ϞϞϞϞϞ

Forget it she kept telling herself. There was no point in being sad. People come. People go. Get used to it. No one was here forever.

Yet Namjoo traced her thumbs over her dead phone. Still not charged. Would it have mattered she wondered even if she had gotten Sehun’s phone number? How long would they stay in contact before they each drifted onto their own lives?

Tucking her phone away into the side pocket of her backpack she stared out the window. At the passing fields. Past tiny white houses. Counting the electricity poles toward the cows grazing in the fields. Smiling whenever she counted more than five. When the lady with the cart came around Namjoo dug into her backpack for her wallet. Stopping when her eyes landed on the survival book she’d come with.

“Miss?” the lady called.

Pulling out a few dollar bills Namjoo bought a sandwich. When the lady finally left Namjoo reached for the book she had impulsively brought. For Sehun and also, not really.

Smiling to herself for being foolish. Coming all the way up to Seoul, but she didn’t regret it. For the first time she got to see how pretty the condominiums were. The city lights splashing color among the empty sky, filling up the world with a life of its own. Though she hadn’t gotten to taste the restaurant foods she was glad she had seen the way city goers enjoyed their lives. Bubbling with energy. Wearing auras of confidence.

Flipping through the book Namjoo ate her sandwich. Putting her mind elsewhere.

ϞϞϞϞϞ

Dammit. Dammit. Dammit!

Sehun raced along the interstate highway. Speeding past one, three, five cars. Where was the next train stop? He had seen the ticket. He had bought it, but he couldn’t clearly remember where the next stop was.

Where was it?!

Incheon? Suwon?

His eyes slid past the exit sign to Incheon. Groaning with frustration. What the hell! He’d have to gamble and drive to Suwon. Pray he’d arrive before the train took off again.

Stepping on the accelerator he raced down the road. Getting lost four times before driving back around to the train station. Discovering that the parking lot was so full he had to keep driving around in search of an empty lot. Forgetting to unbuckle his seatbelt as he raced out. Up the dozen staircase into the glass building. Chaos burst around him. Thousands of people cluttered the lobby.

Sehun raced around past the coffee shops, the souvenir store, the book store, the bakery. Discovering the sign leading to the terminal. Running at the speed of light when he heard an announcement overhead for passengers to board the train. The next stop was Cheonan, three hours away.

Flying past a crying baby Sehun panted when he finally reached the platform. Crowded with people bidding relatives goodbye. The train engine was running but it was there. He raced along each long cabin reading 12A, 12B, and so on and so on. Unable to recall which cabin Namjoo was in. Coming across number 13. Thinking it sounded familiar so he boarded it searching around the empty green seats. No sign of Namjoo.

Quickening his pace before the train might start, he rushed through the door into the next cabin. A pair of friends currently in conversation curiously peeked at him before continuing. Where was she?

Pausing to desperately catch his breath he looked around, behind him. Had he come the wrong way? Staring ahead he recognized a familiar backpack. Hurriedly striding toward the empty seat to see a survival hacks book on the cushion. Touching the backpack, lifting it up. Definitely, he couldn’t be wrong. This was Namjoo’s spot, but where the hell was she?

Sehun twisted around to look behind him again. Had she gotten off to buy a snack? Wander around? The automatic door in front of him opened and he heard voices. A little boy’s. A woman’s.

He waited for the oncoming person to pass before making his way through. Spotting all the way at the end Namjoo sitting with a little boy. Reading his picture book with him. Tossing his head back to sigh relieved, because he’d finally found her.

Slowly walking toward her. So occupied. Smiling and giggling with the child she didn’t notice him. It was the child who first raised his head. When his attention on the book was finally lost Namjoo looked up.

Sehun ended up breathing harder. Out of breath. He had literally run all this way afraid he would miss her.

“Don’t go.” He said. Namjoo blinked, surprised. “Come on, we have to leave. The train’s about to start.”

Her lips parted. Eyes zooming in on him then the child flustered. “But…I promised his mom I’d stay until she came back.”

He breathed in agony. “We have to go now.”

Glancing up when another announcement sounded. Five minutes till it departed.

“Who is he?” the big-eyed boy wondered.

“A friend,” Namjoo smiled at him. “He’s a friend.”

“Is he fat? He looks like he can’t run.” The boy giggled. Namjoo laughed with him. Sehun glared at them. Giving up he dropped into an empty seat across from them. Brushing his hand up through his hair.

A minute passed. He grew impatient. “Where is his mom?”

Namjoo shrugged. The boy tapped his book for her to continue reading with him. Never minding him Namjoo continued going through the story with her small companion. He watched them with a sigh. Seeing it was so easy for her to talk to anyone no wonder she was gullible enough to be tricked.

His body jerked when the brakes released and the train started. He stared out the window to see the platform slowly disappearing.

“Great…” he muttered to himself. He had left his car. He had no ticket.

The boy’s mother finally returned two minutes later chatting comfortably with a friend. Having taken all the time in the world when they could have left. His freaking luck.

ϞϞϞϞϞ

Three hours later he ended up sitting at the service desk with Namjoo. Booted off because he had no ticket. Escorted by security. He was so embarrassed.

They had taken down his information, letting him off with a one-time warning. No excuses next time. Now he was waiting for Driver Min to come pick him up.

Namjoo held her water bottle out to him. “I didn’t put my mouth on it.” She squeezed the bottle to show him the sport cap. Grinning as she urged him to take it.

Cheering up at the memory he snatched the bottle from her.

Finally leaving the station late afternoon when the driver arrived. He was standing outside the car in case they missed his tall silhouette.

“He’s our family driver,” Sehun introduced.

“Hello,” Namjoo greeted.

“Sometimes my parents go drinking at gatherings, so they need him around,” he explained. “There’s no formality though.”

“Ok,” she answered, lost.

“My car’s in Suwon,” Sehun told him. “Drop me off there.”

The driver quietly nodded. He slid into the backseat with Namjoo then they drove off. First, they rode in silence. Relaxing, he stole a glimpse of Namjoo from the corner of his eye. Curiously staring out the window at the world outside she didn’t take notice of him. She was like an alien that had dropped down into the human universe. Everything so new and strange to her.

“You brought a book?” he spoke up.

She twirled around to look at him with her hair flailing across her shoulders. “Oh…yea. That.”

“I’m pretty sure you won’t get lost in the woods here.” He grinned.

“It was just…something to read,” she laughed awkwardly. “You never know right?”

“You’re weird.”

“I know.” She proudly agreed.

He scoffed although gladly. “Why don’t you stay for a few days?”

“A few…days?” she repeated. “I was planning to stay only a day.”

“Since you’re here, you might as well stay to look around,” Sehun suggested. “Or else it’d be a waste.”

“Well…I suppose.”

“Stay,” he urged. “Call your dad and say you’ll be staying with me.”

For a moment, her eyes seemed to melt into his. The corner of her lips shyly turned up. “I’m not sure…”

“It’s ok. We have a few extra rooms,” Sehun said. “You can’t stay in a hotel by yourself. This way, it’ll save you money.”

Those innocent eyes could wield a sword if she wanted them to. But he also hoped she would oblige. She was in his world now.

ϞϞϞϞϞ

“Give me your phone,” Sehun said when they reached his car. Digging it out of her backpack she handed it to him. “Remember to call your dad.”

“Ok.” She promised getting into the passenger’s seat, wondering why he was suddenly acting so responsible. Reminding her over and over to call. When he started the engine she asked, “Where are we going?”

“My house.”

“Then why didn’t we just go with the driver?”

“Because I had to get my car.”

“Oh, right.” Namjoo laughed. As he sped down the road she asked, “So, what do your parents do?”

“They help people, work with organizations,” he sounded bored. “Like your sanctuary saves farm animals.”

“That’s interesting,” she perked up. “Are you going to do the same thing?”

“No.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure.”

“You could just come work with me.”

“No way,” he shook his head. “Never.”

“It’s not that bad,” Namjoo teased. “You’ve already gotten a taste of it. If you come back, it won’t be so difficult.”

“Nope. No way,” he refused. “Don’t jinx me.”

“I’m jinxing you.” She egged him on. “One day, you’ll come down to work with me.”

“Shut up. No!”

Namjoo spent the rest of the drive laughing at him. Arriving back in Seoul two hours later. Pulling up to his two-story home. A pretty brown house with white shingles. The front yard boasting of a variety of colorful flowers in full bloom. Granite rocks creating a cute ornate walk up to the front door.

“It’s so pretty!” Namjoo walked up to the flowers.

“My mom likes gardening in her free time.” Sehun explained.

“Is that why you took the flower?” Namjoo glanced at him.

He looked away, “Well…no.”

She observed him inquisitively. The door opened cutting off her attention. A slender woman looked out at them. Her smile freezing halfway when she saw that her son wasn’t alone. Taken aback by surprise, Namjoo greeted her. “Uh…hello!”

“Oh?” the woman sounded.

“She’s a friend,” Sehun hurriedly introduced. “I met her in Gimje. Her father owns the farm.”

The woman’s mouth opened in immediate recognition at the mention of her father. “You’re Jaeyun’s daughter? Welcome! Come in!”

Warmly reaching out to touch her arm and urge her inside she hit Sehun’s arm. “How rude of you not to say anything. I haven’t prepared anything.”

“No, no,” Namjoo shook her head. “It’s all right.”

“You must be so hungry coming all this way,” she sympathized. “Let me warm something up for you. Take off your bag.”

Flustered, Namjoo looked to Sehun for guidance. All he did was gesture for her to follow his mother. Passing through the moderately decorated foyer Namjoo entered the b kitchen. A wide room with plenty of windows. Every curtain carefully parted to let the room relish in pure sunlight. Sehun’s mother was already busy in the kitchen. Opening the fridge to pull out leftovers. Swiftly moving over to pop open the microwave.

“It’s not a lot, but I hope you will enjoy it,” she mused. “Sit down. Make yourself comfortable.”

Doing as told, Namjoo sat down at the table. Sehun sat down with her easing some of her awkwardness. Suddenly it was embarrassing asking to stay for a few nights.

“What did you say your name was?” his mother walked over with a bowl of food.

“Namjoo,” she replied.

“What a nice name,” she smiled. Setting down some napkins with a spoon she sat down opposite them. Folding her arms on the table she commented, “My son must have been so much trouble.”

“Well…he managed,” Namjoo tried smiling, wondering if Sehun may have told his mom about her mischievous tricks.

“I was fine.” Sehun cut in. “I worked hard.”

“He may act like that, but he complains a lot,” his mother coyly grinned.

Namjoo urgently nodded her head. “Yes, he’s like that.”

Sehun shot her a glare.

“So, are you here on vacation?” his mother probed.

“Well…”

Sehun interrupted, “She’s staying for a few nights, mom. Let her.”

“Your aunt is flying in in a few days,” his mother noted. Kindly offering her a motherly smile, “But we’ll make room for you. Make yourself at home, Namjoo.”

After eating Sehun led her up the stairs. Gazing at every closed door wondering if they were all unused bedrooms. His house was definitely much grander than hers. The walls so high, plenty of windows, broad rooms homily dressed down. Each careful touch a speck of memory created by the family. It must have been suffocating for him on the farm. In her tiny house.

Opening a door, he explained, “My room is next door. You can use this room.”

Namjoo glanced at the closed door beside hers. “What about the other rooms?”

“Then, you want to choose your room?” he raised a brow.

“No, never mind.” Namjoo walked into the guest room. Wide, large. A queen bed with a white closet and dresser. The mint green walls were a unique match to the wooden floor. Simplistically decorated with nothing more than what was necessary. “It’s nice.”

Leaning against the doorway, he told, “There’s a bathroom down the hallway. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Sehun,” Namjoo called out before he left her, “thanks.”

“Duh.” He grinned before closing the door.

ϞϞϞϞϞ

“Ow!” He flinched when his mother slapped his chest at the bottom of the staircase.

With a smirk, “A girl, huh?”

“Mom, stop.” Sehun rubbed his chest.

Teasing him, “In all these years, you’ve never brought a girl home before. Is she special?”

“No!” he denied. “We’re not like that.”

She slyly smiled. “Your cousin will be arriving this weekend. Introduce them. You could all become a lovely bunch of friends.”

“Why are they coming? I don’t even know them,” he mumbled.

“Be nice now,” his mother chided. “Your aunt just completed her psychiatric treatment. We should be supportive.”

He tried not to roll his eyes. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t.”

“Your father will be home for dinner. Lets introduce Namjoo to him prettily, shall we?”

Sehun frowned after her. Heading out for some air he stared across the brick wall where the clouds were shooting past. It was sure one heck of a day. By now would the driver have snitched on him to his father?

A cherry blossom fluttered past him. Sehun watched it land on the prickly grass and turned around to stare up at the second floor. Catching sight of Namjoo peering out the window in her room. Such simple things always enamored her. Enchanting visitors with the stories behind the sanctuary, a bike ride, a walk to the orange farm, the presence of Sambok, a warm cup of coffee. Now he was starting to think even the sky was a pretty hue of blue.

Another petal skittered down from the sky. He blinked in case it caught in his eye then looked up again to find Namjoo glancing down at him. Weirdly the clouds dispersed. No longer dancing across the second-floor window. Instead, the blue sky turned sharper. The color so clear against the glossy window that he could literally see the browns of Namjoo’s eyes. Meeting exactly with his.