High on You (Choi Do Il x Oh In Joo - Little Women 작은 아씨들)

9

28 DAYS UNTIL THE GRAND GALA BALL

After a 16-hour flight and almost as many hours getting ready to leave the houses, preparing the cars, getting to the airport, and going through all check-ins and check-outs, Do-il and Ahn So-young landed in Seoul. Incheon International Airport was huge, but Do-il probably knew it better than most people there, since he had flown a lot back in the days. Hardly anything had changed since he'd been there the last time.
Are you really not coming?
Those had been his words to In-joo, and her answer had stung him, if only just a little.
What am I going to do in Greece anyway?
It was precisely because of those words that, when he turned around to see her one last time, he hadn't dared touch her or even just get closer. After some time, he had guessed that he could have said something else, something perhaps more direct regarding how he was feeling at the time, but he had thought about it, and it didn't seem fair to leave her like that after revealing – not his feelings, but at least some of the thoughts that had been haunting him for weeks.
"Omma, stay close. This place is a labyrinth," Do-il said, putting a hand on his mother's shoulder and taking both her luggage and backpack. They had taken their essentials with them and figured that if they truly intended to stay there again for good, they could have the rest of their belongings shipped to Seoul.
The pair made their way out of the airport and motioned for a nearby taxi driver to get closer to the sidewalk where they had stopped with their suitcases. The man helped him load the car, and then they all got inside the vehicle.
"Good evening, ma'am, sir. Where are you headed?"
"Gilded hotel, please."

***

She knew he knew she knew something was bothering him. Since he stepped off the plane, something in her son had shifted. He would take longer steps, eager to leave the airport behind him. He was ruffling his hair non-stop, which was really unlike him, and the timbre of his voice had become even lower than normal, as if he wanted it to disappear among the background noise of the city. She was already sitting inside the taxi when Do-il opened the other passenger's door and climbed in. She watched his every movement, and just by observing his eyes, she could tell what he was feeling at that exact moment. He was afraid.

***

Do-il had no idea what he'd do if he were to meet In-joo again. Would he walk by without acknowledging her? Would he have enough nerve to go up to her and say hi? Would she even remember him, honestly? Five years was a long time and more than enough to start a new life. With someone else. He had thought a lot about this, and yet, no matter how he put it, his stomach clenched every single time he dared think of that possibility. He was delusional, and he was well aware of it.
To top it all off, his shirt was soaked in sweat due to the high humidity surrounding the city, and his tie was threatening to choke him. He couldn't wait to get inside his room, take everything off, and get into a freshly laundered sweatsuit.
His thoughts kept him occupied long enough for them to reach the hotel in what felt like no time, although almost an hour had passed. He had felt his mom staring at him the whole time. She usually read him quite well, so he had no doubts she knew something, or someone, was on his mind.
"Here we are. Gilded hotel right in front of us," announced the driver, slowly stopping into the taxi-reserved area of the hotel. Choi Do-il took out his wallet, paid the driver more than what was actually needed, and grabbed all the suitcases by himself while being subtly insulted by the middle-aged man, who couldn't fathom the idea of a client unloading his taxi on their own. Do-il had seen how the man had gripped his left thigh while helping him at the airport, and he wasn't about to make him suffer any more than necessary.
"Thank you. Keep the change, please." The man opened his mouth but didn't object. They said their goodbyes, and the taxi left them. "Let's go," he said to his mom. They climbed a couple of stairs, and instantly they were seen by two concierges, who rushed to their side to help Do-il with their luggage. He let them take most of them but insisted on keeping at least the bags and his mom's backpack.
"Are you feeling okay, Omma? Headache?" he asked once inside the hall of the hotel. His mom beamed at him, "I'm fine, sweetheart. I just need some good rest. The last two days have been hectic."
They got closer to the reception and were welcomed by a big guy with very short black hair and small eyes.
"Can I help you?"
"I booked two rooms here. Choi Do-il and Ahn So-young," he said at man while handing out his ID.
"Choi and Ahn... Ah, yes, here they are. Let me grab the keys, I'll take you upstairs and show you around."
The receptionist turned around, looking for the keys in the smallest key hanger, which contained just those that opened the suites. The man took the two keys and rushed out from behind the hall counter.
"Your rooms are both on level 15, but the only two available were on opposite sides, I hope you don't mind that."
He looked at his mom. It was not ideal if she'd ever need help, but Do-il guessed that as soon as one of the other customers went away, he could book a closer room and proceeded to tell the receptionist, who said he'd make sure to check everything and book it right away.
"The lady's room is right here, here's your key," he said after opening the front door. "Your suitcases are already inside. If you need anything, call this number and ask. We'll make sure your stay at Gilded hotel is comfortable." So-young took the key, turned to her son, squeezed his hand, and made to go inside.
"Rest well," Do-il told her as the door closed behind her.
"Shall we?" the receptionist gestured with his hand to go on, "your room is on the opposite side of the rim. Gilded hotel was built as an oval divided by a main wall, so you can just cross the wall here, and this," the man said, while showing him around, "is the part of the hotel where your room is. The last room on the right." He nodded for Do-il to follow him. They approached a bone-white door, and the receptionist opened the door.
"We chose a room with a more masculine tone to it for you, sir. We hope you like it. The layout is the same as that of your mother: open living room with a Jacuzzi right there," he pointed at the left corner of the room, which was tiled as a wet room would be tiled, "and your bedroom is on the right, with a connected en-suite." Do-il nodded his head in thanks, and after being given the same number as his mother, he closed the door, locked it, and started undressing. He was starting to question his own sanity – why would he ever face a 16-hour flight in a suit? At least his shoes were already off, and his feet touched the cold, black marble floor. He took off his jacket, hanging it at the back of an armchair, and slackened the tie that had been choking him all day. He desperately needed a drink, so he walked to the liquor cabinet he saw right beside the couch, as if it were a part of it. He opened it, poured himself a little glass of ice-cold bourbon, and drank it like his life depended upon it.
Do-il was restless, though. He let himself fall on the couch, but painful memories came back.
You're in love with Oh In-joo, right?
He needed a shower.

***

He didn't even dryhis hair. He put on the light cotton sweatsuit he had dreamed of, hoodie on,key at hand, and he ran out of Gilded hotel, ready to be one again with Seoul.