Salem
Today is the day.
It's finally time for me to go back to one of the many countries I love so much. I haven't been in a while and I'm glad Damien pays attention to me and understands how much I miss it. The last time I was in South Korea was when I was about 19, I had just finished my two years at Duke and I jumped at the opportunity to study abroad for a year when I saw something for it on campus. I didn't care where I ended up but lucky me I ended up getting to go to one of the places where I could survive not having to deal with a language barrier. I ended up at KAIST which is a really good school for engineering in Korea. While I was finishing up my one year there Damien and I were planning our big idea for a start-up.
5 years ago
"Are you eating properly? Are your roommates treating you well? Have you been doing your work like I told you to?"
"Damien this is the 4th time you've called me all week and it's only Tuesday, and to answer your many questions yes, yes why wouldn't they, and yes I do all my work," I reply while opening the door to the dorm.
"Sorry for being so overbearing I just miss you a lot and it's weird not having you around. It's crazy to think that I'm going to be graduating this year and you're only one year behind me." He looks into the camera while smiling at me.
'Why are you so nostalgic all of a sudden, it's scary." I reply while side-eyeing the phone.
Before Damien can answer my roommate So-Hee walks in from her room being as nosey as ever.
"오 마이 갓! 혹시 남자친구분이신가요?" She asks trying to get a good look at Damien. (Oh my gosh is that your boyfriend?)
"아니요 남자친구 없어," I say while throwing pillows at her. (No I don't have a boyfriend)
I try to walk to my room but So-Hee is close behind me.
"Who is that?" Damien asks looking concerned.
I gesture her to leave as I get to my room but she just rolls her eyes. "It's just So-Hee, for some reason she's invested in our conversation."
"내가 못 알아듣는 거 알잖아, 영어 그만 해요." She says in a sickly sweet tone. (Stop speaking English you know I can't understand.)
"그리고 나서 나가라," I reply in an even sweeter tone (then get out.)
She eventually gets off of my bed, rolls her eyes, and walks out of my room.
"You know I can't tell whether you guys like each other when you talk," Damien tells me while laughing.
"We do, it's just how we talk to each other, I have to go I told one of my classmates that I would help be a waitress for this school festival, I'll call you soon okay?"
"Okay, I love you Salem."
"Love you too."
I got ready for the yearly school festival, at first, I wasn't going to go, but both of my roommates and my classmates who decided our class would participate convinced me telling me that if I went our booth would be popular because everyone wanted to talk to me.
It's actually kind of surprising how popular I am in Korea. I usually hear stories about how black women aren't considered beautiful here but it isn't that bad, I've gotten used to the occasional staring and people asking me to take pictures with them or just taking pictures of me. I find it kind of cute because I know no one means any harm they just don't see a lot of black people which is understanding.
"살렘은 우리가 늦을 거라고 생각해요." So-hee yelled at me from the other room. (Salem let's go we're gonna be late).
We ended up walking to the place where the festival was and when we got there it was all pretty much set up, there were some people from our class that I recognized and other people who were there to just attend.
I got to work setting up two tables that hadn't been set out yet and also preparing the food that two of the other girls were making. I liked our outfits so much, that our class decided to go for the "traditional Korean experience" as my classmate Dak-Ho said.
Everyone involved was wearing a traditional hanbok and we all looked amazing.
"살렘이 여기에 오다." One of my classmates Kang beckoned me over with a sly look in his eye. (Salem come here)
"알았어요," I replied while setting plates down in front of a group of people and walking over to him. (Okay)
Kang was very attractive, he stood about six feet with really broad shoulders and a chiseled face, practically every girl on campus wanted to be with him, but he rejected every single one and became known as the heartbreaker which boosted his ego entirely too much.
"뭐야, 내가 바쁜거 알지?." I rolled my eyes and he just looked at me with a deadpan face. (What is it, you know I'm busy right?)
"진정해, 나는 단지 너에게 몇 명의 사람들을 소개하고 싶어." He replied in his usual nagging tone while turning around. (Calm down, I just want to introduce you to some people.)
Sometimes I hated Kang, he knows I hate being introduced to new people but he also knows I couldn't get out of it because it's extremely disrespectful in Korean culture to not introduce yourself to new people.
I quickly put on a smile and bowed. "안녕, 만나서 반가워요." As soon as I was done bowing I was met with 3 gorgeous people. (Hello nice to meet you)
There was a girl who looked about my age she had her hair in two messy buns with a hairpin in each one. She had a lip piercing with a cigarette in her mouth. She waved at me and introduced herself her name was Min-Su. The second guy was also really attractive. Sharing the same grunge vibe as the other girl.
Why does Korea have so many attractive people?
He introduced himself as Hyun-Su Min-Su's brother he bowed and then he and Min-Su immediately started their own conversation.
The last guy, just as beautiful as the other two introduced himself as Min-Ho, he had the same vibe as the other two and he had his long hair pulled up in a man bun. I talked to them for a minute and gave them my Kakao before I returned to my job that I almost forgot about.
After the festival was over Kang, Min-Su, Hyun-Su, and Min-Ho invited me out for drinks.
This went on for the entirety of my time in Korea.
Flashback ended
I didn't know it at the time but I took all the time I spent with them for granted, We all kept in touch but they never really came to the States and I hadn't been back to Korea since now, I told all of them that I was going to be there soon and they all agreed to come see me even with their busy schedules. I appreciate having friends like them and I'll forever be grateful to Kang for making me step out of my comfort zone.
The flight to Korea felt entirely too long, Damien decided that we wouldn't take the jet since we took it last time and he thinks he somehow needs to "humble me" when he's the one who spoils me all the time.
Despite the plane ride feeling long, it was extra long because the tension between Saul, and Archy was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Anytime Archy hugged or kissed me Saul would stare daggers at him which made the both of us uncomfortable.
"excuse me Saul can we talk for a second?"
"yea sure"
He followed me to the back of the plane close to the restroom.
"무슨 일이냐!" I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest. (what's your problem?)
"너가 문제야." He replied in a childlike tone matching my stance. (you, you're the problem)
I rolled my eyes and looked up at him "how am I the problem we were never together quite frankly you've been treating me like shit since i've met you, so can you please let me be happy and have this one tiny thing."
He smirked and raised an eyebrow. "you know I can't do that jagi, but if this is what you want i'll let you have it, though I dare not to tell Archy about you and Min-Ho's past and how he still believes there's something there." he winked at me and tried to walk away but I grabbed his arm before he could.
How could he know about Min-Ho? I just met Saul there's no way I told him about my time in Korea. Also jagi? what the hell is he on about.
With my eyes wide I asked. "당신이 그것에 대해 어떻게 아십니까?" (how do you know about that?)
He smirked yet again and whispered in my ear. "나는 너에 대한 모든 걸 알아. And if you think i'm going to tell the brit I won't...for now anyways. I have to go i'm getting a little sleepy, bye!" (I know everything about you)
He walked away waving his hand in the air never looking back at me. How the fuck am I going to do this, none of it makes sense I haven't even told Damien about me and Min-Ho. It was the first relationship I was ever committed to, we even thought about marriage, but of course his parents were racist they didn't care that I could speak Korean and knew all the customs, they tried everything in their power to break us up and it never worked. Eventually they sent Min-Ho to study in London and he promised he would get his company back so we could be happy.
Of course we decided to stay friends for the time being but overtime I thought feelings would've changed, they did for me at least. According to Saul that's another story but it's not too far off if he still has feelings for me.
What the fuck am I going to do now?
Authors Note: sorry i was gone for a while, but good news is i'm back and i'll try to upload a new chapter weekly, anyways i'm going to try to write the stories in third person from different pov's because I think it'll make the story much more fluid and better, this one is a short one but there will be more soon. 😘