar appears to her, and she reads it.
The Listener.
It’s bent in red neon, and it makes Chaeyoung smile. Maybe because it’s a peculiar name for a bar. Maybe just because she’s too tired to walk away. She should. She should be heading to bed by now, flopping down on the soft mattress and burying her head in the soft sheets. But she walks down the three steps instead and pushes open the door.
Warmth.
It’s the first thing Chaeyoung notices; a curious gallery of darkness and warmth and red lights. It’s not too crowded.
Not empty.
Chaeyoung takes off the denim jacket and runs a hand through her hair. It’s a little greasy from work, but it’s not like she’s meeting anyone, and in the faded lights, no-one can see. Well maybe the bartender, but he’s probably used to worse coming in here, than a tired worker bee.
Except the bartender isn’t a he. It’s a girl. Very unmistakably so. Two of them, now that Chaeyoung gets a better look. The glass of the fish bowl seems to subside a bit, easing the process of making out their features, but also increasing the volume of the music.
It’s a trade off, and Chaeyoung is willing to make.
“You look like you need a beer,” the tallest of the two bartenders say while the other serves two young men further down. This girl’s hair is shorter than Chaeyoung’s, but her proportions much more like a model’s. She’s very pretty.
Chaeyoung gives a little nod. “IPA, please.”
The bartender nods and reaches down - into what Chaeyoung assumes is a bar fridge. Condensation immediately materializes on the light brown bottle, and the girl opens it, pouring it into a tall glass. Chaeyoung watches almost trance-like as golden liquid fills the glass, foam covering the top in a way that always makes Chaeyoung smile. Some hate that beer foams like that. But Chaeyoung quite likes it with a little foam. As a kid it always set aside her cola from her mom’s drink on Saturday nights, and her mom would always make a foam-beard just to make Chaeyoung laugh.
Chaeyoung takes a sip of the beer, feeling the foam on her lip and tasting the bitterness of the drink.
“Long day?”
Chaeyoung looks up. It’s not the tall girl who served her, who’s talking now. It’s the other one; shorter, probably around Chaeyoung’s height, with blonde hair and fair skin. So light that she’s almost glowing. As if she’s trying to light up the room on her own. It’s that bright aura around her that makes Chaeyoung notice her more than intended. Makes her stare for that one second longer than it’s socially acceptable.
The blonde leans on the counter behind the bar.
“Yeah.” Chaeyoung nods, finally remembering the initial question. She opens her mouth to elaborate, but then remembers that a bartender isn’t a dumping ground for complaints, and decides not to share further. They work here, and it’s a part of their job to talk to their customers - but that doesn’t mean that want to.
But the girl doesn’t seem pleased with this. She tilts her head slightly, eyes searching Chaeyoung’s face curiously. As if they just wander to pass time until she can hear more.
She’s too inviting to pass up.
“Twelve hour shifts suck, you know?” Chaeyoung says carefully, not really sure if she’s reading the girl right.
“I get you there.” the girl says. “Where do you work?”
Chaeyoung scratches her forearm over the inked mark. Then takes another sip of beer to buy herself a little time. “A 7-Eleven. It’s not fancy but it pays the bills until I can find something better.”
“It’s an honest living.” the girl says, lips splitting in a smile - a very pretty one. “Be proud of it.”
“I’d rather do something else, though.” Chaeyoung admits, running a thumb over the mark she just scratched before. It’s become a soothing habit for her recently.
“Oh? And what’s that?” the girl asks, turning her head sideways as someone calls her attention. Then turns her attention back to Chaeyoung while moving towards the guy, making sure Chaeyoung knows she’s still allowed to keep talking.
She’s good; this bartender. Does her job well.
“Art.” Chaeyoung says, despite knowing the girl probably won’t remember her in the morning. “I want to live off my paintings.”
“I was right then!” The girl seems completely elated, handing two bottles of soju to the man before returning to Chaeyoung. “I thought you had that artsy vibe.”
Chaeyoung chuckles. “I’m glad it shows. It’s a good sign.”
The girl grins, and seems like she’s about to say more. But then the other girl - the tall one - pokes her side and points to the far end of the bar. The shorter one pouts up at the taller one for about two and three quarters of a second, and then resides to that side. The tall one shakes her head and looks after her as she walks over to her side.
Chaeyoung watches too; notices how the girl’s hair reach just below her shoulder blades, and how the white waist-apron shows off her figure well. But it’s the way she shines that makes it almost impossible to take her eyes off the girl. Even when the taller one sends her a look. Even when she’s fully aware that the girl is on duty and has to be kind to everyone.
“Do you have a pen?” Chaeyoung asks the tall bartender. She gets a wondering look in return.
“Why?” The tall one asks, eyes flickering momentarily to the back of the other bartender’s head.
Chaeyoung’s cheek warm. No, that hadn’t been the intention. She wasn’t out to- she just wanted to draw. The red light and the cool beads running down her glass had given her an idea.
“Nevermind.” Chaeyoung shakes her head.
“Hm.” The tall bartender says. Then hands over a pen from her apron, and a little notebook for taking orders. There’s scepticism in her eyes, but Chaeyoung merely takes a page from the notebook and hands it back, twirling the pen between her fingers for a little before drawing.
Little figures, bubbles and flowers, making a bigger one. A sun made of the life it nurtures.
Chaeyoung feels the eyes of the tall bartender on her. It’s a little stressful, but Chaeyoung also can’t help but smile.
“You really are an artist.”
Chaeyoung looks up. It’s the blonde bartender, back again, with a bright smile and curious eyes. Eyes that find Chaeyoung’s and turn to crescent moons as her smile widens.
“You’re really good! I like that idea so much.”
Chaeyoung grins a little awkwardly. She isn’t used to anyone noticing her art much, and definitely not someone as pretty as this girl. Not that looks are a measure for worth it’s just- you know. Girls.
“I got inspired.” Chaeyoung settles for in the end, noticing out of the corner of her eye that the taller bartender walks away, towards where the blonde had stood before.
“By what?” The blonde asks inquiringly. It’s that same voice she used before.
Chaeyoung shrugs. She’s not really sure honestly. Inspiration just hit, without her really being aware of how. “I like the sun, I guess. I like how much energy it gives, to everything. And I wish sometimes that someone would give a little back to it? The earth just takes.”
The bartender frowns. “Well it’s like a mother to a child right? And exactly how you drew it. The sun becomes a reflection of the earth’s accomplishments, showing that instead of itself.”
“So you think the earth is like a child to the sun?” Chaeyoung asks curiously.
“I guess you could say that.” the girl nods.
Chaeyoung hums, drawing leaved vines as sun rays, growing outwards, reaching. “I think I like that..”
“Are you going to draw the earth too?” the bartender leans closer.
“Maybe? How would you draw it?” Chaeyoung asks.
The short bartender shrugs. “Does it matter? You’re the artist.”
Chaeyoung considers it for a long time. But she doesn’t really know what the earth would look like to a sun. She doesn’t have that perspective.
“Could you hand this to your coworker?” Chaeyoung finally says, giving back the pen.
It’s not as dark in here as it was when she came in, even if it’s later now. How late, Chaeyoung doesn’t know. But as the blonde walks away, Chaeyoung notices how her eyes itch and that her glass is empty. It seems like a sign - that maybe she should go back. It’s not like she has much better to do here.
Of course, she can stay. She can let the bartenders listen to her troubles as she knows they will. She can sit on this chair until the new morning comes, eventually dragging herself home on tired feet until she falls into her bed.
“Another drink or a cab?”
It’s the blonde again. She’s back. Chaeyoung chuckles and hides her yawn. She should get back.
“If I come back another day, will you be here?”
The girl laughs; a breathy chuckle that bubbles from her as if she’s never done anything but laugh.
Chaeyoung bites the insides of her cheeks. She really shouldn’t have said it so flirtily, but the girl doesn’t seem to mind.
The girl’s laughter slowly subsides, and she nods. “It’s our bar, so Jeongyeon and I will both be here, yes.”
“You own it?” Chaeyoung asks with a frown.
The girl nods. “We bought it together about a year ago and built it up. It’s pretty decent by now.”
“Oh, more than decent, I love the vibe in here.” Chaeyoung says quickly, suddenly more awake. Maybe it’s just because this girl is now shining like the sun at the compliment. She’s impossibly prettier when she shines. Beautiful even.
“So, you’ll be back another day, then?” The girl asks genuinely. Her eyes sparkle.
Chaeyoung considers staying now. But then she nods and raises her pinky just to show it. “Promise.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for you then.” The girl smiles.
Chaeyoung nods, hopping down from the barstool.
“I’ll see you soon then…”
There’s an implicit question in Chaeyoung’s words, and the girl doesn’t disappoint
“Kim Dahyun.”
“Cool name.” Chaeyoung grins. Just to get the reaction from her.
“I don’t get yours?”
Bingo.
“Chaeyoung.” Chaeyoung says.
“No last name?” Dahyun frowns slightly.
Chaeyoung shakes her head. There’s no reason to get into that right now. “Just Chaeyoung.”
“Okay then.” Dahyun shrugs. “Get home safe, just Chaeyoung.”
Okay so her humor is as dumb as Chaeyoung’s. Brilliant. It’s not like it makes it harder not to fall into the aura of this girl. Out of the fish bowl and into her light. But she’s a bartender. It’s her job. To get customers, to treat them well and make them become regulars.
Chaeyoung is no different.
But even so, Chaeyoung returns only a few days later. Maybe because she likes the idea of sitting in a bar, wallowing about how her life didn’t turn out how she had dreamed it when she was eighteen. Maybe it appeals to her sense of melodramatics. Or maybe she just wants someone to ask about her life. Wants Dahyun to smile at her and look at her drawings and tell her it’s going to be okay. Even if it’s just a service Dahyun provides. Even if it’s just her job.
“Hey, just Chaeyoung.”
Dahyun’s smile is there as soon as Chaeyoung drops down on the barstool, half past midnight and another dead shift at the 7-Eleven over. As if that’s the life Chaeyoung had wanted. But it’s what she chose. Somehow.
“Another twelve hour shift?” Dahyun asks.
It occurs to Chaeyoung that she forgot to greet Dahyun back.
Chaeyoung cringes and nods.
“You work hard.” Dahyun sounds impressed, putting a glass of cool water in front of Chaeyoung.
Chaeyoung downs it in one go. “I have to. Bills. Food. You know…”
Dahyun sends her a smile and a nod before walking over to another customer.
“You’re back.” Jeongyeon’s voice is neutral but Chaeyoung notices the slight twitch of her eye brow.
“I felt like good beer and nice people.” Chaeyoung says outright. It’s not like she has bad intentions. She just doesn’t really have anyone in her life, and Dahyun made her smile, so why not go where the happy people are? Nothing wrong with that, right?
“Well, there’s both here.” Jeongyeon sends Chaeyoung a smile; a truce, if you want.
“Good to know. What beer do you recommend?” Chaeyoung asks.
“Do you like brown ales?” Jeongyeon asks.
Chaeyoung nods, eyes flickering in the direction of Dahyun as her laughter reaches Chaeyoung’s ears. It’s quite an ear-catching sound, even if most other sounds are muffled. As if her brain can only comprehend so many impressions in a day, and then shuts the rest out. But it doesn’t shut her out.
Jeongyeon’s hand appears in the periphery of Chaeyoung’s vision and it makes her look back at the tall bartender. She has a pint in her outstretched hand, the liquid soft and dark, like burnt caramel more than liquid gold.
Chaeyoung takes the beer and sips from it, feeling the foam familiarly settle on her upper lip. It’s sweet and round and everything you’d crave after a shift like Chaeyoung’s. Almost everything.
Maybe a little bit of sunshine wouldn’t be too bad either.
“Did you bring your own sketchbook today?”
Dahyun is back.
As if she had read Chaeyoung’s mind.
Chaeyoung shakes her head. “I forgot it at home. But it’s okay, I’m not really inspired tonight. More in the mood for music tonight, I think.”
“That’s a shame, I was hoping you’d draw me the earth tonight.” Dahyun gives a small but very present pout, but the next second it’s gone, and there’s a phone in her hand. It’s connected to an aux plug and Dahyun hands it to Chaeyoung.
“What music are you in the mood for then?”
Chaeyoung looks at Dahyun and then at the phone. “You- am I even allowed to do that? Choose the music? What if it’s something super weird and I scare away your customers?”
“Try. I’ll just change it again if it turns out you have horrible taste in music.” Dahyun says confidently.
Chaeyoung eyes the phone skeptically and then takes a sip of her beer and holds out a hand. Dahyun gives her the phone, already unlocked and in the spotify app. For a moment, Chaeyoung considers what to choose, and then types in a title. Queues the song and hands the phone back.
“You didn’t change?” Dahyun asks.
“It’s queued. People won’t notice as much if it doesn’t interrupt the flow.”
“Strategically masking your weird music taste, smart.” Dahyun acknowledges.
“I could be playing something really generic, what do you know?” Chaeyoung counter-argues.
“You have carrots tattooed on your hand and a hand-sewn flower on your purse, there’s no way it’s going to be mainstream.” Dahyun chuckles.
Chaeyoung nods and shrugs. “I guess that’s fair.”
The song changes, and Dahyun’s eyes narrow as she listens. The dreamy notes flow through the room with just under 60 beats per minute, violin and piano accompanying each other airily.
“Weird.” Dahyun concludes finally, looking at Chaeyoung. And then she shines. “But good weird.”
It’s immediate. The light from her, making the music somehow take up every part of Chaeyoung’s mind.
“Do you have a pen and paper?” Chaeyoung asks, without really realizing it.
Dahyun looks confused for a second. Then she nods and picks off a piece of paper from her order block and hands it to Chaeyoung with a pen.
The soft notes of Chaeyoung’s favorite song plays while she draws. It’s a little hard, to make the picture make sense, but she manages in the end.
“A moon? I thought you’d give me the earth.” Dahyun clicks her tongue, but studies the drawing nonetheless. It’s made of music notes and bubbles. The sunlight mixing with the music.
Chaeyoung takes another gulp of her beer and hands the pen back.
“No earth?” Dahyun asks.
Chaeyoung shakes her head. “Not tonight.”
“Another night then. I’ll get my earth in the end.” Dahyun sends Chaeyoung a determined look.
The song ends just as Dahyun is called to another customer. Jeongyeon is busy serving someone further down, chatting with her and laughing slightly awkwardly.
Taking another gulp of beer, Chaeyoung lets the noise fade from her mind once more as she looks around the bar. It’s brighter tonight than it was last time. Or maybe Chaeyoung is just more awake.
Biting her lip, Chaeoyung observes as Dahyun serves three consecutive customers before running a hand through the blonde hair and sighing heavily. She’s tired. But the next moment there’s a smile on her face and she serves a fourth customer. Then turns to look at Chaeyoung, her smile widening in a slightly embarrassed manner from seeing that Chaeyoung is looking at her.
“What makes you think there’s going to be another night?” Chaeyoung asks without really being sure why.
Dahyun looks up and down the bar, scans the room, and then walks over to Chaeyoung.
“I don’t know your story yet.” Dahyun shrugs.
“My story?”
“People come here and they sit in the chairs by the bar because they have a story, and I’m always the one who knows it. And I don’t know yours yet. So I know there’s going to be a next time until I know it. After that, it’s more of a hope.”
Chaeyoung considers it for a while. But then she shakes her head and empties her beer. The knot in her chest came too fast and now she has no clue how to get it to go away. But she knows she can’t just drink it away. That’s not how it works. So she hops off the chair and takes her denim jacket instead, sending Dahyun an apologetic smile.
“My story isn’t worth much.”
Dahyun looks worried, as if she’s scared she had scared Chaeyoung away.
“I have to head back before I pass out.” Chaeyoung lies. She doesn’t know what else to do. Her story. It’s too embarrassing. But Dahyun still looks worried, and it makes it impossible not to attempt to soothe her. “I’ll see you another night.”
Dahyun opens her mouth as if she’s about to say something. She doesn’t. Instead she nods and waves for goodbye.
“See you.”
Chaeyoung walks away.
It’s not until she’s home that she realizes how bad a decision that was. She should have stayed and told her story, or at least not promised to come back. But the promise to come back, and the implicit promise to tell her entire embarrassing story to a girl like Dahyun is beyond intimidating. So much so that Chaeyoung can’t get herself to return for almost a week.
But when she finally does, there’s a plan in her hand and an apology on her lips.
Even so, it hurts a little to see Dahyun’s surprised face when Chaeyoung walks towards her. Because despite the smile on Dahyun’s face, the surprise reveals that she had given up on Chaeyoung returning, or at least stopped waiting.
Chaeyoung clenches her hand and bites her lip. Sits down on her chair and looks at Dahyun. She’s as beautiful as always, and Chaeyoung has to remind herself not to act. That Dahyun is still a bartender and it’s her job to talk to the people that come in here.
“Hey.”
“Hey, stranger.” Dahyun smiles kindly. As kindly as ever. Shining as brightly as ever.
“Can I get a beer?” Chaeyoung asks her.
Dahyun nods. “What kind?”
“Which is your favorite?” Chaeyoung asks curiously. Something for something, right?
Dahyun smiles. “I don’t drink. But I know a good one you might like.”
Chaeyoung can’t help but find it a little odd that someone who owns a bar swears off alcohol. But she doesn’t expect to ever be told. It’s always the bartender who knows and the customer who tells. It’s like that.
“Did you work today?” Dahyun asks.
“Nope. Well I did earlier but I got off hours ago.”
Dahyun nods and places the beer in front of her. It’s golden and thick. “You always work so much.”
The conversation dies after that.
Chaeyoung feels like a coward.
“Dub? A hand?”
It’s Jeongyeon, calling from the other end of the bar where about ten elated guys stand chatting and waiting for their drinks. Dahyun nods at her and sends Chaeyoung a smile before walking away. How she just keeps smiling, keeps shining no matter what, Chaeyoung can’t fathom. But it’s just another under-lining of the truth in her palm. Another proof that all of this is absolutely dumb. Just because Dahyun is so wonderful doesn’t mean she isn’t like that with every other customer. It’s her job after all.
Chaeyoung tastes the beer. It’s a little sour but sweet at the same time. Classic but good. The kind Chaeyoung’s mom loved.
Chaeyoung watches the condensation on the side of the glass.
“What did she give you?” Jeongyeon cuts through her thoughts.
Chaeyoung shrugs. “Not sure. A lager of some sorts.”
This seems to confuse Jeongyeon because she picks up Chaeyoung’s glass and stares at the beer. Even smells it. Then she puts it down with an acknowledging look.
“I’m not sure who you are yet, Chaeyoung, but she’s a good kid. Be gentle with her.”
What even is that supposed to mean?
“What are you-”
Jeongyeon shakes her head to stop her. Then sends her a smile.
Chaeyoung feels beyond confused, but she can’t get herself to ask again. Instead she just looks at the beer, and then at Dahyun. She just doesn’t expect Dahyun to be looking back at her.
“Good beer?” Dahyun asks neutrally. And neutral worries Chaeyoung when it comes to Dahyun. Because Dahyun is anything but neutral.
Chaeyoung takes another sip and nods. “It’s my kind of beer.”
Dahyun smiles and walks towards Chaeyoung. Settles against the back of the bar with her arms crossed and her eyes softly on the beer.
“My dad’s kind of beer too.”
Chaeyoung frowns. That’s a weird statement.
“He’d tell all of his stories to lagers at night after work.” Dahyun shrugs.
Oh.
Chaeyoung looks down at the beer, suddenly not feeling like it much anymore.
“No please, don’t feel discouraged.” Dahyun pushes herself off the back of the bar, closer to Chaeyoung. “I don’t mind people drinking. Or I would’ve never opened this place.”
Chaeyoung blinks. That’s right. This isn’t just where she works. She and Jeongyeon own the place. But why in the world would the daughter of an alcoholic open a bar?
Dahyun answers as if she had read Chaeyoung’s mind.
“I know people drink. That’s not a changeable fact. It’s just life. Humanity. But I can provide a safe space and someone to listen to their stories, a little sunshine, so they don’t end up telling it to the bottle instead. I don’t drink because I don’t like the taste. I can’t change something as human as the need to escape, but I can provide a safety net.”
Chaeyoung swallows. It makes almost too much sense. And Chaeyoung is just about to give Dahyun what she wants - her story. But then realizes she doesn’t want to tell her bartender. She wants to tell Dahyun.
“I hope it wasn’t oversharing.” Dahyun chuckles.
Chaeyoung shakes her head. “Not at all.”
Dahyun quickly scans her bar, and then looks at Chaeyoung again.
“So, do I get my earth tonight?”
Chaeyoung clenches her hand.
“When does the bar close?”
Dahyun squints as she looks at a clock. It’s an unusual feature in a bar, but with the purpose of it, it makes sense. “Two hours. Why?”
For a moment Chaeyoung considers giving hell to whatever dumb plan she had coming in, but she shakes her head and smiles at her bartender.
“I just figured I’d hang around this time.”
“It’s my lucky night then.” Dahyun beams before walking over to a customer. Chaeyoung looks after her.
Chaeyoung’s stomach bubbles at the sunshine in Dahyun’s voice. She can’t help it. She knows she’s not supposed to, but she can’t help it. She can’t help that she wants to keep sitting here until the bar closes for the off chance that she might get a few minutes to talk to Dahyun. The real Dahyun.
And so, Chaeyoung sits at the bar for nearly two hours, watching the beautiful girl serve customers and share jokes with Jeongyeon and occasionally with Chaeyoung too.
“You got a plan?” Jeongyeon asks quietly, five minutes before closing. She takes the empty glass from Chaeyoung. It’s the same lager she started on two hours ago, but she didn’t want to drink more just in case she- you know, got to talk to Dahyun.
Chaeyoung shrugs. Of course she does. And Jeongyeon knows that too, or she wouldn’t have been sending Chaeyoung curious looks all night.
“How do you know her?” Chaeyoung asks.
Jeongyeon presses her lips together. “I was her sitter since she was around nine, and then I was her tutor for school and in the end I was her friend. She lived with me and my family for a while too. And now here we are.”
“You know her well, then.” Chaeyoung acknowledges.
“As well as a sister does I guess.” Jeongyeon grabs a cloth and starts wiping the counter. “She’s worth sticking around for. But I’m guessing you already know that, since you’re here still.”
Chaeyoung can’t help but feel a little caught by how well Jeongyeon has been able to read her, right from the start.
Jeongyeon sends Chaeyoung another little smile and then walks up to Dahyun. “Dubs, I’m gonna check for people and then lock up, okay?”
Dahyun nods. But to Chaeyoung’s surprise she doesn’t stay behind the bar. Instead she walks with Jeongyeon into the main room. But while Jeongyeon goes to check the bathroom and little nooks, Dahyun walks over to Chaeyoung.
“Throwing me out?” Chaeyoung asks nervously.
Dahyun shakes her head, takes off the white apron and settles on the chair next to Chaeyoung.
It feels almost symbolic. And it does absolutely nothing to make Chaeyoung less nervous. It’s almost as if Dahyun has just been reading Chaeyoung’s mind all along.
“Do I get my earth now?” Dahyun asks in a tone no different from the one she always uses. And her smile is somehow the same as well.
Chaeyoung clenches her hand and shakes her head. “You’re never going to let that go are you?”
Dahyun shakes her head.
Chaeyoung sighs and then starts her story. “I’m a gold spoon. Not the richest, but well off. Enough that people expected me to do certain things; become a certain person. I just never wanted to be that. I never wanted to go into my parents’ business ventures. I wanted to be an artist. But my parents didn’t see it as a fitting option. Of course, I can’t blame them much, artists have it hard in this world. They just wanted to see me become successful, and they had ways to ensure that, so any other way seemed ridiculous. But I couldn’t see that when I was eighteen. I was a really stubborn kid. So in the end I ran away. I disowned my family and my name and ran to become an artist.”
Chaeyoung feels the heat on her neck. The next part is always the hardest part to tell.
“I just didn’t have a clue how. I had this romantic dream that I could work during the day and paint at night and find ways to get people to notice me, and it would all be okay. But no-one did. And the jobs got harder to come by at the same time as my rent rose. And five years later I haven’t gotten anywhere. I’m older and I’m wiser but I haven’t gotten my dream. I’m just a cashier at a 7-eleven with art that no-one really looks at.”
Chaeyoung finishes her story and looks down at her open palm. There’s an earth drawn in black pen. Nothing fancy, no symbolism. Just an honest earth.
“I guess my life was never really meant to be anything out of the ordinary.” Chaeyoung gives a sad smile, finally looking up at Dahyun. “But I still feel like I have something to offer. Somehow. I haven’t lost myself, and I guess that’s the most important thing.”
Dahyun isn’t looking back though. Her eyes are fixed on the earth, and her cheeks are red. She’s smart. Chaeyoung likes that about her. Likes that Dahyun can figure her out so easily.
“You’re just Chaeyoung.” Dahyun finally says with an acknowledging look. “And I’m just Dahyun.”
“I… yeah.” Chaeyoung grins. It’s a green pass. “And… you know, if you want, you can have the earth.”
Dahyun shines brighter than ever, her laughter so addictive and loud that Chaeyoung can’t help but fall right then and there.
“Are all artists this cheesy or is it just you?”
Chaeyoung holds out her palm. “Just me.”
Dahyun’s expression softens as she looks at the earth , reaching to run a finger nimbly over the lines of it. The act causes a shiver down Chaeyoung’s spine. How is her skin as soft as it looks?
But just as Dahyun’s hand seems to be about to settle, a noise makes them both jump and pull back.
Familiar tunes play from the loudspeakers, interrupting the current song playing, and they turn to see Jeongyeon standing with the phone and a goofy smile.
“Don’t mind me.” Jeongyeon notes airily, putting down the phone and walking away.
Chaeyoung looks around at Dahyun, nerves building in her throat and skin.
“I think she’s trying to get me to ask you to dance.”
“I got that sense too.” Dahyun mumbles.
“Do you want to? Dance with me, I mean?” Chaeyoung clears her throat and subtle holds out her palm again.
Dahyun looks at it. And in the fraction of a second it takes for Dahyun’s hand to find Chaeyoung’s, Chaeyoung realizes that Dahyun is no different on this side of the bar as the other. She’s as genuine as a summer’s day and nothing, nothing is new about this Dahyun as opposed to the one that’s been on Chaeyoung’s mind for the past two weeks.
It’s a realization that occurs over and over in the next hour, with the way her hand fits in Chaeyoung’s; how her steps seem to have the same pace; how she fits inside Chaeyoung’s world so effortlessly, as if there was always a space for her, with her laugh as the song changes to a fast one but they keep dancing slow. All the way to her lips responding to Chaeyoung’s, with warmth and lightness, listening for Chaeyoung’s every move. She’s always been listening. Always waiting for more of whatever Chaeyoung wants to show.
And Chaeyoung tells their story.
The story of an earth and a sun. Of an artist and a bartender.
The storyteller and the listener.