Remember the Lanterns

Hee Seong

When I exit, Hee Seong is waiting there for me.
Hi again Hannah. Long time no see.
How are you? Do you want to chat? We can go outside if you want to smoke.
Actually, I don't smoke anymore!
Wow! Hee Seong! That's amazing! Congratulations! How do you feel? Same as always I guess. So, what will you all do after here?
Don't know.
Do you want to stay with me for a little while?
We'll see Hee Seong. What about Dae gi? Let's go back for now.
I'm really not sure why I declined his offer – the truth was that I missed hanging out with him and would love to go and make fun of people and ourselves again with him.
When we return to the table, SeongYoung, who has now had a fair amount to drink, judging by her red cheeks, is making it known that she is interested in Dae gi. They are now sitting off to the side, very close to each other. Dae gi glances at me when I walk back in and comes over to talk to me, leaving poor SeongYoung with her soju.
Hi Hannah. How are you doing tonight? Can I get you anything? Happy New Year. I like your dress now.
He seems nervous.

I see you've met SeongYoung. She's very nice, you know. Yes, I think so.
Do you have a girlfriend now Dae gi?
No, same as always.
Good.
Why?
For SeongYoung.
Oh.
My coworker Jim comes up and puts his arm around me, and Dae gi returns to Seongyoung.
You've certainly got a lot of men interested in you tonight Hannah. Jim was always flirty with me at work.
We're just friends.
Sure you are! So, you coming with us to Urban?
It was one of the foreigner friendly bars in town. They often had salsa nights, and tonight, unfortunately, was one of those nights. I was not a fan of an American military and hot, young Koreans female packed bar.
Maybe, I offer.
Don't bring your friends, he winks.
Once tabs have been settled and everyone has exited the restaurant, it's time to figure out what is going on. Hee Seong has been stand-offish, waiting perhaps, to see if I will join the others at Urban. Seongyoung says her goodbyes to us, and to my surprise, walks off with Dae gi. If I had been into him, I suppose I might have been jealous of that, but I knew that he wasn't all that interested in Seongyoung. But maybe he would change his mind, Seongyoung was a catch, and I wished them the best under my breath as I walked them walk off. Once the group going to Urban starts to walk off, Hee Seong catches up to me. I follow them and he follows me.
Are you going?
Not sure yet.
Do you want to come back to my place? I don't know. Maybe another time.

Everyone who lived in Korea knows that maybe another time, or maybe next time meant no. It was just a way of expressing that without causing the other person to lose face.
Hannah, what do you think of me?
It's a simple question, and it hits me again that Hee Seong might be going through something similar to what I went through with YS. I kind of knew it was coming. That's why he was so quiet when he was sitting beside me at dinner, he didn't know what to say and was thinking of asking me this. The poor guy. I knew how he felt.
I like you Hee Seong. You know that. And you know what my answer will be if we continue this conversation.
Do you like Dae gi?
Ya sure. He's fine. I don't know him that well.
Oh. I'm glad.
Hm?
Come to my house Hannah. We can just watch a movie and relax.
It was like he was hoping he could reel me in again with alcohol and his nimble fingers, now knowing that I wasn't into Dae gi.
I'm sorry Oppa, using this word meant he knew I cared about him, Another time.
It was the right decision to go home and go to sleep. But, on the way I get a call from YS.