COME BACK TO ME, SLAVEN | #Wattys2019

Chapter 16 - Welcome to South Korea!

Author's Note: Please play the song in the media section. Sometimes, I would give you media to listen to, but sometimes, it can be irrelevant to the story. Haha! Sorry! It's just the first song that would come in mind. Song up there, is from 4Minute, 'What A Girl Wants', just because I love it. And it somehow says what Ella wants or is thinking at the moment. Haha! Love yah!

THREE DAYS LATER. . .

"We're here! Welcome to South Korea!" She felt someone pat her head and whispered those words. Ayaw sana niyang magmulat muna ng mata sa takot na baka nananaginip lang siya. Pero hindi, she knows she isn't dreaming. She was wide awake the whole duration of the flight. Mariin lang na nakapikit ang mga mata niya, trying to sleep and relax, while she nervously prayed na wag sanang bumagsak ang eroplano'ng pinapalipad ni Slaven.

Kanina pa siya ina-assure ni Leah na Slaven is a registered pilot and best actor slash pilot in the industry. Pero hindi pa rin niya maiwasang hindi matakot. It's her first time to ride a plane, a jet plane, and her first trip outside of Cebu. Shocks! Outside of the country! Heck! She can't trust her life to a singer turned pilot. Baka mamaya gawin nitong 'microphone' and control/navigator stick ng eroplano. Gusto pa niyang makabalik sa Pilipinas at makita ang mga mahal sa buhay.

"You can relax now Ella. Come on, take a peek at the beauty of Korea from up in the clouds." Leah turned her shoulder towards her side of the window. She relaxed when she saw the clouds flying by her and then it cleared and gave her the breathtaking sight of Korea while the sun has just come out of the horizon.

"Wow. . ." It's breathtakingly beautiful. Parang pinapanood lang niya ang archetype ng isang urban development plan ng Papa niya. Only it is much larger and detailed. Ganito siguro ang itsura ng Pilipinas din sa malayo. Sayang at masyado siyang busy sa pagkapit sa upuan niya at pagdarasal nang mag take-off sila. Hehe. .

"We'll be landing in a jiffy. Be ready."ani Leah. She can't help but tug her own arm. It's real alright. She looked down at her bandaged foot, ang salarin kung bakit siya narito ngayon. She is on-leave for two damn weeks to rest her injured foot. And she can't go on resting while not earning money to feed her family. It left her no choice. Does she really have no other choice?

She waved the thought off her head. Ayaw muna niyang isipin 'yon ngayon. She already misses her family. What is she gonna be without them for two weeks? A crying lady. . Yeah, a crying bamboo stick with a lady's figure that is.

Mamaya pa ay naramdaman na niya ang pag-ugong ng makina ng maliit na eroplano at pag-usad niyon pababa. Napakapit na naman siya ng mahigpit sa upuan niya ng maramdaman ang malumanay na paghila ng pwersa sa eroplano pababa sa lupa.

Then the little bird landed on his claws on the earth softly. She watched outside as it halted on the runway, hundreds of meters away from the pavilion-like airport. Unlike in Cebu, she can see this is not a private hangar owned by a businessman. This is an international airport. She deeply sighed to calm her nervous nerves and heartbeat. It didn't help much. Kinapa niya ang isang pakete ng toothpick na nasa front pocket ng denim jeans niya. She'll be needing dozens and dozens of it for the days to come. Her 'comfort thing'. If most people pig out to comfort them, she just needs her toothpick. It's really a pretty odd habit but it really helped her a lot. Dozens of times before, during exams, school presentations, and programs, when she had her interview for work at QNU, she was gnawing on her toothpick right before her final interview. A lot more times than she can remember actually, the toothpick is where she gets her courage from.

"Ella, come on. A service cart is already waiting outside, we still need to check out on the airport's arrival terminal. This may be a private jet but this is still a registered flight. Slaven's a private pilot here." Inalalayan siyang tumayo ni Leah. "Can you make it with one foot?" Alanganin nitong tanong at sinipat ng tingin ang naka-bandage niyang paa.