STAY WITH ME : KIHYUN (ONGOING)

Four

March 26, 2000

“Here we go, my little boy. We already arrive in the Philippines.”

My family and I went to a vacation in the Philippines. They decided to go to Negros Occidental. It's a province. I love the place since it composed of sugar canes everywhere that make the views look beautiful. It's my first to time seeing a real life sugarcanes. I only seen them in books. Unlike to our country, you can see tall grasses everywhere, wooden houses, cows, chicken (my favorite), ducks, and what they called carabaos.

We already arrived to our a rented house in an urban city. It's not a high classes looking place to stay in but it looks comfortable and give you feels of living in a simple province with a simple life. The rented place looks like a big mansion made from wooden which are the commonly houses used in the country. I was still a 7-year-old child but I already enjoying the view.

I went outside with my camera to take a picture when my mother called me. “Kihyun, where are you going?,” she asked.

“Somewhere, Mom. I want to explore the place.”

“Okay, My little Kihyun. Don, 't go anywhere,” and let me explore the place.

I walk to the garden and seeing flowers all over the surrounding. I smiled and starts to run near a yellow flower. I take a look at it. It's cute.

“That is yellow bell.”

Someone speaks behind me.

I turn my back and saw a man standing. He smiled at me. I'm in a shock reaction when he walked close to me and stand by my side. He started to speak something.

“These flowers are my daughter's favorite. It looks like a small bells.”

“Yeah, they are,” I replied and continued, “It''s so amusing.”

He laughed. “Yeah, that why my daughter loves it so much.”

I agreed at him.

After that he asked me. “Would you like to meet my daughter?.”

I shook and feels an excitement after it. “Sure, Mister.”

He turned his head back. I followed his gaze and saw a girl, younger than me, I guess, walking towards us. Just like in movies, I stare at her, imagining her walking in a slow motion way. I don, 't know what comes my mind but that's my feeling the way, I looked at her.

She already went near us. I smiled at her and greeted her.

“By the way, little boy, her name is...,” the man started to speak when my parents came.

“Oh, there you are.” I heard Mom's voice from afar. She went near us.

“Good afternoon, Mister. Are you the owner of this place right?,” my Dad asks the man.

“Yes, I am. So this little boy was your son?” the Mister asked.

“Oh, yes. He is our son.” My mother answered in advance.

“He's good-looking, huh. What is his name?”

“Yoo Kihyun,” Mom response.

“Suits him well.”

“Thanks, Mister.” Mom replied again and added, “Oh, by the way, sorry. We never contacted you that we're already arrived at the place. My signal was interrupt along the way.”

“No, it's okay. At least, you arrive safely.”

“Thanks, Mister.”

“Shall we go along?” my father asked, and we all agreed.

××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

It's already 6:00 in the afternoon, and I can see sunset at this moment. Unlike in Korea, 6:00pm, sun is already down and night sky appears after.

I was sitting in the balcony of the wooden mansion when my mom called me. “Kihyun, time for dinner.”

I stand up and walk towards the table. I see my mother serving my favorite dish, a chicken menu. I smiled because my mom knows this was my favorite. She also prepared vegetable salad as an appetizer.

While eating, someone's calling my parents below, I think it's Mister's voice. My mom open up to the door and saw Mister standing handling food.

“I thought of sharing this to you guys, since you're new here and having a vacation.”

He handed my mom the food and added, “It is called adobo. It can be a pork or chicken, but I prefer chicken since kids like chicken.”

“Thanks, Mister,” my mom replied.

“Thanks, and by the way, don, 't call me Mister, Mang Ed, short for Eduardo. That's what the residents here calls me.”

“Okay. By the way, thanks again, Mang Ed.”

I heard Mister and Mom's convo until Mister bid goodbye. My mom got back to the table, holding a bowl with food inside it.

“Here little boy, I hope you like it. It's called adobo.”

I get a little part of the chicken and it's dark sauce. It tastes delicious. I enjoyed eating it until I got full and take a rest for a bit. My mom told me that after I get rest, I will take a nap.

Tomorrow's another day.