Another Day, Another Shot

This is Just the Beginning

You're in for a lovely ride! Come with Se-ri on her train ride through Switzerland.

Prompt: Yoon Se Ri fell asleep during her Switzerland train ride.

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

Yoon Se-ri was on her vacation, which her therapist and stepmom forced her to take. They said it was good for her well-being because it's finally time to pause and see life as more than just growing her beloved fashion empire, Seri's Choice. Even her sister-in-law won't stop nagging her, saying she needed to find love because working all your life was apparently boring.

Finally caving in, Se-ri chose to go to Switzerland for her vacation. She just did it to get them off her back, even if she knew it was just a temporary, fleeting solution. She just needed some peace and quiet, away from her family. Don't get her wrong, she grew to love her family, but they can still be too much sometimes.

More than that, we all know Se-ri was too picky when it comes to men. She'll probably come back single as a pringle.

Will she?

Little did Se-ri know, a quiet trip across the green fields of Switzerland will change the course of her life for the better.

~

As a businesswoman, Se-ri hates the unexpected. It ruins her plans. She always needed plans.

But this time, maybe Se-ri will see that the unexpected things in life can actually be good. Great even.

Then came the train ride. At first, Se-ri was nonchalant. She didn't really think anything of this trip. But as she's spending her third day in Switzerland, she actually felt herself finally relaxing.

Was it the cold, breezy weather? The delicious food? The beautiful sceneries? The warm, nice people?

Maybe it was a mix of everything this beautiful country had to offer.

Se-ri sat by the window. She won't miss any chance to appreciate and marvel at nature's magnificent beauty. It helped her calm her racing mind and think less thoughts. It grounds her and lets her be in the moment.

Se-ri was busy doing her own thing, tired of all the couples surrounding her that unfortunate day. Was it "make Se-ri feel single all her life" type of day? It never bothered her before, but it can really be annoying sometimes. It seemed like the universe was conspiring against her.

People spend the majority of their lives looking for love. Whether it be romantic love or not, we're inclined to look for love wherever and whenever we can. Poems, songs, and novels are written about it. But for Se-ri, it wasn't something she's entirely keen on. In her mind, she questions how love can be something you trust and devote your life to when it can tragically end as suddenly as it begins. All in a blink of an eye, a snap of a finger.

Suddenly, Se-ri got a whiff of a manly yet fresh, clean scent. She looked to her side and saw a handsome man now sitting beside her.

Unexpectedly, Se-ri's heart rate picked up. But as a businesswoman, thank goodness she already mastered the art of keeping her composure in times like these.

The Korean in them bowed to each other as a sign of respect. It clicked in their minds that they're both Koreans, but they didn't say anything about that commonality. Even so, that commonality actually provided comfort throughout the train ride. There's just something nice being with someone you share something as simple as citizenship with. Means a lot especially when you're in a foreign country.

Slowly, the green view and indistinct chatter of the people aboard the train lulled Se-ri to a peaceful sleep.

~

Almost 45 minutes passed when Se-ri was woken up by a baritone voice, soothing to the ears. She burrowed herself to the radiating warmth even more.

He chuckled.

That caused Se-ri to open her eyes, look at her surroundings. Like a bucket of ice cold water poured on her, she removed her head from the man's shoulders and immediately bowed to apologize. She started fixing the wrinkles on her clothes to avoid the awkwardness of what just happened.

"No worries! It happens," the man said.

Se-ri didn't believe in love at first sight or romantic love altogether for that matter. But most especially for it to happen to her. For some maybe, but for her, she wasn't looking for love at all.

But this train ride had other plans for Se-ri.

"Ri Jeong-hyeok, by the way," he started. "Just in case you're someone who's highly alert regarding stranger danger."

Se-ri just stared at Jeong-hyeok.

"What brings you here in Switzerland?" Jeong-hyeok asked.

"Oh you know, the usual. Workaholic, needed a vacation to destress. Or so my stepmom and sister-in-law thinks," Se-ri told the partial reason to Jeong-hyeok. "How about you?"

"I'm looking for something," Jeong-hyeok said, which made Se-ri stare at him in complete confusion.

They paused, remaining in comfortable silence. Se-ri let the openness hang to give Jeong-hyeok the chance to continue his train of thought and tell more if he wanted to.

Se-ri wasn't good with strangers. But there was just something about Jeong-hyeok that made her want to listen and be in his presence. This was a first for her. It was pushing her out of her comfort zone, but for the first time as well, she didn't mind it one bit.

"... and I think I finally found it," Jeong-hyeok continued.

Jeong-hyeok finally found Se-ri.

This was just the beginning, and Se-ri's truly in for a ride.