THE AIRPORT WAS ALIVE WITH THE HUM OF DEPARTURES AND ARRIVALS. THE ANNOUNCEMENTS BOOMED OVER THE SPEAKERS.
SFX: (DING-DONG) "FLIGHT TO BUSAN… BOARDING AT GATE 4…"
HA-EUN PULLED HER BACKPACK CLOSER TO HER SHOULDER, HER HEART DRUMMING WITH A MIXTURE OF EXCITEMENT AND FEAR. SHE KEPT REPEATING TO HERSELF, "PROFESSIONAL. STAY PROFESSIONAL. DON'T LET HIM GET CLOSE AGAIN."
SHE TOOK A DEEP BREATH, ADJUSTED HER SCARF, AND WALKED THROUGH THE MARBLE-FLOORED TERMINAL. HER HEELS CLICKED AGAINST THE GROUND.
SFX: (CLICK-CLACK, CLICK-CLACK).
YET, DESPITE HER INNER PROMISES, HER THOUGHTS WERE STILL ENTANGLED WITH THE MEMORY OF JOON-HA FROM LAST NIGHT — THE WAY HIS HAND BRUSHED AGAINST HERS, THE ALMOST KISS, THE BUZZ OF THE PHONE THAT SAVED HER FROM LOSING HERSELF COMPLETELY.
HER CHEEKS HEATED UP JUST THINKING ABOUT IT.
SHE WHISPERED UNDER HER BREATH:"NO… NOT AGAIN. I WON'T LET MYSELF…"
BUT THE CROWD'S MURMUR SUDDENLY SHIFTED. PEOPLE AROUND HER STARTED TURNING THEIR HEADS TO THE LEFT, MURMURING, WHISPERING. HA-EUN, CURIOUS, TURNED HER HEAD TOO.
AND THERE HE WAS.
KANG JOON-HA.
DRESSED IN A SHARP, DARK NAVY SUIT WITH A LONG COAT DRAPED OVER HIS ARM. HIS HAIR WAS SWEPT BACK WITH ELEGANCE, HIS STEPS CONFIDENT, HIS AURA COMMANDING. EVERY EYE SEEMED TO FOLLOW HIM.
HA-EUN FROZE.
HER HEART SKIPPED A BEAT.
HE LOOKED LIKE A MAN OUT OF A LUXURY FASHION MAGAZINE — UNTOUCHABLE, REGAL, AND YET, HIS EYES FOUND HERS THROUGH THE CROWD.
HE WALKED STRAIGHT TO HER.
WHEN HE FINALLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF HER, HIS VOICE WAS LOW, PLAYFUL, BUT CHARGED WITH SOMETHING DEEPER.
JOON-HA: "AM I LOOKING SO HANDSOME THAT YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF ME, HA-EUN?"
SFX: (THUMP-THUMP, THUMP-THUMP — HER HEART RACING).
HER FACE TURNED SCARLET INSTANTLY. SHE TURNED HER GAZE AWAY, HUGGING HER BACKPACK AS IF IT COULD HIDE HER.
HA-EUN (STAMMERING): "N-NO, SIR. IT'S… IT'S NOT LIKE THAT."
JOON-HA (LEANING SLIGHTLY CLOSER, SMIRKING): "OH? THEN WHY WERE YOU STARING? SHOULD I BELIEVE IT WAS PURE COINCIDENCE?"
HA-EUN (BLUSHING, VOICE SMALL): "Y-YOU'RE MISUNDERSTANDING…"
JOON-HA LET OUT A LOW CHUCKLE, THE KIND THAT SENT A SHIVER DOWN HER SPINE.
SFX: (SMIRK, SOFT LAUGH).
JUST AS HIS PRESENCE STARTED TO OVERWHELM HER, A VOICE BROKE IN.
SECRETARY (HURRYING UP, HOLDING FILES): "SIR, THE BOARDING WILL BEGIN SHORTLY. I'VE GOT THE CONFIRMATIONS READY."
HA-EUN INSTANTLY FELT RELIEF AND YET DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE SAME TIME. SHE SILENTLY THANKED HIS SECRETARY FOR THE INTERRUPTION.
JOON-HA (WITH A SIGH, GLANCING AT HER): "SAVED BY THE TIMING, HA-EUN."
SHE QUICKLY WALKED FORWARD, PRETENDING SHE HADN'T HEARD.
THEY MOVED TO THE PRIVATE TERMINAL. HA-EUN GASPED QUIETLY WHEN SHE SAW THE JET WAITING FOR THEM.
SFX: (ENGINES HUMMING SOFTLY, CREW MEMBERS GREETING).
IT WAS SLEEK, WHITE WITH GOLD TRIM, A SYMBOL OF LUXURY.
HA-EUN (MUTTERING TO HERSELF): "OF COURSE HE WOULD HAVE HIS OWN PLANE…"
AS THEY STEPPED INSIDE, SHE NOTICED THE RICH INTERIOR — PLUSH LEATHER SEATS, POLISHED WOOD TABLES, THE AROMA OF COFFEE LINGERING.
SHE CHOSE A SEAT FARTHER FROM HIM, DETERMINED TO CREATE DISTANCE. SHE SAT BY THE WINDOW, LOOKING OUT AT THE RUNWAY, TRYING TO DROWN HER HEART.
BUT SHE COULDN'T ESCAPE HIS PRESENCE.
JOON-HA SAT ACROSS FROM HER, HIS EYES OCCASIONALLY WANDERING TOWARD HER.
SFX: (SEATBELT CLICK).
PILOT (ON INTERCOM): "WELCOME ABOARD, MR. KANG. WE WILL BE TAKING OFF IN TEN MINUTES."
HER HANDS GRIPPED THE ARMREST. SHE HADN'T FLOWN MUCH BEFORE, CERTAINLY NOT LIKE THIS. THE VIBRATION OF THE PLANE PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF MADE HER CHEST TIGHTEN.
JOON-HA NOTICED.
JOON-HA (SOFTLY, LEANING TOWARD HER): "ARE YOU NERVOUS?"
HA-EUN (SNAPPING QUICKLY): "NO. NOT AT ALL."
SFX: (HER FOOT TAPPING NERVOUSLY AGAINST THE FLOOR).
JOON-HA (CHUCKLING): "YOU'RE TAPPING YOUR FOOT LIKE YOU'RE IN A ROCK BAND. IF YOU KEEP THIS UP, THE PILOT MIGHT THINK THERE'S TURBULENCE INSIDE THE CABIN."
HER EYES WIDENED, AND SHE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY, FLUSTERED.
HA-EUN: "I… I DIDN'T NOTICE."
HE SMILED AGAIN, HIS EYES GLEAMING.
THE PLANE BEGAN TO MOVE.
SFX: (ENGINES ROARING, THE PLANE LIFTING OFF, RUMBLING).
HER BODY TENSED, AND UNINTENTIONALLY, HER HAND BRUSHED AGAINST HIS ON THE ARMREST.
SFX: (SOFT BRUSH).
SHE PULLED BACK LIKE SHE HAD TOUCHED FIRE. HER FACE BURNED RED.
HA-EUN (QUICKLY): "SORRY!"
JOON-HA (LOW, TEASING): "SORRY FOR WHAT? TOUCHING ME, OR FOR PULLING AWAY SO FAST?"
HER BREATH CAUGHT. SHE HAD NO REPLY.
SHE TURNED HER FACE TO THE WINDOW, BUT HER MIND… IT DRIFTED BACK TO ANOTHER MEMORY.
FLASHBACK – MIN-JAE
ONCE, YEARS AGO, SHE HAD SAT ON A TRAIN NEXT TO MIN-JAE. HE WAS IN HIS SIMPLE SWEATER, HIS SMILE EASY, HIS HAND HOLDING HERS GENTLY.
MIN-JAE (LAUGHING): "YOU'RE ALWAYS NERVOUS ON RIDES, AREN'T YOU? DON'T WORRY. I'LL HOLD ON UNTIL YOU'RE OKAY."
AND HE DID. BACK THEN, HIS TOUCH MADE HER FEEL SAFE, NOT EXPOSED.
HER HEART CLENCHED AT THE MEMORY. SHE BLINKED RAPIDLY, PUSHING TEARS BACK.
HA-EUN (TO HERSELF):"WHY DO YOU KEEP COMING BACK TO ME, MIN-JAE? EVEN NOW…"
BACK TO THE PRESENT
JOON-HA'S VOICE PULLED HER OUT OF THE FLASHBACK.
JOON-HA (SOFTLY): "YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE SOMEWHERE ELSE."
SHE QUICKLY STRAIGHTENED, MASKING HER EXPRESSION.
HA-EUN: "JUST THINKING ABOUT THE PRESENTATION."
JOON-HA (EYEING HER): "IS THAT SO? THEN WHY DO YOUR EYES LOOK LIKE YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING MUCH DEEPER?"
SHE BIT HER LIP, REFUSING TO ANSWER.
THE PLANE CONTINUED ITS FLIGHT. HOURS PASSED, FILLED WITH SILENCE, OCCASIONAL GLANCES, AND MOMENTS OF TENSION WHERE THEIR HANDS OR SHOULDERS ALMOST BRUSHED WHEN THEY MOVED.
SFX: (THE HUM OF ENGINES, THE OCCASIONAL CLINK OF GLASSES).
AT ONE POINT, THE SECRETARY FELL ASLEEP, LEAVING ONLY THE TWO OF THEM IN THE QUIET CABIN.
JOON-HA (LEANING IN): "YOU'RE AVOIDING ME, HA-EUN. ARE YOU SCARED?"
HER CHEEKS FLUSHED, HER FINGERS CURLING INTO FISTS.
HA-EUN (SOFTLY, ALMOST A WHISPER): "SCARED OF WHAT?"
JOON-HA (LOWERED VOICE, INTENSE): "OF HOW YOU STILL FEEL WHEN YOU'RE NEAR ME."
HER HEART STOPPED. SHE COULDN'T DENY IT, BUT SHE WOULDN'T GIVE HIM THE SATISFACTION. SHE TURNED AWAY, PRESSING HER FOREHEAD AGAINST THE COLD GLASS OF THE WINDOW.
SFX: (HER SHARP INHALE, HIS QUIET EXHALE).
ARRIVAL IN PARIS
AFTER THE LONG FLIGHT, THE PILOT'S VOICE CAME OVER THE SPEAKER.
PILOT: "WE WILL BE LANDING IN PARIS IN TWENTY MINUTES. PLEASE FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS."
HER HEART BEAT FASTER. PARIS. THE CITY OF LOVE. THE CITY WHERE EVERYTHING FELT MORE DANGEROUS.
SFX: (SEATBELT CLICKS, ENGINES DESCENDING).
THE MOMENT THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN, SHE LET OUT A BREATH SHE DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS HOLDING.
SFX: (WHEELS SCREECHING, ENGINES SLOWING).
AS THE CREW PREPARED TO UNLOAD, JOON-HA STOOD FIRST, HIS PRESENCE FILLING THE CABIN. HE OFFERED HIS HAND TO HELP HER UP.
SHE HESITATED.
HER HAND TREMBLED AS SHE REACHED FOR HIS — AND THEIR FINGERS BRUSHED AGAIN, A SPARK SHOOTING THROUGH HER.
SHE PULLED BACK QUICKLY, CLUTCHING HER BAG.
HA-EUN (QUIETLY, TO HERSELF): "NO… KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL."
BUT JOON-HA HEARD HER, HIS SMIRK GROWING.
JOON-HA: "WE'LL SEE HOW LONG THAT LASTS IN PARIS."
SFX: (HER BREATH HITCHING, AIRPORT NOISES GROWING AS THE DOOR OPENED).
THEY DESCENDED THE STAIRS INTO THE BRIGHT PARISIAN LIGHT.
THE CITY AWAITED THEM.