What took Venus’s concentration away from her job before the knock on her door was the clinking sound that was coming from Leah Green’s heel. Silently she prayed she wasn’t coming to her office but the sound stopped right in front of her. She stopped writing and looked up to see Leah on her door.

“Ms. Ivers, someone is here to see you. He is waiting down in the lobby.” Venus nodded and Leah went back to her seat in the same manner she came.

Venus didn’t enjoy Leah’s presence starting from the first day she began working in Royals hotel. That was three years ago. In Venus eyes, Leah Green wore too heavy makeup which doesn’t match well with their uniform, pushes her duties to other staff members and thinks the world revolves around her but Venus has never found the use of saying that out loud.

Every time Venus caught Leah acting out, she would just watch from a distance and choose not to get involved. Because one, she felt as it wasn’t her place to reprimand her and two, Leah doesn’t even seem to care about what the general managers say let alone Venus, a mere team leader. It was no use. However, if there was one thing Venus was thankful for it would be her good relationship with all the staff and hoteliers and she would hate that to go to waste over a few hopeless conversations which she doesn’t even want to use her energy and effort on. It was too impractical. She would rather sit at her desk and draw a few sketches.

Standing up from her desk, Venus walked to the elevator. She couldn’t think of anyone who might come visit her at this hour. Her friends are either at work or at home sleeping late after pulling some all nighters. Both her parents are also at work and even if they are coming, they would ring her first since at times when she is on duty she can’t see them.

Well except one person.

‘If it’s again you, I will kill you Sunny!’ Venus thought exasperated.

Of all her friends, Sunny was the best at making trouble when they were younger. And as universally known fact, people hardly change and Sunny was a good example for that.

Sunny has a ten-year-old niece whose parents are busy so most of the time she is left under Sunny’s care but that wasn’t exactly the problem. The problem was Sunny is a severe case who can’t stay at home alone and at occasions where Venus has to stay at the hotel for extra hours she would go out and God knows where she goes that she is off the radar. All that is known after that is in the morning, She isn’t normal mostly hangover and most importantly in no way is she close enough to be responsible for a ten year old girl. So if something happens to her poor niece where does the responsibility falls on?

Exactly! Venus Ivers.

Venus got out of the elevator and headed to front desk manager in the lobby and help center. When she saw Venus, she pointed to a guy whose back was only visible as he sat in the far end. Venus thanked her and walked towards him.

However the more she got near him, the more confused she became. He wasn’t one of the teachers in Sunny’s niece kindergarten or one of her friend. As a matter of fact he was someone she never saw before. The only familiar thing about him was the blazer he had on top with the white tucked shirt under and his pants. He is wearing a uniform of a high school she graduated from seven years ago.

Venus tilted her head to a side in a puzzled manner. Wondering what she was supposed to start the conversation with, the guy turned around just in time. The moment he saw Venus, his eyes slightly widened and lit up with a slight smile crossing his face. He got up from his seat and motioned for her to the seat in front of him. Still puzzled, Venus took her seat while staring at his features, trying to trace back to any memories of him before, whether he was someone she knew but forgot. However she was faced with a difficulty of matching his face with any name. He is definitely someone she has never met.

“I am Reon Crane.” he extended his hand. Hesitating, Venus took his hand and shook it. “You haven’t changed much, Wanderlust.” he added after.

He didn’t lose his smile, neither the twinkle in his eyes. If more, he seemed rather fascinated by the meeting. As if he wasn’t the one who came finding her as if he, himself, couldn’t believe it.

“I beg your pardon?” Venus raised her eye brows.

“Wanderlust.” He repeated. “Or better known as Venus Ivers, graduate class of 2010 from West End High.”

Alarmed and perplexed, without a thought “Who are you?” she blurted.

“Crane.” he repeated. “Reon Crane, graduate class of 2017 from West End High.”

“Why are you here? And how do you know me? Or my penname, wanderlust?” she questioned.

“I am here upon your request.” He revealed. “You said to find you wherever you are.”

The more he answered the more Venus was getting confused. She doesn’t remember saying anything about finding her to anyone or left behind any request using her pen name unless…

She looked to Reon and her jaw hung low. She did left a message. Only it was in high school and that was seven years ago. She herself had forgotten about it how did he…?

Reon’s smile got wider knowing she remembered. After all he wasn’t wrong. He did really found her.

Knowing she would want to know how, he opened his back pack and took out the photo he took. He looked at it once again remembering how he first found her message and slides it to her. Venus picked up the photo from the table and looked at it, still fascinated someone actually saw her message.

As soon as she saw the photo, she realized he had gotten both of her messages. It was a photo of the calculus guide book and the lunch bench she engraved her message on.

It read, ‘I was here and I cared. Find me, wherever I am; I still do.’ She smiled, her eyes making half crescent moon shapes.

“It is you indeed.” He said. She looked up from the photo and looked at Reon who was also looking at her in fascination. “It is me indeed.” Venus replied.

“How did you find it?” she asked. Her hands on the photo, reminiscing about the time she wrote it.

“A year ago, I was waiting for one of my friends after school so that we could go back home together. He said to wait in the cafeteria so I was sitting there when I saw it on the bench. At first I read everything but your pen name, couldn’t quite make out what it was saying. At the time it was soon after my mother passed away in an accident so I was constantly anxious about getting home before my father, knowing she won’t be around so I would hang out  at my friends’ place but after reading your message that someone always cares, it felt like the message was written for me telling me I am not alone. I know that is not what you wrote but for me, that was how I read it.” Reon shrugged.

“That day I went straight back home. I didn’t stop by in some convenient store to kill time or hang around some café. I felt grateful so I wanted to know who wrote it or try to find that person but I didn’t know how or where to start so I just got back the next day took a picture and let it go. But after a few months while reading for some Math quiz, I came across your message again. I couldn’t believe it at first but on the guide your pen name was clearly written. Wanderlust. I took a photo again and compared it with the one I had taken few months ago and your handwriting and the pen name made sense. It was the same message by the same person. I wanted to find you, I did. I just didn’t have enough information yet.”

“So I did the only thing that was sensible at the time, gather more information and find you, wanderlust. I looked at the other books, guides of calculus that were on the same row and shelf but there was nothing on them. No message. No pen name. But while I was searching for the book, the school librarian saw me and asked what I was trying to find. I asked him if there were any similar books with the one you had written on and funny enough he said that was the only one as this guide wasn’t originally from the school but was donated from students on one particular year. He said the whole batch donated books and guides when they graduated even though he couldn’t quite remember which year it exactly was. I met my first dead end later that evening when I went back home and searched in our student website anything related with wanderlust. That was all I had and the search came back with nothing. After a whole week of thinking, I thought about anything the previous graduates could possibly leave behind and that became my Eureka.”

Venus listening intently, her eyes followed his hands when he ped his backpack and took out a magazine. When Reon put it on the table Venus realized that wasn’t a magazine, that was her high school year book. On one of the pages, there was a small post it note attached and Venus opened it to that particular page to find her photo and another message she wrote seven years ago.

‘We put our memories in the air hoping someone, somewhere will get hold of and understand and make sense of what we were forced to ignore and leave behind -wanderlust.’

“I found you there.” Reon remarked pointing to the open page. “To tell the truth, searching for you after getting your picture and name was harder. Not knowing what to do without even expecting anything I asked the librarian who lent me the year book if there is any way I could find someone from the year book. He asked who I was looking for. As soon as he saw your photo though his face lightened up and said, ‘That is Venus!’ exclaiming.”

“Is the librarian still Mr. Smith?” Venus asked a slight smile gracing her face. Reon nodded.

“He told me where you went to campus and if I really found you to send his greetings and tell you how much he missed your bizarre choice of books.” Venus chuckled. She did use to read random books.

“After that is where I met my second dead end. I went to the university Mr. Smith directed me to and it turns out in records, it was written you quit on your third year. I had nowhere to go so I stopped there.

When my father found out I was trying to find someone, I will have to admit he wasn’t that happy. But then again I was going around trying to track someone down when people my age were in library 24/7 studying until their eyes turned red. It was understandable why he wouldn’t be happy.” He shrugged again.

Venus thought at that age that is how you deal with most things. You try to shrug them off rather than face them. Because it is easier that way. Because it is not as frustrating that way. Because it is not as worrying that way. But one day you wake up and you know you would have to deal with them anyway so you start the fight with life.

“I and my father have been having arguments about my future. I knew what I wanted out of life but my father was rather convinced that the path I chose wasn’t for me. You see, I have always wanted to major in criminology. My father is a detective and my mother was a professor in Cardis University. That was the other reason my father wasn’t happy I was trying to find you. He didn’t want me to have more interest in the field than I already have and also he didn’t want me to be in the same field as him. I understand where he is coming from that he wants a more safe and stable life for me and that he knows the disadvantage of the job but that doesn’t mean he can stop me from chasing my dream. I will choose the life I want and persuade and if I look and decide it isn’t for me then I will think of something else and start anew.  And I told him just that, the night I got back from your university. We had a talk which we hadn’t in long time and came to terms with my choice. And as my first and last favor of junior detective under my father, he agreed to look you up.” Reon smiled. He looked happy, Venus thought.  

When she wrote the messages seven years ago she was hoping someone would at least find it. She didn’t expect anything else. But seeing Reon and the fact she was able to help even with the smallest things she felt happy too. Glad she asked to be found.

“So you searched for me with the sole reason of me asking to be found?” Venus mused.

Reon nodded. “No one no more say out loud what they think inside. We play mind games, twist words when what we want to say is something else, and fake what we need. It felt like you don’t do that.”

Not anymore, Venus thought.

“And also because some questions I had for you. I was sort of curious.”

“Really?” she chuckled. “What are your questions? Shoot.”

“Your name… Why wanderlust? I mean I get the meaning, a strong desire to travel but why?”

“I wanted to run. Most of the time that was all that was in my head. Running. Going away. Leaving. That’s all I thought about at times. But that wasn’t the only reason. I also wanted to see the land, the sea, the space and the soil. I wanted to explore. I wanted to feel. I wanted to try. I wanted to talk to people from all sort of places and try to understand what they think. I wanted to know all about the strange phenomena in our world even if I don’t fully understand why they happen. You see, I wanted to breathe.”

“And I was reading this book once when I came across the word and I knew right away that was the word I was looking for. And so…Wanderlust.”

Reon looked at her before asking his second question.

“In middle school or high school, or even campus were you ever alone? I mean did you have friends?... I don’t want to be rude or anything, just one of my curiosities.”

“No, no it is okay.” She waved her hands in a dismissal manner. “I can see where you stand.”

“I was alone at times, I was drowned in thoughts of running away, yes. My friends wouldn’t understand and I would choose to go away from them. But at the times I needed them they were around.  We would hang out like all teenagers around the world. Pull some crazy stunts and talk and laugh like there was no tomorrow.”

“Where are they now? Do you still in keep in touch?”

With this question Venus sighed deeply.

“With some of them, yeah. We are still like before. Meet twice a day or a week or if we are busy, weeks. We would meet and talk about our lives, hardships, make jokes, reminisces about the past and drink a glass or two before going back to our daily routine.”

“With others, no. Difference in time, interest and way of life is inevitable. And if they don’t match or the pace is different or you are simply tired because of your job, you are bound to lose some friends and some contacts. Part of life, I guess.”

“If I am not passing my line then, can I ask why you decided to withdraw from collage and start working?”

The question took her back to the summer break of her senior year.

“When I joined university it wasn’t because I was passionate about the major I was learning in. I knew I will need some kind of degree or higher education evidence or whatever it is in life and I didn’t want to regret it later on. But after learning for three years I simply couldn’t understand what I was really doing there. I thought about it hard and long and I realized I really had nothing to do there. Like I didn’t belong there. Like that simply wasn’t my place, my somewhere to be. And if I wasn’t happy there I didn’t see the use of staying.”  

“Do you like it here then?” He raised his eye brows.

Venus stayed silent. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to answer. It wasn’t like the question was new. No it wasn’t. She had asked herself this very question every night. Do I like my current job? What is it in me that am not satisfied? She didn’t hate it here but that doesn’t mean she liked it. The job which was supposed to be temporary, now she has been doing it for three years.

She shook her head. “As a matter of fact there is always something in me who is always dissatisfied so no but I guess I got lost and never really found my way back.”

Reon showed her a tight smile before pushing the picture back to her. She looked at him wondering what he was thinking.

“I got all my answers but I don’t think that makes two of us. I am very glad I tried to search for you and find you. That you left the messages the way you did seven years ago. While trying to find you, I also found lots of things on the way, you see. And answered few questions for myself too.”

“Keep the pictures. I feel like you need them more than I do.” He smiled. “It was such a pleasure to meet you wanderlust. And thank you.”

He put the year book back and zipped up his bag before getting up from his seat.

“It was a pleasure to meet you too, Reon.” She said as she got up from her seat following him. She lightly hugged him and smiled. After breaking the hug, he turned around and started walking before suddenly turning back again.

“If you ever come to SithBay, make sure to look for me.” he winked. She chuckled and nodded as she waved a goodbye. He turned around and walked out of the hotel.

Oh the high school senior Venus Ivers would be delighted to know someone actually go her message, she thought.

Later that night, Venus got in her bed and started mulling over her day. What a day, she thought. But the question “Do I like it here?” was still unanswered.

Frustrated she got out of the sheets and pulled out the box that had her things from high school under her bed. Sunny who was sleeping on the floor got startled and woke up with the sudden action of her friend.

“You okay?” She asked. “What are you looking for?”

 “I don’t know.” Venus answered.

“What?”

“I don’t know what I am looking for.” Venus repeated as she continued rummaging through the box. And then suddenly stopped.

“What is wrong?” Sunny asked. Saying she was puzzled is an underestimation.

Venus got up from her kneeling position and walked to her closet. She was smiling.

“What are you doing Venus? What is going on?”

She turned around from rummaging through her cloths and hugged Sunny. Then pulling back she gave her the note book she took out from the box.

“What is this?”

“Open the last page and read it.” Venus said, her face radiating with a smile.

If you get lost because it is only natural, if you get stuck because it is possible, If you are frustrated and not happy because that can happen, leave. Go away and breathe. Only then can you found your way back to happiness.

Sunny closed the notebook and looked up to see her friend who was packing. And then she smiled while shaking her head.

After writing her resignation and packing her bags and buying a ticket to Australia, Venus got back into her bed and Sunny followed suit.

“So the first stop is the great coral reef barrier huh?” Sunny chuckled.

“It took me a while but yes.” Venus laughed.

“Wake me up before you go in the morning. I will take you to the airport.” Sunny laughed along before turning out the lights.

Venus took a deep breath and closed her eyes. There was no more frustration. Just the anticipation and rush she hadn’t felt in long time.

After all there was a reason why she was…wanderlust.

A/N -    Hip Hip Manse!!!

That is hurray in Korean just with a little more excitement and gut and insanity. I have finished wanderlust in almost 9 months. I had to take break from writing because of university entrance exam and the break in between did me no good when it comes to writing. I fell into an author block and was unable to write a word for weeks and now I have completed a 3600 words one shot, AM HAPPY.

I wrote the preface in class. Yes I get distracted in class and I won’t even lie about it. I won’t even try to deny. And I will have to admit I wanted to write the same year book quote as Venus but the space we were given was too damn small to write all the words, so I stuck with “Always.” hehe. GO SEVERUS!

In life we all sometimes need a reminder. Whether it is about something small or big. We get lost we get confused we get frustrated but we all have a reminder if we really look, at least I believe so. And for some of us sometimes I believe the reminder is ourselves. And even if the world turns upside down and things get really really bad I also believe there is always someone who cares. I know I do.