Juniper

Waking up the next morning, I was ready to face the day. I had an early start so I wanted to have enough time to do my daily routine and not rush. After my shower, I was ready to hit the pavement running. I got dressed quickly in a black and tan shirt dress, a pair of black tights, a small pair of socks and my favorite pair of Doc Martens. I grabbed my tan overcoat and grabbed my phone off the charger. As I was headed for the door, I received a text message. I grabbed my bag and out the door I went. I figured I would look at the message once I got to the bus stop. I decided that it may be a bit quicker to take the subway so I walked over to the Sinyongan subway station and caught the train. It would be a nice little ride over to my stop nearest the Sookmyung Women’s University. Fortunately, my job was closest to the station. As I got on the train and found a seat to relax for a few stops. I pulled out my phone and smiled, it was a message from Min Jun.

[Min Jun] Good Morning. I hope you have a good day today. Fighting! He is so nice.

[Juniper] Good Morning. Thank you. I hope you have a good day at work as well. Fighting! I responded.

I felt that I had let my guard down around Min Jun. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. I’m not sure if he had shown me his real self. I thought about Caleb and how he was in the beginning. He was charming, sweet and considerate. He made me laugh. We had good times together. As I caught myself smiling, it quickly turned to a frown as reality set in and my mind had flashbacks of him and Naveah fucking in the shower. I closed my eyes and had to keep it together. I pulled out my digital sketchpad and started drawing. I needed to focus on something else other than that idiot. Last night, I realized that he left me 10 voicemails and about 20 text messages. First the messages started off sweet, saying that he was sorry and he just needed to talk. That didn’t last long however, by the sixth message, his tone had changed. He started saying that I felt I was better than him because I wasn’t responding. Dude, it’s been three weeks already, get over it. This had nothing to do with me. This was all you. By the time I had reached close to the last few messages, I had been called a Bitch, a gold digger, stuck up and entitled. I had been called slut and I had a gang of guys to choose from. Finally his last text message was so irate; he was blaming me for him having slept with my sister, stating I didn’t spend quality time with him and I always left him alone.

It was amazing to see how he thought of me, just by me not answering his phone calls and text messages and not believing his lies. I noticed my sketch was that of a Black woman with a large Afro. She was looking up, one tear flowing down her cheek and her Afro was filled with so many words to encourage her to keep moving. Around her were “speech bubbles” with negative sayings, trying to demean and discourage the woman. However, her hair held a lot of knowledge and wisdom; so much so it overpowered the negative and even though she was hurt, she could still hold her head high. I smiled at the drawing and realized it resembled me but I think it would represent all women in deceiving relationships. My phone rang as I added my color scheme. I reached for my phone and it was my mother.

“Hello Mother. What do I owe the pleasure of this call?” I said nonchalantly. I had been avoiding her as well, but no matter what happens between us, she will always be my mother.

“Juniper! You answered! Oh, lawd, I was so worried.” She said excitedly. She sounded as if she really missed me.

“There is no need to worry Mother, I can take care of myself.” I responded.

“I know, I just haven’t seen you or spoken to you in a long time.” She said.

“True. How are you?”

“I’m well. I’m worried about you however.” She responded. Here it comes, I thought. I knew it was just a matter of time for her to try to convince me to change my mind. It never fails.

“Worried, why are you worried? I told you, I’m okay.” I said looking out the window, slightly wishing I didn't pick up the phone. However, she is my mother. I’m sure she means well, but it’s just that she wants me to do as she feels to be best for me, not what I think is best for me.

“I know, but you are all alone over there and you need someone to take care of you.” I closed my eyes as I began to feel my face wincing in despair.

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me, mother. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” I said sternly. I almost forgot I was on the train and noticed a few people staring and most likely understanding the conversation.

“Juniper, have you talked to him?” And there it is. She brought him up a little faster this time. She usually waits until I’m pushing her off the phone to ask about Caleb.

“Mom, we are so done with this conversation. You ask me each and every time you call.”

“And you never answer the question. You always rush me off the phone.”

“Well have YOU talked to him? Have YOU talked to her?” I asked. She got silent. Now she didn’t want to talk. I had to give her a taste of her own medicine. I was tired of talking to her, my day started off nicely and she had to try and put a little gray cloud in my skies.

“Both of them have called me. Both have apologized.’ I rolled my eyes. There is no apology that will make that vision go away.

“Well, I’m glad you are satisfied with that. Listen Mom, I’m almost at work, so it was nice talking to you.”

“Juniper, are you going to talk to....” I hung up the phone. I feel that it will be a minute before I pick her call again. Clearly, she has some idea that I want to talk to these people. I have nothing to say. I let my actions speak louder than words. I moved to another fucking country, not a state, a country on the OTHER side of the planet. If they don’t understand that, they never will.

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I was so focused on the phone call that I almost missed my stop. I jumped off the train as the doors were about to close. Of course I got a few stares, but I’m getting used to it. I know they are not used to seeing a Phenomenal Black woman with gorgeous, caramel brown skin and curly, natural hair walking off a train every day. Well, actually, they see one Monday thru Friday, each time I show up for work. As I hit the main street from the subway, I only had about 3 blocks to walk to my office building. Just being here for a short amount of time, I can say something about the Korean people that has truly impressed me; they almost use every possible building to have a business. They are very resourceful; they use the front and the back of the buildings. I noticed walking through the plethora of twists and turns of the streets, the little alleyways will lead you to yet another row of storefront businesses.

I finally reached my office building, a modest and quaint little building on what seems to be a corner street. The entire building is owned by the owners of the advertising agency I work for. Raw Entertainment is displayed in English and Korean on the front of the office. It’s owned by an interracial couple, Mike and Elaine Cooper. Mike is American and Elaine is Korean. They met in school in the States. Both wanted to start an advertising agency but it was hard for them to start or even get noticed. So they moved to Seoul to start their own small business. They had a few good opportunities with a few name brands to build up their portfolio. I love working with them because it’s a diverse group of people who have amazing talents, each from different backgrounds.

As I open the door, the office is filled with soft jazz playing and the staff slowly walking around the office. It’s an early morning for all of us, so I know the feeling. Today we have to present the commercial we have been working on for a new drink for a major brand. We have been working hard to get our foot in the door and if we land this deal, it would open us to being a competitor in the advertising field.

“Good Morning.” I sing as I come in and wave.

“Hi.” Elaine yells from the loft office. She’s always chippy in the morning. She loves her work as she should. My friend in the office, Bong Se-ra, comes over to me, smiling as usual.

“Annyeong.” She says as she slides over to my cubicle

“Annyeong. How are you this morning?”

“I’m tired, I did not sleep well last night.” I knew what she was hinting at. She had called me while I was out with Min Jun and I didn’t answer the call. I never not answer her call.

“You didn’t, why?”

“Why didn’t you answer my call?” She said abruptly. I didn’t want to tell her but honestly, I did.

“I was out with someone and I didn’t want to be rude.” I finally answered. I looked at her and her eyes got wide and froze. She had the look that she knew something was up but didn’t know what.

“Mwo?! Who?” She asked, leaning on my desk.

“This guy I met during one of my breakdowns.” She knew exactly what I meant. She was the only one I had confided in with my personal situation.

“How?” She asked. I told her the story about me going to the coffee shop and paying for his coffee in the middle of my argument with Caleb.

“Why did you answer his call? You are a glutton for punishment.” She said directly. That’s why I love her, she tells it to me straight.

“I know. I shouldn’t have, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met Lee Min Jun.” I replied. Her eyes got big again and she covered her mouth and I could see she was smiling.

“He’s Korean!” She said almost screaming. We both looked around as she was really loud.

“Shhhhh. Yes, he is.”

“What does he do?”

“He’s an accountant for a software company.” I replied.

“Oh nice. He has a stable job. How does he look? She asked, looking at me for a definite answer.

“He’s cute. Dimples and full lips.” I said thinking about Min Jun. I sat back and smiled as I saw his face before me. His sexy eyes and the way he looked deep inside my soul. His smiles; especially the smile he tries to hide. I didn’t realize it, until Se-ra’s hand waved in front of my face, accompanied with a snap of her fingers, I had totally spaced out. I looked at her and she had this grin and look on her face. I knew exactly what she was thinking. She was grinning so hard that her eyes were smiling. A woman knows. It doesn’t matter the ethnicity, or nationality, a woman knows when a woman has a ‘thing’ for a guy.

We’ve all had that feeling when we have met a guy that touches that certain something in our brains and our hearts at the same time. Women are emotional creatures therefore, when you touch us in a way that we can relate with emotionally, we tend to connect at that moment. Min Jun took care of me when I was at one of the lowest points of my life; When I was vulnerable with the cry-face displayed. I was not looking my best but he saw me as a woman who had a broken heart and he wanted to fix it. No matter what issue we may be going through at the moment, the minute a guy understands the issue and tries to fix it, especially when he wasn’t the cause of it, he may have potential to be a good guy.

“I see.” She said. She had that look that she was up to something.

“Wait! I might not have known you for a lifetime, but I know you when you look at me like that.” I jolted. She started laughing.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” She replied slightly. “So what’s his name?” She asked.

“Lee Min Jun.”

“Nice, strong name. He sounds decent. He sounds familiar to be honest.” She said looking as if she was trying to remember something. “Why does that name sound so familiar?”

“I don’t know.” I didn’t think of it to be honest. I just figured we all have common names that might sound familiar.

“I got it!” She said and ran back to her desk. I followed hastily behind her. She jumped on her computer and pulled up some reality tv show that dealt with Idol trainees. Apparently Min Jun had appeared on this show. She pulled up his profile. It was him. I couldn’t deny it. I looked at the picture and it was definitely him. “Is this who you were with last night?” she asked.

“Um, it looks like him.” I said staring at the picture

“Juni!” She looked at me, hoping for confirmation. I wasn’t going to burst her bubble.

“Yes, it was.” I said. She squealed.

“You must tell me how you met him?” She asked, turning around in her chair and waiting for a response.

“After the meeting, I will tell you everything. I don’t want everyone to know.” I said looking around as a few others were beginning to wonder what we were discussing.

“Ah, I understand. Yes, we will talk after the meeting. How about lunch, my treat.” Se-ra asked.

“Yes, that will be fine. Will you be able to contain yourself until then?” I asked, putting my hand on her head. She smiled the biggest grin.

“I will try, but I am excited to hear everything.” She said, I smiled and walked back to my cubicle just thinking about the monster I may have created.