SBB 2015 ENTRY #22: LEARNING TO... (3/3)
Title: Learning To… (3/3)
Pairing: Minho x Jonghyun, and past Minho x OC
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Slight cursing, trigger warning for depressive themes, recreational drugs
Final Word Count: 21,568
The rest of the day is spent exploring. The Art Gallery is filled with bright sounds and color, just like Kibum's personality. They spend most of the time in the featured exhibit - Wilderness into a Garden, where Kibum gushes over the symbolism behind Yinka Shonibare's use of colors and motifs, and his vision of cultural hybridism. Minho doesn't know much about art, but he appreciates Kibum's excitement in the subject, finding himself taking a second look at the pieces, trying to see the imagery that Kibum describes.
For lunch Kibum directs Minho to Seomun market, where Kibum tells Minho to try kalguksu, insisting that this particular stall has the chewiest noodles and the spiciest, most anchovy rich broth. Afterwards, Kibum drags Minho to another stall a few blocks down to try nabjak-mandoo.
"I swear my life on this stuff," says Kibum solemnly. "That shit you people get in Seoul has nothing on this place or any of these places." Minho only nods in approval. Kibum does have good taste after all.
Afterwards they visit the Arboretum, where they walk idly through the park. According to Kibum, the Daegu Arboretum was originally a big waste site and the city had raised funds to transform it into a botanical garden.
"I remember coming here for the grand reopening in middle school," says Kibum. He points at a fountain. "I remember the first time I saw that fountain turned on, and it's amazing how a huge dump site can be reborn as this beautiful garden."
"It is wonderful isn't it," says Minho. He sits down by the fountain and thumbs open his notebook to write something down. After the all the driving and the whirlwind filled day with Kibum, he nearly forgets to write in it.
"What's that?" asks Kibum. He sits down beside Minho and tries to peer over his shoulder. Minho doesn't let him.
"Ah," he says sheepishly. "Sorry let me finish this page first. This is my travel journal. I wanted to write down important things that I've experienced on this trip. Part of my rebirth process, so to speak. It's kind of personal."
Kibum nods and doesn't pry any further. They sit in comfortable silence, Minho writing down his thoughts and Kibum listening to the birds chirp in the distance and the water gushing gently behind them.
"Do you know why I was hitchhiking?" asks Kibum. Minho looks up from his journal and shakes his head. Kibum's smile is rueful as he fiddles with his phone, his habit. "My life was a complete joke, just like those chaebol dramas on TV. My parents really want me to take over the hotel business, and I'm actually really good at it, if I say so myself." Kibum waves his hands around in pride and sits up straighter. "But that's not my calling in life. I want to be more than just a hotel tycoon."
Minho puts away his notebook and nods.
"Anyways, I had a fight with my parents and stormed off. This isn't the first fight we had, and this definitely isn't the first time I've ran away from home. But, I don't want my whole life decided for me. I want to go out and explore the world, be my own person and stand on my own two feet." Kibum waves his fingers around as he speaks, animated as always, and Minho feels the passion radiate from Kibum.
"So what are you interested in?"
"Contemporary Art, like the stuff we saw today at the museum. Did you know I had my own exhibit in Seoul?"
"No I didn't, that's amazing." And Minho is honest. "So you want to pursue art instead of the hotel business?"
"That's the problem," sighs Kibum dramatically. "I love painting, sculpting and creating, but I also like negotiating deals, and managing a business where my employees are treated fairly and my customers are happy. Hoteling is in my blood."
"So what are you going do?"
"I'm going to do both; I want it all," says Kibum. He grins cheekily and majestically poses again, partially in jest, and partially because he wants to. "Who says that I can't paint and sculpt while running a hotel business? It's my life to live."
"Indeed it is."
-
The drive back to the hotel is a blur. Minho, at this point is thoroughly exhausted from a full day of adventure and just wanted to sink into the luxury bed that Kibum had procured for them. Kibum is eagerly prattling on about the different kinds of sensors on the bathtub and Minho really wanted to test it out.
Unfortunately, when they return to the hotel room, there is a person waiting for Kibum, someone that didn't look pleasant to deal with. Kibum is apologetic as he packs his bags and asks the new person to carry his things and to give them privacy. They carry his bags, but remain in the room, poker face set.
"The room is paid for, stay as long as you like," says Kibum. "Also if you're ever in the need for a favor, either a room or even that romantic date that you owe me, here's my number." Kibum scribbles on a receipt, before shoving it in Minho's hands, giggling one more time before schooling his expression into something neutral.
"Uhh--"
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Choi," Kibum says in a clipped even voice. He reaches out for a handshake and Minho fights the urge to shake his head. Kibum is still unpredictable as ever, but it suits him. "It was a pleasure to do business with you, but not that kind of pleasure, if you know what I mean." He winks at Minho's blush and leaves with another raucous laugh.
Minho sits down and exhales, catching his breath from the whirlwind of energy that is Kibum. He suddenly feels very alone.
-
The next day is another blur. Now that Kibum is gone, off to do whatever an heir of a hotel empire does after running away from home, Minho finds himself disinterested in sightseeing alone. It isn't the same without Kibum around to tell him mundane stories about the city. And so he decides to pack up and leave the next morning.
He keeps the receipt with Kibum's number taped to a notebook page. It is important. And as he drives back toward the highway, he is painfully aware of the quietness of the morning.
[Love]
Sometimes Minho thinks of Jihye. What they were, they could have been, and what she was to him. Even though it's been many years since they've broken up, Minho still thinks of her. He knows that she's has been very happy with Dongjun, and that there was no ill will between the both of them. If the friendly conversations he's had with her at some of his family's functions, were a measure for anything, but it doesn't make what happened any less disappointing.
She loved Minho, but Minho didn't love her. He didn't realize at the time, but Minho was more in love with the concept of Jihye than Jihye herself. He liked her enough as a person - she was pretty, sweet, and very funny and by all definitions, the perfect girlfriend, but he didn't love her.
In hindsight, he felt bad about it, about how they dated for years and Minho was never able to reciprocate her feelings. He would have even married her if his family had pushed hard enough. Luckily Jihye realized it and broke it off with Minho. But it still hurt.
Minho felt like he was a failure. To Jihye, to his family, and to himself. To cope with this disappointment, he steeled himself and turned to work.
-
It is odd travelling alone again, Minho decides as he drives farther and farther away from Daegu, towards Busan. He misses Key filling up the quiet.
Minho arrives in Busan in the late afternoon. Before he had left Daegu, he had called a few hostels and gotten a reservation for a single room. Initially he had thought of asking Kibum to set him up with a hotel in Busan, but decided to go another route and stay at The Blue Guesthouse. The hostel was highly recommended by the front desk and by the multiple of positive reviews on how clean and friendly the rooms were, and Minho thought it an excellent choice.
Unfortunately check-in wasn't until evening and he had a few hours to kill. Feeling restless, Minho stores his luggage in a locker by Bujeon Station, pays for street parking, and heads off to explore. As Minho walks the streets, people watching and in letting the sights and sounds wash over him, he thinks about the differences between all the places he's been and each cities' own charms. Compared to the other cities, Busan was just as bustling as Seoul and Incheon, the city's air was mountain crisp like the air surrounding Anyang, and everyone spoke comfortably, vowels lilting from the regional satoori like Minho heard around Daegu and from Kibum when he was particularly excited.
Minho finds himself walking freely, drawn to sights and sounds and soon finds himself at one of the gates at Busan Citizen's Park where a small crowd has gathered. In the middle of the crowd is a busker, a man with a guitar with a mop of white blond hair.
Buskers are a fairly common sight in Seoul, and Minho doesn't know how many professional and unprofessional buskers he's passed over the years, but he usually is too much of a hurry to stop and listen. He shrugs and continues with his plan on exploring the park.
Busan Citizens Park is an enormous park and Minho is only able to cover a portion of it. He is happy to see that it isn't crowded on a Friday afternoon, save for a few students on summer break and elderly couples, and that he is able to enjoy the park in relative peace. He decides to start through the winding path of The King Cherry Tree Trail and work inwards, catching a few shows in the performance hall before moving towards the center of the park. Finally, after a few hours of walking, including spending an embarrassing amount of time lost in the Garden Maze, Minho deems himself starving and goes to the Gallery Café to grab a quick sandwich.
The sandwich is delicious yet overpriced, which Minho expects considering the park is one of Busan's major tourist attractions. But he's hungry and he figures that money spent in the park is for a good cause. After another hour of exploring, including people watching at the tunnel fountain, Minho realizes that it's almost time to pick up his luggage and check in at the hostel.
As Minho heads toward the gate, he sees a fairly large crowd just outside. There are a few police guards guiding people away from the entrance, so that park patrons could enter without weaving through the crowd, but they were ineffective. Minho wonders if a pop group is promoting, it was common for some of the rookie groups to do guerilla concerts in crowded areas like Myeongdong or even Dongdaemun in Seoul, but Minho doesn't think that they would go all the way to Busan to hold a mini concert. On a whim, he decides to join the crowd, navigating until he's towards the side and could see who the crowd has gathered for. To his surprise it's the same blonde haired busker from earlier.
"Is someone famous performing" he asks a man nearby. He gestures vaguely at the busker, who is sitting on a chair next to his guitar case, chatting with a few giggling school girls. The rest of the crowd is talking between themselves, sounding much like human cicadas. It appeared to be a short break.
"I don't know," says the man. He holds a small boy in his arms and the kid, seeing Minho, hides in his father's shoulder. "Not sure if he's famous, but he has a good voice." The school girls throw a few dollars into the man's open guitar case and melts back into the crowd just as it grows silent.
"Everyone thank you for stopping by and listening to me," says the busker, voice amplified by his microphone. His voice is soft and slightly raspy given how long he's been performing. It's been a few hours since Minho first saw him. "Even if it is for a minute, I'm very grateful that I could share my music with you! For my last song, I want to sing something that is meaningful to me. I wrote this song with the intention of providing comfort to those who end their day -- where one can say 'you've worked hard', or 'it was hard on you'. After all, it is the end of the week and the beginning of the weekend. Everyone, this is 'The End of a Day'."
He ends his introduction with a shy smile and begins strumming his guitar. As he sings, his eyebrows furrow as he draws out each syllable, each emotion, timing his breaths and pauses in tune with his guitar. Minho could see why this large crowd has gathered for him -- the man's voice is beautiful. Minho suddenly finds a knot in his throat and he can't turn away.
The next few minutes pass by much quicker than Minho expects - or maybe he is just that enthralled by the busker's song.
"You've worked hard," croons the man as he closes his eyes and sits up. He stops playing his guitar, grasps at the mic, and sings in acapella. "You've really toiled. You are my pride." As he ends his last note, he smiles wistfully at the crowd before bowing. The crowd applauds and begins to disperse as the busker thanks the people that come forward and tip him.
Minho ordinarily wouldn't bother tipping - he's sure by now that his locker is probably out of time. But there was a quality about this man, his song, his voice, that Minho feels is at least worth a few bills. He can't forgive himself if he doesn't at least thank the busker. And so Minho stops by to drop a 5000 won bill into his guitar case. Just as he is about to stand back up, the busker notices him.
"Hey, thank you for the support!" says the man, he walks over to continue speaking with Minho, all round eyes and charming smile. Minho feels his own heart beat faster. "I hope my song brought some cheer to your day."
"It was very touching," says Minho awkwardly. He is still bent down and his neck hurts from craning up to look at the busker, who was still smiling at him. He gets up really quickly and dusts off his knees. "You're very talented, and I don't know, I just felt a connection to your song. I'm happy to support you. I'm glad I had a chance to hear you sing." Minho stops himself before he could continue babbling and embarrass himself. "Um my parking expires soon. Bye."
And with that Minho rushes off, ears red. The busker watches him run away, thoughtful expression on his face.
-
It turns out Minho misremembered when his locker expired. In the end he had another 20 minutes, but he figured that he could spend the extra time getting to his hostel and then resting up for dinner. It wasn't far away.
The Blue Guesthouse was a charming modern house, kiddy corner between a dumpling house and a small café. The neighborhood was lively, with couples strolling the streets and children playing, but not distractingly noisy like the main road. As he waited in line to be checked in, Minho peered around the lobby area. All around, travelers were coming and going. Simple furniture decorated the guesthouse, showcasing functionality over form, while quirky paintings hung on the wall. He could see that this hostel was both cheap and well-kept. Minho felt that he made a good choice.
-
Minho doesn't understand what just happened. When he had called in the morning, he had confirmed that he had a single room booked, but now he was apparently staying in a double room instead.
"I don't understand," Minho repeats. "I have an email confirmation from The Blue Guesthouse saying that room three is a single, but you're telling me that it's a double room?" He shows the email to the girl from the front desk, a young woman named Eunji, who bows and apologizes one more time.
"I'm really sorry sir," she murmurs. "This was our mistake. If you like, I can call around and ask if the other hostels in the area have a single available, we'll pay for it, no charge."
Minho decides that it's not worth it. He isn't angry, he just wants what he paid for. "No, it is fine, I don't want to move to another hostel altogether. Are you sure there aren't any singles here?"
"Positive," confirms Eunji. She claps her hands and smile apologetically. "Let us partially refund you for the lodging? It's the least we can do."
"What about the guy that I'm sharing this room with? Does he know?"
"Oh, he won't mind," says Eunji. She catches herself and amends to her last statement. "He’s been a guest here for a while and he's very easy going. I'll go ahead and prepare your refund, let me lead you to your room so you can get situated."
Eunji leads him down the hall and hands Minho his key. "Please enjoy your stay!" she says. "Again, we apologize for the confusion. Please stop by the front desk for your refund." She leaves and Minho is left staring at the key.
"Welcome to Busan, I guess," says Minho. He shrugs and knocks on the door out of politeness. He hears a muffled "Come in!" and unlocks the door.
"Hello, I'm Minho your new room--" he says, but stops.
Sitting on his side of the room, softly strumming his guitar was the guy from the park, the blond busker that Minho had ran away from.
"Ah!" he says. "You're the tall guy from the park!"
-
"What are the odds," Minho thinks. By now he's unpacking his luggage on his side of the room and the busker, Jonghyun as he had introduced himself, is sitting on his own bed, humming a tune as he jots something down in a notebook. Minho is still embarrassed by his earlier interaction with Jonghyun, where he rambled on nonsensically about how Jonghyun's song tugged at his heartstrings. He pouts and worries if Jonghyun remembers their earlier interaction.
Minho must be having a streak of bad luck today, because Jonghyun chooses to bring that moment up.
"Hey, so I don't think I properly thanked you for your kind words earlier," says Jonghyun. "I've been in kind of a rut for a while, creatively, and it's nice to hear people enjoying my work."
"Well you deserve it," says Minho firmly. He chooses to not look at Jonghyun and continues folding and unfolding his clothes. "I was honest when I said…what I said earlier. You are talented and good looking, I'm sure you have many fans."
Minho blushes; he has just put his foot in his mouth for the second time that day. He coughs, pretending that he just didn't compliment a complete stranger. Jonghyun doesn't really react, but a ghost of a smile graces his lips. He looks amused.
"So what brings you to Busan?" asks Minho in an attempt to diffuse the situation.
"I don't know," says Jonghyun simply. He laughs ruefully to himself before picking up the guitar and strumming a few chords. "Inspiration I guess? I wanted to go somewhere cooler in the summertime. Seoul is too hot. How about you?"
"Road trip," says Minho simply. "I wanted to explore the world and see what else is out there."
They sit in relative silence for a bit as Jonghyun continues writing in his notebook and Minho looks at his rough itinerary for Busan. Minho feels awkward and wonders if he should leave. Unlike Kibum, he doesn't handle awkward silences very well.
"Ah," says Jonghyun. "Hey, do you mind if I play a bit? I'm still trying to figure out this song."
"Sure," says Minho. He goes back to looking at his itinerary and wonders if he should visit the Gamcheon Culture Village or a temple. He's about to ask Jonghyun, but stops as he listens to Jonghyun play softly. And then Jonghyun begins to sing.
"When you’re feeling frustrated and want to get away, when you’re feeling nervous for no reason," he croons before humming a few more notes before stopping suddenly. He groans and runs a hand through his bangs, mussing it up. He strums a few more chords before giving up and flopping dramatically on his bed.
"That was beautiful," Minho says mildly. He feels awkward as Jonghyun doesn't respond. Perhaps he crossed a line? Minho feels bad and decides to leave the room and spare himself of further embarrassment.
After a few more moments of Minho trying to locate his jacket (where did he put it? He just had it!), Jonghyun finally responds.
"Thanks," he says. His face is red but Minho isn't sure if it's due to frustration or if he's bashful. "It's not perfect, but thanks." He ducks his head and grins to himself.
Jonghyun is really cute when he's embarrassed, Minho thinks. He opens his mouth and is about to say so, but stops himself. He was absolutely not going to stick his foot in his mouth again.
"H-hey, uh I know you're busy, but have you eaten yet?" he asks, hoping that Jonghyun doesn't notice him stumbling over his words. Luckily Jonghyun doesn't.
"Nope."
"Do you want to get dinner?" asks Minho. "You know if you want to, I just figure since we're both in this town on our own…."
"I'm okay -- I'm not that hungry," says Jonghyun. His stomach betrays him as it gurgles loudly and he hides behind his guitar. "I was planning on getting something from the convenience store…"
"Ah, well," starts Minho. He decides to not push it. "Okay."
Minho leaves Jonghyun in the room and goes out. As he wanders around, people watching and looking at the street vendors selling dukbokki and hotteok. As he purchases a hotteok for himself, he wonders if Jonghyun is eating properly. He doesn't know why he is so worried about Jonghyun, a mere stranger, but there was something about him that Minho likes. He chooses to not think about it too deeply as he waits in line at food cart.
-
Minho returns to the hostel an hour later. The hostel is still lively, and full of travelers and Minho has to maneuver around several tall Europeans before he's able to reach his room. He unlocks the door and finds Jonghyun where he had left him, curled around his guitar, thoughtful expression on his face.
"Hi," greets Jonghyun.
"Hi," says Minho in return. He knows that he's stepping over boundaries as strangers, but he feels that he ought to ask anyways. "Have you eaten?" he asks.
Jonghyun looks a bit irritated and surprised at Minho prying, but he shakes his head no.
"Do you want this bag of hotteok?" asks Minho. He holds out his hands in surrender as Jonghyun opens his mouth to protest and maybe scold Minho for his pity. "I swear I didn't buy these for you. The lady was closing up shop when I came by and she gave me leftovers. I swear."
Jonghyun looks suspicious as he looks at the bag in Minho's hand and glances at Minho's face. "Okay fine," he says in resignation. "But let me pay you back for half, at least."
"No," says Minho. He shoves the bag at Jonghyun before flopping back to his bed. "You don't have to."
"But I don't want your pity!" whines Jonghyun. "Please let me pay you back somehow." Minho is quiet for a few moments before he has an idea.
"How about you play another song?" suggests Minho. "I only caught the end of your set, so I missed some of your other music. Play me a song and we can call it even."
Jonghyun twists his mouth and is about to argue but he sighs and shakes his head. "Okay, what do you want to hear?" he says.
"Anything."
Jonghyun grins, the first time since Minho returned, and begins playing. He sings a silly little tune about convenience store bread that has Minho grinning stupidly.
"You know you can probably market that to 7-11 or something."
Jonghyun wrinkles his nose but continues singing. Minho smiles to himself and idly thinks about how he likes it when Jonghyun smiles. He wonders why he cares so much about what Jonghyun thinks.
"It's kind of weird," muses Minho.
-
While Minho was dating Jihye, he was the perfect boyfriend. On Valentine's Day, he took her to a nice restaurant and showered her with a box of chocolates and a bouquet of red roses. On her birthday and Christmas, he bought expensive jewelry and perfume for her. Jihye had always graciously accepted the gifts with a large smile and hug and that was that.
To everyone, Minho was perfect boyfriend, a fairy tale love that all of Jihye's friends were jealously talking about. To Minho, he was just playing a role, a role that he thought he wanted to play for the rest of his life. And although he was proud that the flowers that he picked out were perfectly lovely, the chocolates delicious, and the jewelry to her taste, he didn't feel any attachment, any passion to his gifts. In his mind, he was merely following the rules for a perfect relationship based on what he expected Jihye to want from him. He was wrong.
Jihye realized it one day, as she looked at the gifts that Minho had sent to her. A box of chocolates, a bouquet of red roses, and a diamond necklace. The same assortment of gifts that he has sent the year before, and the year before that.
"Minho, I don't think we should do this anymore," she said sadly. She slowly gets up to give him a kiss on the cheek. Her lips were cold and her face wet. "This is an obligation, this isn't love."
Jihye broke up with Minho that day, and all he could feel was disappointment.
-
Minho wakes up the next day to the sun on his face and a note from Jonghyun.
thank you for the hotteok! I don't know if I'm just a seoul native, but busan hotteok is the most delicious~
if you are thinking of trading more food for my music then the answer is no. my music is no longer tradeable ㅋㅋㅋ
~Jonghyun
Minho laughs to himself, charmed by the note and tucks it in his notebook for safekeeping.
-
His itinerary for the day involves exploring Gamcheon Culture Village and then Jagalchi Fish Market, if the weather permits. He had heard that it was going to be ridiculously hot, and he rather not be caught outside or in a fish market when it happens. Minho has read about Gamcheon Culture Village before -- from its rich history as a refugee city in the Korean War, to its transformation into a cultural creative community supported by the government. And, as Minho wanders aimlessly throughout the city, climbing up stairs and down others, it feels completely different from anything he's seen in South Korea. The city, with its pastel concrete houses and bright fish signs and whimsical paintings reminds him of something out of a dream. Who would have thought that this serene eclectic city had such a sad difficult past?
As Minho turns a corner, he encounters a busker. Another man with ash blond hair and a guitar. Minho stops and listens to the man sing for a bit before dropping a 5000 bill into his guitar case. The man thanks him and Minho leaves with a polite smile. Although the other busker was talented, he couldn't help but prefer Jonghyun's voice, his way of stressing words and other little things that Minho couldn't begin explain.
For lunch he stops by a small café and orders a simple coffee and sandwich. As he eats, he could feel his mind wander back to Jonghyun. Was he doing well today? Minho's thoughts are interrupted as the café ahjumma asks if he wants another cup of coffee. He declines but purchases a bottle of water instead.
-
Minho decides to skip Jalgachi Fish Market, as he spent too much time at Gamcheon and the weather was warming up. He doesn't regret it though; Gamcheon is intensely fascinating and a marvel on its own, but all he wants to do is stay inside air conditioned spaces, not a fishy market. As he buses back towards the hostel, Minho wonders about the rest of his time at Busan, about the rest of his trip around Korea.
"What else do I want to see?" he asks himself. "I don't know."
He thinks long and hard for a while, as the bus rumbles through the streets, heading back towards the center of Busan. Minho thinks of driving east towards Gwangju, or heading North towards Andong and Donghae. He can't decide, but he feels homesick for his own bed, just a bit.
"Would I be upset if I miss out on Gwangju or Donghae?" he wonders. "Is there something that I want to see there?"
The answer is no.
-
When he returns to the hostel, something feels noticeably off. After a few minutes aimlessly wandering around his room, Minho realizes that the air conditioning was off. Figuring that Jonghyun might have turned it off during the day, Minho presses the button and waits for the cool air.
Nothing.
He taps the remote a few minutes, pops out the batteries, and even checks to see if something is unplugged. After a few minutes, he gives up and goes to the front desk.
"Hi excuse me," he asks the tall man behind the front desk. His nametag said Taecyeon. "I think the air conditioning is broken in my room."
"Yeah, sorry about that" grimaces Taeceyon. He bows apologetically and Minho notices that there is a light sheen of sweat on his face. "The AC is broken, but we have someone coming out to fix it soon."
"How soon is soon?"
"Hopefully by the next hour or so."
Minho decides to go to a café to pass the time. On the way out, he sees Jonghyun with his guitar and gear. "Hey," he calls out. Jonghyun looks around, tilts his head like a small puppy, before noticing Minho and bounding over.
"Hey," he says. "Hey "I'm sweaty and it's too hot right now. I'm gonna go back to the room and shower…"
"The AC is broken," says Minho.
The sad miserable look on Jonghyun's face almost breaks Minho's heart.
-
In the end they decide to not go to a café but to a nearby park. Mostly because Jonghyun wants to continue song writing and he could not concentrate at cafes. "It's too noisy," he mumbles. "And there's no room for me to put my guitar."
Minho doesn't care either way, but tentatively asks Jonghyun if he could accompany him to the park. He doesn't want to appear creepy or clingy, but he likes spending time with Jonghyun. He can't explain why.
"Are you sure it's okay if I join you?" asks Minho. They are currently sitting in a park, some nameless park that Jonghyun led them to that Minho didn't see the sign of.
"Yeah, it's fine," says Jonghyun. He strums his guitar quietly and fiddles with the nobs. "You're not that distracting to have around." He says the last phrase with a cheeky grin.
Minho's heart beats just a hair faster.
-
"So," says Jonghyun as he takes a small break. "Where is home for you again? Seoul?"
"Seoul," confirms Minho. "Well, I grew up in Incheon, but I live in Seoul."
"Do you ever miss it? Seoul?" Jonghyun's voice is soft, so soft that Minho almost misses his question.
"Actually I do," says Minho. He fiddles with his fingers absently, wonders if he got sunburned earlier. His skin didn't feel sensitive but it looks redder than usual. "How about you?"
"I miss Seoul," murmurs Jonghyun, voice thick. "I miss my mom, my sister, and my doggie." He plays his guitar half-heartedly before stopping altogether. He doesn't look at Minho. "But I can't go back, not until I save up enough."
"Enough for what?" asks Minho. He almost regrets asking, what if it's personal?
"For a train ticket."
Jonghyun is crying, Minho realizes as he watches Jonghyun wipe his face with his hand. He is at a loss what to do. In the end he decides to wrap a tentative arm around Jonghyun's shoulder. Jonghyun leans limply against him and sniffles every so often.
"You know," says Minho. Jonghyun feels so small and fragile against him. By now Minho is babbling, hoping to get Jonghyun to stop crying because all he wants to do is cuddle him. "I started on my road trip a few weeks ago. And I was so lost. I was just coming from a shitty job, feeling like a robot. All I wanted to do was please others, to follow their own definition of happiness, I didn't know how to make myself happy."
"And so you went on a road trip?" says Jonghyun, incredulously. His voice cracks and Minho stifles the urge to laugh. Jonghyun is adorable.
"I went on a road trip," says Minho. Jonghyun scoffs or laughs, Minho isn't sure, but it sounds like he doesn't believe him. "It's true! I learned how to be a person again by traveling on my own. See, you can even look at my travel notebook."
Minho lets go of Jonghyun's shoulder and digs around in his bag for his notebook. Jonghyun, still teary-eyed, wipes his hands on his jeans before taking the notebook. He gingerly thumbs through the pages, reading the quotes from Jinki, Taemin, and Kibum with a wobbly smile.
"This is beautiful," says Jonghyun. "I'm so touched-oh…" Minho has the decency to flush red as Jonghyun turns to the page with his note. Jonghyun's silly note to Minho from the morning. Jonghyun's sniffles grow louder as he cries over his own note. And Minho couldn't help but smile at Jonghyun, oddly touched by the other man's sincerity.
"You know," begins Minho. He nudges Jonghyun gently, careful not to accidentally hurt him or something. "I was thinking of leaving Seoul, if you want to join me."
"What," asks Jonghyun. His eyes are red and a bit puffy, but he looks suspicious. He shifts away from Minho, stares him down from the other side of the bench. "Listen, I'm thankful that you've been really nice to me and letting me cry on you. But I don't want you to end your trip because you feel bad for me. I can handle myself--"
"I know you can," says Minho. "But I've been thinking about earlier. And I'm okay if I go back to Seoul." Jonghyun pouts and doesn't look convinced. "Listen. I've been on the road for the last three weeks, and frankly? I would be okay if I go back home. I miss my bed, I miss not driving around. I miss staying in one place. And sure there might be stuff that I'd want to do in Donghae or Gwangju, but I don't know what it is. And, if I decide later on in life that I want to visit there, then I'll go. I have faith that I will get myself out there. I know I will."
"But--" starts Jonghyun.
"I'm heading to Seoul tomorrow," says Minho. He stands up and holds out his hand. Jonghyun looks at it quizzically before giving him a high-five. Minho grins, finding Jonghyun's confusion cute, and points at the notebook, which was still in Jonghyun's lap. "If you want to come with me, you can. If you don't, then I guess it was nice meeting you."
Jonghyun twists his mouth in another pout but doesn't say anything. He returns Minho's notebook and moves to pack up his guitar.
-
The sun is rising, low in the sky as Minho drives away from Busan. All around, the city scape melts away to trees, trees, and even more trees. Minho feels at peace. He was excited to see the Seoul skyline, in sharing stories with Jinri, and most importantly, in sleeping in his own bed.
Minho thinks of his journey, and in some ways, he misses that Minho of three weeks ago. That Minho who was so hopelessly lost and sad, caught in a web of expectations and stress. He knows that he will never be that Minho again, but he feels a tinge of nostalgia and affection all the same. Like saying farewell to an old dear friend. It feels lonely, almost.
Luckily he's not alone.
"What a beautiful view," murmurs Jonghyun. "It's a nice end to your trip."
"Or this beautiful view could be the beginning" says Minho. He turns to gaze at Jonghyun, eyes full of promise. Jonghyun looks out the window, lost in thought and he doesn't notice Minho looking at him. He suddenly rolls down the window and sticks his hand out, feeling the cool morning air pass through his fingertips. A small smile graces his lips as he hums along to another one of his wordless melodies.
The sun is bright, the air refreshing, and Jonghyun's voice is warm in his ears. Minho hums along as well as he merges onto the highway and drives into the sunrise.
"When we reach Seoul," thinks Minho. "I will need to ask for Jonghyun's number."
<< Part Two | The End
-
Authors (food) Notes:
Pairing: Minho x Jonghyun, and past Minho x OC
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Slight cursing, trigger warning for depressive themes, recreational drugs
Final Word Count: 21,568
The rest of the day is spent exploring. The Art Gallery is filled with bright sounds and color, just like Kibum's personality. They spend most of the time in the featured exhibit - Wilderness into a Garden, where Kibum gushes over the symbolism behind Yinka Shonibare's use of colors and motifs, and his vision of cultural hybridism. Minho doesn't know much about art, but he appreciates Kibum's excitement in the subject, finding himself taking a second look at the pieces, trying to see the imagery that Kibum describes.
For lunch Kibum directs Minho to Seomun market, where Kibum tells Minho to try kalguksu, insisting that this particular stall has the chewiest noodles and the spiciest, most anchovy rich broth. Afterwards, Kibum drags Minho to another stall a few blocks down to try nabjak-mandoo.
"I swear my life on this stuff," says Kibum solemnly. "That shit you people get in Seoul has nothing on this place or any of these places." Minho only nods in approval. Kibum does have good taste after all.
Afterwards they visit the Arboretum, where they walk idly through the park. According to Kibum, the Daegu Arboretum was originally a big waste site and the city had raised funds to transform it into a botanical garden.
"I remember coming here for the grand reopening in middle school," says Kibum. He points at a fountain. "I remember the first time I saw that fountain turned on, and it's amazing how a huge dump site can be reborn as this beautiful garden."
"It is wonderful isn't it," says Minho. He sits down by the fountain and thumbs open his notebook to write something down. After the all the driving and the whirlwind filled day with Kibum, he nearly forgets to write in it.
"What's that?" asks Kibum. He sits down beside Minho and tries to peer over his shoulder. Minho doesn't let him.
"Ah," he says sheepishly. "Sorry let me finish this page first. This is my travel journal. I wanted to write down important things that I've experienced on this trip. Part of my rebirth process, so to speak. It's kind of personal."
Kibum nods and doesn't pry any further. They sit in comfortable silence, Minho writing down his thoughts and Kibum listening to the birds chirp in the distance and the water gushing gently behind them.
"Do you know why I was hitchhiking?" asks Kibum. Minho looks up from his journal and shakes his head. Kibum's smile is rueful as he fiddles with his phone, his habit. "My life was a complete joke, just like those chaebol dramas on TV. My parents really want me to take over the hotel business, and I'm actually really good at it, if I say so myself." Kibum waves his hands around in pride and sits up straighter. "But that's not my calling in life. I want to be more than just a hotel tycoon."
Minho puts away his notebook and nods.
"Anyways, I had a fight with my parents and stormed off. This isn't the first fight we had, and this definitely isn't the first time I've ran away from home. But, I don't want my whole life decided for me. I want to go out and explore the world, be my own person and stand on my own two feet." Kibum waves his fingers around as he speaks, animated as always, and Minho feels the passion radiate from Kibum.
"So what are you interested in?"
"Contemporary Art, like the stuff we saw today at the museum. Did you know I had my own exhibit in Seoul?"
"No I didn't, that's amazing." And Minho is honest. "So you want to pursue art instead of the hotel business?"
"That's the problem," sighs Kibum dramatically. "I love painting, sculpting and creating, but I also like negotiating deals, and managing a business where my employees are treated fairly and my customers are happy. Hoteling is in my blood."
"So what are you going do?"
"I'm going to do both; I want it all," says Kibum. He grins cheekily and majestically poses again, partially in jest, and partially because he wants to. "Who says that I can't paint and sculpt while running a hotel business? It's my life to live."
"Indeed it is."
-
The drive back to the hotel is a blur. Minho, at this point is thoroughly exhausted from a full day of adventure and just wanted to sink into the luxury bed that Kibum had procured for them. Kibum is eagerly prattling on about the different kinds of sensors on the bathtub and Minho really wanted to test it out.
Unfortunately, when they return to the hotel room, there is a person waiting for Kibum, someone that didn't look pleasant to deal with. Kibum is apologetic as he packs his bags and asks the new person to carry his things and to give them privacy. They carry his bags, but remain in the room, poker face set.
"The room is paid for, stay as long as you like," says Kibum. "Also if you're ever in the need for a favor, either a room or even that romantic date that you owe me, here's my number." Kibum scribbles on a receipt, before shoving it in Minho's hands, giggling one more time before schooling his expression into something neutral.
"Uhh--"
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Choi," Kibum says in a clipped even voice. He reaches out for a handshake and Minho fights the urge to shake his head. Kibum is still unpredictable as ever, but it suits him. "It was a pleasure to do business with you, but not that kind of pleasure, if you know what I mean." He winks at Minho's blush and leaves with another raucous laugh.
Minho sits down and exhales, catching his breath from the whirlwind of energy that is Kibum. He suddenly feels very alone.
-
The next day is another blur. Now that Kibum is gone, off to do whatever an heir of a hotel empire does after running away from home, Minho finds himself disinterested in sightseeing alone. It isn't the same without Kibum around to tell him mundane stories about the city. And so he decides to pack up and leave the next morning.
He keeps the receipt with Kibum's number taped to a notebook page. It is important. And as he drives back toward the highway, he is painfully aware of the quietness of the morning.
[Love]
Sometimes Minho thinks of Jihye. What they were, they could have been, and what she was to him. Even though it's been many years since they've broken up, Minho still thinks of her. He knows that she's has been very happy with Dongjun, and that there was no ill will between the both of them. If the friendly conversations he's had with her at some of his family's functions, were a measure for anything, but it doesn't make what happened any less disappointing.
She loved Minho, but Minho didn't love her. He didn't realize at the time, but Minho was more in love with the concept of Jihye than Jihye herself. He liked her enough as a person - she was pretty, sweet, and very funny and by all definitions, the perfect girlfriend, but he didn't love her.
In hindsight, he felt bad about it, about how they dated for years and Minho was never able to reciprocate her feelings. He would have even married her if his family had pushed hard enough. Luckily Jihye realized it and broke it off with Minho. But it still hurt.
Minho felt like he was a failure. To Jihye, to his family, and to himself. To cope with this disappointment, he steeled himself and turned to work.
-
It is odd travelling alone again, Minho decides as he drives farther and farther away from Daegu, towards Busan. He misses Key filling up the quiet.
Minho arrives in Busan in the late afternoon. Before he had left Daegu, he had called a few hostels and gotten a reservation for a single room. Initially he had thought of asking Kibum to set him up with a hotel in Busan, but decided to go another route and stay at The Blue Guesthouse. The hostel was highly recommended by the front desk and by the multiple of positive reviews on how clean and friendly the rooms were, and Minho thought it an excellent choice.
Unfortunately check-in wasn't until evening and he had a few hours to kill. Feeling restless, Minho stores his luggage in a locker by Bujeon Station, pays for street parking, and heads off to explore. As Minho walks the streets, people watching and in letting the sights and sounds wash over him, he thinks about the differences between all the places he's been and each cities' own charms. Compared to the other cities, Busan was just as bustling as Seoul and Incheon, the city's air was mountain crisp like the air surrounding Anyang, and everyone spoke comfortably, vowels lilting from the regional satoori like Minho heard around Daegu and from Kibum when he was particularly excited.
Minho finds himself walking freely, drawn to sights and sounds and soon finds himself at one of the gates at Busan Citizen's Park where a small crowd has gathered. In the middle of the crowd is a busker, a man with a guitar with a mop of white blond hair.
Buskers are a fairly common sight in Seoul, and Minho doesn't know how many professional and unprofessional buskers he's passed over the years, but he usually is too much of a hurry to stop and listen. He shrugs and continues with his plan on exploring the park.
Busan Citizens Park is an enormous park and Minho is only able to cover a portion of it. He is happy to see that it isn't crowded on a Friday afternoon, save for a few students on summer break and elderly couples, and that he is able to enjoy the park in relative peace. He decides to start through the winding path of The King Cherry Tree Trail and work inwards, catching a few shows in the performance hall before moving towards the center of the park. Finally, after a few hours of walking, including spending an embarrassing amount of time lost in the Garden Maze, Minho deems himself starving and goes to the Gallery Café to grab a quick sandwich.
The sandwich is delicious yet overpriced, which Minho expects considering the park is one of Busan's major tourist attractions. But he's hungry and he figures that money spent in the park is for a good cause. After another hour of exploring, including people watching at the tunnel fountain, Minho realizes that it's almost time to pick up his luggage and check in at the hostel.
As Minho heads toward the gate, he sees a fairly large crowd just outside. There are a few police guards guiding people away from the entrance, so that park patrons could enter without weaving through the crowd, but they were ineffective. Minho wonders if a pop group is promoting, it was common for some of the rookie groups to do guerilla concerts in crowded areas like Myeongdong or even Dongdaemun in Seoul, but Minho doesn't think that they would go all the way to Busan to hold a mini concert. On a whim, he decides to join the crowd, navigating until he's towards the side and could see who the crowd has gathered for. To his surprise it's the same blonde haired busker from earlier.
"Is someone famous performing" he asks a man nearby. He gestures vaguely at the busker, who is sitting on a chair next to his guitar case, chatting with a few giggling school girls. The rest of the crowd is talking between themselves, sounding much like human cicadas. It appeared to be a short break.
"I don't know," says the man. He holds a small boy in his arms and the kid, seeing Minho, hides in his father's shoulder. "Not sure if he's famous, but he has a good voice." The school girls throw a few dollars into the man's open guitar case and melts back into the crowd just as it grows silent.
"Everyone thank you for stopping by and listening to me," says the busker, voice amplified by his microphone. His voice is soft and slightly raspy given how long he's been performing. It's been a few hours since Minho first saw him. "Even if it is for a minute, I'm very grateful that I could share my music with you! For my last song, I want to sing something that is meaningful to me. I wrote this song with the intention of providing comfort to those who end their day -- where one can say 'you've worked hard', or 'it was hard on you'. After all, it is the end of the week and the beginning of the weekend. Everyone, this is 'The End of a Day'."
He ends his introduction with a shy smile and begins strumming his guitar. As he sings, his eyebrows furrow as he draws out each syllable, each emotion, timing his breaths and pauses in tune with his guitar. Minho could see why this large crowd has gathered for him -- the man's voice is beautiful. Minho suddenly finds a knot in his throat and he can't turn away.
The next few minutes pass by much quicker than Minho expects - or maybe he is just that enthralled by the busker's song.
"You've worked hard," croons the man as he closes his eyes and sits up. He stops playing his guitar, grasps at the mic, and sings in acapella. "You've really toiled. You are my pride." As he ends his last note, he smiles wistfully at the crowd before bowing. The crowd applauds and begins to disperse as the busker thanks the people that come forward and tip him.
Minho ordinarily wouldn't bother tipping - he's sure by now that his locker is probably out of time. But there was a quality about this man, his song, his voice, that Minho feels is at least worth a few bills. He can't forgive himself if he doesn't at least thank the busker. And so Minho stops by to drop a 5000 won bill into his guitar case. Just as he is about to stand back up, the busker notices him.
"Hey, thank you for the support!" says the man, he walks over to continue speaking with Minho, all round eyes and charming smile. Minho feels his own heart beat faster. "I hope my song brought some cheer to your day."
"It was very touching," says Minho awkwardly. He is still bent down and his neck hurts from craning up to look at the busker, who was still smiling at him. He gets up really quickly and dusts off his knees. "You're very talented, and I don't know, I just felt a connection to your song. I'm happy to support you. I'm glad I had a chance to hear you sing." Minho stops himself before he could continue babbling and embarrass himself. "Um my parking expires soon. Bye."
And with that Minho rushes off, ears red. The busker watches him run away, thoughtful expression on his face.
-
It turns out Minho misremembered when his locker expired. In the end he had another 20 minutes, but he figured that he could spend the extra time getting to his hostel and then resting up for dinner. It wasn't far away.
The Blue Guesthouse was a charming modern house, kiddy corner between a dumpling house and a small café. The neighborhood was lively, with couples strolling the streets and children playing, but not distractingly noisy like the main road. As he waited in line to be checked in, Minho peered around the lobby area. All around, travelers were coming and going. Simple furniture decorated the guesthouse, showcasing functionality over form, while quirky paintings hung on the wall. He could see that this hostel was both cheap and well-kept. Minho felt that he made a good choice.
-
Minho doesn't understand what just happened. When he had called in the morning, he had confirmed that he had a single room booked, but now he was apparently staying in a double room instead.
"I don't understand," Minho repeats. "I have an email confirmation from The Blue Guesthouse saying that room three is a single, but you're telling me that it's a double room?" He shows the email to the girl from the front desk, a young woman named Eunji, who bows and apologizes one more time.
"I'm really sorry sir," she murmurs. "This was our mistake. If you like, I can call around and ask if the other hostels in the area have a single available, we'll pay for it, no charge."
Minho decides that it's not worth it. He isn't angry, he just wants what he paid for. "No, it is fine, I don't want to move to another hostel altogether. Are you sure there aren't any singles here?"
"Positive," confirms Eunji. She claps her hands and smile apologetically. "Let us partially refund you for the lodging? It's the least we can do."
"What about the guy that I'm sharing this room with? Does he know?"
"Oh, he won't mind," says Eunji. She catches herself and amends to her last statement. "He’s been a guest here for a while and he's very easy going. I'll go ahead and prepare your refund, let me lead you to your room so you can get situated."
Eunji leads him down the hall and hands Minho his key. "Please enjoy your stay!" she says. "Again, we apologize for the confusion. Please stop by the front desk for your refund." She leaves and Minho is left staring at the key.
"Welcome to Busan, I guess," says Minho. He shrugs and knocks on the door out of politeness. He hears a muffled "Come in!" and unlocks the door.
"Hello, I'm Minho your new room--" he says, but stops.
Sitting on his side of the room, softly strumming his guitar was the guy from the park, the blond busker that Minho had ran away from.
"Ah!" he says. "You're the tall guy from the park!"
-
"What are the odds," Minho thinks. By now he's unpacking his luggage on his side of the room and the busker, Jonghyun as he had introduced himself, is sitting on his own bed, humming a tune as he jots something down in a notebook. Minho is still embarrassed by his earlier interaction with Jonghyun, where he rambled on nonsensically about how Jonghyun's song tugged at his heartstrings. He pouts and worries if Jonghyun remembers their earlier interaction.
Minho must be having a streak of bad luck today, because Jonghyun chooses to bring that moment up.
"Hey, so I don't think I properly thanked you for your kind words earlier," says Jonghyun. "I've been in kind of a rut for a while, creatively, and it's nice to hear people enjoying my work."
"Well you deserve it," says Minho firmly. He chooses to not look at Jonghyun and continues folding and unfolding his clothes. "I was honest when I said…what I said earlier. You are talented and good looking, I'm sure you have many fans."
Minho blushes; he has just put his foot in his mouth for the second time that day. He coughs, pretending that he just didn't compliment a complete stranger. Jonghyun doesn't really react, but a ghost of a smile graces his lips. He looks amused.
"So what brings you to Busan?" asks Minho in an attempt to diffuse the situation.
"I don't know," says Jonghyun simply. He laughs ruefully to himself before picking up the guitar and strumming a few chords. "Inspiration I guess? I wanted to go somewhere cooler in the summertime. Seoul is too hot. How about you?"
"Road trip," says Minho simply. "I wanted to explore the world and see what else is out there."
They sit in relative silence for a bit as Jonghyun continues writing in his notebook and Minho looks at his rough itinerary for Busan. Minho feels awkward and wonders if he should leave. Unlike Kibum, he doesn't handle awkward silences very well.
"Ah," says Jonghyun. "Hey, do you mind if I play a bit? I'm still trying to figure out this song."
"Sure," says Minho. He goes back to looking at his itinerary and wonders if he should visit the Gamcheon Culture Village or a temple. He's about to ask Jonghyun, but stops as he listens to Jonghyun play softly. And then Jonghyun begins to sing.
"When you’re feeling frustrated and want to get away, when you’re feeling nervous for no reason," he croons before humming a few more notes before stopping suddenly. He groans and runs a hand through his bangs, mussing it up. He strums a few more chords before giving up and flopping dramatically on his bed.
"That was beautiful," Minho says mildly. He feels awkward as Jonghyun doesn't respond. Perhaps he crossed a line? Minho feels bad and decides to leave the room and spare himself of further embarrassment.
After a few more moments of Minho trying to locate his jacket (where did he put it? He just had it!), Jonghyun finally responds.
"Thanks," he says. His face is red but Minho isn't sure if it's due to frustration or if he's bashful. "It's not perfect, but thanks." He ducks his head and grins to himself.
Jonghyun is really cute when he's embarrassed, Minho thinks. He opens his mouth and is about to say so, but stops himself. He was absolutely not going to stick his foot in his mouth again.
"H-hey, uh I know you're busy, but have you eaten yet?" he asks, hoping that Jonghyun doesn't notice him stumbling over his words. Luckily Jonghyun doesn't.
"Nope."
"Do you want to get dinner?" asks Minho. "You know if you want to, I just figure since we're both in this town on our own…."
"I'm okay -- I'm not that hungry," says Jonghyun. His stomach betrays him as it gurgles loudly and he hides behind his guitar. "I was planning on getting something from the convenience store…"
"Ah, well," starts Minho. He decides to not push it. "Okay."
Minho leaves Jonghyun in the room and goes out. As he wanders around, people watching and looking at the street vendors selling dukbokki and hotteok. As he purchases a hotteok for himself, he wonders if Jonghyun is eating properly. He doesn't know why he is so worried about Jonghyun, a mere stranger, but there was something about him that Minho likes. He chooses to not think about it too deeply as he waits in line at food cart.
-
Minho returns to the hostel an hour later. The hostel is still lively, and full of travelers and Minho has to maneuver around several tall Europeans before he's able to reach his room. He unlocks the door and finds Jonghyun where he had left him, curled around his guitar, thoughtful expression on his face.
"Hi," greets Jonghyun.
"Hi," says Minho in return. He knows that he's stepping over boundaries as strangers, but he feels that he ought to ask anyways. "Have you eaten?" he asks.
Jonghyun looks a bit irritated and surprised at Minho prying, but he shakes his head no.
"Do you want this bag of hotteok?" asks Minho. He holds out his hands in surrender as Jonghyun opens his mouth to protest and maybe scold Minho for his pity. "I swear I didn't buy these for you. The lady was closing up shop when I came by and she gave me leftovers. I swear."
Jonghyun looks suspicious as he looks at the bag in Minho's hand and glances at Minho's face. "Okay fine," he says in resignation. "But let me pay you back for half, at least."
"No," says Minho. He shoves the bag at Jonghyun before flopping back to his bed. "You don't have to."
"But I don't want your pity!" whines Jonghyun. "Please let me pay you back somehow." Minho is quiet for a few moments before he has an idea.
"How about you play another song?" suggests Minho. "I only caught the end of your set, so I missed some of your other music. Play me a song and we can call it even."
Jonghyun twists his mouth and is about to argue but he sighs and shakes his head. "Okay, what do you want to hear?" he says.
"Anything."
Jonghyun grins, the first time since Minho returned, and begins playing. He sings a silly little tune about convenience store bread that has Minho grinning stupidly.
"You know you can probably market that to 7-11 or something."
Jonghyun wrinkles his nose but continues singing. Minho smiles to himself and idly thinks about how he likes it when Jonghyun smiles. He wonders why he cares so much about what Jonghyun thinks.
"It's kind of weird," muses Minho.
-
While Minho was dating Jihye, he was the perfect boyfriend. On Valentine's Day, he took her to a nice restaurant and showered her with a box of chocolates and a bouquet of red roses. On her birthday and Christmas, he bought expensive jewelry and perfume for her. Jihye had always graciously accepted the gifts with a large smile and hug and that was that.
To everyone, Minho was perfect boyfriend, a fairy tale love that all of Jihye's friends were jealously talking about. To Minho, he was just playing a role, a role that he thought he wanted to play for the rest of his life. And although he was proud that the flowers that he picked out were perfectly lovely, the chocolates delicious, and the jewelry to her taste, he didn't feel any attachment, any passion to his gifts. In his mind, he was merely following the rules for a perfect relationship based on what he expected Jihye to want from him. He was wrong.
Jihye realized it one day, as she looked at the gifts that Minho had sent to her. A box of chocolates, a bouquet of red roses, and a diamond necklace. The same assortment of gifts that he has sent the year before, and the year before that.
"Minho, I don't think we should do this anymore," she said sadly. She slowly gets up to give him a kiss on the cheek. Her lips were cold and her face wet. "This is an obligation, this isn't love."
Jihye broke up with Minho that day, and all he could feel was disappointment.
-
Minho wakes up the next day to the sun on his face and a note from Jonghyun.
thank you for the hotteok! I don't know if I'm just a seoul native, but busan hotteok is the most delicious~
if you are thinking of trading more food for my music then the answer is no. my music is no longer tradeable ㅋㅋㅋ
~Jonghyun
Minho laughs to himself, charmed by the note and tucks it in his notebook for safekeeping.
-
His itinerary for the day involves exploring Gamcheon Culture Village and then Jagalchi Fish Market, if the weather permits. He had heard that it was going to be ridiculously hot, and he rather not be caught outside or in a fish market when it happens. Minho has read about Gamcheon Culture Village before -- from its rich history as a refugee city in the Korean War, to its transformation into a cultural creative community supported by the government. And, as Minho wanders aimlessly throughout the city, climbing up stairs and down others, it feels completely different from anything he's seen in South Korea. The city, with its pastel concrete houses and bright fish signs and whimsical paintings reminds him of something out of a dream. Who would have thought that this serene eclectic city had such a sad difficult past?
As Minho turns a corner, he encounters a busker. Another man with ash blond hair and a guitar. Minho stops and listens to the man sing for a bit before dropping a 5000 bill into his guitar case. The man thanks him and Minho leaves with a polite smile. Although the other busker was talented, he couldn't help but prefer Jonghyun's voice, his way of stressing words and other little things that Minho couldn't begin explain.
For lunch he stops by a small café and orders a simple coffee and sandwich. As he eats, he could feel his mind wander back to Jonghyun. Was he doing well today? Minho's thoughts are interrupted as the café ahjumma asks if he wants another cup of coffee. He declines but purchases a bottle of water instead.
-
Minho decides to skip Jalgachi Fish Market, as he spent too much time at Gamcheon and the weather was warming up. He doesn't regret it though; Gamcheon is intensely fascinating and a marvel on its own, but all he wants to do is stay inside air conditioned spaces, not a fishy market. As he buses back towards the hostel, Minho wonders about the rest of his time at Busan, about the rest of his trip around Korea.
"What else do I want to see?" he asks himself. "I don't know."
He thinks long and hard for a while, as the bus rumbles through the streets, heading back towards the center of Busan. Minho thinks of driving east towards Gwangju, or heading North towards Andong and Donghae. He can't decide, but he feels homesick for his own bed, just a bit.
"Would I be upset if I miss out on Gwangju or Donghae?" he wonders. "Is there something that I want to see there?"
The answer is no.
-
When he returns to the hostel, something feels noticeably off. After a few minutes aimlessly wandering around his room, Minho realizes that the air conditioning was off. Figuring that Jonghyun might have turned it off during the day, Minho presses the button and waits for the cool air.
Nothing.
He taps the remote a few minutes, pops out the batteries, and even checks to see if something is unplugged. After a few minutes, he gives up and goes to the front desk.
"Hi excuse me," he asks the tall man behind the front desk. His nametag said Taecyeon. "I think the air conditioning is broken in my room."
"Yeah, sorry about that" grimaces Taeceyon. He bows apologetically and Minho notices that there is a light sheen of sweat on his face. "The AC is broken, but we have someone coming out to fix it soon."
"How soon is soon?"
"Hopefully by the next hour or so."
Minho decides to go to a café to pass the time. On the way out, he sees Jonghyun with his guitar and gear. "Hey," he calls out. Jonghyun looks around, tilts his head like a small puppy, before noticing Minho and bounding over.
"Hey," he says. "Hey "I'm sweaty and it's too hot right now. I'm gonna go back to the room and shower…"
"The AC is broken," says Minho.
The sad miserable look on Jonghyun's face almost breaks Minho's heart.
-
In the end they decide to not go to a café but to a nearby park. Mostly because Jonghyun wants to continue song writing and he could not concentrate at cafes. "It's too noisy," he mumbles. "And there's no room for me to put my guitar."
Minho doesn't care either way, but tentatively asks Jonghyun if he could accompany him to the park. He doesn't want to appear creepy or clingy, but he likes spending time with Jonghyun. He can't explain why.
"Are you sure it's okay if I join you?" asks Minho. They are currently sitting in a park, some nameless park that Jonghyun led them to that Minho didn't see the sign of.
"Yeah, it's fine," says Jonghyun. He strums his guitar quietly and fiddles with the nobs. "You're not that distracting to have around." He says the last phrase with a cheeky grin.
Minho's heart beats just a hair faster.
-
"So," says Jonghyun as he takes a small break. "Where is home for you again? Seoul?"
"Seoul," confirms Minho. "Well, I grew up in Incheon, but I live in Seoul."
"Do you ever miss it? Seoul?" Jonghyun's voice is soft, so soft that Minho almost misses his question.
"Actually I do," says Minho. He fiddles with his fingers absently, wonders if he got sunburned earlier. His skin didn't feel sensitive but it looks redder than usual. "How about you?"
"I miss Seoul," murmurs Jonghyun, voice thick. "I miss my mom, my sister, and my doggie." He plays his guitar half-heartedly before stopping altogether. He doesn't look at Minho. "But I can't go back, not until I save up enough."
"Enough for what?" asks Minho. He almost regrets asking, what if it's personal?
"For a train ticket."
Jonghyun is crying, Minho realizes as he watches Jonghyun wipe his face with his hand. He is at a loss what to do. In the end he decides to wrap a tentative arm around Jonghyun's shoulder. Jonghyun leans limply against him and sniffles every so often.
"You know," says Minho. Jonghyun feels so small and fragile against him. By now Minho is babbling, hoping to get Jonghyun to stop crying because all he wants to do is cuddle him. "I started on my road trip a few weeks ago. And I was so lost. I was just coming from a shitty job, feeling like a robot. All I wanted to do was please others, to follow their own definition of happiness, I didn't know how to make myself happy."
"And so you went on a road trip?" says Jonghyun, incredulously. His voice cracks and Minho stifles the urge to laugh. Jonghyun is adorable.
"I went on a road trip," says Minho. Jonghyun scoffs or laughs, Minho isn't sure, but it sounds like he doesn't believe him. "It's true! I learned how to be a person again by traveling on my own. See, you can even look at my travel notebook."
Minho lets go of Jonghyun's shoulder and digs around in his bag for his notebook. Jonghyun, still teary-eyed, wipes his hands on his jeans before taking the notebook. He gingerly thumbs through the pages, reading the quotes from Jinki, Taemin, and Kibum with a wobbly smile.
"This is beautiful," says Jonghyun. "I'm so touched-oh…" Minho has the decency to flush red as Jonghyun turns to the page with his note. Jonghyun's silly note to Minho from the morning. Jonghyun's sniffles grow louder as he cries over his own note. And Minho couldn't help but smile at Jonghyun, oddly touched by the other man's sincerity.
"You know," begins Minho. He nudges Jonghyun gently, careful not to accidentally hurt him or something. "I was thinking of leaving Seoul, if you want to join me."
"What," asks Jonghyun. His eyes are red and a bit puffy, but he looks suspicious. He shifts away from Minho, stares him down from the other side of the bench. "Listen, I'm thankful that you've been really nice to me and letting me cry on you. But I don't want you to end your trip because you feel bad for me. I can handle myself--"
"I know you can," says Minho. "But I've been thinking about earlier. And I'm okay if I go back to Seoul." Jonghyun pouts and doesn't look convinced. "Listen. I've been on the road for the last three weeks, and frankly? I would be okay if I go back home. I miss my bed, I miss not driving around. I miss staying in one place. And sure there might be stuff that I'd want to do in Donghae or Gwangju, but I don't know what it is. And, if I decide later on in life that I want to visit there, then I'll go. I have faith that I will get myself out there. I know I will."
"But--" starts Jonghyun.
"I'm heading to Seoul tomorrow," says Minho. He stands up and holds out his hand. Jonghyun looks at it quizzically before giving him a high-five. Minho grins, finding Jonghyun's confusion cute, and points at the notebook, which was still in Jonghyun's lap. "If you want to come with me, you can. If you don't, then I guess it was nice meeting you."
Jonghyun twists his mouth in another pout but doesn't say anything. He returns Minho's notebook and moves to pack up his guitar.
-
The sun is rising, low in the sky as Minho drives away from Busan. All around, the city scape melts away to trees, trees, and even more trees. Minho feels at peace. He was excited to see the Seoul skyline, in sharing stories with Jinri, and most importantly, in sleeping in his own bed.
Minho thinks of his journey, and in some ways, he misses that Minho of three weeks ago. That Minho who was so hopelessly lost and sad, caught in a web of expectations and stress. He knows that he will never be that Minho again, but he feels a tinge of nostalgia and affection all the same. Like saying farewell to an old dear friend. It feels lonely, almost.
Luckily he's not alone.
"What a beautiful view," murmurs Jonghyun. "It's a nice end to your trip."
"Or this beautiful view could be the beginning" says Minho. He turns to gaze at Jonghyun, eyes full of promise. Jonghyun looks out the window, lost in thought and he doesn't notice Minho looking at him. He suddenly rolls down the window and sticks his hand out, feeling the cool morning air pass through his fingertips. A small smile graces his lips as he hums along to another one of his wordless melodies.
The sun is bright, the air refreshing, and Jonghyun's voice is warm in his ears. Minho hums along as well as he merges onto the highway and drives into the sunrise.
"When we reach Seoul," thinks Minho. "I will need to ask for Jonghyun's number."
<< Part Two | The End
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Authors (food) Notes:
- Jogaegui - Grilled live shellfish from Wolmido, Incheon. This is a specialty of the area where you shuck and grill your own shellfish.
- Jajangmyeon - A Korean-Chinese fusion dish made with thick black soybean paste, veggies, pork and thisk noodles.
- Onggibyeong ppang - A special dumplings found at a famous stall in Incheon’s Chinatown. These dumplings are cooking in a pot similar to Indian tandoori. This dumpling comes in three varieties - pumpkin, sweet potato and meat.
- Bungeoppang - Fish shaped bread made with a crispy waffle-like filling and red beans. This is similar to taiyaki.
- Sujeonggwa - A traditional Korean fruit punch served cold in the summer. Made with dried persimmons, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Hodugwaja - A special Korean cookie from Cheonan. Its filling is made up of walnuts, red bean, wrapped in a dough.
- Kalguksu - “Knife noodles”. There are regional varieties of this noodle, and Daegu is known for their spicy anchovy flavored broth.
- Nabjak-mandoo - “Flat dumplings”. Similar to fried flatbread in appearance. Another regional Daegu snack that is dipped in sauces.
- Hotteok - A fried pancake with filling. It originates from Busan and can be filled with varieties of nuts, seeds, or even meat.