11. Annoying Day

The long and rather exhausting journey brought Starla and Luna back to their usual lives. Returning from Seoul, Starla hoped to enjoy a quiet day and regain her energy drained during the trip. However, something strange crept into her heart, a void she had never felt before. Just a few days ago, she had experienced peak happiness in that city full of lights.

When parting with Luna at the airport, Starla felt a wave of mixed emotions. Upon arriving at her apartment, she carelessly placed her suitcase in a corner of the room. There was no enthusiasm to unpack, as if she still wanted to keep all the memories of Seoul neatly stored inside it. With a tired body, Starla lay down on her bed. The blue ceiling and the small stars attached around it seemed to dance in the dim light, calling forth memories that swirled in her mind.

Those stars reminded Starla of the nights in Seoul. Nights spent under the star-filled sky, accompanied by someone who suddenly appeared in her thoughts. Two days ago, Starla felt something different while strolling through a park in Seoul, seeing the twinkling stars clearly. There, she was accompanied by Ha-neul, a man she had just met but who had already made her heart flutter in a way that was hard to explain.

Starla stared blankly at the small stars glowing on her bedroom ceiling. She recalled the beautiful moments with Ha-neul. His warm voice, sincere smile, and deep gaze seemed to penetrate the depths of her heart. When they sat on the park bench, Ha-neul talked about his dreams, his hopes, and aspirations. Starla felt a strange warmth creeping into her heart, something she had never felt before.

“What is this? Why am I suddenly thinking of Ha-neul?” Starla murmured, breaking her reverie. She sat back against the bed board, trying to protest against her mind that had suddenly drifted away.

Starla walked to her dressing table, taking some cosmetics to cleanse her face. Soft strokes caressed her face, making all the makeup disappear instantly. However, as the makeup faded, suffocating memories resurfaced.

As she removed mascara from her lashes, her mind drifted to Ha-neul’s promise. He had promised to meet Starla at the airport before her departure to New York. But Ha-neul did not show up, making Starla feel deceived. The feelings that were earlier mixed turned into deep resentment. With harsher movements than before, Starla wiped her face. The image of Ha-neul smiling, the Seoul stars, all felt like a deceptive mirage.

“Indeed, all guys are the same. All they can do is give false hope,” she muttered sarcastically, staring at her reflection in the mirror with a look full of disappointment. Her breath sounded so clear, indicating her now tumultuous feelings.

“But I’m not disappointed, okay! I’m just upset because he didn’t show up,” she said again, as if trying to convince herself. However, the words felt empty, merely a solace that did not heal her wounded heart. Starla pouted, staring at her face in the mirror with irritation, making her stop her face-cleansing activity.

“Whatever, I don't care!” she exclaimed, throwing the used cotton pad into the trash with an emotional gesture. She left the dressing table, trying to end her painful internal dialogue.

However, despite her best efforts to forget, Ha-neul's shadow remained. The memories of two days ago, when they laughed under the Seoul sky, were still firmly etched in her mind. Her heart wrestled between longing and disappointment, between hope and disappointing reality.

Starla decided to continue her work, trying to divert her thoughts from her frustration. She took her laptop from her bag and opened a draft file that had been neglected for a long time. In her mind, the vacation to Seoul was supposed to bring fresh inspiration, bringing a new breeze to the unfinished manuscript. With that hope, she began to stare at her laptop screen.

However, time passed. One minute, five minutes, up to fifteen minutes after the laptop was turned on, the screen remained blank. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, but not a single word managed to be typed. The ideas that usually flowed freely now seemed halted, as if lost in the maze of her mind.

“Why can’t I get any ideas out? Is it possible that my vacation was wasted?!” she protested in frustration, her voice softly echoing in the room. Starla took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but the feeling of frustration stubbornly lingered.

Starla stared at her laptop screen, trying to find a spark of inspiration from her memories of Seoul. She recalled the colorful streets, the enticing aroma of food, and the smiles of the people she met. All of it was so clear in her mind, but still, no words formed. Every time she tried to write, Ha-neul's image appeared, blocking her train of thought.

“What is wrong with me?” she muttered, feeling frustrated. Starla tried to dispel Ha-neul's shadow from her mind, but the harder she tried, the stronger the shadow clung. She remembered Ha-neul’s smile, his calming voice, and how they talked late into the night. The memory kept haunting her.

Starla tried to focus. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She had to write, she had to finish her manuscript. But her mind remained stuck on Ha-neul. “Why can’t I stop thinking about him?”

In the midst of that internal struggle, suddenly her phone rang. The familiar ringtone broke the room's silence. A name appeared on the slim screen.

William: I heard you’re already in London?

Starla smiled faintly at the message. A small surprise that brought a touch of warmth in the midst of her confusion. She quickly typed a reply, feeling happy that someone remembered her amidst the busyness.

Starla: Yes, I just arrived this morning. What’s up, Wil?

William: It's been a long time since we met, can we meet at the usual place tomorrow?

Starla: Sure, Wil. See you tomorrow.

Starla pondered for a moment. Usually, when it came to that, there would be many things she and that man would discuss. Starla wondered if there was something important that William wanted to convey. Could it be good news that would change her day?