CHAPTER 5

Dara was clicking her camera furiously as they stepped out of the ferry. One at the right, one at the left, one at the front, one at the back. Donghae was getting dizzy watching her flit from one corner to another. Finally had enough, he grabbed the camera when Dara was taking a picture of a worm she caught sight crawling in the sand.

“For god’s sake, would you stop it?!” He pushed the button to retract the camera lens and forcefully put it at the pocket of her sling bag.

Dara was sulking the whole ride to their hotel to drop off their bags. Upon arriving, they found out that Lee Hi only booked one room for both of them with one king sized bed. It is big enough for 4 people to sleep in but Donghae stated it’s too small for both of them. He tried to book another room but all are already full and two is being renovated. Worse is, he was the only one who looks appalled at the thought of sharing a room. Dara just sat there at the edge of the bed muttering loudly that she got married with a man who thinks so highly of himself that he suspects his wife is going to him. The she scoffed and Donghae could hear her grumble, “Like that’s going to happen. What an insensitive jerk.”

After Donghae confirmed that the hotel isn’t likely to give him a room which smells like paint and doesn’t even have a couch, they set off, with Donghae ruminating the outcome of this whole disaster. Dara wasn’t talking to him and that was fine by him. He actually much preferred it rather than the lively girl he wasn’t used to.

They started to go to where Dara’s former home is and her face brightened when they caught sight of the two storey brick house stationed near the ocean and she all but ran towards it. She stopped a few feet away, breathing hard from exhilaration from seeing the house. She didn’t even noticed that Donghae already reached his side, his hands in his pocket. There were three kids playing on the veranda.

“It looks so different now,” Dara commented. “The paint used to be white and yellow.”

A sense of  loneliness crept up on her. She suddenly didn’t want to ask when her parents decided to sell the house. She didn’t know why but she’d rather not know. She focused on her happy thoughts instead.

“You know I used to play there when I was kid.” She indicated the veranda, then pointed at a large rock at the far side of the house. “And I used to pray there everyday asking for a baby brother or a sister. I get so lonely being the only kid.” Her voice cracked. “I can’t believe how things have changed so much. And i have no idea when things have changed this much.” Then she added, “Is there a way I could reach my parents? Can you… find if there’s a number I can contact?” She raised her eyes to meet his and he could see her eyes b with unshed tears.

How the hell can he deny a request with her looking like he’s her only hope?! Donghae cleared his throat. “I’ll…. I’ll try.”

“Thank you,” she said brokenly.

She stood there silent for a moment then sniffed. She tucked her head, wiping the side of her eye. Donghae could feel her despair at the loneliness of losing her memory. How the things she remembered and the things defining her is already gone.

Dara opened her bag and Donghae thought she will get a tissue to wipe her eyes but she pulled out her digital camera. She opened the lens and gave it to Donghae. “Take a picture of me with the house.”

Donghae couldn’t believe it. He let out a sound like he’s being strangled while Dara is looking at him with her camera stretched out to him. He opened his mouth but couldn’t say a word. She’s having an episode of emotional breakdown and she wants to take a picture?

Dara nudged him with the camera forcing his hand to take it. “C’mon! It was so hard to get a camera back when I was 16! The films are expensive, and you have to develop the films before you can actually see the picture. And it cost a lot!”

She succeeded in getting the camera on Donghae’s hands and she lifted it with his hand. “This is my only chance to actually get a memento. You know that I don’t remember if I took a picture with it before it got sold. What if I got my memories and realized I didn’t even take one? Cmon!” Dara walked a little closer to the house and posed.

Exhaling in a puff, Donghae clicked the shutter and Dara skipped to his side, grabbing the camera and looking at the preview. “Ah! You only took a picture of the house!” She glared at Donghae after she only saw the top of her head on the frame.

“Did you badger me to take you here just to take a picture?” Donghae asked flatly.

“It’s part of that. Do it again!”

After a series of bickering, Dara finally got the picture she wanted and she was happily reviewing it. As they walked near the shore, she started again in taking pictures of the birds and the ocean, whatever caught her attention. Donghae just walked by silently by her side. He honestly couldn’t think of anything right now. The Dara he was seeing is like a dead person coming back alive.

“Let me show you around,” Dara said after she was satisfied with the amount of picture she had taken and putting it back in her bag. “Since you have brought me here, even against your will,” she lifted both her hands high in the air to emphasize her point. “I will show you the beauty of Jeju!”

Donghae smirked. “I know Jeju. I’ve been here for more times than you could count.”

“Eh?” Dara dropped her arms to her side. “Is this where we met when you visited Jeju?”

Donghae pressed his lips then answered after a thought, “Yeah, it is.”

“Oh, good. Then let me show you around again!” Dara enthusiastically linked her arms on Donghae’s and pulled him to the direction of the city. Donghae could only sputter his protests on deaf ears.

It was already dark when Dara, finally exhausted, sat down on one of the benches they had seen and massaged her calf muscles. Donghae sat beside her, not the least bit tired seeing as he was only standing at times while Dara excitedly showed him the city. From what it turned out, he was the one telling Dara what the place is, what’s it for, how long it has been there… And this is everytime they ran into a new structure. Or at least new, which meant, not been built yet prior to year 2000 . She ended up taking pictures of everything looking every bit like an overly-enthusiastic tourist.

“Ouch,” Dara painfully said as she touched