Chapter Two: Hide and Seek
Game
He checked his watch for the 17th time within five minutes. To him, time seemed to have stopped, and his heart was pumping violently in his chest. He felt like he was going to die or something. ‘It's still 6:27pm…’ He stretched his limbs for a bit and lightly stumbled his numb feet on the ground. Hiding is a tiring task, especially hiding behind a bush in summer, which is especially humid in Hong Kong. Drops of sweat started to accumulate near his side burns again, but all his paper towels were already drenched.
“When are they going to come…” he said while wiping away drops of sweat on his forehead with the back of his hands. He shook his hands and flung away the liquid. ‘6:29pm’. He kept peeking out to look for signs of his wife and nephew. Exhausted, he stood up from behind the bush and hid behind a nearby tree, which seemed to be a better place to be. “3, 2, 1!” he counted in his heart along with his watch and peeked out again. “There they are.” The corners of his mouth stretched into a contented and beautiful smile.
---
It was a lovely sunny day in Tsim Sha Tsui, which made it easy for you and Junhong to enjoy your tour around. You had come here since the morning and all these hours weren’t enough for you to see everything. If it wasn’t Junhong, you would have forgotten about the ‘game’. The two of you went everywhere from huge shopping centres to little streets with small, local shops. You bought a cute skirt while Junhong bought a colourful cap that he was wearing ever since. The two of you chitchatted on the way to the Space Museum with maps in your hands when it was almost time. ‘I can have fun without you, Kim Himchan!’ you thought as you drank another mouthful of frappuccino.
“We’re here!” Junhong shouted in Engrish before he started to do a silly dance and laugh at himself. He looked so kiddy with his outfit and backpack that people might mistake him as a 12-year-old if he wasn’t so tall. His pink hair sticking out from the cap might as well hint that he’s not really a kid anymore. ‘I don’t want him to grow up…’ You kept looking at him, giggling, until he felt embarrassed and apologized to no one.
“Junhong-ah, stand there, I want to take a picture of you~” you said happily, and pointed the DSLR hung on your neck with a camera strap you just bought. He made a silly face a V sign with his slender fingers. You pressed the shutter for a few more times, purposely capturing his derp faces and clumsy self.
“Done!” you made an OK sign to him, who was still absorbed in posing for you.
“Let me seeeeeeeeeeee.” He sang as he hastened and leaned towards you. You showed him the photo, and he kept saying that he looked really good in it. “Stop praising yourself, it’s absurd okay?”
“But I did look good, right? Noonaaaaaaaa.” He persisted.
“Fine fine fine I give in, yes you looked good.” You drove him away and he whispered thank you dorkily.
You checked your watch. ‘It’s 6:35 already, where is he?’ You looked everywhere and started walking around the hemisphere-shaped building.
“Where’s hyung? Don’t tell me we’re going to play hide and seek with him; he always win.” Junhong impatiently complained. “I wish I knew.” You muttered to yourself.
The two of you continued searching for Himchan until you heard a child crying. You stopped and Junhong did the same after walking a few more steps. A man, hid behind a tree, bent down to comfort him. He wiped the tears away from the little boy’s cheeks and patted his head. You found him familiar, but before you could go ahead and check, a panicked mother carried the little boy and kept thanking the man. You couldn’t see the man’s face as he was facing backwards.
“Is that hyung?” Junhong pointed and asked. So you weren’t the only one thinking about that after all. “I’m not sure but I feel like it’s-“ Suddenly, the man gave you a peck on your lips and sprinted away. “Whoa when did he run here? He scared me!” Junhong yelped.
“At least we’ve found him…”
“But why did he run away…”
“…”
“…”
“I have no idea.”
---
The child kept crying and I felt I must help him. I tried talking to him but he couldn’t understand English, let alone Korean. His tears kept flowing and it was heartbreaking to see a little child cry… I wiped his tears off his chubby cheeks. His cheeks are so cute I really wanted to squish them. I shouldn’t, though. I patted his head and looked around for any mothers looking for her child.
‘Wait, they’re here!’ My eyes widened and I immediately faced backwards, hoping that they wouldn’t see me. I continued patting the little boy’s hair until his mother came, saying thank you for a gazillion times. “Y-you’re welcome.” I awkwardly said and smiled. I realized that my English wasn’t that good after all. It’s kind of sad… Anyway.
Via the corner of my eyes, I could see Junhong pointing to me. ‘Okay now what should I do…’ Agonizing for 20 seconds, I took out a piece of paper from my pocket. “I guess we’ll start round 2.” I mumbled. Without a second thought, I sprinted towards you and pecked on her lips, while my hands secretly stuffed the piece of paper into the pocket of her hoodie. I ran away as fast as I could.
They didn’t chase after me, though. I… I… was disappointed…
“you , you have no idea how much I missed you.” I panted and leaned against a lamppost.
---
“We ate too much.” You sighed as you walked towards your bed after taking off your shoes. You unloaded yourself and Junhong laid on his tummy on his bed, without taking off his backpack nor shoes. “But I’m happy.” You heard him mumble through the bed sheets and chuckled at his comment.
“Now go take a shower. You’re dirty and smelly.” You commanded. He searched for his pajamas in his messy suitcase while you started to clear your shorts’ pockets, followed by your hoodie’s.
“What’s this? Round two?” you asked. You straightened the piece of paper and laid down on your bed, holding it above your head and stared at it for a minute. It was a photo of a building. It has a square prism as a base and a bowl shaped structure on top. Again, the time is written there: 8:30pm ‘This building looks familiar.’ You went over and searched through Junhong’s piles of ‘treasure’ and found his book about Hong Kong. ‘The Peak. Okay, I accept this challenge. Wait for me, babo.’
“Whassup noona?” Junhong came out, drying his hair with a towel.
“We’re going to the Peak tomorrow!”
---
He laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. “Next stop, Singapore.” He grinned.
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HEEEELLLLLLLLOOOOOOO i'm back.
yes, i'm officially back >D
i hope you'll like this chapter ^^ i wrote a little bit more than last time, but it's still a short chapter :x
i hope you don't mind ^___^;
comment and sub ^^
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