CHAPTER 28

[Sol Han Na’s POV]

“Guess we’ll just see you back at the dorm, then,” Suho murmured as he draped an arm over my shoulders and pulled me against him. It’s already morning and we’re currently crowded outside EXO’s cottage – saying our farewells before they return to Seoul. Infinite has left a few minutes ago and I stood by Myungsoo’s side as we sent s away. Now it’s time for him to do the same for me.

“Watch over our Hanna, alright?” Minseok told Myungsoo right after embracing me. He clasped the man’s shoulder and smiled kindly before adding, “Have fun in Macau.”

Myungsoo and I muttered a quick thanks before following the boys towards their van. Some of them, the ones who drank most last night, were quiet due to hangover but they still didn’t forget to bid me proper goodbyes.

I watched in silence as Byun Baekhyun, the one who always sits at the back, boarded first. He has been silent ever since we’ve seen each other this morning but I never tried to approach him. The memories of what transpired between us last night are still fresh in my mind and it’s still making me wonder whether he meant everything he said that time. Anyway, he was drunk. Who knows whether he even remembered what happened.

But the moment I initiated to hug him and barely got any response, I learned the answer to my question. He remembers.

All the members have boarded the van and Myungsoo and I stepped away as the vehicle whirred into life.

“Don’t forget to buy our gifts, noona!” I heard Sehun yell just in time before Suho slid the door closed. I nodded my head, just in case Sehun’s looking at me from inside, and waved my hand as they drove away. We waited for the van to completely disappear from our sight before walking back inside the house to pack our stuffs.

The trip to Macau was an unexpected agenda. Myungsoo and I’s original plan was to just spend our honeymoon here at the beach but everything had to change after we won the award yesterday. It was such a relief that I decided to bring extra clothes. The trip was only for two days and nights anyway and I’m pretty sure my stash would last until then.

Myungsoo and I were silent as we made our way back. There were no cameras following us anyway so there’s no need to put on a show and a bright face. I’m still upset about last night’s turn of events and he’s not stupid not to notice that something’s definitely going on. But the fact that he didn’t pry and gave me some space is enough to make me feel grateful.

I could feel Myungsoo’s eyes guarding me as I entered my room and closed the door without speaking and even glancing at him. Our flight’s not until this afternoon and I still have a few hours to sleep and organize my thoughts. I can’t be like this – not when we begin filming. I already made my decision last night and I am planning to stick with it.

“This day’s meant to be fun, Hanna,” I mumbled to myself as I headed towards my bed. I dropped lazily before shutting my eyes. “Today you have to start being happy.”

***

“You have your passport with you, Hanna?” Ms. Kim asked as we made our way inside Incheon Airport. She arrived this afternoon from Seoul to replace Manager Song who’s going to be busy attending to EXO again as they move on to China for their concert tour.

I nodded my head meekly before flashing her the object in my hand.

The cameras have already started rolling so Myungsoo and I were forced to break our silence and exchange some light chitchats as we headed towards the plane. I am still yet to succeed in livening up my mood but things changed when Myungsoo took his phone out before the plane takes off and convinced me into recording a documentary video of our adventure to Macau. He didn’t stop spewing random jokes that by the time we were asked to put all our gadgets and other technological devices away, he has already succeeded in putting a real smile on my face.

It took us three hours to land which is equivalent to three hours of me being asleep on the plane. I wasn’t able to sleep a wink last night and I’m only starting to regain some rest. I’ll need it. I won’t forgive myself if I fail to enjoy this trip just because I lack energy. It’s not always I’d get the chance to visit Macau – for free.

Myungsoo and I were immediately taken to a hotel as soon as we arrived. I was expecting separate rooms just like what we had in Gangwon-do but I was wrong. Both of us stood gaping at the lady at the front desk when she handed us a single keycard.

“There’s only one room reserved for you, Ma’am, Sir,” the attendant explained politely when she saw the stricken expression on our faces. Myungsoo and I have no other choice but to accept what has been given to us. We only got here for free anyway so it’s obvious we don’t have any right to complain.

Our room was on the twelfth floor and I could sense Myungsoo’s same level of anxiety as we rode the elevator in complete silence. We reached our room and both of us sighed audibly in relief the moment we saw two bedroom doors.

At least we don’t have to sleep on the same bed, I thought to myself contentedly.

Myungsoo called dibs on the right room so I settled myself with the left one. We were given an hour to rest before resuming filming again at around 8 o’clock in the evening.

“Where are we supposed to eat?” I asked after feeling my stomach rumbling. Myungsoo only shrugged his shoulders with a small pout. He must’ve been hungry, too.

All our worries were solved as we caught glimpse of a familiar-looking envelope being waved at us from behind the cameras. It’s been a while since we’ve last received a mission card. I don’t know why but compared to the other couples, the producers of the show seem to give us more liberty in doing whatever we want to do. Myungsoo and I have gone months in this show mostly doing anything that comes to our minds and honestly, it was a lot more fun than always obeying those missions.

Myungsoo rose from his spot on the couch and took the card. He read what’s written loudly and both of us celebrated in glee as we learned of the task we’re about to do.

“We’re going to the night market!” we yelled in unison as we sprinted to grab our bags and prepared to leave. The mission was simple: we just need to visit Macau’s renowned night market and grab our dinner there. There was a one thousand worth of Macanese Pataca bills inside which roughly estimates to one hundred fourty thousand won. I could almost feel the rumbling of my stomach intensify as images of Macau’s famous street foods filled my head. The two of us left our room quick and was transported to our next destination.

The delicious smell of food welcomed our nostrils the moment Myungsoo slid the van’s door. My mouth watered in an instant and it cost me a lot of control to keep myself from running madly towards the busy streets of Macau’s night market and feasting on whatever food my eyes landed on.

Myungsoo held my hand protectively as we wove our way along the thick crowd. I didn’t even think of arguing, afraid that if he let me go; I might as well get lost easily in the swarming sea of people. We managed to pass by a few stores before the crowd finally thinned and so we began our conquest for food.

Being the passionate photographer he is, Myungsoo didn’t cease from taking pictures along the way. He was busy snapping a photo of me eating a Portuguese egg tart when I suddenly recognized the lens attached to his camera.

“Isn’t that…” I broke off, pointing at the object. Having a mouth full of the delicious tart is making talking impossible. Myungsoo nodded and waved the camera in front of my face, smiling from ear to ear. Warmth washed through me after learning that he’s finally started using my gift.

“You asked me to take beautiful pictures using this so here I am doing it,” he murmured before snapping another picture of me.

The two of us continued to walk until we reached the farthest end of the street. We’ve eaten so many stuffs starting from pork chop buns to almond cookies to serradura to the famed pork and beef jerky that we eventually had to rest to let out stomachs properly digest those large amounts of food first. It was almost 10 o’clock when we realized we ate nothing but snacks and decided to drop by a Chinese restaurant for take-out before going back to the hotel.

“Wow. I almost thought my stomach’s going to burst back there,” Myungsoo exclaimed as we re-entered our room. We were both shaking in laughter about how hilarious our mini-adventure at the market was and how our managers are surely going to flip after they see the amount of calories we took in.

Talk about diet.

Myungsoo and I were gathered on the living room couch, munching off our Chinese take-outs, as we planned tomorrow’s itinerary activities. Myungsoo talked about wanting to see the remarkable Ruins of St. Paul’s before suggesting we could also pay Venetian Resort a visit. He was deep in the process of deciding which place to go first but my mind has already begun to wander, his words turning muffled.

“Oppa,” I spoke, cutting him off mid-sentence. He stared at me blankly. “Actually… there’s somewhere I really want to go to.”

***

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Myungsoo said for the thirteenth time. His head is slanted upwards, his eyes wide and filled with dread, as he stared at the massive structure standing tall and proud before us.    

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, oppa. It’s okay, I promise,” I murmured, absolutely guilty for dragging him here.

Myungsoo gulped but still kept his eyes on the tower as he spoke, “How am I supposed to let you jump from that all by yourself?”

I sighed and was about to roll my eyes at him but stopped myself.

“I’ll be fine, alright? You don’t have to worry about me,” I argued.

“Is there no other way for me to stop you?” he asked, finally shifting his gaze to me. “Are you really going to do this?”

I bit my lip and slowly nodded my head.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter