Sora walked out of her room and into the suite of her luxurious hotel room. She managed a “good morning” at her manager, Jina, who greeted her with two cups of decaf. 

“You look awful. Did you have a bad dream?” Jina asked. 

“That’s what I want to hear in the morning,” Sora mumbled before gulping down the coffee. “Yes, I had a bad dream.”

“You’ve been having a lot of bad dreams lately, huh? Maybe you should get some more rest.”

“I thought you came here to wake me up. We have a flight to catch, no?” 

Jina chuckled and took a seat on the couch. She pulled a sleeping mask over her face and waved her hands. “Forget about it, we’re not doing 5 AM flights anymore. We got you something special.” She lifted the fabric from one side of her face and winked. “You’re going to love him.”

“Him?”

“Remember the CEO from Haneul Airlines?” Jina asked. “His sales have really skyrocketed ever since we began flying with them. He’s grateful for all the fans you’ve attracted and the fact that you still keep flying with them even though it’s difficult for you.” 

“So?”

“He got you a private jet and your own pilot. His name is Taehyun, and he’s great. The deal went through!”

Sora furrowed her brows and pulled up the calendar on her phone. “Already? Th-That fast?” she asked. “We signed the contract not too long ago—”

Jina shook her head. “Girl, we have a pilot all to ourselves and that is what you’re concerned about?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Rumor says it that Park Taehyun is a hottie!”  

“Who is he?”

Jina shrugged. “I was told he’s one of the best Haneul Airlines has.” She grinned. “How lucky are you! He’s all yours!”

Sora walked back to her room and silently mumbled to herself. “That must be a nuisance. He probably worked hard to get to where he is now and all of a sudden, he’s forced to work for me.”

“Heard that!” Jina chirped from the living room. “He’ll be fine! Don’t worry about him!” 

After a few godly hours of rest, Sora packed her bags and sat on her bed to write a “thank you” note for the hotel maids. She felt a little happier than before, and a lot less moody about her flight thanks to her nap. 

Tokyo’s been amazing! Thank you for your hard work and hospitality! 

Kind regards,

Sora Lee 

“Are you ready?” Jina peeked her head into the room. “There are fans gathering around outside. They somehow found our van!” She shook her head. “Geez, how do they do it?”

Sora put the note down along with a hefty tip before leaving. “I wish we could stay longer,” she admitted.

“Do you want to go on vacation?” Jina asked. “We have some openings in a few months.” 

“When?”

“After all your conferences and opening ceremonies. Don’t forget the GALAXIE Tower is set to open soon—aren’t you excited? Your father worked on the blueprints back in the day. Thank goodness you’re following in his footsteps!” Jina said. “He’d be really proud of you.”

“You think?”

“Of course.” 

***

Sora was in awe the moment she stepped foot into the VIP lounge at the airport. In the past, her company had tried their best to arrange the best for her but of course, Sora never believed in spending thousands on a plane ticket for a few moments of comfort. Airplanes were never comfortable for her to begin with, and she refused to spend her hard-earned money on an industry that evoked fear from her. 

The lounge was quiet and peaceful; it was full of rich businessmen and a few celebrities. 

“We’ll board in a few minutes,” Jina said as she walked towards her. “I dropped off our luggage and it seems that everything is on-schedule. They’re docking the jet right now and Taehyun is on his way.”

“What’s his full name?” Sora asked. “How long as he been a pilot?”

“Park Taehyun. He’s a little older than you by a few months,” Jina said. “He’s…twenty-nine, I think? Apparently he grew up with planes so I wouldn’t be surprised if he started flying young. He seems to love the sky.”

“Can’t relate,” Sora said softly. 

Jina linked their arms together and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Hey now.” 

Although Sora often held a serious and work-oriented demeanor, she couldn’t help but crumble every time she was in an airport. Her manager knew of her personality and how self-conscious she was of her fear of airplanes. 

“You create buildings! It ain’t easy raising such beautiful skyscrapers! You’ve been doted on as the world’s youngest and most successful architect—what a baddie! This is only your 6th year in the business and you’ve already worked on so many projects,” Jina patted her back. “There’s nothing wrong with being afraid. We’re all afraid of something.”

Sora took a few breaths and looked around the terminal with a heavy heart. 

It seemed as if the private entrance and walkway had specifically been made for Sora’s jet. As she walked through a glass bridge into another building with her manager in silence, Sora had a million thoughts running through her mind. She couldn’t even marvel at the beautiful interior let alone the design of the jet.

Planes can crash. 

Something could happen to us—all of us. 

I can still hear it and see it; the sight of the windows exploding and ceiling caving in. 

I remember it all.

It could happen again. 

“Sora!” Jina took hold of her bag and held onto her arm. “What’s wrong?”  

She stood by the entrance a few feet away from the jet. Sora shook her head. “I just need to make a phone call, that’s all.” 

“Oh?” Jina looked at the rest of the crew members and made a gesture to leave. Thankfully the staff was all incredibly understanding and patient. The head flight attendant bowed her head and stepped aside.

“Please take your time,” she smiled. “We’ll be ready whenever you’re ready, Miss Lee.” 

Sora stepped aside and scrolled through the innumerable number of contacts on her phone. She was in contact with multiple businesses and had connections to a handful of CEOs but had a hard time keeping up with her parents.

“What is it?”

Sora looked up. “I wanted to call my dad before I went onboard.”

Jina nodded her head. “Alright.” She pointed to the other end of the glass bridge. “I’ll be waiting. Let me know if you need me, alright?”