Eunji

TWO WEEKS LATER

I inhale the familiar air of Seoul, a mix of spicy, sweet, and smoky scents that welcome me back from my two-week vacation.

I spent a week in Malaysia with Hana and Wo-Young.

We visited the stunning Hindu shrines, to fawn over the intricate carvings and colorful towering statues.

Then thanks to my genius suggestion, we also explored the mangroves on a boat tour of the diverse marine life there, I got my fill, marveling at the dolphins, crocodiles, monkeys, and birds. I’ve always loved animals, especially the ones that live in the water.

I then joined Suji and Lilly in spent the second week in Tuscany. We tasted so many regional wines, from Chianti to Brunello, and Suji was in heaven. She’s a wine connoisseur, and she taught me a lot about the different flavors and aromas. We also visited some gorgeous medieval towers, feeling like we were transported back in time. We climbed to the top to take in the breathtaking views of the countryside, the rolling hills, the vineyards, and the olive groves. Letting the gentle sun warm our faces, the soft wind caress our hair, and the birdsong fill our ears.

On the last three days of our trip, Yoonah joined us in Rome. She had just come back from her solo Brazil trip, and she had this glow about her. As we went sightseeing, to the Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Trevi Fountain, she recounted a story about a mysterious hot guy she met in Rio, and how they spent days together exploring his home city. He didn’t know who she was, and she claimed it was the most romantic time of her life. Like a love-struck teenage girl, she spared us none of the details as she described his eyes, his voice, his touch, his kisses as they spent nights by the beach, and said it was like being in a romantic movie.

I step out of the airport, removing my sunglasses to look for Dal, who’s waiting for me out front to escort me to the car. My two bodyguards join me at my side.

As soon as I walk out onto arrivals, I hear the screams and flashes of the crowd. Fans and photographers swarm me, shouting my name, snapping pictures, and holding out gifts.

I accept a handmade flower gift with my name on it from a fan and another one hands me a handwritten note with flowers glued onto the paper. My hand is full now, so I can’t take any more gifts. I smile at the crowd, feeling their love and admiration, but also their intrusion and pressure.

I hurry to the exit towards Dal, eager to escape the chaos, but when I turn my head, my eyes meet the most brilliant pair of green eyes I’ve ever seen.

The man, the stranger looks at me, and the world stops…

Alex

The plane lands and I walk out into the whirlwind of chaos and order that is Incheon International Airport.

Passengers bustle about, suitcases in tow, while the murmur of the South Korean language fill the air. The scent of international cuisine wafts from the bustling food court, where travelers from every corner of the world indulge.

I hear the sizzle of frying pans, the clink of chopsticks, and chatter.

I lift my suitcase, unzipping it to grab the watch that I’ve set to Pacific Standard Time so I always know the time in Seattle. My little sister Carmen was more excited than I was when I told her about my trip. She claims to be a huge fan of everything about South Korea and made me swear to text her every detail of my month-long trip, and I only want to call or text her when she’s awake.

I’m dressed in a simple white shirt, blue jeans, and a black jacket as I walk across the airport, moving with purpose.

I’m here because I volunteered to participate in the Global Responder Exchange program when my boss suggested it to my department last year. I plan to fully immerse myself, share my wealth of knowledge and experience with South Korean firefighters, and vice versa, learn from their techniques, and contribute to the global network of emergency responders.

With a chuckle, I snap a picture of something I think Carmen would like and start sending it to her. It’s a giant digital poster of one of those female bands she listens to all the time, with their colorful hair and outfits and flawless smiles. And that is when, in an instant, I barely have time to register it, I find myself in the middle of a crazy crowd.

They’re screaming and some of them are taking pictures of something… someone.

Amid the screaming and the flashing lights, and the swirling crowd that doesn’t seem to care that I’m an innocent bystander in the middle of them, I see her.

The woman.

A shimmering manifestation.

She smiles, it’s dazzling and sweet, her long blonde hair cascades down her shoulders, and her stunning dark brown eyes scan the crown as she grabs gifts from them.

I’m frozen, something in my chest flips as we lock eyes. 

Her eyes are bright, but there’s something else behind them, a pain that I instantly identify with.

Something unspoken, transcendent ignites between us.

My neck heats and I swallow, my breath is fast and shallow now as time slows down.

The flashing cameras, the hum of the airport, and the hurried travelers all fade into the background as we stare at each other.