Affectionate Ma Ri

‘Winter 2018. Jeju Hospital.’

What exactly happened that time? Another victim? Criminal injured? I crumple the piece of paper an anonymous informant sent to Detective Pyo. For the past three years, the “Grim Ripper Murder” has spread scare in the regions but with the appearance of a mysterious informant a year ago, who claimed that he knows the killer, the case has been moving faster now.

So far, the leads sent by the unnamed informant were all true and worthy to trust. Just how does this person know all about this? There are only two answers; either he is close with the serial killer or he is the serial killer himself. Just how long will we trust their informant? For now, there is no other choice but to do that.

Breaking me away from my trance, Ma Ri came back after helping Dr. Gu with the record he was looking for. She contemplated for a second as to where to settle and decided to sit farther away from the spot she was sitting a while ago. Obviously because of me. Her presence distracted my thoughts and I regretted her being a part of this case.

Hours passed by and it was time to go. I think she’s too serious about pretending not to know me that she even ignored me outside the hospital, walked towards Soo Hyun who then invited her to a welcome party which she agreed to join and meanwhile, I have to decline.

Which I’ll regret right now...

“Alright, I’ll just bring my car in front. Wait for me here.”

Wait, what? Dr. Gu is coming? I look at Soo Hyun who looks so giddy about the party and then at Ma Ri whose back is in front of me. I badly want to see her reaction, but ever since we occupied the elevator down, she has had her face turn away from me and maintain a distance.

I try to clear my throat to get their attention and Ma Ri turns her head to me.

“Uhm,” I couldn’t find the right words to say. I want to tell her not to go but that is very irrational for me to say. I can tell them that I’ve changed my mind and I’ll come with them but that will make me look so fickle-minded.

Ma Ri raises her eyebrow waiting for me to speak. We have grown so conscious of each other’s body language after days of living together in one house.

“Ladies, what are you still doing here?”

Ms. Seo Min walks towards our direction, she stops to give me a short smile when she notices me then quickly shifts her eyes back to Soo Hyun and the others.

“We are waiting for Dr. Gu, Ms. Seo,” Soo Hyun replies.

“Seung Jae? Why?” The inflection in her voice changes from cold to sudden interest upon hearing his name. And the fact that she used his first name suggests something.

“We will be having a welcome party for Ma Ri, Ms. Seo. And it’s his treat.”

“Oh... wow... fantastic,” she replies in a rather sarcastic voice, or maybe, it is her usual way of speaking. She pauses for a second then suddenly her eyes brighten and turns to me.

“Ah!... Dr. Ri! You are also new here, why don’t we join them too. It’s a welcome party after all.”

Saved! I don’t know her motive but the suggestion is very much in favor of me.

“He said he’s not-”

“How can I decline you, Ms. Seo. Well, I have nothing to do anyway so why not.”

I glance at Ma Ri who can’t finish her sentence, her face surprised with my sudden change of mind. An exact opposite of the lady beside her.

“Yes! Dr. Ri is coming!” yells Soo Hyun with glee.

A honk is heard, Dr. Gu’s car is now parked in front of us. The ladies scampered to get inside his Hyundai Grandeur. While Ma Ri looks undecided to get inside the car, Ms. Seo Min strides towards the front passenger seat without any hesitation. As if that spot is made for her.

“Oh, how about Dr. Ri?” Soo Hyun mumbles. After thinking for a second, she says, “Since I know the place, I will come with you.”

“Ma Ri?” Dr. Gu peers from inside the car, Ma Ri who is still standing outside proceeds inside the car’s back seat after a second’s thought. If she only glanced at me, she could have read my thoughts telling her to ride in my car instead.

“Let’s meet there!”

After waving enthusiastically, Soo Hyun turns towards me and smiles brightly.

* * *

The sun is still up when we went inside the karaoke bar, but with the dark interior and nightlife theme, it looks as if the sun had set already. Inside the room they rented, polychromatic lights flooded the pitch-back space. The last place in the world you can find me, but now... I sigh in resignation, not wanting to speculate my own motive much further.

The ladies are already hovering over the songbook and remote control when we enter the room, each one reserving her own song and convincing Ma Ri to choose a song too. Ms. Seo Min is sitting with crossed arms in front of her, a look of dissent from her face. Beside her is Dr. Gu who is busy talking to the room attendant. I settle myself on the right edge of the velvety u-shaped sofa, opposite where Ms. Seo is sitting. When the attendant leaves, Dr. Gu smiles at me cheerfully which I can’t return for the moment, instead I eye him suspiciously. He offered to pay for Ma Ri’s “welcome party”? Does a doctor do that randomly? And he’s from the dental medicine department. Nowhere related to the HR or admin department.

A song starts to play, a disco-type song called “Nunu Nana”, displayed in the 50’ television. I better prepare myself for a headache tonight when they all start singing together. Ma Ri skips joining the trio and leaves for the comfort room instead. Thinking that I need to talk to her, I go out as well and after successfully locating the comfort room, I stand outside waiting for her.

Although surprised to see me, she follows me in a corner where no one can see us.

“What did you just do?”

“What?”

“Why did you come with them?”

“It’s my welcome party, why shouldn’t I join them? Have you seen a welcome party without the one being welcomed?”

Her brows furrow and she looks at me confused.

“You are putting the operation at risk.”

“What are you talking about? How can I put the operation at risk? It is just singing and dinner and-”

“-and drinking.”

Stopping upon hearing what I just said, she puts one hand on her hip and glares at me incredulously. Prompting me to clarify.

“Drinking too much can affect your personality due to its effects on the brain. It can lower your inhibitions and make you more impulsive. As a result, alcohol leads you to say and do things you wouldn’t under normal circumstances. Thus, putting our case at risk.”

“You sound like a real doctor now, continue,” she says sarcastically.

I don’t know why I’m saying these now actually, but it seems like a good excuse for us to go away.

“So... if you drink-”

“Ahhh!... You think I’ll get drunk and spill about it?” she demands before I can even finish my sentence.

“One of my operations before failed because of that,” I say in a sincere voice, earning me a scoff from her regardless.

“Did you just assume that I’m a heavy drinker? Me? For your information, Mr. Ri Ahjussi, there are only a few times, which I can even count in my fingers, that I got out and drink, and... and! I don’t babble secrets when I’m drunk. I am a very trustworthy person that in no circumstances will I say something confidential... Plus!”

She raises a finger in front of me to stop me from cutting her.

“I am completely very calm when I’m drunk. I don’t even bother anyone because I can carry myself very well. I even sleep so quietly... so how dare you think I’m a wasted drinker!”

“I did not say that though,” I sigh as the discussion goes awry now.

“So you joined us to watch over me, right?”

God knows that’s not the case, although I really want to watch over her.

“You know what, I don’t really have an intention to drink but... why not?... let me get you worked up tonight,” she threatens. Then after saying that she walks past me, bumping me in the process.

Foods and drinks were already delivered in the room when I came back after letting Ma Ri in for a few minutes to avoid any suspicion. They are still singing non-stop, another lively song heating up the room.

“Whoa, ~ Seri-ya! She knows how to drink!” Soo Hyun declares to everyone in the room after Ma Ri finished a mug of beer in one gulp. Shaking my head, I pour myself a shot of soju while gazing at the catastrophe I am about to embark on later. Interestingly, amid the lively atmosphere, a gloomy mood shades the two in front of me. Ms. Seo and Dr. Gu are talking without looking at each other. The first looks serious and the latter is pissed off. But Dr. Gu will constantly cheer on the ladies which only makes Ms. Seo surly for the attention he gives away.

“Ma Ri, let’s sing this song together. Four of us,” Soo Hyun says, dragging Ma Ri up.

It is Fin.K.L’s song “To My Boyfriend”. A very popular upbeat song in the 90’s. They all dance like there’s no tomorrow. Ma Ri was a bit shy from the start but after getting a hang of it, she dances even more energetically than the others afterward.

After a few more shots and crunches, Ma Ri is already singing in a slow calm song alone. The confidence she found for being a bit tipsy now. Her voice is not that bad but not that good either and has the tendency to sing off-key. But in spite of that, I enjoyed watching her hum and raise her pitch unsuccessfully and I find myself smiling covertly.

With cheeks already flushed, she plops on the sofa after her singing session. I hope she’s really ‘completely calm’ like she claimed to be when she’s drunk. This time, it’s Dr. Gu’s turn to sing. He is so focused on the screen while Ms. Seo focuses on him, her intense gaze digging inside his right cheek.

“You are so cuteeee!”

Ma Ri is pinching Soo Hyun’s cheeks sharply, making the latter screech jovially. Then she also pinches the other lady on her side, calling her ‘aegi’. The ladies giggle from Ma Ri’s drunk state- treating them affectionately like a child. And what’s more, she drunk kisses them!

She kisses them one by one on the cheeks while patting their heads like a baby. She is literally treating them like babies. I think I’ve heard of this kind of drunk habit before when someone turns affectionate to the people around him. Now, in Ma Ri’s case, she tends to treat the people around her like a baby, pinching, patting, and kissing them on their noses or cheeks.

“Aigoo! You sing so well!” Ma Ri says after noticing Dr. Gu who is calmly singing. Although a bit wobbly, she forces herself to stand up.

“Sister will give you a kiss on the cheek,” she mutters almost incoherently, taking a step towards him.

Wait. What?