Chapter 3 Getting to know him.

He stood up and bowed. I returned the greeting, another of Dad's teachings, to show respect and cordiality towards elders. He made a point of maintaining tradition, respect for elders, and the correct honorifics to address people.

"You speak Korean very well, miss. Kang, Ye-Jun, at your service."

"Thanks. I've been learning it since I was a child, from my father. But how can I assist you?"

"Could we talk in a restaurant? I was hungry, and I saw that there was a restaurant next door that smelled good. The menu looks very appetizing."

"Is it urgent? I will be very honest with you. I spent thirty-six hours in a hospital. Furthermore, I'm a doctor, and I was on duty. Furthermore, I am tired. I'll be off tomorrow, we can have breakfast. Wherever I lean now, I will sleep, no matter how serious the conversation. I know you've been waiting for me for a long time, but..."

"No problem, Miss Kang. What time can we have breakfast and where?"

"In the same restaurant you mentioned. At eight in the morning, maybe, or if you want earlier, no problem, I'm used to waking up early, that's how a doctor's life is."

"I'll be waiting, ma'am, at eight. Have a good night's sleep and rest well."

I bowed and said goodbye. At the counter, I picked up my bag and watched as the gentleman came out with his cell phone to his ear.

"What happened, Mr. José? Are you crying?"

"I remembered your father when I saw you bowing. I thought it was beautiful when he came to get the newspaper in the morning and said good morning to me like that. I miss him so much. He was such a good man, soft-hearted, cheerful, and always cordial. It is very, very missed."

"Me too. I hadn't used it in years, I was afraid of making a mistake. Dad, at home, said good morning to me like this, before kissing my cheek and tickling me, of course. This could never be missing."

"I already told you, Miss Júlia, you are the most Brazilian of Koreans and the most Korean of Brazilians."

"As? If I don't even know my father's country? I just inherited slanted eyes." I replied, smiling. "I only know where he came from, but the story behind his coming to Brazil, nothing. I mean, he came after the beautiful brunette."

"Did you find out who the man in the black suit is and what he wants from you?"

"Not yet. I booked breakfast at the restaurant next door. This way I will be close to home and you. It will be my protection."

"I can always count on me. Anything, I'll call the police right away."

"I doubt that will be necessary. Good night, the night will be short for the sleep I'm in."

"Sleep well, girl, good night."

***********

He stood up and respectfully bowed. I returned the greeting, another of Dad's teachings, to show respect and cordiality towards elders. He made a point of maintaining tradition, respect for elders, and the correct honorifics to address people.

"You speak Korean very well, miss. Kang, Ye-Jun, at your service."

"Thanks. I've been learning it since I was a child, from my father. But how can I assist you?"

"Could we talk in a restaurant? I was feeling peckish, and I saw that there was a restaurant next door that smelled good. The menu looks very appetizing."

"Is it urgent? I will be very honest with you. I spent thirty-six hours in a hospital. Furthermore, I'm a doctor, and I was on duty. In addition, I am tired. I'll be free tomorrow, we can have breakfast. Wherever I lean now, I will sleep, no matter how serious the conversation. I know you've been waiting for me for a long time, but..."

"No problem, Miss Kang. What time can we have breakfast and where?"

"In the same restaurant you mentioned. At eight in the morning, maybe, or if you want earlier, no problem, I'm used to waking up early, that's how a doctor's life is."

"I'll be waiting, ma'am, at eight. Have a good night's sleep and rest well."

I respectfully bowed and said goodbye. At the counter, I picked up my bag and watched as the gentleman came out with his cell phone to his ear.

"What happened, Mr. José? Are you crying?"

"I remembered your father when I saw you bowing. I thought it was beautiful when he came to get the newspaper in the morning and said good morning to me like that. I miss him so much. He was such a good man, soft-hearted, cheerful, and always cordial. It is very, very missed."

"Me too. I hadn't used it in years, I was afraid of making a mistake. Dad, at home, said good morning to me like this, before kissing my cheek and tickling me, of course. This could never be missing."

"I already told you, Miss Júlia, you are the most Brazilian of Koreans and the most Korean of Brazilians."

"As? If I don't even know my father's country? I just inherited slanted eyes." I replied, smiling. "I only know where he came from, but the story behind his coming to Brazil, nothing. I mean, he came after the beautiful brunette."

"Did you find out who the man in the black suit is and what he wants from you?"

"Not yet. I booked breakfast at the restaurant next door. This way I will be close to home and you. It will be my protection."

"I can always count on me. Anything, I'll call the police right away."

"I doubt that will be necessary. Good night, the night will be short for the sleep I'm in."

"Sleep well, girl, good night."

***********

Here is the continuation of the translation:

As I ate the leftovers from the day before in the fridge-reheated shredded chicken with rice-I thought about the face of the man in the suit. He looked like my father. I looked at the photo of him smiling, placed on the living room sideboard, but I was confused, that man was very tall, and my father was short, among other differences. The tiredness of work left me weary. At that moment, a mental click echoed in my mind as it occurred to me that he had also introduced himself with the same surname that I carried. A tremor of surprise ran through my body as I processed this discovery. I shook my head slightly, trying to clear away the torrent of frantic thoughts that threatened to overwhelm me. Feeling the need for a brief break, I decided to go to the bathroom to take a shower, looking for a moment of tranquility.

After the restorative shower, I went straight to the bedroom. Despite being apprehensive, I fell asleep immediately because my body was exhausted.

********

Early in the morning, I woke up feeling anxious. I felt strange and insecure about the encounter I was going to have with the man in the suit. I preferred not to be the first one to arrive, so I packed some things at home. Furthermore, I took a long shower and washed my long hair until it was time. I passed through the entrance and, after saying a smiling good morning to José, I signaled that I was going to the restaurant.

I entered the establishment, which was empty at that moment. Everyone had already had breakfast and gone to work. Mr. Kang, Ye-Jun, was already waiting for me, sitting at the corner table. He was once again wearing a black suit and adopting an extremely formal demeanor, which made me even more apprehensive. It was very hot as it was the first day of summer, which didn't help improve the atmosphere.

"Good day, sir. Aren't you feeling hot? We are in the middle of Rio's summer. And here, in this city, it's normal for the temperature to reach forty degrees at this time of year. With that suit, you'll endure," I said.

He stood up and formally greeted me.

"Despite the heat, I'm working. I still can't afford to wear shorts and a shirt. If you don't mind, I've already ordered a full breakfast," he replied.

"I prefer my bread with butter and coffee with milk, but today I'll go with it," I replied, smiling.

"Do you work today? Maybe the conversation will take a little longer," he asked.

"It would be my day off, but they already informed me about the surgery, which will be inevitable. I notified the hospital that I would only go in the afternoon. Don't worry. I just can't waste the afternoon because, in addition to this surgical procedure, I also have some patients from yesterday's surgeries that I need to see."

Rice, egg soup, and Kimchi were brought to the table. The man in black, like a good Korean gentleman, served me first. This gesture and even the way he picked up the spoon reminded me once again of my father, deepening the sense of longing. I tried to hide a tear, and the gentleman, without saying a word, simply handed me a napkin.

As soon as we finished eating, he took some documents out of a folder and placed them on the table.

"I will pronounce your Brazilian name, miss. Sorry if I get it wrong. 'Xúlia,' right?" he said.

I smiled. "More or less. The pronunciation will be difficult for you. I have a Korean name that Dad insisted on giving me, Min-Ji."

"Nice choice, typical of Kang, Don-Yun. At least, that's what I remember."

"Did you know my father? He came to Brazil at the age of eighteen and never returned to his home country. You look much younger than him, despite introducing yourself yesterday with the same surname."

Breathing heavily, like a sigh of longing, I sensed that there would be an important revelation behind that conversation.

"Min-ji, I'm your father's brother, Don-Yun. I'm speaking without my last name, which is correct, but we're from the same family, Kang. All his life, our father searched for him all over the world. He hired private detectives everywhere, but they could never find him. After a long time, we discovered that he changed his name to a Brazilian one. Only now have we learned about the accident that killed him, along with his mother. I came in the name of the family patriarch, his grandfather. He wants to meet his only granddaughter and pass on the inheritance of his first son to you. Furthermore..."

"Wait, what are we talking about again? Is this some kind of joke? Have you talked to my two crazy friends who love fairy tales, old wives' tales, etc.? He can talk! It's a joke because I didn't go out with them yesterday, right?" I started laughing non-stop.

I lost a bit of control at that moment because if this was a bad joke from those two, they would pay dearly.