Fly You To The Moon

18장

Lovely weather greeted Tony as he steps out from Ronald Reagan Airport. Hours of flight wasn't that torturing when he was traveling in business class, it would have been better, if Ha Na travels with him. Tony make a mental note to book a business class ticket if they were to travel together, there is so many good things in life he wants to share with her.

He message Ha Na first thing when he reaches, only to realized that it's dawn in Seoul. Ha Na slept late the night before, since they had been texting via the wifi provided in the plane. But, to his surprise, she did read the message and replied him with a crying emoticon.

'May I take your baggage, Mr Lington?' A man in his suit, offered assistance. Tony's official trip was provided with more privileges than before, since he is indirectly working for the national government. If only Ha Na were here...

'Yes, thank you.' Tony entered the black car as soon as possible, he was going through a jet lag, a bed, any bed would be really helpful right now. There's nowhere he rather visit, except for his hotel suite, since his meeting with the air-force counterpart begins in six hours time.

Over at the Eastern side of the Earth, Ha Na was looking at the window, it would be a lovely day to enjoy a run, or maybe dragging herself out of bed would be good enough. Life still have to go on, despite the presence of her boyfriend is temporary not available.

Emptiness fills up all of her, her chest has never been this heavy, hollow at the same time. For a short while, Ha Na is going to lose interest in most of the thing, her struggles with posting a new chapter in her Webtoon is a struggle. It feels like she is trapped in a glass jar, an invisible border that prevents her from reaching everything. 'God...help me.'

Ha Na has been late in posting her update, readers has been posting comments urging her for a new chapter. She read every comment, even the nasty one. Her brain has reluctant to respond, she needed time to recover and recuperate. It's like a confinement period after birth, her heart needs to be nurtured to go back to it's original stage.

Thus, she close her laptop. Nobody can blame her for that if she needs time off.

When she thought she could cover herself under the duvet for the whole day, her mother showed up unexpectedly.

'Kim Ha Na! Your rice is cold, your soup is cold, do I have to carry the tray inside your room?' Mrs. Kim, with her usual authoritative tone, storms inside Ha Na's room.

'Oh ma!' She whined, if the frequency of the thunder energy is 100 hertz, then probably, Mrs Kim's would be tripled the amount.

'It's not the end of the world if your boyfriend is not beside you! Have you forgotten that your parents is alive and kicking?'

Ha Na couldn't be bothered about what her mother just said, it's like a slash of wind.

'Whatever happens, you still need to eat, it's what keeps the world move.' Mrs Kim sat beside Ha Na, doing what a mother should be doing, at least. 'You still have classes to attend, Kim Ha Na.'

'Can I take a study break?' Out of the blue, Ha Na mentioned.

Mrs Kim took a while to absorb her words. She didn't know how to respond to such absurdity.

'It's normal to take a study break, students in the West took leap year to search for what they really wanted before deciding their major,' Ha Na raised herself from the bed, like a vampire scented their preys.

'And we are no westerners, Kim Ha Na, plus, your motive is questionable, you just want to look for Tony, it's not like he is leaving you and not coming back?'

Knowing that her plans have been declined, Ha Na fall back to her bed and cover herself with duvet again, signaling the end of conversation with Mrs Kim.

To no avail, Mrs Kim stop persuading her daughter, before her blood pressure shoot to the sky, she better leave Ha Na alone.

'Ha Na, you still have a long road ahead of you, don't get yourself burn while you are still that young.' Her mother said her final piece before closing the door.

Whatever anyone said, it means nothing to Ha Na at all.

* * *

When Tony satisfied his sleep deprivation after his meeting with the Defense personnel, the first person he went to visit was one of his D.C squad, the term that Rachel Woods came up with. He is still wondering if he wants to visit Rachel, ever since he left the party abruptly, they have never contacted each other anymore.

'You are still as punctual!' Sarah widen her arms to welcome Tony into her house.

'I'm a pilot, you can't question my punctuality.'

'Come on in, and don't be alarm by my little trumpet, her cries can wake a dead man up.' Sarah ushered him in. 'Albert!' She calls her husband, 'Tony is here!'

'That's terrifying.' Tony jokes.

Albert, Sarah's husband held their little girl in his arm. 'Hey, how is it going?'

'Same old. So, that's the little trumpet we are talking about?' Tony took a glimpse at their daughter.

'They said she look like her dad, I have no credit in her.' Sarah whines.

'She looks like a baby to me.' Tony shrugs.

'You are being diplomatic.' Sarah commented.

'I ought to, I'm dealing with sensitive issues everyday.' Tony replied smugly.

That sneaky smile leak out from Sarah's lips, 'so, who's that girl in the picture? We need a little update here.'

Immediately, his brain recalls the recent picture he posted online, the ones he took with Ha Na at the palace, which has a pride of place in his social media account, 'my girlfriend,' Tony answered without hesitation. As unusual as it might be, he felt the need to introduced Ha Na in this conversation.

Sarah nodded her head approvingly. 'She looks so young that I thought she is your daughter.'

'She would be pleased to hear that.'

'Rachel told me you met a girl and I was freaking curious to know the details. I almost forgot, I have beer, water and, well, just tell me what do you wanna drink.' Sarah ushered for Tony to walk into her kitchen.

'I can't drink beer yet, still recovering from my jet lag, water is fine.' Tony walked gingerly towards Sarah, his mind has been hovering certain question, 'so, Rachel mentioned to you about me?'

Sarah shrugged awkwardly, her body language has been showing signs. She nodded with hesitation. 'I'm fine if you doesn't want to talk about it.' She looks at Albert discreetly and soften her voice, 'she told you, did she?'

Tony paused, puzzlement runs around his mind. It's a national secret, in some way. He doesn't speak a word.

'About her affair?' Sarah said again, even softer this time.

He nodded, once, solemnly.

She sighed, 'well, who are we to judge anyway? Love is crazy, blind, you can't put ethics with love, or else, there wouldn't be Saint Valentine.'

Tony knew Sarah was trying to appeased him, perhaps Rachel wanted her to. 'Does she know I'm back?'

'I told her you would be visiting,' Sarah lifted her cabinet to grab a glass. 'She would be informed anyway,  Hoffer's schedule is reported to her as well.'

'Anyway, you should bring your little trumpet to visit my country,' Tony shifted the topic. He is pretty sure the past wouldn't affect him anyway, Ha Na has long moved into his life, and there's not a second where he never thought about her. Tony looks at his watch again, counting the time to know if it's dark or early in Seoul. Ha Na has trouble falling asleep, he doesn't wants to wake her up until she is awake. As the clock slowly ticks, his anxiety and craving for her voice has been making him unsettled.