Chapter 72

"Pardon? I'm confused," Jin said, completely puzzled and trying not to mind what he disturbingly said about his behind.

What surprise is he talking about?

[I see you haven't.]

Jin didn't answer as he was still baffled by the fact he was giving him gifts at this early stage. Is this supposed to be okay?

[It's inside the second fridge on the lounge's snack bar.]

He says, still ardent and enthusiastic like a child, making Jin hesitate for a second whether to scold this man on the spot or just let him do whatever child play he's plotting in mind.

Given enough consideration, as he, too, was curious about what he was up to, he rose from his seat and adhered to what Hiro instructed him to do although his heart was nervously hammering inside his chest in anticipation.

When he was standing unmovingly in front of the doubled door fridge, he came to question what was waiting for him inside its tightly shut steel doors.

Inhaling deeply and keeping his breath trapped in his lungs, he slowly opened the fridge, and his squinted eyes turned wide and round, bawling out in blissful mortification.

What greeted his sight was the refrigerator's insides that are stuffed with his favorite Japanese strawberry mint candies. He closed his gaping mouth and spread the other door of the fridge open, only to discover that both sides were the same.

"Strawberry mint candies . . ." W-Why?

[I'm compensating you for your courtesy from last time.]

". . ."

He has now gone mum at the unbelievable sight before him as his head refuses to process what was happening. Does this man not know how ridiculous that sounded? Compensating him?

He only gave him a piece back then.

This felt so wrong.

"I didn't intend to help you to receive something like this in return—No I wasn't helping you back then, I was comforting you from your horrid mood." Jin fulminates as his heart was overwhelmed by the face-and-rich-slapping-splendor. This is too much.

"And is it even allowed to take these with me?" No, he suspects that. They would eventually pay for the extra expenses if ever he does and though he was tempted to take the entire fridge with them, he can't eat all of these at once without having diabetes next.

[Why not?]

Hiro sounded appalled and startled at his sudden outburst, and if he wasn't mistaken he also sounded a bit hurt.

Jin glances above the coffee table where his untouched red velvet cake resides. He clenches his fist and grits his teeth, his moist and plump lips turning thin.

"I c-can't take these with me."

With the cake on his plate, he already has enough sugar to ingest for today.

[I see.]

A pang of raw guilt pierces his heart upon hearing the sorrowful calmness of his dismayed voice.

"Hiro, why are you going to such lengths?"

[I thought you'll like it, don't you at least?]

"I do. Really," He sincerely said when he sounded like he was about to burst into tears from the other line, "But Hiro there's no way I can eat so many in just a few hours of our stay here, and it'll cost me too much to spend." He adds with utmost understanding as if he's explaining something gently for a child to understand.

[Is that so? Are you worried about the expenditures?]

"Yes, that too."

[Darling, I already paid for it.]

Jin didn't know what made his jaw fall dramatically open to the warm carpeted floor beneath him after hearing his response when he sounded so proud and dignified.

Whether it was his nonchalant confession like it was no big deal or the sweet torturous endearment that made his mind go blank for a few more seconds, he probably looked beyond ridiculed and stupefied if anyone were to see how flushed his face was from both astonishment and surprise.

"Dar . . . ling?" His voice was tiny as his unfocused eyes were dazed at the patterns in the lounge's walls, feeling his soul flying out of his body. D-Did he heard him right?

[. . .]

". . ."

[Say that again.]

"N-No, I'm s-scolding you right now."

[I see. I apologize, please do continue.]

Jin fans his burning cheeks with his hand, flustered as he repetitively walks in circles around the snack bar, trying to keep his cool, "Did you pay for the strawberry mint candies in the f-fridge?" If he did. He can still ask for a refund in his place if it's still possible.

[The entire lounge.]

Sulma . . .

"You did?" he replies in disbelief.

[Is the service not good enough?]

It's not about that!

He's gone mad.

Thinking about how much money he has spent like flowing water. It made him feel sorry for him.

"Just . . . just please tell me ahead before doing things like this in the future."

[Hm? Then it wouldn't be called a surprise, no? Do you not like it?]

He keeps asking him if he liked it in his unusual anxious and quiet voice.

Admitting defeat, a small smile slowly appears on his thinned lips as he scans his eyes around the uncountable number of pink wrapped packs inside the fridge's layers to the different snacks and drinks stocked on the other shelves and freezers. What did he eat to do something like this?

"Thank you, I appreciate it, but I can't let you waste this amount of money over food to feed a small stomach like mine." Wouldn't he be at disadvantage?

Can they wrap everything and take it with them?

[Is it that much?]

"Yes, for me it's too much."

He groans and Jin can feel his frustration over the phone call.

[Alright, but I can't promise you this won't be happening again.]

Jin silently chuckles as he sat on one of the bar stools, "Yeah, I doubt that. You won't like seeing me grumpy." His helpless eyes scan the entire snack bar. There's no way they would be able to bring such an amount of food with them.

[You would look like a sprout whining about your delayed growth.]

Jin choked on his saliva and painfully coughs. That . . . that was a low blow! "Chogi-yo (excuse me), d-did you just insult my height?"

[If it causes you disturbance then no, Jin-ah. I certainly didn't, rather I think it's adorable.]

That's . . . that's the same thing! Aigoo. Jin ends up shaking his head in utmost defeat, there's no use talking things like this with him.

[I don't mind you being grumpy more often. I still like you either way.]

He casually says and he can feel and sense his full-on-the-spot charming smile from the other line.

His subconscious finally passes out with a red face and a sated grin on his lips.

________________

After the pilot gives his brief announcement and safely lands the plane on the airport's empty runway, the main door opens and Jin was immediately escorted out by a nurse and a flight attendant clutching his arms from both sides.

They both supported him from descending down the airstairs and he throws up again after reaching his last step, shoving his face into the third paper bag he was holding between his trembling hands. His depleted fingers continue to shiver from the cold gush of wind that brushed past him.

He was pale, and his eyes and lips were swollen in red tint. He feels vulnerable and he knows he looks pitiful at the moment. He hated it.

His mother worriedly clutched her chest as she was consoled by the airplane's doctor who's positively giving her medical insights about how common motion sickness is to some people, and unfortunately, Jin was one of those hapless beings.

Jin wipes the tears in his eyes with the sleeves of his overgrown sweater. He exhaustingly gives his gratitude to the people who had aided him once again. It was his first time riding conveyances on another level and never had he imagined riding a plane would be this draining and consuming. He feels sick all over.

His tired eyes study his surroundings which he failed to do upon trying his best to stay conscious throughout the terrifying ride. Upon getting the full picture of it, his head starts to spin again, nauseous as he felt he has stepped into a whole new world far from his current status could reach.

Unbeknownst of the running footsteps desperately marching through the airport's entrance doors, he breathes through his mouth and a brief mist comes out from his parted lips that have lost their appealing color.

He can see from where he's standing the tall and abundant glass buildings that reach the skies.

Never had he seen one that stands so magnificent in Hongwon.