When The Sun Goes Down I'll Be There! [BonBin Fic]

CHAPTER 1: (Re)start

English:

Suddenly, I found myself with my eyes slightly open while sitting in the cramped plane seat. I had woken up after a few uncomfortable hours of sleep thanks to a child who wouldn't stop crying, while his mother tried to comfort him. I was feeling a bit sick, as it had been a long time since I went to a flight, maybe 17 years, since I traveled with my family to Bangkok. I still remember the crystal clear waters of Hua Hin, a beautiful beach that has never left my memories. I wondered if one day I would return to a place like that and sleep in a luxury hotel again. I'm still trying to understand how those summer vacations really existed since I've always lived a life of financial difficulties at home. Maybe I was too young to understand! Maybe I'll never meet again that simple boy with whom I spent the day picking up shells. I clearly remember how beautiful were the shells he found. That day, I cried because I felt jealous because all the shells I had picked up were not as beautiful as his. I admire the empathy he had for me at the time because that evening, before we said our first - and last goodbye - he gave me a necklace made by those pretty shells he had collected. I didn't even have the opportunity to ask his name, but I clearly remember that we didn't speak the same language. And I remember his slight smile as he waved his hands to say goodbye to me. Maybe he should be a tourist too... maybe!

I would never imagine myself heading to a new country with a language I'm not so familiar with. I feel like the last two years of studying Korean intensely every day - or at least almost - have been useless. Well, I'm still trying to understand how I was selected by my company to work in a foreign branch. When I joined that company it was very small, with about five or six employees. I didn't imagine that in five years I would be where I am today, if destiny exists, it's crazy! I lived in Hanoi for 28 years and now I'm heading into the unknown, I wish myself luck, I think I'll need it - a lot!

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It was 9:30 a.m when I landed at Incheon International Airport. It seemed like a dream, because as someone who has always been passionate about dramas and K-pop since childhood, I grew up hearing about that place where all the famous people have certainly been. In my mind, there was a small possibility of finding an idol wandering around the place, but I think I thought too much because the only thing I saw was a fight between three guys. Hearing them swearing in Korean made me realize that, my years of studying that language were in vain... I was very confused on how to order a taxi to take me to the apartment I had rented in Seoul. The exhaustion of the trip didn't allow me to think correctly and the signs in Hangul only made everything more difficult. Maybe they were also written in English but I was too tired to notice. It seems like everything went by like a movie. In a blink I was on the roads of Seoul, enjoying the Han River through the window of an old taxi driver's car while listening to "Dive", a song by a famous K-pop male group, through my headphones. It was the same feeling I had as a child, traveling with my family to my great-uncle's farm. These are not good memories because I never really liked farms, especially because I always hated mosquitoes, insects that are everywhere but especially in places like that.

It was past noon when I finally got off in front of my new home. It felt like my sleep had dispersed as all I could think about at that moment was a proper meal. I thought about going into my apartment to leave my luggage before heading out onto the city streets and looking for a restaurant where I could have lunch. Unfortunately, there was no elevator at the place, so I never imagined that climbing two floors of stairs could take more than 20 minutes. When I finally arrived at the door, I had a big - and unfortunate - surprise: the keys weren't in my pocket. That's when I realized that while I was in the taxi I probably dropped them, since I was carrying them in my hands. All I wanted to do at that moment was scream and kick everything in front of me, but I thought it wouldn't be a good first impression on the neighbors, so I just sat in front of the entrance and cried. It was three minutes of tears when suddenly I felt a tremor from the door being opened. At the same moment I fell backwards and hit my head on the hard floor. The scare was so great that I couldn't even feel the pain. When I opened my eyes, I saw a man, who seemed more scared than me (I would also have the same reaction, imagine opening the door to your house and someone suddenly appearing lying on their back?). As a reaction I could only say "Hello!" with one hand in greeting. This man, apparently dressed in gym clothes, says in amazement:

- Who are you?

At this moment, with a quick reflex, I got up and tried to explain the situation, but then, I realized: what was this stranger doing inside my apartment? I took two steps back to look at the entrance and make sure that this was the correct number for my house, and it was.

-18. - I said out loud.

This guy looked at me then, with a look of confusion. He didn't know if I was swearing or saying the apartment number (18 in Korean has the same pronunciation as a certain swear word). Then he snapped his fingers and asked me:

- Are you my new roommate?

In amazement, I ask:

- What do you mean roommate? I'm pretty sure I rented a single room, not a shared one!

- Maybe you should check your contract! I remember two days ago they called me saying that I would have to share a room with someone else.

At that moment I opened one of the three large suitcases I was carrying in search of this contract, hoping that this man's speech was wrong. When I start to review the pages I notice that - literally - in the last paragraph it said that it would be a shared residence.

- How could I be so inattentive? - I said regretfully, thinking about how someone could have as bad luck as me. Maybe I should have suspected sooner since the rent was too cheap to be true.

- You're not from here, right? - he asked me.

- I'm from Vietnam. I just got trip! I didn't know I would have a roommate, I apologize for the inconvenience.

- It's okay! Well, my name is Taerae, Kim Taerae. We don't need to talk formally, right?

- Ok... Well, my name is... Hanbin!

I knew it would be difficult to explain my real name, so I remembered that an old friend in my country gave me this name months before I moved because he said it would be more convenient for Koreans to pronounce. Apparently it worked.

- Feel free, Hanbin... hyung? I believe you're older than me. I'm leaving now, we can talk later! Here, keep the keys.

I couldn't even say another word. I just picked up the keys and heard the door slam shut. Then, I sat on one of my big luggages and thought, "What else could happen?". I didn't know that it would be the (re)beginning of a long journey! I think destiny might be real...

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"Hi family, I am in Korea! This is Han River that we talked a lot before... Love you!"

25/02/2020