14 Days of Winter: A Journal by Kim Hajoon

Day Two: Tea Time

KIM HAJOON'S JOURNAL ENTRY
MON, DEC 14TH, 2020. 08.32 AM GMT.
The Savoy. Junior Suite. Living Room.

Alright. This is awkward.

I woke up at around 7, feeling my body aching from head to toe. Probably it was the long flight, probably it was the confusion from last night.

When I walked out of my room, I found Minjeong already sitting on the sofa in the living room, staring outside the window silently, looking sorrowful. I said good morning to her, and she replied passingly.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked.
"I couldn't really sleep," she replied slowly.

Yeah. I guess I wouldn't sleep well if I was stuck with a random guy and had to sleep in the same room with him. Separate bedrooms or not, Savoy or no Savoy. Same.

Breakfast was already around (Soft boiled egg, toast, butter, bacon, and a selection of jams... Not bad), but I noticed that she wasn't eating them.

I... Tried to be courteous to her and asked her if she wanted tea or coffee. She didn't reply initially. She kept staring outside the window. I thought she didn't hear me, so I asked her again.

"Mianhaeyo, Hajoon-ssi. I heard you the first time," she replied. "... Coffee please. Kamsahamnida."

I guess she's still sad and angry over this mishap. Understandable, really. I would do the same if I were her.

I made us coffee, and I invited her to have breakfast with me. Again, she initially didn't reply, but a second later she stood from the sofa and joined me at the dining table, thanking me.

I felt awkward eating in silence like that, so I tried making small talk (Please define 'small talk' for me), but she was clearly not in the mood for it, so I stopped. (Stupid Hajoon).

She kept texting someone on her phone, and after breakfast I tried calling the front desk again, wanting to make Minjeong feel a little better. She asked if I mind her listening from the other telephone set, and I said I didn't (Of course I didn't).

You know what sucks, Journal-nim? The front desk apologized for the mix up, but then said that the hotel was completely full, and there's no other room available for either of us to move.

But I'm not someone who easily gives up, am I? I pressed the front desk and asked them if there's anything they could do, but the person only apologized again and said that they'll let us know if a room is available. What a load of crap.

Minjeong was clearly disappointed–as expected–but she didn't say anything. She merely sighed and shook her head, before busying herself with her phone again, calling a few people (she called one 'Oppa', then the other 'Unnie', and her tone was increasingly agitated), but apparently they couldn't help her either.

So... What did I do? I called Ernest. His dad works at the Singaporean embassy in London, so... Maybe he can help? Ernest–being Ernest–earnestly told me (pun intended) that he'll try contacting his dad, but he said I shouldn't get my hopes up. Fuck.

That's our current state. It's seriously messed up, if I'm being honest. I'm writing this in the living room. Minjeong went into her room earlier, and I heard her group calling her three friends again... What are their names?

Ah yes. Karina, Giselle, and Ningning. Kekeke... What a strange name.

You know, Journal-nim... I thought this was going to be fun. If you'd asked me at the airport last night when I saw Minjeong for the first time, I wouldn't refuse a chance to have her as a roommate for ten days. But now... With her being extra silent like that... Gosh. These 10 days are going to be awkward to say the least.