Time of Love

"We just got our bags so we'll be out soon. What are you wearing? Ha! I can't believe you still have that. Yeah, I'll see you soon." I said, hanging up the phone. Where is my wallet anyway? I need some gum, I thought, going through my backpack as my friends and I walked through the airport. You guys know how I can never go for a drive without my precious Berry Burst Bubble Gum. Oh, that's right, you don't know. Forgive my manners, I'm way too excited. My name is Lola Adeniyi. I'm Nigerian and I'm 25 years old. The reason I'm at the airport is because I'm returning from my year long stay at the Republic of South Korea, the country I'd like to think of as my home away from home. You might be wondering what business a young Nigerian woman has all the way across the world in Korea. Well, it's simple really. I wanted to go and so, I did...for school and vacation. You'll know more about that later. Anyway, right now, my friends and I are on the way to meet my brother whom I haven't seen in over a year. He came to pick us up from the airport. Now that you know a little about me, I can go back to finding that elusive pack of gum. I know I put it in here somewhere. "Oof!" I don't remember there being walls randomly placed at the airport. "죄송 합니다(I'm sorry)." I say, apologizing quickly, as I scramble to pick up my bag that was knocked out of my hand. "죄송 해요(I'm sorry)." I say again, as I stand up to look at who I ran into. There's no way I'm seeing things right. 설마(no way)...is that.. "Mayowa? Mayowa Koker? Is that you?" I ask, I may be tripping but the similarity is uncanny. My first crush, Mayowa Koker...my first love, I guess you could say, actually. "Yes, my name is Mayowa. I'm sorry, do I know you?" He asks in a beautiful baritone voice laced with a light British accent... haeeww! Lord knows I'm a sucker for accents but the British accent is my absolute weakness. I'm still gaping at him, trying to process when he hands me the rest of my things that had scattered on the floor. "There's that dang gum!" I say, sighting the district blue and purple pack. "Beg your pardon?" He asks, just as I bend to pick up my pack of gum that had somehow slid under his shoe, nearly pushing the man off his feet. "Omo...괜찮아요(are you okay)? 정말 미안해요(I'm really sorry)." I say, rapidly apologizing and helping him up. I mean, I know I'm clumsy... scratch that, I'm an octopus on land! a headless chicken! a child who's just learning to walk! a per...erhm erghm, you get the idea. But I didn't think my brand of clumsy would affect anyone. Wait... cue brain playlist designed to make me remember every clumsy, humiliating to ever happen to me. Annnnddddd, done. Okay so, maybe I am that clumsy. So what?! Sue me. Oops, you can't. Know why? 'Cause I'm a lawyer. Ha! Bet you didn't know that! "I'm fine, thanks." He says, dusting himself off and bringing me out of my little inner tirade. He was so well dressed in a white shirt and grey sweater and slacks topped with a beautiful copper coat. Maybe a little too dressed for Lagos weather but different strokes and whatnot. "Are you done?" He asks, drawing my attention to his face and my, oh my, what a face! He had lovely skin, not dark but not quite fair, just somewhere in between and the kind of haircut I liked to see on guys. A well trimmed goatee but no stache...hehe, I liked that. "What? Oh sorry." I say, closing my mouth. "But are you really Mayowa Koker?" "Yes, I do believe so. Last time I checked, at least." He says, cracking a smile. Well, there goes my sanity. " I don't believe we've met before, have we?" He asks politely, in more of that accent...damn. "It's me, Lola. Lola Adeniyi? Doesn't ring a bell?" I ask, surprised that he didn't remember me. "Not quite, the name's familiar but I can't seem to place it." He says, confusion written all over his face. Ouch..it's weird when someone you know can't remember you, a little hurtful too but I can't blame the guy. I've changed a whole lot since he last saw me. "Think back to JSS2, West Harmony High School. I was the only girl in our class at the time. Chubby little thing, smart as hell, annoying?" I say, prompting him to remember. I'm about to remind him about how I ripped his notes because he wrote on something on the corner of one of mine when I see the light go on in his eyes. "Lola? Lollypop Lola? Is that really you?" He says, smiling brightly at me while my smile turn to a half-hearted scowl. "I'm never living that down, am I?" I say, just as I'm enveloped in a huge hug. Oh, he smells so good. Like Moroccan spices and man and cologne and cold too. "I can't believe it's really you. how have you been all these years? What's it been? 10 years?" He asks, letting go of my body...ugh, too soon. "It's about 12 actually, but who's counting?" I smile cheekily, adjusting my bag strap that had slipped off. "야 사탕아, 가자!( hey candy, let's go!)" My friend, Minho, yells from where they're waiting for me. Apparently, they'd walked ahead while I was creating chaos at the airport. "어, 네.(Yes)" I yell right back. Minho oppa can be so bossy sometimes but only because he cares. Doesn't mean I'm letting him get away with calling me 사 탕 in public, hehe...he's dead meat. "I kinda have to go. We can exchange numbers if that's okay with you.." I say, leaving room for him to refuse. "Of course, here." He says, handing me his phone and I do the same. I'm saving my number when I hear Minho shouting for me again. "So sorry to just leave like this but I need to go. We should talk later." I say, already walking off. "Wait! I want to ask you something!" Mayowa says, half yelling now. I don't wait though because my friends are already out the door. "Text me!" I yell to him, with a wave before running out the door. "옵바, 가치 가!( Minho, wait for me!) You don't even know where you're going!" Great, he made me run. "Lo lo!" A voice calls out. I'd know that voice anywhere. "Dayooooo!" I scream, promptly jumping on my little brother who picks me up quite easily, guess he's not so little anymore. I can't help being a little teary eyed as I hug my brother. You would be too if you hadn't seen your family for a whole year! "If you cry here, I'll throw you away." My brother says, pushing me off him and making me laugh. He'd always been like this. He could stand seeing girls underware and fangirling and even discussions about the female body and menstruation but he couldn't absolutely bare to see a woman cry. I don't know if it scares him or just makes him uncomfortable but that was just Dayo. "I missed you, you this fowl." I say hugging him again. "Missed you too. Las las(eventually), you actually went to Korea. Where's your husband?" He says, with his grin. Hahaha, "don't worry, he's coming. By the way, these are my friends. You know Tolu but this is Minho oppa, Jay, Taekyung, Soobin, Serayah and Saerom eonnie and they'll be staying with us for a while. Guys, this is my little brother, Dayo and he's to be our designated driver s***h tour guide s***h whatever you need." I say, introducing my friends. Tolu is my best friend and she's Nigerian as well. We went to Korea together and now we're back. The rest of the gang except Serayah are all Koreans who I met while I was at University in Korea and they decided to come home with me to experience Nigerian culture. Serayah is Black American and she went to Korea to study just like me. We all bonded and just became a group the way groups do. "No, no...not whatever you need but for the most part. I'm Dayo, nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you all." Dayo says, flashing his charming smile at my friends and from the corner of my eye, I think I see Serayah swoon. Hehe, interesting. "Come on, let's go. I can't wait to see everyone." I say giddily, doing my little happy dance. We out our bags into the back of the Jeep and pile on in. I get in front with Dayo and strap on my seat belt. And now, Berry Burst time! Two sticks is good but three's just a little too much at once. "Anyone want gum?" I ask, raising the pack. "I thought you never shared your precious Berry blast or what's it called?" Dayo asks with a grin, starting up the Jeep. "당연히 아니지( of course not), and I never will. But I do have some regular banana flavored gum if you want it. By the way, it's Berry Burst." I reply, smiling like a Cheshire cat. "Wetin be that one now?(what does that mean?)" Dayo asks, throwing Tolu and I into fits of laughter. "I'll have one" Soobin says, grabbing the pack and so do the others. And as we drive off from the familiar airport and head towards the main roads, I can't help but grin to myself. It's so good to be back home. On the other side of the parking lot, not so far away... Mayowa's POV "Mr Koker. It's good to have you back, sir." Felix, my father's driver says, as he takes my bags from me. "Abeg, leave that thing. (stop that)" I say, smiling at my best friend before giving him a hug. Felix just laughs and pats my back. "Welcome home, brother." he says. "Thanks man." I say, just as I hear her squeal. I turn my head and I see her and her friends but she's hugging some guy and for some reason, that makes my blood boil. Lola Adeniyi...wow! I hadn't seen her for over ten years, not since she left school without a word and yet I meet her at the airport of all places. She'd transformed from a girl to a woman...a very beautiful woman, at that. "What are you staring at, Mayo?" Felix asks, putting the last of my stuff in the car. "Nothing, just someone I used to know." I say, still not taking my eyes off her. I can't help smiling when I see her do this dance, it's ridiculously cute. It's a good thing I have her number, I'll definitely be calling. "Cool, let's go." Felix says, tapping the roof of the car.