Winter Hearts

Siana's First Night Ends

The little man opened the door, now in one of the fluffy bathroom robes they provided in the bathrooms. His eyes brightened when he saw the food, but he kept the door jammed with his leg, as if to stop her from coming in. She noted that and wondered why he would assume she would do that. She supposed it was a habit of his.

She heard several male voices round the corner to the right, where the large living area was. She saw the luggage guy come over, and he helped to take the bags from her. 

She bowed politely, saying "annyeong-hi jumuseyo." Then she turned to leave, but not before she heard the voices die down at her greeting. She heard the little man say something as if to explain, to the others inside. Before the door even closed, she was already sprinting down the stairs to her father's flat below.

He opened the door before she could ring the bell.

"That was quick."

She held up a tightly wrapped gyro and stepped inside.

"Have you eaten, dad?"

"Yes I have, but I will sit with you. Outside?"

"Of course!"

"You crazy thing, it's freezing out there! Okay, you talked me into it." He joked, pulling on his old flak jacket.

They walked to the back of the house through his kitchen and out into the small balcony that faced directly onto the yard. He picked up two tumblers from the kitchen counter along with a small bottle of home-brewed retsina.

They stepped down into the yard and settled at the wrought iron table and old cafe chairs that were too upright and rickety to really be comfortable. She unwrapped her gyros as her dad poured their wine.

She didn't realise how hungry she was. She tore at the wrapping on her food and proceeded to wolf down the delicious grill-toasted gyros bread, the tender chicken with tomatoes, onions, feta cheese and a garlic mayo that was to die for. She stopped after a few bites to breathe and take a sip of the crisp, bitter, pine-scented wine that cut through the grease on her palate and refreshed her.

Mikhalis watched her for a moment, then began chatting about the guests.

"They turned up early because they took an earlier flight than expected. They seem to want to be left alone and the organiser Mr Joon, you know the guy you met? Well, he says they might reconsider the cleaner-"

Siana looked up in surprise. "But Maria will be expecting work, how can we cancel with her?"

"They agreed to pay anyway, for the inconvenience of cancelling. Either they are silly rich or really want privacy."

"But can they manage the place? Aren't they staying for a few weeks? They have to go out sometime. Tourists always get noticed here, especially if they aren't European. Do they want to stay indoors the whole time?"

Siana rolled her eyes. Sometimes people with money had such an opinion of themselves.

She stopped that thought. Those people with money had made her family into people with money too. Okay, I take that back, she thought.

Mikhalis looked at her conspirationally and leaned in to whisper to her.

"They're either famous, or models. Whatever they are, they look like both. And Mr Joon is holding all the money, like he's some sort of tour operator in charge of a group."

Suddenly they heard the screech of screen doors being opened up at the fourth floor. They both looked up to see someone step out and peer into the darkness outside. The bright patio light shone in her eyes, so she shielded them with one hand. They watched as the shadowy figure eventually looked down, and then turn to another figure she hadn't noticed was already standing outside in the dark, to speak.

She realised that whoever it was could possibly have heard all their conversation. With bald-faced bravado, she waved at them, to acknowledge their presence. Then she turned back to her dad, embarrassed. She was happy her face was hidden from above when her still-drying hair fell about her face.

She heard someone murmur "Hello," from above and she let her dad acknowledge that with a nod. Finishing quickly, she gathered up the wrappings and the glasses and went back inside.

"You coming in?" She asked her dad. He took a deep breath and looked out into the darkness for a moment.

"No I think I will stay out here a while."

Siana came back out to give him a warm hug and kiss.

"Thank you," she whispered into his ear. He beamed up at her kindly, then blew her a kiss while she was still in his arms. She smiled and let go, hopping up onto the balcony to let herself out.

She was back in her house again. Off came all the clothes, and she slipped into an old tracksuit which would be her pyjamas. It was now almost 9pm, and she was starting to feel drowsy from jet lag. But, for one last look, she put on her bubble jacket and opened her balcony door to sit on the lone chair that faced the mountains.

Now in the dark, she couldn't see anything, except for the lights below and her father still sitting at the table, and there on the distant mountain, a twinkling partial view of a few of Delphi's lights nestled on the mountain face. She got up to switch off the kitchen light inside, thus making it easier for her eyes to adjust to the darkness outside. Soon, under the meagre starlight she began to see the outline of the mountains against the sky, and the gorges and grooves in the land.

She sighed, the busy-ness of the last 24 hours finally melting away as she felt sleep coming. The happiness of being back, seeing her wonderful cousins and being outdoors and active, and finally eating well and feeling full, made her forget all the silly thoughts she had had about missing out on the VIXX concert.

What did that matter in the big scheme of things? If she went to the concert, she would likely only see them from afar. If she were lucky to be chosen for a fan meet or high-touch, those seemed to her to be tiresomely inadequate opportunities to get to know the boys.

She rather felt it would be better to accidentally meet them on the street while they were touring her city, and to have a real encounter and exchange some proper words of communication. Or even better, she thought fancifully, be working with them, or have the same circle of friends. She would discuss dance techniques with N and then they would play basketball after. Ravi would ask her opinion on his latest project, and she would suggest music to him. With Leo, she would...

She stopped for moment, cocking her head. What would she do with him?

She remembered her daydream and his face coming in close as he bent over her to press all the lift buttons. She groaned and put her feet up on the balcony rail.

She imagined that instead, he bent over her to make her fall back against the wall, put his hands on her waist and dropped a soft kiss on her lips. When he pulled back, he stared so deeply into her eyes she felt she was falling into them.

"Oh god," she said breathily. Siana snatched her feet back from the rail and stood up noisily, shaking off her thoughts. Below, her father looked up in alarm, calling out if she were okay.

She leaned on the rail and peered down at him, smiling sheepishly.

"I'm fine, I just lost my balance."

"You sure?"

She nodded, smiling. She wondered if her dad would ever understand the sometimes terrible, deep yearning she had for some... thing, some feeling or some one, that she never had.

"Sleep well," she said softly, gently to him. He blew her a little kiss again, and she turned to go back inside.

Before she even hit the pillow, she was fast asleep in a deep, dark world.