A week passed by uneventfully.
I signed the contract with JJ Systems and started going to work on Monday. It hasn't been hectic, to the extent I wondered why they hired me in the first place.
It was a pretty relaxed environment. I haven't started wasting my time surfing on the web during work hours yet, but I was confident that this place would accommodate that. Just trying not to give bad impressions in the early days for now.
Colleagues were friendly yet not overbearing. We've chatted, and talked about our background, of which there wasn't much for me to say.
But people love to talk, especially when the other person doesn't have much to say.
I was always considered a good listener, but in truth, my mind was somewhere else most of the time, although I was pretty decent at remembering things that I didn't pay attention to.
Just live on in an auto-pilot mode. I've done that for a long time and I can do that again.
At least on Saturday evening, I had dinner scheduled with Minji. I'm not sure I could call her my close friend. Back in the university, she was one of the few that I talked to on a semi-regular basis, but then again she did that with pretty much everyone.
The darling of the department. Princess of the year. The queen bee of the campus.
Minji was a popular girl.
And she knew it.
"So I've started seeing this guy recently and he's like totally hot.", Minji was being Minji.
"What does he do?", I immediately regretted after asking. It made me sound like those girls who always asked what job a man had.
"Oh, he's a Personal Trainer in the gym that I go to."
"Wow."
"Yeah, totally wow. Wow in bed!"
Modest as always.
"I'm happy for you."
"Heh~. Thanks! But then again, there's this another guy-"
I wasn't surprised.
"You remember Suyoung?"
"Of course."
"She works in investment banking now. She's always been good with these things, right? So she introduced me to this other guy a couple of months ago and he's like so loaded!"
"Impressive. How old is he?"
"Ah, just a bit on the old side but not quite an ajussi yet. Anyway, he took me to this Italian restaurant in Apgujeong. That place was sooo good!"
It was probably better than here, I presume?
I thought to myself as I rolled my Spaghetti Vongole with my fork. Minji was having a Mala Rose Pasta. Somehow I just knew she'd order something like that. Two trends combined in one dish - how could she resist?
"So… what do you do now?"
I finally asked the question. Minji already knew I got a new job - hence us celebrating and me buying her dinner. It wasn't that I was so curious, but I wanted to put her adventure with men in context.
"Just trying to lose some weight. I go to the gym three times a week now. And you know what that means?"
"Mm-hm?"
"WILD sex three times a week with my PT, hehe."
No wonder her skin's glowing.
"And I suppose on the weekend you meet your banker boy."
"Yeah, but he's quite busy. It seems the investment banking industry run you to the ground. Sometimes he's too tired to even meet up on weekends."
"Unfortunate."
"But I don't mind. He probably has a wife and family to take care of. Hang on, look what I got-"
Minji then rummaged through her Semreh designer bag.
"Oh, this? It's a gift from that banker dude."
"Very nice."
"Yeah, you should get a new handbag too. Hang on, oh yeah, here it is."
Minji fished out a credit card.
"Tada~, a gift from him."
"He gave you a credit card?"
"Yeah, if I play it right I think maybe I can even get him to pay for my rent. A new officetel around Gangnam would be nice."
In which you'll have your romp with the hot body toy boy.
"Congratulations."
"Thanks! Still a long way to go. You really gotta work these guys. Anyway, are you seeing anyone?"
That sent a pang in my heart.
"No."
Should I have said 'I was'?
What was exactly the relationship between Miho and I?
Nothing.
It was nothing at all.
That's what it was.
"Aw, it's OK. I'm sure you'll find someone. Do you want me to introduce you to someone?"
I don't think I quite want to find a guy who already slept with Minji.
"No thanks. I think I will just focus on my work for a while."
"Heh~. You are always so responsible and reliable. That's what I like about you, Sohee."
"You praise me too much."
"A little praise goes a long way, right?", Minji gave me a wink and sipped on the red wine, which I wanted to stop her from ordering but didn't have the courage to.
This was going to hurt my wallet.
"Anyway, how's your family?"
Minji never met my parents.
"They are doing good. How about you?"
"Dad always traveling for golf. Mom always complains he's never around. Thank God I don't have to live with them anymore."
"Where do you live now?"
"Just a shabby place in Sinchon. Man, I gotta get out of there soon. It's no place for a girl to live."
"Oh? I thought you liked the pubs and clubbing there."
"Phew~, you must be joking right? That's when I was a student. Why would I want to pull some broke-ass student now?"
"You've matured wisely."
"Thanks!"
Her positivity was infectious. It was always hard to tell whether she was thick-skulled or thick-skinned.
Minji continued to blabber, masterfully juggling eating and talking without losing breath, while looking fabulous and sophisticated every time she took a sip of wine.
I could never be like her.
"Oh gees, look at the time now."
Right when we finished, Minji said as if she realized only now.
She probably timed perfectly. She had an admirable skill for these things.
"Do you have to go somewhere?"
"Yeah, there's this bar around the corner. They do a cocktail show there. Do you wanna come?"
"I think I'll pass."
"Aw, don't be shy."
"You are going there alone if I don't come with you?"
"Yeah, but don't worry. I know the bartender there and he's really cute. He makes the best Sex On The Beach I've ever had."
And I suppose you pay for that with the banker boy's credit card.
Some people are just really good at life.