Game Market 1983

Chapter 59

“What are you thinking about?”

“Hmm? Oh, I’m just thinking about different storylines for my dating simulation game . ”

“Really . . . You should relax every now and then . How can you be focused on work like that all day?”

“Should I call myself… a workaholic? Well, something like that . ”

“Mmm~ Then can help you with the storyline?”

“What?”

“For writing a game storyline… I can introduce you to a scenario writer I know very well . ”

“A scenario writer?”

“Yes, he’s working as a screenwriter for a drama . ”

Of course, she’s interning as an intern writer for a broadcasting station . She should be familiar with a few people from that industry . But… I never really felt engaged to any show on the few occasions I watched television…

Korean dramas were much better in terms of content . Or adapting the story line from the game ‘White Memory’ which was dubbed the “White Drug” by erotic game enthusiasts was another option…

Wait a second… Korean dramas?

A drama that I used to thoroughly enjoy before my time slip popped into my head . Yes… I think that plot will be excellent .

“Hello? Are you really leaving me hanging like this?”

“Sorry . ”

“… I had high expectations for our date today…”

Yuki pretended to frown .

“I love you . ”

“What? Ah… If you suddenly say it like that then…”

Yuki had turned into a red tomato in response to my casual remark . I think I confessed to her without really meaning to .

&

The next day .

I arrived at the Shinjuku station again and turned around to see a tearful Yuki . She would always see me off whenever it was time for me to return to Kyoto . ‘

“When are you planning to visit again?”

“Mmm… I don’t know . But I’m going to be away next week . ”

“Then will I be able to see you the week after? Where are you going next week?”

“I’m going to be in Korea for a short visit . ”

“Korea?”

“I’ll leave next Friday and return on Sunday . ”

“Hmm… When is your flight leaving?”

“It’s the 2 P . M flight from Osaka . Well, since Korea is right next to us, the flight should take around an hour or so . ”

“I’ve never traveled abroad in my life; I’m jealous . ”

Yuki was immensely envious as well when I went on my business trip to America… I pictured her beaming face again after receiving the photos that I promised to take for her .

Since I had a bit of time left before my train, we sat down in a nearby coffee shop to drink tea . At that moment, Yuki who had been wearing a gloomy expression when we were walking to the shop suddenly stared at me with an intense gaze and spoke .

“Let me go with you . ”

“Hm? To Kyoto? Don’t you have work tomorrow?”

“No!! I mean to Korea!!”

“What did you say!?”

“I’ll buy my own ticket in Narita, so I’ll see you in Korea!!”

“Hey, wait a sec…”

“I really want to visit your home country, Mr . Junhyuk . I won’t burden you with any extra travel expenses . Let’s go together~ Please?”

In truth, I was traveling for business, but I was also planning to stop by my hometown as well . Yuki wouldn’t have much fun following me around…

However, looking at her fervent eyes, I knew there would be no point in stopping her .

“I’m not traveling to sightsee Yuki, is that okay with you?”

“Yes, I don’t care about sightseeing . ”

“I’m going to meet up with a person from my hometown, so you won’t be able to go see any attractions . ”

“Your hometown? That’s even better~!!”

… I inadvertently smiled after listening to her unpredictable reply . No, it was definitely something Yuki would say .

I locked my eyes with her for a moment before opening my mouth .

“Alright, we’ll go together . ”

&

One week from that day .

I changed my ticket to the flight in Narita airport and arrived together with Yuki at the airport .

“Ah… I’m shaking . My heart’s been pounding since a while ago . ”

“It’s nothing to stress about . The flight will only take around an hour . You don’t have to worry about anything Yuki . ”

“I haven’t slept properly last night too . When I was in elementary school, I felt the same way the night before the school picnic… It’s been a long time since I felt this way…”

“ . . . Do you want to take antiemetic pills?”

“I’ve already swallowed some . ”

“You prepared thoroughly for sure…”

I smirked and patted her head after listening to her response . Every once in awhile, I would pet her like this because she was cute, and she would shut her eyes and act like a lively puppy .

Several minutes had passed .

After buying a few items from the department store inside the airport, our departure time was approaching .

“Aren’t we going to be late for our flight? We only have a few minutes left until departure!”

“It’s fine . It’ll take some time for everyone to board the plane; we can just be the last ones on . ”

“But I still want to ride it now . ”

Yuki pulled my arm and urged me on; she must’ve been nervous and excited before her first international trip . In the end, we boarded the plane as soon as the gates opened and were the first ones on the plane . A row of Korean stewardesses was lined up at the entrance greeting the passengers with a bright smile .

“Wow… Beautiful Korean ladies~!!”

Although Yuki was on the short side, she didn’t particularly lose to them in the looks department . But she started muttering under breath anyways while looking at them .

“They must’ve drunk a ton of milk when they were growing up…”

“Welcome aboard . I’ll help you with finding your seat . ”

After we showed our tickets to a stewardess who extended one hand to us with a smile, she bowed and gestured us to the stairway .

“The business class seats are this way . ”

“Thank you . ”

Because it was a such a short flight I contemplated on flying economy, but I wanted Yuki to have a good first travel experience so I bought business class for us both . At that moment, I heard Yuki who had taken off her shoes asking the stewardess questions .

“Should I just carry my shoes like this?”

“ . . . . . . . ”

Did she really believe the joke I told to her as a joke in Kyoto? The surrounding stewardesses all turned their heads and started giggling .

“Ah, you can keep your shoes on in the plane, mam . ”

“What!?”

Yuki turned as red as a chili pepper after hearing the stewardess’s reply and sprinted up the stairs while holding her shoes .

“Oh, that lady is so cute~”

I walked away from the laughter and up the stairs to find Yuki who had sat down in the very back seat with her head buried in her arms .

“Um, Yuki…”

“Don’t talk to me right now . I’m dying from embarrassment~!!”

“No, I’m trying to say…”

“I told you, please don’t talk to me right now…”

“No… That’s not your seat . You can’t sit in any random seat . ”

“Oh…”

She ended up moving to the seat that I pointed to and buried her face again .

“Are you mad?”

“No… I’m just flustered . ”

“Sorry . I was teasing you in Kyoto because you asked me with such a serious expression . I didn’t know you’d actually believe it . ”

“I don’t think I can look at those stewardesses in the face…”

“Don’t worry . There must be one or two people who ask that same question in every flight . It’s nothing to worry about . ”

“Really?”

As I nodded my head after Yuki poked her head out to look at me, she finally began to look around .

“Wow… But there aren’t as many seats as I thought in an airplane? There is only space for 12 people here .

“Mmm… if you’re curious, you can go downstairs to see what it’s like . ”

“Downstairs?”

She tilted her head in confusion and walked downstairs to inspect the situation there and came back to me with a surprised face .

“There’s a ton of people below us . The seats are closely packed together . Why is it so different from here?”

“You’ve ridden on a train before, right?”

“Yes . ”

“You can think of our seats as the premium class in a train . Of course, the price is a bit more expensive as well . ”

“By how much?’

“Compared to the economy seats below, it should be around 1 . 5 ~ 2 times more expensive?”

“Whaat!? You said our flight would only take around an hour . ”

“Well, I’d rather travel with comfort . You see, the economy seats are way too narrow . ”

“I’ve never sat in premium seats even on trains…”

“I’m paying for the tickets so you can just relax and enjoy the flight . We’ should be taking off soon . ”

The speakerphone blared with an announcement the moment I finished my sentence .

-Ladies and gentlemen . Welcome aboard our flight with service from Narita to Kimpo, South Korea . We ask that you please fasten your seatbelts at this time and secure all baggage underneath your seat and in the overhead compartments . Thank you for choosing us . Enjoy your flight . -

After fastening her seatbelt, Yuki swallowed a ball of saliva and asked me a question .

“What does it feel like to take-off?”

“Mmm… It’s similar to a riding on a roller coaster . It’s pretty fun . ”

“I hate roller coasters . . . “

At this point, our plane had arrived on the runway and began to speed up . Yuki extended her hand and spoke .

“Urhm… Can you hold my hand?”

I smiled at her cuteness and squeezed her hand .

And as the plane finally took off into the air, Yuki’s hands began trembling .

“We’re flying… What do I do…”

After a while, we could look below us to see Japan from a bird’s eye view .

“Wow… . ”

With the excitement that only a first-time plane rider could experience, Yuki squealed as she looked out the window . And as our plane rose above the clouds, a sea of white came into our view .

“I looked at the pictures that my co-workers showed me from their business trip, but it’s much prettier seeing this view in person . ”

Yuki seemed to be rid of her nervous tension as she couldn’t take her eyes off the windows wearing a big smile on her face . Well, I had a similar reaction to her on my first plane ride too .

I rode on my first airplane when I was in middle school; the memory of going on a school-wide trip to Jeju island brought a smile to my lips as well .

Yuki had been staring out of the window for the entire hour-long plane ride, while occasionally snapping a few photos every few minutes . I felt this before, but she really did have a talent as a photographer . Even though she couldn’t immediately check the pictures right after she took them like a digital camera could, she’d been diligently recording her pictures on the film canister .

And an announcement for landing came on .

&

Yuki’s first impressions after safely landing at the Kimpo airport was…

“Eurgh… it’s freezing here . Is Korea always this cold?”

Unlike the Narita airport, there wasn’t a direct tunnel way that connected the passengers to the plane in the Kimpo airport . Instead, a stairway extender would be latched on to the plane for the passengers to get off .

The temperature contained the chilly frost of the period between late February and March . Yuki was trembling as she gripped on to her light coat . Korea was a little colder than Japan after all . I took out a scarf from my bag and wrapped it around her neck .

“I forgot to tell you that it’s cold in Korea at this time of the year . You should feel better with this around you . The terminal bus that’ll take us to the airport should be coming soon so wait just a little more!”

“Thank you . ”

After completing the long and tedious landing inspection, we stepped out of the departure hall to find the Kimpo airport buzzing with foreigners .

-Harmony and Progress! The world comes to Seoul!-

Seeing the familiar 1988 Olympic slogan plastered all over the place finally made me feel like I was truly back in Korea .