twennieXO

Starring: Kai, Minzy, SeungYoon Genre: Young adult romance and comedy 1 | 2 |

Chapter 3: “You are really going?” SeungYoon ask. Dress in his usual white v-neck, ripped black jean and black beanie, SeungYoon sits on Minji’s desk chair watching her pack her luggage to leave in the next few days.

  “Of course oppa.” Minji answers and smiles folding her dresses.

  “Why are you bringing a dress?” SeungYoon leans back on the chair and crosses his arms over his chest.

  “It’s just a day dress.” Minji looks at him holding her a turquoise day dress with flower prints and flower buttons down the front. She closes her suitcase and zips it up. SeungYoon stands up frowning as she pulls a smaller suitcase onto the bed and starts to stuff it with candies she bought earlier.

  “He isn’t 10 anymore, Minji.” SeungYoon whines.

  “Oppa, don’t you like these candies too?” Minji ask handing him a lollipop. “And you’re not 10.” She giggles. SeungYoon laugh and takes the lolli. “You’re starting to sound like you don’t want me to go.” Minji says placing the cake pan and cake mix into the suitcase then turning to him and arching her eyebrows.

  “It’s not that.” SeungYoon sits back down defeated. “I know how much this trips means to you...” He pauses. “It’s just.”

  “Aigoo.” Minji laughs. “You’re going to miss me?” She goes to him and tugs his short sleeve. “Am I right? I’m right, right?” She laughs and goes back to packing more sweets and candies for Kai. “You’re absolutely right.” SeungYoon mumbles to himself.

  ‘What?” Minji ask with her back to him.

  “Nothing, I just said have fun.” SeungYoon smiles at her. She nods thanking him. “I will bring back lots of memories and pictures.”

~ “APPA!” Minji calls for her father who was busy asking for directs. “Sorry Father Kim.” Minji apologies to the church’s chubby and short leader who has come to pick them up at the airport. They had just arrived at the small airport in the hot and dry weather of Africa. They thought they were lost since Father Kim was nowhere to be seen so they waited for 10 minutes and her father went to ask around. “APPA! Father Kim is here!” Minji waves to her father whose finally notices nodding and bowing to Father Kim even though he was quite a walk away.

  “Minji-ah, you’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you.” Father Kim smiles seeing Minji dress in a white blouse and blue skirt with her short black hair in a small bun.

  “The last time was when you gave me my pen pal’s information.” Minji smiles.

  “Ah that is right.” He smiles with his small eyes disappearing. “You know Kai is also excited to see you.” He hums slightly.

  “I can’t wait...but I’m kind of nervous seriously.” Minji pouts. “I don’t know what we will talk about or what if he thinks I sound weird? What if he doesn’t actually like my personality in person?” Minji shakes her head.

  “Kai, isn’t a person like that, don’t worry.” Father Kim smoothes the top of Minji’s head.

  “Hello Father Kim.” Minji’s father finally came up to them bowing.

  “Ready to go?” Father Kim smiles to both of them who nod. After about 2 hours drive through the hot gold dirt city they finally arrived inside a small town. The town was fences off with wooden fences; most houses were made of mud and wood, while there were a few bricked and cemented homes. As they sat inside the car with the windows rolled down little boys and girls ran up to walk along the car waving and smiling at Minji. She couldn’t help but say hello back and wave to them. The car finally stops in front of a white almost motel looking building.

“This is where the volunteers stays.” He says jumping out of the car and helping Minji with her luggage. Many kids greeted Father Kim and he greeted them back.

  “Who is she? A new unnie?” A little girl with braided pigtails asks shyly.

  “Yes.” Minji smiles squatting to the girl’s eye level. “I will be here for a month to play with you guys.” She says and the little girl excitedly jumps up and down.

  “Lets get you guys settle down and I will take your father around. Minji-ah, do you have your tour guide?” Father Kim chuckles.

  “Uh...” Minji lets out an awkward laugh scratching the back of her neck. “If he shows up.” She looks around but there were only kids around her.

  “Oh, Mr. William. “ Father Kim says to a young man who suddenly came running with the kids. A tall dark man smiles shyly when he sees Minji.

  “Yes, Father Kim.” The young man comes to stand extra tall next to the short father.

  “Where is Kai?” Father Kim asks.

  “Oh Kai...OH!” The William man turns back to Minji a bit shock. “This beauty here is Minji?” He crosses his arms and nods. Minji looks down to her feet blushing a shy pink. “Kai, he is out.” He chuckles. “I am guessing forgotten his Minji was coming here today.”

  “But I wrote to him.” Minji frowns and says suddenly blurting instead if just thinking.

  “I am kidding.” William says. “He will be coming.” He smiles. “He doesn’t know when you will arrive but he will be back soon.” William smiles as if he was hiding something.

  “Well then, Minji welcome to walk around the town, your father and I will be heading out now.” Father Kim says leading Minji’s father towards the car again.  Minji stands awkwardly short next to William.

  “I have to go pick up my sister from school. Kai will be here shortly.” William says and leaves first.

  Minji bows to him and walks out from the cool building into the humid air outside. She fans herself with her hand as she walks along the building, with no destination in mind but just to see the kids running after each other and playing soccer. She wonders how Kai looks like. Did he look like William: tall, dark, smiley, large hands, and bald?

  “Unnie.” The same little girl from earlier suddenly tugs at Minji’s skirt. “Hi.” Minji smiles and holds the little girl’s hand.

  “Do you want to play tag with us?” She asks. Minji nods. The little girl tags Minji and starts to run while all the other kids laugh and runs all over the places as well. She felt so free laughing and running with the kids. The kids all gang up on always chasing her and she pouts to the little kids asking them to leave her alone running and laughing. She didn’t realize she was playing with them for so long when she suddenly was running short of breath and the sky became orange and purple. She calls time out on the kids trying to catch her breath.

  “M-Minji.” Someone calls her. Minji turns around with her back facing the sunset she sees a guy holding lots of different kind of flowers in his arms. There were purple petals, pink, yellow, white, red, and even beautiful green stems and leaves as if it was a handmade bouquet of wild flowers. She looks at the guy, he was tan, had short wavy hair and he smiles shyly not glancing up and down at her not sure if he should make eye contact or not.

  To him she was glowing, as cliché as it sounds she was. The setting sun made her skin glow as if she had a halo surrounding her. She looks surprise and smiles at the flower but then confuse as she stares at him eye to eye. He glances away feeling the heat creep up to his face with her eye contact. He had taken the whole day to go searching for the prettiest flowers and finally with the help of his friends little sister he was able to make a bouquet of flowers for her.

  “Hello.” Minji wipes the sweat off her forehead and walks towards him.

  “Hi.” He manages to croak out.

  “How did you know my name?” Minji tilts her head. “Are you part of the volunteer crew?” She smiles.  

  “Uh...” He looks at her a bit taken back and then chuckles shaking his head side to side. “It’s nice to finally meet you pen pal Minji.”

  “It’s not to meet—“ Minji suddenly chokes on her words. “P-Pen pal?”

  He chuckles and hands her the bouquet of flowers. Minji accepts them but stills looks at him stun.

  “Kai oppa?” She still wasn’t sure. He nods. “But you’re not...” She looks around. She did not want to sound racist but she really thought he was going to be African, dark and tall like William. She stops her self from saying anymore and looks to the ground embarrass holding the flowers in her arms.

  “Can you call me oppa again?” Kai asks sticking his hand in his pocket.