In love with a tomboy

I was already on my second glass of whiskey. The empty pub foreshadowed a rainy night, as had been announced in the evening news. Each drop that slid down the windowpane seemed to tell its story. For a moment, I found myself immersed in silence, revisiting scenes that had echoed since the day I set foot in Seoul. These memories blended with the tears held back in my eyes, which I stubbornly avoided letting roll. 

The bar owner, a middle-aged man who treated me like a daughter, kept a watchful eye on me. Ever since the day we met when I arrived from Brazil and ended up on the other side of the world, in South Korea, we had built a bond that I considered that of a dear uncle. Even from afar, behind the counter, I could perceive the anguish etched on his face, concerned about the stitches on my head, a result of the recent incident. However, it was the pain in my heart that more clouded my mind.

A part of me feels foreign, a recent revelation that connects me to an incredibly wealthy Korean. It turned my life upside down, but that wasn't the reason behind the twenty stitches on my head and my intoxication. That part of the story would come later.

Ye-Jun waited for the bar to close before approaching me. I was absorbed, watching the torrential rain, trying to set aside the complexities of life. The heavy drops pounded against the window, like tears freely streaming down my face, worn by disappointment and longing.  

“Min-Ji, you're drinking too much tonight,”  

“Uncle, I've always been a heavy drinker. Since I arrived here, it seems I've perfected that 'skill' even more. On days like this, melancholic and rainy, a shot of liquor becomes necessary. Especially after the tragic events that unfolded in my life, I've felt this longing. Don't be upset with me. I ask that today, you be more than an uncle, be a friend who offers support. The empathy between us is almost surreal. Since the first glance, remember?”

“Alright, but as an uncle, I have to ask: are you okay?” he said, pointing to the bandage on my head. “Seeing those stitches on your head makes me feel powerless. I was careless, let my guard down, couldn't prevent the worst.”

“Please, uncle, don't make me feel worse than I already do. In response to your question, yes, the stitches will heal. It wasn't anything serious. A scar will always be there, reminding me of that day. But the deeper damage lies within my mind and soul, which honestly doesn't know which direction to take. I keep questioning why this had to happen to me.”

“I didn't understand a single strange word you said, and you didn't deserve what happened at all. The crazy and disturbed person who did this, who ordered this to be done to you, is the one who deserves to be where they are, in prison. Now, it's me who's asking for a favor. Let's put a stop to drinking for today; I'm genuinely concerned. Can you please comply?”

He looked at me confused, and I changed the subject: 

“Does that electric guitar and the sound system still work?” I asked, pointing to the inactive stage. It was a half-moon-shaped wooden platform. The wood was worn out, unlike the cables and musical instruments that seemed to have never been used.

“Yes, they work. Occasionally, some friends use them, and the customers love it.”

“It doesn't seem like they're being used. The instruments are in brand-new condition.”

“I always replace and donate the old ones to music schools.” 

“That's incredible. Can I use them?”

“Yes, of course. This bar is all yours.”

“There are so many things they don't know about me. I need to make the most of this gift that I still remember having. I inherited it from my mother; her singing conveyed purity and beauty. Ms. Maria was like that; her melodious voice enchanted everyone.”

Sitting down, I allowed the nostalgia of the moment to fill the atmosphere. While singing 'Again' by Roberto Carlos, tears streamed down my face.

'You were the greatest of my flings

Of all the hugs, the one I never forget  

You were of the loves I had, the most complicated and the simplest for me.

You were the best of my mistakes

The strangest story that someone has already written 

And it is for these and other reasons that my longing reminds me of everything again.

You were the sincere lie

The biggest joke that ever happened to me

You were the oldest thing  

The friendliest love that appeared to me

Of the memories that I bring to life, you are the one I like missing

Only then can I feel you very close to me again

I forgot to try to forget   

I decided to want you because I wanted to