IRREVOCABLY AND IRRETRIEVABLY

Chapter Four: Unexpected Companions

Evelyn and Taehyung had spent the last six hours in a surprisingly lively conversation, covering topics ranging from books to travel experiences, each enjoying the other's company more than they expected. Time slipped away unnoticed as they procrastinated heading to the gate for their flight, conveniently ignoring all announcements until the final boarding call jolted them from their engrossing dialogue.

"Last call for flight 319 to Seoul," the announcement blared through the terminal speakers.

Taehyung and Evelyn exchanged a panicked look. "We should probably go," Taehyung said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Yeah, probably," Evelyn replied, laughing nervously.

With hurried steps, they finally made their way to the shuttle bus that would take them to the plane. As they stood waiting, Taehyung seemed to hesitate, gathering his courage. "Hey, um, could I get your number?" he asked meekly, his usual confident demeanor slightly subdued.

Evelyn, startled and not used to such requests, hesitated. "Uh, I don't usually give out my number," she stammered, her heart racing.

Seeing her reaction, Taehyung got the wrong idea, his face flushing with embarrassment. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It's just... I really enjoyed our conversation, and I thought maybe we could stay in touch," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Evelyn's heart softened at his sincerity. "No, it's not that," she said quickly. "I just... I'm not used to this kind of thing. But, um, maybe..." she trailed off, unsure how to continue.

Taehyung smiled gently. "It's okay, really. No pressure. I'll see you around, maybe." He then rushed ahead, boarding the plane before Evelyn could respond.

Upset and feeling alone again, Evelyn faced the reality of navigating this part of her journey by herself. She showed her ticket to the attendant, who directed her to board through the back entrance of the plane. As she navigated the narrow aisle, pushing and shoving unintentionally, she finally found her seat in the middle row, squeezed between two strangers.

Struggling to stow her bags in the overhead bin, she sat down, feeling the weight of her anxiety crushing her chest. Trying to regain her composure, she pulled out her book and focused on the words, her usual solace in times of stress. The middle seat, she soon realized, was the worst place for someone with social anxiety. The close proximity to strangers, the lack of personal space, the constant brushing of arms—it was all too much.

Suddenly, something heavy plopped onto her shoulder. Startled, she froze, her heart pounding. What was that? She glanced sideways, her breath catching in her throat. It was a head—a human head. The person next to her had fallen asleep and was now using her shoulder as a pillow.

She tried to nudge the person off gently, but her anxiety paralyzed her. The stranger's head felt like a boulder, and every attempt to move only made her more self-conscious. She sat rigidly, eyes fixed on her book, hoping the situation would resolve itself.

As the flight progressed, Evelyn felt the person's head occasionally shift, but she remained frozen, unwilling to glance sideways. It wasn't until halfway through the flight that the weight lifted. The person beside her straightened up, muttering groggily.

Evelyn breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear a familiar voice quote from her book, "The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion."

She turned, wide-eyed, to see Taehyung rubbing his eyes. In his stupor, he hadn't realized it was Evelyn beside him. Their eyes met, and for a moment, both were equally surprised and awkward.