January 9, 2013

Ilana had planned to enjoy some peace and quiet today. They were at sea, so she didn’t have to worry about being dragged ashore. Unfortunately, her phone would not stop ringing. She decided to unplug it and go back to sleep. Then after what seemed only a few minutes, there was an incessant knocking at her door. Normally she was an early riser, but these last weeks have thrown her schedule completely off. She wondered who could be knocking, she was positive she had put out the ‘Do not disturb’ sign? Her attempt to ignore the knocking soon went by the wayside, to her dismay, the knocking continued. Again, she reluctantly got up, this time grabbing her robe and putting it on.

- “Cinderella!” YoungSaeng greeted her when she opened the door.

- “Young-Saeng, what are you doing here?” She was surprised and just a little irritated. She was looking forward to lounging in her room with her books today and not traipsing about the ship with anyone of these guys.

- “Get dressed, lazy bones! HyunJun & KyuJong are waiting for us to have brunch. KyuJong was trying to call your room but you weren’t answering."

- “I wasn’t planning on going out today, but thank you, enjoy your brunch.” Ilana tried closing the door.

- “Aniyo, you’re not staying in, we’re cruising the canal today. It’s really a cool sight to see. The namja already have window seats reserved for us at the Lido Restaurant.” Anticipated her move, he deftly stepped in so his body blocked the doorway.

- “And you guys need me for this, why?”

- “Yah! Don’t talk back to your Oppa! Pali! Get dressed, I’m not moving from this spot until you come out.”

- “I don’t understand your Korean! I speak Spanish, English, French, Portuguese and Italian. Did you notice Korean wasn’t on the list?" Young-Saeng was grinning from ear to ear, very much enjoying seeing her getting so irritated. It had been some time since they had a yeodongsaeng to boss around.

- “Gwiyowiyo.  Now, stop wasting time and get dressed.”

Ilana groaned.  “Are you guys always this intrusive in your passengers’ personal space?” She glared at him.

- “Ani, it’s just Ilana-ssi.  We like you. Now, go get dressed.” Young-Saeng’s laughing filled her room, as he shushed her back in.

- “At least I showered last night,” Ilana thought, as she was stomping to the closet to pick out some clothes.  Kyu-Jong, Young-Saeng and Hyun Jun reminded her of living with the band members that her Foster Parents used to manage. Those boys, for the most part, ignored her, except for Kike, but when they were in their playful moods they usually ended up playing tricks or teasing her. “The difference being they were teenagers not full grown men!”

About forty minutes later YoungSaeng and Ilana finally arrived at the restaurant. Young-Saeng had been right, the view was amazing. The other guys had picked a great seat. She couldn’t believe that the ship was sailing through what once was land. The guys were scolding her for having missed it when they passed through a week earlier.

- “I can’t believe Princess missed it, what were you doing?” HyungJun scolded. Ilana just shrugged her shoulders; she was most likely sleeping, or sitting on the verandah not really paying attention to her surroundings.

- “I’m sure you’re glad you came out this time?” Kyu Jong smiled encouragingly at her.

- “It is fascinating to know this wasn’t here 100 years ago.”

- “Princess, you know your history?” HyungJun asked her. Ilana shook her head no.

- “I remember reading it in the brochure.” The guys began to laugh and Young-Saeng reached over to ruffle her hair. “Hey! That’s not nice!” Ilana began finger combing her hair back into place.

- “Agassi, I keep telling you that’s Saengi-Oppa.”

- “And Kyu Jong Oppa”

- “Nado, Oppa!" HyungJun eagerly jumped in.

- “I’m not calling you by anything other than your names if you don’t tell me what it means?”

- “It means a girl’s older brother and Cinderella is our yeodongsaeng:  little sister.”

Ilana blushed and blinked back a few tears, these guys were really sweet. They’d only really known her a handful of days and they treated her like they were lifelong friends. Continuing to sit and watch the scenery go by; Ilana wondered when these guys had to go back to work.  “Don’t you guys have to work today?”

- “Na have the closing shift,” YoungSaeng replied.

- “I’m always on call,” KyuJong lifted his cell phone for Ilana to see.

- “I am working,” HyungJun snapped a picture of the group at the next table over. Ilana just shook her head at them.

- “I almost forgot!” YoungSaeng stood up from his seat and everyone just stared at him. “Did you guys read your emails? We’re picking someone up in Peru”

- “Yubin!" Shouted KyuJong

- “BoA!" Shouted HyungJun.

- “Anieyo, mianhae, not a yeoja. Kim HyunJoong Sunbae will be joining us for a few days.”

- “Maybe we better hide Ilana-ssi from him; he might steal her from us.” HyungJun looked worried.

- “Don’t worry Cinderella; he’s not the Prince Charming type. He doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body." They continued to throw out suggestions as to why she would not find him desirable, but they weren’t telling her who Kim HyunJoong is.

- “I’m not looking for my ‘Prince Charming’, Saengie-Oppa…, that just sounds weird.” Ilana made a face as if she’d eaten something not quite to her liking, which made them all laugh again. She was glad they could laugh so easily, it made up for the fact that she couldn’t. At times she could smile, but even if she tried, all laughter was gone from her; it died in the plane crash with her Parents. “Anyways who is Kim HyunJoong?”

It was Kyu Jong who finally answered her:  “He’s quite famous in our country, and throughout Asia and even Latin America. He’ll be in Brazil for 2K13 Feel Korea Festival and will be doing a fan meet in Peru the next day that’s where we will pick him up. He’s a recording artist/dancer and also an actor. He’s been in several TV dramas.” Ilana wondered if Kike would know him. She’d have to ask him when she saw him again.

- “Here’s a picture.” YoungSaeng pulled up the Kim HyunJoong official website.

- “Young-Saeng-ah, I didn’t know you were a Henecia (Kim HyunJoong’s fandom)!"  HyungJun laughed.

- “Anieyo! She should know what the namja looks like.”

- “So, why is he coming on board?” Ilana couldn’t help but be curious since the guys were making such a big deal over this singer.

- “He’ll be doing a performance and just a mini-vacation. He actually is friends with the Captain’s Grandson, who is also in the entertainment business. He’ll be leaving us at Easter Island” Kyu-Jong answered.

- “Performing? To this crowd?" Ilana made a hand motion encompassing the slightly more mature passengers.

- “He does tone his show, down for the cruise; believe it or not the older ladies love him.  That’s why captain invites him every now and then.”

- “He’s really cool and fun to hang out with! We usually do some gaming with him, when he’s on board and he’ll send us emails or texts every now and then.” HyunJun started to get excited about doing some all-night gaming.

- “Yah, just show up for work on time. You don’t want Captain to get mad at you guys again like the last time Sunbae was here and you stayed up all night and couldn’t work the next day. He took the blame, saying he wasn’t being a good Hyeong to the two of you.” KyuJong scolded.

The boys were busy preparing for the arrival of their friend, which allowed Ilana just to enjoy solitude in her room. With those three she didn’t have time to feel sad or lonely, but they also exhausted her, challenging her to get out of her shell; a shell that didn’t easily want to be gotten out from. Ilana’s room faced the port. While she sat on the verandah reading, she heard much commotion, screaming and yelling to be precise. It was a little unnerving; she went back in the room and closed the sliding glass door.

The guys didn’t bug her all day, which was also nerve wracking. She didn’t want to admit she enjoyed their company. She didn’t know what was worse, them calling or knocking on her door at all hours of the day or not hearing from them at all. “Their friend is probably here and they’re busy doing ‘guy’ things.” She thought to herself. “You want to be alone, don’t you?” The nagging voice in her head told her. “Yes I do!” she answered out loud to no one in particular. She settled for reading her book and the hours flew by without her noticing until she heard a knock on the door.

- “Oppa!” It was YoungSaeng with her tea. Unknowingly, she answered the door with a smile when she had seen who it was.

- “Aww, did Cinderella miss her Prince?”

- “Whatever!” She rolled her eyes at him.

He loved that she was losing that careful formal speech with them and was acting more like an Agassi instead of an Ajumma.  “Mianhae, that we abandoned you today; it took some maneuvering to get our friend on board and away from the fan girls. Did you eat anything today, Cinderella?"  It was getting to be a routine for him to join her for tea each afternoon. It was also a way to make sure she was eating.

- “I Forgot?” Ilana shrugged her shoulders and smiled guiltily at him. “Is that what all the commotion was about?”

- “You heard that? It was intense; I thought they would never let him on. And don’t try and change the subject it. Jeongmal! How can you forget to eat?”

- “I don’t know? I just do!” She began to get a little defensive. If it weren’t for Nana, back home, constantly begging her to eat she would go hours if not days without eating.

- “Aish! Stubborn Agassi! We’ll have to fix that bad habit of yours.” Ilana just shrugged her shoulders and glared at him. “Yah! Don’t look at Oppa like that.” He was awarded with her shy smile. “That’s better. Tomorrow our friend is performing in the Queen’s Lounge. You will be going with us.”

- “Na ah! (shaking her head) I don’t do concerts and there’s the minor language thing, remember?”

- “There will be others who don’t speak Korean as well, but don’t worry; the performance is bilingual, you’ll be able to understand some of it. We’ve reserved a great spot for you. We can’t sit with you, but you’ll love it.”

- “No! You can’t make me. How do you say ‘no’ in Korean?”

- “It’s ‘anieyo’, but Cinderella should be saying ‘Deh – Yes, Oppa’ and na didn’t ask if you wanted to go, na said you are going.”

Later that night Ilana received a call from Kyu Jong.  “Ilana-ssi! I feel like going for a walk, come with me. I’m still full from dinner, but I’ll treat you to ice cream?”

- “Trying to bribe me with ice cream huh?”

- “Is it working?” Kyu Jong laughed.

- “Maybe.”

- “Ilana-ssi knows she want to walk with Oppa, meet you at the Atrium.”

Ilana was sitting in the Atrium when she saw Kyu-jong walking towards her with two large ice-creams.

- "Are Saengie and Hyung-Jun Oppa sharing all this ice cream with us? It’s a little much for just the two of us don’t you think?” Ilana greeted him with a smile.

- “I bought one for you, but it looked so good I got hungry again and bought one for myself."

- “This tastes really yummy¸ thank you Oppa.” Ilana began to dig into her ice cream. “Why aren’t you guys hanging out with your friend?”

- “HyunJoong Sunbae is tired from his trip. We had dinner at the Captain’s table tonight and we’ll have more time after the show tomorrow to hang out. Besides, he really likes his sleep and it’s almost impossible to wake him if he doesn’t want to wake up. So I’m sure he’s catching up on that now since he doesn’t have to do anything until tomorrow evening. Let’s go up to the promenade deck, arraso?”

- “You sound like you have a close friendship with him. I thought he was more of an acquaintance?"

- “We’ve gotten to really know each other over the years and we all correspond back and forth. So, yes, we are very close friends. We told you he’s a really cool guy. Wait until you meet him; he’s like an ordinary guy who just happens to sing for a living.” Ilana thought about her brother and smiled, the same could be said for him.

- “Well, there’s only a waning moon out, but there are plenty of stars in the sky. Pick one, Ilana-ssi and that will be my gift for you.”

Ilana sighed.  “It’s part of their job to be nice to you. Just don’t get emotionally involved and you won’t get hurt. Enjoy their company for the next few months and move on. They aren’t harming you and you’re having fun for a change,” Ilana told herself. Whenever any of the guys did something especially cute or sweet, something inside just wanted to crack and they always made her teary-eyed. She just couldn’t help it. If she coached herself through these next few months, she could enjoy this temporary friendship and keep herself at arms distance. “That one!” Ilana looked up at the sky and chose not quite the biggest star, but the one that shined and twinkled the brightest. That star used to be her at one time, so maybe she could remember those days with fondness at times and not sadness.

- “That is my personal gift to you.” KyuJong gave her a 90-degree bow and mock presented her with her star.

They stood stargazing for a little while when Ilana started to chant:  “Star light, Star bright, first star I see tonight,” she smiled as she remembered her Mama.

- “Did your Umma teach you that as a child?" Ilana nodded her head. “You were very close to your parents.” It was more of a statement than a question. “I don’t know how it feels to lose your parents so young, but if you ever want to talk about it, Oppa’s here for you, arraso?”

- “Thank you,” Ilana looked away before he could see the tears that had escaped her eyes.

- "What is your wish Ilana-ssi?” Kyu-Jong laughed, having heard the children’s poem before.

- “Yah, Kyu-Jong is giving wishes away, now?” Ilana and Kyu-Jong turned to see who had spoken. “Anyeong hasseyo Kim Kyu-Jong, Agassi,” Kim HyunJoong bowed to them both.

- “Na just gave away my last wish,” Kyu-Jong winked at Ilana.  “Hokshina if HyunJoong Sunbae is nice to nae chingu, will share her star with you.” The two guys were laughing at their joking around, while Ilana wanted to be swallowed up by the sea, slightly embarrassed. “HyunJoong Sunbae, this is our new chingu, Ilana inmida.”

- “Anyeong-Hasseyo,” Kim HyunJoong bowed to her once again.

- “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kim HyunJoong.” Ilana was at a loss, she didn’t know if she should shake hands or bow. HyunJoong sensed her confusion and reached out to shake her hand.

- “Mannaseo bangapseumnida (nice to meet you), don’t be so formal, juseyo.  Ilana-ssi can treat me like she does na chingu.”

Ilana didn’t understand half of what he said, but when he gave her his winning smile, she forgot what he said, anyway.  Again, she thought, these guys were so carefree and smiled so beautifully, she was almost jealous.