I limped back onto the sidewalk, death-glaring at the random box. What kind of idiot would just leave their luggage out on the street?

I sniffed and looked at the signs, which told the way to the airport. I guess I’ll be walking there... I glanced at my watch.
 

5:50 PM.

Guess I’ll be running then!

But my ankle stubbornly declined my wish to run and inflicted me with an unimaginable pain. I tenderly lifted my left ankle off the concrete pavement and glared at it, cursing at inwardly.

I don’t have that much time at all!

I swallowed, gripped on my scratched suitcase and began to hop as fast as I could. But suddenly something caught my eye. Another man --another Caucasian--had just succeeded in hailing a taxi.

Perhaps I could bargain with him?

“Excuse me?” I yelled out as I proceeded to hop over.

“W-what?” The man looked startled, but quickly resumed his cool appearance “What do you want?”

“Could I please share this taxi with you??” I pleaded.

The man scoffed “Ha~ share? Oh no no, you’ll have to buy this taxi from me.”

I stared at him blankly for a second. I was the stingiest person I knew and now I’m going to have to buy my own taxi? I almost declined but remembered the plane.

“Fine!” I spat out and pulled my wallet out of my inner coat pocket “How much? $20?”

The man rolled his eyes and began to hop in the taxi. Desperate I said “$50!?”

He paused and a sly smile leaked onto his grey face “Anyone who would offer $50 would be desperate enough to offer at least $70.”

I was so angry and flustered I didn’t notice another figure slid behind us and bang on the taxi’s boot. The taxi driver looked confused, but shrugged. It didn’t matter. A customer was a customer. He got out and helped the figure put his luggage into the boot. But it didn’t close properly, so they left the boot hanging open.

“You’re a thief and a crook.” I glared at the man before me and I dug out the money I had brought.

He merely smiled in return and stepped aside to let me jump in the taxi. But then, right before my eyes, the taxi drove away… with someone in my seat!!!

“Y-yah!! YOU STOLE MY TAXI!”

By now the traffic had cleared and was flowing. I ran after the taxi, ignoring the searing pain in my leg. I was still screaming at the taxi-thief in both Korean and English.

“STOP! MY TAXI! THIEF YOU STOLE MY TAXI!”

Then, as my luck would have it, the taxi stopped at a red light. I skidded to a stop beside it and ripped open the door.

“OKAY. OUT YOU GET YOU TAXI-THIEF!!” I screamed at the passenger.

He screamed in fear and yelled at the driver “DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE!!!”

The door of the taxi was ripped off my grip and, with a screech of wheels, drove away. From the back of the taxi I saw a familiar sight. The big trunk covered with stickers in the boot of the taxi.

I stood there dejectedly as cars behind me beeped at me. I dragged my injured leg out of the way. But I had forgotten my suitcase and had to watch helplessly as cars ran over it, as if on purpose.

By the time the lights went red and I had scooted under a car to save it, I spotted a public bus. I ran up to it and they let me on.

“Where to?” the bus driver looked at me skeptically.

“Airport.” I panted.

“Alright, that’s our next stop. That will be $10 and an extra $20 for picking you up in the middle of the street.”

I nodded, too tired to care. As I sat down in an empty seat I could picture the taxi-thief as if he was there before me. Well, at least I only remembered two distinct features of him.

His hair had been dyed a light brown with a ginger gleam and styled to be slightly mussed. That was what I noticed first. Then it was his huge, doe eyes. They had dilated when I had shrieked at him to get out of my taxi. They had been incredibly large and brown.

He had been handsome at a first, swift glance. But I knew that if I ever saw him again I would be sure to kill him!

- - - - - - - - - - -

One hundred dollars. One ing hundred American dollars it took to get me to the airport.

Once there I half-jumped half-ran to the gate. It was due for take off in less than a minute. Please let me make it!

I reached at the gate and was greeted with a large crowd still waiting to board. I breathed in relief.

I looked at the screen above the gate. It flashed ‘DELAYED’.

- - - - - - - - - - -

I don’t know whether to be glad that my flight delayed since I didn’t miss it or to be annoyed since I’ve been waiting for two hours already. Many people were sprawled on the floors with their luggage. Kids crying and whining, old people coughing and a group of school kids singing in a corner. It was hell.

I shifted in my seat, skimming over the american news in today’s newspaper. I had found it left on an empty seat and dived for it, just before an old grandma reached it. People gave me filthy looks, but I ignored then. Hey! I’m the injured one!

I rubbed my ankle, feeling it swell more and more with every passing minute. I comforted myself with the fact that tomorrow I’ll be back home; back in the comfort of my home and my girlfriend-soon-to-be-wife. I had planned this proposal for three months now…

Even though I wasn’t really reading I began to turn the page of the newspaper, hoping that something interesting would be on the next page.

“Wait… don’t turn the page, I’m not finished yet.” A voice muttered in my ear.

I jumped and squealed in shock, turning to my right to see two large, dark-brown eyes staring at me. The fuc-

“Oh, sorry!” the man interrupted my thoughts, speaking English in a bad Korean accent, “I’m the guy who was reading over your shoulder. Man, you read too fast! I wanted to find out if-“

“Wait WHAT?!” I stared at him. What a weird guy… and sort of familiar too…

The stranger frowned and ruffled his light-brown hair “I… I swear I’ve seen you before. I never ever forget a face!”

I was scrambling through my thoughts as well when I suddenly realized. H-he was the guy that stole my taxi!

I then proceeded to glare at him and turn away. I was boiling inside, but couldn’t think of a way to kill him in such a crowd and get away without getting caught.

The guy kept staring at me, suddenly he realized and his face melted into a big grin “OHH~ you’re the guy that tried to steal my cab!” he chuckled “I knew I recognized you somewhere!”

I clenched my teeth “It was my cab and you stole it from me.”

There was a blank expression on the stranger’s face “Huh?”

I rolled my eyes and pretended to be intensely interested in an article. I couldn’t bear even looking at such a naïve man. It was embarrassing for the whole human race!

“Come to think of it… it was pretty easy getting a taxi in a rush hour…” he mutters, causing me to curiously glanced at him through my dark bangs “Oh… I am so sorry! P-please forgive me! I had no idea…”

I frowned at the pest beside me “It’s fine. Forget it.” I lied.

“Oh no no no!” I felt a pair of strong hands grab my shoulders and force me to turn to face him “Please, let me make it up to you! Do you want something to eat? A coffee?”

“No!” I shrugged off his hands.

“Are you sure?” his voice asked, invading my thoughts.

“I. Am. Fine.” I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying anything more.

He finally seems to get the point and mutters “Well, if you need anything, just let me know…”

I frowned and glared at the ink printing on the paper before me. Because of this guy I had to pay $70 for a taxi I didn’t ride and an extra $30 for the bus trip! I was not happy.

Suddenly there was an announcement “We apologize for the delay of flight 503 to Seoul. We will now like to begin the boarding process.”

I scooted with a limp to the front of the gate, feeling proud when I could hear the movement of people lining up behind me. At least I had lost that annoying taxi-thief guy.

I comforted myself with the thought of: what else could possible go wrong?

- - - - - - - - - - -

10 minutes later:

“Well what do you know? Is this a coincidence or what?”

I looked fearfully into that same Korean man who had just sat beside me in the passenger seat. He flashed me a smile and waved the newspaper I had left on the seat in at the gate. Why? Why oh why oh why me? Is there no mercy??

I merely nodded and turned away to sulk out the window, hoping that there would be no more talk between us during the 15-hour flight.

But somehow I didn’t think it would happen as I heard his annoying voice talking to me:

“I’m Yunho! Jung Yunho!”

Author Notes:


Aish… I fail…
My first chapter was posted two months ago, OTL.
Oh well, now that I have finished school for a few weeks I will try my best to write more.
I hope you found this chapter interesting to the introduction of Yunho~
Please subscribe and comment! ^.^