“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”

-Henry Ford.

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NYC is a huge city with five boroughs and a population of 8 million of different ethnicities. It is a beautiful city with people living in diverse classes. It is much like Seoul, but it’s an over populated place to live in. The subways are always crowded, sometimes it gets dangerous in rush hours. Anyone can blend in the crowds without having to worry about who you are or what you are. Anyone could worry less about one another there. People spend their leisure time alone or with friends at every public spot like coffee shops that are on every corner, boutiques and fast food restaurants or public parks.

“Song Jihyo?”

Their eyes met again, they stood at the highline in Chelsea that afternoon. It was about to be dark and the sunlight reflected on the glass windows of every building making the sun shine on their paths.  The two paused for a moment knowing that their hearts skipped a beat. “Again?” Jihyo showed a disappointed look after seeing Jaejoong.

Their excitement went away after realizing that they were supposed to have an awkward relationship. They were having fun in New York, although they did not have any friends or relatives in the city so meeting each other was something they were glad of but they did not want to show it. “It’s weird seeing you here.” Jaejoong said after they both sat on a bench.

“We still saw each other at the plane.”

“Right, don’t you think we see each other a lot?”

Jihyo nodded, “We must be fated.”

“Yah, don’t misunderstand anything.” He gave an awkward laugh feeling uneasy about what she said.

“Who knows, I might fall in love with you.” With that serious face Jihyo said, it gave goose bumps to Jaejoong. “And did you really think I will?” she joked then laughs.

He was sensitive to jokes like that, it flattered him a little but thinking about it, he forgot that Jihyo was not an agreeable woman. “Don’t joke like that, it creeps me out.” He said.

“What?” he glared at him. “By the way, your mustache looks good on you.” Jihyo pointed.

Jaejoong touched his chin, “Really?”

“Did you really believe that?”

He sighed, “You’re impossible.” He bent his head down. “Did you eat? I haven’t had anything the whole day. Let’s get Buffalo Chicken.” He insisted.

“It’s too fatty.” Jihyo said.

“Grilled chicken then?”

“Too messy.”

The two went to get kebab instead which was around the corner; they took a stroll around the city without realizing that they had walked all the way to Times Square. Although the weather was hot, they did not even feel bothered about it. They went to souvenir shops, then got a couple Yankees baseball caps.

“Jihyo-shi, take a picture with Elmo.” The man on the costume approached Jihyo, he place his arm around Jihyo’s waist pulling her closer to him while Jaejoong was trying to take a picture.

“Yah, where do you think you’re touching?” she was infuriated with the man’s action. She grabbed his arm and twisted it around to his back.

The man cried in pain, Jaejoong had to take Jihyo away before the situation got worst. “What are you doing?” he pulled her. The man was terrified of her. “Yah, let’s go.”

“ert! Watch you dirty bastard!” he yelled out in Korean to the man.

As soon as they went off, they were near an alley. “Why did you do that?”

“Are you defending that ert?”

“This is not Korea. People are more open with one another. Don’t you know that?” he scolded her.

She bit her lip, “Are you lecturing me?”

“It’s not like that…” he assured her, “People here are a lot more different than us back home.”

Jihyo was silent, “Alright! I want to go home.” She withdrew before they start to argue more.

It was already getting late; they wanted to take the subway instead back to queens. But without realizing, they went on the different direction causing them to go all the way to Coney Island which was at the opposite direction. “Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Jaejoong asked looking out the window for signs.

“I’m not sure, I followed you.”

“I’m going to go crazy.” He said, he got up to look at the map, finally he realized that they were just two stops away from Coney Island. “This is crazy. We’re too far.” He said, “We took the wrong train” he turned around to see Jihyo knocked out on her seat. “How can she sleep in a time like this?”

Instead of getting off and going on the next platform, Jaejoong decided that they stay on the same train until they make a round turn back to Queens. The train ride was quiet with Jihyo sleeping heavily, so he took out his phone and scanned through the pictures they took that day to waste the time. He laughed after seeing the photo of Jihyo bullying the Elmo man. He wanted to show her but he didn’t want to wake her up. Jaejoong looked at Jihyo’s reflection on the mirror with her wobbling her head while sleeping. He pitied her looking like that, so he helped put her head on his shoulder.

Meanwhile, he too fell asleep. Jihyo woke up from her slumber to catch that she was well rested on Jaejoong’s shoulder. It was no longer for uncomfortable, she smiled and continued to sleep.