Chapter 62 - Of Cakes and Girls

FLASHBACK (CONT.)

The girl dressed in a patterned leggings and a yellow hooded sweatshirt gaped in awe by the display windows filled with treats. The interior of Jolly Bakery was cheerful and inviting. Ye Rim took two steps back, and Eun Ha saw the a.d.u.l.t man behind her. A young man in simple clothes and a handsome appearance, who looked quite out of place at the confectionery door; actually, he seemed indecisive about coming in. And even to a child like Eun Ha, it was too obvious.

Eun Ha had seen that girl before, in the park. The a.d.u.l.ts and children alike used to call her "the madwoman's daughter". Eun Ha didn't know who the madwoman was, but the girl always got mad when she was called this way. Not infrequently the "madwoman's daughter" either fought with the other children, or cried and walked away from the group.

"Hey girl!" she bluntly called, standing up from her seat, and went to the door. The girl in the yellow coat looked startled, but that made the a.d.u.l.t_which must be the girl's father_ finally took action and enter the confectionery.

"Hello girl. Do you want to see my mom's cakes?" Eun Ha asked.

The newly arrived girl had a serious look in her face, looking at her appraisingly, and finally said,

"I want to. My dad will buy me some of your mom's cake."

"A slice of. A slice of,"

the girl's father corrected her hastily, while also looking at the shop windows with an a.d.u.l.t-looking expression — later in life Eun Ha was able to assimilate that this was the look of staring at price tags and realizing almost everything was overpriced… A common feeling for her now, whenever she looked at shop windows.

Eun Ha reached out to the madwoman's daughter. Ye Rim looked at her father, questioningly. The man with sports cap for the first time truly checked Eun Ha, and looked apprehensive; but nodded to the little girls.

Eun Ha took Ye Rim's hand,

"Come on, girl, I'll show you the cakes."

The two then went to one of the cake displays, while the attendant turned her attention to the man. After a few words he was left standing there, in the center of the parlor, looking embarrassed and with his hands tucked in his jeans pockets.

After naming a few cakes and making up names for those she didn't remember, Eun Ha turned to the other girl, waiting for her to make up her mind. The girl in the yellow jacket spoke admiringly,

"Your outfit is beautiful, girl."

"Ah my mother gave me. What's your name?"

"Ye Rim. And yours?"

"Eun Ha."

They contentedly smiled at each other. Ye Rim said, "My dad brought me here because he's going to buy me a birthday cake."

"Why didn't your mom come? Is your mother really crazy?"

Ye Rim was taken aback, but this was a question Eun Ha couldn't refrain from asking.The newcomer blushed to her ears, and Eun Ha belatedly realized that she had irritated the girl. They dropped their hands and stared at each other, but the a.d.u.l.t conversation caught their attention.

"The girls are reunited, then" the one who said that was her mother, to the man in the middle of the room. He looked quite agitated, but replied,

"Is that a problem? I just wanted to bring my daughter to eat a cake."

Feeling that they were the subject, the girls fell silent, listening to the a.d.u.l.ts' conversation.

"Your daughter is taller than Eun Ha."

"Ah, she is," the man replied.

Eun Ha felt at a comparative disadvantage, and examined better the girl in the yellow hooded coat. She had a messy hair, her clothes were ugly, and her nails were a bit dirty; so Eun ha felt they could be even, technically.

"Is your wife really not coming back?"

The two children pretended to look at the sweets in the counter, but were in fact interested in the answer.

"I recently divorced, ajumeoni."

"It's a pity."

"Uhm."

"Do you like custard?" Eun Ha asked the girl, trying to get her attention back.

She nodded absently, randomingly smearing the condensated water on the window of the desserts display as she tried to hear more of the a.d.u.l.t conversations.

"Eun Ha is having a birthday party here next week. Couldn't your daughter come? Since they have birthdays on the same day…"

" I don't know if…" the man started talking, embarrassed, but Madam Jung came closer to him, speaking quietly, "Listen, Mr. Nam. I know things aren't being easy. You are a young man who has to provide for both of you; and your wife suddenly left you and your daughter. Caring for a girl is hard for a man. I can see that this girl has no one to comb her hair properly, despite being clean and fed."

"Madam Jung," his voice sounded irritated and shocked, though low "I don't know what you're thinking, but definitely that's none of your business."

"Wait, what I mean is…"

"People have a lot to say about me and my daughter, but I don't want to listen to any of it," the man turned to the girl, who wasn't hiding anymore the fact that she was watching the two a.d.u.l.ts arguing_ just like Eun Ha. "Ye Rim, come on. I'll buy you a cake next time."

Father and daughter left the confectionery, and Eun Ha felt a sudden tightness in her chest.

That night, while brushing their teeth before going to sleep, Eun Ha asked her mother,

"Is it true that girl's birthday is at the same day as me?"

Madame Jung, who had been thoughtful for the rest of the day after her clumsy approach to the Nams. She thought for a moment before answering,

"Eun Ha, yes, that girl's birthday is at the same day as you. And the funniest thing is that you were born at the same day and in the same place! "

At the girl's amazed and curious look, the lady continued:

"It's true! That girl's mother helped you be born!"

"Wow, is it true?!" It sounded like something special from the way her mother said it. "Why do they call her a crazy woman?"

"Because she said everybody that your mother was a fairy and magic things happened in the house she lived in."

"Nonsense, right?" Despite the fantastic idea being seductive, Eun Ha was smart to know that these things were just fantasy, and mimicked her mother's mannerisms and words.

"Well, when your mom become a little star again and returned to heaven… That girl's mom was there and brought you home. So she had two little girls at her house. But she got sick… And then you came to me."

"But why did she leave? And why didn't she take her daughter?"

"I think she went to see a doctor away from here. And I don't think she could take her daughter... Because her daughter couldn't travel."

The explanations were enough back then, though she had her little heart full of anxiety and strange thoughts, and couldn't sleep that night.

But the next day, Eun Ha had an idea. And while this idea did not come true, she did not let her mother alone for a moment.

Early in the evening, she and her mother went to the Nams' house. Eun Ha found the house ugly and small, externally, but that was not important. When the door opened, Ye Rim's father stared in shock at Madam Jung apologetically standing in his doorway.

Eun Ha craned her neck trying to see inside and locate Ye Rim behind the man blocking the visitors. In one gurgle the woman said,

"I came to bring Eun Ha. She couldn't even sleep, and wants to invite your daughter to their birthday, "said the lady. "You're right, Mr. Nam, that may not be my business. I'm here because Eun Ha wants to see your Ye Rim."

The man looked at the girl trying to get past him elusively and enter the house, so he eventually ran a hand through her hair, making way.

"Whatever. Come in."

Eun Ha openly ran to where Ye Rim was, watching TV. Ye Rim looked at her, surprised:

"Girl ?!"

"Hi girl! I brought my crayons for us to draw our birthday cake." She showed her shoulder bag, full of painting gear. Ye Rim got up and came to look. But She suddenly said, walking away,

"I don't want to. You called my mother crazy."

"I'm sorry."

Ye Rim looked at the newcomer, and said, menacingly placing a hand on Eun Ha's chest ,

"I won't be your friend anymore if you say THAT again."

"I'm not going to say that again."

"Then it's fine."

The a.d.u.l.ts watched that interaction with interest, in silence.

"Do you like custard?"

"I already said so."

"When?"

"Yesterday. Are you deaf?"

"No. I just didn't remember."

"Okay."

Eun Ha spread her pencils and papers on the floor, sitting down. Ye Rim sat next to her.

"Do you like caramel?"

"I like it."

"Me too. Let's put it on our cake?"

"Let's do it. "

That's how they ended up having a first birthday party, of many other, together.

FLASHBACK OFF