The Light of Dead Stars | KSJ

63

Jin takes the carry-on bag from your hand and puts it over his shoulder, then holds your now-free hand and smirks before he kisses it.

"Smooth, huh?" He wiggles his eyebrows.

"You're so cheesy, stop it," you chuckle, nudging him to the side.

You've both just checked in the airport and are wandering around before heading to the lounge for lunch. You and Jin decided to leave on a Thursday afternoon, while the rest of your family and friends opted to leave the next day. You don't want to be too harassed when you arrive in Spain, and you also want to make sure that everything is settled for your guests when they get there.

You're buzzing with excitement. You've been reading up on all the Michelin-star restaurants in San Sebastián and all the other markets and famous dishes in the city, and you can't wait to try them all. You're finally able to fully enjoy another country with your husband without the stress of work, and no, France doesn't really count. There are food tours, cooking classes, and a ton of nearby cities to explore and get lost in. And the fact that you'll be enjoying some of them with your family and friends adds to the exciting feeling.

You're about to make a turn for the first-class lounge when a familiar face startles you, and you immediately call her name.

"Seri!"

She looks up from her phone, her face contorting in surprise before she gives you her genuine, sweet smile.

"___!"

She scurries to where you are and excitedly bows to you. She's a lot more shy and conscious towards Jin, though, and you don't blame her. The last time they met, he was angry and walked out on her, and you'd been the one to defend her to him during the time when things had gotten too much.

"Hi! It's nice to see you again," you greet her, then you tug your husband's hand.

"Hey, Seri," he greets. "How have you been?"

Her face relaxes and you're glad she's found her joyful spirit again.

"I've been great! I laid low for a while since, uh, yeah... and there haven't been any unfortunate instances since I spoke with Sejeong," she responds. "She's been checking up on me and that's been incredibly helpful. How about both of you?"

"We're doing fine, too. Things have looked up for us and we're going on a vacation, actually," you smile. "What about you? Where are you headed to?"

"Oh, that's great! You two do deserve a break," she says quite shyly. "And I'm heading to Japan. I actually got the courage to apply for a position in our Tokyo office and I fortunately got accepted. What you said stuck with me, you know? About not letting that whole experience ruin me for anyone else, especially for myself, and, well... I also kept thinking that I've just been settling for all these years."

She glances at Jin as she says the last bit, and he catches it, too. It's not out of spite, you could tell, as somehow she still says it with a glimmer of fondness in her eyes.

"I realized that maybe if I take a step out of my comfort zone, things can surprise me, and moving to Japan felt like the first step - still a little bit familiar but still new. And I'm really excited."

"That sounds great, Seri! I'm glad that the thought stuck with you. It was all I could offer at that time," you reply.

"It helped a lot, so thank you. And thanks to Jin, too. I'm really happy for the both of you, and I truly mean it."

Jin offers her a smile; he thinks it's all he could give her, other than an apology.

"I just want to say sorry for how I acted the last time," he says, looking into her eyes to let her know he means every word. "I was completely out of line and acted like we didn't share anything in the past. ___ had to knock some sense into me but she shouldn't have had to. I shouldn't have been an asshole and put the blame on you, so I apologize. I hope you can forgive me."