Gate Number 52

Kim Minju was sobbing hard as she was sitting on the toilet seat.

She buried her face in her hands, trying to muffle the sound of her cries. She didn’t want to be found crying in the toilet of London’s Heathrow airport.

A few minutes ago, she had just ended a call with her girlfriend, Chaewon, who is currently in Seoul. They have been together for 5 years, since they were in high school, and they are serious. They talked about spending lifetime together and made future plans. But for the past two years that they have been apart, things turned out quite rough for them. There’s always doubt, little things and unnecessary jealousy that make them shout at each other in each phone call.

Maybe long-distance relationship is not for them, Minju thinks.

Or maybe Chaewon isn’t the one for her.

And the stress that piled up over the time, made Minju burst out.

“We’re through, Kim Chaewon!” Minju shouted to her before she ended the call and turned it off.

And Minju wondered if she really meant what she said, or it was just at the heat of the moment.

She got up and grabbed her bag. She glanced at her watch and realized that she’s been in there for almost half an hour. She wiped her face with her fingers and opened the door.

She has a flight to catch. To Seoul.

**

The waiting area was filled with people at the boarding gate number 52. There was only about 20-minutes till boarding but there wasn’t any sign of the plane yet.

Minju leaned her back on the cold metal seat, trying to get into the book she’s reading. It was about music composition, which is her passion. It’s what she’s furthering her studies for. She dreams of being a renowned songwriter and producer. Hearing her songs played on the media is her lifelong dream.

And after two years she finally finished her studies and already got a job offer with a studio in Seoul. She has her life all set, she got a job, she also got a new apartment waiting, courtesy of her father, and all that’s left is a partner. That’s supposed to be Chaewon, but she’s not sure anymore.

She closed her book. It was pointless trying to read, when her emotions were like a roller coaster. She glanced around and saw people getting restless, as they still haven’t opened the gate for boarding.

But there was someone who looked calm.

There was a young woman sitting two rows in front of her. She was alone. She was wearing round rimmed glasses, with a long brown coat. Her hair was neatly tied back into a ponytail with a few strands of hair across her forehead. She was looking around, with pouted lips.

She must be bored, Minju thinks.

When the young woman pressed her lips together, her dimples showed. And Minju smiled. She was so pretty, she thought. And then suddenly she looked her way, and Minju was caught off guard. Their eyes met for about half a second, and Minju immediately looked away.

She looked down at her book, and she felt her cheeks getting hot. She can’t believe she was blushing at a stranger.

Suddenly, there was a voice echoing through the speaker.

“Attention to all the passengers at Gate 52 boarding from London to Seoul. Due to the weather, there will be 2-hours flight delay, we’re sorry for the inconvenience.”

**

Minju soon found herself slurping Caramel Macchiato Frappuccino in a Starbucks inside the airport. Since there was a delay, she had to find a place to sit and pass the time. She grabbed her phone from her jacket and turned it on.

There were missed calls, 20 of them. 18 from Chaewon and 2 from her father. There’s also a whole essay on her katalk from Chaewon. She ignored Chaewon’s messages and missed calls and quickly dialed up for her father.

She pressed the phone on her ear, waiting while her call be connected. Her father was currently in Sydney, Australia, where he’s on a vacation with his new wife. Minju’s not complaining, since her father had been alone for almost 15 years, he tried his best to be the best parents to her while growing up. He only got married recently on paper, while Minju was studying in London a year ago.

He’s a great father and she loves him. He deserves the best. And from what she heard, her stepmom sounds like a kind woman.

“Hello, my princess!” said a man over the phone.

Minju smiled immediately.

“Dad!”

“Where were you? I couldn’t call you earlier.”

“I turned off my phone to conserve battery for a bit. Well, how’s Australia?”

“It’s great! We just visited a Kangaroo sanctuary and it was amazing! We should all come here next time!”

“With Aunt Sookyung? Sure, I can’t wait to meet her by the way,” said Minju chirpily.

“Yes, with her and her daughter! Oh, she can’t wait to meet you too! We’ll be back to Seoul this weekend, and we’ll gather for a family dinner, okay?” his dad said excitedly.

“Okay dad,” Minju replied with a chuckle.

“Also, you’ve got the address for the apartment, right?”

“Yes, you texted me the address like 4 times, dad.”

“I’m sorry I can’t be there to welcome you at the apartment, but it’s fully furnished. You can just move in.”

“Thanks dad, I don’t know how to thank you for this.”

“It’s just a little gift, so you can start your working life in Seoul.”

“I’m grateful, I love you so much, dad.”

“I love you too, my princess.”

“See you soon.”

Minju hung up the phone with a smile. Her dad kept reminding her of the apartment like she was still a little child. Maybe she’s still his little princess in his eyes.

Suddenly Minju saw someone walked into the café.

Tall, with glasses and dimples. It’s the girl from earlier. She’s probably on the same flight as hers. She was looking around with a cup of drink in her hand, maybe for an empty table, but there wasn’t any. Everyone had flocked there to hang out because of the flight delay. She suddenly looked at Minju’s way and their gazes met. Minju froze. She wanted to look away but she can’t, as if she was enchanted. The girl smiled at her, showcasing her sweet dimples smile. Minju smiled back and the girl walked towards her.

“Excuse me, is this seat occupied?” she asked, pointing at a chair opposite Minju.

Minju shook her head, “No, it’s not. Come, have a seat. I was getting bored sitting alone.”

She pulled the chair and sat on it, while putting her cup on the table.

“Same. I’m bored as heck too. My name is Yujin, by the way,” she said, introducing herself.

“I’m Minju.”

**

“My roommate, is this Japanese unnie and she’s such a nerd, she was the one who introduced me to games, but she’s really, really pretty, like, top actress kind of visual,” said Yujin to her new acquaintance, Minju.

She leaned forward and held her cup of hot chocolate.

“She’s been crushing on our senior for 2 years but she never been able to confess or flirt because she’s such a dork, you know? But one day, that senior found out about it…”

Minju raised an eyebrow, “How did she found out?”

Yujin chuckled, “It was at her birthday party and my roommate was drunk. She walked to her and said… ‘unnie, jinjja nice badi’ with a thumb up.”

“She said… that, to her crush??