Broken Shades

a Meeting

The first time Rosé sees her is in a hospital.

Rosé is just waiting for her best friend who’s in toilet when she sees that girl. She’s hard to miss, after all not everyday you see a woman who wears sunglasses indoors with a stick of cigarette without its light in between her teeth while holding a pack full of that stick’s friends inside a hospital. 

Even from where she stands, Rosé can see that she’s not the only one who give that girl a glance even though from the sight of how that girl leans back on her seat even more and nonchalantly plays with her pack of cigarette, it’s obvious she doesn’t pay those glances any mind. Suddenly, another girl with dark hair approaches her.

“Finish already, Jennie?” asks the girl after she removes the cigarette from her mouth.

“Yes,” the other girl that been called ‘Jennie’ answers irritatingly. “Ugh, they’re so annoying. They’re the one that made the miscalculation at the bill and they have guts to tell me that I’m the one that read the bill wrong.”

That complains makes the girl cracks a soft smile. “Well, you’re the one that didn’t check it first when you paid it a few days ago.”

“I was in hurry that day!” the dark haired girl says again before she rubs her forehead and continues, “Ugh, let’s just drop this conversation. They already fix it anyway. Talking about this more just makes me angrier. Come on, let’s go, unnie.”

Before the girl that been called ‘unnie’ has a chance to answer, Jennie already walks away and leaves her alone. Rosé can see the girl raises her eyebrow a little at what Jennie just did even though Rosé can’t see what kind of look she has, thanks to the sunglasses. But then the latter shakes her head softly with a soft smile still in her face. She puts the cigarette’s pack into her pocket, takes the sunglasses with transparent frame she wore off, and stands up. However it seems she finally realizes the eyes on her because she turns her head to Rosé and the latter blinks.

Brown is a common eye color. Rosé sees those eyes color often but she never sees eyes like these before. Eyes like these brown eyes that hold no expression yet somehow able to speak more than a mouth can and Rosé finds out she can’t take her eyes away. The other girl keeps those eyes on Rosé for a few more seconds before she turns around to leave and Rosé lets her eyes to blink. 

“Chaeng-ah.”

The sound of her name startles Rosé and she quickly looks back only to see her best friend.

“Sorry it took so long,” Lisa says. “The toilet is full and…. is there something wrong?”

“Oh, no. Nothing’s wrong,” Rosé quickly answers as she moves her lips to create a smile. Before Lisa able to ask any more things, Rosé says again, “Let’s go, Lis. I will drop you off to your place. Do you need any help?”

Lisa shakes her head at that offer and with hands that hold crutches, she begins to walk. That refusal maybe enough to make Rosé lets Lisa walks by herself but that doesn’t mean she won’t keep her eyes on her friend. And yet although her eyes keep watching her best friend, Rosé can’t help her mind to wander to another set of brown eyes and that little encounter they had.

***

The sound of music booms on her ear as Rosé steps out from the dance floor and makes her way to the bar stand. She just sits on one of the stools when she hears the beeping sound from her phone. That sound makes her takes the device out from her purse and swipes the screen gently only to see a text message she just received. With another tap on the screen, the message from her best friend who tells her not to come home late and don’t forget to call when she gets home becomes visible. Rosé rolls her eyes. Honestly, it seems being a victim of hit and run won’t stop Lisa to keep playing mother at her.

“Pushy boyfriend?”

That voice makes Rosé lifts her head to the source of sound and she blinks at the familiar face. This girl has her bartender suit now and she doesn’t wear her sunglasses but Rosé still can recognize her as the girl she met this afternoon in the hospital.

“No, just a worry wart of a friend,” answers Rosé. “It can be endearing but at the same time annoying.”

The bartender nods at that answer. It seems she doesn’t recognize Rosé. The former then asks, “What do you want to drink?”

“One lemon tea.” The sight of the bartender looks at her for a few more seconds make Rosé elaborates, “I don’t drink alcohol.”

The bartender’s lips move upward a little. “Why you don’t drink alcohol? Has a really low tolerance?”

“No, I just have a serious illness that can get worse if I consume alcohol,” answers Rosé with a playful smirk. “Kidding. I just don’t like alcohol beverage.”

The bartender’s lips move upward even more and make a smirk clearly visible.  In the dim light of a club Rosé can see the other girl pulls out a pack of cigarette from her pocket, takes out a stick, and lights it. The bartender then moves away from the table and begins to prepare the drink with a cigarette in between her teeth. A few minutes later she puts a glass of lemon tea in front of Rosé and says, “And you go to a club?”

“Alcohol is not the only thing a club provided,” Rosé talks back as she takes a sip from the glass while her eyes glance to the dance floor. “Dancing is another form of art I enjoy. Not to mention going to a place like this can give me inspiration for my next pieces.”

The bartender blows smoke first before she asks, “You’re an artist? A poet, maybe?”

“Not a poet just a painter,” answers Rosé. “Rosé Park, ever heard of me? I know I’m not the most popular painter but I pride myself for not being unknown either.”

“Sorry, I’m not keeping up with art world. Don’t know what’s going on over there,” the bartender says with a smile on her face. “Even though I like talking about art. It’s a subject that good for somebody like me.” Rosé nods at that and begins to take another sip from her glass… “So…” only to return her focus to the other girl. “Inspiration can come from a club?”

“Inspiration can come from anywhere, anything really..” answers Rosé as she makes a gesture with her head to the place. “From the club itself.” Then to the people. “From the people in it and how they do their activity.” After that to the glass in her hand. “From a glass and its content.” And her eyes move upward. “Or from a burning stick of cigarette.” They move even more upward and Rosé blinks as she comes eye to eye with those brown eyes again.

The look is back. The look that she saw in the hospital. The bored and yet an intense look that somehow speak hundred of words and able to captivate her. And same like before, Rosé finds herself unable to look away.  

Without even realizing it, Rosé opens her mouth and breathes out an “Eyes.”

The bartender arches her eyebrow even though her eyes still at Rosé’s. “Eyes?”

“Yeah, eyes,” Unable to stop herself, Rosé says again, “Eyes also can give you inspiration.”

The bartender doesn’t say anything. With her hand that still holds a cigarette, Rosé can see the owner’s head move a little to create a nod. Rosé opens her mouth, about to say something more….

Only to be interfered by a sudden sound of a stool been pulled suddenly and startled both of them.

Rosé and the bartender turn their head to the source of sound to see a middle age man that just sit a few seats away from Rosé who quickly says, “One martini.”

The bartender nods at the man and begins to prepare his order while Rosé leans back on her seat. What the hell just happen? A sudden tap on her hand surprised Rosé and makes her looks up to see the bartender again who now holds a glass of martini.

“Jisoo Kim.” Rosé tilts her head questioningly at that. “My name,” the bartender she knows as Jisoo now says again. “Rosé. Do you have anything else to do tonight?”

Rosé shakes her head.

From the corner of her eyes Rosé can see the man look at them with an annoyed look, obviously not happy with the fact his drink isn’t delivered yet, but Jisoo pays him no mind and says again, “Want to come over to my place? But that if you don’t mind waiting until my shift is over.”

Rosé arches her eyebrow a little. She knows where this is going. Not the first time she’s in situation like this honestly but the first time with somebody that can intrigues her as much as this Jisoo. So with one last thought that she’s just going to text Lisa back much later, Rosé answers, ”I don’t mind. Don’t worry.”

***

When Rosé wakes up the next day, a sight of unfamiliar ceiling welcomes her. Rosé lets out a yawn and about to cover her eyes with her arm when she feels a sudden movement beside her. It makes her eyes bolt open and she immediately turns her head to the source of movement only to see Jisoo whose head pressed lightly against Rosé’s body. The latter can see some strands of hair make their way into Jisoo’s slightly open mouth so Rosé moves her hand to tug them away. When she pulls her hand away, Rosé’s eyes catch marks on Jisoo’s neck. Marks that she knows she also has somewhere on her neck (or shoulders?). 

With another stroke to Jisoo’s hair, Rosé begins to sit up while her eyes scan the clothes that scatter on the floor. When she finally finds her shirt, she gets out from the bed, and makes her way to it. She quickly puts her shirt on as her legs once again move. This time their destination is her purse that lies lifelessly near the door. With one hand, she grabs the purse and takes her phone out. She needs to hold the urge to roll her eyes when she sees she already has some unread messages, all from her worrywart of a best friend. And to think now is not even 9 a.m. yet. 

A sudden feel of thirstiness from her throat informs Rosé she needs to drink. She turns her head to Jisoo who still sprawled on the bed. It seems she’s not going to wake up soon but Rosé’s sure Jisoo won’t mind if the former takes some of her water. With that thought and another thought that she’s just going text Lisa back later (again), Rosé puts her phone back to her purse, drops it carelessly on the floor, and gets out of the room. 

Jisoo doesn’t give her a tour around her apartment last night (or early morning?), they went to the bartender’s room straight away, but the kitchen is not hard to find. And Rosé also finds out she’s not the only soul that awake in this apartment because right when she enters the kitchen, she comes eye to eye with a girl with dark hair.

“You’re looking for something?” asks the girl.

“Well…uh,” Rosé trails off a little at her words before she tries talking again with more confidence, “I just want to get a glass of water. If I may?”

“Sure, go ahead,” answers the other girl while offering a glass to Rosé, which the latter takes hesitantly. “Do you want something else? But we don’t go shopping yet so I hope you don’t mind the lack of food beverage.”

“Oh, no. It’s okay,” Rosé says as she makes her way to fill the glass.

“So…” The girl’s voice makes Rosé glances at her. If she’s not mistaken this girl is Jennie, the one with Jisoo at the hospital. “Are you one of the two people that disturb my sleep so early in the morning?”

And Rosé stares at her.

“Do you know that I stayed awake until late of night for a few days because I had test yesterday and when I finally could sleep peacefully some lewd sound woke me up really early in the morning?”

Rosé still gives her a flabbergasted look and doesn’t say anything. What should she say when somebody she doesn’t know say something like that to her?

“Not to mention both of you were pretty loud. And oh yeah, by the way my name is Jennie Kim. The other Kim’s younger sister.”

Rosé’s a little taken aback at the sudden change of subject but she quickly composes herself and says, “Nice to meet you, Jennie. My name is Rosé Park.”

The girl just gives Rosé a nonchalant wave as an answer while she makes her way to the refrigerator. She looks inside it for a moment before she takes out a box of cereal and says, “Are you hungry? It seems we still have enough cereal for breakfast for two.”

Rosé looks at her for second as she sips her water. Breakfast for two?

It seems Jennie hears Rosé’s silent question because she says again, “Don’t worry about her. My sister is not a morning riser and with the fact that she must be really tired because of you…” Rosé tries to keep a straight face when the other girl says that but from the amuse look she sees in Jennie’s eyes, it seems she’s failed. “There’s zero chance she will wake up before noon.”

Well, Rosé doesn’t want to give this girl any more satisfaction from teasing her so she decides to turn her head away and takes another sip of water from her glass. But she still can hear Jennie chuckles a little before the latter puts the box on a nearby counter and once again looks the inside of the refrigerator.

“Well, it’s a good thing we still have some milk left,” Jennie says again while offering the other girl a carton box. “Here, you can have it.”

Rosé takes the box with her free hand and shakes it a little to judge how much milk left inside it. What she hears makes her frowns. “I think the milk is only enough for one person.”

“Don’t worry about it.” This time Jennie takes out a can of coffee. “My sister and I like coffee better for our cereal.”

And the bewildered stare comes back.

Hearing no come back, Jennie turns her head to Rosé and raises her eyebrow when she sees the latter’s expression. “Don’t tell me you always use milk for your cereal.”

Rosé nods hesitantly.

“How boring. You should break routines once in a while. Like that one time when my sister was bored of having milk or coffee so she poured orange juice instead to her cereal.”

If Rosé thinks she can’t get anymore dumbfounded, she just been proven wrong.

Jennie doesn’t pay Rosé’s flabbergasted expression any mind though. The former just calmly closes the refrigerator, takes two bowls from nearby selves, and puts the bowls, the cereal, and the coffee can on dining table. She then takes a sit on one of the dining chair and begins to pour the coffee and cereal to one of the bowls.  She’s really serious about that, isn’t she?

Rosé can see Jennie pokes the empty bowl, wordlessly asking Rosé to join her. Rosé looks at the carton box in her hand first before she heaves a sigh and joins Jennie at dining table. It seems it’s better if she just goes with the flow after all it’s not everyday she has a morning like this.