Work Text:
Jihoon hates airports. With their unbearable stuffiness, they make her feel like she’s stuck in some sort of limbo for an indefinite amount of time until she boards the plane. The lounge area doesn’t help much either.
Airports are also places Jihoon can get her work done with less human distractions but the environment is so intolerable that she tries to feed herself as much food as possible so she feels tired enough to spend all the time sleeping.
She wakes up with a startle as her phone starts to ring—the tone as annoying as ever. She squints her eyes and takes a moment to make out the contact name.
Seokmin.
Jihoon almost groans out loud. Don’t get her wrong, she loves her very bubbly coworker but Seokmin calling her, knowing she is at the airport and probably sleeping, only means some work.
“Hmm?”, Jihoon says as a greeting.
“Unnie! Sorry for bothering you but Soyeon liked your second draft better, the one you sent by mail! She just wants you to explain it to her senior.”, chirps Seokmin in her cutesy, pleading tone.
Jihoon sighs and mumbles out an okay to which Seokmin replies with a thousand I love yous.
She is about to take out her laptop from her bag when it occurs to her to check the time.
Thirty-five minutes before boarding.
She closes her bag, takes her coke can and goes to find her gate. It’s better to do work there.
The gate is not yet crowded but the areas around the charging points are completely taken. Thankfully Jihoon’s laptop has enough battery to last her till she boards the plane.
She puts her laptop on her lap and hunches her back to type out the email. She has only just finished the first few lines when she hears an “excuse me” from her right. It’s too close to her but she doesn’t lift her head up, hoping it’s for someone else and continues typing.
“Excuse me”, the person repeats.
Jihoon sigh and lifts her head up to the most beautiful woman she’s ever seen. With her cherry red pixie cut, she’s nothing short of an actual fairy.
“Um, sorry, do you have a power bank?”, the woman asks. Jihoon immediately closes her mouth and frantically searches her bag as the words register.
“Yeah, yeah, yes. Wait a second”, she says, rummaging. Slightly blushing by now, she finally finds her power bank after an awkward minute and gives it to her.
The woman thanks her and smiles, showcasing her beautiful set of teeth. She has a snaggletooth and Jihoon has to physically stop herself from acting on her cuteness aggression. She’s so freaking cute.
She sits down next to Jihoon and connects her phone. “I am so stupid, I took the charger lead but left my charger at the hotel and I thought it’s okay, just a few hours to Seoul, I would survive but I look at my phone and it’s on thirteen percent! I panicked a bit but thank you! This is a life saver, honestly.”, she babbles, very animatedly.
“Oh! And I’m Mingyu, by the way! Thank you, uhh—“
“Jihoon”, Jihoon says, fidgeting now.
“Jihoon”, Mingyu repeats and Jihoon hopes her ears aren’t as red as they feel.
Mingyu smiles at her before she starts typing something into her phone, furrowing her brows. Sensing that this might be the end of the conversation, Jihoon goes back to her email and tries to focus.
Few minutes later, she senses movement to her right and makes the huge (and emphasis on this word!) mistake of looking in that direction. Mingyu has taken off her jacket and sits in her camisole with her big, big arms on display. Her forearms defined as she puts her elbows on her knees to type on her phone. The necklace she wears dips down her chest and Jihoon looks away. She doesn’t want to ogle someone sitting right next to her.
She is trying really, really hard to focus on the email when she smells a sweet cologne. She purposely doesn’t glance anywhere else but her laptop screen.
“What are you doing?”, Jihoon hears very near to her. She looks to her right and while Mingyu is at a respectable distance she has also scooted near the edge of her seat.
Mingyu bats her big lashes at her, probably just curious about her work but that gesture alone is painful for Jihoon.
Her voice is groggy as she speaks, “Just writing an email to my senior”.
“Oh, you’re in corporate?”, Mingyu says, sounding genuinely interested.
“Yes, um, marketing. For now, atleast. I plan to join a music label someday.” Jihoon immediately regrets telling a practical stranger her dubious future plans.
Mingyu immediately perks up at that, her eyes lighting up. “I knew it!”, she almost yells.
“I was sitting here looking at you and guessing what you do. The only thing that came to my mind was something artistic. I’m not lying!”
The excitement in her voice and the notion that Jihoon, in her old hoodie and sweatpants, could look artistic to someone makes her laugh. “You were playing guessing games? I thought you were busy on the phone.”
“Nahh, only for two seconds. I just needed to text my boss that I wouldn’t be coming in tomorrow. I’m tired!”, Mingyu says, making a tired face.
She works as an assistant for an interior designer, Mingyu tells her. She was on a family trip for three days and is now returning to Seoul, not quite ready to start work again.
Just as Jihoon gains the courage to ask more about her and her job, the announcement for the boarding is made. They quickly start packing their stuff as the first slot of seat numbers is called.
“Unnie..what is your—“, Mingyu starts. “Are you my Unnie?”
Jihoon is taken aback by the way Mingyu says ‘My unnie’ but quicky composes herself. “Born in 96”
“Cool, ‘97”, Mingyu smiles. “What is your seat number?”
Their seats turn out to be relatively close to each other. “Awesome! Can I give the bank to you at your seat? I need to charge it a bit more.”
Jihooni nods her head. “Yeah, yeah! Of course”
Boarding and then finding your seat amongst the crowd is only a slight hassle. Once Jihoon’s luggage is settled and she is in her seat, she relaxes. She only plans to take her laptop out once they’ve taken off and are allowed to use devices. Meanwhile, she busies herself by trying to spot Mingyu; It turns out to be quite easy.
She towers over everyone else and is busy helping set other people’s luggage in the overhead compartments. She’s noticeably strong with the way she easily carries even the heavier luggage. She also seems to be making conversations with about everyone around her seat as she helps them—excited about something again. It’s mesmerizing to watch her and Jihoon could happily do that for a long time.
Mingyu settles in her seat and minutes later, she looks back and waves at Jihoon. Then, she stands up to weave through the crowd to get to Jihoon's seat.
“Hi”, Mingyu says when she reaches, slightly bashful.
“I thought I’d never see you again”, Jihoon says pointing at the power bank Mingyu’s clutching.
Mingyu rolls her eyes. “Stop lying, Unnie. I could feel you looking at me”. The way she says it is only slightly accusatory. It is mostly said with satisfaction.
Mingyu gives her the power bank but also a small paper with it. As she puts it in Jihoon’s hands, she pats them and leaves. The warm touch sends a shiver down her spine. Pathetic Jihoon.
She looks at the crumpled piece of paper and opens it.
you’re cute power bank lender
call me :)
The hottest, the prettiest woman she’s ever encountered just gave her her number. What universe is this? Has the path to romance always been a power bank?
Jihoon, blushing pathetically, looks up and sees Mingyu expectantly looking at her from her seat. She looks nervous.
Jihoon smiles shyly and Mingyu returns it--the snaggletooth visible even from a distance.