Enthralled || Liskook

Chapter 37

Stepping off the plane, Lisa was met with the pre-dawn chill of the Hawaiian morning, a stark contrast to the stifling warmth she'd anticipated. 

The air, while free of winter's bite, held a distinct coolness that sent goosebumps prickling her skin. She shivered, instinctively reaching for the bulky winter coat that felt like a misplaced relic in her hand. 

Jungkook, equally surprised by the unexpected chill, shot her a sheepish grin. "Guess paradise isn't always sunshine and beaches," he said, his breath forming a fleeting cloud in the cool air. 

They navigated the bustling terminal, Lisa pulling their single backpack behind her. As they merged with the throng of exiting passengers, a pang of concern tugged at her heart. Lost in the shuffle of the crowd, the backpack, her only link to warmth and the life they'd left behind, felt like a forgotten memory. 

A notification buzzed from her phone, jolting her back to the present. Jennie's message, delayed by the spotty internet, filled the screen. 

Jennie: Are you alive? 

The humor in her friend's words felt hollow, mirroring the nagging emptiness in her stomach. 

She typed a single hesitant reply. 

Lisa: Hmm? 

Jennie: Always bring a pack of condoms with you! 

Lisa: Are you nuts? 

Lisa: He's just taking me to watch the sunrise. 

Lisa: Don't let your imagination run wild. 

Jungkook rented a low-slung, charcoal gray car, its sleek lines contrasting starkly with the vibrant tropical backdrop. 

He ushered Lisa into the passenger seat, the car swallowing them in a cool, air-conditioned embrace. His fingers danced across the navigation system, plotting their course towards the welcoming haven of their hotel. 

The barren landscape unfolded around them, a stark contrast to the bustling city they'd just left behind. 

To their left, the ground sported a dusty mantle of black volcanic ash, a constant reminder of the fiery power that slumbered beneath. The road stretched ahead, seemingly endless, a ribbon of asphalt cutting through the raw, untamed beauty of the island. 

The rising sun cast the world in an ethereal glow of orange and red, painting the volcanic ash with an otherworldly sheen. 

As the gentle hum of the engine lulled her, Lisa succumbed to the rhythm of the journey, her eyelids fluttering closed. She drifted off, lulled by the soothing rhythm of the English navigation guiding their way. 

A sudden drumming on the car roof startled her awake. 

Rain, a welcome reprieve from the dry heat, lashed against the windshield, blurring the once-clear view. 

Turning to Jungkook, she spoke in a hushed voice, "How long have we been driving?" 

He glanced at her briefly before returning his focus to the road. "Twenty minutes,” he replied, his voice a steady murmur. "Go back to sleep if you want." 

His right hand expertly navigated the steering wheel, while his left rested casually on the armrest. A mesmerizing swirl of colors adorned his forearm - a complex and beautiful nebula map, inked in shades of blue, purple, and white. 

She remembered asking him about it in their apartment, how a friend of his had endured the three excruciating sessions it took to complete the intricate design. 

Lisa cast her mind back to the previous night, the image of Jungkook at the airport still vivid. Propped on a strange, half-human-sized machine, he'd seemed almost dreamlike, a figment of her imagination. It all felt surreal, an extension of the long, incredible dream that had begun on that snowy day in January.