5:15 A.M, E.S.T, Orlando Airport, Florida USA

She ditched me....

Flat out.

I mean, all through junior and senior year, the three of us had planned on sticking together and going...well, actually just her and I. But high-school ended, a year and a half passed, and the next thing I knew was that she was one a plane....

And without me.

You're wondering who I'm talking about? Malea, who else?

And now here I was, stuck at an information desk while she was busy posting selfies on Instagram about her life in South Korea...

I should've just not told her anything and gone myself...nah, where would the fun be in that?

But she ditched me!
*
"I'm sorry Miss...Jean-Louis, you're flight seems to have been delayed for an hour...air traffic." I gave the receptionist a strained smile and thanked her before grabbing the tray of drinks I had just bought and returning to my pile of luggage. As I sat down, Nicole grabbed her coffee from the tray without a word, her full attention given to the phone in her hand. I frowned, reaching over to pull out an earphone and fully expecting her reaction.

-"What do you want!?" My frown worsened. "Sheesh woman, calm down...Hey, our flight's been delayed for an hour." Nikki groaned, I only chuckled at her for a moment before changing the conversation. "So, how was Florida without me?"

She turned her body to glare at me. "Florida was fine while you all Ditched me. I honestly don't get why you had to go to New York to study....what's the point when you're getting ready to study abroad anyways?" I laughed silently.

She was right...of course.
As soon as I had completed my Bachelor's in UCF, I had been adamant on not staying in the bipolar state I hated so much. So off I went, reluctantly leaving Nicole behind as I did...

That's what we were, a bunch of friends ditching friends.

But now here we were, Nicole and I, surrounded by luggage while waiting for our delayed flight to Incheon, South Korea. For the past thirty minutes my dad had traveled back and forth from his checkpoint to see how we were, and needless to say, I was tired. It was 5:19 A.M and I was facing jet lag while still on the ground....not good.
*
Where are my manners?

It had been the four of us from the beginning, Malea, Christina, Nicole, and myself, Abigail. All of us had two main things in common, we were colored women, and we liked almost all things Korean.

South Korean.

That's how I began talking to them, high school being filled with unnaproving people, unasked for comments, dramas, music videos, and live streams.

And now we were heading over there....to study.

-"Call Christina...make sure she reserved the dorms for us." Nicole stared at me as if I were crazy. "Why me? You gotta phone." I rolled my eyes. "I have her Florida number, she changed it over there."

Oh, sidenote- Christina ditched us too...

Only months after Malea had left, she dissapeared; leaving us with only a text saying that she'd be in Soth Korea with Malea and waiting for us to arrive....

Like, seriously?

Nicole groaned while handing me her phone. "Hurry up." Without a word in response, I texted Cray.
Me: R u awake?

While waiting, I grabbed my tea and stared out the airport as I sipped, looking at the planes that landed and took off in the Florida rain...I couldn't have been happier to leave this country.

The vibration of Nikki's phone startled me out of my thoughts.
Cray/Christina: Yeah, its just getting dark out...hey, should we rent a dorm or an apartment?

The two of them had shared a small dorm near Kyunghee University while we were still in the States. Now that we were coming, all four of us would need a bigfer place to live together.

I tapped Nikki on the shoulder and showed her the text, she frowned. "Which one's cheaper?" 
Me: Pick the cheaper one...
Cray/Christina: Okay

I gave Nicole back her phone and exhaled slowly. "How much time did I say the plane was delayed for again?" 
-"An hour woman! Sheesh...not even ten minutes passed, patience!" I fought back an urge to stick out my tongue as my dad showed up for the fourth time in half an hour.

-"You guys okay?" Nikki looked up and smiled. "Yeah, we're good." I huffed at her change in attitude. "Speak for yourself....daddy, is mom still at work right now?" He nodded and handed us each water bottles. At that moment, the gate opened as the plane finally locked into place. We both stood up, dad helping us grab our luggage as we moved closer to get into the line. Quickly, I glanced over at Nikki. "You text your mom yet?" She nodded, pulling out her passport and boarding tickets as we waited for our class to be called. I turned to face my dad. "Tell Eomma we left papi." He hummed his response as I hugged him one last time.

-"Be careful, remember who you are...and call often. Love you. " I faked a shocked expression, the saddened look on his face was making me get torn between staying and leaving, and I had to go.

-"Are you okay Daddy? You just said you loved me!" His only response was to slap the back of my head. "Get on the plane brat...and text me, no call me when you get there." I nodded, bit my lip softly, and joined the growing line of passengers...

And soon enough, we were off to South Korea.
*

9:34 A.M Korean Time, Incheon Airport, South Korea

-"Wow...jet lag is no joke!"

That was the first thing Nikki said once we saw Christina and Malea waiting for us at the airport...because saying hi was overrated.

The two of us smiled as we walked over to them, awkward hugs being shared as we headed over to pick up our baggage.

-"I'm guessing that the flight wasn't that amazing." I huffed, adjusting the straps of my laptop bag as we continued to walk. "I would've never expected so many people to be traveling to South Korea right now." Malea chuckled at my shock. "You'd be surprised actually..."

We made our way around a large mob of mainly girls, looking around at the signs to see where baggage claim would be.

And then the screaming began...I would never take my ears for granted from that moment onward.

The four of us spun around to see what the commotion was about, Nikki and I being able to see over a few heads while Lea and Cray their made way through.

It then finally hit me...we were really in South Korea.

The Koreans walking around aimlessly, the snow falling down outside the airport, the smell of Kimchi as a little girl sitting close by opened her lunch box...

The Hangul writing, the advertisements for Yonsei University and Korean Air, the newest JYP music video playing overhead on the TV...

And two men named Jeon Jungkook and Kim Taehyung making their way into the airport.

Yup....I definitely was in South Korea.

***