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Chapter 10
“We came all the way overseas, yet you couldn’t even fill one small suitcase.”
Since I was terrified of the credit card bill waiting for me back home, I hadn’t gone shopping much.
As a result, my suitcase was practically empty.
I had planned to organize my luggage in advance, but there was barely anything to pack. Instead, I figured I’d have to help Jinkyung by stuffing some of her overflowing belongings into my suitcase.
Just then, the hotel room door opened, and I heard Jinkyung’s unusually subdued voice as she returned.
“Harin… I’m back…”
“You’re back? Earlier than I expected.”
Her expression matched her gloomy tone.
“Damn it! What the hell was that?!”
Without warning, she threw the luxury handbag she’d bought at the duty-free shop—on a twelve-month installment plan—onto the bed.
I’d known Jinkyung for almost two years, but this was the first time I’d ever seen her this irritated.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen with Ryosuke?”
“Forget Ryosuke! That hopeless idiot just came, ate the meal, and left! He didn’t even talk while we were eating! Seriously, all he did was eat!”
She emphasized the word eat with obvious frustration.
Today really was a day where everything seemed to revolve around food—for both of us.
“Maybe he just doesn’t like talking while eating? You know, some people grow up with strict table manners…”
“Then he could’ve suggested we go to a café afterward! Or at least taken a walk with me! Instead, he just said, ‘Thanks for the meal,’ and walked away without even looking back! Like someone had ordered him to do it! I was completely dumbfounded!”
…Yeah.
Ryosuke was definitely the one at fault.
Jinkyung had been so excited to meet him.
“If he was going to act like that, why did he agree to meet? Who contacted whom first yesterday?”
“…I did.”
“And who made today’s plans?”
“…I did.”
“…”
“…I was the idiot.”
According to Jinkyung, days like this absolutely required alcohol.
Though anyone who loved drinking would probably throw rocks at me for saying this…
I hated alcohol.
First, because it tasted bitter.
More importantly, I grew up watching my father turn into a mad dog whenever he drank, so I’d come to hate alcohol itself.
After joining the company, I’d drink enough to fit in at office dinners, but I’d never once chosen to drink on my own.
Jinkyung, however, was the exact opposite.
She was practically an expert in every kind of drinking culture.
And thanks to Ryosuke completely crushing her pride, we started drinking before sunset.
We wandered around near the hotel before stepping into a bustling yakitori restaurant packed with office workers getting off work.
Skewers of every kind sizzled over glowing charcoal, while overflowing mugs of ice-cold draft beer sat on every table.
“Ahhh… this is heaven! Why don’t you understand how good this tastes? Your body was born to drink! Whenever you decide to drink, you can really hold your liquor! You’ve got the liver of a champion—you were just born to the wrong owner!”
Jinkyung praised my liver like the Dragon King coveting a rabbit’s liver.
Well…
Anyone who could drink five bottles of soju without their face changing color even once…
Even I found my own body mysterious.
“I only drank that much because Section Chief Park pissed me off. I endured the taste of that disinfectant they call soju.”
“Hahaha! He kept bragging about his drinking tolerance, then passed out before you did!”
Nothing made a drinking party more enjoyable than gossiping.
Stories about the universally hated Section Chief Park kept flowing late into the night.
* * *
“Auntie, it’s Harin. I’m at the airport now. I’m heading back to Korea today.”
[Honestly… I told you I’d drive you.]
“You’re already busy with the restaurant. I didn’t want to make things harder for you. I’ll call you often after I get back.”
[Alright. Travel safely. If anything happens, call me immediately.]
“I will!”
After hanging up, I waited in front of the boarding gate.
Then I noticed a familiar figure from behind.
…Maybe Ren really had bewitched me.
Whenever I saw a tall, well-built man, I automatically thought of him.
What if he was still waiting at the hotel?
Maybe I should’ve left him a note.
Though…
I didn’t really have anything to write.
Maybe I should’ve at least written “Sayonara.”
While I stood there absentmindedly thinking about Ren, Jinkyung looked at me curiously.
“Harin, what are you looking at?”
“Am I just tired? I keep seeing things. How am I supposed to survive the next three workdays? I wish tomorrow were Saturday.”
“Me too. I’ve got another OPIC exam next week. I should be studying all weekend.”
As we complained about returning to everyday life, the flight attendants opened the boarding gate.
It was time to board.
A long line of passengers stretched all the way into the aircraft.
“26B… Is this it?”
I found my assigned seat.
Jinkyung had the window seat.
I sat in the middle.
The aisle seat was still empty.
On our flight to Japan, a very large foreign passenger had sat beside me, so I secretly hoped nobody would take the seat this time.
“Yaaawn…”
I’d only just boarded, but sleep was already overtaking me.
After several days of nonstop sightseeing, my body was exhausted.
I couldn’t stop yawning.
My eyelids kept drooping.
It felt like my body wasn’t even mine anymore.
Glancing beside me, Jinkyung looked just as sleepy.
There wasn’t even an in-flight meal on this budget airline.
If I took one nap…
I’d wake up in Korea.
* * *
I didn’t know when I’d fallen asleep, but eventually I woke up.
My face was buried against Jinkyung’s shoulder.
Mmm…
Were we still far from landing?
Ugh…
My neck hurts.
She must’ve been uncomfortable.
…Huh?
Why can I see Jinkyung over there?
If Jinkyung is sitting there…
Then whose shoulder is this?
The moment I fully woke up, horror washed over me.
I had been sleeping with my face buried—not just on someone’s shoulder—but practically against the neck of the passenger sitting to my right.
No!
Oh no…
What do I do?!
I shot upright and immediately sat properly.
Covering my burning face with both hands, I hurriedly apologized to the poor passenger who’d unknowingly supported my heavy head.
“Um… I’m so sorry. I accidentally fell asleep and must’ve leaned on you without realizing it.”
Still half asleep, Korean slipped out naturally.
“You must’ve been really tired.”
…What?!
It was a young Korean man’s voice.
If it had been another woman…
Or at least an older gentleman…
It would’ve been far less embarrassing.
But I’d spent who knows how long sleeping with my face pressed against the neck of a complete stranger.
I wanted to disappear.
I didn’t appreciate that he’d spoken casually to me despite us being strangers…
But I wasn’t exactly in a position to complain.
He must’ve been just as awkward.
He probably couldn’t even wake me up.
It would’ve been strange if he hadn’t sounded irritated.
“I’m… really sorry.”
“If you fall asleep like that somewhere else, it’ll be dangerous, Harin.”
“Yes… I’m not usually like thi—”
…
Wait.
Did he just say…
Harin?
Surely…
I slowly raised my head.
That face…
“…Kyaaaah!”
It was Ren.
I screamed without even realizing it.
* * *
The embarrassment I felt at that moment…
Words couldn’t describe it.
If my eyes…
My nose…
My mouth…
My entire body…
Could all disappear…
I’d have asked for nothing more.
The embarrassment I’d felt thinking I’d slept on a stranger’s shoulder didn’t even compare.
I desperately wanted to become invisible.
If becoming invisible was asking too much…
I’d settle for becoming air.
No…
Even that felt too luxurious.
At least let me become one of the duty-free order forms stuffed into the seat pocket.
The moment I screamed, every passenger turned toward us.
People started whispering.
Flight attendants rushed over, thinking some kind of emergency had happened.
It was complete chaos.
Even though I’d caused the commotion…
I was mortified.
I buried my face behind both hands and bent forward as far as I could, practically folding myself over my lap.
Please…
Just let this plane land.
Just let everyone else get off first.
That’s all I wanted.
I vaguely heard Jinkyung call my name several times, but I couldn’t bring myself to lift my head.
After screaming like that in the middle of the cabin…
I’d be lucky if airport police didn’t arrest me the moment we landed.
I didn’t even know whether Ren was still sitting beside me.
Or whether he’d already left.
Seriously…
Are you a stalker or something?
Why are you doing this?!
The fact that Ren had boarded the same flight to Korea after following me all this way honestly terrified me.
But at the same time…
I was furious that I was the one suffering all this embarrassment.
“Harin… are you okay? I think we should get off now. Everyone else has already left…”
Jinkyung whispered into my ear.
“Did… did he leave?”
“…No.”
Of course.
He was still here.
I slowly lowered my hands and lifted my head.
After staying bent over so long, every muscle in my neck and back screamed in protest.
Turning completely toward Ren, I finally faced him.
The reason I’d always spoken politely to him despite him being younger was simple.
First…
I wanted to be someone who respected others regardless of age.
Second…
He wasn’t my friend.
Nor family.
Nor boyfriend.
He was a complete stranger.
I didn’t want to casually speak informally to someone like that.
But now…
I felt speaking politely to someone this unreasonable was a complete waste.
“Are you Korean?”
I poured every ounce of disbelief into the question.
Ren didn’t answer.
Instead…
He looked hurt.
The nerve.
Why was he making that face?
The one who should be crying was me.
“You spoke Korean just fine a minute ago. Who are you really?”
I was so angry my words came out much harsher than intended.
“I don’t know if you’re angry because I speak Korean… or because I’m sitting next to you. Maybe it’s both. Either way… let’s get off the plane first.”
Even his calm voice annoyed me.
Whose fault was all this?
Following the direction he glanced, I saw several flight attendants waiting patiently for us to stand.
* * *
Not wanting Jinkyung to get dragged into any more of my humiliation, I convinced her to leave first despite her insisting on staying.
Ren and I ended up sitting in a quiet corner behind an unopened airport counter where almost nobody passed.
“…Do you really hate having me here that much?”
“Wow… your Korean is amazing. Your pronunciation is perfect too. Ren, you’ve never even hinted that you could speak Korean. And now you’re on the same plane as me, quietly sitting next to me… How was I not supposed to be shocked? Why are you doing this to me?”
“I guess you never really listened to what I said. I’ve been telling you all along that I like you, Harin. I want to know more about you. I don’t want other men around you. I want you to look only at me. But even while you were in Japan, you kept avoiding me. What choice did I have? If you wouldn’t come to me… then I’d follow you.”
“So you’re saying… you’re going to keep following me?”
“At least until you truly look at me.”
“Ren. I told you I don’t like you. My heart doesn’t belong to you. Isn’t that enough?”
“What can I do? My heart belongs to you. It insists that it has to be you.”
I could feel the intensity of his gaze.
Even though I had very little experience with serious relationships…
There was no way I could misunderstand what his eyes meant.
It was as though…
He wanted to consume me.
The raw instinct of a man wanting to possess the woman before him.
His entire body seemed to say—
I’m never letting you go.
“…Sigh. What do I have to do to make you go home?”
A helpless sigh escaped me.
How could I possibly get through to someone this stubborn?
“Give me certainty. I need certainty too.”
“Certainty?”
“Proof that you’ll never belong to me. Only then can I walk away without regrets. So prove it. Show me why you can never become mine.”
“…How am I supposed to do that?”
“Spend the next week with me.”
