Chapter 2:

       The Salesman

»Cross country drives are long. I never realized how long until that move to Stinson Beach. It seemed like we were on the road for months. Of course, it was only a little over a week with stops and all, but still. When you're driving, a minute seems like an hour and a day seems like eternity. So 7 eternities later, we arrived at our new home; a small, slightly rickety looking wooden house, complete with blue shutters and a green door. All you had to do to get to the beach was walk out the back door. Not a bad view if I say so myself.

My friend the U-Haul truck arrived only an hour after we did and the movers had the boxes back in their customary piles in no time. However, Marie, being Marie, decided that the beach required much more immediate attention than the brown mountains inside our new house, so she wasted no time at all in jumping into her swimsuit and setting up her beach chair with the water just barely touching her teal toe-nail polish. I let out a heavy sigh. Someone in this household had got to be the responsible one and it definitely wasn't going to be her. Being the pale, easily burning type, I decided a trip to the beach wasn't what I needed at the moment anyway.

Instead, I searched through the boxes to find the ones that were mine. Also being not the strongest type, I dragged the boxes across the floors to my new room. It was small. But then again, the whole house was small. I liked it though. It was snug and I always felt more at home in smaller, less conspicuous places.

I hadn't even had the chance to open a single box, before I heard it. There was a knock on the door. I sighed and put down the box I was dragging. I briefly wondered if I should go tell Marie, but she would just tell me to deal with it anyway. No point in making the extra trip. So I went up to the front door, undid the bolt, and opened it wide for the first time. Standing outside was a man, tall and straight-faced wearing a button down shirt and nice pants. I wondered how he could wear that and not be sweating buckets, but the locals here were all accustomed to the heat. Unlike me.

I cleared my throat. "Can I help you, sir?"

He looked at me with a puzzled expression for a moment and then glanced past me into the house. "Is your mother around? I'm Seunghyun Choi from YG realtors. I sold your mother this house and I was hoping to speak with her."

I took a deep breath. Sometimes I swore I was psychic, and this was one of those times. I could already see him making himself comfy snuggled up against Marie on the couch, only half watching a romantic movie on our tiny tv. There was no doubt in my mind that Marie would have her eyes on this one. Tall, professional, debonair, and with an air about him that was cold yet enthusiastic at the same time. Yup, he'd be the one.

I let the breath out and put on the most courteous smile I could muster. "Of course. She's just out back enjoying the sun. We're still not unpacked so the place is a bit of a mess, but come in and make yourself comfortable. I'll go get her." I smiled again and gestured for him to come in. Without hesitation, he stepped right into the house and sat casually on the arm of the awkwardly placed sofa. I did a mental face-palm. He was so Marie's type it was scary.

I walked down the steps leading from the back door and across the sand to where Marie was parked, her hair casually yet elegantly blowing in the wind. I always wondered how she managed to be so perfect. And then I remembered how I came to be. I quickly amended my previous thought to, "how she manages to be so perfectly imperfect".

I walked up behind her and was about to tap her shoulder when she spoke up instead. "Come to join me Pudding Muffin?" That was a new nickname. She'd probably come up with it sitting out here on the beach and had been waiting for an opportunity to use it.

"Not really... A man came to the door, said he was the one that sold you the house."

She sat up and pushes the shades down her nose a bit, looking at me over them. "Seunghyun Choi?"

I nodded. "That was it. He said he wanted to talk with you."

She smiled her own private smile and got up from her chair immediately. "He's handsome, isn't he?" She grinned at me. I rolled my eyes.

"A bit too old for my taste. And a bit serious." I followed her as she walked to the house. If there was any doubt in my mind before, it was gone. There hadn't been, but you get the point. Marie always did this when we moved to a new place. She would meet a handsome guy the first week, get quickly involved, become devoted, get hurt, and end up single once again. Then she'd meet another guy and the cycle would start over once again. It had already begun.

When we walked through the back door, Seunghyun's expression was as unreadable as before. I had thought Marie's swimsuit would get some reaction, but I had been wrong on that part.  I wouldn't be wrong on the rest.

They greeted each other casually, as if they were old friends. I stood there awkwardly for a moment before inconspicuously slipping into the confines of my room. Even through the door I could still hear Marie's fluttering giggles mixed with the man's deeper chuckles. I put in my earbuds to block it out. I'd be hearing enough of that laughter soon enough...

AUTHOR'S NOTES; So our first kpop idol was introduced!!! Yay \o/ Too bad he's not the nicest guy orz... I just want you all to know that this portrayal of TOP is merely for this story's plot purposes. I do not believe this idol is anything like this nor do I want to make it seem like he's a bad person. To be honest, I love TOP, but I thought he was the best option for this role. Please don't hate on me for choosing him. I promise it is not with bad intentions or to bash.

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