Journey 4

"Uwaaaaa!! Uwaaaaa!! UWAAAAAA!!!!"

Yeol's face reddened as he tried to get the attention of the sleeping lady beside her. "Uwwwaaaaaa!!!!" he wailed harder.

Jinri snapped her eyes open and sat bolt upright while she shook her sleepiness away. Realizing that she was awakened by Yeol, she glared at him and cursed. Her back was already stiff from sleeping in an awkward position last night and her hand was wet with a slimy, silvery fluid she thought at first was drool.

*Wait a minute...*

Jinri stared flabbergasted as she realized that her hand was really wet with drool.

"Ugghh! First was your poop, then now your drool. Can you be more disgusting?!" she scolded and stood up, washing her hands on the sink. "If you were not a baby then I could've swoooorn -- I will strangle you!" she continued and turned the faucet off.
"Uwaaa!!! Uwaaa!!! Uwaaa!!!' Yeol responded.
"What? You're hungry?" she asked him and opened the fridge. She rolled her eyes when she was welcomed with an empty and stinky refrigerator. "No food, sorry."
"UWWWWWAAAA!!!"

Jinri clapped her hands over her ears and glanced at the wall clock. It was quarter to 6 in the morning. She mentally groaned as she realized that she only had 3 hours of sleep since she finished doing her clean-up and homeworks. *Fantastic! Just fantastic* she thought.

Suddenly, there was a loud, erratic knock on her door and she hurried over to open it. When she opened the door, she was momentarily distracted from the vibrant color of clothes that her best friend was wearing. He wore an electric yellow shirt with polkadots; a striped, turquoise-scarf wrapped around his neck; his pants were neon green, and he wore furry boots that reached his knees. 

Jinri couldn't think of anyone that can wear weird clothes better than Kyungsoo.

"About time." she snorted, deciding not to comment with his taste of clothes.

Kyungsoo opened his arms wide and closed his eyes. He twiddled his fingers rapidly and took deep breaths while he said the words "hum" repeatedly. Jinri raised her eyebrow.

"Humm.... The spirits are at peace this morning, that's a good sign.... Humm... I can feel the presence of the mystical creature.... Hummm... so powerful... HUMM -"
"Just get in." she cut off and dragged Kyungsoo inside her apartment. She was so used with his weirdness, thanks to the 19 years she spent with him.
"Heeeey you ruined my mantra!" he protested.
"I don't have time for that, besides, you owe me last night." she said.

Kyungsoo scratched his hair and smiled apologetically at Jinri.

"Yeah, about that... I'm really really sorry. I was soooo sleepy and tired after watching p-"
"Yes, yes. I know." she interrupted again.
"Uwaaa!! Uwaaa!! Uwaa!!"

Kyungsoo tilted his head as he finally noticed Yeol's presence. 

"Who's that?" he asked, pointing at the baby.
"That my friend, is my emergency type Z."

It was Kyungsoo's time to raise his eyebrow.

"Since when did you have a kid? Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, a look of betrayal was painted on his face.
"Since last night, and this is not my kid." Jinri snapped. "Besides, did you even see me walking around with a bloated stomach? You're the smart one here."

Kyungsoo scratched his hair again and laughed.

"So whose baby is it then?" he asked.

Jinri started narrating her series of bad events last night and how she ended up with the baby.

"...so basically, I need your help to get rid of this brat. I can't stand having another night with him!" she ended.

Kyungsoo nodded thoughtfully and stared at Yeol, who was still crying his lungs out.

"What do you want me to do then? You know I can't take him to our house... Mum will go nuts."
"I don't know, orphanage? Social service? I tried police last night but they just thought that I'm walking away from my responsibilities." she snorted. "Seriously, they were the biggest idiots I know."
"Uwaaaaa! Uwaaaa! Uwaaaa!"
"SHUT UP!" Jinri shouted at Yeol.
"Don't shout at the baby, it's scared." Kyungsoo said reprovingly. "Here baby, you're so cuteeee"
"Cute?!" Jinri's face twisted in disgust as she threw another glare on Yeol. Kyungsoo ignored her reaction and approached the baby. He cradled him with tenderness, patting Yeol's back at the same time. The baby's cry faltered sightly, until only hiccups remained. He stared at Kyungsoo with interest and smiled at his vibrant, yellow shirt.
"Oohhh he likes yellow?" he asked Jinri, who shrugged in return. "What's his name?"

Jinri put her fingers under her chin and thought. "I thought it's Yeon or Yeol, I'm not sure... and I guessed the old lady also said "Prince""

"Prince? So he's a foreigner?"
"Dunno."
"Hmm. I like Yeol. And since we're in Korea, he needs a first name too. How about Baekyeol? Or Krisyeol?"
"Your suggestions are as weird as you." Jinri commented.
"Fine. Then you think of one." Kyungsoo snapped.
"Why would I? I'm getting rid of him right?" she said.

Apparently, Yeol was losing interest with Kyungsoo's shirt. His lips curled and tears were dangerously falling from his eyes again. Kyungsoo bulged his eyes in alarm.

"Oh no, don't cry!" he said. "Ssssshhhh Do Kyungsoo's here!"
"Uwwwwaaaaaaaa!!!!"

Jinri stomped her feet in annoyance. "What does he want now?" she demanded.

"I think it's hungry!" Kyungsoo said, panicking from Yeol's cry. 

Jinri quickly scraped her cabinets and pulled two pieces of ramen.

"How about this?"

"You can't feed a baby with ramen." Kyungsoo said with an obvious tone.

"Then what?" she insisted.

Kyungsoo's eyes shined malevolently. He eyed Jinri's chest meaningfully then he leered at her.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" he asked, his grin growing wider. He eyed Jinri's s again until finally, she understood what he meant.
"Your ert!" she whacked his head and growled.  
"What? milk is best for baby's up to two years!"
"Ugh! Give him to me, and you buy powdered milk." she snapped and reluctantly opened her arms while Kyungsoo transferred the crying Yeol to her. "And hurry up!"

Jinri adjusted Yeol in her arms then she frowned.

"What's the matter?" Kyungsoo asked.
"He's heavier...and bigger..." she muttered.
"What?" Kyungsoo asked again.

Jinri snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Kyungsoo.

"Just go, and don't forget to buy a bottle too."

Kyungsoo shrugged and left the two alone.

*Maybe it's just my imagination* Jinri thought.

"Here's your milk!" Kyungsoo shouted after a few minutes.

Jinri laid Yeol on the couch and quickly prepared the lukewarm water. Kyungsoo helped her scoop powder on the bottle then she poured water inside it.

"It's too sticky." Jinri complained after they were done.
"Maybe it needs sugar?" Kyungsoo suggested.
"Dunno. What else do you put in a baby's bottle?" she asked innocently.
"I have no idea too. Let's try again."

They re-did Yeol's milk for a number of times. As the time prolonged, Yeol grew hungrier. He cried, cried, and cried until his face turned purple that made Kyungsoo jumped back in alarm.

"OH NO THE BABY!!!"

Jinri quickly locked the bottle cap and shook it then he threw the bottle to Kyungsoo. He in return plunged the bottle into Yeol's mouth without hesitation. The baby stopped crying instantly and succumbed in his milk.

"He's a pain in the , you know that?" Kyungsoo said.
"Believe me, I do."

Jinri wiped her sweat and picked her towel and new sets of clothes. 

"I need to prepare for school now. Watch the baby." she said, walking towards her bathroom. When she was finally inside, she quickly threw her clothes. Jinri searched its pockets and pulled the handkerchief she used to wrap the black pearl she found last night. She opened the hankie and admired the shining gem.

"It's so beautiful." she sighed. She enclosed the pearl with her handkerchief again and placed it on a tiny box in her medicine cabinet. *Just for safekeeping* she thought.

"Say Ma-ma. Ma-ma. Ma-ma." Kyungsoo repeated in front of Yeol. Although he knew that his efforts on talking to a one-year old was fruitless, he still opened his mouth wide to show the baby how to pronounce the word properly. Yeol just kept on staring at him with interested eyes. "MA-MAAAA" Kyungsoo continued.
"What are you doing?" Jinri finally appeared from the bathroom. She looked at Kyungsoo with suspecting eyes.
"I'm teaching him how to say mama" he replied.
"Why?" Jinri asked, frowning.

When Kyungsoo just shrugged, Jinri continued preparing her things.

"Oh shoot! It's almost 8 a.m! Let's go Kyungsoo, we still need to find a daycare center for him."
"Why?" he asked.
"What? Do you expect me to go around the school carrying a baby with me? Oh the horror of gossips I'll gain!"

They rushed outside the apartment and ran downstairs. Their loud footsteps earned them a reproving glare from Ann Li.

"Aish! YOU STUBBORN BATS!" she shouted from her window.

Jinri and Kyungsoo stiffled their laughter until they reached the bus stop. 

"That spinster. You see, that's exactly the reason why no man can stand her." Jinri said, tutting at her neighbor's behavior.

* * *

After 25 minutes of ride, they stopped in front of a daycare center which was just a few kilometers away from SM Academy.

"Wait for me here." Jinri told Kyungsoo. She and Yeol entered the center and was immediately welcomed by a young lady with a hair tied into a neat bun; a pink uniform ironed carefully; and shining black shoes.
"Good morning! How may I help you?" she asked Jinri.
"Yes, can you please take care of this baby for a while? I'll pick him up after my class."

The young lady looked at Jinri pitifully.

"Ah, it's really hard to be a single mom, isn't? Don't worry, I'll take care of him." she said kindly.

Jinri pursed her lips but she decided to just let go of it. She gave Yeol to the young lady and paid her for the day. Jinri groaned when she saw that her lunch money was halved in an instant. *Thanks to that baby.* she scowled.

Kyungsoo poked his head inside and whistled. Jinri and the young lady turned to him.

"Aren't you done yet?" he asked.
"I am." Jinri replied. She faced the young lady again and bowed. "Here's my number if you ever need to contact me. Thank you" then she joined Kyungsoo outside.

Together they walked their way towards the entrance gate of SM Academy. Students laughed and pointed at Kyungsoo's eccentric choice of clothes while they passed. However, the latter seemed unconcerned or just plain oblivious from the sarcastic stares of the people around him. Instead of bowing his head embarrassedly, Kyungsoo lifted his chin up in the air with radiant confidence that even Jinri couldn't reach.

Jinri sighed inwardly. She was the type of person who just wanted to blend in with the crowd. Obviously, having the weirdest man on Earth as her best friend will never help her wish come true.

"Here's my room. See you after class." Jinri told Kyungsoo.
"Oraaaaayt byeeee!" he waved at him and ran towards his next class. People, of course, laughed while he passed.

* * *

"I don't know why you brainless kids don't understand anything I taught." Mr. Kang, their history instructor said. He flipped his student's homeworks and clicked his tounge at each paper. "Mr. Kim Jong-in, I don't remember myself spelling 'foreigner' as 'forener', where are you?"

Someone who was seated at the farthest chair near the window raised his hand. Mr. Kang glared at him.

"Plus, your essay's two paragraphs short. We'll see about that."

The man named Jongin looked  boredly at his instructor. He cocked his head to his left and  stared at the birds perched on the treetop instead.

Mr. Kang continued flipping the papers. He stopped at one particular homework and scanned the paragraphs, then a smirk formed on his lips.

"But Ms. Choi Jinri's homework is interesting..." he said. "She said, and I quote; 'The war between South Koreans to North Koreans started with a poop, wherein the diaper was full and the S. Koreans couldn't take the smell any longer'... Ms. Choi, do you mean that the North Koreans are smelly?"

Laughter erupted in the class while Jinri's jaw dropped. *Oh my God... I wrote that ?!* she thought, horrified.

"Well?" Mr. Kang prompted.
"I... um, I was sleepy..." Jinri mumbled.
"Huh." Mr. Kang smirked again. "I'll be expecting your essay tomorrow explaining how the South Koreans and North Koreans divided because of a smelly diaper."

The class laughed again. Jinri tried to hide her burning face but failed, and that made Mr. Kang's smirk grew wider. Suddenly, Jinri's phone vibrated. She discreetly peeked at her phone and saw the number of the daycare center calling her.

"Ex-excuse me sir, but can I answer this call?" she asked, showing her vibrating phone.

Mr. Kang rolled his eyes but nodded, and Jinri walked out of the room quickly.

"H-hello?" she asked uncertainly.

There was an ear-splitting cry on the background and Jinri was sure that it was that baby doing the ruckus.

"HELLO?! HELLO, IS THIS MS. CHOI?" (Uwaaa!! Uwaa!!) the young lady shouted.

Jinri quickly removed the phone from her ear in an arm's length.

"Yes, this is me." she answered in resignation.
"WHAT?" ("UWAA!!!!")
"I SAID THIS IS ME." Jinri answered, raising her voice.
"Oh thank God, can you please come over here now? The baby won't stop crying since you left him this morning."

*Kill me now!* Jinri thought.

"I'll be there in a sec."

She hung up and rushed back in her room. She quickly made an excuse on his instructor, saying something about her mom in a hospital.

She was out of breath when she reached the daycare center. The young lady looked so relieved when she saw Jinri at the door.

"Oh thank you, thank you so much for coming quickly!" she said. Her hair was disheveled and her pink uniform had a number of creases already.
"I'm sorry." she apologized, getting Yeol from her.
"It's ok. I think your son doesn't want to be with strangers." she replied. "Besides, I should be the one saying sorry. I'll return your payment later."

Jinri gave a half-hearted smile and apologized again. After some minutes, she went outside the center, patting Yeol's back like how Kyungsoo did earlier.

"Stop crying for heaven's sake." Jinri said frustratedly. She swayed Yeol slowly until the baby finally stopped crying. It gazed at Jinri with protuberant eyes and before Jinri could collect her thoughts, the baby gave her a breath-taking smile that made her stop frowning for a while.

Yeol's smile became wider, and Jinri was dazzled at him. Her lip was about to curl into a smile before Yeol opened his mouth saying...

"MA-MA"

Jinri's almost-smile faded instantly. The dazzled look she gave Yeol a while ago was replaced by a look of uttermost disgust.
 

"THE HELL IS YOUR MAMA!"