(Author’s note: Life gets busy. And when you get a new case handed to you with a whole bunch of things going on to get fixed, priorities come up. However, I am glad to finally have some time to write. Here’s this week’s Fictioneers entry!)
(Author’s note: Hey, everyone! Getting back into the game. Hoping to start posting every week again, and maybe drop some other story ideas on here. This month is going to be further work on my first book, at least a rough draft. We’ll see how things work. I have a goal of getting it off to an editor by the end of April. We’ll see what happens. Anyhow… here’s today’s fictioneers!)
Not exactly a typical thing to see, but in Korea, they’ll make a cafe or bar out of anything. It seems like Korea catches waves earlier, then moves on quickly. America doesn’t usually have things like this.
While sitting and waiting for my wash to dry, I sipped on a cup of yuzu tea, the sounds of jazz fusion music in my ears. The fact I was able to find this place during my month off from teaching was helpful, as I could work through the evening on my writing.
Paul slowed himself down as he approached the bench. Su-Yeon, raven hair and all, turned his way.
“Paul? What’s going on?” “I just saw you pass by, and wanted to talk quickly!” “What’s going on?”
He sat down, catching his breath. The British expat needed to exercise more.
“Valentine’s day is coming up. And I’d like to take you out for a date.”
Su-Yeon’s eyes got wide, then narrowed as she grinned.
“So you want me to leave my title of noona, soona?”
Paul blinked.
Gears turned.
He laughed.
Blush appeared.
“Oh stop it, you!”
Su-Yeon just chuckled.
* – “Noona” is Korean to denote a woman who is older than a man, but is familiar to them (regardless of biology). Commonly used among younger college-aged males for the upperclass college-aged women.
(Author’s note: The month of November was not very kind, creativewise. A good portion of my brains had to be put to use at work. The rewards will be seen eventually, but it meant my online writing ended up sacrificed. Hopefully this will be a return to more weekly and sooner endeavours. Otherwise, enjoy today’s offering!)
Percy looked down at the phone, as the bus driver went back into Gwangju’s main bus terminal.
He told Caitlin that she had one week to decide: Go to Australia with him, or stay in Korea. He looked to the door of the bus gate, hoping to see her sandy hair peek out.
Deep in his heart, he knew.
He picked up his bags and boarded the bus. Seat 15, so he could see if she would board as well.
As the bus backed out, tears filled his eyes.
As it passed Gwangju’s city limits, he finally broke down.
(Author’s note: Y’know, I feel really bad. I haven’t communicated with y’all in the comments in a month. A lot has happened in this month, mind you, but that doesn’t mean much. So, in order to make sure I actually get back to you all, I’ll be spending part of the weekend responding to all the comments that have come in.
I appreciate how everyone who has commented so far, and I am really grateful for everyone keeping me moving in this writing thing. It’s been a tough couple months for writing, but I think I’m close to being able to bust out and really get things going. Now…here’s today’s Fictioneers!)
“What was that sound?!” he growled. His daughter was sitting at her desk, writing in her book.
“I have been doing homework, father. What was the sound?”
He furrowed his brows, and turned.
“Never mind. My daughter is great, and I heard nothing.”
He closed the door behind him.
Minjin counted to 10, then smiled as she opened the window again, and brought out her binoculars. Looking through them, she peered into the open windows of the nearby fitness center.
“Come to mama,” she drawled, ogling the men exercising to the light of the moon.
(Author’s note: It’s 3-1 in Korea, Revolution Day. This means a day off. The only one I’ll have for the next 2 months. So today, I give my best! Enjoy! And there will be more stories during the week as I go walking and enjoying the nice weather.)
(Author’s Note: More stories on the way, I actually have a few that I am working on. I just need to get over my day-to-day tiredness from teaching kids.)
He walked down the street, small rolling suitcase following behind him like a stray puppy dog looking for an owner. He was despondent, and tired, but he had to get to his destination. So he kept on walking.
He was close to his destination, when he looked over at a bus stop. Normally, a bus stop wouldn’t inspire any sort of pause for him, but the plexiglass and metal frame, with a bench and transit computer inside, immediately shot a memory into his head, sending him backwards a moment.
His mind carried to the forefront a memory of a woman that he gave his heart to. The image of him on a cold winter’s evening, holding her from behind, overlayed his vision of the now-empty bus stop. His vision filled with the warm feelings on his face as he nestled it next to hers. He played the role that night, of the knight in armor bright, faithful and true.
He continued to look at the bus stop, and he saw the moment where things went south. The vision of himself and his beautiful young woman, having a battle of major proportions there at that bus stop. He didn’t even remember what it was about, it was so long ago. All he saw was the fight that they had, and how the tears that flowed from her eyes broke his heart even now. He knew he made a mistake, but there was nothing he could do about it.
In a moment’s blink, the bus stop returned to it’s empty state, with a bus pulling away from it and roaring down the street. In his heart, he felt the hole in his heart. It was always there, ever since that day, but there was nothing he could do to fill it. All he could do is let time heal his wounds.
He started walking again, slowly, as he approached his destination. He went to the counter, and the Korean woman asked him where he wanted to go.
“Busan,” he said. After a moment, and a swipe of his card, he received his tickets and went downstairs to the departing buses. He took up a seat on a bench near where his bus was, and he just looked around.
Twenty minutes passed by before his bus to Busan pulled in and started loading passengers. As he walked up towards the door, he took a look back at the terminal and saw a blonde-haired figure standing far back, looking at him from a distance. He tried to see if it was her, but he couldn’t see her face. After a few second and a blinking of his eyes, she was gone.
He put his suitcase under the bus and got on board. As the bus pulled away, he looked at the terminal and the city surrounding it. He sighed, knowing that his time was finished and he was moving on. He wished that he didn’t have to go. He wanted to be the one to hold her in his arms. Yet, he knew it could never happen.
He would never know if he could love anyone else again, and as he traveled in silence towards the eastern coast and a ferry that would transport him to his new home, tears started to flow down his face.
Music and Fiction 