Anya went outside to buy some things she needed to take with her to Korea. After finishing her shopping, she returned home and stood beside her packed luggage, mentally reviewing her checklist. "I hope I haven't forgotten anything," she thought to herself. Feeling tired, she lay down on the bed to rest.
As she drifted off to sleep, Anya had a disturbing dream. A familiar voice echoed in her mind, "Should we play another survival game, Anya... You've got another tattoo, haha." Anya's eyes snapped open, and she sat up with a start, her heart racing. "It was just a dream," she told herself, feeling relieved. She checked her phone and saw it was 6:00 AM. She had enough time to get ready. As she looked at Sangwon's picture on her phone, she thought, "I should get going."
Her father's voice called out from another room, "Don't forget your important documents! Make sure you have everything." Anya replied, "I've got it covered, Dad. I've checked everything."
Just then, her sister came into the room and said, "Yoonah is here." Yoonah added, "Should we head out? We don't want to be late." Anya's father appeared in the doorway and said, "I'll drive you to the airport. Let's go."
As they arrived at the airport, Yoonah's enthusiasm was palpable. "We're here! Let's hurry up, Anya! Our flight is waiting!" After efficiently navigating check-in, security, and passport control, they proceeded to the gate.
Anya shared a heartfelt goodbye with her father, her voice barely audible. "Take care of yourself, Dad. I'll call you as soon as I land in Korea."
Once onboard, Anya settled into her seat, her mind racing with anticipation. She pondered the adventure ahead, wondering if it would be a thrilling rollercoaster ride or a serene experience.
As the plane prepared for takeoff, Yoonah leaned in, her voice tinged with concern. "Which airport are we flying into in Korea? I forgot the name. "
Anya's response was calm and assured. "We're flying into Incheon International Airport."
Yoonah's eyes widened slightly, her brow furrowed in worry. "I'm a bit concerned about communicating in Korea. We don't speak the language... I did learn some basic phrases, like 'hello' (annyeonghaseyo) and 'thank you' (gamsahamnida), but that's about it."
Anya's smile was reassuring. "Don't worry, I know Korean. We can manage."
Yoonah's jaw dropped in astonishment, her voice barely above a whisper. "You know how to speak Korean? No way!"
Anya's cheeks flushed slightly as she revealed her secret. "I learned it online, but I didn't mention it to anyone."
Yoonah's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Why didn't you tell me? That's a game-changer!"
"I didn't tell anyone because I thought you'd think I learned it for no reason," Anya said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Yoonah's eyes widened in mock dismay. "Seriously? That means I'll be the only one struggling with interactions." Anya shrugged slightly, a faint smile on her lips.
"Well, at least one of us knows the language," Yoonah said, her tone optimistic. As the conversation came to a close, Yoonah leaned back in her seat and soon fell asleep, exhausted from the long journey. Anya, however, remained awake, lost in thought as she gazed out the window at the endless expanse of sky.
The soft chime of the seatbelt sign and the pilot's calm voice over the intercom interrupted Anya's reverie. "Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be beginning our descent into Incheon International Airport. Please fasten your seatbelts and return your seats to their upright position." Yoonah's eyes snapped open, and she sat up with a jolt. "We've finally arrived!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement.
Anya murmured a soft "Hmm," her eyes lighting up slightly as she gazed out the window.
As they disembarked from the plane, Anya and Yoonah took in their surroundings, their faces aglow with excitement. "Annyeong, Korea," Anya whispered, greeting the country in its own language.
"Should we grab a taxi?" Anya asked quietly, her eyes scanning the airport. But before Yoonah could respond, her face contorted in distress. "Wait, I really need to use the restroom – badly. Can you wait here for a sec?"
As Yoonah turned to head towards the washroom, Anya's voice hesitated behind her. "But do you even know where the washroom is? The airport's massive, and you don't speak the language... Let me come with you," Anya said, her brow furrowed with concern.
Yoonah flashed a reassuring smile over her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. You stay here with the luggage, and I'll be right back," she said, her voice calm and soothing.
Anya nodded, her eyes scanning the airport's sprawling terminals. "Wow, it's huge and chaotic," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.
As Anya stood there, a small figure caught her attention. A little boy, no more than five years old, was crying uncontrollably, his tiny face scrunched up in distress. Anya's heart melted as she rushed to his side. "What's wrong? Why are you crying? Are you lost?" she asked, her voice gentle and concerned.
The child sniffled and whimpered, but didn't respond. Anya's eyes widened in alarm as she tried to comfort him. "Oh no, don't cry! What should I do?" she exclaimed, feeling a surge of panic.
Just then, Yoonah returned, her eyes scanning the area until they landed on Anya and the little boy. "What's going on? Who is this child?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Anya's face was etched with worry. "He's lost," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What are we going to do?"
Yoonah's eyes locked onto the child, and she quickly assessed the situation. "He's not wearing any ID tags or anything," she said, her voice calm and rational. "Anya, why don't you take him to the staff desk? I'll wait here with the luggage."
Anya nodded, scooping up the child in her arms. "Right, I'll go ask for help," she said, her voice determined.
As Anya walked towards the staff desk, Yoonah pulled out her phone. "Meanwhile, I'll book a taxi online," she said, her fingers flying across the screen.
As Anya approached the staff with the lost child in tow, she was greeted with a concerned inquiry: "Hello, what's the problem, ma'am?" Anya hesitated for a moment, her voice laced with a mix of worry and hope, "I think this child is lost, and I was wondering if you could help me locate his parents." The staff member's reassuring smile put her at ease, "Oh, yes, of course, no problem," and with a gentle touch, they made an announcement over the loudspeaker. Anya's soothing words calmed the child's frazzled nerves, "Don't worry, sweetie, your parents will be here soon." And, as if on cue, the child's parents arrived, their faces etched with relief and gratitude. "Thank you so much for your help," they expressed their heartfelt appreciation to Anya and the staff, before embracing their child and departing.
As Anya watched the heartwarming reunion, a shiver ran down her spine. "Fate's intersection," she whispered to herself, the words echoing like a gentle mantra. It was as if the universe had conspired to bring their paths together, a serendipitous convergence of two souls, transcending time and space. Like a compass guiding lost souls, or a circle that binds hearts together, fate's intersection was the moment when two people were meant to meet, no matter what obstacles lay in their way, no matter what circumstances surrounded them. They would find each other, bound by the inextricable threads of fate, woven into the very fabric of their being, waiting to be discovered. In that moment, Anya realized that some connections are indeed destined, forever etched in the stars.
Anya murmured to herself, "I should take my leave now," and bid farewell to the staff with a courteous bow, before striding towards her friend Yoonah, who was waiting for her with a patient smile. As she walked, her attention was diverted to her phone, which was buzzing with a flurry of notifications. "Oh, dear, so many messages!" she exclaimed, her eyes scanning the screen. "And this one is from the university," she added, her brow furrowed in interest. Absorbed in her phone, she failed to notice the person standing in her path, and collided with them. Instinctively, she reached out to steady the individual, her grip firm but gentle, even as she continued to clutch her phone. "I'm so sorry," she muttered, not looking up, her attention still fixed on the screen. The person she had bumped into smiled and thanked her, but Anya didn't register, too engrossed in her phone to notice. Little did she know, the person she had just run into was none other than Sangwon, who was trying to make a discreet exit, avoiding the throngs of adoring fans who would have mobbed him if they had known he was at the airport. As he walked away, he pondered, "I suppose she wasn't a fan, or perhaps she didn't recognize me. Either way, I'm grateful she didn't make a scene." Meanwhile, Anya showed Yoonah the message on her phone, asking, "Have you booked a taxi?