u/DelayedReacti0n08

June 6, 2028

"I haven't got all day, you know!"

Probably the worst choice of words, considering what happened after.

Just two years prior, I was a student at Gyeongju University, working the grind as I studied and saved up money for my own restaurant...

I could already see it: Choi Soo-byeok's one and only... French Cafe!

Fast-forward to the present, and 2028 hasn't been giving me the best of luck...

"Soo-byeok! Make sure you pay the bills, renting here ain't cheap!"

"Yes, of course, Mr. Park."

Even as everyone went out, I was left alone to close up shop.

Though I had two employees at my disposal, I felt like I worked them to death today.

I should have expected lots of traffic to happen, especially as it's a rather busy time of the year.

I don't really mind all the college students visiting, since it really helps with spreading the word.

That and also I don't mind taking their money.

Ha, ha.

Yet with all the earnings the Café Corée is getting, it apparently still isn't enough to cover my personal expenses, rent for my apartment, and the building itself.

Despite the cost of renting the building being a pain in the ass sometimes, I still prided myself on taking the opportunity to buy the place off the previous owners.

Ah well...

I guess I'll have to see what the next few days, or even months, bring me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

June 7, 2028

Even as I set up shop once again, it's been hard to believe that I had my very own business.

At this point, every day felt like my first day as I went in headfirst, trying to deal with anything that came my way.

9 o'clock...

Usually it's rush hour, and my employees were rather impatient for orders today.

"Ms. Choi, it's rather slow today, isn't it?"

"Don't jinx it, Jun-ho. Just because we're early doesn't mean the rush hour customers won't come."

"Still... doesn't excuse Su-min for being late-"

As he said that, Sun-hee came bursting through the door, huffing and puffing as if her life depended on it.

"Sorry, Ms Choi! My alarm didn't go off today, and I missed the bus, so I had to sprint here..."

"It's okay, Sun-hee. You're lucky that there aren't any customers right now.

If I were you, I'd fix yourself up so that we're ready for orders."

As Sun-hee went to the back, I couldn't help but look out of the windows.

What I saw was a busy coast, with people from all walks of life seeming to have somewhere else to go.

They looked content, at least with what I could observe.

Am I content?

"Seeing through the looking glass there, Ms. Choi?"

"It's nothing, Jun-ho.

Just pondering life, you know."

"I never really asked why.

Why Café Corée?

Francophile, much?"

"I guess you could say so.

Although I've never been to Paris or any of the other places, I've always felt a connection with the culture there, especially with their food.

One of my dreams was, and still is, to run my own cafe and make French food for my hometown.

While there were a bunch of restaurants there, they all felt like they catered to the rich.

Maybe it was by design, but I wanted to run a place where I can serve people of all backgrounds."

"I see...

If you ask me, I think that's-"

Before Jun-ho finished his sentence, the bells rang as the door opened.

"That's enough.

We have customers."

"Aye aye, Ms. Choi!"

Not sure why, but it felt like the longest 25 minutes of my life.

Maybe because the usual clientele of customers were extra hungry today, or the commute was longer, but all I knew was that...

I was in a flow state.

Locked in, as the kids might say.

And as the clock reached 9:33, all 18 customers' orders were accounted for.

"Well done, guys."

"Does this mean we can have our break now, Ms. Choi?"

"Ha, ha. No breaks until noon, remember?"

"At least you asked, Jun-ho...

Eighteen customers, huh?"

"I know. It's a bit hard to believe, but we did it.

I couldn't have done it without you guys."

"Aww... we love you too, Ms. Choi!"

"A bit too early for pleasantries, isn't it, Sun-hee?"

"Well, wouldn't you be the one to call it out-"

As she said that, I felt a sudden headache.

A panging pain that I couldn't ignore.

It lasted for five seconds, yet it felt like somebody was hitting my brain with a hammer.

"Ms Choi, are you okay???"

"I'm fine, Sun-hee..."

As Jun-ho helped me up, I suddenly noticed the television acting odd.

With the TV always playing the morning news or some talk show, it was especially strange that the signal would have cut off all of a sudden.

Unfortunately, the malfunctioning television was the least of our problems.

As customers hurriedly went outside, the three of us wondered what was so important.

We finally went outside and heard the clamoring from the customers.

"What the..."

"It's all gone!"

"Is this some sort of trick from the North?"

Unless my eyes deceive me, it looked like there was nothing left on the coasts.

Nothing but the trees, the sand, and the waves that don't give a damn.

"Ms. Choi... There was a bridge here, was there not?"

"All of it is just gone. Vanished, without a trace."

"What do we do now?"

What do we do now?

A funny question, when you're in my shoes.

I'm not sure what is weirder, to have an answer for why this happened...

or to have no answer at all.

All I know is we're stranded.

Alone.

The cafe on the shore, as it is.

Entry #01

My name is Ju-ni.

I am * years old.

Today is a special day.

I got to go fishing with Uncle, which I always wanted to do.

He seems really excited to see me.

I'm also excited to see him, since most of the time he's always sad.

The boat keeps rocking, and sometimes the water gets inside.

I don't like it when the water splashes onto me, but Uncle says he likes it when it's wet.

We caught lots of fish today.

Hopefully, we can fish some more tomorrow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry #02

My name is Ju-ni.

I am * years old

Mom and Dad are supposed to come pick me up today.

Perhaps the soldiers killed stopped them while they were on their way.

I hope that they come back.

For now, I will stay with Uncle.

He's very nice to me, though sometimes he feels very sad.

He was never the same after Auntie died.

Uncle says that I look very much like her, and that I have her eyes.

He says that I am very beautiful.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry #03

My name is Ju-ni.

I am * years old.

Uncle and I went out fishing again today.

Mom and Dad still aren't here, so we fished some more.

While we were on the way back to the beach, I felt a strong pain in my head.

Uncle said he felt it too, and it was hard to stand and look around.

After a short time, it stopped.

I looked towards the shore, and nothing was there.

It was all gone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry #04

My name is Ju-ni.

I am * years old.

We spent the night at this empty island.

Uncle managed to find some shelter, so we had somewhere to sleep.

I miss them already.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry #05

My name is Ju-ni.

I am * years old.

We saw a patrol boat go near our island.

It had a white flag with blue and red in the middle.

Maybe the boat came from the south?

At least, that's what Uncle says.

He tried bringing his boat to near them, but they fired shots at him.

Uncle came back, and he walked with a limp.

He was shot.

I asked why they shot him, and he said:

"They aren't here to save us. They're only here to check if we're still breathing."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry #06

My name is Ju-ni.

I am * years old.

Uncle's wound is getting worse.

Because he got shot, he couldn't fish for both of us anymore.

I felt hungry, but I wanted him to rest.

He told me to fetch him a bottle of spirits and his machete, as he wanted to feel less pain.

I couldn't bear to watch.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry #07

My name is Ju-ni.

I am * years old.

It has been days since he cut off his leg.

Because we didn't have bandages or a doctor, he had to cut it off so that he wouldn't die.

Something about an infection.

Since I couldn't fish, I resorted to eating wild berries found throughout the island.

Even with it, I still felt hungry.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry #08

My name is Ju-ni.

I am * years old.

As I was sleeping, Uncle seemed to have cooked some mystery meat.

Though it was a small portion, the smell of the cooked meat reminded me how hungry I was.

He told me to try it.

I tasted it, and it felt familiar, but not really.

I asked where he found the meat, and he said he killed some rabbits that were in the island.

I told him that I didn't find any last time I went out to find berries.

"Perhaps they were just hiding, Ju-ni."

Weird.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry #09

My name is Ju-ni.

I am * years old.

It has been three days since I last wrote.

I have walked across the island, trying to find the rabbits.

But they weren't there, no matter where I looked.

I went back to our shelter since I felt tired, hoping to get some sleep.

When I opened the door, I saw Uncle cutting strips of meat with the one hand he had left.

I asked him if that was what we had been eating these past days.

He then replied with a question:

"Do you think that this is enough to last us the week?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry #10

I have no more name.

I don't remember how old I was.

Or how long it has been since I first came here with Uncle.

It's just me now, though before he went, Uncle helped with gathering some more meat.

I cannot live like this, yet here I am.

Still standing.

There is nobody left to save me.

Uncle lied to me.

At least now, I have something to last me through the month, if I portion it right.

It takes time to get used to the taste, but it's enough to last the day.

I just want to go home.

I want to see Mom and Dad again.

But for now, it's just me.