Chapter Two - From Boston To Pyeongtaek

Zipping up his navy-blue suitcase, the corners of his lips curled up subconsciously as sapplings of joy started to grow within his heart. He double-checked the room to ensure that nothing would be left behind, before he left. The orange burning sun rose over the horizon, a car passing on occasion. Happiness filled him the further away he was from that wretched mansion. One thing he knew for certain, size did not equate to fulfilment. Fortunately, for him he managed to book an early flight for today last week. He spent this week on his best behaviour anticipating today. He’d managed to get in touch with one of his old college buddies who worked as the CEO at one of the biggest entertainment companies in the country; QX Entertainment. They had produced the biggest pop groups, actors, and models that existed in the country so he figured it was worth a shot. When his friend heard of his predicament and aspiration he was more than happy to help him. He agreed to take him on and train him in exchange that he cleaned his apartment on the weekends. Eagerly, he accepted the generous offer. 

He arrived at the airport, taking a quick detour to the coffee bar since he had missed breakfast, before finding a seat to get cozy in until it was time to depart. Sipping on his latte in a slow and mellow fashion he took in his surroundings. The white walls and halls of the airport were basically empty with the occasional passer-by. The staff patrolled back and forth wearing light blue and black uniforms looking a mixture of stressed and exhausted. The chairs around him were red and plastic but everything shined with cleanliness. If he were honest, he felt excitement about returning home. America is a wonderful place most of the time, but he missed the fish markets, he missed the hustle and bustle of life as a Korean citizen. There were a multitude of things he had to do once he arrived there. Getting settled into his new apartment, before going to the QX Entertainment building was one of them. A glimmer caught his eye, looking to his silver wedding band he made a stoic face putting his coffee down by his side and then proceeded by removing the ring. He stuffed it into his jean pocket. He knew he wanted a divorce from his wife but did not want to do so, until he had taught her and her family a valuable lesson first. He found himself grinning at the image of her parents losing their minds from seeing him appear on the TV alongside the biggest names in showbusiness.

The crackly tannoid rang out his flight number so he finished off his coffee before dumping the empty plastic cup into the trash. Briskly, he walked to the gate before boarding the plane. The window seat he had was the perfect opportunity to get a better look at the many pastures of green they would pass but also Korea once they arrived. He put his luggage in the overhead before sitting down and buckling himself in. “Goodbye Serenity.” he whispered as he traced his finger down the window, before they took flight and the city of Boston, disappeared.

Time went wicked fast and before Amias knew what had hit him, an announcement blared over the speakers from the pilot informing them that they had arrived in Seoul. He unbuckled himself, then he removed his luggage from the overhead as people squished by him. “Something else I’ll need to get used to.” he thought as he recalled how packed Seoul could be at times. Going down the stairs he left the plane and advanced to the inside of the airport. There is a train going from Seoul to Pyeongtaek that he needed to be on within the next hour so he hurried about the place, checking through customs before booking a taxi to the train station.

During, the taxi ride Amias got the opportunity to see different parts of Korea. It brought back a plethora of good memories for him like the first time his father had taken him to the fish market. He was five years old and his father had gone toe to toe with a vegetable seller over the price of spring onions. He still remembers vividly images of the man threatening his father with a cabbage head if he did not leave his stall and never come back. He chuckled causing the older taxi driver at the front to give him a strange judgemental look before focusing his attention back to the road. Amias sighed, watching as they passed tight dusty side streets and neighborhoods that were a bit rundown with slates hanging off of the roofs and cracked glass on the windows. On a positive note, the pollution was not that bad today, so he did not need a mask.

They arrived at the train station just in the nick of time. Amias gave the driver a fat tip, before leaving the car and sprinting into the station. Checking his watch, he noticed how close he had cut it timewise, and as the train pulled up, mentally he profusely praised the gods for not making him late. He waited until the people had gotten off of the train, before entering. The customs he would follow growing up were flooding back to him. He found a few light green empty seats and sat down. His phone buzzed but he ignored it, aside, from it being bad manners to talk loudly on a phone whilst riding a train with others here, he knew that it had to be his wife calling him. For the time being, he'd enjoy himself and not think about Serenity or anyone else. His focus had to be on working his hardest and doing his best to become a master in acting and famous. He could worry about divorcing her and the other details later on. 

To pass the time he removed a yellow book from his suitcase and read it. He decided to refresh his Korean since he would not be using his English for a while and what better way to do it then reading an idiots guide to languages. He peered up above his book whenever they arrived at a new stop. Different faces piled in and flooded out. No one spoke a word, and part of him expected to hear Serenity's shrill scream but he never did. Time slowed down, as he found himself murging further into his seat as his eyes began to close until the next stop came up. His stop in fact. He snapped awake and with haste packed his book away, before rushing out to pass through the doors just as they closed on him. A wave of cool air hit his back as he stumbled clutching his suitcase, he had just made it onto the platform. His heart pumped hard with blood banging against his ears. That had been a close call, too close for his liking. Shaking off his nerves he made his way through the crowd. Leaving the station he looked around, his pearly white smile shimmering in the sunlight. He was in Pyeongtaek, he was finally home.