My Rental Love

Chapter 4

Reaching our airbnb station was not a difficult task. Incheon Airport Station was just 10 stations away from Wangsimni Station, the area which our airbnb is located at. Travelling via a direct line, we reached our home for the upcoming month in less than 30 minutes.

But, whenever things goes smooth sailing for us, there would always have something that crops up. THE UNCOUNTABLE FLIGHTS of STAIRS.

Back in Singapore, We see escalators almost everywhere, next to a gym, beside a fast food restaurant and even an escalator to the toilet. Here? It's flights of stairs.

Don't start thinking to yourself that I am lazy, or simply unfit. Just imagine, carrying a luggage weighing 12 kilograms up 6 flights of stairs on your shoulder to find out that you're travelling in the wrong direction. Yes, the metro station in Korea is very much complex.

Only after much walking and dragging of our luggage, did we manage to see our airbnb from afar.

Our host, Hanusen, welcomed us with warm smiles and even offered to carry our luggages in!

Hanusen was very hospitable towards us. Dressed in casual clothes consisting of a baby blue pull over and a pair of skinny jeans, Hanusen proceeded to introduce himself to us.

Along with an eye smile shaped like a crescent, He continued to tell Jermaine and I about the customs and mannerisms in Korea. After which, it was already time for dinner and we decided to make a trip to a local convenience store as we were too drained to explore.

By a stroke of luck, We managed to chance upon "C+U" a convenience store which sells a variety of instant food. Our stomachs were rumbling loudly while we were deciding what to eat. Displayed before us was a range of appetizing food, from korean sausages to ramyun noodles. We were absolutely spoilt for choices.

"Aish..Let's just grab one of each kind. My stomach can't wait no more!" Jermaine says with much desperation laced in her voice. Foodie was a very fitting word to describe her.

"Oh my gosh Jer, remember GOT7 Mark's recipe we saw on a variety show?" "Shall we try it out?" I said while already picking out the specific ramyun noodles and cheese for it.

Conversing in basic Korean that i've picked up from watching a myriad of K-dramas, we managed to purchase our items and even asked the cashier to change our 50000 won into smaller notes. This was to ensure that we do not trouble vendors with huge notes in the near future.

Taking a seat outside the store, we began slurping and gobbling down our food. All at once, the strong flavours of Korean food started to hit me.

Cheese, spice and sausage were the enemies of the fluid in my mouth. My thirst was robbed and I had to purchase a drink. Looking at the numerous choices of coffee, i closed my eyes and picked one.

"Special Cafe Mocha" was what was printed on the label.

"I'm too desperate to even care about the taste, it can't be that horrible right? We are not in America."

Giving it a good sip, my eyes sparkled, my cheekbones automatically rose by themselves. Damn, it was the best coffee that i have ever tasted, it was nothing like the drain water coffee i had in America, or the diabetes filled latte in Singapore's starbucks, 20% water, 80% diabetes. The convenience store coffee took first place in my heart.

After a hearty meal, we began making our way back to our airbnb, it was just a short 5 minutes walk, but Jermaine and I had decided to drop a notch on the pace we were going about to enjoy the night breeze and scenery.

It was a scene that you can never ever witness in Singapore. Tilting my head, the once salmon and purple sky transformed into a vast expanse of jet-black that engulfed the town. A canopy of luminous stars materialised amongst the ocean of blackness. It was a magnificent sight. The stars were dazzling and they were shining brightly onto the town beneath them along the moon. As i closed my eyes, taking in the view, the wind ever so slightly brushed my cheeks which then turned into a cold chill. It was our cue to return home.

"Well, I have a month to admire this view, shall take my time."

Turning into the small road that leads us directly to our airbnb, a slight rustling of leaves could be heard from the bushes directly across us.

"F*ck! Could it be a creepy man? AM I GOING TO GET RAPED AND DIE? I'M STILL A VIRGIN JEL, HELPPP" Jermaine said while grabbing her hair as though she was going to explode.

Cupping her mouth, i reassured her that it would be fine if she lowered down her voice to not attract any unintentional attention.

I walked towards the direction of the rustling sound. The closer i got, the louder the rustling became. I could feel Jermaine shaking as we cautiously approached it. I swear I was going to get a bruise from where she was holding my shirt so tightly that it was eating into my skin.

We were only one arm length apart from the "thing" when it suddenly emerged out of the bush.

"Omg" was the only thing i managed to mutter.