Snow covers up the city of Seoul as it was around -9degrees in celcius. A tourist girl just came to Incheon airport walking to the nearest café. She was around 15 years old until today she aged a day. She’s actually not even a Korean so 16 internationally and today she’s 17 because she’s in Korea. Why was she there? She was having a break after her long work in Japan, Fukuokka to be exact. She’s none other than Tashima Meru, the 162cm height hyper girl who’s tired of her friends leaving her group. She wanted to take a rest on her birthday, forgetting everything that’s on her mind and not wanting to know another friend graduates from her group, HKT48.

“Green tea latte juseyo.” She said in a rather Japanese accent in a Korean language. The half aged women in the cashier who knew her accent was a Japanese one smiled and answered with a Japanese language “Chotto matte kudasai ne?” –please wait for a moment okay? And Meru showed her big and wide smile with a little laugh as she waited there until her name was called and she picked her order up.

She then went outside and she felt a really cold weather, way colder than Japan and she can even see her own breath. She then rode the bus that was headed to Gimpo airport. Seoul wasn’t her destination, it was just a quick transit. And so with the only bag she brought, she went to Jeju island which is less colder than Seoul. There was snow, but it wasn’t too cold. It might be a little mistake to come to Jeju on winter because she can’t have fun on the beach because it’s cold, but she made her decision on just enjoying the cool air and the beauty of the sea in Jeju.

As she arrived in Jeju, she took a bus to her hotel. Yes, she was alone and she’s ready to start her journey to a lot of interesting places in Jeju. She went to the nearest convenience store to buy a banana milk which is very popular in Korea. Her first destination was the mystery road, the road that goes up but anything can walk by itself there. She tried renting a bicycle in Jeju to go to that road.

She stopped her bicycle and put it down to take a quick selfie there. But I guess her selfie was too long that a car came and hit her bike. It’s a good thing that she wasn’t on her bike. Meru who was in shock stopped what she was doing and went to her rented bicycle to see if anything is okay. The man who was inside of the car went out and looked at Meru. Well he was wearing sunglasses that she couldn’t see his face clearly, not to mention that he was super tall. As a polite girl Meru bowed and walked away.

“Wait.” The man said in Korean. Meru who knew a bit of Korean stopped her track and turned around. The man ran a little to her. “Gwenchana?” Meru knew what he meant as she just nodded. The man then took of his sunglasses “I’m very sorry.” As he smiled. Meru who was in a rules against love for a really long time that’s even almost wanting to like a girl looked at the elder male’s feature. He is so handsome with his big smile and Meru just nodded. “I’m not a Korean.” She used the sentences that she studied before coming there alone.

“Oh! Where from?” asked the male in English.

“Japan.” Said Meru.

“Oh! Konnichiwa!” said the male. He can actually speak Japanese even if it’s a little. On the other side the shy Meru just nodded one more time as she walked away again.

“Wait! From the look of your face, it looks like you know me?” asked the male.

“I don’t…” Meru scratched her head and she bowed.

“EXO? You don’t know EXO?”

“Ah! eureurong! Hahaha!” Meru smiled as she pointed out that she knew them and the male being as happy as ever also smiled and laughed. “What’s wrong with EXO?” Meru continued her pureness of not knowing Kpop.

“I’m Park Chanyeol! Exo member!” he said once more.

“EH?!?!” Meru was shocked that she is now talking to a famous person. Maybe he’s famous in Seoul but it looks like he’s taking a break in Jeju.

“And you? What’s your name?”

“Tashima Meru, from… “ as much as Meru wanted to say HKT48 she didn’t want to, because she was keeping her holiday as a secret. “Fukuokka!” she continued.

“I will take you around Jeju, come with me, I have a car.” As the elder male said that, he took her bike and put it on the back of his car. He then pulled Meru’s hand and walked to his car. Chanyeol himself didn’t know why he did that but he just felt like Meru is someone who’s really fun to be with.

The car was full of silence until Chanyeol opened up. “How old are you?” he asked.

“Today I’m 17 in Korea.” Said the younger girl.

“MWO? JINJJA?” he was shocked that the girl is 8 years younger than him. “Dongsaeng! Call me oppa.” He said.

“Oppa tte… nani?” asked Meru once more as a pure girl.

“Like oniichan.” Said Chanyeol.

“Ah! Chanyeol… oppa? Like that? How old are you?” meru asked back.

“23 years old.” He answered as Meru laughed how far their was.

The car stopped at one of the most famous place in Jeju. The teddy bear museum. The two likes to selfie as they took around 100 photos there. The funny thing about them was… they both have the same smile. Big smile that will bright up everyone’s day.

Chanyeol stopped his track when he saw a cute teddy bear doll that reminds him of Meru. The bear was white and fluffy, around 10 cm in height, the bear’s eyes were smiling and there was a big smile on the bear. It was really cute so he bought it.

He walked out as he saw Meru was trying a street food. Tteokpokki. She was enjoying the street snack in front of the museum very much.

“Japanese girl!” said Chanyeol and made Meru looked at him and tilted her head as he gave Meru the doll. “For you.” He said and smiled. Meru blushed but she took a bite of another tteokpokki pretending that her face is red because of the sauce, she took the bear from him.

“Kamsahamnida.” She said then looked down.

“Meru, do you wanna go to the beach?” asked Chanyeol. Meru’s eyes went wide and so does her smile.

“YES! I REALLY WANT TO!” She said. As she finished her food they went to Chanyeol’s car and went to the beach.

They arrived just in time for the sunset. The cold weather didn’t bother them because Meru was really waiting to see this beautiful view.

“Kyou wa, arigatougozaimasu.”-thank you so much for today. Said Meru in japanese. Chanyeol nodded. When a sudden flash came and they both know what and who that is. Paparazzi.

“Oh sh*t they always follow me everywhere.” He then pulled Meru’s hand and ran into his car. He quickly drove. “Meru-ya, where’s your hotel?” he asked.

“xxx hotel.”

“I’ll take you there quick.” He said than the wheels went wild. “Before I drop you there, I’m very sorry, but after this we won’t be able to meet each other again, or my company will kill me…” he said.

Wait… so all this meeting is just a joke?

Meru thought in her heart. “Drop me here.” said Meru.

“What?” asked Chanyeol.

“Drop me here, I can ride my bike.” Meru’s face was so dark that Chanyeol stopped. Meru went down from his car and took her bike too. She rode the bike to where she didn’t even know. It’s getting dark and cold as she didn’t know where she was going. Her GPS isn’t working either. She sighed as she saw someone coming over.

“Excuse me!” she screamed but the guy who came was drunk. He hugged meru and wanted to pull her somewhere.

“Follow me young lady.” He said. But meru being the laud girl she is, she screamed as she felt the man was pulled and got hit. Meru was still closing her eyes but she felt her hands were pulled.

“GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!” she screamed to whoever pulling her.

“MERU-YA! IT’S ME! It was so dangerous, why did you even think of walking there?!” he screamed his lungs out. He sighed then hugged Meru.

“This is the worst birthday ever, I don’t want to lose anyone anymore.” Her tears fell in Chanyeol’s hug.

On the other side, the guy who just knew about Meru’s birthday stopped the hug and kissed her forehead because of her shorter appearance than Chanyeol himself.

“Saengil chukkhae Meru-ya.”

 

-epilogue-

Meru was bidding goodbye to Seoul after a weak there. Chanyeol continued his holiday in Jeju and when Meru was going back to Japan, Chanyeol went back to Seoul. Meru sighed and smiled, it was a fun holiday in Korea. She walked to the same café she went on the first day and ordered the same thing.

“So… HKT48’s Tashima Meru, why didn’t you tell me you’re also an idol?” a familiar voice came from behind her and as she spun she saw Chanyeol standing behind her. He was with the rest of exo going to another country she didn’t know where. The two looked at each other and smiled. Showing what they’re best at most.