14 hours | lee felix

12

3 hours before

"Hey Yongbok, what's life like for you back home?" I ask between mouthfuls of bulgogi and rice.

I'm going off of very limited information. I know he's a dancer, he lives with his friends, what if he's a stripper? Not that I'd judge, that would mean he'd be rich. I mean I'd be a stripper too if I hadn't torn my Achilles, or had rhythm, or didn't have stage fright. Maybe I just wouldn't be a stripper.

"Mmm," he pauses looking for the right word. He's stuck for a bit, I wonder what's going through his head.

The look he gets when he's thinking is kinda cute. His eyes scrunch into an 11, and I see the way his lips purse just the slightest bit. Id never say it out loud though, I know he'd get too much of an ego boost and tease me for it forever.

It's crazy how little I know of him, yet how connected I feel. I mean we're just strangers, crazy what being trapped on a plane with each other for 14 hours can do.

"Hectic." He confidently concludes, finally finding the right word. "Everyday is different. Sort of." He shrugs.

"Routine?" I ask.

I expect almost a tiktok answer. The times, the activities, the fits he wears. It all seems very... Yongbok.

"Yeah I guess you'd say that. It's crazy, but at this point it's all predictable. I can predict the mundane: wake up at dawn, lunch and practice at the same time, get home at the same time. But then the out of the ordinary happens too. But even then there's always the same pattern. Same late nights, same early mornings and routines."

I can't help but feel a little pity.

The way he speaks about it, he's just so used to it.

"I'm gonna be real with you." I begin. "You seem a little... overworked."

The culture in Korea is different than what I know it's like in Australia It's a work hard play hard culture, work usually taking the front spot. It's something I know all too well, but I don't mind. It's what gives me my life.

He does nothing but chuckle.

"I am." He's still smiling as brightly as ever. "When I came to Korea I was 17, I spoke basically no Korean and I wasn't ready for the life I was wanting. I worked hard to be in this position, obviously some days are better than others but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I mean in no other universe could I do what I do, I appreciate being here now." He states simply.

The sides of my lips can't help but upturn. Everything he says just makes me wanna smile, it's a little annoying.

"You're so positive all the time." I state bluntly. "It's rubbing off on me, I'm not sure how I feel about it." I squint my eyes accusingly towards him. "If I get off this plane and start believing in soulmates and dancing dancing jigs I'm gonna sue." I tease.

"I think you do need some more positivity." He teases back sticking his tongue out at me. "Come on, you've been so broody and kinda dark this whole trip. What's up?"

"You know how I said I left my brothers place?" I begin. He looks at me intently. "My brother offered me a place to stay in New York, Korea hasn't been too kind to me as of late. I guess I'm just in a bad mood cause I'm going back home but home feels thousands of miles away now."

I don't want to be a pessimistic person, I wasn't always. Life just has a way of making a person expect the worse, and be right.

Lately it feels like everyone has a place. Sohn is in New York, my dad is working at a job he loves, even Yongbok has a million roommates who are like family to him.

What do I have?

A few friends who I see couple times a year? A dying houseplant that is definitely already dead cause I forgot to ask someone to water it while I was away? It's sad knowing how little I have to look forward to at the end of the day.

"I think it's nice how you found your people so early on in your journey in Korea." I commend him. "I hope you appreciate them."

"I do." He admits. "Sometimes I show it a little too much. Come on there's got to be something that keeps you here. There's no place like Seoul."

"I know." I admit.

I don't want to tell him I've always had a suspicion I'm meant to be in Korea. Something just telling me I need to be home, everytime I travel something pulls me back. Maybe it's just homesickness?

"I'm hoping there's something that keeps me planted."

He just stares at me for a little bit.

It looks like there's something on the top of his tongue but he simply holds it back.

I see his cheeks turn a light pink and he plops a homemade brownie bite into his mouth.

"There's nowhere else in the world you can get delivery food as fast. Trust me I've been to almost every continent, no. where. else." He emphasizes.

I can't help but laugh. It takes me a second to realize what he's trying to avoid.

"Yongbok you don't have to be friends with me after this you know. We were assigned seats, not assigned besties for life." I joke.

It hurts my feels a little. But that's life, I'm used to it.

His expression softens.

A flash of pain shoots across his face.

"I want to believe me, I just- it's really complicated to explain- I can't-" I cut him off from his stammering.

"Let's just finish the Hunger Games ok?" I ask with a reassuring smile. "I get it, it is what it is you know?"

He opens his mouth to protest but I shove the earbud in his ear and start the movie.

Just strangers. Nothing more.

At least I can enjoy the next 2 hours of us being friends.

Just friends.

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Hey y'all🫣

Yearly update🥳

Pls pls pls don't be mad that I literally said I'd try to update more and then take a whole ass year to do it.

I got a comment saying I need to update and that literally motivated me. Sorry guys I just can't believe a series I started in hs is still going like that's crazy.

Little update on my life.

Got a big girl job, graduated college, got accepted into a masters program.

Hopefully I update before I graduate from that too lol.

Anyways if you're reading tysm I literally don't deserve y'all being so nice to me. I hope you enjoy and see you when I see you🫶