5/16

Alright so ya girl slept until 10 am. A FAT ten hour sleep. She needed it.

I promptly attended my morning online meetings at the bakery until 2 pm! I had a weird sweet ciabatta bread with red bean... do not recommend.

Which just happened to be when 명근 (Myeongoon) came into work. He texted me that he had begun his shift.... to which I replied 바보 I'm here too. He finally noticed me in the corner and we had a nice chat. I offered to buy him a smoothie, and on such a scorching day he happily obliged. I went across Sinchon and ordered an orange smoothie for 명 and a coconut mung bean with espresso for myself. I'm not sure if it was the weather or the smoothie, but it was the best drink I'd had in a long time.

명근 was more than excited to receive the drink, and both of us sucked them dry within minutes. My Instagram friend who had messaged me a few days previously had mentioned having a few hours of break time from his college classes, asking if I'd want to meet. I agreed happily and decided to meet him in 홍대 (Hongdae). I wait outside 공차 (Gongcha) at Exit 8, watching little old ladies make street foods in their steamy little carts. I kept my eyes out for a taller man with a face mask to protect his lungs from the smog from CHINA.
Aha! Out of the tunnel comes a quite handsome young man with a white doctor's mask. I smile at him, not quite sure, until he sees me and confirms I had found the right person. It was a little quiet between the two of us, as my Korean sucks and 동화 (Donghwa) was fairly unrehearsed with speaking English. But we managed to enjoy a walk through the busy area, going to 쥬씨 (Juicy) for a refreshment. He tried to order for me, and was shocked when I stepped in an made an adjustment to the order. He is the first boy I know to have ever ordered XLs instead of regulars without asking me first. It was a good sign of a fine fellow.
We talked a bit more and he asked to see the famous bakery that I visited on a daily. He had seen my carrot cake posts and noted in our first conversation that he, too, enjoyed carrot cake.
So I showed him the bakery, to which he promised to visit when he had more time.
I walked him to 신촌 (Sinchon) station and we waved goodbye. It was nice to meet someone so organically. A little strange. But nice.
Afterwards I went home and got ready to meet my friend 윤재 (Yoonjae) for drinks in 홍대. We had met the previous summer in Thursday Party when I was with Caillean. She was in her late twenties and just enjoyed having a good time. It had been a long time since we had met, so I was really excited to see her.
I stop by the 편의점 (pyeoneejeom | convenient store) next door and pick up some crab meat for dinner. My favorite Vietnamese girl was working as usual, and I mentioned something about eating alone. She tells me that she doesn't have many friends so she understands. To which I immediately tell her that we NEED to be friends. She asks for my KakaoTalk. We are now best friends.

On my way to 홍대 I swing by the Bread Blue once more to visit 명근, he mentioned it being intensely slow and boring, and it just so happened to be on my way. He presents me with a soy latte and chocolate 쌀빵 (ssal ppang | rice bread) on the house in return for his amazing smoothie earlier.

 I thanked him and made my way into 홍대. 윤재 messaged me to notify the heavy traffic was making the buses delayed, and that she'd be a bit late. No matter, I decided to sit in 경의산 and people watch as Seoulites and foreigners of all ages based by. There were many international couples walking, making me a bit reminiscent, but I was cheered up by the MANY Pomeranians that came sniffing at my toes!
윤재 and I meet at 9:30 outside of Thursday Party, the guards remembering both of us as we often went there, and not evening needing to view our IDs. We sit for awhile and talk at a booth, before she mentions that the university was having a festival next door. She asked if I was interested in going to which I said 당근이지 (dang gooniji | of course) We walk across the street and find ourselves in a heavy crowd of people. A bar set up with free drinks for anyone who followed the committees instagram. 윤재 had work in the morning, so she gave her mix of tequila and 사이다 (cider) to me. Two drinks. One Jessica. And... PSY????????
A GIGANTIC arena of people crowded around one stage. There, at its center, was America's favorite Korean meme of 2012.

Psy.

We wiggle our way deeper into the crowd just to catch a glimpse. I couldn't believe how many people they'd fit in such a small arena. We were finally able to see, and it was BEAUTIFUL. The crowd was like no other, bouncy with energy and just wanting to enjoy the moment.

As the concert came to an end, 윤재 and I begin to head back to Thursday Party, but when I mention about my recent and abrupt break up, she stops in her tracks and demands we instead by a bottle of 막걸리 (makgeolli) from the the convenient store and sit in Playground park to talk. And so we did.

As we talk, a couple of boys nudge up to us, asking if they could sit on the other end of the bench. We oblige and they strike up a conversation. Enjoying the conversation, they offer to go to a drinking room. They also offer to pay.

Free food? Free drinks?

Aight.

So we go and talk more over seafood soup and 소맥 (somaek | soju with beer). They then mention wanting to go to a different drinking room. Restaurant/bar/drinkingroom/club hopping is very common in Korean culture. 

So at the next room, we order THE WORLDS BEST fries and soju.

윤재 mentions that she needs to take the last bus home, and checks again and again if I will be okay on my own with the boys. I assure her I was perfectly capable but thanked her for being such a good 언니 (eonnie | older sister). She waves goodbye and I talk over french fries with the two boys on just about everything. They pay for my taxi ride home, to which I had mentioned I could just walk. But they were more than gentlemanly. 

I guess chivalry isn't dead. 🤷