CHAPTER 5: Seulong’s Unforgettable Gift, is it?
-------
Seulin couldn’t stop herself from grinning like an idiot that day. Oh, how could she? The amusement park was flooded by people and for the lame excuse “So you will not get lost”, Jinwoon held her hand all the time. Well, it was just common holding hands like she does all the time with her brother, but that was not the only thing behind her idiotic grin. When they were standing on the line waiting for their turn for the rides, he would made her stood in front of him, then secured his arms around her to make sure she didn’t get squeezed by other people. He kept some appropriate space between them, of course, but what do you expect of people standing on the lines? For sure, people at the back would push you forward, while the others at the front would push you backward, and the ones at the middle would get squeezed. It’s not a comfortable situation indeed, but for Seulin and those who were in the state like her… that uncomfortable situation is very much enjoyable. Totally.
To say she likes going to amusement park… that’s quite a lie. Truthfully she had never gone to amusement park. Why? It’s simply because she’s afraid. She’s afraid of the rides. Well, not all the rides, but the ones which involve height and increase adrenaline… she would likely to run away from them. This is one of her biggest secret which only Seulong knows about. No other human being knows about this, not the pack, her parents, nor Jinwoon. Oh, Jinwoon is the one in particular she doesn’t want him to know.
Then why did Seulong give Lotte World’s tickets as his gift?
He knew she doesn’t go to amusement park.
And why did Seulin go to Lotte World at the end with Jinwoon?
He’s the one in particular who mustn’t know she’s afraid of going to amusement park.
Just because… one silly promise.
—FLASHBACK—
“Little One~~” Seulong stormed into Seulin’s room.
“Don’t you know how to knock?” Seulin glared him.
Seulong ignored her and kept waving two pieces of paper in front of her face. “You will come with me, right?”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s a yes or no question, Little One, so, is it yes or no?” Again, he ignored her.
“How can you expect me to answer while I don’t know what your question is?” She glared at him again. She put aside the book she was reading and gave her full concentration to the elder man who was sitting on the edge of her bed, grinning like idiot. “Tell me what your problem is, and make it short, I have test tomorrow so I have to study.”
“You’ll go with me, then, to Lotte World.” He said satisfied.
Seulin’s eyes widened. “LOTTE WORLD?” She gaped. “Are you crazy? You definitely know I CAN’T go there!” she said, almost yelling at him.
“It’s not you CAN’T, it’s just you DON’T WANT to go there.” Seulong replied calmly, emphasizing on the word ‘can’t’ and ‘don’t want’.
“Whatever. I’m going to study, now you go out, Oppa. Out.” She pushed him out.
“Ah, Little One, come on~ I got this tickets over sweats and blood! You can’t just turn me down like this… They have just opened a new ride named Gyro Drop, and I heard it’s very cool! I want to try riding it, and I managed to get these for us!” he waved the tickets again. “You have no idea how many people want to have these. I fought my life over these, you know.” He sounded so serious.
“Yes, I have no idea and I don’t bother to know.” She scoffed. “And like other people would win over you in a fight, Oppa.”
Seulong laughed at her statement. “Now you know that, you must know you will not win over me in this fight about you going or not to Lotte World with me.” He smiled ear to ear.
She groaned. “Oppa!” She folded her arms. “Okay. I’ll go to Lotte World, but ONLY if you’re able to bring Choi Shiwon along with you.” She stated, full of confidence.
He automatically burst into laugh. “Choi Shiwon as in Super Junior’s Choi Shiwon? The famous pretty rich boy Shiwon?” he held his stomach and started rolling on the bed.
“Yes.” She stated, still in firm tone.
“And why do you want him to come along?”
“Because if my man holds my hand along those horrifying rides, I will not feel scared.” Well, not all rides in Lotte World are horrifying, but sure Seulong would never let her only ride what he called ‘baby toys’.
“So Choi Shiwon is your man?” his laughter stopped.
“He is my ideal type of man.” She said, smiling.
“Okay, I’ll bring Jinwoon then.”
“WHAT?” she was shocked. ‘I misheard, right?’
“You didn’t misheard, Little One; I said ‘I’ll bring Jinwoon, then.’” He said as if he could read her mind.
“Why do you bring him up suddenly?” She tried to act cool, though her heart was beating like crazy. Oh, how she could be crazy even only upon hearing his name. “I thought I said I want you to bring Shiwon.”
“But I know you will be more than not scared when Jinwoon holds your hand along the rides.” Seulong smiled triumphantly. “Even if you have to ride jet coaster five times, you will not mind as long as your hand and Jinwoon are laced together.” He teased her. “Eww, that’s gross.” He commented at his own sentence.
Seulin’s face was extremely red. Her brother knows her too well. “Just go out of my room!” she pushed him off her bed and kicked him out of her room.
“Aah~ Blushing, huh?” he teased her again. “Well, you better be ready since I will get Jinwoon to come along!” he shouted behind the door she slammed.
Seulin leaned at the door; her face was still blushing madly. Really, Seulong knows her too well.
—END OF FLASHBACK—
Seulin was okay on their first rides since they were not the thrilling one. However, when Jinwoon started showing interest in riding jet coaster, Seulin could feel her hands cold. Thank God the lines were too crowded that he concluded they should ride the others first. But the next ride he suggested to take made Seulin’s heart stopped beating.
“Let’s ride Gyro Drop! It’s been a long time since I last rode it…” he said as he beamed.
Seulin groaned in heart. She knew she would never be able to say no, even though it’s for that most horrible ride Lotte World ever had. No need showing that heart melting smile. In the end, she flashed a weak smile.
Jinwoon got excited as they were locked safely on their seats. His face showed full anticipation of the ride. He was too excited that he didn’t realize on his left, Seulin gripped the metal handle very tightly. She started trembling when she felt the Gyro Drop moving up. She could hear Jinwoon’s excited praises upon the beautiful view.
“Pretty, isn’t it?” he praised the Seokchon Lake and everything around it.
“Yeah, it is.” She commented. She was immersed with the view too and unconsciously let go of her grip. For a second, she forgot she was riding Gyro Drop. ‘I’d like to stay like this a little longer… with Jinwoon by my side, enjoying this beauty…’ She turned to stare at the man whose eyes has went into line again.
However, the ride didn’t take long time to reach its top. Once it got there, it went around for a few seconds. Seulin who was staring at Jinwoon snapped out and unconsciously grabbed Jinwoon’s hand for hold. She shut her eyes and screamed her lungs in fear. Her face paled in instant. Jinwoon was screaming as well, but he was screaming in joy. As the two was busy screaming, they didn’t realize she was holding his hands oh so tightly. Only when the ride went down Jinwoon felt something clutched onto his left hand. He turned to see Seulin with her eyes closed and fear all over her paled face.
‘Oh girl, why don’t you tell me if you can’t stand this kind of ride?’He let go of her grip on his left arm to intertwine her fingers with his. He also put his right hand on the top of their intertwined fingers, hoping it could transfer some strength and courage to her.
They stayed like that for the rest of the ride. Seulin was too occupied to keep her eyes shut, scream her lungs, and calm her thumping heart to realize Jinwoon holding her all the time. She also prayed that the gorgeous man next to her wouldn’t catch her in this embarrassing state. She’s been maintaining an image of chic woman in front of him and she wanted him to always look at her in that frame.
“Seul, it’s exciting, isn’t it?” she heard him talking to her. She opened her eyes and immediately put on an exciting face.
“Yes, it is.” She beamed.
‘Oh Seul, your tensed body clearly yelled the opposite…’He turned away to chuckle. He squeezed his hand gently. That time Seulin felt something squeezed her hand and she couldn’t believe her eyes when she discovered what happened with her hand. Her stomach got another cramp again.
Seulin couldn’t look at Jinwoon normally after that. She would remember about Jinwoon squeezing her hand and get blushed real bad. On the other hand, he seemed to not notice she had gone awkward again—or was he enjoying her blush upon him?
They moved to Adventure, the indoor recreation park of Lotte World. As it hadn’t passed 4 p.m. yet, the parades and shows weren’t available. Seulin was not in the mood to skate and thankfully Jinwoon didn’t ask to go to ice rink. Instead he brought them to Aeronauts Balloon Ride. She was happy it’s not another thrilling ride. Well, it involves height but she still could bear it.
The ride was peaceful and quiet. The two didn’t even open their mouths. They were absorbed with the views. The gentle breeze hit their faces. Well, it seemed like that. To say the truth, Seulin was pretending to enjoy it while she actually stared it blankly since her mind couldn’t stop replaying the scene she figured out Jinwoon holding her hand. She kept repeating in her mind how thankful she was for having an elder brother like Seulong, how she wished that day could last forever.
When their balloon reached half of the journey, Seulin realized they hadn’t talk to each other. ‘Did I make this one awkward again?’ She turned and saw Jinwoon at her opposite had his eyes closed; head leaned back to the glass.
She was disappointed. It’s her birthday, they’re here to celebrate it and he’s sleeping? She let out heavy sigh. He was sweet at one time and then… ‘He surely had changed, after all. He’s no longer the charming Jinwoon I know. The Jinwoon I know will not take me to restaurant with western cuisine only, moreover, he will not sleeping in the middle of my birthday celebration.’
She heaved a sigh again. ‘The Jinwoon I know will also complain about how his neck is aching after sleeping in that position. Then he’ll pout to me for not fixing his sleeping position. Pfft, even I still remember about this little detail of his, and he’d already forget about mine?’
Seulin slowly shifted and sat next to Jinwoon. Carefully, she lifted his head and put it on her shoulder. She gazed at his face. He looked so peaceful. ‘Maybe he’s really tired.’ She thought. ‘And blame this cool breeze.’ Suddenly he nuzzled to her neck. She looked away at instant, her blood rushing to her face. Then she swore she felt his left arm wrapped around her waist. “Jinwoon…” she looked at him again, bewildered.
“Don’t you miss me?” Jinwoon asked gently in whisper, still with eyes closed.
Seulin shocked, couldn’t even moved her finger an inch. Only her round eyes went bigger than they were when she felt his arms around her waist.
Jinwoon threw his right arm to Seulin’s shoulder, pulled her closer to him, completely enveloped her in his arms, still not opening his eyes.
“I miss you. So much. I miss you so badly.” He whispered oh so gently.
* Gyro Drop and Aeronauts Balloons Ride are really existed in Lotte World. However, the part Gyro Drop being newly opened is purely made up by me.
No comments:
Post a Comment