CHAPTER 6

“You know, cigarette’s bad for your health,” Suzy said while she sat down beside him.

Soo Hyun finished his cigarette then answered, “Mianhe.”

“When did you start smoking?” Suzy asked curiously.

“About 6 years ago,” he answered.

“It’s been long. I haven’t tried it yet,” answered Suzy while smiling.

“Wae? Do you want to try?” he asked while looking at her.

“No, I’m just curious.”

Soo Hyun did not answer. He just stared at the blazing bonfire. It wasn’t an awkward silence, hence they felt comfortable just buy sitting.

“So, what should I call you now?” he started while smiling.

She smiled, “It’s up to you Soo Hyun-sshi.”

“Soo Hyun-sshi? How formal, hehe. May I remind you that you’re older than me, hehe,” he said jokingly.

“Haha, you’re making me too old by reminding me,” she said while laughing.

“Don’t worry you look young for your age.”

“Speaking just like him, haha. How old are you by the way?” she asked.

“25 but will turn 26 this coming February.”

“So, it’s just a 3-month gap. Do you wish to call me Noona?” she asked smiling at him.

“Can’t I?”

“Like what I said, it’s up to you. Whichever makes you comfortable.”

“Can I call you Suzy-ah?”

She thought for a while, then answered, “Well, it does sound good when you’re speaking it. Ok, hehe.”

“Suzy-ah, Suzy-ah, Suzy-ah,” he repeatedly said her name in a more deep voice than usual.

“Haha, you’re funny. You know what, you have a very deep voice. I’m sure many have told you that,” she commented.

“Yeah, plenty of times already,” he said.

“That’s what I guess, hehe. By the way, you don’t mind if I upload a photo of you on my blog?” she asked.

Soo Hyun was startled and asked, “Wae?”

“I just like your face. You’re in between of a boy and a man and I like that. It’s refreshing in my eyes,” she said.

“Whoa, you’re very frank, haha.”

“Wae? Do I make uncomfortable?” she asked.

“No, it’s not like that, hehe. I just didn’t expect that from you,” he answered half smiling.

“Haha, usually I’m not like that. It’s just I felt like telling you, that’s why,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Hehe, that’s good to know. Anyway, how long are you going to say here?” he asked changing the subject.

“Here? This place or here in Korea?” she asked

“In Korea,” he answered.

“Not long. After Christmas, I’ll be going back,” she answered.

“Oh… So, what made you decide to visit here?” he asked.

“Uhm, should I tell you? Or not?” she said smiling while looking at Soo Hyun, contemplating if she should tell him. After some time, she decided to tell him, thinking that there’s no harm in telling. “Well, you see, I am working in a travel agency. I’ve been working there after I graduated, so it’s 4 years already. Long, right?” Soo Hyun nooded.

She continued, “Maybe I felt suffocated already and it’s been a while now that I’m feeling unhappy. So, before I’ll get frustrated, I decided to have a vacation. I think this was a great idea. I don’t feel suffocated or unhappy, it’s that opposite. It’s a very good feeling.” She smiled thinking of how carefree she was right now. “This is my so-called ‘decision-making vacation’. I don’t want to quit my work without thinking it through over and over. I haven’t realized yet my passion, so… that’s it,” she said while a sigh escaped from her.

“You haven’t realized your passion? Really?” Soo Hyun asked.

She nodded.

“But I think I know what you want,” he said.

“Really? What?”

“You love photography and I think you’re a good writer and good in photoshop. Aren’t I right?” he told her on what he thought of her.

Suzy thought for a while and got up. Soo Hyun was startled at her sudden action.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Be right back.” She immediately ran up to her room, got her camera and IPad. She headed back outside to Soo Hyun, gaver her IPad to him after opening her blog.

“What’s this?” he asked while looking at her blog.

“I want you to look at my blog and some photos I’ve taken,” she answered.

Soo Hyun scanned her blog, read her entries, stared at the photos. He was awed at how she can capture each moments with feelings and how accurate her writing to each photos.

‘What do you think?” Suzy asked after some time of silence.

“You’re good, very good,” he answered while still looking at the photos. He pointed a photo of him while he was walking along the Han River, “Is this me?”

“Yeah, I just noticed it recently when I was scanning my gallery,” she answered.

“I didn’t know you took a photo of me.”

“Well, it’s supposed to be a secret, haha,” she answered.

“Haha, but why me?” he asked.

“Read the caption,” she answered.

“A very interesting sight. Of all the people I’ve seen here in Korea, he caught my attention. All people around him wore colorful clothing but he was all in black, just like me at that time.” From Chapter 3.

Soo Hyun read the caption and smiled, “Haha, I thought I wasn’t recognizable when I wear black but here’s the proof that that’s not the case, haha.”

“Now, you know, hehe. I also took some photos of you just this afternoon, you want to see?” she offered.

“Sure! How many?”

“Not a lot, maybe 20? Haha.”

“You call that few? Haha,” he said laughing He looked at all the photos. “Wow, you really took a lot,” he gave her back the camera after he finished looking.

“I’m just like that. I want to take a lot so I can choose what’s best. You know what, you register well on photos. Do you know that?” she asked.

“Well, some people told me that but I don’t think so,” he answered shyly.

“Ah, but believe me. I rarely see a person that has beautiful angles, especially men.” She took the camera and captured a photo of Soo Hyun looking at her. “Take a look at this, even with an open mouth, you still look good,” she said seriously but sincerely.

“Haha, you’re impossible Suzy-ah. How can a person be that good looking with an open mouth? Haha,” he said while slightly laughing at her.

She looked at the photo again and stared at it, still thinking. “But you’re still good looking. I swear,” she said seriously. She then took a photo again while Soo Hyun’s laughing.

“Ah sincha! You’re really impossible, haha.” He noticed Suzy capturing another photo of him, “Yah! Yah! Stop taking pictures, it makes me embarrassed.”

He tried to get the camera from Suzy but Suzy’s laughing and still not giving up taking a photo until she lost her balance and was about to hit her head on the ground while still holding her camera, she closed her eyes to anticipate the fall when she felt a soft feeling on her head when she hit the ground. She opened her eyes slowly and was taken aback on what she saw. She saw Soo Hyun atop her and was so near her face, though a camera is in between of them. She realized that the soft feeling on her head was Soo Hyun’s hand, preventing her from hitting the ground fully. They stared at each other for a while until a flash startled them. She accidentally clicked the shutter when she got nervous at his nearness. They then scrambled at their feet and Soo Hyun helped Suzy get up.

“Mianhe,” he said.

“Tha… That’s ok. Uhm… I’ll go ahead Soo Hyun-ah. Good night and don’t stay up too late,” she said nervously. She gathered her camera and IPad and walked quickly up to her room without waiting for an answer.

“Soo Hyun-ah?” he smiled. “Good night too and dream of me,” he answered silently. He put the fire down, cleaned up then went to Jin Guk’s room. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, changed his clothes, lied down on the bed and closed his eyes with a smile. He silently thought, “What a very, very interesting night.” He slept peacefully even if Jin Guk’s snoring loudly.

-oOo-

Suzy closed her door when she heard Soo Hyun closed the main door and stood on her doorway holding her chest. Her heartbeat’s skipping rapidly.

“Whoa! That was close. Very, very close,” she said to herself while breathing heavily. She walked up to her bed and lied down. She kept thinking on how they were, “His eyes are just amazing, and it was very, very expressive. I would’ve drowned if not for the flash. Aigoo…I’ll just go to sleep now and not think about what happened.” She closed his eyes but still she kept remembering his face, “Ok, this is just so…. Ok Suzy, sleep now.”

After 30 minutes of relaxing her mind, she finally found sleep and fortunately she slept peacefully.

-oOo-

Morning came and both Suzy and Soo Hyun got up so late that they didn’t even notice that it’s already lunch time. They showered, dressed and went downstairs. They met at the same time in the doorway to the kitchen.

“Good morning Suzy-ah,” he greeted her with a warm smile.

She smiled back, “Good morning. You just woke up also?”

“Yup, you too?” he asked.

“Yup. Let’s have lunch.”

They entered the kitchen and saw Jin Guk cooking.

“Oh, you’re both up. Kindly continue my cooking. I have to go to the market. Is it alright?” Jin Guk asked.

“But I don’t know how to cook, hehe,” Suzy answered with a light smile.

“No worries, Soo Hyun knows. I’ll be back right away.”

“Ok. But what are you cooking?” Soo Hyun asked.

“Kimchi chigae,” Jin Guk answered.

“Ok man.”

Jin Guk went out then Soo Hyun immediately took over the cooking. Suzy sat down then watched Soo Hyun made his way.

“Do you really know how to cook?” Suzy asked.

“Yup, wae? You don’t believe us? Hehe.”

“No, it’s not like that. Do you need help?” offered Suzy.

“You can prepare the plates then wait,” he answered.

Suzy prepared the plates and was about to sit when she thought of something. She went to Soo Hyun, “I want to watch you cook, can I?”

“Wae? You want me to teach you?” he asked.

Suzy’s eyes lit up, “Can you?”

“Sure. Come here,” Soo hyun beckoned.

Soo Hyun told her the ingredients needed, taught her the procedure until she tried cooking. After 30 minutes of cooking, they tried first the soup if it tastes right. Soo Hyun got a spoon, put a spoonful then tasted it.

“Hmm, ok. Here try it,” he spoon-fed her. “How’s the taste?” he asked.

“Tastes good,” she said while smiling proudly.

“I know, right? Here let’s serve it now. Kindly put the rice on the table,” he asked.

Soo Hyun and Suzy prepared the table; they sat after then waited for Jin Guk to come back.

“Are you going home today?” Soo Hyun asked hesistantly.

“That’s my plan. How about you?” Suzy returned the question.

“Not yet. It’s still my day off so I’d like to stay here until tomorrow.”

“Ah I see. Uhm, can we eat not? I’m kind of hungry already, hehe,” she asked.

“You go ahead. I’ll wait for Jin Guk.”

Suzy started eating while Soo Hyun just watched her.

“Yah, don’t look at me,” she stopped eating. “I’m getting embarrassed, you know.”

“Haha, ok. I’ll just wait for Jin Guk at the living room. Eat well,” he said.

Soo Hyun waited for Jin Guk at the living room while Suzy resumed eating. After 5 minutes, Jin Guk and Soo Hyun entered the kitchen while Suzy was busy cleaning up.

“You can put it in the sink, you don’t have to clean those,” Jin Guk told Suzy.

“That’s ok and besides I’m almost done,” Suzy said.

Jin Guk and Soo Hyun started eating while Suzy finished the dishes.

“I’ll go ahead now, I’ll just get ready,” Suzy told the two guys.

“Are you going home now?” asked Jin Guk.

“Yup. I’ll see you two later,” she said then left the two alone talking while eating.

“Is she really going home?” Jin Guk asked Soo Hyun.

“Yup, that’s what she said,” Soo Hyun answered.

“How about you?”

“I’ll be staying again today, tomorrow I’ll be going home.”

“Are you not going to make her stay or go home with her? Wait, do you like her or not?” asked Jin Guk seriously.

“I do,” Soo Hyun quickly answered.

“They why are you just letting her go? You’re not even sure when you’ll see her again, right?”

Soo Hyun hesitantly answered, “I’m not sure if she’ll agree so I didn’t ask her. And yeah, I don’t know if I’ll see her again after today.”

“Ask her. You’ll never know if you don’t at least try,” advised Jin Guk.

Soo Hyun thought for a while then answered, “Yeah Man, I’ll ask her,” he finally decided.

-oOo-

By 2 PM, Suzy is already ready to leave. She saw the two guys watching basketball on the TV when she went down the stairs.

“Soo Hyun-ah, Jin Guk-sshi, I’ll be going now,” Suzy said while the two guys both stood up when they saw her. “Jin Guk-sshi, here’s my payment for the room and the food,” she handed him an envelope with the money inside.

“Suzy-ah, kwenchana. Don’t worry,” Jin Guk answered.

“But…” trailed Suzy.

“Don’t worry Suzy, he means it, hehe,” Soo Hyun said.

Suzy smiled and bowed to him and said, “Kamsamida Jin Guk-sshi.”

“The next time we meet, please get rid of the formalities, ok?” Jin Guk said with a wink.

“Neh. So, until next time again. I’ll be going,” she said.

“Bye Suzy,” bade Jin Guk.

“I’ll walk with you,” Soo Hyun said to Suzy.

Suzy nodded as answer.

-oOo-

Soo Hyun and Suzy left the apartment and were walking to the bus station when Soo Hyun stopped and stood in front of her.

Suzy was confused at his sudden action, “Soo Hyun-ah…”

“Uhm, can you stay for another day?” Soo Hyun said while scratching his head nervously.

Author's NOte:

Hope you all liked it! Give me some love and subscribe, hehe.. Feel free to comment if you have some suggestions.

Annyeong! :D