Summer in Seoul

“HYONG, there is no work schedule today, right? … I’m outside. There is a little business … Okay, see you later. “

Tae-Woo flips the earphone out of the ear and again focuses on the road in front of him.

“Looks like this is the campus,” he muttered to himself as he stopped the car at the curb. He opened his cellphone flap and would only press number nine when his movements stopped.

He saw Sandy through the window of his car. The girl was walking out of the campus gate with a big tall man. Tae-Woo continues to watch them as the man opens the car’s door for Sandy and the girl enters.

Tae-Woo closes his cellphone, throws it in the passenger seat next to him, then turns the car to follow the white car.

Apparently they did not go far. The white car stopped in front of the cafe and the two people got down. Tae-Woo stops the car across the street and stays quiet in the car. He saw Sandy and the man enter the cafe and, fortunately,occupy a table near the window. From his car, Tae-Woo can see the two of them clearly. The man kept smiling and talking, Sandy too, often smiled and occasionally responded to the man’s words.

Tae-Woo grabs his cellphone and presses number nine. Once he heard the sound phone operator, Tae-Woo immediately closed his cellphone flap loudly.

“Why is the cell phone turned off?” he asked irritably….

Tae-Woo notices Sandy who is smiling at the waiter delivering the drinks. He looked away, then asked himself with a surprised tone, “Why should I care?”

He started the engine and started the car so rudely that the wheels screeched.

“Do you want to go home? How about I drive you home? “

Sandy shook her head and smiled. “No need, Jeong-Su ssi. I don’t want to go home yet. “

Lee Jeong-Su stood beside his white car and asked again, “Then where are you going? I can drop you off. “

Sandy shook her head again. “No need. You must be busy. Just leave first. “

Unable to persuade Sandy, Lee Jeong-Su finally waved and got into the car.

Sandy watched the white car turn around the corner and exhale. She turned and began to walk slowly. Remembering the cellphone she had turned off earlier, she reached into her bag and turned on the communication device as soon as she found it. Suddenly the cellphone rang.

“Hello?” she said, attaching the cellphone to the ear.

“It’s me,” said the voice on the other side.

“Jung Tae-Woo ssi?” Sandy was rather surprised to hear Jung Tae-Woo’s voice.

“Where are you now?” asked Jung Tae-Woo quickly.

“I … oh …” Sandy looked around and mentioned the place.

“Wait there.” Then without waiting for an answer, Jung Tae-Woo immediately cut the call.

Sandy looked at his cellphone in confusion. Strange people. Wait here? Why? He wants to come?

Sandy was considering whether she should wait while standing on the side of the road or reenter the cafe when the red car stopped right in front of her. The window of the car was lowered and Sandy leaned in to look inside. She saw Jung Tae-Woo who had dark glasses as usual sitting behind the wheel.

“Come on in,” the man said curtly.

Sandy snorted softly at the commanding tone in Jung Tae-Woo’s voice, but she also got into the car.

“Why did it come so fast? You were around here earlier? ” Sandy asked lightly as they drove on the road.

Tae-Woo doesn’t answer, just muttering unclearly.

“Why look for me? We have to take pictures? ” Sandy asked again, staring at her traveling companion who for some reason was rather strange today.

It seems like Jung Tae-Woo can’t hold his emotions anymore because he starts to grumble. “I tried to contact you from earlier. Why is your cell phone turned off? Didn’t Hyong tell you you have to be ready all the time in case we contact you? “

Sandy looked at Jung Tae-Woo in annoyance. “Alright, I’m sorry. I just reactivated my cellphone. But haven’t you managed to contact me now? “

“What were you doing until you couldn’t answer the phone?” asked Jung Tae-Woo while still looking straight at the road.

“Being with a friend,” Sandy answered, then changed the subject. “Why are you looking for me? Where are we going?”

Sandy saw Jung Tae-Woo hesitating for a moment, then the man said, “I forgot what I wanted to say because I waited too long for you. But you should accompany me to buy something. “

“What do you want to buy?”

“A present for my fans,” Jung Tae-Woo said, looking at Sandy briefly, then looked back at the front. “To be shared at a fan meeting later Saturday.”

“For everyone?”

“No, only for a selected few.”

“Ooh.” Sandy nodded. “Why are you so kind? I guess artists don’t buy presents themselves for their fans. I think things like that are taken care of by others. “

“I’d rather buy it myself. Because you happen to be not busy, you can help me. “

Sandy turned quickly. “Hey, who says I’m not busy? I have to see Mister Kim in two hours. Anyway according to the agreement, we will only take pictures together. It’s never mentioned anything about me having to accompany or help you do anything. “

“Didn’t I say from the beginning, we just assume this agreement is the same as me offering you a job. You do not refuse. So the point is, you now work for me. Isn’t it?” said Jung Tae-Woo, smiling.

“About your mister Kim, don’t worry. You will be able to meet him on time. I told you I won’t interfere with your work there. “

Sandy felt no need to tell Jung Tae-Woo that she was with Lee Jeong-Su. However, the problem with Lee Jeong-Su is a personal matter that has nothing to do with Jung Tae-Woo or Park Hyun-Shik.

Add to this the fact that the meeting with Lee Jeong-Su was just a brief conversation with no special meaning.

Jung Tae-Woo stopped the car in front of a fancy-looking clothing store in Apgujeong-dong, one of the trendiest areas in Seoul, filled with upscale restaurants and clothing stores from famous designers. Sandy knows that store because she often passes it by. Sometimes she stopped and admired the clothes on display, but never once did she set foot in the shop. She does not need to enter the store to know that the price of goods sold in the store must be expensive, just like Mister Kim’s boutique. She prefers shopping at Meyong-dong which is often called Seoul’s Ginza, one of the popular shopping areas.

The price of goods in Myeong-dong is indeed not much different from the price of goods in Apgujeong-dong, but Sandy feels more comfortable because she is used to shopping there.

Sandy leaned in and surveyed the building. “Hey, do you want to go in there? Is it really okay for you to be recognized? Then what do I do? I don’t want to be seen with you.”

Jung Tae-Woo took off his seat belt and sighed. He looked at Sandy with a frown, then said, “I’m not a convict who can’t go anywhere. After all, what’s the point of being an artist if you don’t want to be known? “

Sandy still has no intention of removing her seat belt. “Oh, I see? Do you feel happy that people recognize you, become hysterical, then pass out in front of you? “

“People won’t pass out when they see me,” Jung Tae-Woo said. “You take it easy. I know the owner of this shop. She won’t ask many questions. I come here often with my management staff. As for you … let’s say you’re one of my staff members. “

Jung Tae-Woo opened the door, then began to move from his chair when he stopped and looked back at Sandy again. “Wait a minute. You’re really my staff member. You work for me, right? Come on, get down. “

Sandy shrugged, took off her seat belt and got out of the car.

“What exactly do you want to buy?” Sandy asked, confused. She looked at the goods sold in the store and she was right, the price was not cheap at all.

“I don’t know, I don’t know yet,” answered Jung Tae-Woo while taking off his dark glasses. “What if you choose. Come on, we go up. “

“Hey, Jung Tae-Woo!”

Sandy and Jung Tae-Woo looked at the same time in a direction that was full of excitement.

It turned out that the voice belonged to a very handsome man. Sandy felt like she had seen the man. Where are you? Ah! On television. The man is the star of a sports wear ad. No mistakes.

“How are you, Danny?” Jung Tae-Woo greeted and patted his back.

Sandy moved away from there and let the two men talk.

If I’m not mistaken, she had heard that Jung Tae-Woo was good friends with Danny. Even though she was standing some distance away and hidden behind a clothes rack, she could still clearly hear the conversation of the two men.

“Hey, do you change your cell phone number?” Sandy heard Danny ask Jung Tae-Woo.

“Not. Why?”

“A few days ago I called you, but the one who answered was a woman and she said she didn’t know you.”

Sandy covered her mouth with one hand. She remembered that day, the day when her cellphone and Jung Tae-Woo’s cellphone were switched. At that time she thought the person got the wrong number. Sandy turned her gaze towards Jung Tae-Woo, curious about the man’s answer.

“You must have the wrong number. My cell phone number is the same as before, “he said calmly, smiling.

“It can’t be wrong,” Danny insisted. “But never mind, that’s not a problem. My sister keeps asking how you are. She said you haven’t been here in a long time. “

“Sorry. I have been rather busy lately. “

Danny looked at Jung Tae-Woo inquiringly. “Oh yeah, I just remembered. Why didn’t you tell me? “

Jung Tae-Woo raised his eyebrows. “About what?”

“Your girlfriend.”

Sandy held her breath.

Jung Tae-Woo looks confused. “Girlfriend? Girlfriend whic— Aah, that is … ”

How the heck? Sandy was annoyed. Jung Tae-Woo was always worried Sandy would divulge their secrets, but now he himself almost revealed everything.

Danny laughed. “How could you forget your own girlfriend?

Jung Tae-Woo laughed too. “I’ll tell you next time. Well, that someone called you. Already, go away, no need to serve me. “

“Hey, was that the ad star Danny?” asked Sandy when Jung Tae-Woo was beside her.

“Mmm. So what?” Jung Tae-Woo asked back.

“Turns out he’s very handsome,” Sandy said. “I can’t believe I can see the originals. I should have asked for an autograph just in case Young-Mi wants it. “

Jung Tae-Woo looked at her, then murmured softly. “For your friend or …”

“Hm?”

“Ah no…. Have you chosen anything? “

“You said you wanted to choose for yourself,” Sandy protested, but Jung Tae-Woo had already walked away. Sandy allowed herself a few moments to look at Danny’s backward figure, then turned around following Jung Tae-Woo who had gone up to the second floor of the store.

“Is this the shop?” asked Sandy again after catching up with Jung Tae-Woo.

“What?” Jung Tae-Woo was busy looking at accessories sold there.

“I mean, is this shop owned by Danny?”

“Actually it belongs to his sister, but Danny is often here,” Jung Tae-Woo said. Then he suddenly turned and looked at Sandy with a probing look. “Why ask questions?”

Sandy returned the gaze of Jung Tae-Woo without feeling guilty. “Just curious. Eh, you know who else? How about the former H.O.T personnel? Shinhwa? “

Jung Tae-Woo sighed loudly and akimbo. “If the big lady doesn’t forget, you’re here to help me choose something!”

Sandy snickered. “Okay, okay. How about a brooch? ” she said, pointing to the line of beautiful brooches displayed on the glass case.

“I’ve given brooches to my fans before,” Jung TaeWoo said.

“Aah, that’s right.” Sandy nodded while continuing to observe the brooches. “You did before …”

A few seconds passed without response, even though Sandy felt Jung Tae-Woo was staring at her. Sandy raised her head and looked at the man. Ah, looks like she’s mistaken, Tae-Woo is looking the other way.

“What happened to you?” Sandy asked.

Jung Tae-Woo turned and pointed to the hat. “We go there.”

Sandy followed the man, but when she passed one of the mannequins, her steps suddenly stopped. Sandy’s eyes were fixed on the long scarf put on the mannequin. A black and white checkered scarf that looks great.

Sandy reached out and touched the scarf.

“What are you doing here?” Suddenly Jung Tae-Woo was standing behind her.

Sandy looked back and said, “Look at this scarf. It’s good, isn’t it?”

“Do you think it’s good?” asked Jung Tae-Woo.

Sandy stroked the scarf. “Of course. I love the motifs and colors. “

Jung Tae-Woo took the scarf off the mannequin and wore it. He walked to the mirror and groomed himself. Sandy followed from behind while grumbling to herself, why was it Jung Tae-Woo who tried to use it?

“It’s good,” Jung Tae-Woo admitted. “It suits me, right?”

Sandy came to see the reflection of Jung Tae-Woo in the mirror and had to admit that he did look cool with the scarf.

“Suitable. You can wear it at your fan meet later, “Sandy suggested, looking away.

“That’s fine,” Jung Tae-Woo said and turned from the mirror. “Then about the prize for fans, I think we should just buy hats. How about it?”