Daydreams
A. SEOUL - 3

Umji went to the bookstore. He took his weekend to observe how the novel is developing. He also wanted to buy some books on the practical theory of his work.

Wearing long-sleeved knitting jerseys and jeans. The summer air is quite hot. Making the streets seem lonely with people who usually walk when the sun has risen as it is today.

Not satisfied with just the bookstore. Umji also headed for one of the city's government-owned libraries. He went there just a walk, because it will be difficult to find books, especially novels that are warm on the market.

"You speak fluent English?"

Someone spoke to Umji who was standing while reading a novel by Nicholas Sparks.

Umji turned to look at a man wearing glasses with casual clothes plus a skullcap covering his head. It looks very indie.

"I'm a translator," replied Umji slightly bowing politely.

"What a coincidence, me too."

Umji smiles. He was happy to meet someone who had the same job as him.

"But I'm a Japanese translator. Coincidentally also Japanese descent."

"About Junho."

The man extended his hand to Umji with a friendly smile.

"Lee Umji."

Not content just shaking hands with each other. Umji and Akira chose to sit at a long table in the library facing each other. Each of them was busy reading the book he had chosen.

"Official work?" akira asked after closing the book he had read.

Umji. His mind was distorted. "Yes, Hakyung's publishing company."

"You alone?"

"I'm a freelance translator. More precisely one of the writing platforms uses more of my services. So I do more at home."

Umji nodded his head understanding. He even thought it did that. Just do the translation from his apartment. But he was afraid that he would ruin his life pattern. Because the last few years working as a translator made him know several writers. That something is done in a place and time that is not fixed makes the mind easily stressed.

Such are some of the images of the author known to Umji. The same is true if he only accepts work to do in the apartment. Not always going to be able to do it there.

"Sorry how old are you?" tanya Akira does not want to use the wrong mention when calling names.

"Twenty-five," replied Umji.

Akira smiles. "It turns out to be younger. I'm twenty-seven."

"Oh sunbaenim."

Akira laughs. "Don't you call it that, I'm not one place to work with you."

"But still, it's rude to just call names."

"Oppa is also a little...."

Umji stopped his sentence and smiled awkwardly.

"Right, we're not that familiar. But trying to be familiar doesn't hurt either, does it?"

Akira looked at Umji. Throwing a smile.

"This is my cell phone number. Anytime if there is a need to call. Oh yeah, I don't have social media," Akira said, giving Umji a piece of paper with a number line.

*

Umji stared at the piece of paper. He was sitting by the window of the bus. Akira's cell phone number was put in the bag and his hand was stretched open the window.

The bustling cityscape of Seoul meets the corner of Umji's eyes. He could see how the Han River was already bustling with people picnicking under the surrounding trees. It seemed he also wanted to do it, but he again had to go home to take care of his manuscripts so that the work was not too heavy when entering the workday.

Umji walked from the bus station to his apartment. Along the sidewalk, he was busy staring at his cellphone while carrying a bag made of cloth containing books he bought from the bookstore.

Umji saw a photo of Mino on a campus in New York City. One of Mino's photos is set in a library that is larger and wider than the city library he had been to. But there are other photos where he can see Mino shooting candid from next to a man who has Asian facial features. He had seen the man, but also doubted that it was just his feelings.

Arriving at the apartment, Umji immediately prepared dinner ingredients. He plans to make the chicken spinach cheese not too difficult for him. Because he just need to saute and then add cheese grater on it.

After eating dinner and washing his cutlery, Umji sat down at his desk and opened the book he had bought. But just about to enter the second chapter, his phone rang. He raised a video call from Jini through the Kakao Talk app.

But Umji didn't see Jini. He only saw a lamp. The front camera highlights the roof ceiling along with lights like the position of the phone that is being placed on the table.

"Ummy!"

Suddenly Jini called for Umji's name and then showed his face with an unstable camera position.

Umji took a deep breath. He realized that Jini was drunk. Jini's drunken habit is indeed not a new secret in the company. Jini will spend her weekends with beer or soju.

"You want to know why I broke up with Mino?" jini said while pointing in front of the camera.

"Go Jini. You're so drunk now," retorted Umji intending to disconnect the call.

"Eh don't break. Come here! And I'll tell you everything."

Jini's voice half screamed as she said that line. Suddenly the direction of the camera changed featuring a middle-aged woman who seemed to be the tavern where Jini was drinking.

"Miss is his friend, right? Your friend is very drunk and will soon faint like that."

Umji was silent for a moment. "All right, I'll be right there."

Umji takes a taxi to get to Jini's location to make it faster. He immediately went to the tavern where Jini was drinking and found the woman unconscious.

Finally, with the help of the waiter, Umji managed to get Jini into a taxi to go home. He initially wanted to take Jini home. But he forgot where Jini's house was. Especially when he tried to ask Jini, he got another answer.

Umji ransacked Jini to her apartment. He also occasionally tried to resuscitate Jini. But only an obscure rumble came out of the woman's mouth.

Umji throws Jini's body over his bed. He then took a deep breath and gulped down a glass of water to restore his strength.

"Mino ah," jini's mutter was lying on the bed.

Umji, who was sitting on the sofa, moved closer to Jini and removed the blazer, shoes, socks and bags from Jini's body. He then pulled out a blanket to cover Jini's body. He went to his desk and did some work there.

Jini felt her head was very heavy, yet she kept her eyes open and tried to sit down. Umji is still busy in front of his laptop.

"What time is it?" jini asked after realizing that she was not at home.

Umji looked at Jini. "You awake? It's one o'clock."

"Owh, I'm sorry I bothered you."

"Other times your drinking control," replied Umji again struggling on his laptop.

Jini got out of bed and went to the bathroom. He vomited his stomach and washed his face.

"Here drink, you'll feel good."

Umji gives a neutralizing bottle drink after getting drunk. He found the drink in the refrigerator. Not when to buy it. Although he also drank, but it did not become his favorite habit.

"Thank you."

"Just have a good night here. It's not safe to go home in the middle of the night" Umji said.

"Looks like. My mom would scold me if I went home-"

Jini who realized something immediately grabbed the phone in her bag. He called his mother to tell her he had to spend the night at a friend's house because he had a job.

"I'm hungry. Any ramyeon?" tanya Jini felt her stomach return empty after vomiting earlier.

Umji pointed at the top drawer in the kitchen. "Just look there." He went from the desk to the bathroom to wash his face and lay his body on the bed.

"Alright, go to sleep first" said Jini seeing Umji had pulled the blanket to sleep, while she was waiting for water in a boiling pot.

After dinner with a hearty. A bowl of ramyeon mixed with eggs and kimchi. Jini decided to sit on the sofa for a while so that her food could be digested before going back to sleep. But a cloth-covered board near Umji's desk caught his eye.

Jini approached the board and revealed the cloth that covered it. He was surprised to see that the board was drawn by a chart. A corporate structure where he and Umji work. He then turned to look at Umji who had fallen asleep.

"Did he forget his memories after the coma?" jini Gumam.

***