Chapter Eighteen: Homeward Bound

Dinner was uneventful and very awkward given what happened during the afternoon. Even Mr. and Mrs. Jung weren’t oblivious to the tension. They got back to the huts at around 10 and everyone tiredly crumbled into their beds; everyone except Madeleine, who got a few hours of rest before dinner. After changing into sleep clothes, she went out into the balcony to avoid Ilsoon. After all, if it weren’t for the dark-haired girl, Hyunsik would most probably have liked her.

You know that can hardly be true, whispered her conscience. Are you really going to hate your bestfriend because of a boy?

Madeleine sat on the lounge chair and hugged herself. “I shouldn’t have come,” she whispered to herself. “I thought it would be fun, but of course I never expected this. And if ever I let Eunkwang-ssi court me or whatever, I’d have to leave him too. This had been a fairytale, a break from my regular life. But this isn’t reality.”

Madeleine felt tears escaping her eyes and scolded herself for being weak. She quickly wiped them off and went back inside. She cast a long glance at Ilsoon’s sleeping form without feeling anything specific, and got into her own bed.

The fairytale vacation ends tomorrow. It was never meant to be a happily-ever-after, one way or another.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The flight to Seoul was very early, and none of the kids really felt that they have left Jeju Island until they were looking over it from the plane’s window. Madeleine was sitting with Changsub, and Ilsoon with Sungjae. Hyunsik sat with Ilhoon, and Eunkwang was with Minhyuk and Peniel. No one felt like talking or playing boredom games together. Everyone had their own ears occupied with earphones.

They still weren’t talking by the time they landed in Seoul and gotten out of the airport. The boys had their own rides home and exchanged terse and stiff ‘goodbye’s and bows before leaving. Mr. Jung fetched their parked car and he, Mrs. Jung, the twins, and Madeleine all piled in. Ilhoon was the unlucky one on this ride: he was forced to sit at the middle of the backseat with two girls on both his sides looking outside and intentionally not talking to one another.

This is ridiculous, he thought and sank into his seat.

Up front, Mrs. Jung leaned toward Mr. Jung and whispered, “I’m really starting to worry, yeobo. What happened back on the island?”

Mr. Jung shook his head and replied without looking away from the road, “My guess is as good as yours, which is to say, none.”

When they got to the house, Ilsoon yanked at her brother and lead him a bit farther off.

“Hey, I need a favor,” she whispered.

“Why are you whispering?” he said loudly, just to annoy her, which earned a punch on the shoulder.

“Shut up,” hissed Ilsoon. “Look, I don’t think I can share a room with Madeleine just yet. Let me sleep in yours.”

“What, and share a room with her? That’s scandalous, you bone head.”

“Sleep in the living room, for all I care.”

“Hey, you’re the one asking for favors here,” said Ilhoon and flicked her forehead.

“Ow!” yelped Ilsoon and rubbed her forehead. “Psh, and I had thought you were the best brother ever.”

Ilhoon glared pointedly at her and said, “I’ll think about it.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

That night, after a quick dinner, Madeleine hung back in living room, reading a book she borrowed from Mrs. Jung. Ilhoon sauntered over to her and sighed, just to get her attention.

“Should I let Ilsoon sleep in my room, while I suffer over here in the living room for the night?” he said loudly, as if talking to himself. Madeleine looked up.

“If it’s going to inconvenience her to sleep in someone else’s room, let me sleep out here,” she said.

Ilhoon rolled his eyes and sunk into the couch with Madeleine. “You do know how much trouble you girls are bringing me now, right?” he said and groaned.

Madeleine looked away and bit her lip. “It’s okay,” she said quietly. “I’ll be leaving soon anyway. You won’t have to worry then.”

Ilhoon looked at her. “I… I didn’t mean it like that—”

“It’s alright. This dream wasn’t supposed to last anyway. It’s kind of funny that I came here on whim because of a friend, and leaving heartbroken and friendless. But it’s time to wake up soon.”

Ilhoon put a hand on the blonde girl’s shoulder. For the while she has been in Korea, she was starting to become more fluent in their language, although she still speaks formally.

“Hey, hey now,” he said softly. “I’ll always be your friend, okay? I’m sure you guys will get over this problem soon.”

Madeleine nodded. I hope so.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A week later, long enough for Madeleine to prepare for her departure and call her parents, she was dressed to go back to France. Mr. and Mrs. Jung were driving her there, and Ilhoon and Eunkwang were going to see her off.

Before they left, Mrs. Jung knocked and entered Ilsoon’s room, finding her in bed with a book and headphones stuck in her ears.

“Ilsoon, honey?” she called.

Ilsoon looked up and lowered her headphones down to her neck. “Yes, mum?”

“Honey, Madeleine is leaving for Paris today.”

Ilsoon looked back into her book. “I know.”

“Aren’t you going to see her off with us?”

Ilsoon paused. “No.”

Mrs. Jung sighed and sat at the edge of Ilsoon’s bed. “You have to resolve your problem with her, Ilsoon. You won’t be able to move on from this, and it’s not going to get easier once she leaves.”

“Thanks for the tip, mom, but I’m busy today.”

Mrs. Jung nodded. “I hope you just made the right choice, dear.” She got up and went out, closing the door softly behind her. Ten minutes later, Ilsoon heard the car start up and go out of the driveway. She got up from her bed and watched as Ilhoon and Eunkwang help Madeleine put her things into the trunk. Ilhoon felt a pang in her heart, seeing Eunkwang hug Madeleine before she got into the car.

I’m sorry, she thought, you may be my bestfriend, but you didn’t know what I’ve been through. You wouldn’t understand why I must be selfish about Eunkwang oppa.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-