“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” I told myself as I checked in, passed the airport security, and found a place to sit for the next two hours as I wait for my flight. I never wanted to leave my hometown but because of this act that my father wanted to pull, I am here all packed and on my way to Denmark.

“You look sad.” A girl told me as she sits beside me. I wonder why of all the vacant cold seats there are in this airport, she chose to be here and bug me.

“I am sad.” 

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked me and surprisingly her tone is not nosy but a really concerned one. I look and stare in her eyes, it was pure and beautiful. 

“Give me three reasons why should I share my miserable life with you.” I told her and it didn’t took much time before she starts giving me her reasons out.

“First, you will most likely spend the next seventeen hours with me.” 17 hours? Right, we still have two hours before boarding but how sure she is that we’re gonna spend the next 15 hour flight together? Unless.. 

“37B?” She continued as if she can read what’s on my mind and I checked my boarding pass and indeed it’s 37B. “I have the window seat 37A, you can definitely have it if you want.” 

She offered it’s too good to be true but I really do want to be seated beside the window. It’ll be a nice seat to completely doze off for the rest of the flight.

“But in one condition.” Of course there will be a condition and I did dare to ask.

“What is it?”

“Easy. Please don’t ignore me because let’s face it, I’d rather talk to you than whoever the stranger is next to me.” She IS really weird but also interesting.

“But am I not a stranger as well?”

“Yoon Bomi. I’m Yoon Bomi.” She introduced and extended her hand and like some magnetic force are present, I closed my hands to her.

“Park Chorong.” 

“There now we’re no more strangers but friends.” She said but probably saw my cold, non-agreeing expression as she take it back and continued, “Too much? Acquaintances?” Her uneasiness makes me want to laugh at her but it’s totally inappropriate so I hold my laughter in.

“Uhh I guess friends are fine. It’s a deal then. And your other two reasons?” I continued to ask not because the first reason isn’t good enough but because I wonder what else she have in mind.

“Second, I’m really fun to be with. I’ll keep you entertained, that I can promise you.” She told me with a smug face. How can a person be so proud of herself. 

“Hmm.”

“And lastly, I really wanted to get to know you more for some reason I can’t figure out what.” It took me a while to process all this but it won’t hurt to make one friend before my life become a downcast depressed one. “So?”

“I’m guessing I don’t have much of a choice do I? You seem like a very persistent person.”

“What’s your story then? Why go far to Denmark instead of staying here?” Good point, Korea is home.

“Already?” I let out a soft laugh as I am caught off guard for thinking that she’ll took the longer path of the conversation. “I’m getting married in Denmark.”

“What?! You’re serious?” She asked and I nod in confirmation. “Damn that’s.. unexpected.” Bomi said and her face clearly darkened.

“See. Now you’re sad just like me. It’s contagious.” I told her and to be honest I enjoy that she’s dumbfounded by what I told her.

It’s true. I’m getting married to some guy my father set me up with to grow his business. For s’ sake we’re in 2019 and yet these stuff are still going on. How crazy is that.

“Ohh I can’t take this sad atmosphere. I’ll go get us some ice cream. It solves everything.” And there she goes without even asking if I want an ice cream.

Bomi came back with two flavours of ice cream, vanilla and chocolate. “I don’t know which one you prefer so.. choose.”

“Vanilla.”

“Yes! Chocolate’s mine!” She’s such a kid. And amazingly she’s right, ice cream is the solution for every sad thing. For a while.

We spend the next hour talking briefly about my marriage on how it’s for the family business my parents run. But the rest are about Bomi, like her dream of travelling all over the world and her growing up in Europe but chose to visit Korea to know more about her blood culture. And at some point I envied learning how free she is.

When our flight was called we both fall in the line and like she promised, she gave the best seat to me. Window seat! 

“Are you tired?” Bomi asked out of nowhere as we settled ourselves in. 

“Not really, why?”

“Do you want to watch a movie together?” She asked and I don’t know whether to agree with that since a movie would be more than an hour long. But the condition she set keeps on repeating in my head. “Please don’t ignore me..”

Before I even answer, suddenly this guy pops beside her greeting us or maybe just her, I don’t know. “Hi!” He’s good looking, neat, and hot I must say. 

“Movie?” Bomi asked again bringing me back to my senses. 

“Well you told me you’d rather talk to me than the stranger beside you..” I reminded her and moved closer to whisper the next words, “but that guy, he doesn’t seem so bad. Maybe you’d like to take your words back.” 

I honestly don’t know what’s wrong with what I said but Bomi just laughed, loud enough that it’s embarrassing at how people are now starting to look in our direction.

“Park Chorong-ssi..” She whispered, too close that I felt shivers in my skin. “I’m gay.” 

Not that I’m not open to people like her, in fact I have two close girl friends who are dating Eunji and Naeun. But Bomi telling me she’s gay and all the act of befriending me earlier lead to the thought that maybe she’s hitting on me?

“Was that an oopsie?”

“Uh- no. No, it’s fine.”

“You’re going to start avoiding me now, aren’t you?” Bomi asked and I can feel that she’s starting to build a wall between us and that instantly made me feel guilty for she’s only been so good to me yet I’m here making her feel that it’s wrong to be gay. Which is not really the case.

“No. Please, Bomi it’s not like that. Trust me.” I told her to regain what we had, a blooming friendship. “So movie?”

“Alright! Let’s see if they have some ancient movies here. Usually they do but since most people prefer those newly released ones, it’s rare to find a classic.” Just like that and she’s back to her usual self. And from that moment, I made a note to myself not to make Bomi sad. 

She chose the movie, Before Sunrise. I made myself comfortable as I opened the blanket served by the airline while she grab the earphones she brought so we could share instead of using the ones provided.

Little did I know Bomi already dozed off to sleep. And as I notice how uncomfortable her position was, I helped her lean on my shoulders as I continue to watch the movie alone.

I can help but overthink of her reasons for choosing this film. It's about two strangers who met in a train and spend the rest of the night together in Vienna, strolling and falling in love. Maybe my thoughts about her hitting on me were actually right or maybe not. I can’t really tell and assume.

I disregarded my thoughts as I was overwhelmed in watching how peacefully this girl is sleeping, she looks so happy and sad at the same time. I cannot believe how fast the turn of events are, earlier it’s just her wanting to know more about me but now I can feel myself wanting to learn more about Yoon Bomi. 

“What would be your partner’s meal?” I must have fallen asleep and that must be the flight attendant asking Yoon Bomi for my food.

“Uhh she’ll have..” ORDER CHICKEN, please I can only eat chicken for airline food. This might sound so silly as I can just open my eyes and say my order but instead I chose to freeze in this comfortable position I am in, which is on Bomi’s shoulders. Stupid. “Chicken Cobb Salad and an orange juice.” Thank goodness.

“Park Chorong? Chorong-ssi. The food is here.” Bomi woke me up and I can’t believe it that for the 2nd time I have fallen asleep. I must be really tired. “You should finish them fast since we’ll be transferring soon. You know, connecting flights.”

“Ah yes. Oh! I’m sorry for sleeping on your shoulders, I didn’t mean to.” I apologised thinking that it might have strained her for staying still through out the flight and apologised for the fact that we just met hours ago and it’s inappropriate for me to treat her like that.

“C’mon I did it first. I’m just returning the favour. Let’s eat?” How is she doing this? Why do I feel so comfortable with her in a span of hours? If there’s something to blame, it’s the movie. 

We talked more as we wait for the plane to land in Amsterdam where we would be staying for another 4 hours before we get in our connecting flight to Denmark. 

“So four more hours in another cold airport, what are your plans?” I asked Bomi, lowkey wanting to stick with her more which is definitely something I didn’t foresee. Seriously why am I being like this?

“Hmm. Be with you? I told you, you’re stuck with me for seventeen hours didn’t I?” I felt my heart leap from her answers. I really don’t want to be roaming around alone, not anymore.

“What are we going to do then, it’s not like Amsterdam airport have a movie theatre like Singapore.” 

“We can go shop and talk. Just trust me, I’m good company.” Bomi assured me again of her being the best person to travel with.

And like how she is with her words, we did roam around the airport like how normal friends travel together.

“Should I get this sunglasses?” She asked me as she picked one and wear it.

“It suits you.” I told her as it really does and the limit to my answer is because of this rush I feel inside. Now she’s not just this interesting person but also an extremely attractive one.

“Okay then, I trust you. You should get one for yourself too so we can have it as a matching glasses.” 

Like a kid told by her mother to pick I chose one that I think would look good on me but the problem now is that the mirror for checking the sunglasses are occupied by some other tourists. 

“Here. I’d say you look great but I know you still would want to check it for yourself.” Bomi said as she face me and lean a little close where I could use her shades as a mirror. I am in deep trouble as I can hear my heart pounding so loud hoping that Bomi won’t hear it.

Normally I would pay for my stuff and even treat my friends when we dine outside but for once in my life I let faith decide on the payment. The two of us agreed to play rock paper scissors to see who’d pay for the sunglasses we bought. Definitely childish but it’s a fun thing to do. Bomi is really one good company like she said she is.

And now the only thing we could do is to sit again and wait. For whatever reason, the two of us are left quiet embracing this awkward atmosphere. We were doing great earlier but now..

“It’s awkward isn’t it?” Bomi asked as she also may have felt the cold breeze surrounding us.

“Yea. Surprisingly it is.”

“Well then let’s play a game where we’d ask each other questions and we’ll answer.”

“Isn’t that simply a conversation? How is it a game.” I told her being so killjoy, literally killing the fun she’s trying to make.

“Come on it’ll be fun! So my turn first, tell me something about your first boyfriend.” Damn. How can I answer this when I definitely never had one before.

“I- I’ve never been in a relationship before.”

“Yikes! And you’re getting married in Denmark, wow that’s just cruel Park Chorong-ssi.” Bomi said and she’s right it’s cruel. I, myself don’t really care that I’ve never been in a relationship before. 

“I’m so focused in building myself, exceeding the expectations people has for me. Maybe that’s why I.. never once thought of dating.”

“What if the one you’ll marry is a scumbag who won’t take care of you and won’t make you happy for the rest of your life? You know we could just run away. I’ll save you from the life you're getting into.” Bomi said with a playful tone implying that she’s just kidding but how I wish she isn’t because hell I’d run away if I could.

“I’ll keep the offer in case I’d want to run away. My turn, since I don’t know much about love.. tell me what is it about.”

“Wow. That’s a hard question to answer, I let you off easy with my first question! How can you do this to me?” Dramatically she exclaimed and I can’t help but laugh at her. This is indeed nice and really a fun game. “Okay so love.. I- I don’t know? You just feel it. With love, everything isn’t at its place. It’s a mess but you still go through with it, you still continue loving that significant person selflessly and that is scary.” 

“Okay.. now you’re making the marriage situation sound better.” We laughed together as everything feels light again, we’re alright and far from the awkward silence.

“Now my turn, what makes you happy?”

“You.” As much as I wanted to take what I said back, I can’t. I don’t know why I answered that fast without thinking it through like I’m in some kind of tv g