February 23, 2020
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, California
My hands shake.
I hold my passport tightly in one hand, my suitcase handle in the other.
Yet me hands still twitch and shake no matter how tightly I try to settle them by clutching my belongings.
Ara's parents are squeezing her cheeks, saying things to her in Korean that I don't have the attention span to try and understand right now. Rose is squeezing David and Violet into teary hugs—she's the only one who's crying right now. My grandmother's arms are around me, but I can hardly even think of how to move.
"Ophelia," she says sweetly, hand cupping my cheek. My eyes finally settle on her face and I feel calm for just a moment. She places a gentle kiss on my cheek.
"No matter what happens, you'll always have us," Nanna says.
I nod.
"I'll always love you more than anything."
I nod again, feeling tears rise to my eyes. I don't even know what I'm expecting. Should I be expecting anything?
"Have lots of fun, okay? Get plenty of food and water when you land and rest well. Just one day, honey."
Just one day, I think.
Haruman neowa naega—
Not now, Ophelia.
"Here, sweetheart."
Grandma hands me a folded piece of paper that I clutch tightly in my hands as well.
"Don't drop that, okay? Put it in your bag safely. And lastly, make sure to tell Jimin that he's the loveliest most handsome boy to ever walk this earth. DO. NOT. FORGET. MY. MESSAGE!" She jabs a finger in my face threateningly and I finally respond.
I smile at her shakily and she grips my hands tightly.
"I'm trying not to get my hopes," I say. "I don't know what it's gonna be like. We may not even be able to..."
"Well, I'll make sure to hope enough for the both of us," Nanna promises. "Have fun. No matter what happens."
"I just don't know what I'm gonna do with four days after tomorrow." I nearly choke thinking about that. Tomorrow? All these years of waiting and it's supposed to be happening tomorrow? I can't even believe that.
"Okay Rose, we've got to go!" Ara says, grabbing Rose's shoulder and shaking her gently.
Rose lifts her face from David's neck to look at us, her nose and eyes running and face all red.
"Good god, Rose," I exclaim.
"It'll be fine, babe," David promises her. "It's only a week. She hasn't been nursing of a while now. You don't have to worry."
"I've never been away for more than a night," Rose sniffles, kissing Violet's head for the millionth time.
Violet just stares. I'm sure she'd roll her eyes if she could.
"Come on, Rose, it'll be okay," I say. "Just like you told me. David's responsible."
David takes Violet from Rose and hands her off to Rose's mom. He pulls his hysterical wife into his arms for a final hug and kiss, but she curls into him very permanently. "We'll see you in a week, okay? Text us when you land."
Ara rolls her eyes, taking my hand. "Come on, we're running out of time."
"Don't we have to wait for Rose?" I ask, stumbling along behind her.
"She'll catch up," Ara huffs.
—
"I can't believe you guys left me," Rose gasps when she stands with us at the gate. "I was right behind you guys."
"For your information, we're boarding next," Ara snaps. "You're ten minutes late."
Rose sighs. "Okay, maybe I stayed a little longer than I should've, but it's still not fair."
"We're boarding next!" Ara says again. "You almost missed the flight!"
I pick at my freshly painted nails, swallowing nervously. "I haven't flown in so long," I say. "And never for this long before."
"Fourth zone may begin boarding," calls a soft voice at our gate. "Seats 61 through 80 may begin boarding flight 244 to Seoul, South Korea."
Ara hops excitedly, bouncing toward the line. "That's us!" She hoists up her carry on bag and takes my hand to get in line quickly.
"I'm so excited," she says. "I haven't been to Korea in two years. That's the last time we visited my dad's family in Jeonju."
"I hope I can sit still for this long," I say again.
"You get used to it," Ara says. "Thirteen hours isn't bad when it's though the night like this flight is."
"I wish you guys had given me a couple days notice. I didn't have much time to prepare for a thirteen hour plane ride."
"We liked the dramatic effect," Rose chirps. She sighs, staring ahead at the plane out the window. "Isn't it so exciting? We're meeting BTS. I can't believe seven years has all led up to this moment. This is so much better than some chance meeting."
"I hope I'm not too nervous," I mumble. "I want to see all of them before they find out I'm Seokjin's soulmate. And Grandma wants me to tell Jimin he's lovely."
Rose laughs, handing her ticket to the short woman behind the desk. Rose walks on, Ara takes her place, and not long after it's my turn.
"All clear," she says with a soft smile and delicate English. "Enjoy your visit."
"Thank you," I say breathily.
I step through the boarding bridge, making sure to touch the outside of the plane for a lucky flight as my father always told me to do. I follow Ara's short black hair as she bounces excitedly down the aisles of the plane.
"Sit over here by me, Opie," she says in Korean and my brain jumps to attention with my amateur language skills. "We'll practice on the flight."
"Don't forget about me," Rose begs us. "I can't speak Korean."
Ara snorts at that and buckles herself in eagerly. She wraps her arm through mine and lovingly rests her head on my shoulder.
"Ready to meet your soulmate?" she asks cheerily.
I swallow, unable to respond. I wonder if I'll get any sleep when we land tonight. Nerves buzz in my stomach and I feel butterflies flying up my throat. It's almost like I could throw up.
Then I lean forward and proceed to vomit into a barf bag while Ara nearly bruises my back trying to comfort me.
Maybe I was wrong about it being butterflies.
—
my great grandma's birthday is the day after tae's. she's gonna be 85 this year 0_0
i'm gonna try and upload these chapters daily. they're all pretty short as they lead up to the big moment.
cay
1097 words