Journey 19

And here comes the most awaited semester break!

It had been the Dos' tradition to stay on their rest house in Gangwon-do during sembreaks wherein they can skii and snowboard on Yongpyong Resort which was not far from their house. In each of their trips they tag Jinri along with them and this time, they have new company in persona of Park Chanyeol who cannot contain his excitement on the night before their trip.

On that very day, Jinri decided to help Kyungsoo pack their things on the trunk instead of listening to Chanyeol's hysterics. She found her best friend busying himself with baggages while listening to his Ipod. She approached him silently, and helped him with the remaining bags.

An unusual silence filled the two of them. Jinri was thinking about her girl friends' confessions to Kyungsoo while Kyungsoo, on the other hand, was thinking of Jinri's date with Chanyeol. Who will break the ice? Whose experience will be their first topic?

Eventually, Jinri spoke.

"Heartthrob eh?" she smirked.

Kyungsoo smiled at her and turned his music player off.

"I guess I'm that charming. I know." he said cockily.
"Oh please." Jinri snorted, rolling her eyes. There was a brief pause before she continued. "So who did you choose?"
"No one." Kyungsoo answered simply, as though he was expecting that question. "I don't date friends."
"But you flirt with them." Jinri filled.

Kyungsoo laughed and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Yes, but that was normal. The only thing was, I guess I overdid it."
"Check!"

Honestly, Jinri was worried with Luna and Amber's relationship after their bold confessions as well as Victoria and Kyungsoo's camaraderie in their club. It was a concerned friend's dillemma, and she really wants to know how will things work out the way it was before. God, she hoped that everything would really go back to normal.

"How about your date?" it was Kyungsoo's time to smirk, if possible, even wider than Jinri's. "Does Joonmyeon even knows about it?"

Jinri's smile falter until it was replaced with a scowl.

"It was unintentional. I'm not cheating with my boyfriend." Jinri responded very quickly.
"Woah! Someone's defensive?" Kyungsoo laughed, enjoying his best friend's red face.
"I am not being defensive! I'm just telling the truth!"
"Hurry up kids, we have a three-hour drive you know." Mr. Do reminded, breaking Jinri and Kyungsoo's bickering.

Their drive was spent with photobombs and selcas of Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, stolen shots of the snoring Jinri, and loud singing of the boys when Mr. Do turned the stereo on.

"NA EUREUREONG EUREURONG EUREUREONG DAE! NA EUREUREONG EUREUREONG EUREUREONG DAE! NA EUREUREONG EUREUREONG EUREUREONG DAE - Chanyeol!"
"NEO MULLEOSEOJI ANHEUMYEON DACHYEODO MOLLA!" Chanyeol finished.
"Okay that's enough!" Mr. Do cut, slamming the stereo off.

Three hours later, the snow-topped mountains of Gangwon-do and the freezing lake cleared the view, captivating everyone the moment they pulled over the rest house's parking space.

"Jinri noona wake up!" Chanyeol urged, shaking Jinri awake.
"H-huh?" Jinri stirred, her eyes unfocused at a distance. Everyone but her left the car to stare at the view more clearly, and she soon followed them the moment she gathered her thoughts.
"Wooooow" Everyone breathed in unison as they stood paralyzed from the scenic view in front of them. They took their time admiring the snow-capped mountains which never failed to lose its charm on Jinri and the Dos even when they've been visiting the place every semester breaks. 
"Take a picture of me Kyungsoo!" Jinri said immediately, handing her DSLR to Kyungsoo and posing in front of the camera. "Make sure to include the mountain with me."

Kyungsoo focused the lens on her and frowned.

"Move farther Jinri if you want to include the mountain on the picture."
"Oh! Oh! Include me too!" Chanyeol volunteered, posing behind Jinri.
"It's my turn first Chanyeol -"
"-but I want to be in the picture too -"
"-later!"

The two of them started arguing out loud while moving farther and farther away from the Dos. It was only broken when they heard Kyungsoo shout,

"Jinri watch out!"

Jinri felt herself slipping slowly. She has not even turned her head yet when someone pulled her away from the freezing lake, followed by a loud splash behind her then a chorused "Chanyeol!" from Kyungsoo and his parents.

She turned around and saw a huge ripple on the water, but Chanyeol was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he?" Kyungsoo asked when he reached Jinri beside the lake.
"I can't see him..." Jinri answered, searching the lake. "Chanyeol!" she shouted.

Bubbles burst from the water's surface as Chanyeol's head appeared, coughing.

"I'm okay!" he shouted, swimming his way towards the shore. "Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!" he shivered uncontrollably when he mounted himself from the lake.
"Here son, cover yourself up and let's warm you inside." Mrs. Do said, placing a cottoned towel over Chanyeol and ushering him inside the rest house.

* * *

"You should have seen yourself there man, you're epic!" Kyungsoo said, patting Chanyeol's shoulder at the same time.
"Thanks hyung." Chanyeol grinned, grinding the torn piece of roasted chicken with his teeth. "We'll do it together next time."
"You daredevil!" Kyungsoo cackled, eating his own chicken. "I'll look forward to it then. But we have to go on one extreme skiing first."
"Bad news." Jinri joined, sitting beside Kyungsoo. "Today's weather is not ideable for skiing and snowboarding."
"Why?" Kyungsoo groaned.
"Just some mild snow storm." Mrs. Do joined as well, placing the last plates on the dinner table.
"Mom, there's no mild  thing in a storm" Kyungsoo pointed out. "Arrgh! But I really want to go skiing!"

Mrs. Do answered him with a hum but Mr. Do had a better consoled answer.

"The good news is, we'll be staying here for four days and I bet we can continue our plans on those days."
"Besides, we've been skiing and snow boarding as long as we can remember honey. One night is not really much of a lost. And we've got an indoor hot spring here, so you can still enjoy yourselves." Mrs. Do added.
"Ooooohhhh sauna. " Kyungsoo did an obvious emphasis on the word 'sauna' and looked at Jinri for any reaction. Jinri kicked Kyungsoo's feet under the table while maintaining a poker face.
"Why son, is there anything wrong with a sauna?" Mrs. Do wondered.
"No Mom." Kyungsoo replied, his eyes tearing slightly. "I just think it's an ideal place for a date - Ow!" he yelped as he received another kick from Jinri.

Like what they've expected, the sky domed darker and snow swished angrily hours later. Soon, the mountains were covered with thicker layers of snow that makes it impossible for any skiier to have 100 percent visibility. Fortunately, there were tons of things to get busy at inside the house. The boys played cards, the girls headed for a beauty rest, everyone watched movies together and Kyungsoo (with special participation from Chanyeol) pranked Jinri just to kill time.

At midnight, everyone was having their mugs of hot chocolate before they prepare themselves on bed. Mr. and Mrs. Do were watching the last hour movie, Chanyeol was sitting silently on the couch while Jinri and Kyungsoo were chatting about random things.

Just then, the power shut down completely, wrapping the whole house with nothing but black.

"This is why I hate snow storms." Kyungsoo complained the moment darkness filled in.
"Honey, Jinri, Chanyeol... you don't mind if you search some candles and flashlights, right?" Mrs. Do asked from somewhere no one can see.
"Sure Mrs. Do." Jinri replied, turning her phone on as her source of light. "We'll be back in a few minutes."

Jinri started her way outside the living room. She's been in the house for as long as she remembers, just like what Mrs. Do said earlier, that it was already as familiar as her own apartment for her.

She decided to go straight down the basement because she knew that the Dos like to stack extra things in there. She turned the doorknob on its wooden door and made sure that it wouldn't close automatically because its lock has its own problems. Once you close the door from inside, it would be lock from the outside. And so she left it open behind her.

"Candles... candles..." she muttered to herself, searching the boxes to and fro. The temperature inside the basement was too cold - perhaps because of its cemented walls and floor + the snow storm - and she thanked herself for wearing a thick wool of sweaters and jackets with her before entering the place.
"Noona." Chanyeol's deep voice rang out nowhere.
"Oh Jesus Chanyeol!" Jinri screamed, holding her chest for support. "You scared me!"
"I'm sorry, but I don't know where to go so I followed you instead."
"Sure thing. Start your search kid, I know the candles are just here somewhere..."

Chanyeol embraced himself and rubbed his arms in need of friction.

"Brrrr! It's freezing here." he said, embracing himself tighter. Another swish of wind passed through the window outside the basement, which made Chanyeol shiver further. "Brrrr!"
"Hey Chanyeol..." Jinri said, finally finding the box of candles. "I found them! Make sure -"

There was a loud thud behind Jinri, followed by a click, then darkness filled the space.

"-to not lock the door." Jinri finished uselessly.
"What?" Chanyeol asked.
"Why did you lock the door?!!"
"It's freezing! The wind was blowing from the window outside!"
"Babo!" Jinri stomped her feet in frustration. "Now we'll freeze more!"

True enough, the enclosed basement resembled a larger version of refrigerator. Chanyeol regretted his action instantly as soon as the coldness inside the basement did not do any help from his already chilled body.

"Brrrrrrr...."

Sorry, you do not have any balance to make a call.

"Argh! And I had no more load to text or call Kyungsoo." Jinri complained. "Can't you get any worse?" she asked her phone.

As if in response, her phone died down. Ooops, battery out.

Jinri closed her eyes. Everytime she asked herself if things can't get any worse for her, it will really be worse on her. Maybe she should stop asking herself that question to avoid any more mishaps.

"Kyungsoo! Mr. Do! Mrs. Do!" Jinri banged loudly on the door. She continued doing it for several minutes until her hands were sore and she can scream no more. "Now what?" she turned to Chanyeol, hoping for an answer.
"I-i-i-i c-c-ca-aannnn t-t-trans-p-p-port u-u-uu-s t-t-t-to the l-l-l-liv-v-v-ving r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-oom." he replied between the uncontrollable chatter of his teeth.
"Transport? Wait! Like what you did to my dog? There's no way you're showing everyone about your powers!"

But Chanyeol did not listen to her. He badly wanted to get out of the basement because it was freezing like hell, and so he held his breath for a moment - the first phase of transportation.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?" Jinri's sharp voice rang.

Then Chanyeol released his breath and opened his eyes - the second phase, hoping to find themselves inside the living room.
 

....but they were still stuck inside the cold basement.

"I c-c-c-c-an't d-d-d-o i-it!" he groaned loudly.
"Do what?" Jinri asked.
"T-t-t-rans-p-p-po--rt..." Chanyeol gave another shudder and this time, Jinri paid more attention. She leaned towards him and placed the back of her hand on his forehead, feeling his temperature.
"Oh crap you're hot!" she exclaimed loudly.
"I-I-I know I-I-I'm h-h-hot.." Chanyeol smirked, but his heavy-lidded eyes and flushed face lost the charm of his cockiness..
"Like literally." Jinri snapped and tore her first layer of jacket. She wrapped it around Chanyeol and rubbed his shoulders. "Feelin' better?"
"N-n-no."

Jinri tore her second and third layer of sweater and placed it over Chanyeol.

"How about now?"

Chanyeol seemed impossible to speak anymore. He was shivering so bad that all he managed to do was to shake his head.

Jinri scrambled blindly around the basement and searched for anything to help Chanyeol warm up. She found a pair of dusty bedsheets, and she patted the dust down until it served acceptable to sleep on. She laid the sheets on the cemented floor and helped Chanyeol lie on it. He was still shivering badly.

The next thing she searched was any source of fire, anything, just to light the candles and warm Chanyeol up. Unfortunately for them, the basement bears nothing but trash.

Desperate, Jinri tore her last layer of sweater and enclosed it on Chanyeol. She was now wearing a spaghetti-strapped blouse that shows her cleavage, and she secretly thanked the darkness for hiding it from Chanyeol. But now that she lost her sense of comfort against the cold, she was also shivering but not as bad as Chanyeol.

"S-s-still c-c-c-c-old....." Chanyeol chattered. "N-n-n-eed w-w-w-arm-m-th..."

Jinri lied beside Chanyeol, facing his back. Then just like what he did back on the Ferris Wheel, she backhugged him, only hesitantly.

"Still cold?" she asked him.

Chanyeol nodded. Jinri tightened her embrace on Chanyeol, but the latter was still shaking his head.

"T-t-t-ighter." he pleaded.

Jinri complied, tightening her hug to her mightest that she can already smell Chanyeol's scent. 

"N-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n"
"Ssshhh." Jinri hushed soothingly. "Just focus on noona's voice..."

[Now playing Baby by EXO]

"Naega nungama gidohan i sungani; Geudae ein mameul anajulge cheoncheonhi; Oneuri hanbeonui chance na naeditneun cheot georeum" Jinri started singing softly on Chanyeol's ears.

*Think of anything warm Jinri...*

"Yaksok halge jal halgeoya; Gidaemankeum na yeoksi haengbokhage; Uri dul manui kkum geu cheot georeum"

Chanyeol was slowly calming down. Jinri tightened her hug and leaned her forehead on Chanyeol's neck, letting him feel her breath from his back.

"Nae nuni wae iri nunbusyeo hage dwae; Simjangi wae iri michin deut ttwige hae; Sum gappa ojiman naegen neomu sojunghae itjima"

Jinri smiled as she thought of the warmth she felt when she saw Chanyeol's first smile when he was still a baby. Yes, that was definitely something that warmed her insides.

"Maen cheoeum ne kkum, ne mal, geu nunmulboda jinhan; Tto cheongugui nektaboda dalkomhaetdeon; Yes, you are my baby baby baby, baby baby baby". She closed her eyes and felt the song, thinking of other things that warmed her heart. She can sense Chanyeol sleeping now, but she continued singing nonetheless until she fell on her own dreamland.

* * *

Large bangs and loud footsteps somewhere from afar pulled Jinri away from her dream. She opened her eyes, blinking very slowly as if remembering what happened last night.

The footsteps dragged nearer and nearer from them. But Jinri was still not aware of her surroundings that much. She guessed it was a normal thing when you were just newly-awakened. She felt like continuing her sleep more. She wanted to go back on her dream.

Suddenly, an arm wrapped Jinri around her waist. Then something hard pricked her , something edgy... something wet...

Jinri turned around and found herself face-to-face with a sleeping, bare-chested Chanyeol. He was smiling on his sleep, just like an angel from heaven.

But what Jinri saw next was definitely not from heaven.

"OH THAT WAS BIG! - OH YOU'RE !!!!" Jinri shouted out loud, realizing what the hard, edgy and wet thing was that pricked her earlier.

Chanyeol snapped his eyes open. Seeing Jinri's horrified face, he smiled at her ily and said,

"Good morning Jinri." he said in a husky voice that screams with an "I-just-had-" tone. His eyes slid from Jinri's face to her slightly exposed chest, urging the latter to cover herself with her arms.
"This is not a good morning! That- that - your thing attacked me!" she screamed hysterically, flushing red.
"What thing?"
"THAT THING!"
"What?" Chanyeol was laughing now. Jinri's mouth fell open. *Was he really the man who got sick last night?*
"This is not funny Park Chanyeol!"
"JINRI!"

The door banged open, revealing Kyungsoo's extremely concerned face. Then his round, big eyes landed from Jinri, to the torn pieces of clothes around Chanyeol and lastly, to the Chanyeol himself.

Chanyeol grinned at the newcomer and ruffled his already messy hair in greeting.

"Good morning Kyungsoo." he said with a deeper, baritone voice, adding the y aura that he was portraying.

But Kyungsoo stayed petrified from what he saw. He pointed a shaky finger on Jinri and said.

"Did -"
"It's not what you think Kyungsoo!"
"-you-"
"Listen to me!"
"-just-"
"Please!!" Jinri begged.
"-had-"
"No!"
"-?!!!!"
"Shut up Kyungsoo!!" Jinri flapped her hands over her ears, not wanting to hear any more. Chanyeol laughed heartily and stood up, approached Kyungsoo who was now smaller than him and whispered,

"Guess".

*It's so nice to be 19*