Landing in Your Inbox

102 - flight plan

Jeong-hyeok gave a small smirk at the understatement of the century. "I'm done. Let's board the plane. Wear your hat."

Before Seri knew it, she was heading onto a bus for boarding and a Spanish attendant was checking their tickets without further ceremony. Their names are a mystery and of no consequence.

The plane was narrower with a sea of blondes and brunettes. There were only two or three families with their travel neck pillows and earphones trying to drown out the noise of the rowdier passengers ranging from young tourists in tank tops and flip flops to middle-aged folks in polo shirts and short shorts...That left Seri and Jeong-hyeok, two overdressed fishes out of water, at the middle aisle.

Looking at the people around them who were mostly Europeans, Seri had a sense that they were really going someplace far. There was a tinge of nervousness from this new environment, but some measure of excitement too.

They were two random passengers, who only knew each other.

There was no such thing as privilege on the plane, no food, no special treatment. As a woman who lived in the spotlight and with people always at her beckon, it was a bit unnerving for Seri not to have some power about how far her seat can go back and having to deal with the tiny legroom.

Not too different for the pilot who wasn't at the cockpit for a change and had no control where the aircraft was headed or how it should be run. He had the sense that the attendants should be doing more to control the boisterous boys at the front who were obviously inebriated, speaking as an off-duty captain and an overly concerned partner to his girlfriend who might find the whole arrangement strange enough as it was.

He would often look her way, mouthing the words 'are you okay?' that she would answer with a reassuring nod, a smile, and a squeeze of his hand.

As the plane taxied down the runway and took the turn to the Mediterranean sea now cloaked in the darkness of the night, their hands clasped each other tight. They were the only things certain about each other.

July 16 2021 9:04 P.M.

It didn't take too long until they were soaring over the Balearic isles. Jeong-hyeok only found out they were landing when Seri shook his arm gently to wake him up from his unscheduled nap. She didn't want to rouse him but she couldn't put his seat-belts on after putting his head on her shoulder.

He straightened up in alarm, "Was I out for long?"

"It's okay. You're tired from flying." Seri will deal with her frozen shoulder after a few stretches.

Sleepiness would start to creep to Seri at the arrivals hall as Jeong-hyeok was in the middle of picking up their rental car keys from one of the booths. She was yawning as they were making their way to the parking lot to collect the car, her talkativeness reduced to asking whether the hotel was still far or if they were almost done. She didn't even comment about the vehicle model when they loaded their bags and got in the car, only concerned about strapping her seat belts on and just zoning out.

"How far away?" She asked.

"30 minutes." He replied.

"Last 30 minutes?"

"Yes...But Seri..."

"Mm?"

"I need you to talk to me throughout."

From her slumped position, Seri bid herself to sit straight, slapping her face awake and making wide-eyed blinks. "Shall we check out what's on the radio?"

"I'll need to hear the voice directions. Just talking to me would be good."

Seri could see him take deep breaths, he was nervous about this drive.