A Homecoming

I Like that It Won't Go Away

"So tito, what do you think of setting up an open mic night?"

They were having a sit down dinner one evening - Hyunwoo is sitting at the head of the table, with Haein on his left, Jisoo on his right. Lisa is seated beside Jisoo, with the rest of the staff on their sides. It was Jisoo who opened the topic of the open mic, and Haein was ready to defend the idea to his uncle when he nonchalantly agreed to the idea. "Go ahead, if you think it will help the resort, then I'm all for it."

"Since we're in the topic of work, I think this is the perfect time to tell all of you that I am stepping back from running Angkan."

In sync, Haein and Jisoo looked at Hyunwoo, who was calmly eating his dinner. "Haein and Jisoo will be taking over for me, effective immediately."

Haein spoke first, his voice thick with worry. "Wow, this is huge but.. Tito, why so sudden? Is everything alright?"

The old man smiled kindly, "Always a worrier, you are. I'm just stepping back because I have more capable hands here in front of me. That's all."

"And besides, you and Jisoo can do more together than I ever can. I believe you won't let this place down. You won't let each other down, right?"

Even with his calm demeanor, Haein can't help but something was up, but he just can't put his finger on it. Looking at Jisoo, he saw her looking at Hyunwoo with uncertainty in her eyes. She shifted and their eyes met, locking into each other briefly before Jisoo looked back at the old man who took her in like she's his own flesh and blood. Haein watched as Jisoo clutched his uncle's arm and hugged it tight. "Thank you, Tito." Was all she could say.

After dinner, Haein hung around to wait for Jisoo to finish up in the bar. By 11pm, he started closing up shop, wordlessly helping Jisoo fix the tables and chairs before locking up the place. Grabbing two bottles of beer from the fridge, Haein approached Jisoo and offers her a beer. "One for the road?"

Looking at the bottle, Jisoo smiled and took it. She started walking towards the beach, with Haein trailing not so far behind. Finally, they settled into one of the beach chairs. "Big day today, huh?"

Chuckling, Jisoo took a long swig. "You can never, ever guess his next move. Did you know that when I first came here as a guest almost a two years ago, he immediately took me under his wing. Offered me a job and a place. I probably looked lost before, so he took pity on me."

"Tito Hyunwoo became my family when my own booted me out. And since then I told myself, I'll do anything for this crazy old man."

Haein watched as Jisoo swirled her bottle thoughtfully, still can't fully push her worried face out of his mind. A nagging feeling tells him that he may not be privy to a secret that Jisoo and his own uncle shares, but instead of trying to pry it out of her, he figured, he'll try to be extra patient.

"Same here. At this point, he's the only family I've got."

For a while, Jisoo stayed quiet, her eyes staring into the dark sea. Haein watched and saw how her eyes twinkle as it catches the light from the lamp behind them. He never admitted it to anyone but, he always looked forward to seeing her eyes twinkle - whether because of the rays of the sun reflected in the water as they surf in the morning, or at sunset when he often see her watch as the skies turn from orange, to pink, and finally purple.

Sunsets in Siargao are dazzling to say the least but, it's got nothing compared to Jisoo's eyes.

"I beg to differ."

"I'm sorry?"

Jisoo turned to face Haein, smiling wistfully, "Tito Hyunwoo's not the only family you have, Haein."

"There's.. there's the staff, they all respect you and like you. Then there's Lisa who adores you so much it's annoying sometimes." Chuckling, Jisoo took another long drag from her bottle. Haein watched, short of mesmerized with the way her lips is pouted in thought.

"And you?" He asked, his voice small and hopeful. He's never one to seek for affirmation, never one to look for outside validation. But this, this he feels almost desperate to gain.

"And me." She said, smiling wider. "Come on, Haein. We're partners now. We have this place to run so.. I don't think you can get rid of me now."

"Partners. I like that."

—

"So since we're partners, like you said, then you can tell me what that meeting was all about."

They were walking back to the villas when Haein turned to face Jisoo and started walking backwards, waiting for her response. Laughing, Jisoo shook her head and made a motion of zipping her mouth shut. "I made a promise not to tell anyone."

"Anyone?"
"Absolutely."

"But I'm your partner!"
"You need to find a new excuse, because that is getting old."

Haein playfully pouts at her and shifted to walk properly, this time a little closer to Jisoo. This close, Jisoo catches a whiff of his scent. Haein smells clean, masculine but not obnoxious. Like warm and fresh cotton sheets and pillows you can't resist sinking your face in. If comfort can be bottled into a scent, she is absolutely sure that it will smell like him. At the back of mind, she wanted time to slow down just so she can stay in his presence a little bit more. But soon, they found themselves standing outside her door, much to her dismay.

"Nah, you'll never hear the end of it. You just said that I can't get rid of you." Leaning against her doorframe, he faced her, smiling broadly that his eyes crinkled, "I mean, not that I'm planning to get rid of you, but.. I just like the sound of it."

"Stop trying to charm your way around here—"

"I've been called a lot of things in the past, but this is the first time I've been called charming." Pausing, he looked at her, his smile still in his eyes. Gently, he reached out and held her by her elbow, his grip tender yet firm. Jisoo can feel his thumb making circles on her skin.

Haein stared at her face, seemingly memorizing all her details in this soft, faint light, while he held her arm. Finally he had the courage to touch her. The wait was so worth it.

He told himself he shouldn't hasten this, whatever this is, because he can't afford to be wrong about it.. about her. If only she knew the kind of restraint he endures every single time she's within earshot.

For now, this would do.

"Though in all seriousness, I'm.. comforted by the fact that its you I'm with." Haein smiled, feeling warm inside. He let his hand slide from her elbow, down to her arm, and finally, her hand. He held it gently, feeling it against his fingers. He realized he was holding his breath when he had to take in a deep and long breath.

He leaned closer, cocking his head to the side to look at her.  "You make it easy to trust again, Jisoo."

In response, Jisoo moved her hand so she's holding his instead. She gave his hand a squeeze and smiled at him, despite wanting nothing less than to hold his face in her hands to comfort him and have him closer to her.

But not yet.

"You're safe here, okay? You got us."
"I got you."

Jisoo smiled and nodded, giving his hand another reassuring squeeze. "Can't get rid of me."