Entres Nous

“Do you regret it so far?”

She cupped her chin with the palm of her hand as she leaned forward, setting her eyes at the passengers’ shoes sitting across from them. “Not really. Well, a little bit. It’s mostly guilt though.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Why guilt?”

“Because,” She smiled. “I hate worrying good people. I hate worrying my mom. I haven’t even messaged them that I’m okay and alive. I have a whole e-mail ready to be sent saved up in my phone, but I still haven’t had the courage to do it. I’m scared of their reply.”

“What do you think they will say?” He reclined back.

“My foster parents will probably just be worried. I left a letter before I left, so hopefully that gets through. My real dad will be pissed. He will come hunt me down personally if he finds out where I am, so it’s out of the question to let him know. My mom will be angry and worried. But in a way, I guess she wouldn’t be that surprised.”

“She wouldn’t be surprised?”

“Well, if you haven’t noticed, I hardly ever think before I do. I wasn’t exactly the easiest kid. Instead of having doll tea parties with my barbies, I was attempting to ride my great-grandma’s Great Dane around her ranch.” Thunder laughed under his mask, patting her forearm.

“It’s brave though,” He reclined back.

“Riding a Great Dane?” Yura snorted.

“No!” He elbowed her side. “Running away. It’s brave in a way. You said you can kind of understand Japanese but not enough to be fluent. You also said that you knew no one aside from your foster family. It’s like you suddenly went off on an adventure.”

“Pretty stupid adventure.” She added. “Not only do I have money for maybe one last, very small meal, but even if I wanted to go back, which I don’t, I don’t know my way back because, once again, I have money for maybe one last, very small meal. And then I will have to start selling organs until I find a job.”

“What if I help you?”

She raised an eyebrow. “What, you’re gonna give me money from your invisible stash?”

He reached over pushing back her forehead all the way until she sat straight. “Very funny.”

“I thought so.” She pursed her lips. “And by the way, don’t you even try. It would be really, really rude of me to ask help from someone I met fifteen minutes ago.”

“Seventeen,” He corrected. “Just trust me.”

“Yeah, yeah. For now let’s just get you to Kitara.” Yura perked her head up as soon as she heard the intercom voice speak, standing up along with the rest passengers, taking Thunder’s wrist and lining up in front of the door alongside him. He linked his arms with hers again, his free hand grabbing onto the pole next to him.

“Are you afraid to lose me or are you afraid I’ll lose you?”

His eyes glimpsed at her for a second before he gently jostled her again, getting a grin in return.



She raised up her hand, pointing at the green sign above her head, giving him a triumphant smile. “I got you here.”

“You almost got me there,” He pulled down his mask, giving her a smile. They had been following hunches the moment they stepped out of the escalator which had led them to a beautiful park, the sun quietly setting over it. Men and women in bikes, schoolgirls clinging onto boyfriends, mothers pushing strollers roamed around, the peace and quiet resonation through the trees, playground, and bushes.

They started walking the right path once they got to a crossing, passing a monument and a small park where children’s laughter could be heard. “Oh yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask now that we’re alone-,”

“Am I single?” He cut in, licking his lips. “Why yes, yes I am.”

“Oh yay, lucky me.” She passed a hand through her hair. “No, you babo.”

Thunder awed. “Yah, that was Korean! How come you didn’t tell me you knew Korean? Igeos-eun jeongmal meo-,”

She raised up his hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don’t get too excited. I used to watch Kdramas in my spare time, and I simply caught onto some of the words.”

“Still, this agrees with the help I wanna give you.” He gave you a mischievous smile.

Yura didn’t bother questioning him. “Anyway, what I meant to ask was what band are you part of?”

“How do you know I’m not an actor? Or a comedian? Or a solo artist?”

“And again I ask, what band are you part of?” She laughed as they walked over a rock bridge overlooking a short river that surrounded the park, her eyes immediately locking with a vending machine that lied on the side. “Thirsty?”

He nodded, following behind as she placed her backpack on one of the tables beside the machines, opening it up and taking out some money. He zipped it up for her as she walked towards it, looking back and smiling. “What do you want? Beer? Water? Apple Juice?”

“Water, please.”

“You never answered my question.” She slipped the money in. “It helps to know if I should wear my backpack backwards just incase fans attempt to stab me as we get closer to Kitara.” He burst out laughing as she passed him the water bottle, punching in another button her own drink.

“MBLAQ.” He replied, opening his water bottle. “That’s the band name.”

“Are you guys popular?” She snapped open her tea, sipping it and capping it back up. She never knew if this would be the only drink she could afford for the rest of the week. She opened her backpack again, digging through it and taking out her black zipper hoodie, throwing it at him and closing it back up again.

“We’re popular you could say,” He raised up the jacket. “Why?”

“Put it on. I don’t want to get stabbed.” She started looking through the front pocket, taking out a pair of sunglasses which she quickly put over her eyes and a brown newsboy cap which she placed over her head before closing it again.

He did as she said, putting his water down on the small, black table and sliding the hoodie on. “You do realize it’s like one hundred degrees outside and this is a little too small.” He pulled the sleeves up, raising up his arms to show her. “See?”

Yura slipped on her backpack once again, walking over towards him, yanking his arms down, and zipping the jacket all the way to the top, grabbing the strings and pulling it tight. “I’ve seen fans hurt idols on TV, and you’re a good guy. I keep a pocket knife hidden in my boots. You’re too much of a pretty boy not to get noticed, so I’m helping you out. Let me help you out.”

Thunder smiled one last time before tugging the mask over his nose, wrapping an arm around her and giving her a side hug. “Kamsahamnida.”

“Cheonman-eyo,” She muttered as they started walking again, before the stopped. Two paths stood in front of them, and the night was crawling upon them as she turned towards the signs, quickly reading them over. “If it helps, we’re not lost.” She pointed to the left, nodding to him as he followed, his hand always keeping a hold on the cord of her backpack.

They crossed another bridge, the water surrounding them on both sides as they looked around. It was sad they couldn’t enjoy the view as much as they wished the could, only a couple minutes left out of the forty minutes he had given her to get here. “It’s really beautiful here.” He nodded, looking up. They were walking quickly, but not quick enough to not notice the net of trees hanging above their heads, creating a sort of long arch.

“What do you plan on doing after you drop me off?” He all of a sudden asked, raising up his hands and jumping a bit, trying to get ahold of one of the loose string of leaves.

Her heel clicked against the rock ground, her eyes set on the water. “I don’t know. I just want to do what I can for now. I am thinking of getting a job at a small restaurant and when I leave asking for the leftovers. I gotta find a place to sleep tonight, that’s for sure.”

“You’re such a downer,” He poked her temple. “I’ll help you out before I let that happen.”

She shoved him a bit, as they slowed down in front of another crossing, before she took his wrist, walking again towards the left. “This park is seriously huge.”

“Wait, wait, wait,”

She glanced back at him. “What?”

“Do you hear that?” He turned his head from side to side.

“Was it the fans hunting?” Chan interrupted, raising her eyebrows. “Sniffing you out?”

“Not exactly.”

They started stepping faster, Thunder locking his arm with Yura’s, when they started to notice a large glass building within view, an intensely, long line of girl’s trailing all the way from the outside, posters and different sorts of signs in hand. She immediately shoved him into the pine trees, hiding him from view. “Okay, we have to round the building and find a back entrance.”

“Agreed.” They moved carefully, towards the back, guards entering and exiting, making sure no fan snuck inside.

“Do you know enough Japanese to tell them you’re part of the band? I’m sure they’ll recognize you, but I’m just wondering just in case.” She looked at him, as he nodded. “Okay. Then...” She gave him a tight hug which he gladly reciprocated, letting go the moment she pulled away.

“It was really nice meeting you Thunder.” She started slipping off his sunglasses and pulling down his mask along with it as she fixed the hood. He watched her stuff them in the jacket’s pockets he was wearing, patting his cheek. “Let’s meet again someday.” Before he could say a word she smiled one final time, and pushed him out, one of the men walking over towards him and bowing.

He snapped his head to look at her one last time before he was dragged in, her hand waving a goodbye before she made her way back out of the pine trees, her eyes set to the ground as she walked, not intending to glance back. He sure had made her day, but it was time to step back into reality. Like she always had to.

“What?! That’s the end of the story?! What the hell, Yura!” Chan smacked the redhead’s shoulder. “That’s so depressing.”

Yura shrugged, cuddling against her blanket. “It doesn’t matter anyway! You do realize I’m not in Sapporo working as a waitress right? The boy ran out as soon as he walked in, yanking me by the arm and offering me a job as one of the coordi-noona’s assistant. It took me a bit of convincing since I felt bad to watch him beg his producers, but I agreed at the end. He said he liked me too much to let me go that easily, plus he had said before he would help me out anyway. He really did help a lot. Just by taking that job I was guaranteed payment, and an officetel owned by the company.”

“You are seriously lucky.” Chan moaned. “If I rub against you will I win the lottery?”

“Why, are you going to try?” She smirked.

“Funny.” The Guatemalan girl grinned back. “Oh, what happened to your foster parents by the way? And your parents?”

“I sent the e-mail the moment my plane was leaving for Korea, which was probably three days after I met Thunder. My mom answered back just as quickly. She was pissed, but she was glad I had at least contacted her. I called her when I arrived, and I sobbed as soon as I heard her voice. It was touching.”

“And your dad?”

“Not sure. He hasn’t spoken to me in... I want to say three years.”

She looked away. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. We weren’t that close anyway. It’s better off this way.” Yura fiddled with her fingers. “My foster parents were as well just glad I was okay. I had to call the program and apologize, but they were fine with it as long as my real parents were aware. So all went well I think.”

Chan thought back, passing a hand through her hair before she remembered something the redhead had said before. “Wait, you said that Thunder had told you ‘he liked you too much’? What does that mean? Like a friend? Or like like?”

“Oh, yeah.” She cracked her fingers. “You didn’t know he like liked me?”

“You were the chick he mentioned in the show?” Chan nodded her head in approval. “Well, he’s pretty sexy.”

“He is freakin’ sexy. Those arms? Oh boy, oh boy.” Yura added.

“Did he confess to you?”

“Yeah, like two months after I arrived to South Korea. It was really sweet of him, but I told him no. I wasn’t ready for a relationship just yet.”

“Does anyone else know?” Chan turned to look at her.

“I don’t think so.” She started moving around under her blanket before she stood up, camera in one hand. “And even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. He’s not the one for me.” She took a picture of the city, looking at the screen, and taking another one.

“Is Seungho the one for you?”

The redhead looked down at her, stretching out her hand and passing the camera to Chan, who took it. “Now you have a picture you can download to your computer, and use as a reference.” She started walking towards the door. “You’re welcome.”

She exited the roof, as Chan stared behind her, letting out a baffled scoff. “But you said this was the only-,” Her eyes glared wholes through the door. “Oh, you funny, funny bitch.”