****

“I'm at the hotel now... I'll sleep soon.”  

“Jet lag?”  

“Still...”  

Just hearing that dying voice, one could tell. It was morning over there, but in Korea, it was night. Even if she slept on the plane, she couldn't have slept well...  

“...Sleep, you must be tired.”  

“Mm... Good night, Yoo-jin.”  

“You too.”  

As if not satisfied with the short call, Yoo-jin looked at the blinking screen for a while, then put the phone down. She wanted to say sorry, but she felt her sincerity couldn't be delivered over the phone. She wanted to meet eyes and apologize with all her heart. And she didn't want to upset the heart of someone working far away for nothing.

Last night, Yoo-jin didn't hear Jae-hee's good night, but she slept like a log. Just like Aksoon said, she poured in a load of bath salts and soaked, and her body felt heavy. Then she lay on the bed and replayed Aksoon's voice about 42 times, then sleep came. Really, the effect of "Seon Jae-hee's gift" was amazing.  

Getting up from bed, Yoo-jin went to the safe with special security. The master bedroom had a safe designed for the rich who lived in a penthouse worth tens of billions. Normally, it would hold huge sums of government bonds, dollars, gold bars, or jewels, but Yoo-jin's safe had only one thing inside. With a solemn face, Yoo-jin scanned her iris, and the safe door clicked open.

The key inside, sitting alone, wasn't decorated with diamonds, and it wasn't made of gold. It was just a plain key made of iron. Among the keys hanging by the front door, it was the one that opened the study, an iron key. With a serious face, Yoo-jin picked it up, closed the safe, and left the bedroom. Then she opened the fragrant study, full of Jae-hee's scent, with the "precious key."  

Inside were shopping bags, each labeled with dates for the upcoming ten days. Yoo-jin picked up today's bag, held it close to her chest, left the study, and locked the door.

There was no one around, but somehow, it was as if Yoo-jin was working late, and Jae-yeon also came home late. Yoo-jin glanced around quickly, then slipped into the master bedroom. With eyes full of excitement, she opened the shopping bag. Inside was a lion doll. Cute, but with a slightly fierce look. Yoo-jin pulled it out first and took a deep breath. After finishing a deep breath, she pressed hard on the lion's belly.  

"The most beautiful Beauty in this world, there's a melody I want to give you. Play this music box. Sleep will come gently. I hope you have sweet dreams."  

"Pfft."  

What kind of Shakespeare talk was that? Maybe she wanted to act like a beast, and she tried to make her voice rough, but since it was Jae-hee with her clear voice, the act turned clumsy. Yet that clumsy act was more charming than perfect, so Yoo-jin laughed happily. Then she looked at the bottom of the shopping bag. Picking up a small box, Yoo-jin carefully shook it. It was light. What kind of melody was it supposed to play?

She let out a light gasp, when she opened the craft box. Inside the wooden box with a fine texture sat a golden movement, shining bright. On the surface, in gold letters, was written "Beauty and the Beast," the title of the OST from the movie "Beauty and the Beast". Yoo-jin slipped and dropped the craft box, but she didn't care and kept looking at the music box.  

Yoo-jin turned it counterclockwise four times, wound it slowly as she read the small letters. A beautiful tune flowed from the little music box. It felt full of pure love, like watching a fairy tale. It was the kind of melody that might play at the epilogue, when a beast with a bad temper and ugly nature meets a kind and lovely beauty and lives happily ever after.  

"...How are you the Beast, Seon Jae-hee?"  

A person with a twisted heart like me is the Beast. A person as pure as you, as beautiful as you, how could you be the Beast? The words and actions of her father that had left a trauma grew faint. Jae-hee never said empty words about erasing wounds that could never be erased. She gave love so deep that the wounds blurred on their own.  

"...I'll sleep well again tonight."

****

The meeting dragged on without end. Since it was a launch project that Howon International, a subsidiary of Howon Department Store, put great effort into, and the group itself was also paying attention, there were countless things to check. Maybe it was only natural for it to go long. By the time the eyes of the managerial staff started to freeze like fish, Yoo-jin, the one in charge, raised her hand.  

“Let's take a break. Go have lunch, and come back in an hour and a half.”  

Watching the staff cheer inside, Yoo-jin got up from her seat first. Secretary Choi opened the door, and Yoo-jin passed through calmly. Entering her office, Yoo-jin sighed and sank into the soft chair.  

“Secretary Choi, go eat lunch too.”  

“Yes, understood.”

Yoo-jin sank into the chair back and closed her eyes. Things she had to do floated around in her head in a mess. She told her staff to go eat, but she herself didn’t. Part of it was no appetite, and strangely, ever since Jae-hee left, nothing went down well no matter what she ate. In truth, maybe this was just going back to “normal.”  

Before going to America, Yoo-jin barely managed one meal a day. After studying abroad, after meeting Jae-hee and friends, she started eating three meals a day. Jae-hee used to say Koreans live on rice and made sure she ate, while Yoo-jin was careless with her own meals. Thinking of Jae-hee, who looked after her instead, Yoo-jin remembered the way Jae-hee smiled with the happiest smile in the world when she saw her gaining a little weight. Yoo-jin let out a short laugh. She thought she should buy a sandwich and eat it. Just as she opened her eyes and was about to stand, Secretary Choi knocked.  

“Boss, may I come in?”  

“Yes, come in.”  

Ever since the little incident with Jae-hee and Yoo-jin, Secretary Choi always knocked, and at first it embarrassed Yoo-jin, but now she was used to it. She looked up to see Secretary Choi, strangely smiling with a bright grin.  

“Here.”  

“...What is it?”  

“A lunch box.”

The neat beige envelope Yoo-jin took had the simple logo of a famous lunchbox shop near the company. She remembered going there once with Jae-hee. Because Jae-hee praised the food as delicious, she ate it all clean. Well, it really was good.  

“Thanks for buying this... What about your lunch, since it’s late?”  

“No, I didn’t buy it.”  

“Then?”  

When Yoo-jin tilted her head and looked at Secretary Choi, she couldn’t hide her smile and said,  

“Madam prepared it. She worried you would skip a meal.”  

“...Her?”  

“In fact, she called a few days ago, asking about your schedule during her business trip. I told her yesterday you had a dinner outing, and after that, no meal plans. Looks like she ordered this for today. The timing was perfect, the delivery came right on time.”  

“...Ah.”

Seeing Yoo-jin’s wavering eyes, Secretary Choi smiled as if amused.  

“How did she know you’d skip a meal and send this... Your marriage is really something.”  

“...I really did well marrying, don’t you think so too, Secretary Choi?”  

Seeing the rare smile, Secretary Choi gave a big nod. After telling her secretary to go eat, Yoo-jin opened the paper bag. Inside were a lunchbox, a letter, and a shop brochure. With a face full of color, she took them out.  

Through the clear plastic container, she could see marinated eel, beef, matsutake mushrooms, and various side dishes. The brochure detailed how top-quality ingredients were handled and cooked with care by a hotel-trained chef. Yoo-jin picked up the letter Jae-hee wrote. She tore open the tightly sealed envelope, and two small cards came out. Yoo-jin picked up the one that fit in her hand first.

[Don’t skip meals, eat at least a little. If you don’t eat, you won’t have strength.  

Understand? I ordered lunch and dinner lunchboxes until I come back, so make sure to eat.  

You’ve been reading “Camellia” these days, right? I hope you’ll use this as a bookmark. Have a good day today too.]  

“...A bookmark.”  

Thinking of the Han Yong-un poem Jae-hee left stuck in “A Lucky Day”, Yoo-jin looked at the other folded card. Her heart raced. Jae-hee’s gifts always made her feel an unknown thrill. With trembling hands, Yoo-jin picked up the card. What kind of poem would move her heart today?  

[To you, whom I so dearly loved,  

All my life, I cannot bear to forget you.  

Though I know this love will never be mine,

Still, I shall think of you alone, unchanging.  

So then, may you be forever lovely.  

- Yi Sang, “A Poem Like This”]

p.s. Unlike Yi Sang, I want to believe that one day it'll be my turn for you to come to me. Is it okay if I do?

Yoo-jin quietly put down the card. Then she put the paper bag on the desk and took out wooden chopsticks. She split them in half, then opened the plastic lid. The faint smell of freshly grilled seasoned eel filled Yoo-jin's office.  

Drop, drop, tears fell onto the rice. Yoo-jin stuffed rice into her mouth by force. If not, she felt she'd let out a sob. An emotion she couldn't describe surged inside. She must not cry, later she still had to join the meeting again.  

It's too delicious, that's why tears are falling. Yes, that's it. Yoo-jin thought so while eating the lunch box.  

Yoo-jin, who always ate small portions, finished the meal without leaving a single grain of rice for the first time since Jae-hee left.

****

For nine days, Yoo-jin could sleep well thanks to the gifts Jae-hee left behind. Some might laugh and call them childish and gaudy, but Yoo-jin liked Jae-hee's pure and gaudy side more than enough.  

"Hi, Yoo-jin, I'm Pengdori*. This is the New Age music I'm playing these days! I heard you like it. Listen to this and sleep well! Good night!"  

*cutesy nickname for Penguin 

On the day Pengdori was there, a New Age music CD that Yoo-jin often listened to before bed.

"Oink oink, Yoo-jin, I'm Kkulkkuli*. Oink oink, if you drink lavender tea, it has a calming effect and you can sleep well. Drink it tasty and snore sleep tight oink!"  

*cutesy nickname for Pig - Kkulkkul is Korean pig sound ‘oink oink’

On the day Kkulkkuli was there, a box of lavender tea bags that helps with sleep.

"Woof woof! Arf arf! I'm Peopi*! I'm a smart dog that loves books. You like reading before bed, right? I'll give you a book called “Spring Spring” from a kind adult. Enjoy and sleep well!"  

On the day Peopi was there, a novel called “Spring Spring”.

*Puppy

"Squeak, I'm Hamjji!* Squeak squeak, Jae-hee likes a movie called [Pride and Prejudice] the most. It's in this USB, and after watching it your heart will get warm and you'll get sleepy. Squeak squeak. Sleep well, Yoo-jin!"  

*Hamster 

On the day Hamjji was there, a USB with the movie [Pride and Prejudice].

"Uwaaah! I'm Gomdori! I'm an emotional bear who loves poems. If you write pretty poems and give them to someone precious, that person will be very very happy. How about trying it? Hehe. Dream pretty dreams like pretty poems, Yoo-jin."  

On the day Gomdori was there, a poetry book and calligraphy paper and pen.

"Muaaaang— I'm Hipo Hipo. They say when you hear your aunt's flute playing, you open your mouth wide like me and yaawn—. Watch this and sleep well. Yoo-jin, don't snore. Muahaha— good night!"

On the day Hipo Hipo was there, a USB with a video collection of Park Hyun-hee, Jae-hee’s top pick and Yoo-jin’s aunt, the flutist, was inside.  

“Prrr, I’m Malsuni. Jae-hee says if she watches only nature documentaries, she snores and falls asleep. There are lots of horse friends like me! Watch and sleep well!”  

On the day Malsuni was there, a National Geographic nature documentary DVD was inside.  

“Hoohoo, I’m Tosuni*. Today Jae-hee prepared a really amazing gift. Hoohoo, you can be excited! If you listen to this, you’ll feel good and fall asleep smiling! Sleep well!”  

*nickname for Rabbit 

On the day Tosuni was there, an old iPod with a self-recorded ASMR recording was inside. ASMR was a gift beyond imagination. Yoo-jin hurriedly put in the earphones, and really, an awkward but cute voice flowed out.

“...Jae-hee’s... A... S... M... R...”  

After hearing Jae-hee’s voice trying awkwardly to imitate a YouTuber, Yoo-jin decided to work on herself, as if repaying Jae-hee’s overwhelming love.  

“Hello.”  

“...Uh, Oppa, it’s me.”  

“What’s the matter? You.”  

“I need a favor.”  

Jae-joon, rarely hearing his younger cousin ask for something, listened closely. An amazing request came through the phone.  

“...Really? You’re serious?”  

“Mm, I’ve made up my mind.”  

“Alright, I understand. I’ll look into it and call back.”  

“Thank you Oppa.”  

Yoo-jin’s short but strong words of thanks, rare for her, made Jae-joon stare at the ended call screen.  

“...Huh, seriously. And she says it’s not love? Anyone can see… you’ll die without her.”  

Then Jae-joon started humming a happy tune, ready to grant Yoo-jin’s request.

****