Chasing Rainbows

9. Water lovers

Shaking his head while smiling, Bin said, "Yeah, we're good, and it's okay Choi. We'll have fun today, right, Yej?"

"Yeah, I agree, Bin." Yejin smiled at him and gave Choi a glaring look.

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By 9:30 AM, they were already riding the van to the local estuary ecosystems of Pinellas County, with their guide and rented kayaks and paddles. She and Bin sat behind Hali and Choi. With the atmosphere being reminiscent of their previous trips, Yejin tried to keep her heart calm, even though she's sure that his mere presence beside her have already caused her oxytocin level to shoot up at the moment.

Silence filled the van as both of them tried to look outside while Hali and Choi seemed to have fallen asleep.

"Yej, are you okay?" Bin suddenly asked her.

She was startled to hear him, and turned to him, with a confused but happy look.

"Yes, I am..." She nearly stuttered. "And you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." And he just smiled and stared at her, as if memorizing every detail of her face.

Her heart cannot contain it anymore, and at any given time, she thought, she might just plunge herself forward, and hug and kiss him.

The moment was interrupted when Choi turned to them,"Uhummm..guys, what do you think, should we go first to the farthest creek?"

Bin removed his gaze from her and answered Choi, "What did our guide say? Anyway, it's fine with me."

Choi then talked to the guy and finalized their itinerary.

Yejin looked outside, trying to hide her blushing face.

Yejin! You've just been together for 3 hours now...can you still take it?

Calming her emotions, she diverted her thoughts and tried to think of topics that she and Bin could safely talk about.

Nothing.

Her memories of him weren't devoid of love and happiness, and she thought she might not be able to bring a conversation that wouldn't touch their past. Thankfully, Bin broke the ice.

"Yej, do you remember Mr. Park, the owner of the coffee shop you used to work at near Yonsei?"

"Yeah, what about him?" She asked, now turning to him.

"Well, I saw him before coming here. Her wife died a year ago and he decided to sell the shop."

"Oh, is that so? How sad, I planned to go back there if ever I have the chance to visit Yonsei."

"Well, you could still visit. The shop's still open."

"That's nice, Bin. It's just so sad if it's not there anymore." She wanted to return there, or rather...she wanted those places where she and Bin used to hang out to be still there...they just held a special place in her heart...that even before, she'd like for their children to see those places, as they tell them the story of how they fell in love..

"Yeah, it has a new owner." Bin interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, Mr. Park sold it, then. Did he know the new owner?" She asked, since she really cared about the shop.

"Yes, it's me." Bin casually said.

"You?!"

"Yes, well, technically it's me, but it's being managed by Mr. Yong. You also remember him, right?"