So Far Away | Min Yoongi

18.2

It was around 8:45 when we got to the aquarium. As we all get out of the bus, we were all handed a ticket which we presented at the entrance. Yoongi continued to walk beside me, but I guess it's because his friends weren't here.

And since Yuri isn't here as well, it kind of works out.

Quite surprisingly, the students were in order. There was a huge line up in the entrance, and since we're going down this huge spiral stairs, it was taking quite some time to move 200 junior and senior students at the same time.

Because Yoongi and I sat at the farthest back of the bus, we were the last ones in line. We both remained silent until we finally made it downstairs, entering the underwater tunnel.

I couldn't believe my eyes. It's like i'm under the ocean. It's like i'm inside a transparent tube that allows me to see what anyone couldn't see above the water.

It's breathtaking.

Hundred different types and colors of fishes are swimming freely above the rainbow-like coral reefs. The water gave out a light blue color as it reflects inside where we are all standing, making it have such a calming effect.

"Wow." I say as I saw a school of fish sticking together as they swam all around. I tilt my head up and follow them.

"Look." Yoongi points out to two heart shaped fishes. "It looks stupid."

"What do you mean?" I pout as I ask, walking towards it. I tap the glass gently where the fishes were, startling them a little. "They're so cute."

The two fishes touched their mouths together and swam around and around, it's almost like they're performing a dance.

"Aw." I say, smiling at the cuteness. "They like each other."

The surrounding suddenly quiets down, and that's when I realized that all of the students beside us already made a turn at the end of the path. We were so focused at these two love fishes that we didn't notice.

How stupid.

"Let's go." I say. "I think they already went out to see the other creatures."

"Oh." He says, realizing that everyone's gone. "Yeah."

We began walking, but Yoongi is still in a trance, looking at the fishes swimming around us. He's walking slower than usual, but I think it's because of the mood that this whole scenery has created.

"How would you know if you like something?" He suddenly blurts out, his eyes still glued to the fishes.

"Um," I begin, even though I was bit surprised by his question. "When you like someone, you feel your heart beating faster. You feel it thumping against your chest."

"Beating faster, huh." He says as he nods. "I want... to feel it."

"Me too." I admitted as we continue to walk, finally turning where the stairs are. "I want to feel it too."

We went upstairs, the sun hitting both of our skin. For some reason, the wind in Busan is much more fresh, and it really does smell like the sea just like what people says.

We soon saw our classmates looking at some ducks on the pond, some of them stopping by, but mostly not caring and moving forward back inside the aquarium to see the sharks. As Yoongi and I pass by the ducks, he stops for a moment.

"I want to eat a duck now."

"You seriously want to eat a duck after seeing that?" I looked at the duck on the man made pond, paddling its feet smoothly.

"I'm a surrealist, remember?" He says with a shrug.

Sigh, what am I going to do with this person. Has he been always this emotionless? No affection at all?

When we head back into the underwater tunnel, different types of sharks welcomed us. There's one that looks like the one from the foreign movie called 'Jaws', the one that looks like a hammer, and a lot more.

After that, we headed to where the starfishes, turtles and sting rays are. There was a section where most of the students gathered. Yoongi and I managed to squeeze in, and it's a shallow aquarium where you can freely touch sting rays' backs.

"Please be gentle." The woman who works there reminds us.

I dipped my finger into the water, and the first sting ray comes swimming my way. I touch it, and as it swam, my fingers glide smoothly. It felt wet, slimy and smooth at the same time.

"Oh, another one." I say as another stingray approaches. Yoongi watches me, but is not doing it. "Come on, try it."

He dips his finger but the sting ray already swam away. He pulls back his hand and shakes off the excess water. "It's dumb, they don't like me."

"Nonsense." I say as I see one the smaller stingrays coming towards us. "Hurry, it's coming."

Yoongi dips his fingers, just right in time as the stingray passes by. But because of its small back, our fingers touched. The stingray already left, but both of our fingers are still on the water. I look at him at the same time he looks at me.

"Ah, let's move on." He quickly says, withdrawing his hand from the water.

He walks away and joins the other students, leaving me alone for a bit. And I wondered to myself,

Why did I froze when our fingers touched? It's just... someone else's hand.

I shake my head as I shake the thought, rushing to follow Yoongi.

The rest of the trip was amazing. In fact, it's like I have seen every type of creature you can ever imagine that exists under water. As our trip ended, we all were gathered at the souvenir shop. It's where the exit is, and it's quite strategic since you have to pass by it in able to leave.

The shop has a lot of cute items. From mugs to pens, to t-shirts and caps, from snow globes that they call ocean globes, and they even have jewelries. But what I liked the most is the plushy section. There are a lot of stuffed animals, ranging from whales to fishes, and they're all so fluffy.

I poke one of the stuffed beluga whales and it felt so squishy and soft. Yoongi roams his eyes around.

"Follow me." He says, and I followed him right away. He went to one of the claw machines on the side of the shop, where no one is actually using it. Inside were various plushies, all shaped into sea creatures.

"That one's so cute." I pointed at the pink and white heart shaped fish against the glass. Yoongi inserts a coin into the machine and starts moving the claw, targeting the plushy I pointed at.

He presses the red button and the claw starts to fall down slowly, then securely landing on the heart shaped fish plushy.

"Oh my gosh, you did it!" I exclaim as the claw lifts it up, and brings it into the box. He bends down and takes the small plushy, and hands it to me.

"That's for the lunch box you made me." He says, the plushy still on his hand.

I smile at him and take it, a little touched by his words. "Thank you."

"Alright, everyone, back in the bus!" The teacher calls, and we follow them out. Everyone makes their way out of the shop, and walks towards our buses.

I smile to myself as I clutch the plushy against my chest with both of my hands, promising myself that I will never ever get rid of it.