Dreaming /#FebruaryJamFestival/

13. You had nothing on paper. It was all in your mind

"I'm embarrassed that I haven't done this yet," Jin admitted. 

The views from the first lookout along the path up to Namsan tower were terrific. The morning fog had burned off, revealing a beautiful view of Seoul. Kwang had insisted they stop here and rest for a while, he hadn't said anything, but Jin knew he was worried about her heart. Luckily, stairclimbing was one of her favorite exercises, so while she was tired, she wasn't straining yet.

"Well, it's not much fun to do this alone, and Nila doesn't strike me as much of a hiker." Kwang handed Jin one of the waters from his new backpack.

"No, she has gone for a walk with me along the river, but hills are not her thing," Jin answered and took a healthy gulp of water. They had refilled the reusable bottles at one of the water stations, and the water had a metallic tang to it. Water was water, though, and she knew that hydration was vital. Every runner knew that.

"Do you have any other friends in Seoul?"

"Not really. I haven't had time. I have some family in Yeoju, but we aren't close. The cousins I know all live in Busan. My aunt married a man from there."

"It is a beautiful city, especially the beaches," Kwang offered.

"Yes, it's a perfect city for a California girl," Jin teased. "I've always lived near the ocean."

"Well, the ocean is never that far away in Korea." Kwang stowed his water away and admired the view. "I could take you to one on another day. They are only about thirty minutes away."

"It might be a bit cold still for a beach trip," Jin answered. In another month or two, the temperatures would begin to drop, but the weather was perfect for hiking in early October. It was autumn in Seoul, one of the most beautiful times.

"Okay, we can go to Jeju if you'd rather. I do have a friend living there."

"Really?" Jin turned to Kwang. "I'd love to go to Jeju! I've never been there."

"Sure, let me check with Joon, and I can see when my schedule will allow a trip," Kwang answered and began pulling out his phone.

"Don't bother. I'll have Nila coordinate with Joon. They will do a better job than us."

"True," Kwang agreed. Before he put his phone away, he put his arm around Jin and lifted it in front of them. "Say cheese!"

"Cheese," Jin obeyed, and Kwang snapped a selfie. "One more!" Kwang nodded, and just as he pressed for the photo, Jin kissed his cheek. "You have to send me those!"

"I'll do it right now," Kwang promised. "Oh, I accidentally sent it to you and Nila. I forgot we had a group text."

"That's fine. Nila is discrete."

"We should probably get going if we want to see the view from the top before lunch," Kwang prompted. It wasn't a long hike, but they had a late start because he had wanted to buy the backpack and water bottles before they left. Well, in reality, that had been the second delay. The first had been when Jin decided they needed to make love before room service arrived with breakfast. They didn't have a chance to shower and change until after eating. So it was mid to late morning before they even set out from the hotel.

"Wow, that is a lot of locks!" Jin exclaimed as they made it to the observation deck near the tower.

"I think they have these in other cities," Kwang observed but also scanned the area with bemused interest. "But yes, there are a lot of locks."

"They have lock trees!" Jin pulled Kwang over to look at the trees covered with locks and then down at the bench in front of it. "Well, this is impractical."