Chapter 22: Bus Trip
Chapter 22: Bus Trip
Playing games kept reminding me of my college days, a time when I never got to enjoy my youth.
My promising early twenties.
A tough time when I had to work just to get by, on top of studying.
“Myeong-woo. We really made it.”
“Yeah, we did.”
I lived under the weight of an uncertain future; I never imagined things would turn out this well.
Outside the window, the Palo Alto scenery unfolded.
They weren’t in sight, but world-class IT companies were somewhere nearby.
Developers and researchers who dreamed of changing the future with their own hands work in this area.
Oh Myeong-woo said.
“So, are you going to buy a yacht?”
“Why a yacht?”
“If you’re rich, you’ve got to have a yacht.”
“You think so?”
We drove to a nearby harbor.
I’d only been thinking of the massive yachts you see on the news, worth hundreds of millions.
There were a great many pretty boats with small sails and motors docked there.
Yachts about 18 meters long.
They had a bedroom inside and a table on deck where about ten people could sit and have a beer.
The price of a yacht like the ones on those TV fishing shows was under two million dollars.
“It looks fun, but Myeong-woo, you need a license to pilot a yacht.”
“Ugh. What a hassle. How often would we even use it? Let’s go back.”
“You’re right.”
Just seeing the ocean was enough for us.
When I got home and looked up buying a yacht online, I read that it brings you joy twice.
You feel good when you buy it, and even better when you sell it. So I decided not to get into it in the first place.
* * *
I had four days left until the end of my sabbatical.
Before, holidays always seemed to fly by in an instant.
This time, even though the two weeks passed quickly, they were packed with meaningful experiences.
I had already booked my flight back to Korea, and though I wanted to fly first class again…
‘I’m starting to like life in America.’
Thanks to Oh Myeong-woo, I’d met a lot of people in San Francisco.
Google employees and startup founders.
We weren’t close, but seeing how hard they worked was quite motivating.
There was so much more I wanted to learn and experience.
‘Going back to being a salesman after experiencing this wide world.’
When I was working at the company, I thought that was my whole life.
I had no idea what I’d do if I left, but once I was out, I found a way to live.
Considering the time difference, I made the call at 10 PM in San Francisco. It was 2 PM in Korea.
A relaxing time, just after lunch.
He might have been relaxing on the rooftop with a coffee.
“Team Leader An. Have you been well?”
“Yeah. Assistant Manager Kim. Are you enjoying your vacation?”
“Yes. I’m sorry for calling so suddenly. I think a lot has happened to me over the past few months.”
“Phhht. You can say that again. Thanks to you, Assistant Manager Kim, I made a lot of money.”
Team Leader An said he sold his Ripple as soon as he heard I was selling.
Thanks to investing his emergency funds, he’d earned enough to never have to worry about paying for drinks for the rest of his life.
“With the money I got from selling Ripple, I plan to buy a bunch of camping gear I’ve had my eye on.”
“That’s great.”
“I should go fishing, too. As for golf… hmm. Maybe I’ll get a new set of clubs.”
To me, Team Leader An was more than just my boss; he was a mature adult.
Someone who taught me a lot about professional life, not just part-time jobs.
I’d made my decision, but I hesitated, unsure of how to bring it up.
“I’m only saying this because no one else is around. And based on the feeling I get from this call… I’ll just ask. Are you planning to keep working at the company?”
“Huh?”
“When people make a lot of money from crypto, they usually quit.”
“Is this because of that post about someone quitting after making four billion won?”
A post about an employee who resigned after making four billion won from crypto had gone viral online.
Of course, I’d read it. In my case, I don’t think four billion won would have been enough for me to resign.
Unless you make a truly life-changing amount, it's better to keep your job.
“Assistant Manager Kim, you saw it too? Hehehe. It’s funny, but that’s the cold reality for office workers. Company life varies by industry, but our work isn’t really related to technical skills or self-development. And our salaries aren’t going to increase by much here anyway.”
“That’s true.”
“You probably don’t need the monthly salary anymore, Assistant Manager Kim. If you’re staying just because you’ve gotten close to people at work, including me…”
“If that’s the case?”
“I want to tell you to live your own life. You’re still young. It’s a time when you can learn and experience new things, as long as you’re willing to work for it.”
Team Leader An was truly a helpful and mature person.
“Thank you, Team Leader.”
“If you’re thankful, treat me to some beef later.”
“Yes. I’ll take the whole team to the best restaurant in Gangnam.”
“Hehe. I wasn’t expecting that much, but I’d be grateful if you did.”
Over the phone with Team Leader An, I decided to resign.
I would use all fifteen of my vacation days for this year consecutively, then return to the company. I decided to spend two months handing over my duties to the team members.
I probably wouldn’t get another office job in this industry, but I wanted to end things on good terms with the company that had been a great help to me when I was struggling.
It wouldn’t be bad to see my colleagues, whom I’d grown fond of.
“I’ll see you at the office later. I’ll bring you a gift when I come back to Korea.”
“Really? You promised.”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
* * *
My free time had suddenly expanded until my return to work.
With fifteen vacation days, plus Saturdays, Sundays, and the Lunar New Year holiday, I now had a whole month.
“Myeong-woo. I think I’m going to…”
“Huh? You’re finally going to buy that useless yacht?”
“No, not that. I was thinking of traveling around the U.S. for a bit.”
I thought it would be a good idea to spend a month exploring the United States.
I realized it while watching Oh Myeong-woo—more experiences help a person grow.
These days, even middle and high school students study abroad for a year.
At thirty-one, I had belatedly decided to travel around America.
“Really? Sounds fun. But I have a favor to ask.”
“Huh? You need to borrow money?”
“No. I was wondering if I could borrow your car while you’re traveling. I want to go on some dates with Layla.”
Oh Myeong-woo was desperate to continue his connection with Layla, with whom he commuted.
But I was hesitant to drive through the American heartland and unfamiliar cities. Besides, I kind of wanted to try walking or using public transport like buses and trains.
* * *
I decided to take a bus from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
A flight would take an hour and a half, but the bus ride was a six-hour journey.
“Have a good trip.”
“Yeah. See you later.”
“Don’t die. See you when you get back alive.”
“Yeah. You too.”
I said my goodbyes to Layla and Oh Myeong-woo and got on the bus.
There was one more person next to me.
Layla’s younger sister, Ellie, had decided to join me on the trip.
She’d heard about my backpacking trip using public transport, said it sounded appealing, and asked to tag along. When Layla asked me too, it was hard to refuse.
‘Is she really okay with traveling alone with a guy?’
I’m still not used to American culture.
It also occurred to me that maybe she didn’t see me as a man at all.
* * *
Kim Shin and Ellie left on the bus.
“I wish I could take a vacation and travel, too.”
Oh Myeong-woo let out a deep sigh.
Despite living in America, he himself had never traveled outside of San Francisco.
“We should go on a trip later, too.”
“Really, Layla?”
The two had grown close quickly after Kim Shin started carpooling with them.
‘Thanks, my friend.’
Walking back to the apartment with Layla, Oh Myeong-woo asked.
There was something he just couldn’t understand.
“But your sister, Ellie, is going on a trip alone with a man she barely knows. Aren’t you worried?”
“Am I worried?”
“It’s not just because he’s my friend, but he’s definitely not a bad guy. And he’s a pretty reserved fellow.”
American culture is known for being open.
That’s what Kim Shin thought, but he only knew part of the story.
Sexual openness differed between the West and East Coasts, and some middle-class white families were conservative enough to still believe in premarital chastity.
“Ellie said something about your friend.”
“What did she say?”
“That he’s a listener. Someone who’s good at listening.”
“Ah…”
Oh Myeong-woo wondered if his friend Kim Shin really had that quality.
‘I don’t know. Most guys would listen well if a beautiful woman was talking, wouldn’t they?’
Layla smiled and said.
“Ellie has always known how to spot a good person, ever since she was little. And she’s good at sports.”
“What kind of sports is she good at?”
“She did boxing and Taekwondo for about four years. She even brought pepper spray and a taser for self-defense, so I doubt anyone could mess with her.”
“…”
Oh Myeong-woo trusted his friend, Kim Shin. But as a man himself, it was true he felt a sliver of anxiety.
What if he gets some strange ideas in the middle of the night?
‘Stay alive, my friend.’
* * *
After a six-hour bus ride, we arrived in Los Angeles.
It was a rather long bus trip, but considering the size of the United States, it was a short distance.
“Ellie, have you ever been to Los Angeles?”
“This is my first time.”
On the first day, we visited the Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center with its art exhibits, and Santa Monica Beach.
Our lodging was a hostel for travelers.
It was a room with three bunk beds, and we could stay for twenty-five dollars per person.
There were three other women in their twenties there, and they chatted and got along with Ellie.
“I definitely want to go to Europe.”
“You’re from New York? Are you a college student?”
“I’m really interested in traveling to Asia. What’s Seoul like?”
The women’s chatter was more exhausting than the travel itself.
On the second day, we walked the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
We could take pictures with people in Marvel costumes and other movie characters for a small tip.
‘I’ve seen this place on so many blogs. This place, too…’
Despite it being my first time here, the sights were incredibly familiar.
After that, we went to Beverly Hills.
I marveled at the magnificent, enormous mansions with swimming pools.
It was fun just seeing how the rich live.
‘Rich people in Korea mostly live in luxury apartments. The scale of American wealth is on another level.’
It’s one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in America, with some mansions costing over a hundred million dollars.
When you factor in all the taxes and maintenance costs, they’re truly money pits.
We went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and visited Universal Studios.
A place with sets from various Hollywood movies, including Jurassic Park, and theme park rides.
“This is so exciting!”
Traveling with Ellie, I felt the fun of not being alone.
If I had come alone, I would never have visited a place like Universal Studios with all its rides.
I probably would have just skimmed through the art museum and ended my trip after a bus tour or so.
My style of travel was more like exploring the neighborhood, like I did at Oh Myeong-woo’s place.
‘Having someone with me definitely makes me explore more.’
In the evening, we took a sunset cruise.
“I’ll pay this time.”
“It’s okay. I’ll pay for my share. I heard you’re thinking of quitting your job. You should save your money.”
“…”
Actually, I’m kind of rich.
It seemed Layla, the Google employee, hadn’t heard about my startup investment.
One hundred and thirty dollars per person.
A fairly expensive cruise.
We watched the sunset as singers performed on the ship, and for dinner, we were served steak and wine.
“Okay, repeat after me. To our trip. Cheers!”
“To our trip. Cheers.”
At the other tables on the cruise, there were all couples and families.
Traveling together like this, it sometimes felt like we were on a date.
‘Stop it. If I make a move on Ellie, Myeong-woo will resent me for the rest of his life.’
Layla’s younger sister.
A divorcé like me couldn't hit on her and ruin Oh Myeong-woo’s romantic prospects.
We’d known each other since college and knew a lot about one another.
Oh Myeong-woo didn’t fall for people easily, but once he did, he was the type to see it through to the end.
When we returned to the hostel that evening, the other female guests had all left.
We lay down on the top and bottom bunks of the metal bed.
“Good night.”
“Good night, Ellie.”