I’m a junior in college, that’s 3^rd year in the US.  My parents just passed away in a horrific car accident.  The drunk driver swerved and lost control.  I was away travelling at the time.  I came home asap to manage the affairs and the funeral.  I was the only child.  I write this, as if it doesn’t mean anything, but my heart is so numb and I can’t feel anything right now.  This is a story about how I learned to love again.

I didn’t drop out of school, but I did take a leave of absence for a semester.  My best friend was Korean and he offered to let me stay at his condo in Gangnam for 6 months.  He knew I always loved K-pop and Korean culture so this was a really cool gesture on his part. 

Seoul was a 14-hour flight from where I lived in the USA.  My parents were physicians and quite wealthy.  When they passed, I inherited everything.  In my sorrow, I became a young millionaire because of a bastard drunkard.  My parent’s accountant said that just from the dividend and other income-generating investments, my annual income would be enough to put me in the top 1%.  I should’ve felt happy but I wasn’t.  All that money couldn’t bring back my parents.

Still, I booked a first-class ticket since money was no longer a concern for me.  Arriving at the airport 3 hours ahead of time to get through security, I had a couple hours left to spend in the first class lounge.  The private lounges are quite beautifully appointed.  I entered, sat down, and played with my iPad.  A hostess came by and offered me drinks.

A few minutes passed, and when I looked up, I noticed a beautiful, young girl sitting at the bar looking at me.  She was wearing a red miniskirt, dark sunglasses, and her hair was tied up in a high pony.  Her shoes were Jimmy Choo pumps. (Why do I know this stuff?  it makes me sound so gay.)

I’m not really that good looking, I would say just average, so it was kind of weird to have a pretty girl stare at me.  At first I found myself staring back cuz she was so pretty, but then I looked away, embarrassed, and went back to my iPad. 

Kerplumpf!  What the?  I looked to my right, and the pretty girl had sat down on the leather sofa right next to me! 

“Hey!” She said, “I’m Tiffany!”

She stretched out her hand to shake mine.  I was totally confused.  But I managed to smile and shake her hand. 

“Hi, I’m Justin,”  I said, “Pleased to meet you.”

“Where are you flying to?  Are you flying to Seoul?”

“Why, yes! How did you know?” I asked.

“Well, ha ha, this flight company pretty much only flies to Seoul.”

Ooops, I thought.  Right… Asiana.  It’s like Korean Air but with prettier stewardesses.