🌸 ANNYEONG:JOURNEY 🌸

CHAPTER THREE: UNPACKING TRUTH

Chaerin didn’t say much at first.

After helping Kira inside, she pushed the door open and stepped aside. “That’s Nari’s bed,” she said, nodding toward the neatly arranged side with a purple duvet and a stuffed bunny by the pillow. “You can use it. At least while she’s not around.”

Kira whispered a quiet, “Thank you,” and wheeled her suitcase over to the spot. The room was simple but enough. Shared space. Shared air. Shared silence.

Before anything else, she sank to her knees beside the bed.

She clasped her hands, closed her eyes, and whispered a short prayer. It was something she always did at the start of something new, something scary. She didn’t say much. Just gratitude. A little strength. A little guidance.

When she opened her eyes, the room still felt foreign but maybe just a little less so.

Chaerin sat on her bed, scrolling on her phone, legs crossed. A minute passed.

Then she said it.

“I didn’t know you were coming.”

Kira turned to look at her.

Chaerin’s eyes didn’t meet hers. “Nari didn’t tell me. I got a message this morning. Said someone would be joining me for a while. That was it.”

Kira stayed quiet.

“She never lets anyone stay with us,” Chaerin added. “Last semester I tried to let a fresher a new student stay for a bit. She didn’t know anyone, had nowhere to go. Nari said no. Flat-out. Said she didn’t want strangers in her space.”

She let out a dry laugh. “And now? She drops someone on me without even asking.”

Kira’s lips parted slightly. “I didn’t know... I thought she spoke to you”

“She didn’t,” Chaerin cut in, but not harshly. Just honest. “And when you called… I didn’t know how to respond. I was caught off guard. That’s why I sounded cold.”

Kira nodded slowly. She could feel the weight of Chaerin’s words tight, tired, and raw.

“I don’t blame you though,” Chaerin said. “It’s not your fault. I guess Nari just does whatever she wants sometimes.”

Another pause. Then she looked directly at Kira for the first time. “It’s fine. You can stay. Feel at home. We’ll figure it out. Orientation’s tomorrow anyway. You’ll need your rest.”

Kira blinked, surprised by the shift in tone. Not warm exactly, but real. Human.

“Thank you,” she said again.

Chaerin waved her hand like it wasn’t a big deal. But it was.

After unpacking just a few things her toothbrush, a wrapper, her devotional Kira remained in her travel clothes. Her stomach growled lightly.

She stepped out to the road across the hostel and found an older woman arranging loaves of bread, eggs, and bottled drinks on a folding table. She wore a blouse tucked into a long skirt, with a faded wrapper tied around her waist and another over her head. Her shirt was rolled at the sleeves, and her smile was kind.

“Bread and egg,” Kira said gently.

“First day?” the woman asked, handing her a warm bag.

Kira nodded.

“Welcome, dear.”

Kira returned to the room and kicked off her Crocs. As she opened her bag to eat, Chaerin grabbed a shirt and slid into her sandals.

“I’m going to church,” she said, casually.

Kira blinked. “Oh… now?”

Chaerin nodded. “Evening service. Just around the block.”

Kira tilted her head, quietly surprised. She hadn’t expected that.

“Do you go often?” she asked.

“Every Wednesday,Sunday and times we have special programs” Chaerin replied. “You can come next time if you want.”

She didn’t smile. But there was something softer now.

Something open.

And Kira held onto that.

Even in a strange new place, maybe kindness didn’t always look the way she expected.

Sometimes, it just needed time to unfold.

⚠️ Disclaimer:

Please respect the work and creativity behind this story. Annyeong: Journey is an original novel by Milk🥛. Any unauthorized copying, sharing, or stealing of this work is strictly prohibited. Thank you for your understanding and support! 🙏

Thanks so much for reading and supporting my journey as a writer! 💖

Milk