EXAMPLE PAGE - EBOOKS - THE PROMISE OF THE TEA GODS - Flipbook - Page 36
26
H. K. O'HARA
Soo-kang studied him for a minute. Something was different—his
normal, ever-present state of joy seemed to have launched itself right
over the moon . . . “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
“In love with who?”
“K, your beautiful poet from the U.S. You can’t fool me, Binnie.
You’re glowing—and every time you touch that teacup, your eyes start
to dance.”
Binnie grinned. “Everyone is in love with K. Men, women, children—everyone who knows her, loves her.”
Soo-kang eyed him skeptically. “But you’re more in love with her
than they are, aren’t you?”
Binnie eyed him right back. “No. I think we all love her the same.
I’m just luckier than they are because I know her better than they do.
More tea?” he asked, reaching for the teapot.
“Sure. You were right about it, it’s the best cup of tea I’ve ever had,”
said Soo-kang, holding out his cup and looking around. “So where’s the
poetry-chai-girl who likes K-pop?”
A mighty pause slung itself into the breeze. Binnie’s eyes groaned.
Slowly, he stirred his tea . . . “About that word, Soo-kang. You might
want to refrain from using the word ‘girl’ when you’re around her. She
hates being called a girl. So, use whatever other word you want, but
don’t call her a girl.”
“Unless they’re older than I am or related to me, if they’re female, I
call them girls, Binnie. What’s wrong with that? Why would she hate
being called a girl?”
Binnie snickered. “Well, when I asked that same question, her exact
words were: All girls ever do is play with their hair and pout. Then they
run you around in circles. A woman—a real woman—has better things
to do.”
Soo-kang tried hard not to spit out his tea. “You know, that’s actually
kind of true,” he said, laughing. “I like her already. Where is she?”
Binnie looked toward the ocean—off in the distance, where a woman
wearing a yellow sweater was sitting on top of the high rocks that jutted
into the sea.
