high flying love ¦ lee jeno

ch ; 01

·⁀ ༄.°✈ ₊⭒˚｡⋆ 01 ·⁀ ༄.°✈ ₊⭒˚｡⋆

One Look, Dark Room

Yura jolted awake, her eyes flying open to the glaring light of her bedside clock. The digits burned into her retinas: 7:30 AM, April 26, 2023. She was supposed to be at Incheon International Airport by 7:00 AM, and her flight to Italy was in less than two hours. A panicked scream escaped her lips as she bolted out of bed, her heart racing with the realization that she was running horribly late.

A mental breakdown threatened to erupt. Seohyun's frantic texts, punctuated by strings of emojis conveying varying degrees of panic, only intensified the rising tide of mortification.

From: tteohyuunie
Yura !!
Why does it say in FindWe, you're still at your house??
Your flight is in 9:00AM right??

"How could I forget to set an alarm?" she berated herself, frantically pulling on clothes and shoving the essentials into her suitcase. The meticulous packing she'd planned the night before was now reduced to a chaotic frenzy. Yura barely managed to pull on a pair of jeans and a sweater before rushing out the door, her hair still a wild mess from sleep.

The doorbell shrilled, and Yura winced. It was probably the taxi Seohyun had undoubtedly pre-booked in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation. Guzzling down scalding coffee, she mentally calculated the travel time, the check-in process, the sheer audacity of pulling this off.

With a final, deep breath, Yura grabbed her bag, flung open the door, and launched into a breathless explanation to the waiting driver. The surprised look on his face quickly morphed into amusement as she poured out her tale of woe, punctuated by nervous laughter. He seemed to understand the peculiar brand of friendship that fueled such last-minute chaos.

As the taxi sped towards the airport, Yura messaged Seohyun, a single emoji summing up her predicament:

To: tteohyuunie
Coming!!
☕️.

-

The taxi screeched to a halt outside Incheon International Airport, the building a shimmering mirage through the haze of Yura's panic. She scrambled out, shoving crumpled bills into the driver's hand and muttering a breathless "thank you."

Inside, the bustling chaos of departures unfolded before her - a cacophony of announcements, rolling suitcases, and hurried passengers. Yura, heart hammering a frantic tattoo against her ribs, dove into the current, her tote bag bumping against knees and ankles.

Reaching the check-in counters, Yura was a whirlwind of nerves and clumsiness. She juggled her passport, ticket, and visa, trying to keep everything organized. The desperate struggle to reorganize sending all of them cascading to the floor in a messy splatter.

"Fuck!" she cried, lunging to gather the scattered documents. But as her hand reached for her passport, a powerful force slammed into her shoulder.

Yura yelped, propelled backwards in a comical slow-motion tumble. With a thud, she landed on the hard tiled floor, a symphony of misplaced belongings scattering around her. The culprit, a man dressed in casual clothes, seemed equally surprised by the collision.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Yura gasped, dropping to her knees to gather her things. The man she'd bumped into was dressed in casual clothing but seemed just as rushed. He muttered something under his breath, a quick apology she barely caught, and continued on his way without so much as a backward glance.

"Great," she muttered to herself, stuffing her passport and ticket back into her bag. "Some people have no manners."

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Yura gathered her scattered belongings. Time was precious, and she couldn't afford to stew in self-pity.

Yura's heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs as she reached the check-in counter. The cheerful airline attendant seemed unfazed by her disheveled appearance, a calming balm on her racing nerves. With practiced efficiency, the attendant scanned her documents, her lips curving into a reassuring smile.

"Just in time, Miss." she chirped, handing her a boarding pass. "Gate 32B is boarding now. Don't worry, you'll still make your flight as there seemed to be a delay due to changing of pilots."

Yura could have sworn she heard angels singing. A wave of relief washed over her, so intense it almost made her knees buckle. "Thank you," she managed, a genuine smile splitting her face.

Yura let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and made a beeline for security. She navigated the lines with as much speed as she could muster, her awkwardness making her movements jerky and uncoordinated. By the time she reached her gate, they were already announcing the final boarding call for her flight.

She flashed her ticket and practically sprinted down the jetway, her heart still racing. She barely noticed the luxurious surroundings of the first-class cabin, too focused on the fact that she had actually made it. As she settled into her spacious seat, she took a moment to breathe, the weight of the morning's panic finally starting to lift.

Pulling out her phone, she sent a quick message to Seohyun:

To: tteohyuunie
On board!
I'll message you when I land!

The reply came almost instantly.

From: tteohyuunie
OMG! You made it! You're amazing!
I'll be waiting at the airport, don't you worry
Get some rest, the flight will surely be long!
See you soon! 🇮🇹

Yura sighed, leaning back in her seat as the flight attendants began their pre-flight announcements. The reality of what she was doing slowly started to sink in. She was on her way to Italy, on an impulsive adventure that could either be a disaster or the best decision she had ever made.

-

a/n: just a filler update! hehe

Continued.