The cab slowly pulled into the driveway of the exquisite hotel on the beach facing the magnificent blue ocean. Jinyoung felt his body relax as he was breathing in the salty mixed fruity fragranced air while he was getting down of the cab. It was different from the usual hotels he had been to before and it was his first time in Thailand. He was in dire need of a break away from his tedious schedule and a destination wedding was the perfect getaway. Though he never expected the Bambam to be taken away from the market this soon he was glad to be in a luxury hotel. The young troublemaker wouldn't even dream to have his wedding at anything but one of the best hotels in Phuket. The best part of this vacation was it was completely free and Jinyoung get to be wild with boys after a long time. But there was a thin excitement lying underneath all his feelings when he thought of seeing her after three months. His redhead, Mona.
A year ago when he missed his flight to Seoul and had to share a room with an angry redhead he didn't know he would be this excited to see her again. He must have made an impression on her as she agreed to go on a date on the same day she broke off her relationship of ten years. In his defence, he was flying out the very next day hence he didn't have time to be polite. The dinner didn't go as planned since she was having a hard time coping with her feelings. But it brought them together as friends. Even though Jinyoung flew back to France the very next day, they kept in touch via chat and calls. Sharing his daily occurrence with Mona became a habit. He has always been a listener but with her, it was easy for him to be the one who did talking. At first, it was strange for him but soon he learned to let himself go with her. Chats turned into calls that started a couple of minutes and dragged on for hours. They started to meet up for coffee, lunch, and movies. Then for no reason at all. He had friends but with her it was different. There was something about her that made him feel vulnerable but comfortable. As a psychiatrist, he was expected to maintain a certain aura around people. He was expected to appear perfectly contained in every possible situation. Yet with her, he found himself at her mercy. He let his armour fall at her feet.
But he always felt she held herself back. Despite him telling her every day that she doesn't have to keep the lid on always, opening up didn't come easy to her. After the dinner date, he never asked her on another date. Most of the time they were miles apart from each other and when they were in the same country, meets up were not considered dates. But keeping her at least as a friend in his life was more important to him than losing her forever. It was a strange feeling as he was always strong-willed and knew exactly what he wants in life. And he would always advise his patients about the danger of giving someone else too much importance in life which could eventually lead to an unhealthy relationship with own self. But the logic appears to be nonexistent around her like he was spellbound. For one year he let himself get lost in her comfort and the thought of seeing her after three months made him feel butterflies in his stomach.
"Here's your key sir. Would you go into the room first or will you be joining others for lunch by the pool?"
"I'll join them. Take my luggage to the room." Jinyoung collected the key to his room and let the bellboy take his luggage. He skipped down the stairway like a child wanting to see boys. The pool was facing the beach making it easy for anyone to go back and forth between the pool and the sea.
"Hyung, you are late as always," Yugyeom jumped to his feet from where he was seated and Jinyoung crashed onto him playfully.
"It's called fashionably late."
"It's good to see you man," Jackson said while pulling him for a hug and each took turns hugging him. He could feel his usual chirpy self emerging as he was surrounded by his people. Yes, he called them his people since they were only second to his family.
"It's sad Mona can't come. Would have been perfect if she was here too." Jackson asked casually.
"She is not coming?" Jinyoung's heart dropped and his smile diminished from his face in an instant.
