Landing in Your Inbox

102 - flight plan

Jeong-hyeok took Seri's wrist firmly, before the shopaholic bee flits away. "Your bag will do. We don't have time."

"Why?" Seri blinked, "Is the shuttle not running? It's still early in the evening. We're not going with your flight crew, right? By the way, I didn't bother booking. I think we can go to your appointed hotel, let's just make do with whatever..."

"We have other accommodations." Jeong-hyeok interrupted.

Seri blinked, "We do?"

Looking at his wrist watch, Jeong-hyeok decided to take matters into his own hands, "Follow me. I'll answer questions later."

Jeong-hyeok rarely insisted on having his own way so Seri did not lodge another protest even if the shops she wanted to visit were just nearby. She just tried to move along with her hand tight in his, the other wheeling her bag. She did, wisely, change into a comfortable pair of sneakers earlier that would allow her to match her boyfriend's brisk pace.

They were making their way back to the transit area, lining up for where Seri prepared to show her passport. But rather than be spat out into the road where they could take a taxi or a bus, they were going further into the maze of the airport, down a long hall of gates.

"Let's hurry."Jeong-hyeok urged before going for a jog that had Seri picking up speed though she wished she knew why and where exactly. Why was Jeong-hyeok on edge??

Seri had time to catch her breath when Jeong-hyeok paused in front of a self-service kiosk, handing the pilot her passport when he asked for it. The kiosk printed out boarding passes, Jeong-hyeok handed one to Seri.

Seri read the ticket until her eyes widened, "We're going to—" She stopped short of exclaiming.

And the pilot still took this development too calmly like they were just going to a nearby mall. "Now we have 30 minutes for your questions...But can we buy something to eat?"

July 16, 2021 8:00 P.M.
Barcelona El-Prat Airport, Terminal 1 B gates

Seri was still poring over her pass on the cushioned benches as Jeong-hyeok made quick work of a salmon sandwich next to her. "Our accommodations are here?"

Jeong-hyeok nodded.

"But...how could you plan all this when you don't know if I'm going?"

"It was a risk." He acknowledged in between bites.

He said it like it was a minor inconvenience. "You should have told me you already booked something!"

"I didn't want to pressure you." Jeong-hyeok took the bottle of water Seri offered. "It was still your decision to make."

Seri sighed, "And what if I don't end up going? You'll pay a penalty?"

"Or I'll reschedule..." He sipped his drink, "It won't be so bad."

"Including these plane tickets?" Seri brought up her boarding pass, "I doubt these could be rescheduled..."

"Eun-dong helped me with those..." He explained with a tip of his head, "He booked them when he saw you at the airport."

Seri's jaw hung at how elaborately he had planned this trip when she only expected to crash at his hotel for the layover and walk around the city with him and plan everything else along the way.

"The tickets are only for economy class. This is the only airline that can be booked at this time." He said with an apologetic tone.

Seri shook her head, "I don't care. I'll go wherever you go." Knowing Jeong-hyeok had taken pains to make arrangements the least Seri would do was be cooperative and she was willing to be compliant, ride on horseback to their destination if she must. "But we really need to work on this communication thing."