CHAPTER 3- FIND YOU

IRENE'S POV

          6 AM. I peered in my watch to check the time. 2nd day in Boracay. The sun was shining through a small area of our glass door's curtain. I slowly moved out of the bed so as not to disturb Seulgi who was still sound asleep beside me.

          I got out of our room and stood outside the veranda to appreciate the view. I remembered what happened last night. Yeah, handkerchief man, I still haven't found him. I sighed deeply, feeling down suddenly at the thought of it. The handkerchief was inside the bathroom. I let it dry because I decided to wash it so, if ever I see the man again, I can return it to him in a good state. That is, if I ever see him again.

          After a few minutes of sitting there, I went in the room again, washed my face and changed into decent clothing. I walked out of the room to go to the hotel's restaurant to get a hot cup of coffee. As I walked out of the room, I found myself standing face to face with a familiar looking man.

          "Handkerchief man!” I exclaimed.

          "Oh, hi," he said, equally astonished at the sight of each other. He suddenly smiled at me in recognition while I felt myself turn red at my reaction.

          "So, looks like we are neighbors. It's nice to see you again." He continued smiling at me. I stared at him and the room behind him. Room 410, and we are in Room 408. What a coincidence. Our rooms were just in front of each other. I suddenly realized something.

          “Wait here!” I told him. I ran back inside our hotel room and came back with his handkerchief. I handed it to him and said, “Kamsahamnida. And I’m so sorry for the way I acted last night.”

          “Ah, it’s alright. I understand you’re going through something,” he replied. He took the handkerchief from me.

          “Don’t worry, it’s already clean. I washed it,” I said, feeling so small in front of him.

          “Oh you didn’t have to do that.” He pocketed the handkerchief and faced me with a big smile on his face. “Anyway, we’re are you going?”

          “Uhm, I’m going downstairs to the restaurant to get a cup of coffee,” Irene said.

          “Let’s go together?” I was surprised by the sudden invitation from this stranger but by the looks of it, he doesn’t seem dangerous and I kinda want to talk to someone and with my friends still in dreamland, maybe talking to him isn’t a bad idea after all.

          “Uhm okay.” We walked together side by side to the elevator. It was an awkward silence inside the elevator.

          “Uhm, I’m Kim Seokjin.”

          “I’m Irene Bae.” We both said in the same time.

          “Bangapseumnida!” The same time again. We laughed. That broke the ice.

“Well at least now you have a name. I don’t have to call you Handkerchief Man anymore,” I said. He chuckled at the name I gave him.

“But if you want to use it as my nickname, I’m okay with it.” He looked at me and smiled.

 The elevator bell sounded, signaling that we already arrived at the restaurant. Together we walked in and he pulled a chair for me. We ordered coffee.

          "It's my treat. Anyway don't you want to have breakfast?" he said.

          I took a sip of my coffee. "Mm, aniyo. I'll be having it with the girls later." I smiled at him. I looked down to my coffee once again. Silence.

          "This is awkward," he said and laughed lightly. I looked up at him and we smiled.

          "Yeah. A bit," I answered. I tried looking away from him but he spoke again.

          "Would you like to walk by the beach? I think it’s nice while the sun is not yet completely up." I stared at him, surprised by the sudden invitation. I nodded. We finished our coffee and walked out of the hotel. It was a beautiful morning outside. Some tourists are already taking a dip in the beach. The wind was still a bit chilly since it was early morning. I rubbed my arm to keep myself warm but I guess he saw me doing that that he suddenly took of his coat and placed it in my shoulder.

          "Oh kamsahamnida." We walked silently for a while and he tried to start a conversation.

          "Where are you from, Irene-ssi? Are you from Seoul?" he asked.

          "Aniyo, I am studying in Seoul but I'm actually from Daegu." I smiled awkwardly at him and continued looking forward. "How about you?"

          "I live Seoul but I came from the States to study business. I just graduated so this is my vacation and after I'm coming back to Korea." Awkward silence once again. I swallowed my own saliva because of the awkwardness. What were we doing anyway? Just then I realized my actions from last night.

          "Uhm," I started, turning around to face him. "About last night, I'm really sorry about the way I acted. Really." I tried my best to face him and looked at him directly. It was awkward because I barely know him and here I am talking to him like we are some kind of good ol' friends.

          "Oh, no need to worry. I'm not the type to hold grudges." He smiled at me like it was the easiest thing to do in the world. How could this person be this nice?

          "That's good to hear," I said in relief. I turned and continued walking ahead of him, trying to hide the smile that crept on my face.

          We continued walking aimlessly, just enjoying the view of the white sand and blue sea. “How about you? What brought you here?” he suddenly asked.

          I stared at him. When I was trying my best not to think about Jinwoo, here he was, asking me the reason for this vacation.

          “I don’t want to talk about it,” I simply said. Just even the thought of Jinwoo crushes me so bad. If I was the delusional type, I would have already drowned myself in the sea but that would be too much. But the truth is, keeping it inside me hurts a lot.

          "Well, whatever suits you, but it is good to at least talk about something that hurts you to someone. Just for some sort of release." I stared at him, his face was shining under the fully risen sun, like someone who doesn't find the world to be a painful place to live in. That was how he looked like to me.

          I turned around again to walk. Silence. I hated it. I turned to him again, only to find out that he stopped walking and now was facing the sea and closing his eyes to breathe in and out. I walked to his side and did the same.

          "He's the first man I love deeply. And he is the first one I hated this way. I hate him for leaving me. He left me without giving me a reason why." Tears started to fall again. I was talking to this stranger and I, myself was confused on how I was opening myself up to him but for some unknown reason, I found myself entrusting my deepest, hidden emotions to him and it felt weird but calming. I let myself go.

NO ONE'S POV

          Jin stared at the lady in front of her, the lady who first appeared to her with a thick wall she tried to build around her. Every brick seemed to crumble in front of him now, showing a fragile, slowly breaking figure of a lady forsaken. A tear rolled down her face, the same way it did last night.

          He walked towards her and extended his hand to her face but she suddenly moved away and wiped her own tears with her hands.

FLASHBACK

          Irene ran to coffee shop to buy some coffee and hot chocolate for her and the girls. She took the handle of the glass door just in time for someone to also grab it, ending up with the person to hold her hand instead of the door's handle.

          "Oh sorry. You go first," the man said pushing the door open for Irene. She bowed to him and said Thank you. They both walked inside with the man following her from behind.

          They both went in line and silently stood there. Jinwoo kept looking at Irene and nervously moved in his place. “Uhm, hi, I’m Kim Jinwoo by the way."

          "Uh, yeah. Hi." Irene bowed to him and smiled shyly, quickly looking away from him. Just before Jinwoo was about to ask her name, she already reached the counter and the cashier asked her for her order. Jinwoo stood behind not knowing what to do but all he know now was this girl caught his attention. He ordered right after her, and when they were about to leave, he saw that the girl was having a hard time taking all her orders because it was quite a lot.

          He immediately moved towards her and said, "Let me help you."

          "Oh I'm okay." But well, she wasn’t really having an easy time handling all the orders she bought. She tried to bite the handle of the plastic bag she was holding in despair when Jinwoo suddenly took it from her.

          "Come with me, I'll bring you to where you are going." He took her by the hand.

          "Wait. Hey! Hey" She wasn't able to avoid him anymore as he was already intent on dragging her in to his car.

          He made her sit with him in the front and moved to place the seat belt around her. Irene moved back to give way to him and avoid having any physical contact with him. She was able to look at him up close though. With a very gentle looking eyes and pale face, he looked like an angel.

          He walked to the driver's seat and started the car's engine. "Where to?"

          "Hmmm. I just have to get to SJ Bldg. You don't have to bring me there. It's just a walking distance."

          "With what you are carrying right now? No way, and taking the car is much faster anyway. You don’t want that to go spilling all over you and you'd want to keep that coffee and chocolate hot." Irene started to think, yes, she was indeed having a hard time carrying all those drinks so she just nodded.

          "Ireumi mwoyeyo?" Jinwoo asked. Irene turned to look at him again.

          "Huh?"

          "You haven't told me your name yet."

          "Oh! We are here!" Irene suddenly jumped in her seat as they are nearing SJ Bldg. She took the seat belt off and grabbed the things she was carrying and quickly jumped out of the car.

          Jinwoo was surprised at how quick she got out but was more surprised when she suddenly bent down in to the window and waved at him with a huge smile on her face.

          "Kamsahamnida, Jinwoo-ssi. By the way, my name is Irene, Irene Bae.” She turned around and started running to SJ Building’s glass doors.

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Annyeong, everyone. Here you all go with Chapter 3! Irene was now able to find Jin and an overview of how Jinwoo and Irene came to be before the unfortunate break up.

Tell me what you think okay? I would love to hear from you all.

P.S. Heard their new songs? Aren’t they all so fabulous? I can’t wait to see the whole story of I Need You.

Another P.S. Mark your calendars everyone. MAY 5, 2015- BTS's 1ST WIN.

You deserve it boys! Congratulations! We, ARMYs, are so proud of you!

Have a great week everyone! ****wave****