“Damn it,”

Ahreum grunts as she stops by the side of the road to call her sister again, they promised to meet on the usual bar in Shibuya but she’s nowhere to be found.

“I swear I will kill you next time I’m here,” Ahreum groans but then continues to walk to a familiar bar by herself, it was Wednesday night not a Friday night or weekend but Ahreum has to go back to Seoul tomorrow morning and might won’t be able to visit Tokyo for a while. Ahreum works as a consultant for Naver Corporation and sometimes travels back and forth between Seoul and Tokyo. She’s trying to seal a deal between Naver and another company in Korea so she might be busy in Seoul after this.

“Hey, you’re reach Yeoreum! Leave a message—”

Ahreum gives up and put down her cellphone as she takes a seat at the bar, a bartender with clean black and white uniform approaches her.

“Good evening, may I take your order?” he asks and she smiled, “Yes, one Atlantis and one serving of Tori, please.” she orders and the bartender nods as he begins to make her drink.

Meanwhile, Ahreum goes back trying to call her sister who still hasn’t pick up the phone. Yeoreum is currently working for a company in Japan temporarily, she lives in Tokyo for almost three years now and could rarely spend time with Ahreum because they live in different country. Sometimes Yeoreum would visit home during Lunar New Year, sometimes she’s not lucky enough to be able to take a break lead to their parents complain that their daughters rarely come home.

After a glass of cocktail and seven calls, Yeoreum finally answers the phone, “Oh gosh, hi. I’m soooooo sorry but I don’t think I’ll be able to make it tonight,” Ahreum rolls her eyes at her sister’s words.

“Seriously? What is it this time?” she asks back while eating her snacks, “Meeting, there’s a possibility I might be relocated to Seoul soon! This might take a while, so see you on Thanksgiving?” Yeoreum asks and Ahreum can’t complain because she knows how it feels to be stuck in meetings.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry about me, but I will kill you next time you ghosted me.” Ahreum threatens her sister who just laugh it off and then ends the call.

Ahreum sighs and gulps down her cocktail before asking for another glass, “Lonely night?” she hears someone asks her and then turns to her left. A man sits right next to her with a glass of cocktail, she lets out a chuckle and then shakes her head in response.

“Nah, just casual night before going back home.” she says and then thanks the bartender who hands her second cocktail.

“That makes the two of us, Kim Minseok.” he offers his hand and she takes it, “Han Ahreum, nice to meet you.” they smile at each other.

“So, you travel back and forth or what?” Minseok asks her, “Well, I’m working for Naver so travelling back and forth from Seoul or to Seoul is a routine. How about you? You said you’re going back home too?” Ahreum asks him back and he chuckles.

“Yeah, well. Traveling is the main part of my job so you’d find me in a bar every night before I fly out of a country.” Minseok shrugs, “I’m a pilot after all,” he adds and she nods at the answer.

“Wow, I’ve never met a pilot before. What a pleasure,” Ahreum looks amused, “Really? Not even one?” she shakes her head in response. “I admire your dedication to the job, it must be not easy.” Ahreum props her head on her right hand as she faces him completely, “Thank you, some people only interested in my paycheck whenever I told them my job.” Minseok tilts his head while taking a sip of his drink. “Oh, too bad, I was going to ask you that though.” they both laugh.

“How about you? How does it feel to travel for your job? I mean, you don’t need to pilot the plane so I am wondering how does it feel,” Minseok asks her and she just smiles, “Pretty fun, I enjoy my job you know, giving a little comment here and there but paid fully for the travel not taken from my paycheck. Kind of a dream job except this isn’t my dream job but the pay’s good and these days, finding jobs is hard. So, yeah, not too bad I guess.” Ahreum shrugs and Minseok furrows his brows.

“So, if it’s not your dream job, what is your dream job actually?” Minseok curiously asks her and she grins at the question, “I love fashion and I would really like to work on a fashion brand, you know, managing a fashion brand sounds really fun for me. Not a serious business, involving a lot of people and stakes.” Ahreum explains and he nods along, understanding what she means.

“Well, my job always involves a lot of people and life at stakes.” he comments and she laughs at his funny remark, “You are one funny pilot, is this how you cope up with your stress?” she raises her brows. He smiles and then asks for another drink to the bartender before answering her question, “Well, I’ve been piloting a plane since I was a kid so I would say joking is my way to cope up with all the built-up stress.” he says.

“Your whole family is a pilot or something?” she asks again and he nods, “My grandfathers, both of them, they serve in the air force and then went to become a pilot for commercial airline. My father is a retired Korean Air pilot and my older brother is currently working for Korean Air, so yeah, I would say it runs in our blood. I was taught how to pilot since I was eleven or something,” Minseok explains and she looks impressed with his revelations.

“So, you’re also working for Korean Air?” she asks and to her surprise, he shakes his head before thanking the bartender for his drink, “I’m a pilot at Asiana, not really fond of working under the same company with my family.” he says before drinks.

“But still, it must be fun. Travelling the world and all, I mostly only travel between Japan, South Korea, and China. Sometimes South East Asia and recently just add France because of the new research center, but you travel to any country. Is there any place you haven’t travel to?” she curiously asks him and he thinks about it for a while.

“Since our airline doesn’t operate on Africa, I would say Africa but my whole family took a trip down there three years ago. Then, only the north and south pole left.” Minseok says and she nods off while drinking her drink.

“Wow, again, I’m impressed. It must be fun than being stuck in a high rise building from nine to five.” Ahreum comments but Minseok just laughs, “Sometimes I hope I work on a high-rise building, travelling back and forth from one are to another are with different time zones could literally ruin your life. Well, at least mine is ruined.” he says and she throws him a questioning look.

“How so?” she asks, “Well, sometimes I could touch down at Shanghai with passengers at 9 in the morning, travels to Beijing at 1 in the afternoon with passengers and cargo, and then went back to Seoul around 9 at night with cargos only.” Minseok describes a typical hectic day for him. She raises her eyebrows, “Wow, seriously?” he nods and then take another sip of his drink.

“My hectic day would be on meetings all day, bosses are asses sometimes. They could be wanting this one and demanding that all in the span of five minutes. Sometimes I do think they kind of have different personalities in their body,” Ahreum shares her version of hectic day at the office.

“So, by saying your life is ruined you mean you can’t go to dates?” Ahreum asks again and Minseok laughs, “That and another thing, I would have insomnia after night flight so, not really healthy.” he points out and she laughs at his wit. “That makes the two of us then,” she says before finishing her third cocktail and ask for more.

“Slow down there, what?” Minseok comments after she orders for another drink but she just laughs, “I haven’t gone on a date since I was in high school and I actually don’t really have time for blind dates. I would spend my weekend on my couch with Netflix and take outs.” she describes her way of spending a perfect weekend.

“And you’re okay with that?” he asks again, she nods. “Why not? I could give myself a little love after loathing it during weekdays. How does it feel to be not crippled with fear and self-loath, huh?” Ahreum wonders and then laughs it off.

“Then, what is your idea of a perfect weekend then?” she asks and he leans on his seat, “I would say almost the same as yours but with more sleeping,” he answers and they laugh together.

They spend the night to talk and talk as if they’ve known each other for years, getting to know each other without holding anything back. Somehow, she feels comfortable with him although they just meet. He listens well and actually let her tell her weird stories without giving her looks, things that most of guys would do. She listens to his complains and experiences, impressed with things he’s done. They share a lot of things together until the bar is closed.

“Six cocktails? You sure you’re okay?” Minseok asks as they are leaving from the bar and she just laughs, “Well, unlike you, I could actually sleep on the flight back home.” she pats his shoulder and he laughs. “Okay lady, you’re drunk enough.” he grabs her hand and decides to take her back to her hotel that she told him before.

“This is your hotel?” he asks after the taxi pulled over a hotel ten minutes from the bar, she nods and then opens the door to get off the taxi. She’s about to pay for the fare when he holds her hand, “It’s on me, you can pay me with something else.” he suggests and she frowns with her pink face due to the number of cocktails she has.

“Your number,” he fishes out his phone and she laughs sheepishly at that, “Alright, Mr.Pilot.” she takes his phone. Once she finished typing down her number and leaves a miss call to her own phone, she fives it back to him. “So, I’ll call you when I’m in Seoul?” he asks and she smiles.

“Please do,” she nods and they bid goodbyes before parting ways.

-----

Ahreum can feels her head splitting into two as she boards on the plane, she smiles at the flight attendants and quickly take seat on her seat number.

She was about to turn off her phone when a call came in, she frowns but then lights up when she sees the ID of the caller.

“Hey you,” she says as she settling on her seat, “Hangover?” Minseok asks from the other line and she laughs.

“I guess there’s such thing as too many cocktails.” she jokes and they both laugh together, “So, you’re flying home today?” he asks again. “Yeah, I’m actually on the plane right now and was going to turn off my phone when you call.” she answers, “Oh, really? What flight?” he asks and she looks at her ticket. “Asiana OZ 101….?” she says as she puts back her ticket, “Ahh, I see. Which seat?” he asks again, “Seat 3A, why? Hello…? Minseok, are you there?” when she feels he abruptly ends their call. She furrows her brows but then just shrugs it off, she put her phone into the flight mode and settles down as the plane is about to take off.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Thank you for flying with Asiana Airlines, we will reach Seoul in two and a half hours. So, sit back, relax, put your seatbelt on, and for those of you who’s still hangover from cocktails, we have aspirin and gallons of water available. Thank you,”

“Minseok?”

Ahreum widens her eyes after she hears the last sentence, then she laughs it off. After the plane stables, the flight attendants begin to serving lunch. A stewardess comes up to Ahreum with her lunch alongside a couple aspirin and a note.

“This is from the captain, ma’am.”

Ahreum shyly thanks her and then read the note on it

‘Welcome aboard, miss Han Ahreum’

She laughs at the short note and she mentally facepalmed herself because the whole cabin crew probably know about the cocktail inside jokes now.

Like what she planned, she finished her lunch and then sleep during most of the flight. As planned, the plane touches down at ten to four in the afternoon. Ahreum is currently waiting for her luggage when a text came in,

‘Waiting for your luggage?’

She laughs and then text him back,

‘Yeah, are you flying out again?’

‘I’ll tell you when we meet, wait for me.’

‘Aye aye captain,’

She sends her reply and then takes her luggage. As she scrolls her notifications and pulling her luggage along, she feels someone takes the luggage from her hand and she’s about to scream before she sees Minseok’s face.

“Hello there,” he greets and she laughs, “You should stop doing that,” Ahreum points at him. “Doing what?” he asks, “Oh no, don’t act all coy mister.” she says and about to take her luggage back from him. “Let me,” he offers but she shakes her head, “I don’t think its appropriate to let a Pilot carry my luggage, come on.” she says and he gives up.

“So, where are you going next?” she asks as they walk from the arrival gate, “Your house, if you don’t mind.” he says casually while greeting some people along the way. She looks at him and then laughs, “That is one smooth talk, you’re really good at this.” she nudges him but he just laughs.

“I’ve never been on a date for years, trust me.” he tells her but she gives him a questioning are-you-sure look, “So, free for the day?” she asks again. “For the whole week actually,” he answers.

“Well, that’s a whole lot of cocktails.” she jokes and they laugh again, they already have an inside joke now.

“So, where should I drop you off? I have my car in the parking lot, wait. Yeah, it’s me, can you……” he asks before calling someone to get his car like what he usually does.

“You asked for mine, my house it is then.” she says after he finishes his call, “Alright ma’am,” he smiles. After a couple minutes, his black Audi come into view and they both put their luggage on the trunk.

“Not a bad trip after all, huh?”

He asks as he drive past the arrival gate, “Not bad at all,” she shakes her head.

 

---

 

a/n:

THIS IS the story that ruined my whole imaginations on others lol we all miss Minseok right:( if you think you've read this somewhere, well I actually got inspired by my french course on duolingo hahahaha I swear those scenarios on duolingo are actually gold oh and also, Minseok wore a pilot uniform during Unfair stage five years ago sooooooo I MISS MINSEOKKK (more like the wholee group tho)!!!!

Anyway, dont forget to leave some comments! Bye, stay safe!