“Is that all?” I ask, glancing around her like an idiot as if her petite body can hide a cart with luggage.
“I have a backpack too.” She’s starting to look at me like I’ve lost my mind, and then she asks, “Do you feel better after Sunday?”
Instantly a smile plays around my lips. “I’m completely healed, thanks for asking.” I take the suitcase from her, and when she picks up the backpack, I take that as well and shrug it over my shoulder. “Let’s get going.”
“I can carry one of the bags,” she offers, rushing to keep up with me, which has me shortening my steps.
“Let me be a gentleman and carry the bags.”
When the valet brings the Bentley, I place the two bags on the backseat and open the door for Lee to climb in. She does a slight, quick bow before getting into the car.
Walking around the front, the niggling suspicion I’ve been feeling about Lee’s text messages and the video calls grow into a full-blown concern.
I settle in behind the steering wheel, and when I look at her, and I notice she hasn’t put on her safety belt, I don’t think and reach over her.
“Eomeo!” she presses herself back against the seat, her eyes wide on me.
“Safety belt,” I explain and grabbing it, I quickly pull it over her and click in place before I sit back in my seat.
“What does eomeo mean again?” I ask as I start the engine.
“Oh, my gosh, or something similar to that.”
“Sorry if I startled you.” I quickly smile at her before I pull away from the hotel.
Once I’m on the freeway, I glance at Lee and notice she’s looking out the window, her face filled with fascination. It’s the first time she looks relaxed.
Grinning, I pick up my phone and unlocking the screen, I press play on the playlist I’ve made just for this ride.
When the song starts, Lee’s eyes snap to the radio, and she first listens to the intro before the most beautiful smile spreads over her face. “You listen to BtoB?”
I nod and smile back at her while turning up the volume.
I let out a breath when I feel the tension ease away.
This is better. We have time to get to know each other without interference from our parents.LeeHearing the familiar lyrics makes emotions explode in my chest. I can’t stop smiling while an overwhelming urge to cry pushes up my throat.
I stare out the window at the foreign landscape that looks like it goes on forever. Growing up on a small island surrounded by an ocean, and having a volcano and crater lake for a heartbeat, this country feels too big… too dry.
After a couple of songs, Lake turns the volume softer, then he asks, “You grew up near Seoul, right?”
I can’t remember if Jo Yoon-ha told him where I lived, and not sure what to answer, I ask, “Didn’t I tell you?”
“No, I just assumed that because your father is based in Seoul.”
I wonder what he knows about my family. Does he know I was taken away from my home and mother?
Deciding to test him, I tell him the truth, “I lived on Jeju island with my mother.”
“You did?” He glances at me with surprise on his face.
I nod and looking down at my hands where they’re resting on my lap, my thoughts go to Mom.
I haven’t spoken to her since last Thursday.
Jo Yoon-ha took the phone with her, so I won't be able to call Mom. I glance at the time on the dashboard and seeing that it’s thirty minutes past twelve, I minus sixteen hours for the time difference. Mom’s been awake for thirty minutes already because she always gets up at four am.
I glance at Lake’s phone, wishing I could borrow it. Just for five minutes. Just to hear Mom’s voice.
“How was it growing up on an island?” Lake asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“I was free.” Only after I said the words, do I realize I actually said them out loud, and I scramble to fix the mistake. “We lived on the outskirts of the city. All our neighbors were friendly, and we helped each other.”
“What do you miss most about home?” he asks.
I keep my eyes on my hands when my sight begins to blur, and I take a deep breath while forcing the tears back.
“My mom.”
I miss her scolding me because I’m late for work.
I miss her rushing me every morning so I wouldn’t miss the bus for school.
I miss her calloused hands, rough from all the hard work.
“I miss gathering clams with her,” I whisper as I get lost in my happy memories. “When the Haenyeo would go out to dive for abalone and shellfish, we would sit on the rocks and wait to see what they came back with.”