GUILTY PLEASURE - Chapter 4

GUILTY PLEASURE – Chapter 4

“Hey…Sorry I was late.” Jo Kwon gently pecked Lizzy on her cheek. Jo Kwon took this seat beside Lizzy and settled down.

“Oppa, caught up with patient?” Lizzy asked sweetly.

“…Yea…there was last few to attend.” Jo Kwon white lied.

“What’s the occasion? Why dinner in this posh restaurant all of the sudden?”

“Let’s order the food first. My treat today.” Lizzy smiled and motioned for the waiter to take down their orders.

“Why are you acting secretively? Must be good news at work?” Jo Kwon guessed.

“Oppa, you know me the best.” Lizzy chuckled.

They have known each other since their teenage years. Both studied at the same high school and even attend the same university. Jo Kwon asked her out on their final year of their high school and has become lovers since. They were one of the few known campus couple around the university. Almost everyone knew that Jo Kwon belonged to Lizzy and vice versa. 

“Spill it out now.”

“Well…I got promoted.” Lizzy can’t hide her smile and spreads wider.  

“Really?! Congratulations.That’s really great to hear. I know you have been yearning for a change of post since like forever.”

“…I was so shocked today when general manager appointed me as the new branch executive.”

“Well, you deserved a treat. You have been working hard. This meal is on me.”

*

Both ended Lizzy’s celebration dinner and headed home. Jo Kwon parked his car and walked Lizzy up to her house which was just beside his house.

“I was too hyped out about my promotion today. Today you went to choose the venue right? How did it go?” They stopped right in front of the girl’s house.

“Now that you mention it…yea I chose the hotel not far by our house.”

“Well…oppa…” Lizzy took Jo Kwon’s hand and gently brushed it.

“I am sorry that I couldn’t be there with you today…” Lizzy’s voice trailed off in guilt.

“It’s okay…There’s no need to say sorry…”

“And you know I just got promoted…I think I would get busier these few weeks…” Feeling like the worse bride in the world, she looked away - conscience stricken.

“It’s okay…I understand...Works meant a lot to you…Especially when you want to prove it to your parents…Oppa understands it…” Jo Kwon gently squeezed her hand.

“Thank you, oppa…”

*

After waving good bye to Lizzy, Jo Kwon turned towards his house. He stopped his track at the front door.

What about some liquor?

Despite being a doctor, Jo Kwon enjoys drinking alcohol. He has interest in wine, beer, cocktails, whisky – any alcoholic drink you can find in South Korea. He loves visiting different bars and lounges to taste their drinks.

Instead of heading home, he called for taxi and head to the lounge that he rarely visits.

*

“A glass of Bloody Mary, please.” 

The Bloody Mary is great as an aperitif - a starter, it also upgrades any brunch, and I'll tell you secret, it's great for a hangover, you'll forget you ever drank the night before...

After a while, his drank was served and he was enjoying his Bloody Mary when he saw a familiar figure at the corner of the lounge. He stood up and approached the person.

“Hey…is that you Ms. Son?”

The lonely figure looked up from her daze and greeted Jo Kwon with a smile. “Hey…”

 “May I?” Jo Kwon pointed at the empty space on the long couch beside Ga In.

“Sure.”

“I am surprised to see you here.” Jo Kwon initiated the conversation. He placed his Bloody Mary on top of the table.

Ga In smiled. “Are you here often? How come I never see you around?”

“I rarely visit this place. What about you?”

“Actually I am a VIP here. I visit here more than I visit my parents.” Ga in chuckled at her own statement.

“Ahh…I see.” Suddenly, Jo Kwon noticed the glass of Americano cocktail on the table, “You enjoy cocktails too?”

“Not only enjoy drinking, but I also enjoy mixing it myself.” Ga In hesitated. “To be honest, I am pretty good at it.” Ga In smirked.

“Really?... I am surprised.”

“Not like the common wedding planner you see?” Ga In laughed a little and so did Jo Kwon.

“Then do I have the honour to taste your mixing?” Jo Kwon asked abruptly. “I am really intrigued.”

*

“Here you go.” Ga In placed a glass of dark purple coloured cocktail in front of Jo Kwon. Jo Kwon stare at the cocktail in amusement.

 “The colour is nice…” Jo Kwon carefully picked up the glass and breathes in the fragrance of the drink. He closes his eyes to enjoy the scent. “This smells intriguing and mysterious…”

Finally he took a sip and he’s eyes widened. “What is this called? I’ve never taste anything like this before.” Jo Kwon quickly asked. Then he took another sip.

“This is called…” Ga In paused to think. “Gainism.” She answered with a smile.

“It’s a bit bitter when you first taste it…but as it lingers in your mouth a bit longer, it turns smooth and…sweet.” Ga In explained.

“And the sweet taste lingers longer if you take in more sips…” Ga In continued with a winner smile.

“Gainism. What a special name…” Jo Kwon can’t take his eyes off the masterpiece in his hand.
“You mixed this with your own recipe?”

“Yea. When I am at home alone, I spent time mixing new drinks and experiments it myself.” Ga In paused. “I think you are the first to ever taste my drinks.”

“Seriously, I am honoured to be here today.”

*

She scribbled something on the paper and slid the piece of paper into his wallet. Then she took his mobile phone and looks for a contact and dialed it.

 “Hello? Is this Lizzy? Mr.Jo is drunk and I need to send him home by the taxi. May I know your address?”

After jotting down the address, she helped the drunken man out of the lounge and hailed a cab. She then passed the address to the taxi driver.

“Mister, please send this man to this address. And this is the fee. Thank you.”

*

The alarm rang noisily and Jo Kwon jolted up from his sleep. He woke up with his head throbbing so badly only to remember what happened the night before.  

He remembered he went to the lounge for a drink and he ordered the Bloody Mary. He remembered meeting Ga In there and then he forgets everything else. He couldn’t even remember how he got home. He shakes off the thought and changed out from his clothing for work.

Suddenly, he noticed a piece of neatly folded paper jutting out from his wallet that was placed beside his bed. He picked it up and unfolded it; curious about its content. It reads:

Hey there,

If you want to return me the favour of sending you home…
Call me at 947657486.

***