03 January 2017

Seventeen Dorms

"I have something to talk about with you," the words remained ominously stationary on the blue screen of my phone. "I'll let you know when my day off is and we can meet."

"Anything the matter, besty?" Kyla noticed the frown. When I told her of the week in Shirahama, she was riveted.

"I'll find out soon enough," my thoughts and pulse raced erratically. Until I met with my girlfriend, I was gonna be a bundle of nerves.

"If you hadn't told me that these were yours, I would have thought you had stolen the tears of happiness I had shed during my first sleep as your boyfriend," the pink sheen of the pearls rolled in the grooves of my palm. Our new secret meeting place was the stairs leading up to the shrine, where it had all began.

"You did that?" Eunbi noona blushed before looking curious again. "So the myth about pearls being the tears of merfolk are true."

"Yes, I'll ask my family to research more about it and I'll also let Heejin know," I nodded before handing the precious stones back to her. "What will you do with those now?"

"It would make a good wedding present for Haneul eonnie, don't you think?" her eyes lit up.

"Definitely," I unlocked my phone and sent her the number of Dongtae. "This jeweller is a merman so he won't ask any questions."

"Does he buy and sell pearls from Korean merfolk?" my girlfriend saved it and returned her phone to the handbag.

"He buys them, crafts them into jewellery and then sells them. I guarantee that Dongtae's works are the best you'll ever come across," my hand filled the vacuum left by her phone.

"I want ice cream," she pointed at a roaming vendor with the other hand. "Wait here," I squeezed her hand before descending the stairs.

The rest of the afternoon was a daydream; kisses tasting of mango and orange, a stroll through the forest that led to a quiet restaurant, buying manga from a bookstore... I'd see her again next week but it felt more like it would be an eternity. Once I was in the dorm, I video called home.

"I have good news and worrying news," I smiled at my family.

"What's the good news?" Appa asked with bated breath.

"I have a girlfriend," I couldn't stop the pink tingeing my face. "It's-"

"Eunha eonnie," Sofia grinned evilly.

"Good guess," I was slightly peeved at the interruption but also relieved that she guessed it. "I think she's turning into a mermaid so I'd like you to help me with research on that."

"That news is worrying indeed," Eomma then interrogated me about the details of the hunt. "We'll call you once we're done researching."

They then asked me about the rest of the week in Japan, and I couldn't help but to soliloquise about our walks on the beach and under the cherry blossom trees. If the singer and I hadn't had led such busy lives, we would have lived a carefree romance. Being an idol meant that I had to hide my love even though I wanted to get "Eunbi" in permanent ink because this ship would never sink. The most I could do was write a song and let it play on the radio. My baby sister had some homework to finish so I ended the call and saw Junhui hyeong's face peeping through the door I had forgotten to close.

"So, merboy got a girlfriend," he smiled.

"Congrats." 

"Awww, thank you," I blushed.

"Let me know when you're ready to do the deed," the vampire smirked. "We have a melon we need to practice on."

I picked up one of the scatter cushions on my bed and threw it at him. He dodged it with inhuman speed and ran away to the kitchen, probably looking for something to snack on. The cushion thudded dully on the wall before flopping on to the floor dismally. I sighed, leaving my bed to pick up the weapon. Returning the cushion to its original place, I texted Heejin and locked my phone, knowing it would take a week at most before I got a reply.