Unexpected Ties

Love's Route

I couldn't help but feel the excitement building up inside me it was the day of the school trip to be more precise our last school trip of senior year.
As the school bus arrived, I eagerly rushed to secure my seat next to my friends but all the seats were already taken.

"Hana..you can sit with Minjae." Eun-sa said.
"Isn't he sitting with Siwo.." Sia was saying something but Eun-sa elbowed her.
"No..it's alright..I'll sit somewhere else." I smiled and moved towards the back and finally found an empty seat for myself. I sat alone and plugged my earphones in.

Siwoo approached me and sat beside me, I decided to remain nonchalant. He leaned abit closer and took the earphone from my ear and plugged it in his ear.

"I like this song." He said
"Really?" I was abit surprised.
"Yes..do you know Japenese?"
"umm...maybe."I laughed.
"What? I hope you know what this song means then."
"no..but I like the music the vibe.."
"When we met for the first time, your smile took away my heart. I just realized that you're so close to my heart."

What did he just say..does Siwoo really like me?

"The translation of the first stanza." He smiled.
"oh..hmm..I see." I smiled back.
We spent rest of the bus journey laughing, singing along to the music.

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After reaching our destination, we decided to shop in the local market for sometime before going to the hotel.
We strolled to each and every shop present in the market.

"Does it look good, Hana?" Eun-sa asked me about the earrings she chose.
"Yes..it looks pretty." I show her a thumbs up.
"I'm buying it then."
"It's mulberry extract wine..it's what Cheongju is famous for." A shopkeeper was talking to his customer.
"It's great for high blood pressure,cancer,dementia & heart diseases too." He continued.

I approached him now.
"How much for one?" I asked the shopkeeper.
"25,000 won." He replied.
"Here's 20,000..I'll bring you the remaining in a minute." I looked for Eun-sa and tried to call her there.
"Here's 5,000 won." Minjae handed the money to the shopkeeper and took the bottle of wine from him.

"You're so my type, Kim Hana." He smirks.
"When we start dating..we both can drink together..and..." He continues, Siwoo was standing right beside him.
"What are you saying?" I grabbed his hand and took him to an empty area.

"How can you say that in front of everyone?" I sighed.
"Ten,ten,two,three,five..you said you'd love me to death." He replied.
Miyeon must have called him.

"I never did that..maybe it was someone else...who really likes you.."
"Only my family and Siwoo have my pager number..the other day you took it..and then you called me."

I tried to snatch the bottle from his hand but he backed off.
"I don't know what you are talking about...just give me the bottle."
"So we aren't dating?" He asked.
"You're driving me nuts now...your ears are clogged or what?" I sighed.
"We are classmates, nothing more nothing less." I added.
"Classmates? Okay then let's remain classmates only."
"Give me the bottle."
"Sorry..no"
I tried to grab the bottle from his hand and I succeeded.
"Bye...classmate." Minjae laughed.

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All the girls of my class were in the same hotel room, we were 10-11 in number.
We all sat down on the floor and they all began taking out soju bottles from thier bags.
One by one, we began pouring soju into the glasses and clinked our glasses before drinking. I took a sip of the liquid and it felt so bitter that I almost coughed and sputtered, my friends had the same expression.

"It tastes terrible!" One of my classmate said.
"what's that?" Sia groaned and pointed towards the bottle of Mulberry wine.
"It's for Miyeon..don't you dare." I took the bottle in my hands.
"Darn it..give it here..Hana." She grabbed the bottle from my hand.
"No...it's good for heart." I grunted.

Sia mixed the mulberry wine with soju and water & poured it in glasses.
Eun-sa was the first one to taste, "Much better!"

I took a glass as well and drank it all in one sip.
"Woah.." Sia exclaimed and she poured me one more glass.
"One more." I said and Sia poured me one glass.

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Half an hour has passed we all are sitting on the floor and it seems like the alcohol has kicked in, we are blabbering nonsense.

"Do you know what love is?" one of my classmate asked.
"its..bullshit.....h..hee-yong cheated on me." Sia cried.
"He's a jerk..bastard..."  Eun-sa hugged Sia
"ho...how dare he..I'll go and talk to him right now.." I managed to stand up and walked out of the door.
"no..no..we aren't allowed to go in the boys room, Hana.."  Eun-sa said while peeking from half closed door.

"It's okay...Ms.Shin would be asleep by now." I said and started banging on the room's door that was next to ours.
"not that room..the other one Hana!" Eun-sa said.
"ayy..i know..okay..you go inside..." I banged on the other door now.
"open up! you punk!" I continued.

Siwoo opened the door, I blinked my eyes twice to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
Wow..he looked so handsome.

"I hear the teacher!" A guy exclaimed.