Our Journey Together (Vietnam - Looping Starts 03)

Lee Shin and Kiel Jungye spent few days in Sa Pa to make sure that he is completely out of fever before they start their looping again.

Shin always wake up early to get breakfast for Jungye so he can drink his medicine. All throughout their stay, Shin was the one making all the errands, buying food, medicine and doing laundry, not letting him go out because it's cold outside and most of the time it's raining. One day she decided to wander around on her own to check the place.

She wandered around the cathedral, the lake and the downtown where a lot of restaurants and bars are lined up. She was exhausted from walking all day and she didn't noticed that it's already 3pm in the afternoon. She stopped by at the restaurant to buy something for Jungye to eat. While waiting someone approached her.

"Hi! I hope this seat is not yet taken" Before Shin can answer, the man sat down in the vacant chair in front of her. She just stared and smile at the man and nodded.

"Are you from here?" the man asked.

"No, I am a backpacker!"

"Oh I thought you are Vietnamese. I am Nick, by the way. "

" I am Lee Shin. Nice to meet you!" She extended her hand to shake his hand. It's a common gesture to acknowledge a person you just met. "Where you from?"

"I'm from Amsterdam and I am also a backpacker."

The common questions with backpackers when they are meeting fellow backpackers along the way, where you from, how long you've been traveling. They talked while waiting for their orders. They shared experiences about traveling and Shin was enjoying to him. When they got their order, they decided to walk back to their respective hotels. Nick's hotel was just few meters away from Shin's so he decided to walk with her and send her first. It was quite a long walk and took them 30 mins before they reached Shin's hotel.

....

Jungye was anxious that Shin was out for the whole day, he was actually worried and hoping she did not get lost. The time they spent traveling together, he already noticed that Shin doesn't have sense of direction. She easily get's lost and needed her navigation to direct her which is the right way. She left her phone charging in the room and she only took her camera with her to take pictures.

After lunch he decided to wait for her in the lobby. Staring at the glass wall all the time since you can see the whole street from there. After an hour of waiting, he saw a familiar silhouette from afar walking towards the hotel. He smiled knowing that finally she is back and not lost on the way, but the smile vanished and his face darkened when he noticed that Shin was not walking alone and happy chatting with a tall blonde guy. He was intently looking at the guy who was smiling talking to her too.

....

Shin was happy to talk to another backpacker because of the experiences they had on the road is almost identical. Nick was also doing to loops but he is with his group of friends. They were laughing of the unfortunate things they encountered on the road. The Northern part of Vietnam, there are not many people who speaks English so they need the translator app and sometimes they have to act what they want to say to be understood. She was laughing how funny Nick was whenever he acted those stuff he wanted to say.

They are not far from the hotel and she saw Jungye went out of the hotel exit and waited for her at the front of the hotel. "He looks serious, I hope he feels better now" she thought.

Shin: "Jungye! Hi, do you feel better now? Are you still sick?" she asked when they reached the hotel entrance. Jungye did not answer her but instead he bent and gave he a quick kiss on her neck.

Jungye: "you were gone the whole day. I was worried"

Shin don't know how to react because of his sudden action. She looked at Nick who was standing behind her. She decided to push Jungye a little and introduce both men to each other.

Shin: " Ah Jungye, this is Nick, he is from Amsterdam. He is also a backpacker and doing looping like us. Nick this is Jungye, from Germany. We are traveling together" She didn't know what to say if he is her boyfriend or not since they never talked about the relationship whatsoever. She don't want to assume the relationship either despite that they both shared kisses and hugs already but they never went beyond that.

Nick extended his hand to shake Jungye's hand. After, Nick hugged her and bid his goodbye.

....

At the hotel room...

"I never knew you are into blonde men"

"No. I don't have preferences. As long as the guy is nice and not doing anything bad to me, I will talk to them." Shin replied while fixing the food she ordered and gave it to Jungye.

"He likes you. I know that look. The look of a man interested on a woman"

"Since when you became a psychic?"

"Nah...just marking my territory in case he wants to trespass." Jungye stated seriously.

Shin did not get what he said. She just listened and lay down on the bed resting her tired body from walking all day. She decided to take a quick shower after having rest and head off to bed. She can finally have a long sleep now that Jungye feels better without a fever.

Jungye stared at the woman sleeping beside him. Wondering how he really feels for her. He felt something wrapped his chest when he saw her chatting happily with another man. He held her close and gave a quick kiss on Shin's forehead and decided to sleep. Finally, he feels better out of fever and can now wander around Sa Pa before they go to their next looping destination.