5 I was wrong

   *****Ridhi's POV*****

I'm having mixed feelings now.

One moment I'm excited about seeing a new country, meeting the new people and leading an adventurous life and on the next moment I'm upset about why that person isn't even responding to the numerous texts that I've send him. Those are not even getting delivered. It's been 2 weeks already.

What am I to do now?

One thing is for sure that I've got a new inspiration about studying in Korea. Even though he's not replying I've to do this for me and my parents. I don't want to waste any more chances in my life. I want to grab them when they're coming towards me.

Dia has her flight from Delhi the day after tomorrow. The journey will be through Delhi-Shanghai-Incheon. I'm seeing her off tomorrow from Kolkata. She's too excited that I've made it. My thesis has been accepted yesterday and they'll let me know about my scholarship status by next week.

Dia wanted me to go with her. It'd have been nice if I could go with her but that can't happen. I've to wrap up many things that are pending. Which will take at least 2 weeks.

Without much thought I start making the list of the things that I need to take with me. This list should be meticulous. My life depends on this.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 25th Oct.

My departure is at today night.

I'm finally going to Korea. My dream destination. If I ask myself then I'm having this dream since the time I've met Jin. He's my inspiration. Even though I've lost contacts with him he's vivid in my thoughts all the time. I feel like crying whenever I think about him. Why didn't he even contact me for once after he got to know that I'm coming to Korea? Was it a delusional thought to sacrifice my life here in India and leaving my parents?

Ahhh!!! I don't know anymore.

I hurriedly pack my toiletries and some snacks. How am I supposed to carry 4 big luggages all by myself? It's like I'm literally carrying my mom with me. She won't let me go until I take all the homemade snacks and pickles with me. She is so sure about it that in Korea they only eat cockroaches and other insects as food. No matter how hard I try o make her understand that it's not true and she's confusing Korea with China may be, she's not going to listen. I have lost hopes to make her convinced about this fact.

My phone is buzzing. I wake up from my thoughts.

I pick up my phone from bed and just freeze at the caller name. 

It's Jin. Yes, I can't believe it too.

I receive the call after 15-20 seconds. With a cracked voice I respond.

"Hello!"

"Hey, how're you? I'm sorry that I couldn't contact you earlier. I had a situation." Jin's voice is too calm.

I stay silent. You're sorry? Are you really that sorry about the fact that you've left me like a living dead? Do you really know that you give me serious heart aches every damn time that I hear you or talk to you?

"I'm fine Jin. What happened?" I say in a calm voice.

"Nothing. Leave it. It'll be easier for you not to understand. It's complicated." Jin sounds a little agitated.

May be the situation that he is talking about took a heavy toll on him.

"Jin, I have to go now. I have my flight today only. I can't be late. I need to get ready." I try to remind him the fact that I'm coming to Korea.

Jin asks me, "Where are you going?"

I just can't take it anymore. He just forgot that I said him about going to Korea. He just fucking forgot it.

"Come on Jin. You don't need to say it so clearly that you don't give a shit about me. I know that. Just don't say it so clearly. It hurts. I told you that I have taken admission in Korea for higher study. How can you forget that?" I'm losing my shit.

Jin says in a calm tone more than ever, "I haven't forgotten about what you said. I just want to ignore the fact. I don't want you to come to Korea."

What the hell???? It feels like I have forgotten how to breathe.

"Why?" I can't even talk properly.

"I can't give you the time that you want. I'm not ready for that." Jin is well aware of the fact what I feel about him.

I hear a thunder somewhere near my home. With deafening sound it starts raining. I stand still with the phone in my ear. I can't hear anything anymore. I can't breathe. I have lost all my strength to keep standing even.

With a thud the phone drops from my hand. I hear a cracking sound.

The glass window in my room brakes due to the vibration made by the thunder. I hear the sound of my heart breaking too.

The sky and my eyes both start raining heavily more than ever. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 4.35 pm in local time. Right after I went outside the lounge area of Incheon International airport Dia came and literally jumped upon me.

"This is the best thing that is ever going to happen in your life. Just trust me with this. You don't even know that this decision will prove to be the best decision that you've taken so far." Dia is too excited to even breathe properly.

Wait, is she a fortune-teller? I really hope that it works out that way only. But even before I knew things are turning out to be different. I haven't gotten in touch with Jin since the day before yesterday. He didn't call anymore. I'm afraid that the castle of dreams that I've built turns out to be made of sand.

Adi comes and greets me. I smile at him awkwardly.

Ummmm...well....he is actually going to be my landlord. I need to greet him properly.

"Bro, How're you? I'm sorry that I'm giving you so much trouble. Don't mind me please. I'll try to look for an apartment or may be a room once my admission gets settled..." did I sound too rushed?

Both Dia and Adi look at me like I've murdered someone. Dia gives me a tight slap in the back and says, "Girl, don't try to be over dramatic. Who told you to find room or something trash like that when you have your own home here?". She looks infuriated.

Crap! I have acted over smart. I start laughing at my own stupidity. Dia and Adi join me too. That was the warmest welcome that I ever thought of.

Seoul is by far the best-looking city that I've seen so far. With all the skyscrapers even it doesn't feel congested. May be because of the fact that the roads are squeaky clean and the transports and people are all moving in absolute sync. This is a rare sight for an Indian to see. I keep looking out of the window in absolute silence.

Suwon is more or less 56 km from Incheon airport. After the hectic 10 hours flight I'm not even in a mood to appreciate the scenic beauty. I rest my back in the seat and close my eyes. The days in Seoul are not that hot in October. Though it's a little bit humid but the wind is making it easier to survive.

I think about my parents in India. I'll call mom once I get to the apartment. She was dead worried when I called her from Shanghai.

I think about Jin. When should I call him? Should I even call him or visit him? I don't even know where he stays and what kind of business he runs. I just know that he has an entertainment business running since 5 years when he was 22. I feel ashamed when I think that I used to nag to mom at that age about whether to have noodles or puri in breakfast.

The car stops with a jerk. I open my eyes. May be I felt asleep because I'm dog tired. We've reached in Adi's apartment in Suwon. I see a 2 storied house with modern American architecture in my right. I guess Adi has achieved more than he should have at this age. The apartment really looks good.

I step out of the car. So, this is going to be my home for next undefined amount of years or may be till the time that I complete my study. I feel a pile of bile stuck in my throat. I suddenly miss my mom, my dad, my bed, the mirror in my bedroom wall, the smell of my pillow covers. I suddenly start missing my city which I thought will not give me pain when I will remember about it.

Well, I miss my home back in India.