She stood behind the crowd, with her eyes looking for her red suitcase to come out on the running rail. After two minutes, a big red suitcase with some stickers on appeared. She slipped to the front while apologizing in a really small voice, reaching for the suitcase and brought it down. She checked her phone once again, walking out from the departing terminal, finding the taxi she had ordered online five minutes ago. She was arriving alone, wearing her black framed glasses, a weary grey Rolling Stones T-shirt (which was a band she didn’t even listen to), a black hoodie, a comfortable jeans and a pair of white sneakers when her black hair swirled to a bun. The taxi arrived almost the exact same time she took her first step outside the gate. The driver came out from the car, helping her with the big red suitcase, then let her in politely. As the driver buckled his seatbelt, she repeated the destination they were heading; an apartment building that was going to be her home until no time decided. It could be forever; she thought, it could be the last. The car started moving. She leaned to the side, facing the window, gazing at the cloudy sky spread wide above the road.

This was the kind of comeback she had always imagined but never dreamed of. The kind that had always haunted her mind but clearly she never desired. For a homecoming after five and a half years away and 15 hours flight, this was the kind that was too lonely.

He looked at his phone screen in awe, trying to remember only to wonder even more. He was checking on his old phone number, just seeing if it still worked. He regularly checked it every once in a while; two or three times every month, not admitting that he waited for a particular call from a particular someone, but instead telling himself it was just to see if any old friend tried to catch up. Almost two years since he got a new number, for business, less personal purpose, this was the first time he received a call on the previous one. Even his father preferred to contact the newer number. So he was so sure that this couldn’t be a prank call by a creepy fan or anything like that. It stunned him for a moment, but then he quickly answered.

“Yeoboseyo?” he asked.

“Hello? Ah, no.. Yeoboseyo? Joonyeol-ah?” a woman answered from the other end of the phone. First in English but then she changed to speak Korean. “This is Noona.”

“No-Noona?” he stuttered, almost whispered. He knew her voice.

“Ne, Joonyeol-ah.. She came back. She is in Seoul.”

He couldn’t sleep. It was true, that the drama and CF shootings and photoshoots were so tightly scheduled, but that was no reason for him not to fall asleep anywhere. He didn’t need much to get himself a good rest. His sleeping habit was so adaptive, in any kind of weather, any kind of set. Now, he had finished a drama series and finally had a rare one month break. He even lied on his own bed in his studio apartment, not on any bed in any hotel, not on any seat in any car. Yet, still, he couldn’t sleep.

His hand holding his phone, thoroughly he read over and over again the message he had received about seven weeks ago. An address that was 15 minutes away from his place by foot. He closed the message, put his phone down, tried to shut his eyes for ten seconds but then opened the message again.

“You should come to see her. Really.” A man approached the bed while opening a beer can.

“Why would I?” he replied, his voice sounded croaky.

“Do you seriously need me to explain why?” the man rolled his eyes. “You’re ing over thirty, man. You knew what to do.”

He didn’t answer. The man sighed as he jumped on his back to the bed, grabbed his phone and covered himself with a blanket, the beer can on the bedside.

“I’m sorry to bother you, anyway. I’m going home tomorrow morning. You knew my wife, she gets even scarier every time I came home from company dinner. I didn’t even get drunk this time, you know?” the man then pulled the blanked above so it completely covered his head.

“I’m going to the academy tomorrow, hyung.” He said.

“Yeah, whatever. You ing got her address, .” The hyung replied. Feeling awkward for being a bit harsh, he continued, “Look, man, her sister wants you to look after her. Why would she call you in the first place? She could have called any other person. It’s not like Soora’s friend was only you. But she trusted you and considered you a dependable man. For the sake of helping an old friend, why wouldn’t you go?”

“You don’t have to call me every two hours, you know?” Soora spoke coldly as she answered the call.

“Yes, I know, I know.. But did you do the laundry? You can drop them by the laundry service downstairs. And how about the rice? Are you getting used to it? If you’re not eating well, don’t force yourself too much, just buy some pastry at the bakery nearby or you can make salad, right?”

“Okay.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure? Because-“

“Look, Eonni-ya. I can take care of my own laundry. And it’s not like I’ve never ate rice before. I was only lived abroad for five years, remember? So, please, don’t worry too much. I just want to start off a peaceful life here. I am alone but I can handle it. Okay?” Soora cut her sister’s words, irritated much of her everlasting nagging, even when they were 6,500 miles apart. Her sister went silent for a few seconds. She took a deep breath and talked again, now in a shaky voice.

“I’m sorry.. I.. I’m just..”

“See? There you are again, worrying over nothing for me. Until when are you going to stop? I am no kid anymore, Ahra-eonni.”

Ahra snorted, tried her best to hold back her tears for her only faraway sister.

“Yes, you’re right. I have nothing to worry about. We’re all doing fine.” Soora didn’t reply. “But, Soora-ya, you know you have to immediately go to the hospital right? At least let me remind you about this one thing. You have to see Doctor Go soon, he has to check your current condition. Please.. Just do the right thing, okay?”

Soora stayed silent. She briefly sighed then hung up the call. She threw herself to the sofa and stared blankly at her phone. She closed her eyes and told herself, “It’s okay. You can live here.”

It was only five years, but returning to her homeland felt like being born a baby again, like going through puberty once again. Well, subjectively five years wasn’t that short. Even life could change so much over night; she was aware of that. But, still, she felt like she needed this delusion to tell herself that everything is normal and livable, that she didn’t have much left to worry. She thought she only need a few weeks or months to adjust better. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to control the pace of her breath, to calm her mind down. Then a few moments later her phone rang again.

“Eonni! I’ve told you I don’t-“ someone cut her off.