32: MixBar

                                    

                                          
Chohee crossed the busy road, barely dodging the cars z o o m i n g by. She arrived at what seemed to be a mini technology exhibition.
"Why the heck is there this here and a convenience store on the other side?" She whispered to herself.
She went up to who seemed to be an employee, "Excuse me?"
The employee turned around, all ears to what Chohee was going to ask.
"Where can I find the guy on the big poster outside?"
"Oh! Professor Qian?" The employee said in enthusiastic tone.
"Professor Qian? Uh, yeah, him."
"He's going to have a TED Talk here in Seoul, at the Neva Building." (Ok guys quick note: I know the actual 2018 TED Talk is in Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, but I'm making it Korea because that's way more convenient for the plot :D)
"Neva? Great! Thanks for your help!"
                          
That night, Chohee did some researching about TED talks and realised she had to pay $8500 to have a membership to go to see Kun.
"Ugh, I should just forget about him." Chohee went to close her laptop but Jungwoo stopped her.
"ᵂʰᵃᵗ ᵃʳᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ˡᵒᵒᵏᶦⁿᵍ ᵃᵗˀ" He asked as he peered over Chohee's shoulder.
"Oh, I wanna go to this thing at the place you work but I just can't be bothered to spend that much for 15 minutes."
"ᵂʰʸ ʷᵒᵘˡᵈ ʸᵒᵘ ʷᵃⁿᵗ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵒ ᵗᵒ ᵃ ᵀᴱᴰ ᵗᵃˡᵏˀ" Jungwoo examined how sloppy Chohee looked, "ʸᵒᵘ ᵈᵒⁿ'ᵗ ˢᵉᵉᵐ ˡᶦᵏᵉ ᵃ ᵖᵉʳˢᵒⁿ ʷʰᵒ ʷᵒᵘˡᵈ ʷᵃⁿᵗ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵒ ᵗᵒ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵗʰᶦⁿᵍ ˡᶦᵏᵉ ᵗʰᵃᵗ."
"I know, I just want to meet the guy there. I've met him before, and I want to again."
Jungwoo took a closer look at her laptop and saw a familiar building which was where the TED talk will be held.
"ᴺᵉᵛᵃˀ ᴵᵗ'ˢ ᵇᵉᶦⁿᵍ ʰᵉˡᵈ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉˀ"
"Yeah..."
"ᴵ ᵗʰᶦⁿᵏ ᴵ ᶜᵃⁿ ʰᵉˡᵖ ʸᵒᵘ ʷᶦᵗʰ ᵗʰᵃᵗ..."
                          
The next day, Chohee got an email on her laptop saying she would have a free pass to Kun's TED Talk. It was from Neva, but she obviously had to pay in some other way. The letter read as followed:
You have been given a free pass to Professor Kun's TED Talk on his job as one of the best engineers from NASA. To claim this free pass, please to go MixBar Street Lucas on Monday, 27th October, 03:00pm. No other day shall be accepted.
Enjoy the TED Talk,
                                      Neva.
                          
"MixBar?" Chohee said in question tone. "E h I don't want to meet h i m again."
                          
The next day, Chohee took a taxi to the place, stepping in the bar at 3pm sharp. She strode straight in and sat on a stool.
"Chohee?" The bartender asked.
Chohee spun around on the stool, "Lucas, don't make any fuss and just give me the pass." She said in lowkey worried tone as she held her hand out.
"You know, I was wondering why you would want to go to a TED talk, you're not into those kind of things. So I wondered. It's for the guy isn't it?"
"Lucas, we're done."
Lucas s i g h e d as he pulled an envelope out from his apron pocket. Chohee g a s p e d knowing it was the pass to the TED talk. He held it out to give it to Chohee but t h e n he pulled it back before Chohee could lay her fingers on it. "Remember us? Remember how happy we were?"
                          
<2 years ago>
Chohee was in the local library studying for a maths exam when a tall b o i who looked like a u n i s t u d e n t sat opposite her on the same table.
"You wouldn't mind if I sit here right?" The b o i asked in h a p p y t o n e.
"You look smart," Chohee said as she examined his typical university student clothes, "Can you help me with this?" Chohee slid the book across to him and he understood i m m e d i a t e l y.
"What's your name again?" Chohee asked.
"Lucas."
                          
Lucas pulled back the envelope one more time, "Do me a favour. I don't care if you disappointed me back then, but don't disappoint your mum."
"How did you..."
"She's your mum, stop hiding from her. Go back and apologise to her. Take that professor dude with you if you need, but you need to go back to Gangnam. You have to accept that request to take this."
Chohee took a long hard stare at the white envelope, and nodded, "Fine, I'll do it."
Lucas finally handed her the envelope and Chohee s l i d off the stool, speaking one last word to him, "Thanks..."
                          
///////End of Chapter 32///////