Landing in Your Inbox

102 - flight plan

She told him everything and nothing about what happened when she confronted Gu Seung-jun. He knew what was said but not what she truly thought about the truth behind her selection as Queens' successor. He waited for her fury, to be all indignant spit and fire.

But she was the opposite, taking a solemn and inscrutable stance in the dark.

Jeong-hyeok tried again, attempting to break a complex question into simpler parts. "Did something happen when I left?"

Facts were good, they required less thought. It gave Seri some footholds in navigating the precarious walls of her mind, "My father's case has been officially suspended. His lawyers are confident he will be cleared of the charges in time." She started. "It's good news..."

But her smile was weak and lacked conviction. Jeong-hyeok waited to hear more.

"My father told me this over the phone and he wanted to see me in the house for dinner...And then I said." She took on a cold countenance. "Sorry I can't, because I will be flying out that day."

Her skin crept up when she declared her intention to leave the country, the rush of finality and thrill to speak her decision plainly was something she had not had for a while. "I made up my mind there. I wanted to shock him and make him uneasy."

Jeong-hyeok was suddenly aware that it could very well be his first indirect interaction with Seri's father, to have planned out something that ended up spurning the chairman. "What did he say?"

"He was startled, I would even say he was alarmed." Seri replied in quickening excitement. "He demanded to know where I was going. Why did I not tell him? Why now? And I told him...Father, what's a few days before I give my life to Queens?"

The car became quiet as a chapel, save for the humming engine and the GPS instructions that accompanied their ascent.

"I wanted him to know that I know how he bartered the price of his freedom for mine...But when I think about it, I couldn't believe how I made myself blind. Because it's truly...painfully clear how I took the bait willingly...How open I made myself to be manipulated to take Queens...Why else did I escape my family if I'll end up under their thumb...I even made myself believe I'm worth something to them..."

She had never spoken that realization out loud until then and it scared her how she made it real. Was she having regrets? Was she signing herself into something she actually didn't want in the first place when it was all too late to do anything?

"...But then I needed to catch the flight, too." Her voice became a touch lighter. "So I dropped everything to be here...All I've thought of since is how I want to be with you..."

She watched Jeong-hyeok who was concentrating on the road or wearing his perfect poker face to not betray any disappointment. He warned her about Queens but chose to trust her. Now she wasn't sure, and she put him in an awkward situation and he would have reason to doubt her presence on that trip.

Seri leaned a bit toward the driver's side. "Jeong-hyeok, I know it looks like I used you as an excuse to get away...But I really want to go with you, now more than ever...It's just...I couldn't just do what I want...And that made me sad thinking about it...But I made up my mind and there's nowhere else I would rather be..."

It seemed he wasn't interested in responding for the longest time and Seri was starting to think she made a terrible mistake.

"Seri..."

"Yes? What is it?"

"Could you take my phone and load the navigation app? I'll need you to be my second eyes. There are a few consecutive roundabouts and I don't want to miss our turns..."