Zoya's heart was still racing.
Almost instinctively, she turned back, her eyes searching through the crowd once again.
The excitement that had filled the arrival hall only moments ago was already beginning to fade.
Security personnel guided people away from the barriers.
The cameras slowly lowered.
One by one, the crowd began to disperse.
Within minutes, the airport returned to its usual rhythm.
As though nothing extraordinary had happened.
But inside Zoya...
Everything had changed.
She remained standing where she was, unable to move.
Her mind struggled to accept what she had just seen.
It had lasted only a few seconds.
Yet those few seconds refused to leave her thoughts.
It felt unreal...
As though the world had paused for a brief moment, only to begin moving again.
The university representative was still standing beside her, holding the placard with her name.
He looked at her with quiet confusion.
"Where is Jeon.J?"
The question echoed between them.
The man frowned slightly.
He instinctively glanced toward the direction Zoya was looking, but by then the crowd had already begun to clear.
For a brief moment, he seemed unsure how to respond.
That small hesitation made Zoya's heart beat even faster.
She opened her mouth to ask again...
But the words never came.
Instead...
Reality quietly settled over her.
What am I doing?
She had travelled thousands of miles for her studies.
The very first thing she had asked after arriving...
Was about someone she had never even spoken to.
She lowered her eyes.
Taking a slow breath, she gathered herself.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, giving an embarrassed smile. "Let's go."
The representative returned the smile with a polite nod.
"This way, please."
He picked up one of her suitcases and gestured toward the exit.
Zoya adjusted the strap of her shoulder bag before quietly following him.
Her footsteps moved forward...
But her thoughts remained behind.
As the automatic doors slid open, a wave of icy air rushed toward them.
Zoya instinctively wrapped her coat a little tighter around herself.
The cold felt sharper than anything she had experienced before.
For a brief moment, she simply stood there, taking in her surroundings.
Rows of cars waited outside.
People hurried past one another, their breaths disappearing into the freezing air.
Everything looked unfamiliar.
Everything felt new.
The representative led her toward a university vehicle waiting nearby.
After placing her luggage inside, he opened the door for her.
"Please."
"Thank you," Zoya replied politely before taking her seat.
As the car pulled away from the airport, silence settled between them.
Zoya rested her head lightly against the window.
Buildings, roads and unfamiliar streets slipped quietly past her eyes.
She watched everything with silent curiosity...
Yet her thoughts kept returning to the same question.
Was he really here?
She closed her eyes for a brief moment.
No...
It hadn't been her imagination.
She had seen him.
Even if it had been for only a few seconds...
He had been there.
And somehow...
That single moment had already changed something inside her.
After some time, the vehicle finally entered the campus of Pusan National University.
The representative parked outside one of the student residence buildings before stepping out to help with her luggage.
"This is your hostel," he said with a friendly smile.
"If you need any assistance, the international student office will be open tomorrow."
Zoya thanked him politely.
After collecting her belongings, she stood quietly for a moment, looking up at the building that would now become her home.
Her first classes wouldn't begin until Tuesday.
For now...
She only wanted to settle in.
And perhaps...
Find a little peace from the thoughts that refused to leave her heart.
The representative helped Zoya carry her luggage inside the residence building before leading her to the reception desk.
After completing a few formalities, he handed her a room key.
"This is your room."
Zoya accepted it with a polite smile.
"Thank you... for everything."
"It was my pleasure," he replied warmly. "Welcome to Pusan National University."
With that, he took his leave.
For a brief moment, Zoya stood quietly in the hallway.
Her suitcase rested beside her while she looked at the room number written on the key.
Taking a slow breath, she walked toward the door.
This was it.
The place that would become her home for the next few years.
She unlocked the door and slowly stepped inside.
The room was simple but comfortable.
Three beds stood neatly along the walls.
Each had its own study desk, bookshelf and wardrobe.
One bed was still untouched.
She smiled faintly.
So this one is mine.
She gently placed her bag on the bed before looking around the room.
Everything still felt unfamiliar.
Different.
Yet peaceful.
She was just about to unpack a few things when the sound of the door opening made her turn around.
Two girls entered the room together.
One greeted her with a bright smile.
"Hello!"
The other gave a small, polite bow before smiling as well.
For a second, Zoya hesitated.
Then she returned their greeting.
"Hello."
The girl with the cheerful smile stepped forward first.
"I'm Ruhi."
She extended her hand.
"I'm from Hyderabad, India."
Zoya smiled politely as they shook hands.
"I'm Zoya... from Pakistan."
Before either of them could say anything else, the second girl introduced herself.
"I'm Hana."
She smiled gently.
"I'm from Jeonju, South Korea."
There was a brief silence.
Then Hana looked from Ruhi to Zoya before asking with genuine curiosity,
"Pakistan and India..."
She hesitated for a moment.
"Aren't you two enemies?"
The question caught Zoya slightly off guard.
For a brief second, she simply looked at Hana.
Then she glanced at Ruhi.
Ruhi didn't interrupt.
Instead, she quietly waited, curious to hear Zoya's answer.
A small smile appeared on Zoya's face.
"No."
She shook her head gently.
"We're not enemies."
After a brief pause, she continued,
"Pakistan and India are like two brothers. Sometimes misunderstandings grow because of the people who choose hatred... but ordinary people don't have to carry that hatred in their hearts."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Then Hana smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that."
Ruhi nodded in agreement.
"So am I."
The atmosphere instantly became lighter.
Hana laughed softly.
"Well then..."
She opened her arms dramatically.
"Welcome to our little world."
She pointed around the room.
"This is where we study together..."
"...complain about assignments..."
"...laugh at random things..."
"...and survive university life."
Ruhi chuckled.
"She's not exaggerating."
Everyone laughed.
For the first time since arriving in South Korea...
Zoya felt some of the heaviness inside her heart begin to ease.
Although they had met only a few minutes earlier...
Their kindness made the unfamiliar place feel a little less lonely.
As they continued talking, English naturally became the language they all shared.
But every now and then, Ruhi would unknowingly slip into Hindi.
Zoya smiled each time it happened.
Their languages were different...
Yet familiar enough to understand one another with ease.
Hana simply watched them with an amused smile.
"I'll have to learn both of your languages at this rate."
The three of them laughed again.
For the first time that day...
The room no longer felt unfamiliar.
It felt welcoming.
Ruhi glanced at the clock before looking back at Zoya.
"You must be exhausted after such a long journey."
Zoya smiled.
"A little."
"A little?" Hana laughed.
"If I had travelled that far, I'd probably be asleep by now."
Ruhi shook her head with a smile.
"First, go freshen up."
She pointed toward the washroom.
"After that, we'll take you to the mess. You should eat something."
Only then did Zoya realize...
She hadn't eaten properly since the journey.
She nodded.
"Okay."
Picking up a few of her belongings, she quietly made her way toward the washroom.
A little while later, the three of them stepped out of the hostel together.
The campus was far livelier than Zoya had expected.
Students walked in small groups, chatting in different languages as they made their way across the university grounds.
Some were carrying books.
Others had coffee cups in their hands.
Laughter echoed from different corners of the campus, blending with the unfamiliar sounds of a place Zoya was only beginning to know.
She quietly looked around, taking everything in.
Everything felt different...
Yet strangely peaceful.
As they walked, Ruhi and Hana pointed out different buildings along the way.
"That's the library," Hana said, pointing toward a large glass building.
"And over there is the international student office," Ruhi added. "If you ever get confused about paperwork, that's the first place you'll need."
Zoya nodded, trying to remember everything.
There was so much to learn.
So much to get used to.
But she reminded herself of one thing.
One step at a time.
A few minutes later, they entered the university dining hall.
The place was crowded.
Students from different countries stood in long queues, balancing trays while talking to one another.
The aroma of freshly prepared food filled the hall.
Ruhi picked up a tray.
"So..."
She smiled.
"Let's introduce you to university food."
Hana laughed.
"Don't scare her on the first day."
The three of them joined the line together.
Zoya picked up a tray and quietly followed behind them.
As the line moved forward, she looked at the different dishes being served.
Most of them were unfamiliar.
Some had labels she couldn't read.
Everything was written in Korean.
She simply watched what the others were taking, hoping she wouldn't make a mistake.
When it was finally her turn, she reached for the serving spoon beside one of the dishes.
Just as her hand touched it—
Ruhi gently caught her wrist.
"Zoya."
Her voice was calm but immediate.
"Come with me."
Confused, Zoya looked at her.
Without saying anything else, Ruhi guided her to another section of the counter.
She served vegetable noodles onto Zoya's plate, added a vegetable curry beside them, then handed the tray back to her with a reassuring smile.
"Let's sit."
Still puzzled, Zoya quietly followed her.
The three of them found an empty table near the window and sat down.
For a few moments, no one spoke.
Finally, Zoya looked at Ruhi.
"Ruhi..."
She hesitated.
"Why did you stop me?"
Ruhi met her eyes before answering gently.
"That dish contained pork."
She glanced toward the serving counter.
"The food labels are written in Korean."
"You couldn't have known."
For a moment...
Zoya forgot to breathe.
Her fingers tightened around the spoon she was holding.
She slowly looked back toward the counter.
Then lowered her eyes to her tray.
A heaviness settled inside her chest.
Her throat tightened.
She hadn't eaten it.
She hadn't even served it onto her plate.
Yet the thought alone made her heart tremble.
Almost inaudibly, she whispered,
"Ya Allah..."
Her eyes began to fill with tears.
"I almost..."
The words refused to leave her lips.
Ruhi immediately understood what she was feeling.
She reached across the table and gently placed her hand over Zoya's.
"It's okay."
Her voice was soft.
"You didn't eat it."
"That's what matters."
Zoya closed her eyes for a brief moment.
She took a slow breath before looking back at Ruhi.
A grateful smile, though fragile, appeared on her face.
"Thank you."
Ruhi smiled back.
"You don't have to thank me."
"We're roommates now."
Hana, who had quietly watched the exchange, smiled warmly.
"And roommates look after each other."
Zoya lowered her eyes again.
This time...
Not because of fear.
But because gratitude had left her speechless.
Deep inside her heart...
She silently thanked Allah.
In a place where she knew almost no one...
He had already placed someone beside her who understood what mattered most to her.
The meal continued.
The conversation slowly returned.
But Zoya remained quieter than before.
Now and then...
Her thoughts drifted back to what had almost happened.
And each time they did...
Her heart whispered the same words.
Alhamdulillah.
That night, exhaustion finally caught up with her.
After returning to the hostel, the three roommates spent a little more time talking.
Ruhi and Hana shared stories about the university, the campus, and the little things that had helped them settle into life there.
"Don't worry," Ruhi said with a reassuring smile. "We've been here for a month now. If you ever need help with anything, just ask."
Hana nodded in agreement.
"We'll make sure you don't get lost on your first day."
Their words brought a quiet smile to Zoya's face.
She had arrived in a country where she knew almost no one...
Yet Allah had already placed kind people in her path.
After arranging a few of her belongings, she quietly lay down.
The journey had been long.
Her body was exhausted.
But her mind...
It refused to rest.
Every time she closed her eyes...
The same scene returned.
The crowded airport.
The black cap.
The black mask.
That single glimpse.
Jeon.J...
She slowly opened her eyes again and looked at the ceiling.
Then, almost as if reminding herself, she whispered,
"You didn't come here for this."
She turned to her side and pulled the blanket a little closer.
Somehow...
Sleep finally found her.
A soft vibration from her phone woke her before dawn.
Without wasting a moment, she quickly silenced the alarm.
The room was still dark.
Ruhi and Hana were fast asleep.
Careful not to disturb them, Zoya quietly climbed out of bed.
She picked up the small bag that held her prayer mat and made her way to the washroom.
After performing wudu, she stepped into the hallway.
The building was wrapped in complete silence.
She looked around.
The corridor was empty.
After walking a little farther, she found a quiet corner.
It was simple.
Peaceful.
Exactly what she was looking for.
She spread her prayer mat on the floor and stood facing the Qiblah.
The world around her faded away.
For those few moments...
Nothing mattered except the One standing before her.
She offered her Fajr prayer with complete concentration.
After completing it, she remained seated on the prayer mat.
Her lips moved softly as she recited her morning adhkar.
The silence around her felt comforting.
When she finally raised her hands for dua...
Her eyes slowly filled with tears.
"Ya Allah..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You know everything that happened yesterday."
She paused for a moment.
"My heart is still trying to understand it."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
She didn't wipe it away.
"Yesterday... I almost served myself something that You made forbidden for me."
Her voice trembled.
"But You protected me."
"You sent Ruhi at exactly the right moment."
A faint smile appeared through her tears.
"Thank You."
She lowered her head for a moment before continuing.
"And..."
Her voice grew softer.
"If seeing him yesterday wasn't just a coincidence..."
She paused.
"...then please guide him."
She closed her eyes.
The familiar words once again left her lips.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِهِ وَاغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَاجْعَلِ الإِيمَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُورًا وَهُدًى
Allāhumma ihdihi waghfir lahu warḥamhu waj'alil-īmāna fī qalbihi nūran wa hudā.
"O Allah, guide him, forgive him, have mercy on him, and fill his heart with the light and guidance of faith."
She remained like that for a long moment.
Speaking to Allah in the language of her heart.
The hallway stayed silent.
The world was still asleep.
But she never felt alone.
Because she knew...
The One she was speaking to...
Was always listening.
The first light of the day had not yet reached the windows.
The hostel remained wrapped in silence.
Zoya slowly lowered her hands after making dua.
For a few moments...
She simply remained seated on the prayer mat.
A strange peace settled over her heart.
The questions were still there.
The uncertainty hadn't disappeared.
But somehow...
After speaking to Allah, the burden felt lighter.
She quietly wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks before folding her prayer mat with care.
Holding it close, she walked back toward her room.
The corridor was still empty.
Only the soft sound of her footsteps echoed through the hallway.
When she gently opened the door, nothing had changed.
Ruhi and Hana were still asleep.
Zoya smiled faintly.
She carefully placed the prayer mat back into her bag before sitting beside the window.
Outside, the campus was still quiet.
She rested her chin lightly against her hand.
Her thoughts wandered back to everything that had happened since leaving Pakistan.
The farewell.
The journey.
The unexpected meeting at the airport.
Ruhi stopping her before she unknowingly made a mistake.
Everything had happened within such a short time.
Yet each moment felt as though it carried a lesson.
She lowered her gaze.
Quietly whispering to herself,
"I came here for a reason."
The words were simple.
But they reminded her why she had travelled so far from home.
She couldn't allow herself to become distracted.
Not even by the questions that refused to leave her heart.
She would study.
She would work hard.
And she would leave the rest to Allah.
A gentle knock on the door broke the silence.
Zoya looked up.
A sleepy voice came from the other side of the room.
"Hmm... who's awake this early?"
Ruhi slowly opened one eye before noticing Zoya sitting by the window.
She smiled lazily.
"You've already been up?"
Zoya nodded with a small smile.
"I woke up for Fajr(prayer)."
Ruhi stretched before sitting upright.
"I should get up too."
Hana pulled the blanket over her head.
"Five more minutes..."
Ruhi laughed.
"You've been saying 'five more minutes' for a month."
A quiet laugh escaped Zoya's lips.
For the first time since arriving in South Korea...
She laughed without forcing herself.
Perhaps...
This unfamiliar place was beginning to feel a little less unfamiliar.
And perhaps...
Allah had already started placing the right people in her life.
She simply hadn't realized it yet.
To be continued…
Regards,
ZK💌