Part 1: Raining Hard

 

***

 

Fresh buds bloom, animals awaken and the earth seems to come to life again. Spring is the season of new beginnings. Everyone loves it, Not only because of the weather, but also because to students, who loves spring break - that comes for a week. Most students treat it as a vacation but there are some that treat it us a week of review before exams take place the moment they come back to school.

 

[Call me once you land. I will be not busy for the entire day.]

 

But for someone who is fond of going out of the country, she doesn't think about reviews. She doesn't think of exams. She thinks about having fun, exploring, and learning new things.

 

"I just landed." Seohyun, a senior high school student choose her grandmother's province to spend her spring, in Venice. The place where her mother was born and raise until she turns 10 years old. It's her first time, and she's excited to see how beautiful is the place. But she's more than excited to be in a boat ride, and enjoy the scenery.

 

Wearing her floral pink dress, sunglasses and a sweet smile, she walks casually like a model all the way out of the airport, ignoring all the busy environment. Most of them are stress with their luggage, while her, she only has one luggage to spend a week in her Grandma's place.

 

She put her sunglasses down as she spotted someone that's holding a paper with her name on it. "Yah! Sunkyu Unnie!" She cried, rushing into her and throw her arms around her before the girl could react. "I miss you, I miss you, I miss you." She keeps telling her, as she tightly hugs the smaller girl.

 

"Joohyun, I can't breathe." Complained Sunny, trying to push the younger girl but is taller than her.

 

Seohyun pulled back, flashing her brightest smile, like how the weather is in Venice. "How are you, Unnie? It's been four years, I think. I hate that you have to leave and be with Grandma... But... You still look..." She playfully looked at her from head to toe.

 

"Yah!" Sunny hits the younger girl. "Quit that! You are not here just to observe me, aren't you?!" She pout her lips cutely.

 

Seohyun giggles and once again hugs the older one. "You are still my cute Unnie, after all." And squeeze her. She giggles and kissed her left cheek. "You missed Me don't you?" She teases.

 

"Miss you is understatement. Come, we still have to stop by the market." Sunny said, grabbing the luggage handle and leads the younger girl.

 

"Wait, we're going to ride the boat in order to get there... Right?" Seohyun got excited. She had a research and most transportation in Venice are by boat.

 

"Water Taxi you mean?" Sunny corrected.

 

"Is it?"

 

"Vaporetto is the name. Now, let's go!"

 

Seohyun hastily put on her sunglasses as she follows the older girl. She's indeed smaller but she walks so fast. Haven't been to Venice, she can't help and take notice to everything around them. Just like the buildings that obviously is different from her home country. The old architecture is amazing. It feels surreal and overwhelming.

 

Shortly, they settle down in one of the seats, side by side. Seohyun put her sunglasses down and started looking around again like a real tourist. The beautiful flowers she can see around is already telling her to enjoy her Spring break. And make sure that it will be memorable. She grabs her phone out and started taking pictures the moment their ride started to sail.

 

"It's just the same around though. You don't have to keep doing that." Sunny felt a little embarrass. She shouldn't have agreed for her cousin's request to spend her Spring in Venice.

 

"Unnie, is Grandma's place one of these buildings?" Seohyun put her phone down and returns her attention to the older girl.

 

"Nope. It's not exactly here in the floating city. We have to take a train in order to get there."

 

"So it's in a province?"

 

"Yup." Sunny confirmed along with a small nod. "You know Grandma doesn't like the noise in the city. So she decided to move and don't worry, it's not really in the mountains. It's just on the next town in Venice, Italy."

 

"I see." Seohyun nodded and smile so big. "I'm going to love this, really." And she once again resumes taking pictures.

 

"There's a lot of lagoon there and a lake that you can enjoy. You would definitely like to dip as well. Spring is a good season to do it."

 

"Omo, chincha?" Seohyun cried out. "I can go whenever I want, Can I?"

 

Sunny chuckled. "Of course. This is the reason why you are here, aren't you?"

 

"Absolutely." Seohyun giggles. She then handed her phone to Sunny and asks her to take a picture of her.

 

"Sheesh, you don't have to face the camera. You should act like you are model." Sunny suggested.

 

"Like this?" Seohyun turned, showing her side profile only.

 

"Perfect." Sunny angled a little before she perfectly captured her cousin's side profile. Behind her, the beautiful view of Venice's canal. "By the way, why are you alone? I thought you're bringing your girlfriend?" She teases.

 

Seohyun hits the older girl's shoulder. "Stop mocking it to me."

 

"That your crush doesn't like you back?" Sunny grinned. She remembers, back when she's still in Korea, Seohyun has this crush with someone that's five years older than her.

 

"That was a long time ago. Today, I am the one who has a lot of admirer and I don't like them back." Seohyun smugly smile.

 

Sunny scoffs. "Look who's talking."

 

"How about you then? You are already in college yet you haven't dated anyone since birth." Seohyun turns the table immediately. "Was it because you are picky or no one would really like you, Unnie?"

 

Sunny shakes her head. "It's been four years indeed, cousin. You don't know what's going on in my life. So stop assuming I am still single."

 

"Omo, you are dating someone?"

 

Sunny smirks. "Yes." As she confessed.

 

"Whoa~ that person must be blind. How can-Ouch!" Seohyun cringe the moment the older one hits her arm. "I was just telling you the truth?! Why so insensitive?!" She chuckles, however.

 

"I am dating, okay? And she's not blind. She loves me and that's what all that matters." Sunny defends herself firmly.

 

"Well then congrats Unnie." Seohyun shrugs her shoulders as she snatched her phone to resume where she left of.

 

Sunny couldn't complain and just watch in amusement.

 

 

***

 

 

Without even having a feeling of exhaust, Seohyun manage to help her cousin in buying the necessity in the market. It's just the same as Seoul but it's a total difference when it comes to people, as they were native and tourists, mostly. No look of Asians can be found, except them only. But it's surprising that most vendors can speak their language well. She has no difficulties in communicating. She thought it would be her that'll adjust. Good thing and most locals has studied different languages, including her own language.

 

"But why there are more apples?" She, however, noticed that Sunny bought a lor of the fruit than the vegetables.

 

"Grandma has a lot of disease. Apple can cure or prevent them from attacking her." Sunny explained like an expert. She is studying medicine for nothing after all.

 

Seohyun nodded in understanding. She grabs one apple and flashes a bright smile. "Let me have some, then."

 

"Pay me, then." Sunny opened her right hand, asking for the payment.

 

Seohyun frowns. "It's just one apple."

 

"Yeah, just one apple that cost 50 lira." Sunny explained like she didn't buy it for everyone in the house.

 

"Unnie, why so bad?!" Seohyun sadly pout and handed back the apple. She doesn't have money to give. "You know I'm still a student. You are lucky and you are working in a hospital already." But she couldn't let it pass and give her a reason to just give the apple without a payment.

 

Sunny rolled her eyes and handed back the apple. "Fine. The ride will take 2 hours after all." She said and sighs.

 

"Yay! Thank you, Unnie." Seohyun happily took the apple and quickly have a bite on it. She then turned her attention outside the window of the train, smiling in glee. Italy's environment isn't just like back home. They have this Netherlands feel that's getting her too excited. She wanted to go on a hike, dip into the water and enjoy every moment of being in a lot of colourful flowers. "Spring, here I come." she whispers to herself.

 

"By the way, how was your mother?" Sunny suddenly interrupted her thoughts that brought her back to reality. "How was Auntie?"

 

"Still stubborn." Seohyun remarks.

 

"Eh? I thought-"

 

"She recently had a fight with Appa about her fight with a costumer. I heard the costumer of our restaurant has complains about small side dishes. She didn't take it easy and they end up having a cat fight."

 

Sunny chuckled. "Really? She really can't stop her temper, eh?"

 

"She's always a hot temper while Appa is the opposite. But he doesn't bark that much if they fought with Omma." Seohyun shake her head. "If I was Appa, I already broke up with her."

 

Sunny gasp. "Are you insane?" As she didn't find it funny.

 

"Well, Omma is just really that worse of a wife sometimes. And a mother to me. You know what I am talking about, Unnie." Seohyun hinted along with a brief sad smile.

 

Sunny decided not to push the topic anymore. "Why don't you take a nap? It will be a long ride." And suggested something that the younger one might not like.

 

Seohyun shakes her head. "No, No." As she also moves her forefinger left and right in front of Sunny. "I'm here to enjoy the ride." she flashes her bright smile and once again turned to face the outside. She loves watching the mountains from afar, the blue sky, different colours of flowers and the green trees, now that they have left the floating city of Venice.

 

"How was your studies?" Sunny couldn't stop from being curious, however. Four years had past and shw only heard little stuffs about her favorite cousin.

 

"Studies is okay." Seohyun simply replied without turning her head.

 

"Are you still getting bullies?" Sunny continued to ask.

 

"Not all the time anymore." Came the younger girl's timid response. She's not that smart but she can carry on.

 

"Really? That's good then." Sunny nodded. "Do you have a new crush?" But continue to be curious.

 

Seohyun finally turned to looked at her cousin. "I told you I am the one receiving it. No need to keep on asking." And just immediately turned to face the window.

 

"Well, who knows?"

 

"I don't like five years older anymore."

 

Sunny is disbelief. "Whoa, just when?" But back.

 

"Because I get a lot of letters now and most of them are just at my age and some are one year older only." Seohyun grinned. The truth is, she doesn't get any letters on her locker, unlike their muse, and she's jealous about it.

 

Sunny chuckled. "Do you even know them?"

 

"Yup. Most of them are my classmates. Those bullies couldn't bully me anymore because of it."

 

"So they wouldn't care to bully you anymore because you're getting loved? That's new."

 

"I know right? Or probably tired now." Seohyun guesses as she turned to where she left of again. She sighs in the process.

 

"Well, happy for you, Seohyun-ah." Sunny smiled. "As long as you are not going to forget your studies, crushing on someone is totally fine."

 

Seohyun pout her lips sadly. 'I don't even know if I'm going to graduate.' As she reminds herself that there are few subjects that she's not good at. She passes junior high because she was given a chance. Now that she's in senior, she heard the teachers will be strict with it. She's worried they will fail her.

 

 

***

 

 

"How long are we going to walk Unnie?"

 

Sunny shakes her head in disappointment. "I thought its okay for you to walk all the way to the house?"

 

"I didn't know it will be quite far. I'm already thirsty." Seohyun confessed while sighing. They've been walking since the cab dropped them in the town. Although the view is beautiful because each home residences they are passing has their own flower garden and the fact that the air is so smooth brushing her skin, she couldn't deny that the more they walk, the more her legs are getting tired. "I thought it's not in the mountains? I noticed we are already leaving the town." She put her luggage and couple of plastic bags on the ground as she crouch down. "Can we rest for a while?" She pouted her lips cutely, hoping the older one will grant her request.

 

"Aigoo, just keep on going. We're getting close." Sunny said and continue her walk.

 

"Unnie!!!" Seohyun whined. "Don't leave me!!!" But when she didn't even see her stopping, "Aish!" She had no choice but to get up and grabs her stuffs. "Wait for me!!!" Quickly catching up with her cousin, who suddenly run fast. "Yaaah!!!" She automatically chases the older girl.

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