I Really Mean It When I Say I Like You

 

Yi Hwan moved his body simultaneously with heavy breath, grunts, and heard clearly in the big suite. His head is heavy and spinning from countless bottles of alcohol that he drinks before, he looks again at the face lying helpless below his moving body, the face that is now lost in pleasure and pain at the same time. Yi Hwan moves faster as he feels that he will explode and seconds later he just grunts loudly and has his release, after that, he just drops his body over her and then slide slowly to her side and hug her after kissing her again,

“I’m sorry Soori-ah….. Bianne… I’ll be good to you from now on. Ouch… my head is spinning like a rollercoaster, I drink too much… I’m sorry.” Yi Hwan mumbles as he falls asleep. 

Ah Reum stays silent having Yi Hwan keep mentioning Soori’s name since she picked him up from the bar because he was wasted, her tears fall as once again Yi Hwan mumbles Soori’s name while he’s drunk. She then slowly pushes Yi Hwan to his side of the bed and drags her body off the bed, and heads to the bathroom. Ah Reum left the hotel suite thirty minutes later, it’s been two weeks since Yi Hwan started drinking and getting drunk because he broke up with Soori, and this is the third time they end up sleeping together because she would be the one who picked him up from the bar because he will always call her, and they will end up at this hotel suite and then Yi Hwan would think that she is Soori and he started to beg for her forgiveness and make love.

“You are such a fool Ah Reum-ah…. Stupid. He even never remembers you when we met at the office.” Ah Reum sighed.

 

“Eomma…. I’m going home maybe next week. Haraboeji and Halmeoni always make excuses every time I say I’m going home. Even yesterday halmeoni said she needed to be admitted to the ER only because I said that I would book a flight next week.” Soori chuckles to tell her mom the story about her grandparents.

“Come home soon, I miss you too. Your dad has banned me from going to Japan by myself.” Mi Kyung.

“Hehhehehe, he needs you, eomma. I heard he is often back and forth to Seoul. What happened? Isn’t he retired?” Soori.

“I don’t know the details. But he got a lot of calls before and now he just needs to be in Seoul so often.” Mi Kyung.

“Eomma, please hug Appa for me. And I love you eomma, I will hug you by myself next week. I’m finally going home.” Soori.

“Have you met Songyi?” Mi Kyung.

“I will, tomorrow. Eonnie said she'll be here tomorrow. Halmeoni was so happy knowing that she will spend a few days in her house.” Soori.

“If Soojin and Seojoon suddenly join you, she will be thrilled.” Mi Kyung smiles. 

“Eomma, I've already arrived at the sushi place. I will call you later, mmmh I love you.” Soori ended the phone call. And then she goes into the restaurant and starts ordering her takeout. After buying her favorite sushi, she walks back home. But at the intersection near the sushi place she finds an old lady wandering around. She looks lost and confused. Soori quickly runs and approaches her.

“O bachan, ikaga nasaimaa ka?” Soori asks her carefully while bowing her head to show her respect.

“Ah…” The old lady looks relieved but then she moves her hands,

“No… Japan. Korea, police where?” the old lady said. 

Soori smiles at them, “Annyeonghaseyo, halmeoni I’m Korean too. Are you lost?” 

“Oh my God, finally. Thank you… thank you… thank you” The old lady hugs her and cries. She is relieved that she finally found someone who can help her.

Soori brings the warm tea for the lady, she is waiting for her sitting under the big tree so she won’t be exhausted by the heat.

“Halmeoni, drink this first. Is your leg okay?” Soori passes the tea to her and starts massaging her legs.

“Ayya… don’t do that. You are too kind. I’m okay.” the old lady tries to stop her. But Soori just refuses to do it, she can tell she is very tired. She must have walked for so long that she looked crimped before.

“Halmeoni, did you remember where you stayed? Or where you came before?” Soori asks.

“At a hotel. Big hotel, but I don’t remember the name. I lose my phone while walking around. Ah my name is Yoo Dal Mi, what is your name?” Dal Mi asks.

“My name is Ahn Soo Ri, you can call me Soori. Halmeoni, do you remember anything about the hotel?” Soori asks again. 

“It’s….. Ah… I should not be stubborn about going by myself. Everyone must be very worried by now.” Dal Mi is regretting her act.

“You were going to see the orchid festival right? Did you really come alone? With whom you visited Japan?” Soori asks gently.

“How did you know that I was at the orchid festival?” Dal Mi.

“My halmeoni is a fan of orchids too, she already visited the festival yesterday with me.” Soori.

“She is so lucky, are you staying at the hotel too?” Dal Mi asks.

“No… My grandparents live in Japan, so I am visiting them right now. And you are? You didn’t answer my question.” Soori. 

“Ah... I came with my son and my daughter-in-law. We came yesterday. My grandson, he….” She is contemplating whether to tell about her grandson or not.

“Ah, you are here with your family. Halmoeni, I will show you a few pictures of some big hotels around here, please look at them and maybe you will recognize some of the pictures.” Soori sits closer to her and starts showing her the pictures. After some time Dal Mi points at a picture,

“Ah, this!! This is where I had breakfast this morning.” Dal Mi looks happy that she recognized the place.

“Ah…. I already thought of this place. Let’s go, I will take you to the hotel. This hotel is nearby.” Soori.

During their walk Dal Mi keeps asking about her, she is even excited knowing that Soori’s parents live in Daegu. She was also from the same town and told Soori that she must drop by her house later. She even asks about her age and occupation. Soori really treats her very well, she holds Dal Mi’s bag and holds her tight while walking together. She took step by step adjusting to Dal Mi’s walk. After the long walk, they finally arrive at the hotel, as they enter the lobby, a few people that standing in the group look surprised to find them, they quickly run to them,

“Eomma, where have you been??!!! I was so worried that something might happen to you.” A middle-aged son hugs her. 

“Eomoni, please don’t go around by yourself again. This is not Daegu, I was so worried." The daughter-in-law hugs her too.

Then Soori finds a few young men running in their direction, “Halmeoni, you really made me worry.” A very handsome man hugs her. He looks like a prince who came out of a fairy tale book. Soori feels so familiar with him, then she gasps knowing who is now standing in front of her. Yoon Jeonghan, a member of the SVT group. They are going to hold their concert in Nagoya tomorrow, that’s why Songyi will be in Japan tomorrow, to monitor the concert. And Soori never thought that she would meet one of the members, Seungcheol’s friend.

“I’m sorry… where is she?” Dal Mi looks around and finds Soori standing not far from her.

“Come here, she is my savior. She helped me, she even took me here. She is so clever and a very nice girl.” Dal Mi kept praising her. Jeonghan sees her and is surprised,

“Oh… you??!!! What are you doing here?” Jeonghan.

“Do you know her??” Choi Do Jung asks Jeonghan.

“Eo… she is Seungcheol’s friend.” Jeonghan kept his eyes on Soori.

“You know our Seungcheol??” Lim Sun Hak is excited by the fact that this girl is connected with her son.

“Ah… yes…. “ Soori is feeling so awkward right now. The family seems to be so interested in the fact that she and Seungcheol know each other. They didn’t know the fact that she’s been off the grid for almost three months. And she never even told Seungcheol anything or even tried to contact him.

“Where is Seungcheol now?” Dal Mi.

“He is going to the police station to report your missing. But I’m calling him now.” Jeonghan.

 

Seungcheol runs so fast, he only wants to arrive at the hotel as soon as possible. 

“Coups-ah your grandmother is here now, she has come back,” Jeonghan called him.

“Really??? Is she okay? Where was she before? Did she come alone?” Seungcheol

“She is okay…. But Coups-ah.. She…” Jeonghan thinking about delivering the other news or not.

“She is what??!! Tell me properly!” Seungcheol.

“She came with Soori. Soori found her and took her to the hotel. Soori is here.” Jeonghan then sent him the picture he took secretly when Soori was talking with Seungcheol’s parents.

 

Seungcheol arrives at the lobby hotel and goes directly to the elevator, Jeonghan said Soori is forced to stay with his family and wait for him in their room. He arrives at his floor and goes directly to his room where Jeonghan already waits for him in front of the door.

“Where is she?” Seungcheol asks.

“She is inside, your grandmother banned her from leaving without eating first. They are waiting for room service.” Jeonghan.

Seungcheol walks inside with a loud thumping in his chest, he can feel his heart beat faster. Slowly he is finally able to see her, she is talking with his mother right now, she is wearing a black overall skirt with a white top. Her hair is longer now, it’s by her shoulde