TRACK 12
STILL HERE
LIZ
It's been almost a week since the night of the aquarium, and every single day that I wake up, it's the first thing on my mind.
I can't believe everything that happened that night.
To go from doing something nice for them and Yoon Ji to having eight boyfriends and kissing three of them in one night.
I truly never could've foreseen something like this happening to me.
I'm in no way complaining, because I know how quickly it can all be taken away. It's more of a wonder.
We'd finished the night with an ice cream, much to Jae-un's dismay.
That's once we'd settled the debate on whether or not I should branch off one way and head home, and Seong Su had just said to stay the night with them.
When we'd run into the ice cream vendor still open, we stopped and got cones.
I'd promised Jae-un that I'd run the rest of the way home with him if he'd have one, too.
Yoon Ji had debated the longest on what flavor to get like he doesn't eat ice cream very much.
By the time I'd picked mine and turned around, someone had swapped him already.
I'd started to get on the defensive until I realized he'd asked them to.
As soon as our hands were empty, I'd held true to my promise and raced Jae-un the two miles back to their house.
Even though he'd tried to say that we didn't have to hold true to the promise and was the one most out of breath by the time we got to their gate.
We'd gone inside the gate and sat on the porch steps until everyone else showed up.
He didn't talk much, but I think that's just because he was the one doing all the heavy breathing.
Kyung had gotten me all to himself that night.
At least for the first few hours anyway.
At some point, Dav En had come in and cuddled against my back, smooshing me between him and Kyung.
There hadn't been much room left on the bed, even with us turned sideways, but that was the best night's sleep I've had in a while.
Kind of makes me sad, waking up alone like this in the mornings when I think back to that one. Of course, no sooner do I think that than my phone starts ringing.
"Hello?" I answer with a stretch and a big yawn.
"Good morning, my sunshine," Kyung singsongs softly in my ear.
"Good morning," I answer, not bothering to hide the smile in my voice. "Did you set an alarm to match mine so that you could call me?"
"Of course," he replies easily. "I want to be the first voice you hear in the morning."
There's some murmuring in the background, and I giggle thinking about the arguing that statement might've caused. Not to mention the competition.
"Fine," he mutters before there's rustling on his end. They take turns passing the phone around and saying good morning. When it finally makes it back to him, he sighs playfully, "Well, at least I was still the first."
I laugh into my pillow, making him chuckle before he asks, "What are your plans for today?"
"Umm, I'm going to go get coffee and head to the childrens’ home," I tell him.
"Ask her if she has a favorite song yet," I hear Jae-un say in the background.
Biting my bottom lip to keep from laughing again, I answer before Kyung has a chance to even ask. "Tell him that I still don't yet."
The man has been asking me every single day.
Probably to make sure that I'm actually listening to them, and Kyung is keeping his word.
I'm not going to tell them that I've fallen asleep with them singing in my ear every night for a week, and keep them going in all the moments I have during the day.
I would love their music even if it wasn't them singing, but knowing that it is makes it all the better.
I even recognize a few of the songs, too.
They must've played at the store or coffee shop or something.
I can't seem to put the musicians and my boyfriends in the same filing place in my head for some reason.
It's a weird feeling, knowing that it's them but not being able to match the two in my mind. I don't know what it's going to take.
Jae-un mumbles something. I can't hear him, but whatever he says makes Kyung laugh.
"You guys at the studio?" I ask, thinking I've remembered correctly what they said last night.
"Mmm," he replies. "I've actually got to go, speaking of which. Coming over later?"
I stretch and draw out a long sigh. "I don't know. I might be pretty busy."
"Mmm," he repeats, but I can hear the smile behind it. He knows that I'm teasing.
"I might be a little late, though, for real," I tell him. "I'll probably be at the home for a while today."
"Okay, sunshine. Just let me know if you need a ride when you're done," he says just as I hear a loud commotion in his background.
"I will," I promise. "See you soon."
"You too, my Lizzy," he says before the line goes dead.
Clutching my phone to my chest, their music, that his call cut off, starts playing again. I can't pick out all their voices yet, but I'll get there. Just as soon as my brain can link the two. I stretch again with a groan. Today is definitely going to be an extra shot of espresso kind of day.
Sure enough, I called it this morning. I'd gotten my coffee and come straight to the home where the ladies in charge had put me right to work.
I helped them clean and cook while the older kids were in school.
We tried to give the younger ones an English lesson, too, but they absolutely were not having it.
So, lessons waited until the older ones got here.
Of course, one of the older boys who's been having trouble making friends decided today of all days to take my advice and try to invite them over for a game of soccer.
He's really good at it, but has always been too shy to try out for the team.
I couldn't throw him to the wolves when he looked at me with panic. Which is how I end up on the field behind the home with a bunch of teenage boys playing soccer.
And, that's how my boys find me.