CHAPTER 7
1477 Words
CHAPTER 7
“What’s taking them so long?” Sun sat on the side of her new bed in the Round Robin Inn, swinging her legs back and forth over the side. Mee-Kyong lay down, thankful for the chance to finally recline. Everything below her waist felt like old, shredded meat. The fat man had posted two of his guards outside the bedroom door. She still had her knife, but she was too tired to even think about escape. She wasn’t foolish enough to hope her new owner would spare her since she had just delivered a child, and she wanted to rest before she had to worry about what the remainder of the night held. Unfortunately, Sun didn’t seem to share Mee-Kyong’s desire for sleep. “They’ve been in there forever,” the child complained.
“They’re just discussing payment. The usual. It can take hours and half a dozen glasses of soju before they come to any sort of agreement.”
“I hope Mr. Lee won’t send me away.”
Mee-Kyong couldn’t keep from chortling when Sun turned to her with wide, hopeful eyes. “You don’t have anything to worry about there, little cousin. You’re just the kind of worker he wants.”
“And Min-Ho said he could probably get you a job here, too.”
Mee-Kyong kneaded her bruised abdomen, welcoming the pain. She let out a dark laugh. “I’ve done this kind of work before. Well, close to it, anyway.”
“Really?” Sun scooted over closer to Mee-Kyong. “Did you like it?”
Mee-Kyong stared up at the dark brown stains on the ceiling. “Money is money, right?”
“Oh, I’m not here to make money for myself. It’s all to take back to my family when I’m done.”
“Yeah, about that ...” Mee-Kyong wondered just how much she should divulge. She could tell the girl everything, but what would be the point? The child would start working at the inn whether she was prepared for it or not. Maybe it was more merciful to let the poor soul savor her last minutes of youth with a little gaiety and optimism.
Sun twirled her hair around with a finger. “About what?”
“Never mind.”
“No, you were going to tell me something. Something about going home.”
Mee-Kyong sighed. “I just wanted to warn you it might take a little bit longer than you thought before you get paid. That’s all.”
“How long?” Sun leaned in so close her dark hair fell forward and brushed down against Mee-Kyong’s arm.
“Oh, you know. These men, they talk. And it takes a while for them to agree. Don’t worry about it too much. Just get some rest, and when they’ve figured out the details, I’m sure they’ll come and let us know.”
It only took a few more minutes before Sun dropped into the innocent sleep of the unsuspecting. Mee-Kyong fingered her knife and decided it was a good thing she was too exhausted to sit up, or she might have been tempted to let the poor child die happy right then.
***
That night, Min-Ho dined in the restaurant across the street from the Round Robin. Mr. Lee had haggled like the finest but eventually agreed to Min-Ho’s asking price and paid him up front in cash. Min-Ho scratched one of his infected pimples and savored his first bite of steak. He would probably always remember the little beauty in the red dress, wondering sometimes what it would have been like to keep her for himself. But the thick pile of bills in his pocket was enough to keep his mind from vain sentimentality.
The other woman, the bleeding one from Onsong, brought him in only a fraction of Sun’s price. She was older, much less feminine, and obviously more experienced, but she was no longer his concern. Half an hour later, Min-Ho was so full from his steak he couldn’t even take another sip of soju. After he paid his bill, he checked one more time to make sure he still had the money and then walked out of the restaurant, ready to enjoy the pleasures of the Yanji nightlife for himself.
He deserved that much at least.
***
“Take me to the man in charge. The fat one.” Mee-Kyong looked the guard square in the eyes.
He grunted. “Mr. Lee will summon you when he pleases.”
She lowered her voice. “You don’t want a hysterical woman on your hands. Trust me. There’s no telling what damage I could do to that little hotel room you’ve got us locked up in.”
The guard’s expression didn’t change. “Like I said, when the boss ...”
At that moment the door at the end of the hallway opened. Mee-Kyong saw a set of stairs behind the fat proprietor, who waddled into the hallway panting from exertion. He furrowed his brow and glared at her. “What are you doing out of your room?”
“It’s about the girl. I need to talk to you.”
The security guard shifted his weight. “I’m sorry, Mr. Lee. She just came out a few seconds ago.”
Mr. Lee ignored him. “Say what you want to say and don’t waste my time again. Quick.”
“The girl I came with isn’t ready to start work right away. She needs a few days to rest.” Mee-Kyong’s leg muscles were about as solid as cooked noodles, but she managed not to buckle over as she faced him.
Mr. Lee eyed her pants. “You’re in no position to bargain with anyone right now.”
She lowered her voice. “I don’t want you to start Sun. Not tonight. She needs time to adjust.”
“Adjust?” Mr. Lee spat out the word like it was the punchline of a joke. Mee-Kyong wiped drops of his saliva off her cheek. He put his hands on his expansive hips. “Whether she’s adjusted or not, she’s got a job to do here. There’s no choice in the matter.”
She locked her knees so her legs wouldn’t collapse. She wasn’t frightened, just so weak that she could hardly stand. She couldn’t let Mr. Lee know it, however. He had to think she was strong. He had to think she was ready. “I can teach her.” The laugh she expected never came. Emboldened, she continued. “I can prepare her for what’s going to happen. I can tell her what she should do.”
Mr. Lee stroked one of his chins. “You could do that in ten minutes. Besides, I already have a customer in mind for her.”
She recalled the child’s hopeful eyes. “Yes, but if you give her another week, you would have more time to find a higher payer. Maybe even start a bidding war.”
Mr. Lee furrowed his brow. “What do you know about it?”
She matched his stoic expression, clenching her teeth so they wouldn’t chatter. “I spent eighteen years in the gulag. I didn’t feed myself by hunting roaches that whole time.”
“And you’d be willing to work double while the girl’s in training? To make up for her lost time?” Mr. Lee scratched at his largest belly roll.
“I wouldn’t have brought the idea up if I wasn’t prepared to do just that.”
Mr. Lee eyed her pants. “You think you’re capable?”
“It’s no worse than what I endured in prison camp, is it?” Mee-Kyong clenched her jaw and fought against her dizziness.
One corner of Mr. Lee’s lip curved upward. “I’m sure I wouldn’t know.”
Hours later, Mee-Kyong limped into Sun’s hotel room, hoping the young girl was finally asleep. “I was wondering where you were!” At the child’s birdlike voice, Mee-Kyong sighed wearily and tried not to wince as she shuffled over to Sun’s bed. “I went to have a chat with Mr. Lee.” Mr. Lee agreed to delay Sun’s introduction but didn’t waste any time putting Mee-Kyong to work.
Sun tugged at the bangs that fell over her eyes and leaned toward Mee-Kyong. “So when do we start our new jobs?”
Mee-Kyong’s body swayed slightly from exhaustion as she sat down on Sun’s bed. “Mr. Lee said he wants you to wait a few more days.”
“Why not sooner?”
Mee-Kyong licked her upper lip. She still wasn’t sure what to tell Sun, or how postponing her introduction would benefit the child in the end. When her training period ran its course, she would still fall victim to the same fate as all the other girls at the Round Robin. What did it matter if her introduction came now or later? “It’s all about the money,” Mee-Kyong bluffed. Maybe by the end of the week she’d have a plan to get them both out. “I warned you. These things take time.”
“So we’ll both just stay here and wait?”
Mee-Kyong took a deep breath. “Actually, I’ll be in and out. Sometimes I’ll be next door. It’s just one of Mr. Lee’s preferences. He thinks we need some time alone, I guess.”
“So what now? What do we do while we wait to start working?”
Mee-Kyong curled up on the bed in Sun’s room. It would be at least several hours before Mr. Lee needed her services again next door. “For now, we rest.” She situated her head on the pillow and covered up with the blanket.
- Writer
