One day in Seoul 🇰🇷

🇰🇷: 52

I woke up early, my mind already working through the plan for the day. I had already packed most of my things last night, but there were still a few last-minute items to throw in. Nathan had gone ahead to Seoul without much explanation, and that had left me uneasy. Something wasn't right, and I could feel it in my gut. I wasn't going to let him face whatever was coming on his own.

"Daniel," I called out as I folded my clothes into my suitcase, "we'll follow Nathan discreetly. There's something wrong about all of this, I can't shake the feeling." Daniel nodded, already sensing the urgency in my voice.

As I zipped up my bag, the door swung open. Katarina rushed in, looking flustered, with Sarang trailing behind her. Mari was with them, her eyes darting between me and Katarina.

"Francis, what is going on?" Katarina blurted out, her voice a mix of worry and frustration. She glanced at my packed bag, then back at me. "I didn't know you were leaving. Why didn't you tell me?"

I sighed, not wanting to worry her more than she already was. "Katarina, I-"

"Don't," she cut me off, shaking her head. "Hindi ako bata, Francis. I know something's wrong. This isn't like you. You're just going to leave without explaining anything? What about Sarang? What about... us?" Her eyes softened, but I could see the hurt behind them.

I smiled, hoping it would ease her nerves. "It's nothing. I promise. Nathan just had to go ahead. We'll be back as soon as possible, okay?"

"Back as soon as possible?" she scoffed, her voice rising. "Francis, this isn't just about a quick trip! What aren't you telling me?"

"Mari," Katarina turned to her friend, "could you take Sarang outside for a bit? I need to talk to Francis alone."

Mari gave a knowing nod and took Sarang's hand, leading her out of the room, though I could still hear Sarang asking in her sweet voice, "Tinang, bakit galit si Mommy?"

The door closed behind them, and Katarina's eyes bore into mine. She crossed her arms, demanding answers. "Ano ba talaga ang nangyayari, Francis? Hindi mo ako pwedeng iwan lang ng ganito. You can't just shut me out!"

I took a step towards her, trying to keep my voice calm. "It's not like that. Alam ko na hindi ito magandang timing, but it's necessary. Nathan... he needs me in Seoul. There's something we have to handle."

"Something to handle?" Her voice cracked. "Francis, bakit hindi mo masabi? What are you hiding from me? You don't need to protect me from everything."

"I'm not hiding anything." But I could see she wasn't convinced. "Okay, I'm just... being careful. Alam mo naman na Nathan's health has been shaky. I just want to make sure everything's alright with him."

"Health?" Katarina's brows furrowed. "But you're not a doctor, Francis. What kind of help does Nathan need from you that he couldn't get from someone else?"

I could feel her frustration bubbling over. It was hard to lie to her, especially knowing that she was right to worry. But there were things she didn't need to know. Not yet.

I moved closer, placing my hands on her shoulders. "Trust me. I'll fix this. I don't want to involve you in something that might be dangerous."

She jerked away from my touch. "Dangerous? So you admit it!" She took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "Francis, hindi ko kayang maghintay rito wondering if you're in trouble. You can't just leave me hanging. What if something happens to you?"

I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, then brushed my lips softly against hers. "Wala kang dapat ipag-alala. We'll be fine. I promise."

Katarina shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "That's not enough. Hindi 'yan sapat, Francis. You can't just kiss me and expect me to be okay with you leaving like this. You're acting like you'll just walk away and come back like nothing's changed."