Seriously Yours

Chapter 1 - Welcome to Korea, Yoon Se Ri!

"Korea! Here I come!"

I utter excitedly as I giddily open the airport's exit door, revealing to me the vast front of Jeju International Airport. I close my eyes as I embrace the chill of the weather as Winter slowly thaw to welcome Spring. We only have two seasons in the Philippines where I grew up, the rainy season and the dry season. It sounds so general but that is exactly what it is. So for the first time in my life, I will be experiencing four seasons. Too bad, there's almost no snow to see. I have to wait at least ten months to experience it.

My trance is interrupted with a bump on my back and another as the passengers' exit the airport. They look at me ridiculously since I have stopped in the middle of the lobby outside. I move away immediately, bringing my two trolley bags behind while balancing my bulging backpack that hangs only in my right shoulder. If you would ask me why I have two LARGE trolley bags, it is because I am settling here in Korea.

For good.

"Okay, now. Let's call on a cab," I mutter to myself and open my phone. There is no Grab or Uber in Korea, too bad. But I already have a Korean sim-ready and the telephone number for the global taxi. I just need to call it and book.

My ride is smooth and nice and it seems that the taxi driver knew the exact address of the place I am heading to, that he only needs to wake me up in front of a store. Well, I'm not heading to a store though.

"You may just walk uphill to find the house. It's before the diverged road, I think," he instructs. I guess, just like in some places in the Philippines, taxis are prohibited up there.

"Thank you," I reply as I slip my hand at the front zipper of my slingback for bills. It's like a petty cash compartment.

He helps me station my trolleys beside the road before he goes away. The place looks pretty like the countryside and I couldn't spot anyone else so I walk inside the store and call out.

"Hello. Is anyone around?" I yell. It's like 'Tao Po' in the Philippines. Thanks to my parents who did not forget their own language, I am fluent in Korean. I may not know some slang words but I guess it would not be hard for me to live here.

No one answers. No one's around it seems.

"So, is this what they called 'Honesty Store'? Daebak!"

I can never found a store like this in my place. I mean, I haven't heard one at all. It's just kinda absurd to leave your store open and trust that people will really pay for the goods they get. If I were still a nonsense little girl, I would have sneaked one candy and walked away. Which I just did now. Lol.

I pull my heavy trolleys behind my back and although I haven't even walked fifteen steps, it feels like my shoulders will dismantle soon. The road is more uphill than I expected. My sweats would have already formed around my forehead if not for the chilly but dry weather.

I need to reach the house before the sun goes down, I told myself. As I have almost reached the diverged road, the house in the middle caught my attention. I immediately look at my phone's gallery to check the picture of the house.

"Finally!" I utter in bated breath.

My dream home.

I spent my entire life of 35 years dreaming to live here. To feel my roots. To see people with the same set of eyes as mine. And now my wish is all coming true. Don't get me wrong, I love where I grew up. It's just that I felt that something is waiting for me in Korea that will complete me. And I kinda always trust my hunch. It never failed me.

So what is that thing? I don't have an idea too. But my first step to finding that out will begin in this house. My new house.

I feel so giddy to tell my parents back in the Philippines that I am already in my house so I try to make a long-distance call while opening the gate with my master key. I come in and I find it absurd to see the lights open inside the house. As far as I know, Mr. Ri has already flown to Switzerland yesterday. My phone is still in my ear while I pull my trolley behind me carefully as their wheels get into the tiny pebbles of the front yard.

Surprisingly, I find the house door open already. I take my shoes off and carry my trolleys inside. Planting them on the wall near me. I scan around the sala and it looked the same in the pictures. As I had bought it fully furnished, I will have no problem with the furniture and fixtures. But that also left me bankrupt. Sigh. Well, It's okay! I can save up again. Haha!

The cushion on the floor looks so inviting and I am about to plop myself there when suddenly a man appears from nowhere. I mean, not from nowhere but from the room on the far left side which I guess is the kitchen.

As I open my mouth in surprise and the man stares at me with his dark eyes and knitted brows, my mom picks up the call.

"O, Se Ri," I hear her say on the other line.

"Mom. I'm home," I say to her, my eyes still transfixed on the man in front of me who has found his way towards me. I think my mother nodded on the other line, glad that I had landed safely from my very first travel overseas.

"That's good. It's going to be nighttime there. Cook some food before you rest, okay?"

"-Yes, Mom.... but I think Mr. Ri Mu Hyeok hired someone to cook.. for me... tonight... I guess....." I reply with a voice that softly grew quieter when I finally see the face of the man clearly. He stops two feet away from me and I need to tilt my head upward so I can meet his confused gaze.

The thing is he doesn't look like a cook or a house boy at all.