Miho the Killer
Chapter 51: Happiness

Chapter 51: Happiness

My life was bland and ordinary but it wasn’t so bad. The work hours were long and I was fully occupied with a lot of paperwork from 9 to 9, usually doing overtime every single weekday, but most of it was brainless mundane work stuff where I could just go through the motions. It’s funny how one can be busy and bored at the same time.

President Park, my boss, was a slimy old man and nobody liked him - especially the girls. He always ran his eyes up and down along the curves of pretty much any female that came into his sight and those eyes dripped with thick lust and desire. There were rumors - some strong rumors - and inappropriate behaviors but luckily I had never been on the receiving end of his dirty paws.

Tonight I was supposed to meet Minji, my good friend from university, in a fancy Italian restaurant she recommended. I bought her a meal last time so she was treating me today so after getting off work a little early for a change we met in this cozy little - and upmarket - place in Apgujeong. It looked like she was doing well for herself.

Right from the start, she had been very talkative as usual, and told me of her great adventures with a great number of men. She could have spared some graphic details but Minji was Minji and I never disliked her for it. There was something endearing about how she spoke with directness and bluntness with staccatos of crude jokes at perfect timings.

The French onion soup and garlic bread we were having as a starter were divine, and I applauded Minji for her choice and good taste. But to be honest, what secretly caught my eye was a tall waitress in a full suit complete with a slim black necktie. Her hair was tied in a neat ponytail and she had a very fair complexion. Together with a finely chiseled face and features, she looked like a marble statue of timeless beauty yet her jet-black suit and the perfect lines of her trousers that hung just above her ankles complimented her with the modern fashion style. I suppose one could say she was a modern classic in this sense.

I wasn’t yet bitten, but I was already smitten.

I was so happy that this princess in a sleek black suit was our server for the night, and every time she came by she returned what must have been an awkward expression of a teenager-like infatuation with a comforting smile of an adult.

After the starters were finished the waitress brought a new knife for me in preparation for the main dish to come (some meat dish, I thought), but I was surprised to find that it was a rather big and long kitchen knife, not what you’d expect on a dining table. That was the least strange thing though, the knife had thick blood dripping from it as if it had been just taken out of some living thing that it was deeply plunged into. As much as I liked the waitress, I did have to point it out - excuse me, there’s blood on my knife. She deeply apologized, used a napkin to wipe the knife clean, and placed it back on the table. There was no more blood on it now, but somehow I felt like I could still see a very faint sheen of crimson red on the blade.

Minji kept talking, cheerful and bubbly. And that calmed me down again after a little strangeness I felt with the knife.

The waitress then wheeled in a trolley carrying two dishes. One was my Spaghetti ai Gamberi. But it seemed Minji ordered something spectacular, probably for which the cutting knife was needed. The dish was covered with a silver platter lid. The handsome - and pretty - waitress eyed Minji once, then me, as if to say ’Are you ladies ready for this?’ and opened the lid.

I was a little surprised at first when I saw it. It was some sort of meat, roasted - I mean totally burnt. It was covered in black crust and there was no way to tell what kind of meat this even was. As I sat there puzzled about what to do, Minji spoke to me and the waitress encouraged me with a charming grin too.

"Try it, Sohee."

I picked up the knife I was given earlier, still thinking it had a shade of red, and used it to cut the meat in half. A lot of blood came out as if the meat wasn’t cooked at all inside. It wasn’t a bit of red juice you might see from a steak cooked very rare, but proper, thick, dark red blood. I looked up in confusion and Minji just kept a comforting smile on her face while the waitress looked down at me like a proud tigress watching her cub make its first kill.

"May I, ladies?"

The waitress gently interrupted and Minji gave her a nod of approval. The tall lady then cleared her throat, took a little pause, and surprised me by starting to sing.

Ave Maria! Maiden mild!

Listen to a maiden’s prayer!

Thou canst hear though from the wild;

Thou canst save amid despair.

Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,

Though banish’d, outcast and reviled –

Maiden! hear a maiden’s prayer;

Mother, hear a suppliant child!

Ave Maria

She had an absolutely gorgeous voice. It was the voice of an angel, a voice that could bring any sinful soul to its knees, repent, and beg for redemption. And with God’s Grace, this angel would take me to heaven - cleansed.

Ave Maria! undefiled!

The flinty couch we now must share

Shall seem this down of eider piled,

If thy protection hover there.

The murky cavern’s heavy air

Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;

Then, Maiden! hear a maiden’s prayer,

Mother, list a suppliant child!

Ave Maria!

I didn’t know why, but her singing deeply moved me. It brought up all the emotions that I didn’t know existed inside my heart rising up, and dripping down from my eyes as tears poured out. I sobbed silently, unable to stop. The waitress then kneeled down, bringing her eyes to level with me, reached out her hand to gently caress my wet cheek, and continued.

Ave Maria! stainless styled.

Foul demons of the earth and air,

From this their wonted haunt exiled,

Shall flee before thy presence fair.

We bow us to our lot of care,

Beneath thy guidance reconciled;

Hear for a maid a maiden’s prayer,

And for a father hear a child!

Ave Maria..

As the song ended, my tears stopped as well. It was an inexplicable journey through the time that felt like it was from another life. The waitress and I burst out into a muted laughter and Minji looked at us with her eyes filled with blessing too.

Then suddenly all the lights went out in the restaurant.

I was a little startled, but the waitress placed her hand on my hand, squeezing it slightly and reassuringly.

Then Minji started to sing.

"Happy birthday to you"

What?

I saw flickers of candlelights on a cake as someone brought it over holding them in his rugged callous hands, a fit old man with grey hair, also wearing a black suit and a tie like the waitress. He sang in his deep voice too.

"Happy birthday to you"

The waitress took over the next line.

"Happy birthday dear Sohee."

The way she spoke my name felt so intimate, making my heart flutter.

After that, Minji, the waitress, and the old man completed the song together in a beautiful unison of jolly voices.

"Happy birthday to you."

I was happy like I’d never been so happy before. This felt like the best birthday I’vd ever had - or even the best day I’d ever had.

"Make a wish, Sohee!"

Minji encouraged me.

"Make a wish, Ms. Han"

The old man who brought the cake also had a warm welcome on his face.

The waitress then placed another hand on my shoulder while she still held my hand in hers.

She gave me a gentle kiss on my cheek and whispered into my ear.

"Make a wish, Sohee."

I looked at everyone’s faces and realized how lucky I was.

Surrounded by such nice people.

So full of life and joy.

My life wasn’t bland, boring, or meaningless.

There was something magical and fulfilling about the ordinariness of everyday life. If I could have moments like this every now and then - even just once a year for my birthday, I would be happy.

"Thank you everyone."

And we all laughed.

The waitress ruffled my hair, Minji took a photo of me with the cake, and the old man stood next to the table clapping and laughing heartily.

I closed my eyes before blowing out the candles, and I made my wish.

I wish this happiness would last forever.

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