I had been waiting for Kwon to arrive. We were supposed to et at 6 PM and I arrived at this French restaurant, Épicure. I looked up the na to kill ti as I waited since 5:40 and learned that it was a reference to a Greek philosopher Epicurus, associated with the love of fine food and pleasure.
How apt.
It was the last piece of pleasure in his life that would be denied. His voracious appetite unsatisfied, the pent-up desires in his groin unreleased. He will die wanting, unfulfilled - a life of success ending with a failure.
The waiter ca around 6:05 to ask again if I wanted anything, I ordered a bottle of sparkling water again. I knew I’d have to pay for it this ti, but this was no big deal compared to what Kwon was going to pay.
At 6:15 the waiter ca again to ask if everything was alright. I told him I was still waiting for my acquaintance to turn up, to which he nodded with a polite smile. This polite guy will be the witness for my alibi, as well as all the others who every now and then glanced my way, perhaps in sympathy or gloat for the girl who seed to have been stood up.
At 6:20 I texted Kwon again. My first text since arriving here. Of course, he wasn’t going to answer.
At 6:30 I gave him a call. No answer. But it will leave a record that I tried to reach him.
All this was a little anti-climactic. Sothing extre was probably happening now to Kwon as Shin was bringing him to his Studio, or perhaps, they were already there.
At 6:45 I gave him another call, a voicemail, and a text ssage to say that I would get started first.
I ordered a three-course al, starting with an oyster dish Huîtres Gratinees au Champagne, beef main Filet de Bœuf Rossini, and ending with a chocolate dessert Soufflé au Chocolat avec Crè Anglaise.
Tonight was a night to indulge. I worried if I could stomach them all considering the horrors that were happening right now elsewhere that I was critically complicit in. Yet, when the oysters ca I realized that I found them delicious. They invigorated , giving a taste of life. Although I stayed away from alcohol as I didn’t want to dull my senses at this special mont, the champagne-infused sauce brought an understated celebration while a touch of lemon zest helped shoo away the bitterness of my heart.
Beef Filet Rossini was equally suitable as the tender beef was topped with a slice of foie gras. I rember reading that ducks for foie gras are force-fed to beco obese to fatten and enlarge the liver, just like how soone with an insatiable greed like Kwon should be punished.
It took a while till I got to the dessert, but it was worth the wait. It was a decadent indulgence - just the perfect ending.
At 9:00 PM or a little after that, I finished my al. I regretted a little when the bill was brought to the table, but c’est la vie. Sotis it’s good to just live for the mont.
At 9:10 I left the place of fine food and pleasure. I left my final ssage to Kwon - I’ll be heading ho now. I hope you are OK.
The subway ride back ho took about 40 minutes including a changeover. I thought about taking a taxi as the subway line travel was a bit stupidly arranged - crossing the river to the north side and then coming back down to the south when going from Apgujeong to Shindorim, where my flat was - but it was only about 12 minutes faster by car and with the traffic around here on Saturday night it wouldn’t have been that great anyway, not to ntion the fact that I probably spent a little too much on today already.
On the train, I saw a mother and a daughter sitting opposite . They had shopping bags on their knees. The mother was modestly dressed and the daughter, perhaps around of age of 8 or 9 wore a cute t-shirt with a kitten character print. I thought once again about whether Kwon would be leaving behind a family like this. This ti though, my stomach didn’t turn. Maybe I was too satisfied and content. This bothered a little. I beca too comfortable. I felt way too comfortable.
Then I wondered what Miho would have been like with her parents, or whether she even grew up with her parents. Shin hadn’t told anything about Miho’s family yet, except Juho. It seed Miho had an elder sister - whom she called ’Sohee’, but I wasn’t even sure if she was rembering that correctly. I did inquire Shin about Miho’s sister but the old man said he’d never heard Miho talk about her sister before. I could never be sure with Shin though as he had no problem telling Miho was dead when I was trying to find her. Even if Shin knew about Miho’s sister, it was perfectly possible that he was hiding sothing.
My eyes studied the little girl sitting opposite. She was cute. Big eyes, puffy cheeks, bob-cut hair that curled at the end. I thought maybe she resembled a little, not in the actual looks, but those were probably descriptions people would have used to portray too when I was young.
How would I have felt if my father suddenly disappeared one day, never to be seen again?
I would have been devastated. He was always very kind to . I was the only child and a daughter at that. He was what people would call a ’daughter-idiot’, a father who pretty much acts like an idiot and does everything to please his daughter whether it’s a reasonable demand or not. If it wasn’t for my mother I probably would have grown up to be super spoiled and entitled.
I got ready to change over to Line Number 1 at Jongno 3-ga Station, and my rustling sound made the girl look my way. Our eyes t and I gave her a smile for no reason, which she returned with a warm smile of her own. The mother looked at her daughter, smiled, looked at , smiled again, and patted her daughter’s head.
The train stopped and I got off, and when I turned to look at the train door closing behind I saw that the little girl also turned to see as well. She waved her hand and I waved back.
Then she was gone.
I should probably call my mother soti soon.
Reviews
All reviews (0)