Mornings
Uncommitted
"Reach up and touch the sky, reach up! Reach up and touch the sky, reach up! Reach up! Rea-" SMACK.
I've just about had it with this stupid alarm, I thought as I rolled over sleepily in bed. I turned my head towards Siwan (who lay asleep beside me) to complain about the lame-o alarm tone he had set the night before, but found him, to my surprise, to already have left. A bit startled, I shifted my entire body in that direction. Sure enough, his side of the bed was neatly made up and his briefcase was gone. And no note? I smiled darkly, and thought to myself, well, Mr. Workaholic, Mr. Busybody, I'll deal with you later.
Bbbbrrriiinnnnggg! Ugh, what now? I grimaced and pulled the covers over my face. I remained in this state for what seemed like forever (actually for only three more rings) and, realizing that the phone wasn't going to answer itself, finally brought myself into a sitting position.
"Hello?" I said groggily into the receiver.
"Good morning!" replied a cheerful, familiar voice from the other end of the line. "How are you today?"
I couldn't help but smile. God, it's so hard to be cross with this guy! I thought. "I'm fine, thanks, Minhwan, and a good morning to you, too."
"Great!" exclaimed Minhwan. "So does this mean you're all ready to go?"
"All ready to go? What are you talking about? I haven't even got out of bed yet." I said, rubbing my eyes.
"Well you better get ready soon, 'cause I'm already standing right outside your front door."
"You're WHAT?!" I practically jumped out of my skin when I heard this. "B-but it's only 7am!" I stammered, checking my watch.
"I'm waiting~!" Minhwan sang. "Unless you want me to leave without you..." Even from here in my bedroom, I could almost picture his cute but oh-so-mischievous little smile.
Oh god. "F-fine! J-just, just give me ten minutes!" I hung up, again checked the time (now 7:01am), and dashed into the bathroom. Once there, I promptly jumped into the shower (I wasn't wearing any clothes, anyway), washed my hair, face, and body in less than four minutes, brushed my teeth in less than three, blow-dried my hair in less than one, dug through my closet and threw on a bra, underwear, and a pair of tights; a cream-coloured blouse, a black mini-skirt, and my favourite high heels. I briefly checked my reflection in the mirror and, smoothening back my hair and grabbing my makeup bag and backpack, finally bolted to the front door. When I opened it, Minhwan jumped into my somehow outstretched arms.
"Surprise!!!!!!" he cried out in glee, making me almost jump out of my skin for the second time that morning. I was practically frozen in place, nearly immobilized by the jeebies.
"I...Minhwan..." I was dazed and confused, having done so much in such a short amount of time, and him scaring the living daylights out of me not once, but twice, did not help matters.
Minhwan giggled and finally retreated from me (I was still standing as still as a statue). "You took long enough." he remarked.
What the..? I snapped back into reality. "What are you saying?!" I demanded. "It's," I checked my watch, "it's exactly seven-eleven AM! It only took me ten minutes to get ready! See? See?!!" I shoved the watch screen (and my wrist) in front of his face.
"Yeah, yeah." Minhwan yawned, shooing away my hands. "Speaking of Seven-Eleven, I'm hungry," he said, rubbing his stomach, "aren't you?"
I sighed. "I wasn't talking about THAT KIND of Seven-Eleven, I was talking about the time it took me to-"
Minhwan suddenly took my hand. For a split-second, I blushed a shade of pink. I looked carefully at him for a moment. I couldn't help it. He wasn't bad looking. Not bad looking at all. This morning, he was wearing an adorable pastel green collared shirt, a pair of denims, beige Converse sneakers, and a yellow knapsack. His mid-length brown hair was neatly combed and he had bangs in the front. From a first glance, he could easily have passed for someone who works at the kiddy corner in an amusement park. That, or a giant preschooler. Minhwan tugged at my arm, and whined, "Let's pick up something to eat before we get on the train, puleaaseeee????" And he gave me one of his sweetest smiles.
Meh, what the heck. "Fine." I sighed. "But you're buying." I walked ahead of him to the elevator.
"Whatever you say!" Minhwan said happily (happy at the thought of food), bounding after me.
Thunk. Dunk. Rat-a-chunk. Thunk. Chink.
God, all this bumping and thumping is making it impossible for me to do my eyeliner! I thought, squinting into my compact mirror for the umpteenth time while holding the black pencil carefully against my left eyelid.
Thunk! Chunk! Ughhhhhh...not again... I gritted my teeth and tried again, but it was no use. I sighed and gave up, putting away my mirror and pencil into my makeup bag and adjusting my backpack on my lap. I gingerly picked up my cup of caramel macchiato from the paper cup-holder beside me. I glanced across the aisle and saw Minhwan happily gobbling up his breakfast bagel and milk. A natural optimist, I thought to myself, sipping slowly.
Minutes past like that, him stuffing his face and me watching him stuff his face. Boy, how could someone eat that much without stopping for air?......Oh my god, HOW could he fit that entire thing in his mou-...Oops. Minhwan finally looked up at me. Our eyes met. I instinctively averted my gaze to focus on my drink, then, suddenly, I realized something. We were in a separate compartment on the train and I had no other company but him. Better to make conversation, I thought, no matter how stupid it might turn out. With that, I gave him a warm smile. "Thanks for the coffee." I said, pointing to my cup.
Minhwan chewed, chewed, swallowed, then replied, "Aw, no problem! It's always nice to eat breakfast on the train, and even better to have someone to share it with." He pointed a cream-cheese-stained finger in my direction. "Like you!"
Hmm. I couldn't help but to let out a slight chuckle. "Yeah, I must admit, it's kinda nice to have someone to sit with on these long morning train rides to school. Otherwise, I'd have to stare outside the window for two hours straight!"
Minhwan beamed, then added shyly, "So you're not mad?"
Huh? Now what's he saying? "Mad?" I held up my hands to show my confusion. "Why would I be mad?"
"Ummm, you know," Minhwan stuffed the now-empty wrapper (that once held his sandwich) into his milk carton, then said sheepishly, "about this morning..."
Oh. Ohhhhhhh. I felt my cheeks blush pink again as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. "I-I'd forgotten all about little incident, until you just brought it up." I said, laughing lightly.
Minhwan gasped, his eyes as wide as plates. "Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to-"
I cut him off. "Jeez, it's no biggie!" I said cheerfully. "It's not like you wanted to torture me or anything like that (let's hope it's not that). You just wanted company on the train...and, to tell you the truth, so did I..." I gave him one of my award-winning reassuring smiles (well maybe it didn't really win an award, but you get the idea).
Luckily, it did just the trick for Minhwan. "Right!" he exclaimed. "I only wanted to keep you company on the train! So you wouldn't get bored!" He excitedly bounced up and down in his seat. "I'm right, right? Right?"
He's got a point. "Yep," I grinned, then hesitated for a moment, taking time to process what he'd just said. "Gee, Minhwan," I said finally, "I didn't know that you were such a thoughtful person. Thinking of me like that. I'm honoured. Touched, even."
Now it was Minhwan's turn to turn pink. "Uhhhhhh y-yeah.......t-thoughtful......th-that's me........." he stuttered.
Just then, a voice on the intercom boomed, "The next station is Burnaby, Burnaby station. Arrival in t minus ten seconds. The doors are on your right. Repeat, the next station is Burnaby, Burnaby station. The doors are on your right..." Minhwan suddenly stood up.
"Well, that's my stop!" he said brightly (more brightly than usual). Grabbing his knapsack, he hurriedly opened our compartment door. "Gotta get going! Have a super-duper rest of your day!!!" he cried, giving me a little wave.
Saved by the intercom, huh, Minhwan? What a cutie. I waved back. "Hope you have a good day, too, Minhwan." I said, smiling ruefully at him. I said it like I meant it (and I really did).
"See you tomorrow!" The door to the compartment slammed shut, and I was alone.
Tum de dum. Tum de dum. I crossed and uncrossed my legs. I recrossed then uncrossed my legs. I stretched them out so I could admire my ruby red high-heels.
Hmmmmmmm. I was right. Nothing else for me to do now other than staring mindlessly out the window.
"See you tomorrow!......."
Weird, Minhwan's bubbly, energetic voice stays with me throughout the rest of the ride even hours after he's left the train, I reflected, sipping my macchiato. Hmmmmm, wonder why...... I eventually shrugged it off. A natural optimist, I reminded myself, that kid is one, to the core.
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