Cherry Pie
Dec. 30th, 2011 03:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wonderlifeAuthor: Nichole
Rated: G
Word Count: 766
Story Title: Cherry Pie
Summary: In the early 1980s, Chan-wook and Kaori have a little chat; Kaori asks for something, which may be the start of Chan-wook's life.
Author's Note: A story with Chan-wook as a young(ish) man and Kaori when she was just starting as a Hostess. It takes place over twenty years before the story. I think this story is one of the main turning points in Chan-wook's life. Here, Kaori asks him for a rather huge favor.
When Chan-wook first met Kaori, she had been a skinny kid in mourning clothes. Her younger brother, Takatou, had recently died and Kaori had been crying alone on the beach. Chan-wook, feeling sorry for the girl, had helped her find her older brother, Kei in town. Before he knew it, he had become an honorary member of the family.
Chan-wook had promised to write when he went off to South Korea, but things had come up. Now, years later, Chan-wook found himself sitting across from the very grown up Kaori. She was now twenty-one, a Hostess at a famous club in Tokyo; she was not the awkward kid he had meet years before.
“Did you do well, Mr. Geum Chan-wook?” Kaori questioned sweetly, though her eyes were far colder than Chan-wook remembered. “In Korea, did you really learn the arts of gambling from the Masters?”
“Yeah,” Chan-wook nodded slightly before lighting a cigarette. “I did learn well. I did well, which is why I’m always broke. The better you are, the more enemies you have, huh. Did you do well, Kaori?”
Kaori watched Chan-wook take a long drag from his cigarette; he seemed to almost – almost – be ignoring her. She wondered if he even cared about her, or if he was just being polite, because of his past friendship with Kei.
“After Kei was killed, I did well. I protected myself and kept Takara alive.” she took a small sip of her coffee, before taking an equally small bite of her cherry pie. Licking her lips seductively, Kaori went on, “Why, Mr. Geum Chan-wook, do you ask?”
Ignoring her slight come-on, Chan-wook shrugged nonchalantly “Polite conversation, perhaps? No, you’re trying to bring up my proposal? I proposed in a letter after learning about Kei’s murder, so you’re trying to, what, humiliate me? Force me to ask you in person? Kaori,” he made a ‘tsk-tsk’ sound under his breath and gave her a condescending look. “you know I didn’t mean it. But, the idea of you and Takara on the streets . . . two girls alone in the world, I had to ask.” Slowly, Chan-wook took a long drag from his cigarette. “You can hate me, but I won’t play your games. Save them for your customers at the club.”
Eyes burning into him, Kaori nodded her head slowly. “I . . . I don’t want to humiliate you. I do want a favor, though.” Chan-wook gave her a ‘go on’ look. “Take Takara from me.”
“Take her?”
“I want to get married or go farther and owe my own club someday. I can’t do that with a teenager following me around. She’s annoying.” Kaori stated coldly.
Kaori, who had lost both parents, two older brothers, and a younger brother, was asking him to take the only family she had in the world. For a brief moment, Chan-wook couldn’t believe his ears. Marriage or not; owning a Hostess club or not; did that really depend on Takara? Of course it did, people like them – people who lied and cheated to get what they wanted – couldn’t be tied down by a kid. Especially one like Takara.
Chan-wook put his cigarette out in his cherry pie, before replying to Kaori. “All right.”
Kaori’s cool exterior faltered just a bit. “You will?” Chan-wook nodded. “Fine. I’ll warn you now, Takara. . . “
“I know,” Chan-wook cut in with a small smile. “she has an illness. Not like her twin, Takatou. Her illness is mental.” Because Kaori’s confused expression, Chan-wook went on, “Takara happily told me. She doesn’t pretend like you do, Kaori.”
Chan-wook gave her one last look, before standing. Looking toward the large glass window, Chan-wook could see Takara – a suitcase half her size in hand – standing just outside. She had known that Kaori was trying to give her away.
Turning back to Kaori he gave her a half and oh-so sad smile. “I’m telling you this now, because Kei was my friend, and because I consider you a friend – you’re making a mistake. Takara won’t –“
“I know,” Kaori interrupted softly. “I know. I won’t put her away, but I can’t watch her break.”
Kaori – so cold on the outside. And yet, the truth was . . . she was just asking Chan-wook to help her be a little selfish for once in her life. He nodded solemnly and turned away from her.
“Takara and I’ll keep in touch. Enjoy your pie.”
If he had looked back, Chan-wook would have seen Kaori watching Takara, tears falling from her heartless eyes and onto her half-eaten cherry pie.
Rated: G
Word Count: 766
Story Title: Cherry Pie
Summary: In the early 1980s, Chan-wook and Kaori have a little chat; Kaori asks for something, which may be the start of Chan-wook's life.
Author's Note: A story with Chan-wook as a young(ish) man and Kaori when she was just starting as a Hostess. It takes place over twenty years before the story. I think this story is one of the main turning points in Chan-wook's life. Here, Kaori asks him for a rather huge favor.
When Chan-wook first met Kaori, she had been a skinny kid in mourning clothes. Her younger brother, Takatou, had recently died and Kaori had been crying alone on the beach. Chan-wook, feeling sorry for the girl, had helped her find her older brother, Kei in town. Before he knew it, he had become an honorary member of the family.
Chan-wook had promised to write when he went off to South Korea, but things had come up. Now, years later, Chan-wook found himself sitting across from the very grown up Kaori. She was now twenty-one, a Hostess at a famous club in Tokyo; she was not the awkward kid he had meet years before.
“Did you do well, Mr. Geum Chan-wook?” Kaori questioned sweetly, though her eyes were far colder than Chan-wook remembered. “In Korea, did you really learn the arts of gambling from the Masters?”
“Yeah,” Chan-wook nodded slightly before lighting a cigarette. “I did learn well. I did well, which is why I’m always broke. The better you are, the more enemies you have, huh. Did you do well, Kaori?”
Kaori watched Chan-wook take a long drag from his cigarette; he seemed to almost – almost – be ignoring her. She wondered if he even cared about her, or if he was just being polite, because of his past friendship with Kei.
“After Kei was killed, I did well. I protected myself and kept Takara alive.” she took a small sip of her coffee, before taking an equally small bite of her cherry pie. Licking her lips seductively, Kaori went on, “Why, Mr. Geum Chan-wook, do you ask?”
Ignoring her slight come-on, Chan-wook shrugged nonchalantly “Polite conversation, perhaps? No, you’re trying to bring up my proposal? I proposed in a letter after learning about Kei’s murder, so you’re trying to, what, humiliate me? Force me to ask you in person? Kaori,” he made a ‘tsk-tsk’ sound under his breath and gave her a condescending look. “you know I didn’t mean it. But, the idea of you and Takara on the streets . . . two girls alone in the world, I had to ask.” Slowly, Chan-wook took a long drag from his cigarette. “You can hate me, but I won’t play your games. Save them for your customers at the club.”
Eyes burning into him, Kaori nodded her head slowly. “I . . . I don’t want to humiliate you. I do want a favor, though.” Chan-wook gave her a ‘go on’ look. “Take Takara from me.”
“Take her?”
“I want to get married or go farther and owe my own club someday. I can’t do that with a teenager following me around. She’s annoying.” Kaori stated coldly.
Kaori, who had lost both parents, two older brothers, and a younger brother, was asking him to take the only family she had in the world. For a brief moment, Chan-wook couldn’t believe his ears. Marriage or not; owning a Hostess club or not; did that really depend on Takara? Of course it did, people like them – people who lied and cheated to get what they wanted – couldn’t be tied down by a kid. Especially one like Takara.
Chan-wook put his cigarette out in his cherry pie, before replying to Kaori. “All right.”
Kaori’s cool exterior faltered just a bit. “You will?” Chan-wook nodded. “Fine. I’ll warn you now, Takara. . . “
“I know,” Chan-wook cut in with a small smile. “she has an illness. Not like her twin, Takatou. Her illness is mental.” Because Kaori’s confused expression, Chan-wook went on, “Takara happily told me. She doesn’t pretend like you do, Kaori.”
Chan-wook gave her one last look, before standing. Looking toward the large glass window, Chan-wook could see Takara – a suitcase half her size in hand – standing just outside. She had known that Kaori was trying to give her away.
Turning back to Kaori he gave her a half and oh-so sad smile. “I’m telling you this now, because Kei was my friend, and because I consider you a friend – you’re making a mistake. Takara won’t –“
“I know,” Kaori interrupted softly. “I know. I won’t put her away, but I can’t watch her break.”
Kaori – so cold on the outside. And yet, the truth was . . . she was just asking Chan-wook to help her be a little selfish for once in her life. He nodded solemnly and turned away from her.
“Takara and I’ll keep in touch. Enjoy your pie.”
If he had looked back, Chan-wook would have seen Kaori watching Takara, tears falling from her heartless eyes and onto her half-eaten cherry pie.
