Way Back Home

Chapter 7: Opening Up

Joy was left awestruck. Something about this view gave her peace. She just stared what's in front of her, almost teary-eyed for some reason.

It's so beautiful.

"Joy? No reaction? You probably have seen more beautiful sunsets than this. I mean, you've been moving a lot so you got tons of memories in your head. Where's the best sunset, then? Tell me! When my business gets better, I'll save enough to go there. Aish, I wish I can be a free spirit like you! Going around the world!" Sungjae asked casually.

Joy sighed.

I don't move just because I want to, though. Free spirit? More like a lost one.

"This is actually my first. I don't go around the city that I'm usually in. I just- I just don't want to make a lot of memories. It would make it harder to forget it" Joy honestly responded. She doesn't know why she's opening up about this in the first place, more so to someone she just met.

I'm not staying here, too, anyways. Might as well spill something for a change.

"Huh? What do you mean? You just stay in your accommodation and bake for everyone? I am NOT letting that happen here! Jeju is THE BEST! I will totally not make your forget about this. I mean, why would you even want to forget?" Sungjae was too astonished with Joy's response that he couldn't stop his mouth from blabbering things.

Taken aback, Joy looked away only for Sungjae to realize he was insensitive and had most likely crossed the line.

"I-I am sorry, Joy. I didn't mean to. That's too much for me to ask" Sungjae said apologetically.

There's something off. What's with you, Joy? And why am I suddenly feeling pain, too?

"It's okay. Hey, it's getting late. Can we head home already? You're too tiring to teach, you know. I'll give you time to apply what I've taught you and then just report to me your progress so we can see what we can do next" Joy tried to mask herself once again with a joke. Everything about today was something new for her- spending time with another person almost the whole day in a new place, watching the sunset, and sharing something personal about her. It was quite overwhelming. She's just not sure what she's feeling right now.

———
March 12, 2019 - Day Twelve
2:36 pm

It has been a week since Sungjae and Joy met. Busy was an understatement for the two. Sungjae has been visiting their different properties in Jeju in order to come up with a SWOT analysis. Joy told him that in order to come up with an effective marketing strategy, he should know first what he can market- his assets. Joy, on the other hand, has been trying a bunch of new recipes for her store. She has been driven well after seeing the wide range of options available at Cafe88.

Sungjae just arrived home when he thought of messaging Joy.

Did I do my homework well enough that I could report to her already?

Sungjae scratched his head and sighed. He took his phone anyways and typed away.

To: Master Joy
Hello, Master Joy!! Your most handsome student reporting. I've done my homework... I think? Can we meet?

———
Joy at that moment was taking out her ingredients from the heavy brown bag that she had miraculously carried by herself from the local grocery when her phone's test notification rang. She chuckled at Sungjae's message as she was called master by him.