Love Me Once Again

Seven

From our school to Incheon was a seventy minutes bus ride minus traffic. The thirty-two of us fit in nicely into a bus together with Mr Go and Ms Park.

On the bus, I sat with Danli while Hae-e sat with Sunjae. I would have wanted to sit with Kim Jong Woon, but that would be very questionable. I saw that he sat with Nam Heonjun, the class clown.

Just as I expected it would be, it was noisy as everybody was in high spirits. If I wanted to take a nap, it would be nearly impossible.

Someone suggested a karaoke session. Apparently, the bus had a microphone, a TV and a sound system, and most importantly, a karaoke system.

Then a chant broke out, Kim Jong Woon, Kim Jong Woon, Kim Jong Woon... Everybody was requesting for him to sing.

The microphone was passed down from the front to him.

I could finally hear him sing.

He picked a rock ballad. Once he started singing, I fell in love with his voice. It was exactly the kind of voice I loved to hear.

"He sings very well, right?" Danli piped.

I nodded.

He didn't stand up, so I couldn't see him. So I stood up like Danli. He was snuggled in his seat. He sang sitting down? Oh wow, that's a notch up the level.

Everybody clapped when he finished. He passed on the microphone. When he caught me watching, I thought I saw him blushed.

"Who's next?"

Danli seemed to be itching to sing but nobody voted her, and I guess she didn't like to volunteer.

Nam Heonjun went for it since he had the microphone in his hand. And he sang a fast rock song which got everybody to their feet and Mr Go had to ask us to sit down for our safety.

Everybody cheered when he finished.

"Let's have an English song!" someone shouted.

Everybody looked at me.

I panicked. Which idiot suggested that, I thought.

I couldn't even sit down quick enough. I found myself holding the microphone.

"Lee Hyo-ri! Lee Hyo-ri!" They chanted.

"Eh..." I was damn embarrassed. I saw Kim Jong Woon watching me too. Shit.

I decided to go for a song that I thought and hoped that everybody if not, most of them knew. Michael Jackson's Heal the World.

I assumed correctly. Most of them did know the song. At least the chorus, and they sang with me.

I sat down, thankfully, when it ended. I decided to stay low for the rest of the trip.

My phone vibrated.

KJW: Not bad

Me: Argh.

Me: You are good!

KJW: You think so?

Me: Not just me. Everybody thinks so, too!

He didn't reply.

We arrived in Incheon at around half past eleven and went straight for lunch at a Chinese restaurant. We were split into four tables. He was not at my table. I was disappointed.

Mr Go gave us the option to go straight to the theme park or to the accommodations to put down our bags. The answer was in unison, Wolmi theme park. Even though our bellies were just full from lunch. Nobody minded.