The Falling Petals...🌺

Wow!-At-last...

We were now on our way to the hotel, which I was to move into for slightly more than a day before I left for the US. I had no idea where this hotel was, nor did the cab driver. Dae and Guen said they did but both were pointing in the opposite directions. In other words no one had a clue. But we moved ahead thinking we'd soon ask somebody about the precise location.

What an evening that was! I was sitting beside the driver and behind me was my sweetheart, with Nari in the middle and Guen on her right. The song selection on the radio seemed to be exceptionally good that day - romantic songs that Dae and I could relate to - and we sat listening to them without saying anything, but smiling within.

These moments of silence only added to the beauty of the songs. I tried to see her in the rearview but, every time, I'd only find Guen's funny face and he would raise his eyebrows, mocking me.

Soon, however, our formal demeanor gave way to a more casual one and we started talking about each other, at times pulling each other's leg, recalling some stupid incidents out of the blue and spicing them up as we narrated them. Dae became an easy target for both Nari and Guen and they mimicked her embarrassment that day, before seeing me. We were shouting and partying in the cab with the snacks and pastries they had brought.

"Here, From the bride's side," Guen said offering me the box of pastries.

We were in a jolly mood and adding to the delight, it started drizzling outside. Shouting, laughing, going crazy to those peppy numbers, we were having a gala time in the cab. On a few occasions, secretly, she pinched me from behind, and I just loved that.

For more than an hour and a half, we hunted for my hotel on the streets of Busan. And, more than anybody(even me), Dae was concentrated about this. According to her, I was tired from my journey and needed some rest, but I wondered why I didn't feel that way.

It was around 7:30 in the evening when we finally reached the Park Hyatt hotel in Haeundae-gu, thanks to the people who helped us with the directions. We all entered the hotel and, at the reception, I checked out my booking.

"Room no.701. That way, sir. The staff will bring your luggage in," said a man with a huge moustache, at the reception counter.

"Alright," I said and we all headed towards the elevator which led to the 7th floor, everyone following me.

Nari and Guen were talking to each other in whispers when Dae said something to me, very politely -

"Can you walk a little slower? you've left me behind."

And I realized why people say that girls are far more mature than guys. I was a fool, earlier, leaving her on the backseat of the cab and taking the front one. And here, again, I was walking alone, leaving her behind. I started panicking, not knowing how to handle such situations. I was a boyfriend for the first time. A fresher in the school of romance.

"God! Please help me," I muttered and decelerated.

She came closer to me and said, "Now you're not alone. You have a girl in your life. So walk beside her."

Behind us, Nari and Guen smiled naughtily.

"Won't they leave us alone for a while?" I thought. But how could they hear my thoughts? They kept following us.

We were at 701. I opened the door to my room and we all went in.

The room was well lit. A huge furnished table with a flatscreen Tv mounted to the surface , with the couch set placed next to it. A huge king-sized bed with a nice plain white bed-sheet. There was a telephone and a menu on the table which was placed in front of the couch, across from the bed. A giant mirror on the wall in front of us which reflected the entire room, including the bed and a cupboard near the entrance. Beside the couch, the whole wall was installed with a floor-ceiling glass.

"Hmm....This is so good," I announced.

"Yeah", "yup", "hmm..." the people surrounding me murmured. Then Guen started his survey of the room, analyzing everything and telling me the good and the bad.

"Thanks Guen," I said, when he had finished. "Anytime," he acknowledged.

After which I wanted to ask him just one more question - "So when are you going to leave us alone, for heaven's sake!?" Instead, I just kept mum, hoping my eyes would do the talking. And Nari finally understood that they should better leave us alone for a while. She whispered to Guen and I don't know what was making the three of them look at each other and smile. I hoped they were not joking about me.

"We are going to the cafeteria downstairs to get something. If you guys want, we can get something for you," Guen said, moving towards the door with Nari.

"No. I'm stuffed," I said. "Wow! At last," I thought.

"Guen, if we need something, I will call you up. And take care of Nari. Alright?" Dae said, opening the water bottle placed on the table.

"Yes, I will. You don't worry. By the way, its 8:30 now. We should leave the hotel by 9:00 so that we can reach home by about 9:30. We're already late, you know right?"

"Yeah. But don't worry, we will manage," said Dae.

"Alright. see ya."

And finally they left the room and I took a deep breath to relax.