sovbooks Chapter 7 Oppa, it's hard for me to concentrate on blowing in the wind because you're dres
Chapter 7 Oppa, it's hard for me to concentrate on blowing in the wind because you're dres
weekend.
Su Yu had just reached the convenience store entrance when she saw Shirley already squatting on the steps. She was wearing a white T-shirt, denim shorts, and canvas shoes. Her hair was tied in a bun, revealing her entire neck. She was holding an iced Americano, the straw flattened, and was looking down at her phone. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her eyes lighting up.
"Oppa, you're late."
"I'm not late. You're the one who's early." Su Yu took out his keys and opened the door.
Shirley followed him inside, put the iced Americano on the counter, and plopped down on it.
"Is Boss Park not here today?"
"He won't be coming this weekend. His daughter's wedding is coming up soon, and he's busy arguing with his in-laws."
"What's all the noise about?"
Who will receive the gift money?
Shirley paused for a moment, then laughed. "Is it like this in Korea too?"
"That's how it is all over the world."
Su Yu tied on his apron and began organizing the shelves. Shirley sat on the checkout counter, swinging her legs as she watched him work.
What time do you get off work today?
"Eight o'clock."
"Then to the Han River?"
"Um."
"You promised. You can't go back on your word."
"When did I ever go back on my word?"
"You said you'd treat me to oden last time, but I ended up paying for it myself."
Su Yu paused for a moment. "Did you pay for it yourself that time?"
"You forgot?"
Su Yu thought about it. It seemed to be true.
"Okay. My treat to drinks from Hanjiang today."
Shirley rolled her eyes. "You think you can get rid of me with just a bottle of soda?"
"What do you want?"
"you guess."
Su Yu glanced at her. Shirley swung her legs, a smirk playing on her lips, giving off a "I won't tell you if you can't guess" look.
Su Yu didn't guess and continued sorting the goods.
Shirley waited a few seconds, then couldn't hold back any longer. "Why don't you do things the way you're supposed to?"
"What kind of tactic?"
"I said 'guess,' so you should guess."
"I can't read minds."
"Then ask."
"Would you answer if I asked?"
Shirley opened her mouth, only to find herself caught in his trap, and angrily bit the straw even flatter.
Around 10 a.m., a middle-aged man in a suit came into the store. It wasn't the talent scout from last time, but another one. He was carrying a briefcase, and his hair was slicked back and shiny; he looked every bit the "I'm very successful" type.
He walked to the cashier, glanced at Su Yu, and took out a business card from his bag.
"Hello, I'm an agent from BLUE Entertainment. We saw your photos online and would like to discuss a collaboration with you."
Su Yu took the business card, glanced at it, and put it back on the table. "Sorry, I'm not interested."
The man smiled, a professional, practiced smile. "Don't rush to refuse. Our company's benefits are much better than DK's. The profit split is 70/30, you get 70% and we get 30%. Dormitory, transportation, and training fees are all included."
Before Su Yu could speak, Shirley jumped off the counter, walked up to the man, and looked up at him.
"Are you from BLUE?"
The man paused, taken aback. "Yes. You are…"
"I don't need to tell you who I am." Shirley crossed her arms. "Didn't your company get investigated last year? For failing to pay trainees' wages, it made the news."
The man's smile froze. "It was a misunderstanding. It was resolved later."
"Has it been resolved? I heard that some trainees are still protesting?"
The man looked a little embarrassed, glancing at Su Yu and then at Shirley. "And this is...?"
"I'm his girlfriend," Shirley said matter-of-factly.
Su Yu glanced at her. Shirley didn't look at him, staring at the man.
The man hesitated for a few seconds, then took the business card back. "Okay. If you change your mind, feel free to contact me." With that, he quickly walked away.
The door closed.
Shirley turned around and looked at Su Yu. "You rejected another one."
"Um."
"Do you know that BLUE's conditions are considered very good in the industry? 70/30, there are almost no newcomers like that."
"Know."
"Then why don't you go?"
Su Yu picked up the rag and continued wiping the countertop. "Why should I go?"
"Because..." Shirley thought for a moment, "because you are Chinese. In South Korea, it's very difficult for foreigners to become entertainers. The fact that they're willing to give you a 70/30 score means they really want you."
Su Yu wiped the counter for a while, then looked up at her. "You want me to go?"
Shirley paused for a moment. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her gaze drifted to the window, her fingers twirling a strand of hair.
"No, it's not that," she said. "I just feel...it's a pity."
"What's a pity?"
"It's a pity you have this face." Shirley turned to look at him. "If you don't make use of it, it will disappear on its own. Time waits for no one."
Su Yu looked at her. Her tone was very serious when she spoke, completely different from usual. It wasn't the kind of tone that was sarcastic, coquettish, or stubborn; she was genuinely worried.
"Are you worried about me?" Su Yu asked.
Shirley rolled her eyes. "Who's worried about you? I just feel..."
She didn't finish speaking.
Su Yu waited a few seconds. "What do you think?"
"I think you deserve better." After saying that, Shirley turned her face away, picked up her iced Americano, and took a big sip.
Su Yu looked at her profile. Sunlight streamed in through the glass door, illuminating her face, the shadow of her eyelashes falling on her cheekbones. He remained silent for a moment.
"I'm doing pretty well now," he said.
Shirley turned to look at him.
"Really," Su Yu said. "I have a job, a place to stay, people treat me to meals, and people worry about me. It's great."
Shirley stared at him for two seconds, then smiled.
"Who's worried about you? I was... I was just lamenting the loss of talent to the country."
Su Yu's lips twitched slightly. "I am Chinese. If I am lost, I will return to China."
Shirley choked on his words and poked him with her straw. "Shut up."
In the afternoon, Yoon Shi-yoon arrived.
He was wearing a white polo shirt today, collar up, looking like he'd just come back from a golf course. Su Yu glanced at him.
"Do you have a date today?"
"no."
"Then why are you dressed like this?"
"I bought this on sale for three thousand yuan."
Su Yu fell silent. A three-thousand-yuan polo shirt, worn with the collar popped up, and he even claimed it was a discounted purchase. This person's understanding of fashion is probably the same as his understanding of interpersonal relationships—all figured out on his own.
Yoon Shi-yoon took a sports drink and placed it on the counter. He noticed the BLUE Entertainment business card on the counter, picked it up, looked at it, and put it back.
"Is someone trying to poach you again?"
"Um."
"You rejected it?"
"Rejected."
Why?
"I don't want to go."
Yoon Shi-yoon unscrewed the bottle cap and took a sip. "Your friend came again today?"
"I'm here." Su Yu gestured towards the window with her lips.
Shirley was sitting by the window, wearing headphones and scrolling through her phone. She hadn't left today, saying she was waiting for Su Yu to get off work so they could go to the Han River together. Su Yu told her to sit and wait, so she did. Almost two hours had passed, and she hadn't urged him to leave.
Yoon Shi-yoon glanced at Shirley, then at Su Yu.
"Are you going to the Han River tonight?"
"Um."
"Just the two of you?"
"Um."
Yoon Shi-yoon was silent for a few seconds. "Be careful."
"Be careful of what?"
"Be careful not to get photographed." Yoon Shi-yoon said calmly, "She's a celebrity. You are... you're not a celebrity, but you're almost a social media influencer. If the two of you are photographed walking along the Han River, the headline will be 'f(x) Sulli secretly meets a mysterious handsome man late at night'."
Su Yu thought for a moment. "She said last time that if I was photographed, she should say I was her Chinese teacher."
"Chinese teachers don't take walks along the Han River at 8 p.m."
"And the Korean language teacher?"
"Same."
"The delivery driver?"
Yoon Shi-yoon glanced at him. "Have you ever seen a delivery driver wearing canvas shoes?"
Su Yu had nothing to say.
After finishing his drink, Yoon Shi-yoon threw the bottle into the trash can and walked to the door.
"Don't go too late," he said. "It gets crowded there at night."
The door closed.
At 8 p.m., Su Yu clocked out. She took off her apron and changed into a clean white T-shirt—actually, it was the same one, which she had washed the night before and hadn't had time to change into something else.
Shirley stood up from the window and put her headphones back into her bag.
"Let's go."
The two walked out of the convenience store. A Seoul night breeze blew by, carrying the summer's heat and a hint of barbecue. The streetlights cast long shadows.
Shirley walked to his right. After a while, she turned her head and glanced at him.
"Oppa, you look good in white today."
"I was wearing white yesterday too."
"You were wearing gray yesterday."
Su Yu thought about it. It did seem to be gray yesterday.
"Did you put on makeup today?" he asked.
Shirley was taken aback by his sudden question. "No."
"Then why are you different?"
"What's different?"
Su Yu looked at her. "I can't quite put my finger on it. It's just different."
Shirley's lips curled up, but she deliberately kept a straight face. "Maybe it's because your eyes have changed. Everything looks different to you."
"Possibly."
The two walked along the Han River. Boat lights shone on the river, distant and swaying gently. The traffic on the opposite bridge resembled a luminous river. A breeze carried the fishy smell of water.
Shirley walked for a while, then stopped and leaned on the railing. Su Yu stood beside her.
"Did you come here when you were a child?" Shirley asked.
"I've been here before. I visited alone when I first came to Korea."
"one person?"
"Yeah. I just arrived, I don't have any friends yet."
Shirley glanced at him sideways. "You have friends now?"
"I guess so."
What does "I guess so" mean?
"Yes, it exists."
"Who?"
"you."
Shirley paused for a moment, then smiled. "Anything else?"
"Kim Min-jun. Yoon Shi-yoon. Boss Park."
"Is Boss Park a friend? He's your boss."
"The boss is also a friend."
Shirley shook her head. "You have so few friends."
"That's enough." Su Yu leaned against the railing, looking at the river.
The two were silent for a moment. A gust of wind blew, and a few stray hairs from Shirley's bun drifted across her face. She reached up and tucked them behind her ear.
"Su Yu".
"Um."
"You really don't regret turning down that talent scout today?"
No regrets.
Why?
Su Yu thought for a moment. "Because what I want to do is not to be an entertainer."
"So what do you want to do?"
Su Yu remained silent for a few seconds. He couldn't speak. What he wanted to do was—use his abilities to protect those around him, cut those black threads, and send those damned people to jail. But he couldn't tell anyone these things.
"I want to live each day to the fullest," he said.
Shirley glanced at him but didn't ask any further questions.
"And you?" Su Yu asked, "What do you want to do?"
Shirley thought for a moment. "I want to sing. Dance. Act. Do what I love. I don't want to be controlled by anyone."
"Are you being controlled by someone now?"
"They control everything." Shirley rested her chin on the railing. "The company controls what I eat, what I wear, what I say, and who I meet. I even have to ask them about dyeing my hair."
Su Yu looked at her. A gust of wind blew, and her stray hairs fluttered in the breeze again.
"Once you become famous, no one will be able to control you," Su Yu said.
"Am I not famous now?"
"You're famous. But not famous enough. When you're famous enough that they dare not interfere with you, you'll be free."
Shirley turned to look at him. "Why do you talk like an old man?"
I'm twenty-three.
"He's four years older than me," Shirley laughed, "but the things you say are more like my dad's than my dad's."
"Then call me Dad?"
Shirley threw her bag at him. "You're asking for it."
Su Yu laughed and dodged away. The two joked around for a bit, then quieted down again.
Shirley leaned on the railing, looking at the river.
"Su Yu".
"Um."
"Thank you for coming with me."
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you..." Shirley thought for a moment, "Thank you for not being like everyone else."
"The same thing?"
"They say nice things to me, but they're thinking about other things."
Su Yu didn't speak.
Shirley turned to look at him. The streetlight shone on his face, making his profile more defined than it had been a few days ago. She looked at him for a few seconds, then turned back.
"You look really beautiful today," she said.
"You already said that."
"Can't you say it again?"
"Okay. Go ahead."
Shirley opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. She lowered her head and drew circles on the ground with her toes.
Su Yu looked at her. Her ears turned red.
He didn't say anything. The two of them just stood there, the river breeze carrying the smell of water and the aroma of fried chicken from afar.
After a long time, Shirley straightened up.
"Let's go. Take me home."
"Are you taking a taxi?"
"Take me to a taxi."
Su Yu hailed a car. Shirley opened the car door, got in, and rolled down the window.
"Are you coming again tomorrow?" Su Yu asked.
"Here you go. Oden." Shirley smiled. "You please."
"OK."
The car drove away. Su Yu stood by the roadside, watching the car's taillights blend into the traffic, turn a corner, and disappear.
A night breeze carried the fishy smell of the Han River and the aroma of barbecued meat from a roadside stall in the distance. He looked down at his hand—her hand had been right next to his as he gripped the railing, almost touching it. He didn't move, and neither did she.
Su Yu put his hands in his pockets and turned to walk back.
The streetlights cast his long shadow, sometimes in front, sometimes behind, like a drunken tagalong. He walked slowly, his mind a jumble of thoughts: Shirley's hair blowing wildly in the wind as she leaned against the railing, her words, "People will think I'm walking my dog if you wear this," and her smiling face peeking out of the car window as she got in.
As I reached the entrance to the semi-basement, my phone vibrated.
Shirley's message: "I'm home."
Su Yu: "Mm."
"I'm very happy today."
Su Yu stared at the screen for a few seconds. She wanted to say "Me too," but felt that would be too serious. She wanted to say "Whatever makes you happy," but felt that would be too perfunctory.
Finally, he typed two words: "Me too."
After posting it, I felt it was alright.
She replied instantly with a smiley face, not the text emoticon kind, but the round, yellowish kind that grins.
Su Yu stood at the door for two seconds, looked at the smiling face, and then put her phone back in her pocket.
Push open the door and enter the house.
Water was still dripping from the ceiling. He didn't turn on the light, but groped his way to the edge of the bed, took off his shoes, and flopped onto the bed. The bed creaked as if in complaint.
The phone lit up again.
Sulli: "Goodnight, Oppa."
Su Yu stared at those two words. Oppa. She was getting used to calling him that.
He replied with two words: "Good night."
After thinking for a moment, I typed another line: "Oden tomorrow, it's on me."
After sending the message, I put my phone next to my pillow and turned over.
Tick.
Tick.
Someone was playing music outside the window. I couldn't make out the lyrics, only the melody, which drifted in slowly on the night breeze.