ECHOES OF DEFIANCE

chapter 8

I woke up with a flutter of excitement in my chest, wondering where Zain planned to take me. The thought had kept me awake longer than I would admit, and now, the day was finally here. I moved through my morning routine quickly, had breakfast, and then hopped into the shower.

After getting dressed, I noticed a missed call from Ha Young and gave her a quick ring back.

We have a group project with Özge, and we need a native speaker to help us. She said she'd call when she's free, Ha Young explained she is able to help us now we joined a video call, and soon, she walked us through the project.

An hour later, we were done, and I felt more at ease. It was nearly 2:30 when I ordered lunch, finished eating, and then prepared myself for the day ahead. I wasn’t one for makeup, so I simply applied some kohl to my eyes and glossed my lips, keeping it natural. Standing before my closet, I hesitated, unsure of what to wear. After some thought, I picked out a white inner top and a khaki two-piece set, paired with a matching khaki hijab, white sneakers, and a white crossbody bag

I looked at myself in the mirror, feeling satisfied with my appearance, but something still felt off. I couldn’t shake the thought that I’d feel more confident in a white hijab. Should I change? I stood there contemplating until my phone buzzed. It was Zain.

*"You ready?"* his message read.

*"Yeah, waiting for Asr prayer,"* I typed back.

*"Okay, see you in 20."*

I smiled at his promptness and decided to change my hijab to white. Now, everything felt perfect. I threw on my jilbab and prayed Asr. I was still on the prayer mat when I heard a soft knock at the door.

I quickly removed my jilbab and hurried to answer.

"Assalamu alaikum," Zain greeted with a smile, his eyes meeting mine.

"Wa alaikassalam," I replied softly, feeling a sudden warmth rise to my cheeks.

"Kinyi kyau," he complimented, his gaze lingering on me.

My heart fluttered, and I quickly looked down, hiding my blush. "Thank you," I mumbled, focusing on the large ring on his hand. "I’ll just grab my shoes and bag. Please, have a seat." I hurried into the bedroom to collect my things, adjusting my hijab once again before stepping back out.

"Ready!" I said, standing by the couch.

Zain stood and looked me over once more. "You look amazing."

"You’ve already said that," I replied with a shy smile, stealing a glance at him. His hair looked unusually silky today, and his beard—short, perfectly groomed—added to his undeniable handsomeness. Had we not been constantly at odds before, I might’ve noticed earlier just how striking he was.

"Shall we?" he asked, his voice smooth, as he extended his arm toward the door.

I smiled and followed him, locking the door behind us with my new digital lock. We walked to his car, and as I slid into the passenger seat, I could see we were headed toward Namsan Tower. I hadn’t been there since arriving in Seoul, and for some reason, the thought of going with Zain filled me with anticipation.

When we arrived, we took the elevator to the top of the tower, and as the doors opened, the panoramic view of Seoul took my breath away. The city stretched out endlessly beneath us, a vibrant tapestry of life and lights.

"Thank you for bringing me here," I said softly, turning to Zain, who was already watching me.

His eyes held something deeper, something that made my heart skip a beat. "Back in Nigeria," he began, his voice quiet yet filled with sincerity, "whenever I wanted to see you, I’d go to Amma’s house. Even if you weren’t there, your presence was strong amma and the boys will mention your name numerous times. It felt like you were everywhere. Here in Seoul, when I think about you, I come here to Namsan Tower. Seoul is just like you—beautiful, present yet distant, fun, and free."