When We Return

Chapter 7

They say you should never trust the people you just met. But as for my situation, it’s quite understandable why I trusted easily but I wish didn’t.

Saturday morning, I’m already ready with my things packed in my bag pack and a small trolley. He didn’t mention how many days we’ll be spending in Luncheon, Nenchu—argh whatever, so basically, I just brought 2-day supply of clothes.

What do I meant with I wish I didn’t trust easily? Well, let’s just say he rented a car. So, what’s so bad about that? The thing is, he said he’s not very confident with his driving skills and it’s been 2 years since he last drove a car.

And I wished he said that earlier and not when we’re now on the road because I’m definitely not going to trust a guy who’s not a good driver and would just prefer jumping out of the car and ran back to my apartment room.

So, for the past hour, I was sweating on my seat and tightly sealed with my seatbelt on while clutching on it though he was driving the car with an average speed. Still I can’t trust him.

“Calm down, will you? You’re almost pale white.” He said in between chuckles while driving with his one arm leaning on the window and just one hand manipulating the steering wheel.

I licked my lips to moist it a little because it’s already paper dry. “Y-yah, drive with both hands on the wheel!!” I said with a hint of panic in my voice. He knows how scared I am right now so he removed his hand leaning on the window and held the wheel.

I can’t die. Not now. I shouldn’t have trust him. I should’ve stayed on my room. Uwaaa, mother help me!

I heard his laugh that made me whip my head towards his direction.

“I can drive without putting my hands on the wheel.” He grinned and slightly faced me but I slap his cheek almost immediately to make him look forward again.

“Stop slacking off and just focus on the road. And don’t you dare take your hands off the wheel.” I said sternly.

“But let me try it once.” He removed one hand on the wheel that bubbled the panic inside my chest.

“Don’t you dare do tha— AHHH! f**k!” I screamed the moment he removed his other hand and raised it in the air so I just shut my eyes close and grabbed tightly on my seat. My heart erratic inside my chest as the fear suddenly took over my whole existence in just one go.

I am so close to believing that I’ll be dead.

His booming laughter filled the car while I’m on the edge of crying right now.

“Gosh, Sowon. Open your eyes. I was just kidding! Hahaha.” He said while still laughing but my eyes remained closed shut.

He made a sudden turn that let out a yelp from me and when I thought it’s the end for me, the car suddenly stopped. Maybe he pulled the car over. I heard the snap of seatbelt unbuttoning from him and he feels suddenly close now. 

“Arrasseo, open your eyes now.” He said with a low comforting voice that left me no choice but to release a tear from my eyes.

“No! I want to go home!” I whined while still closing my eyes.

“You can’t, we’re going on a trip remember?” I felt him touch my shoulder but I shrug it off.

“I don’t trust you, anymore!”

This time, he holds both my shoulder and though I was shrugging him off, he didn’t let go. “Yah, I was just kidding about my driving. The last time I drove was last week. You’re overreacting.”

“I don’t care if I’m overreacting!! I just want to leave this car right this instance!!” This time I opened my eyes and faced him, punched his chest once, then twice until it goes on and on.

I was taken aback when he suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me in a hug. My tears stopped flowing and my eyes almost fall out when he did that.

Suddenly, my body was not mine. Plus, my mind and heart too.

I don’t know what to do, with the level of proximity we are sharing right now, I sure am about to go crazy as of the moment.

My heart stilled but now thumping loudly on my chest. I felt him touch my hair and tap my head once, twice, thrice, until I lost count. I swear my face looks almost like a tomato right now.

“Shh, I’m sorry I teased you. Don’t cry anymore.” He whispered.

What. The. Hell.

He really must be Medusa’s son, because even though I didn’t look at him in the eye, he was able to turn me to stone.

His perfume smelled so good. I can feel his muscle chest too. s**t, what to do?

“Are you enjoying?” His cockiness surely is ruining the moment. Tsk.

I pulled from his hug and glared at him. “Who told you so?! Psh.” I aggressively wiped the streak of tears on my face and crossed my arms.

“Your face told me so.” He said in a mocking tone and tickled me on my side. As much as I want to stay still and act cool, my I have low tolerance on tickles so I flinched on my seat and laughed.

“Yah!” I swat his hand and tried to suppress my smile.

Aish, this guy is so dynamic.

“Arrasseo.” He said and started the engine. “It was fun to see your face contort in fear.” He teased once again that made me want to hit him. But he stopped me already before I could.

“You really are having fun teasing me huh, Jay-Jay?”

“Stop calling me that.” I stuck my tongue out but didn’t respond.

There was a minute of silence before I finally broke it.

“What’s arrasseo by the way?”

“Guess.” That made me roll my eyes and grunt. Psh, nevermind.

For the hundredth time today, he snorts and laughed a bit. What’s with him that he’s in a good mood today?

“You know, you’ve been very short tempered these days.” He remarked.

“And you’ve been very mischievous lately.” I shot back with a mocking stare but his attention was on the road now. Thankfully.

“Haha, okay. Arrasseo means I got it.” my mouth turned ‘O’ to what he said and nod repeatedly.

“Arrasseo.” I said in my most confident tone but it sounds awful with my Canadian accent. My accent made him double with laughter so I punched his shoulder to stop him.

“You need practice.” He said. “You just can’t wander around Korea speaking English. Not all can understand it.”

“Teach me then.” I announced.

“You wish.”

Aish, this guy!! He’s really sweet and caring sometimes, but most of the time he’s a cold-hearted jerk. Psh. To ease my bad mood, I connected my phone to the radio through Bluetooth. He doesn’t seem to mind since he just kept on driving so I just continued to work on my phone and played music on shuffle. After doing so, I inclined my chair and closed my eyes.

I don’t know how many hours we’ll be traveling but I don’t have time for his pranks so I saved myself by sleep.

“Where’s your manners young lady?.... Aish, I said I’ll be home today… Yah! I’m bringing a visitor so clean the house right now!”

I woke up after hearing his low whispering voice. I was excited alright. I stretched my arms as I listen to Jay-Jay calling on the phone. He seems upset though I can’t understand what he’s saying, it’s in Korean. He briefly glanced on my direction but soon returned his attention forward.

“Did you empty the fridge again?... Great! Now what will we eat when we get there?!... You little—hey! Yeoboseyo? Aish!” (Please just consider this conversation in Korean, I just learned not to trust google translate. Haha)

He frustratingly threw his phone on the dashboard and scratched his head. The car is still running. I checked my phone for the time and it read 10:40am. Approximately, I just had a 20minute nap. I wasn’t informed that where we’re going is just near, then why did he have to rent a car? Psh.

“You’re awake.” Obviously. “Let’s stop by on a grocery store first.” He said not paying much attention to me and pulled over to a grocery shop.

“Are you hungry? I brought a lot of snacks today even the cookies.” I said ready to reach out on the bags in the middle seat when he grabbed my arm.

“Nope, not snacks. We need to buy ingredients.” He said and unbuttoned his seatbelt and got out of the car leaving me there. I was expecting him to open my door for me because that’s what I was used to back in Canada but he didn’t. So much for being a gentleman. So, I opened the door myself and followed him. 

“Did we arrive in our destination?” I asked while walking along with him towards the entrance of the store.

“Yep. But not quite.” He simply said and entered. I wonder what kind of place we’re going to. And who is he talking to earlier in the phone that made him piss?

It took us about 15 minutes to buy ingredients plus other necessities too that are not even related to cooking like soap, dishwashing liquid, detergent bar and a like. Are we going to camp or something?

We hit the road and he drove for 10 minutes more until we entered a small neighborhood. Glancing outside the windows looking at the people in the sidewalk talking and laughing with each other.

I’ve never seen this kind of scene back in our place, maybe because we live in an exclusive subdivision that’s why the streets are always empty and the people only spend time inside their houses instead of going out and meet people. Psh, rich people indeed.

“We’re here.” He announced after he pulled over outside an average looking house.

Wait, a house? Are we in his house?

Before I could even ask, he already climb down the car and slammed it shut.

Heck, what to do? He didn’t tell me he’s going home. Omg!

Maybe I spent so much time inside the car contemplating whether it’s a good decision to come with him or not because my door suddenly opened that startled me bigtime and he leaned against me.

“Are you coming or not?”

“Why didn’t you tell me it’s your house we’re going to?!” I hysterically asked in a low whispered voice.

“Is there a problem?” he asked with his face masked with confusion. He is completely dumb, for the love of God.

“It is a big problem, Jay-Jay. What if they ask who I am, what are you going to say?!”

“An acquaintance, duh.” He said that made my jaw literally drop.

An acquaintance, huh? An ACQUAINTANCE?

“And don’t worry, I only have my sister.” He continued and left my side leaving me there with my mouth half open.

So, he only treats me as an acquaintance, then? Heck with him! Psh. ARGH

And I’m having a nervous breakdown right now, I’m still not very used with having a casual conversation with other people. What if his sister would think of me as a weirdo? That is so not cool.

He suddenly appeared again in front of me making me jump and scream.

“Hey!” was all I said, with frustration already visible in my face.

“What are waiting for? Leave the car or I’ll lock you in.” he said holding the grocery bags in his arms.

That left me no choice but to climb down the car too and he locked it. With trembling legs, I followed him as he entered the gates after he opened it with his keys. But before he could approach the front door, I stopped him.

“I’m nervous.” I admitted. He raised his eyebrows and stared at me. “I’m serious.”

He must’ve sensed the way I fidget with my fingers because he made a quick glance on it.

“You’re going to be fine. Now, go!” I didn’t know how the door opened but he shoved me inside right away.

This guy really doesn’t treat me as a lady. Aish.

My legs continued to tremble as he just walked past me and entered a room somewhere with the grocery bags. He’s main evil. I swear!!!

The living room is a bit spacious, just enough for one long sofa and flat screen TV with coffee table and some small furniture and decors. And more of hallways. Compared to where I’m living, it’s small. So small. But one thing sure is lacking, this place feels homey, and livelier compared to our mansion where the people I usually spend time with are only the servants.

“OPPA!!!!!” I swear I almost have a heart attack when a sudden scream with the highest pitched voice echoed the whole room.

One second, I was all alone in the living room.

And another second, there are two living creatures with me in the living room and is hugging tightly with each other while talking in a language I don’t know of.

I definitely need to learn that alien language.

They broke their hug and talked nonchalantly with each other. Did he forget that I was with him the whole time?

I wonder if this is his sister.

At last, the girl noticed me when she made a side glance toward my direction. But then again, the nervousness once again made its foundation in my insides. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans again and again.

“Who is this girl, oppa?” (please do consider this in Korean conversation) she said while pointing a finger at me with her confused expression.

“Oh, she’s a friend of mine. She from Canada so she doesn’t understand Korean at all. Please be considerate enough to speak English with her, okay?” (still in korean) he said.

I don’t understand them. At all.

The girl approached me with the same expression she had when she first saw me until she’s in front of me. Her lips twitch upwards with that judgmental look on her face with her arms cross and also made a once over on me from head to toe and vice versa.

That kind of look doesn’t make me comfortable at all. The tension I feel just doubled up with her stare.

I glanced behind her back and saw Jay-Jay just looking at us from afar with that smirk on his face.

I have a good feeling that this girl in front of me had the same attitude with his brother, and that is not nice. And they had the same plump thick lips, mind you.

“Uhmm, h-hi?” I awkwardly said and waved my hand.

“I don’t like her, oppa.” (korean)

“SinB!”