Day 6
Seven DaysI rubbed my eyes when I woke up.
Sunday morning
Rain is falling
An unexpected song came out of my mouth and I sighed as I looked at the faux sky of my ceiling. An imaginary cloud of unicorns formed. I found it weird when I woke up a few minutes before my alarm. Speaking of alarm, why did I even set it last night? I closed my eyes and tried to recall whatever that was necessary.
“Church!” I got up and rushed to wash up. Decent clothes, decent clothes, decent clothes. I have a lot of things to choose from, what do I have to worry about? Everything! So much for decent clothes. I realised most of them are jeans and tshirt and a whole lot more of boyish outfit. I have never felt so much like a boy before, until today.
“Perfect!” I found a maya blue dress, which fell just above my knees. Perfect decency. But I still wonder since when did I have this? Was it from years ago for some occasion? Too much thinking for a dress. I groaned and slipped into the dress, put on my watch and emptied a small sling bag which I found in the closet. Filled it back with a packet of Kleenex, my phone and wallet. Wrote down a note and left it on the dining table for mom to see. I don't want her to call the police for a lost daughter.
Kai had said that he would wait for me at the bakery cafe, so I went there. And true to his words, he was already waiting. I saw him seated by the glass window, playing with his phone. I knocked on the window softly, but he was totally surprised and jolted from his seat. Though later, he just put up his hand, asking me to wait outside.
He came out a few minutes later, his whole standing figure came into view. He was wearing black tailored pants and a plain, long-sleeved dress shirt. He didn't look much different from how he'd look for school but what made a dissimilarity was his hair. He had pushed it back and his features were more obvious. His perfect chiseled face was more apparent because it was not shadowed by his hair anymore.
“Nice dress,” he complimented me. 'Nice face' was what I wanted to replied.
“Thank you. And nice...hair,” a good day Hyerin! No embarrassing words so far. Good job!
“I bet you look good in short hair,” Kai bit his lips at the words, tilting his head to the side. Perhaps, trying to imagine how I'd look with short hair. I was thinking about it too. Later, he gave me a bread bun and a bottle of orange juice.
“It's an hour long. You might get hungry,” he explained. I took a bite of the bun, a sip of the orange juice and repeat all the way. We took a bus to wherever we were going; church slipped off my mind some when between the bites of bun and sips of juice. People might have been weirded out why we were dressed ever so smartly but Kai and I paid no attention. Instead, we shared light talks. Skyscrapers, sandy beaches and the cold weather.
“Where's Kyungsoo?”
“He's catholic,” I guess that's another type of Christians.
“How about your sister?”
“She went with her boyfriend,” I guess she's having a free ride.
So minutes later, we reached where we were supposed to be. Church. The building was worth of awe. It was big and majestic. I was gaping at one point and Kai had pushed my chin up to close my mouth. After that, weird things happened. Not supernatural things, just the way people were doing...whatever they were doing. So when we entered the building, Kai had dipped his hands in some clear liquid and made a cross sign; forehead, chest, left shoulder, right shoulder and chest again. And he did the same to me, but I was too indifferent to ask why he did what he did.
The whole service was peculiar too. I have never been to a Sunday service before so I just followed what the others were doing. When they knelt, I knelt. When they sang, I sang. When they read the bold part in the service book, I read the bold part in the service book.
After a while, a man went up the tiled concrete rostrum. I expected him to reach out his hands and shoot powered spells or something, but all he did was talk. I glanced around to see if anyone was actually listening. Not really, I supposed. Some were dozing off, I saw a girl playing with her Gameboy; I was surprised those still exist and others were just missing pieces of an audio puzzle. Kai on the other hand, was listening attentively, so I decided to pay a little attention.
Every step since that glorious visitation from the angel Gabriel, who delivered a heavenly message, was another step into God’s divine plan. Yet Mary had to step into a world, step into her community and there waiting were social and cultural expectations for a woman her age.
Each and everything he said, I didn't understand. I mean, I should be right at guessing that he was talking about some advent and the birth of a Saviour but who is Mary? And angel Gabriel? Woman her age? How old was she? Fifty? I couldn't grasp anything but I just listened anyway.
I was fascinated by this belief. I'm fascinated by any beliefs for that matter. How do you know and believe in God when you can't see him? If someone worships money, I would give him credit for worshiping something that is perceptible.
Then, some time through the service, everyone was going to the altar to receive something. I was unsure of what to do and the line was getting closer to my turn.
“You can just stay here,” Kai told me before he went to the altar. A sigh of relief and I sunk into my seat again. After the service ended; after the whole lot of choir and people in robes left, Kai knelt down. He had his hands together, he must be praying. I have nothing to pray for so I just sat there, waiting for him quite awkwardly, looking up and down and scanning through the colourful glass windows which depict something I couldn't make out of. I wonder what does Kai pray for. Money? Grades? Happiness?
“I know a nice restaurant around the corner. Let's eat,” Kai said and I just nodded. Eating is a favourite weekend activity. I'd usually order chicken or jajangmyeon when I'm home during the weekends but today was a pleasant change to my lonesome routine. We met Kyungsoo on the way and he joined us. I was quite doubtful that Kyungsoo showing up was a coincidence. It just seemed that he knew Kai would be going to the restaurant and had waited at the convenience store nearby so he could catch up.
What was originally a light meal as brunch turned into spicy stew, grilled meat and mushroom rice of lunch. A hearty meal, we were appeased to have filled our stomachs. Kyungsoo was rather a gentleman, offering grilled meat to Kai and I. He was like our guardian, feeding us.
“How was choir?” Kai asked Kyungsoo.
“It was okay I guess. My throat's a bit dry,” Kyungsoo replied, his voice was nothing near to loud.
“Drink more, hyung,” Kai simply said but his hands were busy with his own food. He's all talk and no action. I decided to pour a glass of water and handed it to Kyungsoo, to which he drank but not to finish.
“Jongin-ah, you were in my prayers. I should be in yours,” Kyungsoo suddenly blurted out of the blue.
“Don't worry, hyung. You're always in my prayers,” Kai replied with his mouth full.
“How was your first time to church?” Kyungsoo asked me then. I was shocked that he knew but Kai had told him perhaps, by the look of things.
“Fascinating. Interesting. It was okay,” I answered him. The conversation went on and I found myself talking more than usual. I don't talk a lot you see. I'm always playing Pokoppang on my phone or simply day dream my life out of reality. But I was engaged in the conversation and it was rather fun to say more than ten sentences in a colloquy.
“Ah~ my kids~” Kai surprised me with his coos over his dogs. After the meal, Kai and I went to the pet centre where Kai had dropped of his dogs the day before; for some reasons I missed, while Kyungsoo went...somewhere. So now, I'm realising I have really bad focus on things because there's a lot of things happening that I didn't know why they happened. Or maybe I'm just plain ignorant.
Kai suggested we walk the dogs to Chunggyecheon; a few blocks away, and I agreed. He handed me one of his dogs, Monggu he calls it. While he held on to the other dog, Janggu; looked nothing like Janggu himself.
We sat near a fountain. The seat was too cold for my but it was surely better than to stand up or sit on the ground. For the fact, everything was cold. I was glad that I had the sense to bring a jacket with me. The dogs were so fury, I bet they don't feel cold at all. Except for their paws of course. I was fascinated that Kai was very affectionate with his dogs. He hugged them, he kissed them...I bet he'll do the same thing to his wife in the future. Lucky woman.
Kai had showed me that his dogs can do tricks. It was really an adorable sight. It was really cool too because I have never seen dogs doing tricks right in front of my eyes. Kai gave them treats after doing any the tricks. An uplifting laughter comes out from his mouth every now and then. Life would be so much easier if I was a dog. All I have to do is be cute and do tricks.
Probably an hour or so later, Kyungsoo returned with snacks.
“Bungeobbang,” he told us. His voice, really. Does he ever sound jolly and merry? But then, what rights do I have to say that? I'm never jolly and merry myself. He gave us each one and himself to eat. A really nice change of temperature by snacks, I'd say. But a gush of wind; ruthless frigidness, made me shuddered.
“Stay warm,” Kyungsoo unwind the scarf around his neck and wrapped it around my neck instead. I widen my eyes to his action but he took his time, making sure the scarf does not undo from my neck.
“Why are you being nice to her?” Kai grouched with bread still in his mouth. He looked ludicrous with an angry face and visible vapour coming out from his mouth due to the pipping hot bread. Kyungsoo didn't say anything back but all he did was flash a winsome smile to me.
“Thanks.”
We went back in the afternoon. The temperature had risen, just one degree the most. Kyungsoo went back by himself. He said something about wanting to practice his singing more and calling up Chanyeol to help him with the accompaniment. I could see Kai wanted to say something before he left but I beat him to it.
“Remember to drink lots of water,” I reminded Kyungsoo. I didn't realised it then but I was smiling. A genuine smile that had crept up my lips thoughtlessly. Kai slung his arms on my shoulders and repeated what I said to Kyungsoo. A wave and a simple goodbye, Kyungsoo faced his back towards us and walked away. Kai accompanied me home as might be he had been doing so since forever.
“Tomorrow's your seventh day, isn't it?” Kai popped out a question on the way. I just nodded.
“Still out of reason,” another question. I just shrugged.
“Can I be a reason?” something unlooked-for. I just shook my head, and giggled.
“Can you promise me something?” we had reached my house after several questions by Kai, and unvoiced answers by me.
“What?”
“Promise me that you'll come to school tomorrow,” his eyebrows looked defeated and a weary expression painted his face.
“What for?'
“Just promise me,” I didn't say anything to that. I might break it if I'd promise and go somewhere else during school time to eat ddukbeokki.
“I'll wait you in the morning to make sure you get to school. I don't care if I'll freeze to death out here,” he threatened me.
“I promise,” I didn't want him to die in vain.
“Goodbye for now then. Happy Sunday, Hyerin-ah.”
I spent the rest of the day playing with mom's puppies and tried out if they could do any tricks. Too bad, they can only play dead. What a bummer. I also picked up a book from the shelf and started reading. Since when did I read? I don't know either. The particular book was new and I'm guessing my brother had bought it quite recently. Interesting.
'The Fault In Our Stars' by John Green.
Church was something new and unfamiliar. And dogs are the most adorable living thing in the world. I wonder if that applies to cats too. Now to the book...Hazel Grace's life was very relatable. Just that I don't have cancer, and I don't want to have cancer. And Kai might be my Gus. Feeling less suicidal by now. If Kai will be the reason to live...I would only stay on for two years, tops? Then he would leave to live his own life as Mr Kim Jongin. And I'll be left alone again. Not worth it at all~ So this is why I left the book because I don't want it to end. I'll let anyone else tell me, I won't listen. I'm not any much interested in endings anymore.
A/N : I asked my friend who reads a lot, to recommend some books and she told me to put in the particular book by John Green. I have yet to read it but it's a best seller, so I guess it's really good. The book just screams 'THIS WAS WRITTEN FOR YOU'. I'm sorry if I brought up a sensitive issue about religion but I wanted to express Hyerin's ignorance properly. Please understand. One more day left! Stick around to know what will happen~
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