The Boy I Met (boyxboy)

CHAPTER 1 - Go To Places

They said that when you love photography, it kind of automatically makes you someone who loves traveling to. I do. But, I never really got around to going on a vacation because first of all, I don't really have the best list of friends that I can drag with me. Secondly, it's weird that I always have this fear that no matter what I do, I will run out of my budget.

As I dragged a puff of my cigarette at the break room (which was really a veranda of some sort behind our office space), I marveled on this random thought.

"What are you thinking?" a silent but deep voice suddenly spoke, causing me to jump a little in surprise. It was Patrick, one of the best graphic designers in the company. We weren't particularly close but when I think about it, I could say that he's the person in the office I have had more conversations with compared to the others.

I brought my cigarette for another puff before letting out a thick cloud of smoke. "Nothing important. Just trying to imagine myself traveling alone someplace else."

Patrick sipped on his cup of coffee while I was talking, not taking off his gaze at me and slightly nodding while I spoke. "What a great timing!"

I turned to his direction and squinted in confusion. "What?"

He shrugged. "Kara just approved the two-week vacation leave I filed a few days ago."

My facial muscles relaxed but I still asked. "She let you be gone for that long? Where are you going for that vacation?"

"Nope. You are going. Never said it was my vacation leave I filed. Regarding the approval, you and I both know her knees shake when it comes to you," Patrick said.

My face was back to being confused. "You what? Filed a vacation leave with my name on it? Okay, first of all, I didn't know that was possible. And second of all, that's going to be wasted. I'm not going. I don't even know how to book a plane ticket."

Patrick drank his coffee for the last time, tipping the cup over, exposing his neck with his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. It was a nice sight, by the way, but there is no way I'm letting him know I think that way.

"No worries, mate," he said in an awful impression of an Australian accent. "With a friend like me, you'll never have to worry about all that. I'll take care of everything: your tickets, itinerary, and a few travel tips. Well, with all your money, of course."

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously, Pat. Why are you doing this? I don't need a vacation."

He shook his head almost too harshly. "No, you do. If you get the chance later tonight, look at yourself in the mirror. You need a break, Miles."

I smiled. To date, he's the only person who calls me by that nickname. I like Patrick, just not in that way. I have high standards.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"In case it's not obvious yet, it is starting to look like you don't like your job here. I know that you don't particularly like it but if you continue overworking yourself, it will show and it would not lead to something good. You need something to bring your mojo back. Experience other cultures. Discover places. Discover yourself. Meet people. And... fall in love," he said, his voice getting a little soft and quiet at the last sentence. It almost sounded like he was hoping I wouldn't fall in love while traveling because he wanted me to fall in love with him. But, I quickly put that thought away.

I pressed the cigarette but on the concrete wall I was leaning on and tossed it in the trash. "Fine. But, if I don't make it back or I get murdered, it's all on you."

"Eh-hey! Admit you like it too! One thing is for sure. You are gonna find and capture some amazing photos while you are there. You're one hell of a talented photographer. I like your works." Now, it really sounds like he's about to confess.

I quickly dismiss him by waving my hand off in his direction. "Okay, okay. Just get through all those stuff about booking my tickets and planning my itinerary."

Patrick was so damn right. I would be a hypocrite if I said I wasn't excited. A few moments ago, it was so easy dismissing the idea of traveling. But now that it was right in front of me, it felt exhilarating.

Patrick was right about almost everything he said. Almost. He was right about everything except for that bit about me getting good photos. When I first realized I was going on a vacation, thanks to him, I was already coming up with a mental list of the things that I'd bring and I wasn't really thinking about bringing my camera.

It will be my first travel. I want to experience it. I can't have any form of distraction. To me, there are two types of travelers.

First, there are those that travel for memories. They are those that capture almost every single moment during traveling so that they will have memories in the form of visual pictures they can look back on in the future. Second, there are those that travel for experience. They are the type of people who drop everything and just let themselves become immersed in every experience they get while traveling.

Personally, I think that when you are traveling for the first time, it needs to be a travel for experience. You only get to feel the excitement of doing something new once. I think it would be an overwhelming feeling when you are right there in a new place, marveling in the thought that you are doing something for the first time in your life. You are achieving a milestone. Even if you traveled for the second time but in a new place, you will never get to feel that warm feeling of doing it for the first time.

I let out a deep breath, looking around me before realizing that Patrick already left and I was alone at the veranda. I composed myself and went back to my workstation. I was seated right across Patrick and as I sat down, he looked at me, wiggling his eyebrows with a wide smile. He must have already done half of the work.

A tiny sound notification rang and I looked at my computer screen. I didn't catch the preview window on my screen so I had to open up our chat app, seeing Patrick's name in bold letters. I gazed at him, only moving my eyes. He chuckled and gestured for me to open his message.

PAT: Step 1 is done.

[PAT attached a file.]

I clicked on the file and it started downloading. I stored it in a new folder I created on my desktop. As I double-clicked on the file, it started to load rather too slow. Or, I might have been too excited.

A few seconds later, the PDF completely loaded and I scanned the document, looking for particular details. Before I could even find it, another notification rang. Patrick has sent me another document. I was getting impatient so I did not bother giving him a questioning look. I did the same thing in downloading the second file and had it load in the background.

Scanning through the first document, I first saw the words "Flight Itinerary". I scoffed and shook my head a little at how absurd Patrick can get. My eyes then darted to the time and date. After looking at it, I made a mental confirmation that the time and date worked for me. Then, I looked at the Arrival column and saw the most surprising three letters there: KUL.

I'm going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

My head jerked up to Patrick and he signaled me to not talk and continue checking the documents. I went back to the first document and it was just then that I realized it was only a one-way trip.

ME: Tell me the truth. You were lying. You really wanted to send me away so I couldn't get back and you'll take my post.

PAT: I'm guessing you haven't seen the second document yet.

When I read that, my fingers almost subconsciously clicked on my mouse to let the second document displayed on my screen. It looked the same with the first document but in the Arrival column, there was another set of three letters: SIN.

I'm getting back to South Korea from Singapore.