“Jimin, I’ve got your jams!” Jin shouted as he came into the rice cake shop.
This had become a very lucrative partnership. Jin’s jelly business was now thriving thanks to the help of Jimin’s rice cake shop. Jimin had begun to advertise Jin’s jams two months ago. And they’d rolled out the product on to the sales floor a week later. To great success. Word seemed to travel far and wide that Jin’s jams were the best in the whole region. Some said in all of South Korea. And they were more cost effective than the supermarkets! They were such a success that their friend, Jungkook, was considering making homemade peanut butter to sell along with them, though he privately preferred bananas on his peanut butter sandwich.
Jimin turned towards Jin, his swollen eyes barely giving him a view of Jin. He was pasty white and sweating.
“Jimin! Man, you look awful! Are you all right?”
“Ugh. I feeb awfub. My nose is stubbed ub. And my whobe body aches. I was ub alb night with a fever. And a few minutes ago, I broke out in a colb sweat. But I stib feeb awfub. I’m so exhausted.”
And your speech is hardly discernible too! “You need to go to bed. I’ll find someone to cover for you, and I’ll go make you some kimchi soup.”
Jimin stared vacantly at Jin.
“Jimin! Come on, let’s get you upstairs.”
Jin grabbed his friend by the arm and propelled him up the steps to his bedroom. Jimin fell forward across the bed to land on his tummy. He was out like a light almost immediately. Jin closed his door and headed downstairs.
He found Jimin’s grandmother in the kitchen and told her how sick Jimin was and that he’d gone to bed.
“Is there anyone who can run the shop for you?”
Harmony thought for a moment before responding, “Yes, there is the sweetest girl next door. She’s helped me on several occasions when Jimin was busy with schoolwork, and I think she’s home today. I’ll give her a quick call. Thank you, Jin, for telling me. And for taking such good care of my grandson.”
He bowed his head to her. “If you don’t need me, I’m going to run home and make Jimin some kimchi soup.”
“Oh! That would delightful! Normally, I would, but I’m swamped with rice cake orders for several parties today.”
“I will stay and run the storefront until your friend shows up then.”
“Jin, you are an angel sent straight from heaven! Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure, Harmony.”
Jin turned and walked out to the shop. A few minutes later the door opened, and a beautiful girl with long, dark hair walked into the shop. Her tresses flowed in soft waves all the way down her back to her waist. When her face turned towards him, he fell headlong into her midnight eyes. Were those stars shining out of her pupils? Or were they just the overhead lights?
He swallowed, hard. He’d never fallen for any girl before. But he thought his heart might be in grave danger as he looked at her sweet countenance. She had dark pink lips that attracted his notice almost immediately. Their fullness curved into a smile as he watched her. Then they parted as words began to flow from her lips.
“Hi. I’m Eunjeong. I’ve come to help Jimin.”
Jimin? Oh, man. This beautiful creature was Jimin’s neighbor? Jin felt his heart sink. What if his friend already had a crush on this girl? Or was secretly dating her?
Suddenly, a scene flashed before his eyes. He and Jimin were both dressed in the colorful uniforms of the Hwarang, the noble order of warriors from Korea’s past. Facing each other, they each drew a sword.
“She’s mine!” Jimin shouted. “I saw her first!”
“Yes, but I kissed her first!” Jin riposted, raising his sword.
