A Homecoming

Take My Hand if You can Take Me as I Am

One morning, Jisoo noticed that Haein didn't show up for surf, or breakfast. As much as she wanted not to worry, or worst, overreact, she couldn't help but toe the line. Lisa, as usual, tried to be of help in easing her mind. "Look, maybe he just overslept. Or he went somewhere with Tito Hyunwoo, coz look, the old man's nowhere as well."

Shrugging off her worry, Jisoo carried on working on the restaurant, while keeping a steady eye on Haein's villa.

Soon, the lunch rush came and forced Jisoo's attention away from her worries. It was the tail end of the summer season that's why lunch hour usually extends until 3 PM and is always highly hectic. But she knew the restaurant like the back of her hand. No amount of crowd could ever faze her, and no customer is too irate for her charms.

Jisoo didn't always feel at home with her job. Before, the pressure was immeasurable, almost too strong that it threatened to consume her more than once. She grew up wanting nothing but to achieve that kind of prestige, but when you're a kid no one tells you how hard it is, how lonely it can be when you get to the top. In the end, she hated the thing she worked all her life for.

And that's how she ended up on the island. That is how she ended up working in Angkan. In Angkan, she found something she can be proud of.

"Hate to be a cliche but, a penny for your thoughts?"

She turned and found Haein settling in one of the bar stools in front of her. The lunch hour has finally died down and only a handful of diners are left so Jisoo was back behind the bar, manning the smoothie corner. "Hey there! Do you want anything? Have you eaten?"

Shaking his head, he took a piece of table napkin, folded it, and used it to wipe a sheen of sweat on his forehead. "I'm good. I was with Tito the whole morning."

"Oh, that's why."

"Why? Were you looking for me?" he teased. "Just kidding. We had a long talk about expanding Angkan. Seeing how people are just pouring in the island, I told him it's the right time to start capitalizing on our property in Pilar."

"I heard about that land. It's near Pungko, right?"

"The rock pools? Yes. It's beside it."

"I love the rock pools. Have you been there lately?"

"I think I could use a beer please." He smiled politely, catching Jisoo off guard. "And no, I haven't been there since I was a kid. But I guess I'll have to check it out now since Tito wants me to start building asap."

Try as he might, Haein couldn't keep the excited smile off of his face. The prospect of doing something he loves again after almost quitting on it feels like getting a steady grip back on his lifeline. Finally, he can build something again, and this time, it was all him. In a place he now calls his home.

"You do deserve a beer," Jisoo said, setting a bottle in front of him. For the first time in quite a long while, she's never seen him this elated. "You look excited! Do you have plans already?"

"Well," he started, getting the bottle and taking a long drink from it. Jisoo wasn't thirsty and all but, her throat suddenly seized up. "I do have a couple of ideas but, I have to see the land first." He paused, drinking from the bottle again, "Do you have time? Maybe later? Let's drive over there."

"Sure, and the sunset looks awesome in that area. You might want to see it, maybe it can play with your design or something."

"I'll take your word for it."

—

About half an hour later, Haein is walking out of the resort on the way to where he was supposed to meet Jisoo. Behind him, he could hear a motorcycle ambling its way through slowly. He stepped aside to let it pass, thinking it was one of the staff on their way home after their shift. Instead, it stopped next to him. "There you are. Here, take this."