"She arrives every day on time, 7:30 am. Next, she makes remarks, shouts at the heads of the departments, and intimidates her employees. Afterward, like always, the elevator…why does she ignore them? They all greet her, but she walks by them. The usual, 'what's today's agenda, Noah'?" Everest chuckles to himself, recounting the training days he spent with Belen and Noah.
"After her agenda, he asks if she wants tea. I noticed when he does not ask. She does not ask either. At most, she rarely says no to him. The employees are strange. They're so frightened during her morning inspections. But they like her? She rarely eats, and when she does its salads, could she be in a diet? But I've noticed when she has a headache she does not drink any kind of medicine. I wonder what she has against coffee? She even hates the smell of it. I didn't know until the receptionist informed me about it. I guess they aren't allowed to drink coffee around her. The only thing she'll let them drink is iced coffee. Mmm, she wants others to accommodate her needs. But when others want something from her, she simply says no. How can she be that cold? She never smiles, or at least genuinely. No matter how close I get and observe her, she still feels so distant and mysterious."
The warm ray of sunlight seeping through his curtains flashes his eyes. The light bothers his sleep making his body twitch to the other side of the bed.
He mumbles, "not yet…wait, this is too fast…" his leg suddenly twitches. "She expects her secretary to know everything she does. She plans when it's not even the day. She had me double-check her missed calls, log them into a folder, make reports over every single interaction. Isn't that a little overboard? Yet when I look over, Noah takes down her every word or even memorizes what she's said. I can't believe I'm working for someone who pays attention to every little detail, its as if she's paranoid. Especially the look in her eyes, when she's talking to me, I can't help but want to look away because she stares right at me. Is it time already?"
His eyes frightenedly open when reaching for his phone, "SHIT!! 10 am?! I'm late!!"
Everest hurriedly jumps out of his bed, running through his closet, picking out any suit. But just as he turned on the sink to his bathroom, he remembers, "wait a minute, I don't work today," he sighs, feeling relieved.
"If I were late, she'd have more than just my head…I wonder if I'll get hired," he sighs, slumping his shoulders while putting back his suit in the closet, "who knows, I can't call and ask, that'll just make it worse. But I don't know what to do, and I don't want to stay home. I guess," he stares at his car keys biting his lip in deep thought, "should I go out? But, I don't have that much money, maybe just for food and a movie…" He yawns, stretching his arms to the ceiling, "but I'm still sleepy, forget it Ima sleep in!" he playfully jumps back into his bed, hugging his pillow with a smile.
***
Hours later. It's the afternoon. Everest is at the beach, "it's weird being at the beach alone, I look around, and it's full of couples, friends, and family" he faintly smiles staring at his surrounding in envy when a little boy runs to his direction with his arms wide open shouting, "Papi!!!" Everest can't help but kneel as his arms slowly open for the child's embrace but is taken aback when the child runs past him and runs into its father's arms. Everest turns to see the kid's parents laughing and holding each other's hands. "Do you like the beach that much?"
"Yes, mommy! I love the beach! Do you like beach Papi?"
"Hahaha! Of course!"
Everest stares at them in the distance smiling to himself, "what the heck was I thinking?" he looks up at the bright blue clear sky, "I wonder, if I had gotten married then, I think I'd have a child. Maybe we could have looked like them…"
He stares at the glimmering ocean reflecting the forgotten light of his past happiness that once was but is no longer within his longing eyes, "she loved coming to the beach. We'd often have picnics too. She'd dip her feet but never wanted to get wet," he chuckles.
After a while, Everest strolls through Santa Monica Pier confidently walking by some stands recounting his memory of when he and Sun-Young would often have their secret dates.
His memory takes him back to three years ago, Han Sun-young tall, slender south Korean woman in her mid 20's a beautiful fair skin doll-like actress. She's the number one wanted actress in South Korea starring infamous upcoming movies overseas, and even has deals to star in a Hollywood movie series. But during the time that Everest was dating Sun-young, her fame was just beginning to rise. And she'd often come to LA to promote and film movies. Therefore most of the time, when Sun-young would have free time or have to practice her lines, Everest made sure to help her and often take her out on dates.
One of those unique places so happens to be Santa Monica Pier, but Everest shakes his head as if scolding himself for remembering his past with Sun-young.
"What am I doing? Why do those memories keep coming back? I wonder, does she think about me? The time we'd spend together?" He stops his steps while gently staring at the entrance of the arcade.
Just as he was about to take a brave step inside when something catches his attention, making him walk away. "I can't…I used to like going inside, but I can't. I can't do anything without her…no matter where it is. I continue to picture Sun-young…her beautiful smile. The expression she'd make each time she won. Ha! And the way she'd smack her lips when she'd lose. She was just…perfect."
He walks along and stops by a bracelet stand with names engraved. He glances through them, thinking, "our names were never easy to find. I paid to have our names customized, wait this reminds me, that night at Singapore, who was that woman? I think she bought a bracelet like these…where did that come from? Why did I suddenly start thinking about a stranger?"
The sun is about ready to set as the waves sway back and forth, controlled by the wind. But just as Everest was making his way off the pier into the beach, he notices a man selling colorful cotton candy. He remembers always buying Sun-young cotton candy because even though she did not ask for it, her begging eyes said the opposite.
"Which color do you want? Sun-young?"
She timidly points, "pink!" the man hands her the pink cotton candy as Sun-young excitedly shrieks, eating it like a child. When she offers, "you want some Everest?"
He happily accepts as she fed him. But just as the deliciously sweet cotton candy melt in his mouth, he can't help but forcefully swallow it. In truth, Everest can't handle sweets, or rather he hates them, but for Sun-young's sake, he'd eat anything she feeds him.
When a little girl approaches the man asking, "how much is it?"
"$5!"
The little girl slumps when Everest, who was just about to buy one, asks, "Hey, little one! Do you want one?" he points to the candy. The little girl nods, coming back to Everest when he asks, "Which color do you want?"
The little girl points, "blue…please."
Everest gently smiles, "may I have the blue one, sir."
As he finished paying the man, Everest hands the cotton candy to the little girl as she left running happily to her parents. He can't help but sigh when the man asks, "hey youngster! Will you be buying?"
"Oh! No, thank you! I don't like sweets," he says, walking away downstairs into the beach, feeling a rush of cold wind strike his face. "It's gotten dark already, should I go home?" he checks the time, "Nah, 7:43 pm, is there any good movie in theaters?" He checks, "Paracel? What kind of name is that? Oh! This movie looks good, The Hustle Project? At 9:40 pm."
Everest likes being outdoors, especially since his days while dating Sun-young, he'd often spend his days outside waiting for her to get off work. Or traveling to South Korea half of the year to spend time with her. He even came close to living there for a month.
"Can someone forget such memories? Even when she said it was all pretend…fake? Urk!" he grabs his chest feeling a sting as his eyes turn to reflect the sorrow of the dark sky. Until he hears the faint sound of a wind chime slowly drawing his feet to the direction of the chimes when he stops in front of a shop.
"Tarot Card Readings"
As if entranced by the wind chimes, he curiously enters the tiny shabby shop wondering, "what is a place like this doing on a beach?"
When an elderly woman looks about in her mid-50's with grey hair, wrinkles on every corner of her face and hands, but what caught Everest off guard was her natural appearance, "she looks like a sweet grandmother…what is she doing running a tarot card shop?"
When the elderly woman asks, "are you looking for anything specific, son?"
"A-Ah! Not really, umm, I'm just looking, thank you."
The elderly woman side-eyes him making him feel uncomfortable when he asks, "you do tarot card readings?"
"Yes, we do."
"We? Is there someone else other than yourself?"
The elder replies sinisterly, "Yes, many in fact, do you want a reading?"
He snickers, "no, thank you, I don't believe in those practices."
"Indeed, many say that to me. But then what brings you here? Your curiosity, something inside, brought you here, hoping to find the answer. At least that is what I believe" she lets out a smile.
But Everest shakes his head, "I don't mean to disrespect your work ma'am, but I believe people who practice divination aren't diviners. You people just guess by our actions, its psychology," he claims respectively, heading to the door when the elderly woman comments, "I assume you don't wish to know your future with the woman you hold in your heart."
His footsteps freeze in place, turning back at the elderly woman's sweet smile, "w-what, did you say?"
She replies, "It's up to you son, do you want me to read your cards?"
He hesitates, thinking, "c-could it be? But then how did she know? I don't know, but…it wouldn't be bad to know. If she says something crazy, I can just choose not to believe her…"
When he firmly nods, "…alright."
***
After a few minutes, the elderly woman finally calls Everest to the back of the counter, around a sturdy table with two chairs across from each other.
"umm, wouldn't it be strange for customers to walk in on my reading?"
The elderly woman disagrees, "People don't enter this shop."
Everest shrugs it off when he notices the elderly woman bring out a deck of brown cards preparing them when she asks, "what do you want to know, son? Love, money, your future?"
He sighs in embarrassment to think he'd resort to tarot card reading, "I guess my love?"
She nods, spreading the deck of cards across the table when she asks, "pick one."
Afterward, she takes the deck of cards, prepares them, and swipes them across the table, "pick another."
And last, she takes out another deck of white-colored cards when she lays them across the table, "pick one."
Finally, he's chosen his three cards, when she puts the deck of cards away, she focuses intently as she lifts the first card he decided, "A lion."
She flips his second card, "A deer."
And finally flips the last third card, "hmm a heart shot by an arrow, and horns as an altar?"
Everest's completely lost, "huh?" he stares at the three-cards not knowing, "what does this mean?"
The elderly woman stares at the cards again, nodding as if responding to something when she looks at him with a smile, "the lion is you, see the lion here, strong, confident and justice! But the lion within you has yet to grow, right now you're just a young curious cub barely learning how to walk on your own."
Everest laughs, "sorry, I don't mean to disrespect you, ma'am, but I want to know something I don't already know."
She nods, "The deer is your rival. Right now, that deer is above you in wealth, luck, and love. The deer has a permanent title that even a mighty lion cannot take away from it. Like the royal family."
Everest's eyes widen as he mumbles to himself, "Sun-young is engaged to a prime minister's son, their part of the royal family of England. Then…"
He asks, "how can I get her back?"
The elderly woman points to the third card, "your heart will be shot in your pursuit of the one you love."
He interrupts, "am I going to die?"
She shakes her head, "no, listen! Not by the deer, someone much more violent who'll get in the way of your pure love. It will result in death if you aren't careful."
"wait! Are we talking about physically or like spiritually?" he asks, feeling ridiculous for believing in animals having any significant meaning to his life.
"Depending on your actions, it can be one or the other. This deer is at the peak of its mountain! Yet a young lion like yourself will not be able to reach him if you continue to depend on your prey. With time you'll grow into a mighty lion and surpass your rival resulting in its death."
"I'm going to kill him?"
"No! young man, you need to learn the meanings of death, it does not necessarily result in the grave."
"O-Oh! I see…then what do I do? I don't understand what should I do then?"
"The woman you'll marry will be the one you truly love. She will return to you. But you must defeat the deer because right now, he's planted his seed, and with time it'll grow and entangle your love from coming back to you."
"…hmm," he nods.
***
Hours later, Everest is at Fox Cinematic Theaters buying a movie ticket, "bullshit! I wasted my time believing in some ridiculous grandma."
He walks into the theater finding his seat only to notice, "there aren't that many people around, good!" he sits down with a sour expression, mostly annoyed at the fact that he did not understand his reading.
He stuffs himself with popcorn and soda while watching the movie when he freezes at the sight of Sun-young appearing in the film. "I had no idea she was working in Hollywood already."
His memory of the past appeared when he was five years old, and his dad often took him and Leena to the movies. "Dad, can we always watch movies here instead of the TV back home?"
"Hahaha! Yes, son! Once you inherit the company, you can watch as many movies as you want for free!"
"What about Leena?"
She replies, "Can I also watch movies for free, dad?"
He sincerely hugs them, "don't worry! You'll both be able to do whatever you want, as long as it involves movies."
"What about mommy?" he asks with curiosity in his eyes.
Reuben sighs, patting his son's head, "don't worry about mommy, she'll soon be back."
Leena replies, "I can be your mommy, Everest!"
Reuben laughs, "thank you, Leena, for taking care of your little brother. The movie is about to start! Shhh!"
Everest's shoulders slump staring at the ending credits on the screen, "that was fast, I don't even think I paid attention to it, but it did help ease my heart. I miss watching movies."
Just as Everest walked out of the theater, Leena spots him shouting, "EVEREST!!!"
He looks over his shoulder, surprised to see her running to hug him, he can't help but smile as his heart thumps at ease. To Everest, Leena is more than a big sister. She's like a caring mother while at the same time his best friend. Thanks to her, Everest grew up very spoiled and at ease because Leena always protects him, even from her dad. Seeing Leena makes Everest smile because of the distress he's dealing with within his heart and the anguish that continues to build within his self-esteem.
Leena, on the other hand, terribly missed him and noticed his troubled facial expression when she invites him into her office.
"Are you sure I'm allowed? Won't dad get mad?"
"Nope! Dad can't say anything against the people I invite into my office."
After settling down, Everest somehow seems calm yet mature, glancing around her office as if looking for something when she asks, "how's it going working for Miss Astares?"
He simply nods, "its…okay, not that great. I'm learning a lot, but it's mostly a bit."
She interrupts, "you look different, have you lost weight in just a week? And you look pale too! Are you that tired?"
He smiles, gesturing, "no! not at all. I'm just a bit lazy."
Her concerned expression alarms him, "I haven't seen you around the house lately, you know if you want to return to work, it's not too late. I can still convince dad if you want to."
"Thank you, Leena."
"huh? For what?"
"for caring for me, but I think this is something I have to do on my own. I finally want to live my own life. Which means-wh-which means" he hesitates when Leena finishes his sentence, "which means you won't be able to see me anymore, is that it?"
He quietly nods, feeling sorry for her because he knows just how much she cares for him. But as he cautiously looks up to see her reaction, he's shocked to see her sweet smile, "don't worry about me. It seems to me that working at A Star is maturing you compared to when you worked here."
He chuckles, "really?"
She agrees, "yes, but please try to eat something, don't lose weight so suddenly, or else I'll get worried."
"Hahaha! I know, its great knowing that someone thinks about me, thank you, Leena!"
She can't help but hold back her tears from falling when she asks, "Just remember, if you ever need my help, don't hesitate to ask, I'm your older sister!"
"Yeah…I will."
"Well it's late, are you going home already? Did you watch a movie?"
"Yeah, a lame one."
"I'm about to leave, do you want to go home together?"
"I'd like to, but there's a place I have to stop by first before going. I'll see you at home," he waves, exiting the office.
As he left, Leena collapses on her chair while staring at the endless ceiling, "he's finally growing up. Ah! I should have asked him about Belen! can I get a discount now that he works there?" she laughs to herself.
***
Everest lied to Leena about going somewhere when in reality, he just wanted to spend some time alone. It's midnight when he's just arrived at his house but decides to stay in the car parked outside the driveway. He glances at his phone in desperation, hopelessly waiting for Belen to call him.
"Should I call?" he contemplates, "no! I need to be patient. Ugh, but what if she forgot? I mean she is busy, so if I call…no! I shouldn't."
After a few minutes of going back and forth between his phone and Belen's phone number, he angrily turns off his phone and tosses it to the passenger seat. "whatever! If she calls me or not! I worked my ass off, trying to follow her stupid rules and procedures!"
He slowly falls asleep in his car dreaming, "any luck, dad?" Leena frantically asks.
But Reuben annoyingly replies, "fuck! Nothing Lenna! None of her close friends know anything about her whereabouts!"
She exasperates, "Everest is doing the best he can to look for her! How could she have disappeared out of thin air?"
Reuben advises, "did she at least leave a note or something behind?"
"I don't know, dad. I'll try calling Everest. Maybe he may have found something at her apartment."
His phone rings near them when Everest enters the room wistfully while shaking, with a broken expression in his eyes. Leena worriedly runs to him. "Everest! Did you find her? Did you go to her apartment?"
But Everest whispers, "n-nothing…gone."
"What?! What do you mean, gone?"
He takes out a ring from his pocket, Leena gasps, holding the ring to the light, "this…it belongs to her, right! Everest?"
He crouches cowering his head down when he covers his face bawling his eyes out, Reuben walks in confused when Leena shakes her head, "she left him, dad."
He stares at the ring as his anger dissipates and instead gets teary-eyed watching his son cry like a baby.
But Everest continuously blames himself, "what did I do wrong? Why did you leave me like this? Why? Sun-young? Why?!"
When he hears a knock, "Sun-young?" the voice of the elder woman echoes in his head, "she will come back to you. You're only a cub now, grow into the lion you can be."
Hearing this suddenly wakes him up sweating, "it's morning?" he takes a few seconds to calm himself when he turns on his phone and notices a message, "Everest Fox, come into work today, 7:30 am."
Seeing this message from Belen, happily puts a smile on his face, making him shout, "YES!!!"