RSL Ch 7

The plane landed at Incheon Airport. The captain shut down the engines one by one while the Co-pilot went through the securing checklist.  The gate bridge connected shortly, and passengers disembarked swiftly like receding tides. Cargo trucks and maintenance personnel approached, visible beneath the windows.

After completing the logbook and post-flight tasks, the Co-pilot and the other captain stood up from their seats. I also moved with them.

“When is your next flight?”

The captain walking on my right side asked about the flight schedule. The sound of cabin crew members finishing their tasks echoed from behind.

“I have a trip to Tokyo tomorrow.”

“That’s hectic.”

“It’s okay.”

For distances like Japan, it felt like going on a day trip. Usually, such schedules involved deboarding outgoing passengers and immediately boarding those heading back home. Despite a busy half-day, knowing there would be five days off afterward left no complaints.

“Good job.”

We passed through the crew-specific inspection counter and went outside. Waiting for the elevator to go up to return charts and flight records to the company, the three of us, including myself, waited. Someone called out from behind, “Captain.”

“That person seems to be waiting for you.”

One of the flight attendants I’d met at the catering cart corner pointed to a man sitting in a chair in the arrivals lobby. The man, who was sitting cross-legged and staring at them with his arms folded, stood up. He slowly approached, hands in his pockets. I wondered if he’d been waiting for me, even though business class would have left as soon as the gate opened.

“Haven’t you left yet?”

“Where to?”

“To the hotel or your accommodation?”

“Why would I go to a hotel? You must have a home in Korea, right?”

Oh… he meant he would come to our house. I hadn’t thought that far. Well, someone who had eagerly come to stay for a month couldn’t keep staying in a hotel indefinitely.

“Why? Is it inconvenient?”

“No, it’s fine. Wait here; I’ll be right up.”

He returned to the waiting area with a smile. Seeing the small carry-on bag beside him, I understood. It was undoubtedly an impulsive decision to come. The size of the luggage suggested someone staying for about a week, similar to crew members. We took the elevator together.

“It seems like you’re a friend of Daniel Lee look-like.”

“Ah, yes.”

“What does he do?”

“He’s a lawyer.”

“Holy crap…”

One of the crew members, who was very interested in Han Jae-yi, let out an exclamation.

“Hey, stop it.”

The cabin manager, who had been watching nearby, lightly slapped him on the back. They all laughed together as they exited the elevator when the doors opened.

I signed and returned the operational log documents. Knowing that the rest of the crew was waiting, the other pilots greeted and left first. I went to the locker room to change clothes. Since there was nothing at home, I felt I should either grab a meal or go grocery shopping before heading there.

I changed into my regular clothes and went back to the arrival lobby, where Han Jae-yi was still sitting in the same spot. He was looking at his phone when he spotted me and stood up.

“How should we get there? We can take a taxi or the company bus.”

He laughed at my suggestion and said neither option was appealing. I wasn’t sure what to do since walking wasn’t an option.

“I rented a car. Let’s go.”

His first stop was the rental car lot.

“When did you book it?”

“Just now. Ten seconds ago.”

Ah, that’s why he was looking at his phone. Despite only coming to Korea once a year, he seemed more familiar with everything than I was. I’m the one who lives here, so why am I being led around. I could hear the wheels of the suitcase screeching.

We received the car from the rental agency and loaded our luggage. Both of us were tired, but we decided to go for a meal. For him, who liked Korean cuisine, I searched for a traditional restaurant.

“For two people? Please come inside.”

I followed the waitress as I scanned the restaurant with the curious eyes of a tourist. I sat down at the table she led me to and flipped through the menu. I didn’t know what to eat, so I ordered the same menu that Han Jae-yi had chosen.

Less than five minutes after placing my order, the food was already being served. Everything was fast. I panicked and looked around, realizing I hadn’t even grabbed my cutlery yet.

“It’s under the cutlery table.”

The server pulled out a drawer of cutlery from under the table. I couldn’t help but laugh at the system that even had tissues. I wondered if Han Jae-yi knew.

“I also found it fascinating the first time.”

“Fascinating?”

Occasionally, I could learn new Korean expressions from Han Jae-yi. He explained that ‘fascinating’ meant new and surprising. He often introduced me to new slang words. His excellent command of language greatly influenced the reason why my Korean didn’t deteriorate.

I suddenly remembered an anecdote from my first flight to Hong Kong about six years ago. The local pilot took me to a night market, and as soon as I placed my order, he brought me a big bowl of tap water from behind a tent. I thought it was for drinking, but it turned out to be for washing cutlery. He explained that while some people drank it directly, it was a system where you could personally fetch water to rinse utensils if you didn’t feel comfortable.

Back then, I couldn’t express the feeling I had in one word, but now, looking back, the word ‘fascinating’ seems just right. It was new and surprising.

“Don’t eat that. The dressing has kiwi in it.”

When I unwittingly plunged my chopsticks into the salad, Han Jae-yi stopped me by pulling the plate toward him. I’m allergic to some tropical fruits. In many ways, I feel more comfortable when I eat with people who know me well.

While waiting for the side dishes, the main course arrived. Watching the well-cooked sirloin and stew, Han Jae-i tasted the food. Having lived in Korea until the age of fifteen, he had a stronger nostalgic feeling than me for the time spent there. He always shared memories from his time in Korea with me. I used to enjoy those stories as if reading a book.

Han Jae-yi said he went to an all-boys middle school. It was a purpose-built school that required students to live in a dormitory, and he said he had to take more than 10 different types of tutoring to get in.

But what caught my interest more than that was his school uniform photo. Pictures taken with friends in a corner of the dormitory room, awkward poses, and a Han Jae-yi with a face slimmer and sharper than I knew, wearing a uniform, imitating Superman with a red tie and a jacket with a crooked name tag.

Dressed in navy blue pants, a white cotton shirt, a short red tie, and a jacket with a crooked name badge, he looked like he was from another world.

Han Jae-yi repeatedly described each of his friends in the photo to me. As a result, I got to know his relationships so well that I felt an inner kinship with them. He would rhyme with them and I would instantly recognize them as, ‘Oh, that friend.’

The same applied to our usual conversations. When changing topics, we didn’t need extensive explanations. With just a few words, we could understand immediately what the other was trying to say.

Suddenly, I became aware and looked at Han Jae-i eating across from me. Even with him right in front of me, I found myself reminiscing about his past. If this lifestyle continued, I felt like I might become truly mentally disturbed.

“Jae-yi.”

He looked up at me. He swallowed the food in his mouth and waited for my next words.

“I’m not running away, you can stay for a week and then leave. You don’t even look like you’ve packed properly, it’s going to be uncomfortable to work, there are people waiting for you, and a month is too long.”

After rinsing his mouth with water, Han Jae-yi glanced at me. His face didn’t change much, but he seemed to be studying my expression.

“Are you uncomfortable with my presence?”

“Of course not.”

“But why are you trying to send me off so eagerly?”

“Anyway, I’ll be away for half of the month, so I won’t see you much. I just don’t understand why you’re making such a fuss.”

“Oh.”

As if understanding the meaning, he completely put down his chopsticks and leaned his large body backward.

“Don’t worry. Actually, I have some things to sort out too, that’s why.”

His arms were crossed and his gaze was elsewhere. I didn’t know what he wanted to sort out, but maybe he came to handle personal matters using my excuse, I thought.

He said it wasn’t because of me, and I started to feel confused about whether I should be happy or sad.