Chapter Three - Jeju

“Yah! What's taking so long?!” Sunggyu complained, still half awake, breaking the peaceful morning.

“Shhh....” I shushed him off while jogging slightly to take my lotion and other stuffs from the bathroom.

He grunted and went to the kitchen, obviously to meet his one and only friend in my apartment: my refrigerator. I could hear the sound of it being opened, and then closed, after a few moment. That few moment must the time needed for Sunggyu to contempelate whether to finish my pasta or to eat my blueberry cake. I shuffled out of the bathroom, and then into the bedroom, before cramping my toiletteries into the black luggage that I had filled with a bunch of clothes for our two months trip in Jeju.

“Sunggyu! Help me!” I shouted.

Sunggyu was in front of my room a few seconds later, while munching his food, no scratch that, MY food. I looked at him. So.. he chose the cake instead of the pasta.

“Help me zip this,” I commanded.

He nodded in obedience and gulped the rest of the cake on his hands. He closed my luggage and zipped it tightly after wiping his hands. I nodded with satisfaction. Having Sunggyu around always helps.

“Thanks. Now, let's go.”

I clinged my blue backpack and we waded out, with our own luggages, after making sure that every electrical appliances in my apartment had been plugged off. We went down to the lobby and hailed a taxi. Moments later, we arrived at the airport. Sunggyu didn't let me pay for the cab, so he did. Once we got out of the taxi, we immediately spotted Sungyeol and Myungsoo, already waiting in front of the check-in counter.

“Dongwoo and Ailee's queueing up there, we better get going,” Sungyeol said.

“Are the others here too?” I asked, not wanting to be the last one to arrive.

Unfortunately, Sungyeol nodded.

The four of us caught up with Dongwoo and the others who were already waiting. Another thing about me was that I hate being late. I rather wait, than to be waited. However, in this case, it was different, since I also hate queueing, so I guess it was fine to be the last one to arrive.

Once we loaded our luggages in the check-in counter, and passed the immigration, we decided to have breakfast in a cafe. We didn't sit in one table, like how we usually do in the school canteen, since it was still six in the morning and we didn't want to break the peacefulness (like how Sunggyu did before in my apartment) by dragging the tables and chairs together, making unpleasant screetching sounds. So I sat with Sunggyu, Sungyeol, Minjae, Myungsoo and Sora. The rest placed themselves on the table beside us. And yes, Sora said she was bored sitting with Woohyun.

We ate our simple toast with coffee, and chattered a bit.

“Where are we going today?” Minjae asked.

“Once we arrive there, it would already be lunch time. So, we will have lunch first, and then, check in probably,” Sora said, since we were very sure none of us in the table, except her, had any idea of what we were going to do that day.

“Where are we staying at?” Sungyeol questioned.

"I have no idea what the name of that resort is, Woohyun was the one who chose it, but he said it's a beautiful one. Well, a traditional one with a beautiful scenery,” Sora answered again and we nodded.

We finished our breakfast and boarded the aircraft not long after that. Despite the fact that we had doubted Dongwoo's idea before, we knew that everyone was excited for the trip. Who wouldn't be?

I mean, going on a trip with my friends was in my wish list.

The aircraft was divided into two columns, with a small aisle in the middle, it wasn't a big aircraft. I sat beside the window, with Minjae and Sungyeol. Beside our row was Hoya, Sungjong and Sunggyu. Dongwoo, Ailee and Raina sat in front of them while Woohyun, Sora and Myungsoo was in front of us.

“Hey,” Sungyeol called quietly and me and Minjae looked at him.

He grinned and took out a pack of playing cards from his pocket. Minjae widened her eyes before shaking her head.

“What the heck Yeol?” She tried not to exclaim.

“What's wrong with playing cards?” Sungyeol furrowed his eyebrows.

“Okay. Look. Both of you play, but I am not sacrificing my sleeping time to play cards,” She grunted and Sungyeol looked at me, with eyes full of hopes.

“Fine,” I finally said with a sigh and he grinned.

I exchanged places with Minjae.

“Hmm... Two people isn't fun enough,” he said with a chuckle and threw his gaze to Myungsoo, “Tell that rascal to join us too,”

“Go call him by yourself,” I said and rolled my eyes. I wanted to call him, but... no. It wasn't the right time.

“Yah! Myungsoo-ah!” he called and the later turned his head.

Sungyeol showed him the stack of cards that he was holding and Myungsoo's lips immediately curved up. You have no idea how handsome he looked when he smiled. That cold aura around him just vanished and turned into a cheerful one. My lips tugged upwards too.

Myungsoo went out of his row and stood beside ours.

“I'm joining!”

“Three of you... really... why do you all have to ruin my sleeping time?” Minjae complained, eyes half opened, as she struggled out of the row and continued her sleep in Myungsoo's previous seat.

Myungsoo sat beside me and immediately, my heart was slamming against my ribs. Sungyeol smirked and I stepped on his left foot. He let out a subtle groan.

“So...” Sungyeol ventured as he divided the cards equally among the three of us. “First card out,” he took out a card from his deck and placed it at the table in front of me.

Two Hearts.

“Nara, if you would,”

I shrugged my shoulders and slammed my Three Hearts above his. Myungsoo glanced at me and nodded.

Four Hearts.

So, basically, this was a pointless game. The objective was just to take out a card that has greater value as compared to the card withdrawn by the previous player. The looser would be the one who didn't have a card greater in value. Pointless, but at least it could kill boredom, and Myungsoo loved it. So it was okay for me.

“Really? Should I use my secret weapon now?” Sungyeol wiggled his eye brows and I hit his arm.

“Shut up and continue playi-”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Sungyeol suddenly said, and Me and Myungsoo sighed.

“What again?” Myungsoo grunted.

“The one who looses gets a dare,”

I scoffed and nodded. “You want to play it that way huh Lee Sungyeol?”

“The one who losses gets to do all the errands for the first week,” Sungyeol challenged.

“Sure, no problem, I'm a natural at this,” Myungsoo said and we laughed silently.

The game continued, until it was only two cards in each of us. The tension rose. I glanced at my card once more time, despite knowing it won't change. Seven Spade and a Queen Heart. Someone must had the Ace Spade. My cards were weak, but it didn't mean I would loose.

Sungyeol threw his card above the piling ones in front of me.

Crap.

Nine Spades.

I chuckled awkwardly and Sungyeol raised one of his eyebrows.

“Are you telling me that you are giving up Nara?” he asked. Oh, how I hated his tone!

I laughed and threw my cards above the table, revealing it. Myungsoo shrieked with joy, earning a shush from several other passengers. He threw his card out on the table and I hit him in response. No, not because I wanted to do skinship or something with him. I wasn't that type of girl. He was a damn lucky bastard. Eight spades and Jack clovers. He basically didn't loose thanks to me. But that's fine. It's rare to see Myungsoo acting this way.

“Okay fine. Whatever. I'm doing the errands,” I said, surrendering, while raising both of my palms up and sitting back.

Myungsoo stacked the cards back up neatly and put it inside the box before giving it to Sungyeol.

“Of course you are. That's the deal. This would be fun, right Soo?” Sungyeol teased with a smirk.

Myungsoo chuckled. “That's obvious Yeol-”

“Wait, wait, wait. At least be a bit kind to me. I'm a girl you know-”

“Aish! What kind of excuse is that?” Sungyeol immediately retorted the idea.

“Oh come on!”

I exhaled audiably when the both guys beside me shook their heads. The first week of the trip was obviously going to be a looooongg one.

Indeed. Once we arrived at the resort after having lunch, my first errand came. I had no idea if the boys had planned this beforehand because once we entered our room, that Woohyun had booked, there were no beds. Oh wait, sorry, there was actually NOTHING inside the room.

Okay, first, I got it when Sora said “traditional”, but I thought it would be at least sleeping on a mattress, or at least there was a fan provided, but no. The only thing that was provided was nothing. Only doors and windows. We even needed to go out to take a shower. Oh... I could guess who would open their mouth the next second.

“Relax guys, there's no need to worry. We have Nara, the kindest girl, who would be more than happy to buy us sleeping bags for us to sleep,”

Bingo!

“And oh! Even a fan maybe, I can't sleep and have my holiday in this hot weather you know,” It was a surprise that Myungsoo joined Sungyeol in bullying me. What's all this?! And come on, Jeju wasn't even that hot!

I glared at the both of them who were laughing like crazy. The others eyed on me and I smiled.

“Of course, so... I'll go get twelve sleeping bags , which obviously, I will have to carry all by myself because the boys are too mean to help me, and yeah, one damn, heavy fan,” I ended my half-intimidating sentence with a smile. Not a genuine one of course.

Everyone kept quiet. Okay, that was awkward.

I nodded. “If there aren't anymore errands, I'll be going to a shop that I don't even know where,” I said and slipped my feet inside my shoes.

I saw Sora nudged Woohyun's elbow with hers, before hearing Woohyun's shout, “Nara! I'll help you!”

I turned around and waited for him to wear his shoes. We walked down the street, heading to no where particular actually.

“So, tell me, why are we paying for an empty resort?” I asked him, without any attempt to make him feel more guilty than he already was, but of course, I made him feel that way.

“Well... I didn't expect it to be this bad you know. I mean, our budget's limited, and then, while I was browsing, I saw this advertisement saying 'Good view. Good resort. Cheap prices'-”

“Oh of course, that kind of advertisement. Can't you like take a look at the pictures-”

“They didn't provide pictures-”

“Exactly,”

He bit his lips and scratched the back of his head while we walked above the pavements. “Actually... Sora was the one who should be planning this all out. I mean, of course, it would've turn out great if she's the one who booked the resort. But you know, she was really stressed out with the flight tickets and I offered her my help-”

“Let me guess, she said no,” I cut him off.

“She said no but I insisted,” Woohyun said, his voice fading in the end.

Sometimes I wonder, how can a sweet guy like Woohyun gained the reputation of being a playboy. But that's the fun part you know, it just happened that way. He chose to woo girls instead of sticking to one, but he dumped his reputation once he was with Sora. He said he found his “true love” and yes, we all guessed he did. He treated Sora very gently, like a fragile glass. Obviously, Sora didn't like to be treated that way. She wasn't a fragile glass. She was someone who could go through tonnes of obstacles and would not even gain a crack in the end. That's when everything got interesting. Woohyun paid attention to Sora even more and when we all remincised of whom he used to be, we would wonder if that would happen to us too. If someone we loved would change us 180 degrees.

We continued to walk straight until our eyes caught a tiny shop at the left side of the street, standing alone. We entered it, and sighed with relieve when we realized we had entered the right shop. Well, it couldn't be wrong since that shop almost sold everything, leaving only a tiny aisle that could only be passed by a person at a time, between the bunch of stuffs that was sold, from batteries, food supplies, to sleeping bags. It smelt dust. Not wanting to spend more time inside the shop where we couldn't even inhale fresh air, we walked to the end, where an old lady was sitting, her back slighly hunched, while counting a sum of money. She wore small, thin spectacles above her slightly scrunched up nose.

“Excuse me...” Woohyun called, but she didn't look up at us.

“Sorry...” Woohyun called her again in a louder voice. No reaction. She kept herself busy with the money in her hands while murmuring, probably, the amount she had gotten.

“Excuse me-”

“What kind of child are you huh?!” She suddenly snapped and we both stepped back that instant. She stood up and walked towards us. She was short and a bit potty.

“You kids from the city ckckck... No one teaches manner these days huh? Everyone is busy with their businesses, going in and out of the those tall buildings. Ckckck such a waste, such a waste,” She spat out her insult towards me and Woohyun and we could only stare blankly at the ground.

“Mianhae-”

“What mianhae? Does that even something to you? Kids these days... eyy... your grandparents raised your parents so hard, only to have grand children like you. What a waste, what a waste..”

In the middle of her very important lecture about life, I sneezed. Believe me, I tried to hold it. The old lady turned at me and shook her head.

“You guys are... really... you cannot even take care of health,”

“Okay, sorry ahjumma, but we're here to buy twelve sleeping bags,” Woohyun boldly declared our intention.

She turned her head at him abruptly and smiled.

“Twelve you say?” She repeated and we nodded.

Of course, she was happy, but she tried to make it less obvious by shaking her head. I didn't know what it meant, nor did I care. She limped towards the right section of the shop, where a pile of sleeping bags were placed, one above the other. Woohyun took twelve of it and we paid. She was going to be busy counting our money for the rest of the day. Without further delay, we went back to the resort with each of us carrying six sleeping bags, luckily already packed neatly in a huge transparent plastic by the ahjumma.

“She's a lunatic,” Woohyun muttered, and I just nodded with a laugh.

After we arrived, we put the sleeping bags inside and I stretched my sore arms. Myungsoo appeared behind me.

“What?” I asked.

“Fan.” He demanded with a smirk.

I rolled my eye and grunted. “Fine, I'm going to get it,”

I put my shoes back and went out, just as I wanted to step my right foot out, someone grabbed my wrist. I turned around. Myungsoo. I looked at him, admiring his strict features, with my mouth ajar.

“Let me come with you.”

Author's note:

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