Seoul Between the Lines

I'm sorry I left without any warning, but my decision is made. I'm going to chase my dreams. I hope it all works out. Wish me well. As soon as her finger hit the 'send' icon, she let out a long breath, as though a burden had slipped off her shoulders. She put her phone on airplane mode, shutting down every line of contact in case anyone tried to call or message, and she knew plenty of people would because of how impulsively she had acted. Disconnected from the life she had abandoned, she sank into her seat and shut her eyes, giving herself a second to take in how unreal this choice felt. A faint rustle came from beside her as somebody settled into the neighboring seat, likely the person beside her for the length of the trip. Not long after, the Captain's voice poured through the intercom. She meant to ignore it, yet one part snagged her attention, something she simply couldn't brush aside because it made the whole thing seem tangible. "... Captain Sule Garba speaking. Thanks for flying with British Airways today. You're on flight 14T traveling from Nigeria to Manchester. We expect to arrive around 5:00 local time. We also have a special guest aboard. My wife is seated with you in A16, hey baby..." A wave of "awws" moved through the cabin, making her pry open her eyes and glance toward the named seat. As expected, a woman sat there with color rising in her cheeks while nearby passengers murmured about how adorable the pair was. The wife lowered her head shyly, plainly uneasy beneath all that attention. Apparently, she was not someone who enjoyed the spotlight. Captain Sule Garba kept going in a teasing voice, sounding entirely unbothered by the public affection, unlike his wife, who probably wanted the earth to swallow her. "...it's the first time she's been on a flight I'm piloting. So I'll get every one of you to our destination safely, or she'll remind me about it forever. With that said, kindly fasten your seat belts and put your phones on flight mode. If you need anything, the cabin crew will help..." Samira gave a huff and rolled her eyes, then muttered beneath her breath, "Have mercy on the singles, people." Despite the comment and the eye roll, she couldn't stop herself from admiring the couple. It was sweet, and somewhere inside she melted. If it hadn't highlighted how single she was, she might have rooted for them aloud. They were obviously crazy in love, the kind of love everybody longs for. At the same time, she knew she would probably pass out if the man she loved showed affection that publicly. She hated being the focus of everyone's eyes and preferred watching other people's moments from behind a screen. That was the thing she did best, and it was exactly why she had walked away from her former life to chase her dream. Not many people understood why it mattered, but she loved that dream with her whole heart. Her dream was to study human interactions up close and translate them into something that reached straight into people's souls. When the aircraft got ready for takeoff, she held her breath and clutched the armrest, eyes squeezed shut, heart thudding hard. She could feel it pounding against her chest while her fingers pressed deep into the rest. She attempted the breathing drills she had learned, praying the minutes would move quickly. She had always hated takeoff because it never felt any less awful, no matter how often she flew. Only after the plane was securely in the air did she loosen her hold on the armrest. When she opened her eyes little by little, what met them made her jolt. The armrest turned out to be someone's arm. She had been gripping a stranger's hand the whole time, probably hard enough to leave marks.