Moonlight + Paradise (18+)

12. The oceans between Us

Her hand can't seem to stop fidgeting with the side buttons of her brand new phone - anxiously waiting for something to happen. The light kept disappearing when she found her Home screen all the same. There is still nothing from Guk. She throws her gaze out to the view outside.

The stars are out tonight, shining in dots - more than they did last night. And the glitters on the ocean calls even more. It feels nostalgic, even though it's only been a day without him. She thought she'll be fine with it but staring at the sea in its beautiful lightness and darkness altogether makes her wonder...how far do I have to swim to get to where he is?

He said he'd call after the meeting...is it a long meeting? How long more? That call was 7 hours ago...is he always in such a long meeting?

"Ji-Hu?" Her small voice can't be helped. 

First of all, this guy always makes her feel a little nervous. He never says much to Lisa - only short sentences to nudge her forward in all those months of escorting her to the private room. He didn't answer but from the rearview mirror, his eyes darted onto her. And he never smiles. 

"Is um..." Can I even ask this? "Have you um...maybe...have you heard from Guk?" She hides her shyness by staring down to the dark screen of her phone. 

"Yes." 

Yes? Hmph - of course he has time for Ji-Hu and not for me! To think that I was so nervous to bid farewell to everyone in time just so I won't upset him! He didn't even call when he said he would but he has time to call Ji-Hu! He never keeps his promise!

"He's still in the meeting as of fifteen minutes ago."

Oh? "His meetings...are they always long?"

"It depends. This one in particular is with his father and brothers. I would expect sir to be long."

Lisa nods even though there aren't much particulars for her to understand. The 'meeting' in her mind was more like a gathering, where food and drinks are served and Guk will talk around and about. 

"I guess I don't have to worry if he's eaten anything...but really, how long can they sit around and talk? He said it's a business trip but...are there a lot of business things to talk about?" She huffs and rants.

Now she realised that she doesn't know much about the real work outside. Or more specifically, Guk's work. All she knew was the dancing...and the businesses she had seen around the harbour. The restaurants are small but she deemed them in perfect size for the number of people she had seen around. There's a market where she and Somi would drop by sometimes too, but she hardly found the staff being in a meeting. 

The clients that she had seen coming and leaving together at Paradise...those are the ones who seemed to have had 'meetings'. They come and meet, they drink and laugh...then they leave once the meeting is over. She wonders why Guk has never had any meetings at Paradise. She has never seen him meeting anyone there, just herself. If he has them here, I can see him more often. After all, he owns it. Is Paradise not a good enough place for his meetings?

"Ji-Hu," Lisa calls again...incidentally. "Sorry I'm talking too much." She laughs nervously but he's still silent, eyes fixed on the road. "You um...you've known him for a long time, right?" When it doesn't seem like the guy will answer, she continues with, "I'm just wondering if...if Guk has any friends...outside of Tsusima maybe?"

Still nothing.

"He must have a lot of friends. People like him. He's good at talking to me...I think he's good at talking to everyone. But he's always alone when he came to Paradise -"