Meet the wind

It was the perfect day for sailing. The wind was gusting at five knots and Ji proved to be a born sailor. He had a feel for the wind and nerves of steel that made sure that despite coming close, they never landed on the water.

After their picnic in the beach, she pushed him to go sailing as he really seemed to need it.

The anger he had was so palpable the very first time she saw him and it had surprised her for he always seemed playful ever since his arrival at the clinic. The way he looked a while back reminded her of his rebelliousness years ago – and if he had been in a uniform while glaring at her, then it would have been high school all over again.

He had that explosive air she so clearly remembered from before. It was as though touching him would make him go off and anyone in his path was going to be obliterated.

She was glad to note that he seemed to drop that off now – almost back to his playful self.

As the water sprayed over the bows, Dara smiled. “Who taught you to sail?”

“Taught myself” he answered and tightened the main sheet as he turned the boat into the wind “Sank two boats in the process and almost caused the pier to be destroyed. I think you’ll remember that.”

He was talking about the incident that had been the talk of the whole island when he was in third year in high school and she was second year.

“I do remember” she answered and laughed out loud “At least you didn’t give up.”

“When I really want something, I do whatever I need to do to get it” he told her and pointed to her to release the jib sheet. They both ducked under the boom as the boat came swiftly around. The wind caught the sails and the boat accelerated smoothly away, the sea sparkling in the sunshine.

“Is that why you left to become a doctor?”

He nodded. “It’s hard to be who I want to be in this island, people just won’t let you.”

She perfectly understood that. “The locals do seem to really hold on to what they believe a particular person should be. Even now, some of them think that I can’t handle being the Head Nurse.”

“Well... you were particularly shy back then and I can’t remember you even saying anything more than five words to me.”

“I’ve been a victim of bullying when we were still in New York. I didn’t know how to particularly talk to others because I always worried that if I even speak to them they were going to find a way to hurt me.”

“Was it really that bad?”

She nodded. “I had often begged my Mom and Dad to transfer me to another school or home-school me because I dreaded going to school. Before the fire, they had finally relented to my requests…” the memory had hurt her really bad before but she found herself being able to talk to him about it now “I sometimes think that maybe I shouldn’t have wished so bad to be away from that school… maybe the fire might not have happened at all.”

Ji felt her honesty cut through him and it touched him. She didn’t seem to have talked about this particular incident  to anyone before.

“I thought before that those things must have really affected you… I never thought you’d speak to me about it.”

Dara smiled shyly “I seem to talk to you about a lot of things that I don’t say to other people.”

“Like being such a -head?” he asked, trying to make things light for both of them.

She laughed “I actually told Seungri and Dae that… but I’ve never told anyone else how much a pain in the neck they really are. You seem to have a talent of making people say things.”

He laughed too “Awww… don’t turn me out into somebody special. I just do what I need to do and people just can’t help themselves always saying things about me.”

Dara shook her head at his satirical answer. He’d never cared about what others said to him but she sensed that he was indeed a different man from who everybody said he was.“Grandpa’s right” she thought to herself “We’ve never really understood him.”

It was hours before they finally turned the boat back towards the jetty and Dara felt nothing but regret. “Do you ever feel like just sailing away and never looking back?”

“All the time” he answered as he adjusted the sail “What about you?”

“Oh yes” she agreed “In the sea, there are no people, no problems… just vast space and the freedom to do whatever it is you want to do.”

“I really didn’t think you’d be a sailor and have a boat of your own.”

“I bought her with my own money” she told him and closed her eyes to let the sun warm her skin “I had not had the chance to sail much when I was in Seoul but when I came down the Philippines, I was able to always get time.”

“I think it was great that you decided to leave and be on your own.”

“It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

“So, why did you return to Jeju?” he asked.

“It became quite lonely for me and I missed the scenery and my family. Coming back here seemed like the right thing to do.”

“And was it?”

She glanced up at him “I don’t know. Even though I know they mean well, I can’t get used to the fact that everyone knows what everyone is doing.”

He laughed “That’s one reason why they don’t need CCTV here. All the locals know where everybody else is.”

They approached the jetty and she released the jib sheet. Ji skillfully brought the boat into the quay. He ran a hand over the mast and and Dara felt her heart kick against her chest.The way he looked at the boat made Dara wish she was the boat instead.He leapt over the foredeck and onto the quay and secured the boat to the jetty while Dara de-rigged the boat, suddenly wishing they were still on water.

Now that they were on dry land, she was suddenly aware that she was with Ji and people were staring at the two of them.

As usual, Ji was totally indifferent. “I still can’t believe Principal Park will encourage you to indulge in such dangerous past times. My impression was that he kept you under lock and key.”

“He was protective but he knew only up to what extent” she answered as she took his hand in getting down from the boat.

“I don’t remember you ever going out at night… I think all my memories of you in high school have you reading a book while on a bench.”

Dara laughed “That was actually my choice too. I usually felt very awkward with people back in high school.”

“I think you were the only girl I knew who was like that.”

She nodded “I bet… I might be the only girl in high school too that you haven’t kissed.”

Ji raised a brow at that and saw Dara looking like she had said something she wasn’t supposed to say at all. He was about to make a reply when a shrill scream cut the afternoon air.

“Help!!!! Help my Seuki!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”