PURSUE {Park Jihoon & Kang Daniel}

43 (END)

This was the day.

All my bags were packed, filled with clothes and my most important things. Memories.

My parents and Rayeon followed me to the airport for a final goodbye.
I had told Rayeon around the same time as I told everyone else and luckily she took it in a positive way. We had promised each other to keep in touch as often as possible and never to forget one another. She also told me that she would visit me sometime.

I wasn't nervous since I would travel with aunt Charlotte, I wouldn't be alone. But of course my body constantely felt heavy and parting from my family and friends was emotionally hard.
When we had checked in our luggage and were about to go in I hugged Rayeon and then my parents. They wished me luck and I did the same. Then as I had passed the control I could no longer see them.

Me and Charlotte decided to walk through the taxfree as we waited to board our flight. "Are you nervous?" She asked me and I shook my head. "No. I just can't imagine how it will be."
She put her hand on my shoulder. "You'll see soon." Her words were comforting.
Suddenly she made her way towards a shelf filled with different kpop merchandise. "Oh! Isn't this that band you like so much?" She pointed and I looked. It was a simple deck of cards with pictures of WannaOne.
But to stop myself from beginning to think too much I went away from there and out of the taxfree. I yelled for my aunt to follow me and we decided to sit down at a café for the rest of our time waiting.

When we later sat in our seats in the airplane I knew that I could no longer turn back. This was it. Now it happened.

I had my seat by the window and I spent most of the hours looking out from it. First I saw how we lifted from the ground and then how the ground slowly disappeared further and further away. We passed over clouds, countries and oceans. The sight was beautiful.

×}{×}{×}{×

"Anna! Help me with dinner!" Aunt Charlotte yelled from the kitchen. I rushed from my room, from the other side of the house, to not keep her waiting.
Her house was actually too big for only us two but she had the money for that so there was no problem. The house had one floor, but with several big rooms and a huge garden that even had a pool. The interior was very clean and most things were either black or white, which I liked.
When I reached the kitchen I saw Charlotte wearing an apron, holding a spatula in one hand and a knife in the other. If you saw Charlotte with a knife you would understand me when I say that she was more than slightly intimidating.

"Come here and boil the potatoes." She told me and I obeyed. I put on an apron colored with big red and yellow flowers and began to peel the potatoes. "And don't forget the salt." She added and I complained that salt made my tummy bloat. "Who cares. Add salt and that's final." She demanded and continued chopping garlic. I knew that nothing I said would change anything so I just did everything I was told.
In the end we sat down by the dining table and ate a traditional culture meal. Potatoes with meatballs.

"How was your day?" She asked me as she poured a puddle of sauce on her plate. I took a sip of my water and gave it a thought. "Well, it's easier than before now that I've gotten used to everything." It had already been a month since we came here and the first days of university were very different. But after some time passed and I had made a few friends, everything got better. The language wasn't a barrier because most people speak great english here.
Though I really liked this place it had only been one month and I still missed my family and friends from home.
"You will continue to miss Korea you know." She told me and I was surprised as to how she almost read my mind. "But this is great for you. And I can see that you enjoy it here."
I nodded and slowly shewed my vegetables.