Chapter 1 - On Board

Boyce Avenue - Better In Time(acoustic)

"Thought couldn't live without you, it's gonna hurt when it heals too...

It'll all get better in time...

Even though I really love you...

I'm gonna smile cause I deserve to...

It'll all get better in time..."

ALTHEA RYZ FAJARDO

I needed a break. Being a doctor in a foreign land is too stressful for me. Singapore is a very nice country and very organized but I have to admit, their standards make me feel pressured. I miss my fangirl life especially being an Everlasting Friend (ELF).  I miss my friends, Super Junior and Lee Donghae. It's too ironic that I miss them more than my family. It's just that my family adds more stress to my life so I don't really miss them that much.

I decided to work here and leave my fangirl life to move on. Accepting the truth was difficult for me. People say I'm crazy for thinking and feeling this way, but I just couldn't stop myself. Seeing Donghae happy with his girlfriend and even having thoughts on marriage is too cruel for me. It has been a year since he announced in public his relationship with an actress and I don't really know if he's already married now.

To forget all these mental stress, I decided to go on a cruise. I really wanted to try this since I was young and now, with the money I personally earn, I could finally achieve this dream. I chose to try the 13-Night Transatlantic Cruise of the Adventure of the Seas. The deaprture port is in San Juan, Puerto Rico so I left for Puerto Rico 2 days ahead of the departure schedule. After a 20-hour flight from Singapore to Puerto Rico, I stayed in a hostel to rest before heading towards the port.

I arrived at the port at night time the next day and got onboard right away. I am alone in this trip and if I get lost then, I don't know what would happen to me. The itinerary includes departure from San Juan, Puerto Rico port; then to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas port; Philipsburg, St. Maarten port; Tenerife, Canary Islands port; Lanzarote, Canary Islands port; Funchal, Portugal port and finally to Malaga, Spain port. I feel so excited for this cruise since there are so many activities to choose from. I saw many people on the ship and most of them are Caucasians. While I am alone in this trip, the rest are together with their partners and their families. I also saw Asians on the ship, including Chinese, Japanese and even Koreans. I also saw elderlies on the ship and I believe they are spending their retirement years traveling around the world.

I headed towards my stateroom and was surprised to see that my place is really nice eventhough it was the cheapest cabin on board. It has a queen-sized bed with a curtain cover, sofa, vanity area and a private bathroom. It was like being in a hotel above the water. I placed my things and went out to tour the ship.

I marveled at the enormous size of the ship. I toured the ship and was amazed by its grandeur. There is a sports court, various swimming pools, several cafe and diners, a theater, an ice skating rink and clubs. I'm too excited to try them all.

The captain started to speak on voice over. "I welcome everyone to the 13-Night Transatlantic Cruise onboard the Adventure of the Seas! In 13 days, we will tour the transatlantic and everyone will enjoy various excursions in the stops that we would take. I, the captain of this ship, announce the departure from San Juan, Puerto Rico towards the next port, which is Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas at exactly 8:30 in the evening. We will arrive tomorrow at 8:00 in the morning. Everyone can enjoy various amenities in this ship while we are still sailing. Let's all enjoy and make good memories in this trip! Have fun everyone!"

My heart raced fast. I never knew I would be this excited for this trip. I would make sure that this trip can make me forget all the bad memories of the past. I promised to make this trip worthwhile...

---DONGHAE/ALTHEA/KEVIN | DONGHAE/ALTHEA/KEVIN | DONGHAE/ALTHEA/KEVIN---

LEE DONGHAE

This was Eteuk-hyung's idea. He told me to have a break. He's very concerned for me so he decided to do things which he believed would benefit me. I could remember when he suddenly approached me after our management meeting and handed me the tickets.

"Here," he told me, smiling.

"What are these hyung?" I asked looking at the papers.

"13-Night Transatlantic Cruise of the Adventure of the Seas. I know you need a break and since I knew that the company would give us a break, I got this ahead."

"But hyung-"

"I won't let you reject this. It has been two months since she left. I know you've been trying hard to look okay but you aren't. So here, have a vacation alone and have fun. Make sure to take pictures. I am planning to try it too someday."

So that's how I came here.

I was too tired when I arrived since I still had to fly all the way to Puerto Rico where the cruise would start. The ship is so grand and I haven't really seen like this before. I saw many people with their families and friends and I wondered why I'm alone in this amazing trip.

It was already eight in the evening when the captain of the ship who announced the departure. After the said announcement, I decided to look for something to eat. I headed towards the main dining room which spans three stories. I saw many people having their dinner. Luckily, I saw a group of koreans and decided to dine with them. They were composed of 3 men and 2 women in their 60s.

"Annyeong!" I greeted them and bowed. "Can I sit here with you?"

They all smiled and nodded. I sat beside an old lady.

"Ah, such a fine young man. Are you alone in this trip?" the old lady asked me. I nodded.

"I didn't know the younger generation would be interested in cruising," the old guy across me said. "And you are traveling alone. I can see most of the people here are either in their retirement years, with their families or with their partners."

"Ne," agreed by the old guy beside him. "Are you still single my boy?"

"Yes, I am," I responded.

"But you're so good-looking!" the old lady beside me said, looking at my face. I felt so flattered. I just smiled at them in response.

A few minutes after I set my orders, my food was then served and it was so good. I chatted with my new pals and enjoyed my food but still reminded myself of the right amount to take. The company would kill me if I get fat in this trip.

After that sumptuous dinner, I decided to leave the group and went out to relax. I headed towards my suite, which had a queen-sized bed, private balcony, private bathroom with bathtub and a sitting area. So Eteuk-hyung's style. I was so amazed that Eteuk-hyung spent so much just for me to enjoy and move on. After arranging my things, I went to the private balcony and felt the fresh ocean breeze. The ocean was so dark but through the balcony, I could see some people below it. I went inside to sleep already since I felt so tired.

I would officially start this trip tomorrow...