Chapter 118: I'll Be Back
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 118: I'll Be Back
Despite the rom-com-like incident right after waking up, we fortunately managed to move past it.
"…Are you sure nothing happened?"
"Who knows. I blacked out, so I don't really remember."
Even when I asked, Meiling's reply left things ambiguous.
I figured I wouldn't get a straight answer no matter how much I prodded, so I decided to give up.
In any case, we tidied up our bedding and then had breakfast.
Unlike the grand feast from last night, the breakfast menu consisted of a small piece of fish, pickled vegetables, white rice, and mushroom miso soup.
A typical Japanese-style breakfast.
We sat facing each other on the terrace, which overlooked the scenery outside, and ate in silence.
Perhaps because we had just woken up, we didn't have the energy to talk.
I shoveled the rice and miso soup into my mouth, and after clearing the empty bowls, I asked Meiling.
"What are you going to do now?"
Meiling answered while sipping her post-meal tea.
"Check-out is at twelve, so I was thinking of going to the hot spring one more time."
True, it would be a waste to come all this way and only soak in the hot spring once.
I should probably go one more time too, just to get my money's worth.
Meanwhile, she leisurely drank her tea, gazing at the view of Mount Fuji.
"It's so beautiful here. It's like time has stopped."
Hearing her words, I turned my head.
Indeed, the fog-laden lake was a perfect expression of nature's grandeur.
Like the stars I saw from the bath last night, it was a sight you could never see in the city.
That must be why this place is such a popular tourist destination.
"You should come again sometime."
Meiling looked at me.
"Will you come with me then, too?"
"If I'm free?"
"Hehe, it's a promise."
Meiling said with a faint smile, not leaving the terrace until her tea had cooled.
*
After one last soak in the hot spring, we began to pack our things to head home.
In truth, there wasn't much to pack, since all we had brought was a single backpack.
We changed into our clothes from yesterday, now freshly laundered, and headed to the counter. The innkeeper I had briefly seen last night and the female employee who had been taking care of us were standing there side by side.
The innkeeper glanced back and forth between Meiling and me, then asked with a smile.
"Did you enjoy your night?"
"Yes, well, for the most part."
I handed over the room key I was holding.
The innkeeper scanned the barcode on the key and informed me of the lodging fee.
"Including the beer you purchased from the store yesterday, the total comes to 53,200 yen."
"…Here you go."
Expensive.
It was great while we were eating and drinking, but when it came time to pay, the price made me reluctant to hand over my card.
It was money I never would have spent if Meiling hadn't promised to pay me back, but still, it was incredibly pricey for a single night's stay.
The innkeeper took my debit card, swiped it through the POS machine, and asked for a signature.
After I signed, he returned the card and receipt with a bright smile.
"Thank you for staying with us."
"Yep."
Bye-bye, my pretty 50,000 yen.
Overcome with emotion, I tilted my head up slightly and put the card back in my wallet.
"Let's go."
Meiling gave a slight bow to the innkeeper and the employee, then quietly followed behind me.
It was really time to go home.
*
We kept the fact that we had spent the night out together a secret from my parents.
Part of it was my concern that my mother, Lee Mi-ja, would misunderstand and think her son was living a promiscuous life, but mostly, it just seemed like there was no need to stir up trouble.
Meiling and I had gotten our stories straight before going home. I had slept over at a friend's house, and she had met up with an acquaintance.
Anyway, a day passed like that—
"Meiling! It's here!"
On the fifth day of Meiling's stay at our house, the credit card we had been waiting for finally arrived.
Meiling, who had been helping out at my parents' shop and acting as its poster girl, had a strange expression on her face when she saw the letter I brought.
"What's wrong? You don't look very happy."
Taking the letter I held out, Meiling gave a bitter smile.
"I am happy, it's just… once I have this, I won't have a reason to be here anymore."
Ah…
It only then dawned on me.
Now that her lost card had been reissued, she no longer needed to stay at our house.
My parents, who must have heard my voice from the kitchen, poked their heads out.
"That's great, miss."
"What a relief. Now you can go home."
"Sir, Ma'am…"
Meiling looked at my parents with teary eyes before pressing her lips together and bowing deeply.
"Thank you so much for feeding me and giving me a place to stay. I will never forget this kindness, even after I return to my country."
My mother waved her hand dismissively.
"Oh, please, all we did was cook you some meals. Don't make such a fuss."
"No, if it weren't for you two, I might have starved to death on the streets. The thought is unbearable. To me, you are both my saviors."
After saying so with a cupped-hand salute, Meiling lifted her head and turned to me.
"Kim Yoo-Sung, I owe you an unrepayable debt as well. …Thank you for everything."
She spoke in a formal tone, but ended with a soft smile before announcing she would pack her things and heading upstairs.
My mother, who had been watching from the side, nudged me in the back and told me to see her off to the airport myself.
After all, we had lived like family for the past few days.
I agreed and waited for her at the entrance of the shop on the first floor.
About ten minutes later, Meiling came down with the same luggage carrier she had on her first day.
Looking at her now, it felt like we had been together for a very long time, even though it had only been a few days.
We hailed a passing taxi and headed for Tokyo International Airport.
As the taxi started moving, Meiling gazed out at our neighborhood, where she had stayed for the past few days.
It was as if she was trying to commit every last detail to memory.
After a long drive, the taxi arrived at the airport.
I got out with her suitcase, and Meiling thanked me.
"Ah, I need to pay you back the money I borrowed."
As if she had just remembered, she immediately headed for a bank inside the airport.
She exchanged a few words with the teller at the counter, then handed over her card to withdraw some cash.
After purchasing a plane ticket on the spot, she came over and held out an envelope of money to me.
"Besides the 50,000 yen I borrowed, I've included plenty for your room and board."
I peeked inside the envelope.
There were twenty green bills inside.
"Isn't this too much?"
Meiling shook her head.
"If it were up to me, I'd give you more, but I thought you might feel burdened, so I kept it modest. It's from my heart, so please make sure they get it."
"…Alright."
I couldn't refuse when she put it like that, so I tucked the envelope into my jacket.
"When is the flight to China?"
"It's in an hour."
"That soon?"
"It seems there was one business class seat left. I bought that one."
She would have to get in line now if she wanted to get through the departure procedures in time.
I was flustered by our unexpectedly sudden farewell, but I quickly decided to act composed.
"It's not like we're parting forever, so there's no need to be too sad, right?"
Meiling smiled and nodded.
"I've memorized your address. The next time I come to Japan, I'll visit you first."
"That's a relief, then."
Since I had nothing but time, I decided to stay with her until the very end.
The line in front of us slowly shortened, and soon it was Meiling's turn.
She placed her suitcase on the conveyor belt and went through the security check.
As I watched from the side, I realized the time to part had finally come when she approached me with her luggage.
"Well, I should get going."
"Okay. I hope you have a safe trip back."
I said, holding out my right hand.
Meiling stared at my outstretched hand for a moment before extending her own and accepting the handshake.
We shook hands up and down a couple of times, but just as I was about to let go, Meiling, for some reason, didn't release my hand.
"Meiling? What's wrong?"
Instead of answering my question, Meiling did something completely different.
She suddenly pulled my arm toward her.
As I was unexpectedly drawn forward, she stood on her tiptoes.
Peck—
"……."
It was an unexpected kiss.
The contact was brief, but it left a very strong impression.
Only then did Meiling let go of my hand, laughing breezily.
"First kiss?"
I answered in a daze.
"Yes."
"The other things seemed difficult, so I'll take this at least."
With those words, she ran off beyond the gate.
"Well then! See you next time!"