Chapter Eight

“Don’t push me!” I tried to shrug his hands from my shoulders but he held on my back instead. “Get your hands off me!!” I hissed forcing his hands to let go of me.

“Let’s not waste time. Hurry up!” Well, as per usual, he pushed me forward causing me to lose my footing and almost trip on the ground.

I glared at him but he just shrugged and waved his hand in a ‘go on’ manner.

“I’m going to kill you.” I said under my breath before I walked away with rattled knees.

I shouldn’t have agreed to do this. I shouldn’t have been so confident about winning.

But he cheated!!

Glancing back once again, I tried to act pity while pouting my lips but he slowly shakes his head no that brought back the scowl on my face. So, I rolled my eyes and whip my head and just go to where he instructed me to do my consequence.

Standing like an idiot in front of our fellow hikers taking a break in front of a Buddhist temple, clutching on my sides to dry my already sweaty palms, and took a deep breath.

I lift my arms and moved it in a weird way, I bet I look like the Chinese coin cat.

“You look like a retard. That’s what not dance look like.” A voice called out from behind and I looked back to scoff at the person reliable for what I’m currently doing.

To avoid further arguments, I moved my feet along with my arms but I imagine myself dancing a broken robot dance.

I can feel a lot of eyes looking at me right now that I desperately want the ground to open and swallow me whole. Why do I have to suffer like this?

“You still have four minutes left!” he called out once again that I can only close my eyes out of irritation.

I continued to move in a stoic movement that earned some laughter from the growing crowd. Upon realizing that a lot of hikers stopped from their hiking and decided to watch me, I stopped dancing and for a moment have a panic attack and agitated in my place.

Totally embarrassed, I looked down on the ground and never dared to look forward. It’s always a worse decision to follow that guy. argh.

Suddenly, an upbeat music was played on the background and someone danced beside me. That was the only time I lift my head to look who’s dancing only to find it was him.

“What the hell.” I utter as I watch him doing things I haven’t witnessed before. I suddenly had the urge to leave him and act as someone who doesn’t know him.

“You owe me one, Sowon!” he screamed while out of breath dancing, well no, sorry it’s not dancing. , I don’t even know that kind of dance exist.

I must leave at once.

But instead of leaving, I stood there, dumbfounded, and I don’t even remember taking out my phone until I found myself recording his silly-what-the-hell-dance.

The crowd clapped in amazement as soon as Jay-Jay bowed dramatically in front of them. They like that? That was worse than mine!!

“You insulted my dance but you called that dance?” I asked in a blank state when he approached me, and the proud big head shrugged his shoulder in a mocking way.

“We danced differently, though. I have confidence while you don’t.” he simply said and left me there.

I harshly let out a breath and twitched my upper lip upward.

He went to get our things placed on the ground and lift his backpack to his back.

“Still didn’t change the fact that you cheated!! I hate you!!” I swat him on the back of his head which was a lot of work since I have to jump on my feet just to reach his head. Have I told you he’s tall? Well, yeah, he is.

He let out a hiss and scratched his head. “I danced for you, didn’t I?”

“Still!” I hump and flipped my hair, purposely hitting him in the face and he groaned in disapproval.

I gathered my things on the ground and drank from my tumblr before we face another mile of hiking. It’s been 5 days since we got back from Gwacheon and after that, we’ve explored 2 places already excluding this one making it three.

SinB wasn’t able to join us since it’s still school days and their father won’t let her, anyway, much to her dismay. Good thing we were able to leave the house before their father came back from work or else I’ve got to deal with another Jay-Jay, which I hope is kinder than his two kids.

They never mentioned anything about their mother and I don’t have the right to ask so I kept my mouth sealed with questions I’m meaning to ask.

So, we’re currently here in Gwangju specifically in Mudueng National Park and obviously, hiking. Actually, we didn’t plan anything about hiking but when he was searching for some information on our way using public transportation about Gwangju, he was enchanted to hiking immediately and just drag me here.

We’re not prepared, I didn’t bring any hiking clothes and shoes. Didn’t pack any extra water so obviously again, we went shopping right after we step outside the bus.

I was just thankful he was the one who paid.

“Okay now, so how about racing all the way to the top?” I immediately slap his arm the moment he said that. I’m not gonna bet with him, ever again!

“Enough with your dirty tricks, pabo.”

Stretching my legs before continuing where we stopped earlier, and he instantly followed.

“Ohhh, now you’re dissing me in Korean.”

“I learned from the expert.” Sticking my tongue out in his direction. He ruffled my hair and ran off.

“YAAAAH!!!”

And we chased each other as if climbing up a mountain is as easy as walking on a sidewalk.

Five days and being with him is a tough ride. There are days in which he would treat me like a ghost, and sometimes he’s annoying as hell.

Each day, he’ll surprise me with his unexpected attitude.

Like when we went to Daegu the other day, maybe he woke up the wrong side of the bed that he only spoke to me about 2 or 3 times.

Then the day after that, which we’re going back to Seoul, someone decided to bombard me with ridiculous puns that almost drive me crazy.

Today obviously, he’s on a roll again. He tricked me on eating a large hamburger and made a bet that whoever finished last will grant the wish of the winner. Of course, I’m confident in winning. I’ve got no chill when I eat hamburger and I have proved that so many times.

But the moment he points something behind me at the middle of the competition, he ate a large piece and threw the rest on the trash bin he placed beside him.  

Though it’s unfair, I wasn’t able to argue when he started pushing and forcing me to dance.

When will he ever treat me as a girl? Psh.

But! I must say that even though his mood is crappy most of the time, I enjoyed very well. We tried out almost everything in each place then stay at a cheap hotel. Of course, we have separate rooms.

“If you’re in a hurry, you should say thanks as ‘gomawo’.” He said the word repeatedly as I follow him but my pronunciation just made a way for him to make fun of me.

“And if you’ll say it formally, it’s gomapseumnida.” I made a look as I heard the word. Why is it so long?

“Why do you have variation of just a single word?” I whined.

“Just because.” Psh.

He taught me a couple of words more that left my mind the moment we move on to the next word, but it’s fun learning it. Maybe I should study Korean when I get back to Canada.

“So how do you say, ‘I’m pretty?’”

“I’m ugly.” (Korean) then I tried to copy him as much as I can but he keeps on spitting laughter.

“I’m ugly.” (Korean) I confidently said while making a cute pose in front of him but he just burst out laughing earning a scowl from me.

I hit him once before going down from the steep mountain.

“Oppa, let’s go eat when we reach the bottom.”

“Stop calling me oppa.” Since the day he told me about the meaning of ‘oppa’, I’ve been calling him that knowing he’s older than me. Though I didn’t really get to know the specific but I bet he’s older.

“Why not?” And of course, I just want to so I more.

“Just because!” he said annoyingly and walked ahead of me.

See? He’s grumpy all of a sudden.

“Oppa!!” I screamed that made him sprint on the bumpy road and earning a laugh from me.

“Yah! Wait for me!!” (Korean) I tried my best shot in pronouncing it slowly but me myself can’t even understand what I said.

It’s not easy learning a language you’re not accustomed to.

But at least I’m trying.

“Let’s rest here for a while.” He finally said after we got tired from walking back. I heaved a heavy sigh and marched towards the cliff to get some fresh air.

“I’m so tired!!” I said stretching my arms.

Jay immediately slump on the grass and opened his arms and legs.

“You must be so tired, oppa. It’s a sign of aging.” I teased. He lies on his right side of his body facing me and made a mocking grin.

“At least I still look younger than my age.” He proclaim