Chapter 73: To Korea
La Bamba was a movie that shed light on the life of the real-life character Ritch Valens. It was a youth film that depicted the short life of the rock 'n' roll emperor, cut short by a tragic accident, and his music.
The movie's story followed the protagonist, a young man with an innate talent for music, hailing from an American immigrant village. He pursued his dream of becoming a singer and achieved success in Hollywood with record releases.
Ritch, who had fallen in love with the beautiful daughter of a wealthy family named Donna, defied her father's opposition and continued to nurture his love. He released hit songs, "La Bamba" and "Donna," consecutively, eventually reaching the pinnacle of rock 'n' roll. Unfortunately, the story took a tragic turn when their plane crashed during a concert tour due to bad weather, leading to Ritch's untimely death.
Donna: "Oh Donna, oh Donna, oh Donna, oh Donna. I had a girl. Donna was her name. Since you left me, I've never been the same. 'Cause I love my girl."
In the movie, the male protagonist sang this song to his girlfriend Donna at a public phone booth. It resonated with the preferences of countless women, and Yuki was no exception.
"Wow, Donna, oh, Donna, oh, Donna! Wasn't Ritch Valens so amazing? Even though the ending was sad, it was so entertaining!"
As we left the theater, Yuki hummed the tune with a smile.
Honestly, I preferred "We Belong Together," but I kept that to myself. In truth, every song from La Bamba was so excellent that not a single one could be discarded.
But watching the movie in the theater on its release day was a special experience in itself. It allowed me to momentarily escape my busy daily life and relish the atmosphere of 1988.
Moreover, thanks to "La Bamba," I came up with a new idea.
"Hmm... What if I use a breakup theme in a dating simulation and have the male protagonist die?"
Leaving your loved one behind is a sad ending that resonates with both men and women.
"What are you thinking?"
"Huh? Oh, just brainstorming a new dating simulation story."
"Really... Sometimes, you need to take a break and relax a bit. How can you think about games all day?"
"Well, it's kind of my job, you know?"
"Hmm, then should I think about it with you? I know a scenario writer who's quite good."
"A scenario writer?"
"Yes, they work in the drama industry."
Well, she did work as an assistant writer for TV shows, so she probably knew some people in the industry. But even when I watched TV, I didn't find many shows with compelling stories.
Korean dramas were much better, or maybe for the gamers who liked "White Memory," a game sometimes called "White Drug," I could consider a story based on that.
Wait... Korean dramas?
At that moment, a title of a drama I had really enjoyed before I got into time slipping flashed in my mind.
Yeah... I thought that story would fit perfectly.
"Hey, are you really going to keep ignoring me and thinking about something else?"
"I'm sorry."
"Hmm... It's been a while since we went on a date, and you're all lost in thought..."
"I love you."
"What? Uh, if you suddenly say that, it's..."
I blurted out what came to my mind without thinking, and Yuki blushed, turning her head.
Did I just confess in a really weird way?
...
The next day.
I returned to Shinjuku Station to head back to Kyoto, and I couldn't help but notice Yuki, who had been fidgeting nervously since earlier. Every time I was about to return to Kyoto, she always saw me off at the station with a wistful expression.
"When will you be back next?"
"Hmm... Well, I have plans next weekend."
"So, I'll see you the weekend after that? Where are you going next weekend?"
"I'm going to Korea for a short visit."
"Korea?"
"I'm leaving on Friday and should be back on Sunday."
"What time is your flight?"
"It's a 2 PM flight from Osaka. Korea is close, so it'll only take about an hour to get there."
"I've never been abroad before, so I'm envious."
She was quite envious when I went on a business trip to the United States last month... I remembered her delight when I showed her the pictures I took then. Since we had some spare time until our train departed, we decided to have tea at a nearby coffee shop.
Yuki, who had been looking anxious the whole way to the coffee shop, suddenly turned to me with a determined look.
"I'm going too."
"Huh? To Kyoto? What about work tomorrow?"
"No!! I mean to Korea!"
"What!?"
"I'm booking a flight from Narita too. Let's meet in Korea!"
"Well, um..."
"I really want to visit the country where you were born. I won't ask you for travel expenses. Let's go together, okay?"
This trip to Korea was partly for business, but I also intended to visit the neighborhood I lived in during my childhood. So, even if she tagged along, it didn't seem like she'd have much fun.
However, judging by the determined look in her eyes, it didn't seem like she would easily back down.
"Are you okay with not sightseeing?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"I'm meeting someone from the neighborhood where I used to live. We probably won't visit touristy places."
"Your old neighborhood? That's even better! I love it!"
... Her words about it being even better brought a smile to my face. Maybe that was just like her.
For a moment, I looked into her eyes, and then I spoke.
"Sure, let's go together."
A week later.
I changed my plane ticket to Narita Airport and arrived at the airport with Yuki.
"Oh... I'm so nervous. I can hear my heartbeat loudly since a while ago."
"It's nothing. The flight is only about an hour, so you don't need to be so nervous."
"I've been shaking and couldn't sleep since last night. Even when I was a kid and the day before a school trip... I felt the same way. It feels like it's been so long."
"Maybe you should take motion sickness medicine just in case?"
"I already did."
"You're well-prepared."
I chuckled in response to Yuki's words and patted her head. Occasionally, when she looked up at me, she would become delighted like a puppy.
A while later, after finishing some light shopping at the duty-free shop, it was almost time for our flight.
"We should head to the gate soon, shouldn't we? There isn't much time left!"
"It's okay. The plane is narrow, so it'll take some time for everyone to board. We can board last."
"But I want to board quickly."
Yuki was so excited about her first overseas trip that she grabbed my arm and urged me.
Ultimately, we arrived at the boarding gate earlier than usual.
"Oh, we need to hurry, right? There's not much time left!"
"It's okay. The plane is narrow, so it'll take some time for everyone to board. We can board last."
"Still, I want to board quickly."
Yuki, who seemed very excited about her first overseas trip, tugged on my arm.
Once we arrived at the gate, Yuki suddenly took off her shoes and asked the flight attendants:
"Do I have to take my shoes off and bring them with me?"
"...."
Did she actually believe the joke I made in Kyoto at the time?
Suddenly, the flight attendants who had gathered around began to giggle.
"Oh, you can just wear your shoes and board, ma'am."
"Really!?"
Upon hearing the flight attendant's words, Yuki, her face flushed, held her shoes in her hand and quickly ascended the stairs.
"Wow, that lady is so cute~!"
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This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶