Love is stupid

ONE

JAN DI

I ran home happily.

It was the best day of my life.

I got a job at DCOM!

'am not useless afterall' I was saying to myself.'no,I think am useless and also very stupid.'

Stupidity made me lose eight jobs within six months,can you imagine?

I was running at my highest speed,I needed to tell Appa and eomma(mum and dad).

Boom!

My leg kicked on something and I fell down flat.

I raised my face and tomatoes were all over my body.

'I poured someone's tomatoes,am dead today.'

At that point,I wondered how I forgot that the place was always busy and why didn't I look?

Why am I filled with bad luck?

People that were around started talking and laughing.

"Hahaha the girl poured Mrs choi's tomatoes."

"Is she blind? Mrs choi will kill her today."

I was about to stand up when a fat woman suddenly came and dragged my ear till I stood up.

Everyone that was around the shop was laughing,and I didn't even know when I started laughing as well.

They were laughing at me,but I was laughing at the woman.

She was very fat,like very round.

"You are laughing?" She bumped my head with her fat hand and I didn't need anyone to tell me to stop laughing immediately.

"Bia né(sorry)." I said and bowed my head. "I just remembered a joke that my father said yesterday. About your tomatoes,I......" I scratched my short black hair. I didn't even know what to say,what would I even say,I didn't have a single Won on me.

"Give me eighty Won right now!" She screamed and dragged my pink cotton sweatshirt.

What! Eighty what!

I scratched my hair again,"oh! That is a very small money. See that shop here." I pointed my finger in space. Everyone turned to look,the woman left me while trying to figure out the shop I was talking about.

Many shops were lined in the street.

"Which shop?" She asked,she was seriously straining her eyes to find out the shop I was talking about.

"Ah! This shop. This one,look very well." I moved away from her a bit. "Just look very well." I picked two tomatoes from the floor and ran away.

"Get her!" I heard the woman shout.

I ran faster.

I turned and saw three men chasing me.

"Jan di the whippet!" I screamed and put one tomato into my mouth.

I ran without looking back till I got home.

I turned and there was no sign of them.

They don't know that am a great runner.

"Jan di..the..." I couldn't complete my statement,I was panting. I chewed on the remaining tomato.

So sweet!

"Maybe my new hobby would be pushing down tomatoes."

I opened the door to our house,closed it and fell down immediately.

I needed a cup of juice,my running wouldn't be in vain.

"It has happened again." I heard my Dad say.

"Eight jobs gone within six months and now she looks beaten,look at her clothe. I said it that she took after you in bad luck." Mom said.

My eyes were still shut.

"I was a lucky man before I met you,you are bad luck itself."

"Me? You call that miserable shop luck? Many rich men wanted to marry me."

"Don't decieve yourself,you are ugly."

"What!" My mother gasped.

My stupidity really came fromy parents,their daughter is lying down,let's say unconscious,and they were busy arguing about luck.

"Appa! Eomma!" I screamed and stood up. They shut up and faced me. "I got a job at DCOM."

"What!" They both screamed,looked at themselves,at me and then back at themselves.

They screamed and hugged each other.

Just imagine? Two people that were fighting just seconds ago.

"She took after me in good luck." Mom said.

What!

"No,you said it earlier,she took after me."

"I was drunk then."

"Can't someone get a nice sleep in this house?" We heard and turned.

It was Min ah,my elder sister.

She slumped on the couch,picked the remote and switched on the tv.

"Dcom! Dcom! Dcom!" She said excitedly and we all rushed and squeezed ourselves into the cushion.

It was a Dcom commercial.

"The Dcom shopping mall that opened a month ago have decided that anyone who wants to shop there must have an ID to stop the much crowd that is coming there. Therefore, purchase an ID for one thousand Won now." They were saying while the picture of the mall was being shown.

"One thousand Won? that's unfair! Now commoners like us can't even go there,talk more of buying anything." Mom said.

"Wow! My daughter is so lucky to have gotten a job there." My Dad said and hugged me.

"Where?" Min ah asked.

"Dcom!" We chorused and laughed.

She frowned,"what! Impossible! How would an empty brain like her get a job there?"

I smacked her back playfully and brought out my ID. I waved it Infront of her and laughed.

"Whatever! She will still lose the job within a week." She scoffed and mom spanked her head.

"Ah! Eomma!"

"Don't wish your sister bad luck!"

"She is bad luck already."

"Shut up!" Dad pressed her lips together,she struggled to break out of their grip and then ran out. They chased after her.

I knew she wouldn't be happy for me.

Min ah is my elder sister and we were very close till the night of her high school graduation day.

I didn't know what happened,and we never even quarreled but she just developed hatred for me.

We even celebrated in the afternoon and was so happy till the night.

She went to somewhere,came back and started giving me cold shoulder,and it got worse by the day.

That night was still a puzzle that I swore to unravel.

Hmmmmm.

I heard my phone ring and I searched for it.

Oh! It was in my bra. I brought it out.

Ji won!

I smiled,he is my best friend that helped me get the job.

"Jan di,where are you?"

"At home,any...."

"Ah! You are supposed to start work immediately,and they are about to take someone else."

"But...."

"Come here immediately." He disconnected the call.

Why am I so stupid? Min ah would laugh at me if I lose this job.

No! I can't lose this wonderful job.

I ran out of the house,and was still running when I saw those three men.....

TWO

I hid at a nearby wall immediately so they won't see me.

These men are really stupid,so they have been waiting for me to show up. Am sure that the woman didn't even pay them to do this.

I stayed there till they left.

Thank God!

I was about to take a different route when a free bus came by.

Wow! Am I dreaming?

'this is the biggest luck I've had ever since I was born.'

So the god of luck finally remembered me. I smiled and rushed to enter but it zoomed off immediately.

Who am I kidding? There was nothing like luck in my life.

I ran till I got to Dcom.

They were about five securities at the gate,and they looked at me like I was a lunatic.

"What are you doing here,and why are you so dirty?"

It was even then that I realized that the tomato splash was still on my dress. I gave an awkward 'pretending like everything was okay' laugh and dusted my cloth. It was really bad

"Uhhm..am sorry about the dirt but I work here."

They looked at me and started laughing.

It was so embarrassing,I was dirty and I forgot to change because I was rushing.

Another security man came and they stopped laughing immediately. With the way he looked,I guessed he was their boss.

I bowed to him. "Sir,I work here but they won't let me in."

"You work here?"

I nodded.

He looked at me and shook his head pitifully.

'what a nice man,he is having pity on me,not like these mean guards.'

"Maybe she is insane,throw her out." He said and left.

Me? Insane? Throw me out?

At this point,i needed to call Ji won. Oh no! I forgot my phone at the cushion.

Two security guards held my hand and started pushing me out.

I struggled with them,I couldn't afford to lose the job.

***WRITER***

Ji won was really worried.

'What is delaying Jan di? Why is she not here yet?'

"Ah! I really have a crazy female bestie. How can she leave for her house while on duty. I guess she didn't even listen when the director was telling her about the terms of the work. And I also repeated it for her." He said to himself.

He called her again,that would be the tenth time and she still wasn't picking up.

The manager came inside the office and he quickly slid his phone inside his apron pocket and concentrated on his work.

He was moping the office. Ji won wasn't really a cleaner but he had to cover up for Jan di.

His work was to arrange stuffs at the mall but he used his cute guy benefit to make a girl agree to take care of his own unit.

"The girl is not here yet?" The manager asked in his thick voice.

"Yes sir,her father is sick but she is coming." I lied.

"I don't care if her whole family are sick. Am only allowing you because you said you have finished your own work."

"Thank you sir."

Wicked man! Ji won swore inwardly.

The manager sat down and Ji won did the work hurriedly. He couldn't concentrate.

Is Jan di alright? She wasn't one that delay when there is a serious issue at stake.

He opened the door and was about to leave when the manager said "Make sure you finish every of her work,and let her be present before thirty minutes."

"Okay sir." He bowed and left.

The man was really a known wicked man,always trying to remind everyone that he was superior and always sacking people whenever he detects a slight mistake.

Ji won called Jan di again but she wasn't picking up.

What is wrong?

He needed to do something.

Luckily,a female worker came by. "Hi Ji won."

He wondered how she knew his name,but shrugged it off when he remembered how popular he was among the girls.

Am Idea came to his head,he smiled at her and she blushed.

Charmed already.

"My hand is hurting,can you please help me mop the corridor?" He said touching his arm and feigning pain.

"Go and take care of it, anything for you dear." She said and touched his hair.

Ji won smiled and rushed out.

JAN DI

One held me and I kicked him,the other dragged my hand and I bit him. He screamed in pain.

At this point,all the five security guards were trying to drag me out.

I was ready to fight with the last strength in me because I couldn't afford to lose the job. On the first day!

"I work here!" I kept screaming and struggling.

"What is happening here?" I heard and they all left me immediately.

I exhaled and looked up.

Oh! My! God!

They all bowed at him while I stared with my mouth widely opened.

Lips pure red,his face was perfect. He was tall and the bracelet and necklace he wore were pure gold. They shone brightly.

I noticed a fleet of cars that were parked,more than ten cars.

Many guards who were in black suite lined up,and three muscular guards were behind the guy that spoke.

God am even scared!

The security guards all had their head bent.

"What is the meaning of this?" He said softly with no expression. He turned to a man that wore grey suite who was with them,"Call the management and get these guards replaced."

I gasped.

What!

His guards opened the door and he entered one of the cars.

The gate was opened and while the cars was entering,I snuck in and ran inside,I was running when I saw Ji won.

He dragged my hand and took me to a large room.

"Jan di! Do you want to give me a heart attack!" He yelled.

I was busy staring at him. He looked extra handsome today.

"Fine! I forgive you, can you stop drooling?"

"Me? Never! Why would I drool?"

He covered my mouth.

"Talkative, admit it." He said and ruffled my already scattered hair.

"Wait! Jan di why are you like a mad woman?"

"You see me in my mad state every hour and you are still asking." I punched his chest and he started chasing me around the room.

********************************

I just had to drop the bucket and mop and then rush home.

I would have loved to walk around the mall,but that would be tomorrow,if min ho got home before me,then my phone would be gone.

Min ho is my stubborn but smart little brother,and also the last born.

Ji won had already left,he had finished long ago,and said that he needed to see his mother at the hospital.

She was a nurse.

I would definitely call him immediately I get back.

I whistled on my way to drop the bucket and mop,I was whistling my favorite song.

Ah! Min ho said that I can't dance to this song.

I started singing the song. "Dance princess dance princess dance." I swirled round and round,and next thing,I bumped into someone.

I opened my mouth in shock,I couldn't even speak.

What did I just do?

So many guards were still behind him and even the manager.

It was the same guy that I saw outside the gate. I bumped into him.

I bowed up to three times in a row.

"Bia né." I kept saying as I bowed.

His guards tried rushing to me but he held his finger up and they stopped.

He turned to the manager."she is putting on a uniform,is this the kind of worker you employ?"

The manager just bowed to him,he looked afraid of him too.

"Fire her."

"Ok sir." The manager said.

Sir? Fire her? Fire me?

THREE

WRITER

** Seoul, Korea**

The cartel enterprise was busy as always.

They just had their board meeting at the upper floor of the skyscraper.

The enterprise which was the headquarter of all mc cather business,had many departments that manage the affairs of different companies owned by the Cartel.

It was a very large sky scrapper that had up to twenty one floors.

The cartels owned chains of companies and had shares with many companies as well.

They had manufacturing company,real estate management company, petrol stations and even co-owned an entertainment company that deals in talent management.

Everyone departed immediately the meeting was over, leaving only Mr and Mrs Cartel;Luke and Sonya.

"I have a meeting with the managers of all our petrol stations. Many tanks are coming into the country,and I don't want Don lee to get the deals before me." Luke said to his wife.

Don lee was their rival. It was a petrol based company owned by an influential man in the country.

The CEO of Don lee had a strong connection with the president,so he often gets the best deal before Luke does. He seemed unbeatable in that sector because that was his area of focus,he only deals on petrol. But this time around,Luke decided to take that sector more seriously.

"I thought you were going to meet certain ministers before proceeding to meet the managers."

"Yes I would,but I need to pass an information to the managers before I do."

"OK." His wife said.

Sonya was putting on a creamy white suite, and her hair was packed into a bun. Her face was beautiful but she always have that 'business minded' look on her face, She rarely smiles. Her husband was like that too,so they could be called birds of the same feather.

They were both business oriented,and it took that double effort for them to get where they were now. As a matter of fact,that was the main reason why he married her.

"Am going home today but I will only stay for twenty minutes."

"What are you going to do?"

"Daniel. It's time for him to wake up,he has been sleeping a lot and it's not good for the heir of this great organization." Sonya said.

Luke lighted his cigarettes, "He is still grieving,and grief won't run our business."

"Well,he is your son too and you can do better than smoking about it."

Luke grinned and puffed out smoke, that was what he loved about his wife. She was always serious and hard.

"I have already planned it out,he will work at the company for a year to get familiar with things before proceeding to get a degree. I don't need him wasting time too."

Sonya walked away,she didn't turn neither did she say a word.

******** THE CARTEL'S MANSION****

Martha breathed in and out as she climbed the stairs.

Sonya just got back and instructed her to call Daniel.

Sonya comes home only once in a month.

Even Martha had become afraid of Daniel like the other workers,and doesn't even know when to talk to him.

Apart from his parents,she was the only one permitted to talk to him at all,and a reply wasn't guaranteed.

Martha was the oldest worker that they had. Daniel wasn't like that before,she had been with him right from when he was a child. She filled the space of his mother that was always absent. She knew that Daniel wasn't one that talked too much or to many people,but he was light hearted and listened to everyone.

But ever since Tasha died last year,he became cold. He didn't eat for a week when he heard the news. He kept crying and crying,and almost died if not that his father came back.

He feared his father so much and maybe his mother,but not like his father.

He got back on his feet after that and started doing certain activities,but he suddenly began again last month and stopped talking to people. Sacking people at any slight mistake. He just hated being around anyone.

It was even just yesterday that he stepped out of the house in a month.

Martha knocked on his door and got no response. She knocked three more times and paused for a while before opening the door.

Waiting for him to reply was one thing that would never happen. She closed the door slowly.

Daniel was sitting on his bed,but his back was turned on her. He was facing the window.

He was just putting on singlet and then a trouser.

Martha was worried,the weather was cold and Daniel always catch a cold easily.

"Your mom is back and wants to see you." She managed to say. He looked like he was focused on something that she couldn't see because he was backing her,or peharps he was just staring into space.

He stood up. "Am coming." He said in a low tune without even looking at her.

What! He replied?

He wasn't smiling but he looked a little bit cheerful. He always looked handsome no matter what.

Martha didn't even know when she shut the door and went downstairs in happiness. She haven't felt that happy in a month.

She bowed at Sonya who sat at the cushion with her legs crossed,she was drinking wine.

"He is coming." She said and Sonya nodded.

She bowed once again and left.

Sonya was suprised that he affirmed to come quickly. She thought that he would have made her come up by herself.

Within a minute,he came down and sat on another cushion without saying a word.

He had worn a hoodie over the singlet.

"You all should give us space." She said to the maids and guards that were around,and they all bowed and walked out.

She looked at her son with the wine still in her hand. "You are still not speaking." She paused,Daniel just relaxed on the cushion,he wasn't looking at her. "Well,I don't have any problem with you not speaking,the heir to cartel shouldn't be a talkative,but am speaking more on action,you need to act more."

Daniel still didn't speak.

"Did you visit your company this week?" She asked him.

Daniel took a while before answering "yes."

"Good. You know that the shopping mall was created as an experimental tool for you. Don't let us down,we want to test your abilities through that."

She sipped her wine,"I don't want you going around showing your weakness to everyone,we are not weak people. Move on."

Daniel scoffed,that was exactly all that his parents cared about. It was only about their name and nothing else.

"So tell me,how is the company going?" She asked.

Daniel felt like shrinking at that point,like dying.

"I have only a few minutes left, don't waste my time!"

Daniel exhaled. "It's all good." He just said.

Sonya dropped the wine on the glass table beside her and stood up. "The next time that am back,I don't want you to give me only that answer. I would need full details." She said and walked out.

Daniel tightened his fist in anger,he felt like evaporating out of this world.

He climbed the stairs in anger, and immediately he got to his room,he threw the glass cup he saw in anger and it shattered.

******

Immediately Sonya got inside her car,the guard shut the door and the driver drove off.

They were cars behind and before the one she was in and they were armed with securities.

She was really upset,Daniel had improved,yes,but that wasn't the improvement that she needed.

She is his mother and despite any wall around them,she knew that a lot was still off with him and that wasn't cool.

She dialed her husband's line immediately, hoping he wasn't at the meeting already. He doesn't answer any call during meeting,even if it was an emergency.

Luckily,he picked up.

"I think it's high time we introduced Nina to Daniel. He is going to marry her and I think he is now old enough to know that."