CHAPTER 4
Away With MeThe light streaming through the open curtains woke Hyejoo up the next day. She didn't remember falling asleep, but she did remember the clock reading 4am the last time she took a look at it. As her eyes adjusted to the light in the room and everything slowly came into focus, she realized the bed opposite to hers was neatly made and empty. She stared at the bed for what seemed like forever, coming to terms with the fact that she’d be spending the day alone.
She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Not surprised at the fact that, once again, Chaewon managed to take place in her mind as her first thought of the day. She wondered when the girl had left and what she could be doing at that moment. Hyejoo could only hope she was ok and having fun.
***
Chaewon walked the streets of the town silently, taking in her surroundings. Even though the area was tourist friendly, she found it not as crowded as she thought it would be. She had entered various stores and explored some landmarks that her online search had suggested. A beachside walkway, the town plaza, and a section of town full of painted murals which she enjoyed taking pictures of.
She had made her way back to the plaza and approached a small food vendor so she could take a much needed break from all the walking. Once her order was made, she took a seat on one of the tables set up around the place and ate.
I wonder what Hyejoo is doing. It was a recurrent thought she had been having throughout the day. She thought back to her sleeping roommate, she had looked so peaceful that Chaewon was too reluctant to wake her up. But she admitted to herself that she really wanted to. Even now, she missed Hyejoo’s presence beside her. Chaewon smiled at the thought that the taller girl would probably be asking her how she's feeling right about now, always making sure she's ok.
She asked herself why she was so interested in the other girl, why her thoughtfulness gave her butterflies and every time they shared gentle touches she felt her chest and face heat up. Most of the time Chaewon found herself wanting to get closer to the girl, sometimes unconsciously wondering if she could come up with some excuse to hold her hand.
At this, she decided to ask herself the difficult question. Did she...like Hyejoo? Considering it made her want to shake off the thought, but she ended up trying to figure out her feelings anyways. Chaewon hadn't really had a serious relationship ever since she found her first job as a part time florist. She was so focused on doing everything she could to fulfill her dream that she never really had any space left for a relationship. All the hardships she had to go through when she decided to build her own flower shop from the ground up didn't exactly help.
But now, after her shop is running smoothly and she could afford to take a vacation, could she welcome these feelings? She could admit that all of this confused her, having it been such a short time since she met the other girl. It had been so long since she felt something like this that it almost felt new. She found it interesting that as cold and distant and aloof as Hyejoo seemed, she was surprisingly cute and thoughtful. It was fun to see her bold and playful personality peek out.
Chaewon rose from her chair and picked up after herself, looking at the time. Her phone blinked on, the clock reading 3pm, meaning she had around an hour left to explore. She set out once again, opting to window shop on her way back to catch a ride and return to the hotel. All the while considering if she should do something about the feelings bubbling in her chest, and the fear of being rejected blooming in the pit of her stomach.
Chaewon came to an abrupt stop in front of one of the stores and smiled, as she caught a glimpse of a gift for Hyejoo on one of the shelves inside. Walking into the store, Chaewon decided that even if it's only been a short time, she wouldn't be afraid, and if the time came, she would let herself act on these feelings. No matter what happened, in a few days they would go back to the reality of their respective lives, and Chaewon decided not to think about whether that was a blessing or a curse.
***
Hyejoo roamed the hallways of the hotel. After spending most of her time in their room, she decided there was no harm in exploring the rest of the place. There wasn't really much that Hyejoo was interested in, she had walked by the pools, the bars that were littered throughout the place, the casino, and in a kind of secluded place she had found the gym, surprised by the fact that some people were in there using it.
Something Hyejoo did enjoy were the outdoor paths that brought you from one place to another, where the wind would travel freely, and the air felt clear and refreshing. Deciding to
Comments