Meori Apeuda

Chapter 15

I bowed to the old B&B landlady: “감사합니다 (Thank you)!” She smiled and bowed, waving me goodbye as I walked down the street with my little suitcase rolling behind me. I felt a little guilty, because I had taken the last three bottles of water from the fridge with me, but I tried to calm my conscience by telling myself that I had paid her for a week, including everything in the room. And the fridge was in that room, wasn’t it? It didn’t help, I still felt like a thief.

I headed for the little bus station of the village. A few days ago I found some external lockers there, where day trippers could store their luggage while exploring the village. I took my last wons and placed them in the slit of the door, stuffing my suitcase inside and closed the locker, taking the key with me.

After taking a deep breath I headed for the beach again. It still was one of my favorite places, it had been like that since my childhood. Whenever I had found the time, whenever I had the chance I’d gone to the beach, sitting there for hours, watching the waves, letting it calm me down. And I intended to do the same today.

Chan had called me yesterday afternoon, as he had promised, and had told me that the guys were in Jeju today, another schedule, so he wouldn’t be able to visit me.. He sounded a little upset, but I couldn’t figure out if it was because of the schedule or because we couldn’t see each other.

I took out my phone, even though it was already quite low on battery, and started typing a message. “Hey Mr. Bang ;) Try to have fun today and don’t let them stress you over anything, alright? Hope to see you soon :) K.” After rereading it three times I quickly pressed the Send-Button and stuffed the phone back into the pocket of my hoodie. I discovered a free bench at the promenade and sat down.

The weather was quite cloudy today and for the first time since arriving on Jeju Island the wind felt colder, a foretelling of the upcoming fall. Great timing, for the weather to change, I thought darkly. My phone buzzed, ripping me from my brooding.

“Fun? Without you? Impossible, babygirl. ;) Photoshoot is starting soon, we’re still in the changing room, waiting for everything to be ready. I’m bored. And the boys are loud AF -.-”

I giggled. “Whaaaat? The boys? Loud? I can hardly imagine…Are you sure you're with the right guys? :P “

“:-O OMG, wait, let me check! …ah…nope…they’re mine. Damn. I think it’s too late to give them back…?”

“Much too late :D You’re stuck with them, get used to it Christopher. But look at the positive side, you have 7 boys that will - probably - visit you in the retirement home later on…”

I got a picture as an answer: Chan, sitting there, wearing a black shirt, black ripped jeans and boots, the photo taken in the mirror opposite of him. He looked into the camera, an eyebrow and a hand raised in question, his whole posture screaming “What the F…?”

I laughed out loud, but quickly tried to calm myself, I didn’t want to draw any attention from other people walking by.

I hesitated for a second, then I activated the camera of my phone. I was so damn bad at selfies, but he’d already seen me hungover, so … here goes nothing. 

I tried to copy his ending pose from his Live streams, Winking and with the Peace sign next to my face. I took two or three photos, wasn’t really fully satisfied with any of them but then I shrugged and sent him one.

“:D Aaaah, that’s so nice of you for sending me my new lock screen, Kaylee.” My chin dropped and I typed back hastily: 

“Don’t you dare, Chan, I look hideous! Please don’t… -.-” 

“Don't lie to me woman, you look beautiful, as always. Makes me miss you even more now… :-* “ I rolled my eyes, at the same second my phone buzzed again: “And don’t you dare roll your eyes at me, got it?”