Time of Love

Beaches and Weddings

I take my bowl of cereal and join the others outside on the patio when Jay says,

"So what are we doing today? Where are we going this time?"

"Yeah, we've been to the museum and that conservation center, which was amazing by the way. Where to now?" Tae says.

"Well, it's Sunday. I heard there's an event today at the Nike Art Center. We could go there..." I say, joining the conversation.

"Yes! And I heard that they'll be giving out some paintings for free." Tolu says, sitting up at the thought of going. She was an absolute sucker for paintings and pictures...as a photographer, of course. And for free, she'd want to be the first in line.

"See your mouth...you too like free things(You like freebies way too much)." I say, teasing her.

"Abeg, see who dey talk. When we dey Korea and dem do that flash sale, no be you carry yourself go stand for line overnight ni?( Look who's talking. Back in Korea, didn't you stand in line overnight for a flashsale?)" Tolu says, getting defensive but it just makes me laugh. That's how our friendship has always been, we loved riling each other up.

"No vex, na play I dey play( No need to get upset, I'm only joking).

"아 짜증나. 무슨 말을하는거야?!(so annoying. What are you saying?!)", Soobin bursts out making Tae choke on his iced tea from laughter.

"Why are you getting upset, Soo? They're speaking Nigerian." Tae says, cracking up at Soobin's annoyance.

"아니야(no). This is Pidgin and it's not a language, it's more of a slang. And Nigerian isn't a language." I say, correcting Taekyung as his assumption cracks me up even more.

"Yeah, there's over 250 languages in Nigeria." Tolu adds.

"와, 대막!( wow, that's awesome!). Jay says, letting out his surprise and I think they're all shocked at just how many languages are spoken in Nigeria, except Soo who's still pissed.

"아 몰라 몰라( whatever)" Soobin says, slumping into her chair.

"아 ...미안하다 (oh .. I'm sorry)" I quickly say, holding in my laughter. "I was teasing Tolu and she reminded me of that time we waited in line for that flashsale." I explain, cracking up from the confusion on Soobin's face.

She had been having the hardest time adjusting to life in Nigeria, especially because of the language barrier...her English wasn't very strong but she could understand perfectly and she was an adventurer so when opportunity presented itself, she took it. At one point, I thought she was ready to call it quits and go back home to Korea but when I asked her about it, she assured me that she was having the time of her life. She said that she'd always wanted to do something completely crazy before she turned 25 and that she couldn't think of anything crazier than coming to Africa when she knew absolutely nothing about it. She was having fun though and suspected that she might actually want to come back if she ever finessed her English.

"So it's settled then, we're going to the Art place?" Minho asks, finishing up his toast.

"Yup, and then maybe we can go see a movie after." I say, taking my bowl into the kitchen.

"Awesome! Let's go!" Serayah says, pushing off her chair.

Later

At the Art Center

"Tolu, can we go already?" Tae says, whining in Tolu's ear as he follows he around.

"Be quiet. They're about to start the give away." Tolu says, shushing him as she makes her way to the center of the building.

The guide had left us to our own devices about thirty minutes ago when Tae kept touching the art works even when she told him not to

"That's what you said an hour ago and we've been here for three!" Taekyung says, a but loudly drawing attention to the bunch of us standing awkwardly by a wall of tasteful planted wall trees thingies.

"Ten more minutes, okay? They're going to start now." Tolu says, dismissing Tae with a smile.

"Fine!"

"I am getting a little hungry, you know." Minho says, bending his tall frame to whisper in my ear.

"Yeah, me too." Serayah says, fishing a lollipop out of her bag.

"Where did you get that?" Minho asks, eyeing Rayah's hand as she unwrapped the candy.

"I found them on the counter at the house." She says, and I can feel everyone's eyes on us. Serayah lacks the ability to actually whisper so when she does, it's more like a stage whisper designed to make anyone within a five mile radius know that she's whispering. She'd never admit it though.

"Do you have another one?" Minho asks.

"Yeah, here." Serayah says, giving one candy to Minho.

I'm about to ask for one as well when Tae comes startling the life out of me.

"나는 진짜하게 죽을거야! 진짜 배고파!( I'm seriously going to die! I'm really hungry!)" He says, with a child like whine.

"Have this." Serayah says, handing him another of her lollipops.

Honestly, dealing with Taekyung was like being a mother.

"Hang in there, guys. She's almost done and she'd never forgive us if she doesn't get what she wants.

And right then, I hear claps and see Tolu accepting a huge framed picture. Apparently, she won the raffle draw for a picture she'd been obsessed with for ages.

" You guys! I won!" She says, waddling towards us with a huge grin on her face.

"Yay you, whoop dee do. Can we go now?!" Tae says, practically running out the doors.

"What's his problem?" Tolu asks, with a frown.

"Sorry Tolu, really hungry." Soobin says with an apologetic smile as she walks out to meet Taekyung.

"Congrats T." Minho says, patting Tolu's head before joining the others.

Jay just smiles and takes the picture from Tolu seeing as it's too big for her to carry.

I can see a small frown on Tolu's face and I throw my arm around her waist to comfort her as we walk out of the gallery.

"Didn't you enjoy it?" Tolu asks Serayah.

"No, it was pretty cool. I just think that not all of us were into the art gallery type thing. Personally, I thought it was a sports thing up until wee got here." Serayah says, trying to save the others.

"And you, Lolly?" Tolu says, batting her lash extensions at me.

"I love you to pieces TT but I can't remember half the things I saw." I say, honestly.

Tolu's head dramatically falls down and sheets out an even more dramatic sigh.

I laugh at her being way too extra and tell her to cheer up when she snaps at me saying that was a he one who suggested that we come here in the first place

"Yeah because I hadn't been and I thought it'd be a good experience." I say, rising to my defense.

"hmmphm" She says, dropping her head again making Serayah laugh.

"야, 잠깐만...새롬 언니 어딨어?(hey, wait a minute...where is Saerom?)" Tolu asks, suddenly pausing in our walk.

Serayah and I exchange looks and Rayah leaves us behind, quickly walking out to the car, much to my dismay.

"Well, you see...she went back to the car." I say tentatively.

"Okay, well, how long ago?"Tolu asks and I could swear she's about to cry.

"About two hours ago.." I say, in a little mouse voice, fading off.

But unlike my expectation, Tolu just sparks and runs out yelling that she'd kill them all and something about tying us all to poles and shipping us off to the deepest corners of Arabia.

I couldn't quite make it out seeing as she was switching from Pidgin( Nigerian slang) to Yoruba to Korean.

And frankly...I'd rather not.

After the movie...

"You know I've never seen Sound of Music before?" Minho says, as we walk out of the cinema.

"Ha! Yeah, I could tell." I say teasing him.

"Pretty sure the entire audience could tell with your ooh-ing and aah-ing." Saerom says, teasing him even further.

"Haha, laugh all you want but I really enjoyed it. Not so much the stares, though." He adds, finishing his popcorn. The man was totally weird. He'd get so engrossed in the movie that he'd forget he was meant to eat the popcorn while watching and then he'd end up with left over popcorn.

"Yeah, you get used to it eventually. People over here aren't used to seeing so many Asians at once out of a movie and add one that kept making them shush him and you get stares." I say, taking one last jab at him.

"Hey, stop it." He says, giving my shoulder a little shove.

"Hehe, it's just like when Tolu and I first came to Korea. I could even say that we had it worse because a lot of Koreans really aren't used to seeing black people. They were very... physical, sometimes." I say, eating some of his popcorn.

"Well, I'm sorry you went through that." Minho says, stopping to look at me.

I just smile and tug on his hand so we can keep walking.

"You don't have to apologise. It's all part of the experience. And you're right, I really enjoyed the movie. I didn't think they'd ever do a remake of it or that it'd be just as good if not better than the first." I say, with a grin.

"It's a lie!( Nigerian way of saying, "I can't believe it"). Lola Adeniyi! The one and only Lollipop Lola!" A high pitched voice says, calling my attention.

I couldn't help the scream as I rushed to hug my old friend, Kemi Williams.

"KemKem...I can't believe it's you! Ahnahn, o ma ti glow up gan( You're glowing). Babe...how are you doing?" I say, jumping up and hugging her the way girl friends do.

"Lola, I've been good o. It's been so long. How you dey?( How are you too?)" She says, returning the affection with a bright smile.

"No be Kemo be this? Abi my eye don break? Kemisco?!( Isn't this Kemi? Or am I not seeing things clearly?)" Tolu says, as she walks up to us with even more snacks in her hand just as I was about to call for her.

"Tolu baby...it's me!" Kemi says, hugging Tolu as well.

"How have you been, girl? What has it been, five, six years?" Tolu asks, pulling out of the hug.

"Just about. I'm so glad to see you guys are still together, best friends..." She trails off.

"...forever and beyond!" Tolu and I both say as we all start laughing again. It was an old thing that Tolu and I were know for back in University when people asked if we were friends or sisters.

"You guys look amazing! Tolu, you've never looked better and Lola, you look absolutely beautiful." Kemi says, honestly.

"Oh thanks girl and we could say the same about you." Tolu says, hugging her again.

"Tell me Kemi, what have you been up to ever since you transferred schools that first year?" I ask, genuinely wanting to know what happened.

Kemi was the kind of person everyone liked as soon as they met her. She was such a fun happy spirit and a close friend of mine so when she left, I was quite sad.

"Well, my dears...Bam!" Kemi says, bringing up her left hand to reveal a beautiful diamond ring on her fourth finger.

Ensue screaming.

" Oh my gosh, KemKem, I'm so so happy for you." I say, genuinely happy for her.

"So am I Kemi. Heyyy...who would ever have thought that Kemo would get married?!" Tolu says, with a teasing tone.

"My dear, even I didn't know. You know I rewrote the JAMB exam, right?( Joint Admissions Matriculation Board exams- a Nigerian academic authority) So I transferred schools and I met this amazing guy who honestly couldn't love me any more than he already does and I just fell for him right away. We've been together for six years and then, he proposed." She says, and I can see the love and light in her eyes.

"Awwn, Kemi, I couldn't be happier for you... congratulations." I say, as Tolu starts tearing up. She likes to act like she's tough but inside she's such a baked potato.

"Sorry to intrude...Lola, Tolu, should I still wait or go ahead with the others?" Minho, asks, being his usual polite self.

I had completely forgotten about him and I'm sure Tolu had too.

"Sorry. Minho, this is our friend, Kemi. Kemi, meet Minho." I say, quickly doing the introductions.

"It's nice to meet you." Minho says, offering Kemi his hand and a smile.

"Nice to meet you, too." Kemi says and I think she's a little awe-stricken.

"I'll just wait for you guys, with the others. At the bowling alley." He says as she walks off with a final nod at Kemi.

"Omo...so you guys actually went to Korea? You even brought man? Who get the boyfriend?!( so you really did go to Korea like you said you would? and you even brought a guy back? Whose boyfriend is he?!)" Kemi asks, shocked and ecstatic.

Tolu and I just laugh and correct her that he's no one's boyfriend and that he's just a friend of ours. We then tell her about our trip and how our friends came back to Lagos with us.

"That's incredible. Oh, before I forget, now that I've seen my two best girls, I would be honored to have you and your friends at my wedding." Kemi says, inviting us to her wedding.

"Awwn babe, thank you. It would be our pleasure." Tolu says, smiling at her.

"You're absolutely welcome. We're having a midweek wedding because that's what I want." Kemi says, cheekily making us smile. "It's this week Wednesday, May 13th. Let me have your numbers so I can send you the address and we can reconnect." She says, taking out her phone.

We exchange contact information and thank her for the invite. After parting, it dawns in me that this could be the perfect ending to the guys' visit to Nigeria. Special invites to a typical Nigerian wedding. Cultural experience couldn't get any better than that!

We eventually join the others and then after much deliberation on whether or not to see another movie, I finally say,

"Who's down for a wedding?"

Later on...

"Okay you guys, we have just three days until the wedding and two after that until y'all have to go back to Korea. Ergo, we have to make he best use of it. We have to plan our itinerary." I say, as we sit have lunch at a restaurant at the mall where we saw the movies.

"Mmm and Wednesday is taken which leaves tomorrow, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday." Tola adds, just to clarify.

"Honestly, I think I've done enough tourism. I've eaten so much delicious Nigerian food, I think it's ruined me for other food." Taekyung says, making us laugh. But he wasn't wrong though, hehe.

"Me sef( me too)" Jay says, making Tolu and I laugh and cringe at the same time. How something so simple could sound so weird coming from him was beyond me.

"Osheyy! You don dey learn small small( Okayyy...you're starting to pick things up). You should be fluent in Pidgin in a out 2000 years." Tolu says, teasing him and making Jay blush.

"I just want to relax and take it easy." Tae says, munching on his food.

"That's what we've been doing all this while." Minho reminds him.

"Yeah but I get what Tae means. I'd love nothing more than to just hang out and have fun." Serayah says.

"Thank you!" Tae says, with a pointed look at Minho.

"Okay then, how about we just hang out at the house tomorrow and we'll go to the beach on Tuesday to chill?" I suggest and everyone seems to agree.

"Then maybe we can do shopping after wedding for souvenir?" Saerom says.

"That's actually a great idea. You can't come to Nigeria and not have a keep sake." Tolu says, with a nod.

"Okay then. Lounge hours have begun!" Tae says loudly and we all clink our glasses.

And so,

The following day, we all spent time at Tolu's home just goofing around. The guys had never seen Monopoly before and Taekyung and Saerom kept buying up anything and everything they landed on. Playing snakes and ladders pretty much killed me. At one point, Jay kept eating up Tolu's player until she'd had it. The next thing I know she's on Jay's back pummeling the win out of him. I kept on rolling on the floor with laughter u til my ribs hurt and I couldn't take it anymore. By night fall, it started to rain a little. The weather was cool and quiet which was a relief from the heat that we'd been suffering through the week. We huddled in front of the TV and watched Netflix till about three in the morning before one by one, we went to bed.

By dawn, I woke up maybe around one and Tolu was already up and at it in the kitchen, prepping sandwiches and a beach basket filled with things we'd enjoy through the day.

Because of the rain last night, the sun was shining brightly but the weather wasn't hot. There was a nice breeze which was perfect for a day at the beach.

by 2, we were packed and ready to go. Tolu's house wasn't very far from Landmark Beach and so, that's where we went. Dayo was able to take a day off work and he came with us. Because it was a weekday, it wasn't overcrowded. There were a few couples and small groups of people here and there which was perfect for us. We picked a spot and did exactly what we came here to do...relax.

Everyone else except from Tolu, Dayo and I, seemed to be impressed and ecstatic at the presence of horses at the beach. Horse rides are a very common thing at beaches in Lagos. You'd think they'd never heard of, much less seen, a horse before. Even Minho who was usually more reserved and not easily impressed was very happy to see and ride the horses.

We snacked on the food we brought and danced all day, going into the water once in a while. I noticed that Dayo and Serayah had walked off on their own and I couldn't help smiling at the thought of the two of them together. Serayah would blush whenever Dayo's name was brought up or whenever he came around and Dayo refused to say a word about anything. Once I'd caught Rayah talking with someone in the balcony at night. I wasn't going to interfere though...not yet. Around 6 that evening, as we were packing up to go back home, the DJ made an announcement for everyone to please be seated.

All of a sudden, there were beautiful fireworks in the sky and everyone just stood in awe as they watched. Until, the last set of fireworks went up and spelt, "will you marry me?" Everyone looked around to find who was proposing and when we did, the entire beach erupted in cheers when she said yes. It was very romantic and sweet...a little too much attention if it were me but still very sweet.

Tolu who is always at the ready with her camera, took a few pictures of the couple and when we were set to go, she gave them her number and told them to come to her studio by Friday to get the printed pictures. We could all see that the couple was very touched and Tolu being Tolu refused to collect a dime. They didn't ask her to take pictures of them, she wanted to.

And so, our day at the beach was over and I was so glad that our friends got to experience something like that and that we were all together when it happened.

Wedding Bells

"Are you guys ready?" I say as I knock on the guest bedroom door and push it open a little

"Ooohhh...don't you guys look all spic and span in your tuxedos." I say smiling brightly at Minho, Taekyung and Jay. They wore different shades of a maroon colored tuxedo that Dayo, just happened to have lying in his closet. Minho's was a little tight because he was bigger than all of them but not so that it was noticeable. He had absolutely refused to wear an Agbada( traditional Yoruba attire) or a Senator( traditional attire) which was probably in his best interest. They were already very handsome in their suits, they didn't need unwanted attention showing up wearing trad outfits.(traditional).

"Really, you think we look good?" Minho asks, adjusting his tie. He seems to be the most anxious about this outing. Jay and Tae, on the other hand, were right in their element. They'd been fawning over themselves in the mirror for over half an hour.

"그래 ... 노무 잘 생겼어( yes...really handsome)." I say, as I smoothen out his tie that he keeps rumbling. I'm just about done when he grabs my hands forcing me to look into his eyes. It's like he's trying to tell me something.

Tae clears his throat then and we break apart.

What was that about?

"Hey, why aren't you dressed? Don't we have to leave in like thirty minutes?" Jay asks, pointing at the robe I still have fun.

"Hehe...Girls take lots longer to get dressed and even more so for a wedding and one of this caliber. We don't have to leave until 10." I say as I make my way out of their room.

"뭐?!! It's six in the morning." Tae, bursts out.

"Yes but you two take just as much time as we do getting ready. See, you're already to go, all you have to do is wait." I say cheekily pointing to Taekyung and Jay, letting my voice drift through the corridor.

I hear Tae fall back into the bed in frustration and honestly, that makes me smile. I actually have to hurry now because there's only two makeup artists on hand and five ladies to attend to. We gats do fast( we've got to hurry).

Finally, it's five minutes to ten and we're ready. The guys have been waiting for us downstairs while playing a football match on the console. My overdramatic mother announces us and we make our way down the stairs. Quite frankly, I've never seen three men quite so speechless up until Tae and Jay let out wolf whistles. Tolu, Serayah and I wore these lovely gowns with similar skirts but differently styled bodices made from a similar lace material as the aso-ebi(traditional clothes made from the same material used to distinguish the families and friends of the bride and groom apart from guests). Serayah's was an off-shoulder neckline to show off her beautiful colar bone and and shoulders and I had to say she pulled it off effortless. You couldn't possibly tell that she wasn't Nigerian.

Tolu, had a long organza tail attached to a bow at her middle area to serve as the point of her dress and it was quite lovely.

I just went with a simple dress with full sleeves. I didn't want to show any skin. Soobin and Saerom wore these lovely silk dresses that flattered their bodies and complexions. All in all, we were a good-looking group. As we pile into the cars, Minho whispers in my ear,

"You look beautiful", making me blush.

And off we were to the wedding.

I'd never seen a crowd more hyped at the sight of two Asian men dancing that at Kemi's wedding. So much for not drawing attention to themselves. Jay and Taekyung obviously had the most fun at the reception but the rest of us weren't far behind. Tolu and I danced with Kemi and her bridal train, celebrating her start of the journey of a lifetime. She was the most beautiful bride and the wedding venue and food was spectacular. I was a little harsh on the cake and desserts as I always am, with food other than mine but only because I know that I can do better. The wedding was fabulous and at the end of it, we congratulated Kemi and her new husband and gave them.the gifts we'd brought for them.