#91. Come in.
“Where are you going?”
I took her hand without saying a word and took her to the Express Bus Terminal.
Jenna persistently asked me for not telling me where to go.
After purchasing the ticket in her cafe, I bought a ticket from the unmanned ticket machine inside the terminal and handed it to her.
“…Here.”
After receiving the ticket, her pupils dilate.
“Why are you here?”
Jenna looked at me with an expression that she did not understand.
“Travel.”
“Travel?”
“Yes. Travel.”
I grabbed her hand tightly.
“… Choi In-wook. I don’t know what kind of wind it’s blowing out of nowhere.”
Jena looked at her ticket in her hand, shaking my hand with a puzzled expression.
“I. No one disturbs me. I want to be alone with you.”
She cut her off and I didn’t give her the chance to express her opinion.
“Can you spare your time just this one time?”
It seemed to be the first time since her return that I had expressed my opinion firmly to Jena.
Jenna looked up at me quietly, noticing that the atmosphere was quite different from usual.
“You know there’s nothing to go there.”
“You’re the one who lived in such a place for several years.”
I and her gaze crossed in the air.
“…Do you think I’ll be relieved by that?”
Jena turned her head slightly and ruffled the tail of her horse.
“Mr. Jena.”
The name I used to call her in her previous life.
“I know very well that I am a really ugly and indecisive person.”
One step.
I stepped her foot in front of her her.
“Still, I don’t want to be someone who can’t even express my gratitude.”
Jena looked at my face once and couldn’t take her eyes off her ticket again.
“…I wouldn’t have prepared it if I told you in advance.”
Voice crawling in.
I think she gave me time.
“I have something to prepare.”
She smiled broadly at her.
“Did I go there without any luggage?”
“…I didn’t bring any cosmetics.”
“You’re pretty even if you don’t.”
“I don’t even have a toothpaste, toothbrush, or pajamas.”
Mr. Hayena, who murmurs when she keeps saying things she doesn’t mean.
Have you been so concerned about the preparations?
But I had one comment to relieve her worries at once.
“…I got a comet motel.”
Surprised.
Jena’s voice, who was complaining to me, was cut off.
“…You mean you were there at this time as well?”
“I looked for it and found it.”
I answered her by scratching her head as if embarrassed.
Jena’s face began to turn red more and more.
“…Do you know what other kids do to you?”
She knew who the other kids were referring to, even if she didn’t dare call her by name.
“No? You probably don’t know?”
Jenna looked at me with a surprised expression.
“You’re thinking about the next day, right?”
…Why do you always take care of me first? Hana.
Sometimes it’s good to take care of yourself first, but you.
“Yes. It doesn’t matter.”
She reached out to one side of her arm and pulled her into her arms.
“Let’s go.”
Jena followed her in the direction I was leading her to see if she didn’t like my actions.
“…I don’t know.”
“I wanted to hear that answer.”
So we boarded the express bus running on a dark night road.
* *
The village where Jena quit her hunter life and started her retreat was about 4 hours by car from Seoul.
Fortunately, it was because it was close to dawn.
The bus arrived earlier than the scheduled time.
“…Wake up. Jena.”
Maybe she was tired from her part-time job, so Jena was sleeping next to me with a small sigh.
“…Are you all here already?”
When I woke her up by shaking her gently, she yawned her as if she was sleepy and opened her eyes.
When I got off the bus, a familiar yet slightly different landscape unfolded before my eyes.
A shabby signboard.
A toilet that looks old at first glance.
“As expected.”
“I do.”
I thought I was a gangster even after 10 years of her when I met her.
10 Years ago, now, I have a more flattering feeling.
The Hyeseong Motel, our destination and accommodation, was the place where we had memories of our first hot night.
It was a very drunken night.
* *
[Mr. Inwook.]
Jena is smiling as if she is happy with her red face.
[Why?]
[It’s not fun to play with such pretty, rich, rich wives and play like this with me.]
I put the soju in my mouth and smiled.
[What does that mean? I like it no? On the inside, I think this is more comfortable.]
[…Liar.]
Jena glanced at me for a moment and then she put a dried squid in her mouth.
She chews her squid as if it were gum.
[I’m not lying.]
[When we meet, they make fun of me.]
[When did I make fun of you?]
Suddenly, as drunkenness rose, half-malts began to come and go.
[If you do that well, don’t you think I’ll pass? I’m not that easy girl.]
[I’m not an easy guy either.]
Jenna started laughing out loud, wondering if my words were funny.
[After getting married twice, it’s not easy. This person.]
She suddenly hits her with her facts.
But my heart for her was never light enough to be expressed in such words.
[I’m serious.]
She put my hand on her little one.
[I’ve always been sincere.]
[Mr. Inwook.]
Jena grabbed her chin with the other hand and looked at me timidly.
[Then can I take responsibility?]
Jena’s pure white neckline caught her eye.
[If you are confident…]
She smiles.
[Would you like to go to the 3rd round?]
I had no hesitation.
* *
“It’s farther than I thought to walk.”
“That’s right.”
Holding hands, we walked down a street with few people and headed home.
“Wow… Jinhee’s whole chicken was there too.”
The signboard of the chicken house, which I often bought for a late night snack, had not changed.
“She must have been more than 10 years old when she was 20 years old when we were there and she brags to me.”
“…Is that great?”
The old future.
I thought it was a very paradoxical word.
I thought it was a strangely realistic word for today.
“Wow… It’s been a mountain from there.”
“That’s right. There is no road yet.”
Finding the wrong picture in the middle of the night made us recall old memories one by one.
Was it about 20 minutes like that?
In the street where all the lights are already turned off.
The only lit building entrance was welcoming us.
Familiar lobby.
From n̲o̲b̲l̲e̲m̲t̲l̲.̲c̲o̲m̲
No. There’s no such thing as a lobby.That’s because there was only a small window to receive the key.
As expected, the owner didn’t seem to be popular because he was sleeping.
Ding Dong.
When the bell placed in front of the window was pressed, a cheerful sound resounded.
“Stay here~”
Profit.
There was a rustling sound from the back door inside the window, and then the door opened.
…Oh. This is a bit shocking.
“…Did you make a reservation?”
Clearly the owner I remember had his hair stripped.
The middle-aged man in front of me now had thick hair.
“Yes. This is Choi Inwook.”
“Let’s see… Choi…In…Uk…Choi…In…Ug…”
The owner, who was flipping through the notebook, drew a circle to see if he had found my name.
“Here it is! It’s 30000 won.”
Considering that it’s always a weekend night, it’s an exceptional price.
“Yes. Here it is.”
When I brought in the cash, the owner handed me a set of disposables and gave me the key.
“How many?”
Jena, who was quietly behind her, asked me.
“No. 302.”
Me and Jena went up to the third floor without saying anything.
When I put the key in and turned the doorknob, a small room caught my eye.
Hyesung motel had very good hygiene for a motel located on the outskirts of the countryside.
The building itself was a little shabby, and the furniture design didn’t look luxurious, but it was neatly organized and had everything there was.
“It’s been a long time.”
Yena took off her shoes and entered her room and picked up the remote control of the old TV as if pondering her memories.
“…That’s right.”
“But Choi In-wook.”
“Huh?”
Jena turned her upper body and looked back at me, and looked at me with her blank eyes.
“You. Where did you go with them?”
“Are you looking for flowers?”
“No? Am I an idiot? Are you asking that?”
If not…
“Grand…Hotel?”
I was so sorry, I avoided her gaze.
“They and I come from a 5-star hotel to the Gangchon motel. Is this right?”
After thinking about it, I thought it might be my mistake.
I was thinking of going to this town while reminiscing her old memories of her and her close friends again…
Ah. Was it too one-dimensional?
Would it be better to go somewhere else?
Suddenly feeling like a fool, I took a deep breath and wrapped my hands around Jena’s waist.
“…I’m sorry. Next time I’ll take you to a much more expensive place.”
When I talked to her as if to examine her mood, Jena smiled.
“I have no sense.”
“No consideration.”
With every word she uttered, her self-esteem was cut to pieces.
“It’s up to you. Really.”
Ah… Choi Inwook. Don’t do this just because you’re looking for romance.
It was my miss.
I really wanted to please Jena…
“Hey Jena. If you really give me one more weekend…”
Bang!
Jena, who threw her arm away, went straight to the bathroom and closed her door with all her might.
As soon as she entered, I ripped my hair out with all my might.
Ah. I’m a real fool why are you so stupid
I was screaming out of my pity.
“What are you doing?”
Jenna sticking her head out of the bathroom was looking at me with a pathetic expression.
“Ah… That’s…”
“Come in. Choi In-wook.”
“Uh. Enter…”
Huh? Come in?