To Find Something True

※ seven

The sun had set earlier than she expected. At six o'clock, lights from the lampposts down the quiet yet secure alley lit up. With the summer's heat striking that evening, it was long, and exhausting for her who had been sending her curricular vitae unstoppable.

She was almost home when she saw the familiar blue, red, and white spiral still rotate. The neon light billboard with an 'open' sign was still up. She was well aware that those attractions would be turned off soon. From the count of five to one, she ran to the shop.

Her father was seen leaving the barber shop with a bunch of keys in his hand after all the lights had gone out. She hopped and held her father on the shoulders, and shouted, "boo!" Her father screamed, clutching a handful of keys in his trembling hands. Jiah guffawed at the reaction, "you should've seen your face!"

Her father shook his head. "Lee Jiah!" he exclaimed.

However, it did not affect her. "Yup?" Her lips were pursed and her cheeks strained as she struggled to suppress a laugh.

Mr. Lee stared at her as if he had never expected him to raise a mischievous child. He groaned, shaking his head.

"Appa!" Jiah playfully yelled.

"What?" Mr. Lee yelled back, searching for the key to the doorknob's hole. He wouldn't have lost track of the correct key if it weren't because of his daughter.

"Did you eat?" With a goofy grin, Jiah asked.

"I ate!" Mr. Lee said, still searching for the correct key.

"What did you eat?"

"Rice!"

Jiah chortle quietly behind her palm, knowing that her father was sulking. That simply made her want to tease him more. "Appa!"

"What now?" Mr. Lee was so done! He couldn't even lock his barber shop peacefully.

"Do you want to eat fishcake?"

Mr. Lee's eyebrows creases faded, and Jiah made a knowing face, wiggling her eyebrows.

"You've got a job already?"

Jiah snickered, waving her index finger as she said, "nope."

"And the treat, why?"

"I just want to spend some quality time with you. As an apology treats too." She stifled a laugh, still couldn't get over what happened a while ago. "By the way, I'm using the money you gave me," Jiah explained before giving her father a childlike grin. Wiggling her brows again, she draped her arm across her father's shoulder.

His daughter had always managed to amuse him.

**********

She bit a rice cake into a small piece and then, chomped its chewy texture.

Mr. Lee couldn't help but give his daughter a peek. Her muttering eating pattern had never changed in twenty-seven years. "Why didn't you tell me you're looking for a job?" he said, ignoring his thoughts about her habits.

Jiah paused in her chewing, staring at her father. She asked, "how do you know I'm looking for a job?"

"I guess you slipped your tongue this morning."

Jiah blinked several times, attempting to recall. Reflecting on what happened that morning, she did not hesitate to respond. "Because I know you'll stop me," she said as she quickly chewed the piece in her mouth, and swallowed.

"Hmm. That's true."

Jiah glared, her lips pressed together in a narrow line. She whispered, "Good that you know how you are then."