Glancing through the Windows, the wisps of cumulus floated lazily, their cottony forms reminiscent of childhood fantasies.
Alina watched the stratus clouds that draped themselves like a blanket over the sky, softening the harshness of the sun's rays.
'How beautiful' she thought 'just like my nonexistent love life.'
After her drunken outburst, Alina returned to her house to find her parents, Xavier's parents, and Melissa sitting in the living room, their expressions etched with sadness and concern.
Alina's heart sank as she took in the scene before.
The Hales and Langs' friendship, spanning over a century, had always been a cornerstone of their lives. Alina's father, Lucifer, often recounted tales of growing up with Shane, Xavier's father, and their shared ventures that flourished in this new country their grandparents had once migrated to. The shock of the canceled wedding reverberated through their deep-rooted connection.
Alina walked over softly and sat in the space next to Melissa, and poked her shoulders repeatedly.
"What's wrong with you? Your wedding got called off and here you are irritating me while I am brokenhearted and mad at my elder brother for what he did." Melissa blurted out angrily with tears in her eyes.
Both their parents looked at them with heartache in their eyes.
Alina let out a deep sigh.
"Both me and him grew up together. We all are like a family where there's no distinction between us. You all know our personalities in and out."
"So knowing that idiotic IceCube is in love with someone is great news," Alina said while clasping both her hands. "But the downside is that the person that he is in love with is not me."
Everybody looked at her and sighed feeling helpless.
"You are saying that two events occurred today, One my idiotic brother had an awakening and found true love- which is a happy event and the second one that he has broken your heart which is a sad event."
Melissa summarized what Alina was saying.
"Yes, Lis so by today's actions the damage and loss of the future outcomes have been reduced significantly."
Alina joked trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Shane and Lillian couldn't help but curse their silly son for causing such a huge situation due to his indecisiveness and cowardice. He had almost ruined two women's lives.
Lucifer and Selena couldn't help but feel a bit of heartache for their daughter. But what she did was right. If they had proceeded with the nuptials today the future could have been disastrous.
"But don't you feel wronged, Ali?" Melissa asked, "You did nothing wrong but you had your wedding called off due to Xavier."
"At first I felt wronged. I wondered why was it that I was being punished when I did nothing wrong. It was our grandparents who arranged the marriage, I just obeyed my parents and did my duty."
"But then I realized I and Xavier we loved each other but it was more of a platonic love. In fact, it's not our parent's fault too because they had previously asked for our consent to this marriage and we were the ones who agreed to it."
Alina explained her reasons and said: "If we want to blame someone we can only blame Xavier's brain for his late processing."
"So, I don't want you guys to blame yourselves. But still, I need to inform you guys that I am leaving tomorrow. I need a healing vacation."
After recollecting the events that occurred yesterday Alina couldn't help but feel that she was such a good person and in fact, it was Xavier's loss for missing such an outstanding lady.
She checked her satchel bag again to check whether all the necessary items and her passport were present in her bag.
'I am sure I'll be all better when I go to Korea and attend the BTS concert. Korean boys and idols are the indefinite cure for a broken heart.'
After checking in on the flight and glancing around the first-class section she realized there were not many people in this section.
As the plane soared high, Alina started reading web novels on her iPad. She had always been an avid reader, and while other parents complained that their kids wouldn't read, her parents complained that their child never stopped reading.
Her peace was short-lived, however. The loud complaints of a fellow passenger quickly pierced her bubble of tranquility. "Bro, what is this? I can't make heads or tails of it," the voice grumbled, frustration evident.
The loud talking disturbed her reading, and as she looked around she found it was from the passenger sitting in the cabin in front of her.
Intrigued and slightly amused, Alina leaned forward, catching a glimpse of the source—a young man, phone in hand, brow furrowed in confusion.
"The electric feeling in between my ribs your eyes that made me know I am loved I learned so much from you, you filled up my empty half You're too precious to just leave in the past."
"Bleugh.. so cheesy where is the clue in it? I don't understand a thing," the frustrated voice exclaimed. "The clues provided by the guider are so nonsensical. It's like they're competing with Shakespeare for the cheesiest lines ever."
The boy grumbled in his phone nonstop lamenting how cheesy the clues the guider provided were.
His mutterings about electric feelings and eyes that communicated love drew a quiet chuckle from her. The lines were undeniably cheesy, yet oddly familiar.
'Where did I hear this from? I keep feeling that it's very familiar.'
Unconsciously Alina started chanting the lines repeatedly.
"I learned so much from you, you filled up my empty half.
You're too precious to just leave in the past Sometimes, I'll think of the memories If you're in it, that's good enough for me. We were in love we met and became a memory that can't be erased It was a commendable melodrama. A pretty good ending that's all I need I loved you."
The words spilled effortlessly from her lips, and as she spoke, a sense of recognition dawned on her. These were lyrics from a Kpop song—a song she had heard countless times before.
"I got it," she exclaimed excitedly, feeling a rush of adrenaline at the sudden realization.
The cabin fell silent, all eyes turning to Alina as she stood up, embarrassment coloring her cheeks.
"Uh, excuse me," she said, while waving her hands awkwardly.
As she settled back into her seat, Alina felt a pair of eyes on her, and she turned to find the boy from the cabin in front of her staring at her with a curious expression.
"Hi, I'm Carson Lee," he introduced himself with a friendly smile.
"Uh, sorry," she stammered, waving her hands awkwardly. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help but overhear."
"No worries about eavesdropping. But if you don't mind, could you recite those lines again?"
"Hi, I am Alina." she introduced herself.
Alina couldn't help but feel a pang of curiosity at Carson's request. What was it about these lyrics that had captured his attention?
"Sure," she replied, reciting the lines once more.
Alina couldn't comprehend yet again why she was reciting these lines to a stranger.
Perhaps it was because the guy in front of her was Korean or because the lines she heard were quite interesting.
But never in a thousand years did she think that helping a stranger complete the lyrics of a K-pop song would lead to getting her kidnapped.