Chapter 59
“What are you thinking about?”
“Hmm? Oh, I’m just thinking about different storylines for my dating simulation game . ”
“Really . . . You should relax every now and then . How can you be focused on work like that all day?”
“Should I call myself… a workaholic? Well, something like that . ”
“Mmm~ Then can help you with the storyline?”
“What?”
“For writing a game storyline… I can introduce you to a scenario writer I know very well . ”
“A scenario writer?”
“Yes, he’s working as a screenwriter for a drama . ”
Of course, she’s interning as an intern writer for a broadcasting station . She should be familiar with a few people from that industry . But… I never really felt engaged to any show on the few occasions I watched television…
Korean dramas were much better in terms of content . Or adapting the story line from the game ‘White Memory’ which was dubbed the “White Drug” by erotic game enthusiasts was another option…
Wait a second… Korean dramas?
A drama that I used to thoroughly enjoy before my time slip popped into my head . Yes… I think that plot will be excellent .
“Hello? Are you really leaving me hanging like this?”
“Sorry . ”
“… I had high expectations for our date today…”
Yuki pretended to frown .
“I love you . ”
“What? Ah… If you suddenly say it like that then…”
Yuki had turned into a red tomato in response to my casual remark . I think I confessed to her without really meaning to .
&
The next day .
I arrived at the Shinjuku station again and turned around to see a tearful Yuki . She would always see me off whenever it was time for me to return to Kyoto . ‘
“When are you planning to visit again?”
“Mmm… I don’t know . But I’m going to be away next week . ”
“Then will I be able to see you the week after? Where are you going next week?”
“I’m going to be in Korea for a short visit . ”
“Korea?”
“I’ll leave next Friday and return on Sunday . ”
“Hmm… When is your flight leaving?”
“It’s the 2 P . M flight from Osaka . Well, since Korea is right next to us, the flight should take around an hour or so . ”
“I’ve never traveled abroad in my life; I’m jealous . ”
Yuki was immensely envious as well when I went on my business trip to America… I pictured her beaming face again after receiving the photos that I promised to take for her .
Since I had a bit of time left before my train, we sat down in a nearby coffee shop to drink tea . At that moment, Yuki who had been wearing a gloomy expression when we were walking to the shop suddenly stared at me with an intense gaze and spoke .
“Let me go with you . ”
“Hm? To Kyoto? Don’t you have work tomorrow?”
“No!! I mean to Korea!!”
“What did you say!?”
“I’ll buy my own ticket in Narita, so I’ll see you in Korea!!”
“Hey, wait a sec…”
“I really want to visit your home country, Mr . Junhyuk . I won’t burden you with any extra travel expenses . Let’s go together~ Please?”
In truth, I was traveling for business, but I was also planning to stop by my hometown as well . Yuki wouldn’t have much fun following me around…
However, looking at her fervent eyes, I knew there would be no point in stopping her .
“I’m not traveling to sightsee Yuki, is that okay with you?”
“Yes, I don’t care about sightseeing . ”
“I’m going to meet up with a person from my hometown, so you won’t be able to go see any attractions . ”
“Your hometown? That’s even better~!!”
… I inadvertently smiled after listening to her unpredictable reply . No, it was definitely something Yuki would say .
I locked my eyes with her for a moment before opening my mouth .
“Alright, we’ll go together . ”
&
One week from that day .
I changed my ticket to the flight in Narita airport and arrived together with Yuki at the airport .
“Ah… I’m shaking . My heart’s been pounding since a while ago . ”
“It’s nothing to stress about . The flight will only take around an hour . You don’t have to worry about anything Yuki . ”
“I haven’t slept properly last night too . When I was in elementary school, I felt the same way the night before the school picnic… It’s been a long time since I felt this way…”
“ . . . Do you want to take antiemetic pills?”
“I’ve already swallowed some . ”
“You prepared thoroughly for sure…”
I smirked and patted her head after listening to her response . Every once in awhile, I would pet her like this because she was cute, and she would shut her eyes and act like a lively puppy .
Several minutes had passed .
After buying a few items from the department store inside the airport, our departure time was approaching .
“Aren’t we going to be late for our flight? We only have a few minutes left until departure!”
“It’s fine . It’ll take some time for everyone to board the plane; we can just be the last ones on . ”
“But I still want to ride it now . ”
Yuki pulled my arm and urged me on; she must’ve been nervous and excited before her first international trip . In the end, we boarded the plane as soon as the gates opened and were the first ones on the plane . A row of Korean stewardesses was lined up at the entrance greeting the passengers with a bright smile .
“Wow… Beautiful Korean ladies~!!”
Although Yuki was on the short side, she didn’t particularly lose to them in the looks department . But she started muttering under breath anyways while looking at them .
“They must’ve drunk a ton of milk when they were growing up…”
“Welcome aboard . I’ll help you with finding your seat . ”
After we showed our tickets to a stewardess who extended one hand to us with a smile, she bowed and gestured us to the stairway .
“The business class seats are this way . ”
“Thank you . ”
Because it was a such a short flight I contemplated on flying economy, but I wanted Yuki to have a good first travel experience so I bought business class for us both . At that moment, I heard Yuki who had taken off her shoes asking the stewardess questions .
“Should I just carry my shoes like this?”
“ . . . . . . . ”
Did she really believe the joke I told to her as a joke in Kyoto? The surrounding stewardesses all turned their heads and started giggling .
“Ah, you can keep your shoes on in the plane, mam . ”
“What!?”
Yuki turned as red as a chili pepper after hearing the stewardess’s reply and sprinted up the stairs while holding her shoes .
“Oh, that lady is so cute~”
I walked away from the laughter and up the stairs to find Yuki who had sat down in the very back seat with her head buried in her arms .
“Um, Yuki…”
“Don’t talk to me right now . I’m dying from embarrassment~!!”
“No, I’m trying to say…”
“I told you, please don’t talk to me right now…”
“No… That’s not your seat . You can’t sit in any random seat . ”
“Oh…”
She ended up moving to the seat that I pointed to and buried her face again .
“Are you mad?”
“No… I’m just flustered . ”
“Sorry . I was teasing you in Kyoto because you asked me with such a serious expression . I didn’t know you’d actually believe it . ”
“I don’t think I can look at those stewardesses in the face…”
“Don’t worry . There must be one or two people who ask that same question in every flight . It’s nothing to worry about . ”
“Really?”
As I nodded my head after Yuki poked her head out to look at me, she finally began to look around .
“Wow… But there aren’t as many seats as I thought in an airplane? There is only space for 12 people here .
“Mmm… if you’re curious, you can go downstairs to see what it’s like . ”
“Downstairs?”
She tilted her head in confusion and walked downstairs to inspect the situation there and came back to me with a surprised face .
“There’s a ton of people below us . The seats are closely packed together . Why is it so different from here?”
“You’ve ridden on a train before, right?”
“Yes . ”
“You can think of our seats as the premium class in a train . Of course, the price is a bit more expensive as well . ”
“By how much?’
“Compared to the economy seats below, it should be around 1 . 5 ~ 2 times more expensive?”
“Whaat!? You said our flight would only take around an hour . ”
“Well, I’d rather travel with comfort . You see, the economy seats are way too narrow . ”
“I’ve never sat in premium seats even on trains…”
“I’m paying for the tickets so you can just relax and enjoy the flight . We’ should be taking off soon . ”
The speakerphone blared with an announcement the moment I finished my sentence .
-Ladies and gentlemen . Welcome aboard our flight with service from Narita to Kimpo, South Korea . We ask that you please fasten your seatbelts at this time and secure all baggage underneath your seat and in the overhead compartments . Thank you for choosing us . Enjoy your flight . –
After fastening her seatbelt, Yuki swallowed a ball of saliva and asked me a question .
“What does it feel like to take-off?”
“Mmm… It’s similar to a riding on a roller coaster . It’s pretty fun . ”
“I hate roller coasters . . . “
At this point, our plane had arrived on the runway and began to speed up . Yuki extended her hand and spoke .
“Urhm… Can you hold my hand?”
I smiled at her cuteness and squeezed her hand .
And as the plane finally took off into the air, Yuki’s hands began trembling .
“We’re flying… What do I do…”
After a while, we could look below us to see Japan from a bird’s eye view .
“Wow… . ”
With the excitement that only a first-time plane rider could experience, Yuki squealed as she looked out the window . And as our plane rose above the clouds, a sea of white came into our view .
“I looked at the pictures that my co-workers showed me from their business trip, but it’s much prettier seeing this view in person . ”
Yuki seemed to be rid of her nervous tension as she couldn’t take her eyes off the windows wearing a big smile on her face . Well, I had a similar reaction to her on my first plane ride too .
I rode on my first airplane when I was in middle school; the memory of going on a school-wide trip to Jeju island brought a smile to my lips as well .
Yuki had been staring out of the window for the entire hour-long plane ride, while occasionally snapping a few photos every few minutes . I felt this before, but she really did have a talent as a photographer . Even though she couldn’t immediately check the pictures right after she took them like a digital camera could, she’d been diligently recording her pictures on the film canister .
And an announcement for landing came on .
&
Yuki’s first impressions after safely landing at the Kimpo airport was…
“Eurgh… it’s freezing here . Is Korea always this cold?”
Unlike the Narita airport, there wasn’t a direct tunnel way that connected the passengers to the plane in the Kimpo airport . Instead, a stairway extender would be latched on to the plane for the passengers to get off .
The temperature contained the chilly frost of the period between late February and March . Yuki was trembling as she gripped on to her light coat . Korea was a little colder than Japan after all . I took out a scarf from my bag and wrapped it around her neck .
“I forgot to tell you that it’s cold in Korea at this time of the year . You should feel better with this around you . The terminal bus that’ll take us to the airport should be coming soon so wait just a little more!”
“Thank you . ”
After completing the long and tedious landing inspection, we stepped out of the departure hall to find the Kimpo airport buzzing with foreigners .
-Harmony and Progress! The world comes to Seoul!-
Seeing the familiar 1988 Olympic slogan plastered all over the place finally made me feel like I was truly back in Korea .