When Two Unlikely Worlds Meet, Seokjin x Normani

Chapter Thirteen

"What in the world was I thinking?" Normani questioned herself for the umpteenth time as she walked into the terminal to catch the flight to Seoul, South Korea. She felt nervous and unsure about the decision she had made to fly all the way to the other side of the world, with only one person she could truly claim familiarity to waiting on her arrival. She had spent countless hours online reviewing other African American women experiences when visiting Seoul. Even with the reassurance from some of the more famous bloggers and YouTubers, still had moments when she experienced the desire to forgo the trip altogether. Perhaps, it was the fact that most trips she had taken across the globe had been with her sisters, mother, producers, best friend, manager or even dance partner when she had been in Dancing with the Stars. This was going to be the very first solo trip outside the country and it made her slightly anxious. After checking in, boarding and sitting down on her business class seat, she resolves to herself that no matter how trip went, she would try to make it as enjoyable of a learning lesson on independent travelling as possible, for what it was worth. She called her family and best friend to let them know she had made it on the flight and promised her mother to deliver the gifts she had sent for Jin and his family. Apparently, her mother had been keeping in contact with Jin since his return to South Korea, given Normani's busy schedule at the time, she had not thought to disclose this piece of information. It was during her call home, to let them know she would be vacationing in Seoul, that she let her know. In fact, her mother had already spoken to Jin about her visit and had been waiting to see if it was information Normani would want to share with the family.

After an uneventful flight to Seoul, the flight arrives and touches down at the Incheon International Airport to a rainy-day welcome to the city. The first thing Normani takes note of as she disembarks from the flight and enters the arrival terminal is how busy it is. Even after reading and watching reviews of how busy it could get, it was quite different seeing it in person. It took less time than anticipated to clear customs and head to the baggage claim to pick up her luggage. En route, She receives a message from Jin asking whether she had cleared customs or was at the baggage claim area as that was where he was waiting for her. Normani calls him and they talk as she heads over to the designated carousel to meet up with him. Despite the fatigue from the long flight and her nerves acting up, Normani felt excited about seeing him again. Realization that, even though she wasn't ready to admit it to herself, she had missed him since his departure to return to South Korea, settled upon her. She soon arrived to the baggage claim area, congested with people also collecting their luggage. As she makes her way to the carousel, she glimpses Jin over the sea of heads of people, with a face mask covering his lower half of his face and a baseball cap with a dark navy-blue hoodie on as he had described on the call, still on the phone looking towards her direction. Relief and unexpected tears well up in her eyes, something so unfamiliar to her until it happened, and almost run to where he stood. She slows down at the final approach towards him, uncertain of how to greet him in public given the different culture and public venue they were in. As if sensing her indecision, he walks to close the distance between them and opens his arms to embrace her, to which with relief Normani rushes into.

They embrace for what may have been a little longer than culturally appropriate, as they soon drew curious looks and stares from other people. Normani whispered, "I think people are staring at us oppa." To which he said with a laugh, "yes, well let's let them do so." She looked up and smiled, moving to step out of his embrace. Jin pulled her back to his side and reached down to hold her hand and lead them to the carousel. The curious looks from random passerby strangers intensify at this action. Jin seems oblivious to their looks, which Normani becomes more aware of as they approach the carousel and she whispers again to him, "maybe we shouldn't be holding hands here." He looks down to her and then explains that it's a normal thing for people to stare there, especially since it was not very often they would see an obviously Korean looking man in what seemed to be a romantic relationship with a woman of color displaying affection to each other in public. Even though this was probably intended to be reassuring, it did not lessen the awareness of the looks and stares from people. Normani was ready to leave the airport and was glad when her luggage was the first to arrive on the carousel. Walking out the airport, she experienced firsthand the distinct scent some bloggers and YouTubers had mentioned. It brought the reality that she was now in another country fully to her conscious. Jin handled the heavier luggage pieces, leaving the smaller carryon bag and her purse for her to carry to his car.