For a brief second, I just stared at the closed door, stunned. Henry… I felt a bit like I was going to cry, and my brow wrinkled a bit.

He left me… He must really hate me, to leave me all by myself in a foreign country like this…

I let the clean spoon I was washing fall out of my hands and onto the countertop. The cute strawberry sponge joined it, and then I was crouched on the floor, biting my lip to keep from bursting into tears. I curled into a ball.

I don’t understand…

I allowed myself to stay in that position for a little bit, until I heard a faint buzzing sounding off at regular intervals. I raised my head from my arms and listened, then slowly uncurled myself and headed towards the noise, forgetting my self-appointed task of cleaning the dishes. I searched around the kitchen in vain, until I realized that it was originating from the cloth bag Henry had brought home.

I picked up the bag and sat back on the window seat in the bay window in the living room and slowly started to pull items out of the bag. First was a pretty, black face mask with what looked like silver square stones decorating it. Yay, I wouldn’t be looking like a misplaced doctor anymore! I smiled, my cheeks still a bit damp from earlier, and set it aside, then dug in the bag again. There was my phone from Canada and a magnet stick similar to the one I used to get into the apartment last night, only this time the handle was dark purple and had a dolphin image imprinted on the base. I smiled a bit and set it next to my new mask. Then out came a simple credit-card looking thing, which I assumed was my bank card, and then…

I let out an audible gasp, and my smile grew as I opened up the buzzing box. My new phone was amazing! It looked a bit like a square, but the corners were rounded beautifully. I quickly noted the sensitive touch screen and the slide out qwerty keyboard, giggling like a child with a new toy. The whole phone shifted between a black and dark bluish hue. I found the unlock button and quickly pressed it. Oh thank goodness, it was in English! I pressed the little ‘Open Later’ thing on the new text message, which was making it buzz earlier, and opened up the settings menu. “Oh my gosh!” I squealed, seeing the numerous customization options. This had like, ten fonts, twenty different styles, various unlock and protection options, and maybe ten language options, unlike the three-font, two-styles, two-languages phones from back home! I exited out of the settings menu giddily after creating a password to unlock it, and set it down next to my new key, bank card and mask, then leaned against the wall happily. I supposed I could forgive Henry for ditching me now, since he bought me this all of this.

Then I remembered something. Wasn’t my phone buzzing? I picked it back up again, squealing a bit as I entered the password pattern I had created, and opened it up.

From: Rachie

 Hey, wanna hang? Where r u?? :P

I groaned, seeing the text from my friend back in Canada. I wonder if she knows how far her text just traveled… I hit the reply button and rapidly texted back:

To: Rachie

 Unless you have international coverage, don’t text me! I won’t be back until school resumes. :/

I sent it and leaned back against the wall again. Hmmm, maybe I should finish the dishes while waiting for any reply. I picked up my new phone and carried it with me to the kitchen, where I resumed my scrubbing of the dishes, my phone safely away from the water.

As I put a clean bowl back in the cabinet, I heard it buzz. Drying my hands, I opened up this new text.

From: Rachie

 omg where the heck r u?! france! bahamas! egypt! macedonia! u shouldve taken meeee!

I giggled at my friend’s eccentricity and replied:

To: Rachie

 No, I’m in South Korea! I’m visiting people here.

I barely had time to get a bowl wet before my phone was buzzing again. Only, this time it didn’t stop. She called me?! I quickly dried my hands and answered it. “Hello?”

“WHAT THE HECK?!?! WHY THE HECK ARE YOU IN SOUTH KOREA AND THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY FROM YOUR BEST FRIEND?!?! WHO IN THE WORLD IS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU FLEW ALL THE WAY OUT THERE?! YOU ARE ONLY COMING BACK WHEN SCHOOL STARTS?!” Rachel screeched in my ear, and I held the phone a bit away from my face to avoid going deaf.

“Calm down, Rach,” I laughed. “I’m just visiting my brother. I told you he’s living here, right?”

“Clinton moved to KOREA?!” she screeched again, and I nearly burst out laughing.

“No! Henry! I’m visiting Henry and staying here for a week! And by the way, do you have any idea how much this call is costing you?” I asked. Have I mentioned that she doesn’t know how famous the magnificent Henry Lau is here?

“I don’t care! Why couldn’t Henry have visited you and the rest of your family down here? Micki and I are so bored without you!”

“Because Mom and Dad took Whitney down into the States for the week, and apparently I’m too young to go to a casino but not too young to fly fourteen hours to my brother,” I replied, balancing the phone on my shoulder and resuming my dishwashing.

I heard her scoff. “Psh. Whatever.” Then, “When are you getting back?”

“The Sunday before school starts. I’m gonna be so jetlagged.” I vigorously dried the bowl and placed it in the cabinet before tackling some sticky chopsticks. “What time is it back home?”
“Almost seven. Mom’s making pizza for dinner. Why? What time is it there?”

“About seven forty-five in the morning.”

“WHY THE HECK ARE YOU EVEN TALKING TO ME, YOU IDIOT JETLAGGED PERSON?! YOU SHOULD BE IN BED!!” she screeched again, and I nearly dropped my brand new phone in the sink.

“Rach, calm down! My brother wakes up early, that’s the only reason why I’m awake. Okay? Just, please don’t shout again, Henry just got me a new phone and I nearly dropped it,” I scolded her, resuming my scrubbing.

“Oh, sorry,” she whispered comically, and I had to laugh. Ah, that drama queen. Then, “Wait, what? He bought you a new phone?”

“Yep! It’s pretty cool. Speaking of phones, we should probably hang up before your parents get a gigantic bill in the mail,” I reminded her.

“Wait! But I--”

“Just email me, silly!” I interrupted. “Gotta go, okay? I’ll see you when I come back home!”

“I’ll be waiting for you in the airport!” her voice was muffled, as if her twin sister had come to start harassing her. “Hey! Gerroff—mph!”

I chuckled. Yep, that’s Michaela all right. “Bye, Rach! Bye, Micki!” I called.

“But I didn’t even get to talk to you that much!” Michaela whined into the phone. Yes, I can tell even their voices apart, even though they are two of the most identical twins in the country. It’s not too hard. Then I heard a thump over the phone, and I knew Rach had pushed her off of the bed.

“Sorry, Micki! Just email me! I gotta go!” I said, smiling, then hung up. Putting my phone back on the counter, I was struck with a terrible pang of homesickness. This is going to be a really long week without them.

Sighing, I returned to my scrubbing. “It’s really quiet in here,” I thought out loud, to dispel the creepy silence. “Surely they have a radio or something, right?”

I finished the dishes and went in search of entertainment. Since I couldn’t find a radio right off of the bat, I tried other options. “TV? No, I wouldn’t be able to understand anything. Computer? No, that requires an adapter,” I muttered, remembering what Henry said about the different voltages in Canada and Korea.

Finally I just plopped down on the loveseat in despair. “I’m so bored!” I groaned in an agonized tone. “I wish Uki or Alex was here to help me find something to do…”

Wait. Maybe they can help!

I tumbled off of the loveseat and ran to grab my phone from the kitchen counter, then took the sticky note from the fridge and headed back to my bay window seat to enter the numbers into my phone. Then I texted Uki.

To: Uki

 Hey, it’s Taryn. How are you guys doing? Is there anything I can do around here? I’m bored! :(

Within a minute I got her reply.

From: Uki

 Well, you could be a normal jetlagged person and go sleep for a bit! ^^

I groaned and started to type away again.

To: Uki

 I can’t fall asleep after that racket this morning. Please, even if it’s chores, give me something to dooo!

It was a couple of agonizing minutes before she replied back.

From: Uki

 Well, don’t tell Henry, but there’s a café and a convenience store across the street if you want to go there for a while. Or there’s a park a couple of blocks from the dorm. If your brother is anything like mine it’s better that he doesn’t know I allowed you to go out of the dorm ^^ just don’t forget a mask and the key! And don’t wear anything that shows your back or shoulders! And dress warmly, it’s about 50 North American degrees out here!

I smiled. Walking around a park sounds fun! And it’s exercise too, which will be good. Maybe if I’m good I’ll buy something at the café or convenience store she mentioned.

To: Uki

 That sounds fine! Thanks! When will you guys be back? Just so I know when to sneak back in ;)

I went to go rummage through my suitcase and duffel while I waited for her reply. Spreading my comforter over my mattress, I dropped the two on my bed and started go through the contents. Finally, I settled on a pair of somewhat loose jeans (by loose, I mean not skintight like skinny jeans), a longsleeved black t-shirt and a yellow sweatshirt from one of my sister’s many college visits that said CSU on it. I figured, if it’s already so yellow out there from the dust, this will be better than black or white. Simple tennis shoes and my favorite long-handled purse completed the outfit.

My phone in the pocket of my jeans, I grabbed my toiletries bag and started to hunt for the bathroom. I peeked in one room and gagged at the major pink factor. Pink sheets on one of the two beds, pink walls, pink clothing… And a guy lives in here?! I asked myself, quickly slamming that door shut and moved on to the one across the hall. Yep, this was the bathroom. I scooted inside and started to carefully apply concealer, mascara and a bit of eyeliner. I mean, I appreciate looking pretty, but I’m not one of those girls who spends an hour fussing over her face in the morning. I barely take five minutes on a bad day, closer to two on a good one.

I finished with my face and pulled a brush through my hair after brushing my teeth. Why hasn’t Uki texted me back yet? I wondered. Did her phone die or something? I decided to check my phone, just in case.

I backed out of the bathroom and moved back to the living room, pulling my phone out of my pocket. Oops, I had accidentally set it to silent.

From: Uki

 About noon, but after lunch the guys have more things to do. Can you tell me what was left over from this morning?

From: Uki

 Taryn? Hello? You still there?

From: Uki

 Ryn, Alex is fighting with one of the stylists, I have to go! Tell me whether or not you go outside.

I groaned, rereading the three missed messages.

To: Uki

 Okay, I’ll be back by eleven thirty. Sorry for missing your texts. The only thing left over are these weird brown crunchy things and maybe a spoonful of rice. I’m going to the park and maybe the café later!

I sent the message and put my bank card, my key, and some 1,000 won notes I had gotten exchanged at the airport for my American money into my purse, and my phone went back into my pocket. Peeking outside, I was excited to see that the sky had cleared a ton, making the visibility about twenty blocks instead of half a block. Sweeping my gaze around the apartment, I headed to the door to pull on my tennis shoes and venture outside. Park, here I come!

~~~~~~

You guys have no idea how much trying to do the time zone conversions during Taryn's and Rachel's conversation was screwing with my head :( Anyway, I’m sorry for not updating yesterday, the yearbook for my school was going for printing so I was at school from six in the morning till 4:30 in the afternoon :( Plus I drank the equivalent of five cups of coffee and skipped two of my classes to finish and package two pages, so I was pretty burned out at the end of the day. Anyway, I hope the extra long chapter makes up for it. Please comment and tell me what you think :) Oh, and I do read your comments, I just have gotten lazy in personally responding to them :)