Chapter 42 - Namdaemun Market (1/2)

”Whoa, so this place is like this,” Tohru James murmured as he glanced around.

He and Yanee stepped to the side to let motorcycles delivering items pass. But as they waited for the road to be big enough for them to walk again, they let their eyes wander around.

”What were you expecting it to be boss?”Yanee asked in amusement.

Tohru was really like a little boy in his excursion. ”Well, you said it's an ancient market place, so I was expecting it to be… well, ancient.”

There was a hint of disappointment in his voice as he looked at the bright and modern signs. He must have been imagining something totally old looking like the market places shown on historical TV dramas and Yanee couldn't help but laugh at her boss silently.

”That can't be. This place was just established in 1414, but it's been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times. It can't stay looking old,” she told him.

She wanted to be a proper guide so she reviewed her knowledge of the place beforehand. The place was destroyed during the Korean War and succumbed to a fire in 1954. Although people tried to rebuild the market into its former glory after that, two more fires destroyed it, one in 1968, and another in 1975.

It was seriously unfortunate, really. But at least, serious renovation and reconstruction efforts started again in 2007 and it's been well since. This was only a market place, but one would be surprised to know that half a million people actually came to visit daily. It was a lot. No wonder this place was already packed in the morning.

”Is that so?”Tohru murmured noncommittally, as they continued to walk ahead while looking around.

”Do those even work?” he couldn't help but ask, making Yanee look at him in amusement.

”Of course, they do, boss,” she answered. ”Even if they're not the high-end brands you're used to, these cheap small brands also sell good products.”

Tohru pouted. ”Hey, I'm not being a snob, okay? I just wanted to know if they work considering the price is too low.”

Yanee, of course, was aware that he only asked that because it's his first time seeing cheap appliances and nothing else. Still, it was fun poking fun at his boss after his ”protect my chastity” statement earlier.

Revenge!

But because Yanee was looking at the potato, she hadn't realized there was a hand-drawn cart with tons of boxes just ahead. The market was seriously crowded even in the morning, so they were already prepared to be bumped around. However, colliding with a cart was not on Yanee's agenda.

It was a good thing Tohru was also looking at her direction and was able to pull her in time away from the cart's way. There was no speed so the impact wouldn't be as bad as being hit by a car, but the wheels could still crush an unsuspecting toe.

”Look out!”

He grabbed her arm and pulled her against his ċhėst just in time before the cart rolled on the spot she just vacated.

”That was close,” Tohru James commented as he checked Yanee out for injuries. ”Are you alright?”

”Miss, I'm so sorry,” the old vendor who was pulling the cart apologized when he realized he nearly ran over the woman's foot. The boxes piled up so high that the man couldn't really see well.

”It's fine. I'm alright. I'm not injured.”

Yanee still hadn't had her ingrown nails fixed so she thanked heavens for her boss' good reflexes, and vowed to be nice to him the whole day today.

”Are you sure?”Tohru asked again.

Yanee smiled at the man and at her boss. ”Yes, yes, I'm seriously fine,” she ȧssured.

The old man who was pulling the cart apologized again before going on ahead with his task. Yanee waved at him before turning her attention back to her boss who looked at her.

”You saved my toe boss. Because of that, today's street food adventure is my treat!”

Tohru's eyes grew big in surprise but then rippled in amusement before he flashed her another one of his blinding smiles.

”Are you sure?” he asked her challengingly.