~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 3: Playground

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm sorry. There are no vacancies in the girl's dormitory right now. I'll call you if anything changes, okay?"

"Okay, I understand. Thank you."

Beep. Silence.

I walked for hours from one hotel to the next. Each one was either too expensive for my tiny budget or already booked. Then there were the shady places, each one shadier than the next. I had already decided to go on foot so as not to waste hotel money on getting cabs, but, by the eighth hotel, my legs were starting to wear out. On a whim, I stepped into a coffee shop to try to search the internet for more hotels, but I had no luck. I glanced at my phone once more before leaving.

Stepping outside, I sighed and sat down on a nearby bench.

I guess I should just turn it off before the battery gets any lower until I can find a charger. 

Mine had evidently been lost at some point on the trip.

I looked up and assessed my surroundings. In front of me, through a lightly forested area, was a little park, complete with a playground set and two green swings. I studied the area for a bit, marveling at its familiarity.

"Do you think you'll come back ever?"

"I wish I didn't have to leave at all, but it's for my dad's work. There are more buildings out there, I guess." The boy pushed my swing up higher.

"Out where?"

"Jaebum!" a third voice shouted from afar.

"That's my mom. I guess it's time to go. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I'm really bad at goodbyes, especially after everything that happened."

"I'll be okay. I promise." I faked a smile as I hugged the boy.

He seemed unconvinced, "I-"

"IM JAEBUM!"