Change of plans

Dia is going to Korea to pursue her higher study.

I mean, is this purely coincidental or fate is playing a game with me? She never told me about this.

Now, when I asked for the reason why she didn't, she was like,"I wanted to give you a surprise. But trust me this is all because of my parents. I never wanted to do this. They forced me as my brother is already doing a job there at Samsung. They want me to go and stay with him and study as well."

Ok, another surprise! Her brother lives in Korea?

Yes, girl! I'm of course surprised but why at this moment only? She has been planning for this since 3 years and got enrolled in a reputed university for foreign studies.

Man! She's lucky that she can go where I want to go so badly. It's true that people don't get what they want and sometimes other people get those without even expecting.

Dia will start her journey on 1st Oct. Today is 19th Sep. She has asked me to go shopping with her and help her in some packing, because she thinks she can't afford buying clothes in Korea right after settling down and she needs my advice to pack her things. As per Dia, I'm meticulous and the perfect person to help her in all these.

Girl, I'll help you but can you pack me with all your things and take me there?

I want to go there so badly.

Jin has invited me to go to Korea numerous times. I mean I don't know if that was even serious or not. I don't have the odd sense of guessing a person's notion by hearing only voice or reading text messages. But responding to him without knowing what he really feels about me would be a foolish thing to do.

I ask Dia while picking up a cold shoulder tee for her from the '50% off' stock,

"Ummmm...where are you going to stay? With your brother only?"

"yeah, you know Brother has rented an apartment and it looks pretty big in the pictures that he sent me. So, I guess I'll get my own room." she answers while picking up a denim shorts from the same stock. 

"Dia, can you please tell me what do I need to do to pursue foreign studies in the same university as yours?", I ask her hesitantly not looking at her face.

Aishhh!!!(I've learnt this term from Jin. He uses it whenever I piss him off by some idiotic text) I can feel her sudden stunned gaze on my face.

"Can you please confirm whether I heard it right or not? You want to go to Korea?" She asks me in an interrogative voice.

My face has turned red and I can feel the hotness in my ear now!

I answer, "Ummm.....I really have no friends here. You know I'm kind of a loner. And since I've completed the masters I'm sitting idle in home or teaching online which I hate to do. I want to pursue higher studies too. My parents want me to do it. It will be better if it is with you."

Dia literally started hopping around and after 30 seconds of embarrassing squealing and hugging and kissing me she finally said, "enough of shopping for today. Let's go home and not waste any time. I'll apply for you today only."

I felt a little bit relaxed that she didn't ask about the cause of my sudden change of attitude. 1 month ago only I wanted to go to Himalaya and be a saint. I was agitated over my life. And now I want to study abroad. I guess she can't even imagine that I am doing this for an unknown guy. Just to see him and face him.

We start to walk towards the pay counter while giggling and discussing about the imaginary situations that may come in our way if we start living abroad together.

Why can't everyday be like this kind of happy?

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I don't know how to thank Dia. She is pretty much a life saver.

Of all the people that I've known for entire 26 years of my life she's the craziest one. She acts like some sort of high profile secretary who is always on her toes to serve her demanding and moody boss. She applied for my admission, got the fees details, scholarship details and how to pay those within a mere 1 day of time. Within 1 day.

How's that possible?

I'll be great full to her forever. The only issue is that my departure has been scheduled 1 month after hers. And I've to submit a thesis paper within 1st Oct. Based on that only they'll decide about my scholarship. I didn't have the guts to apply for foreign student's scholarship. But Dia screamed near my ear, "Bitch, you're a fucking gold-medallist. Why won't you apply for a scholarship?"

Ohh!!! I've so many things to do. My parents are actually happy with my decision. They're ready to invest all their savings for this. My parents never thought about getting me married at mid twenties like others. They saved money for my higher education.

I don't have any boyfriend or such a friend who'll be actually sad about this decision. And the only friend that I have is going to stay with me. So there's nothing to worry about.

But what about him?

I get lost in my thoughts in the middle of collecting topics for my thesis.

Who am I doing this for? How will he feel about it? Am I acting clingy? What if he actually doesn't care about a girl from a completely different country?

Ummm....wait...we're from same continent. Why won't he care? I laugh at my own delusional thoughts.  I take my phone and text him...

"Jin, are you there?"

I wait...wait....and wait.....

After 5 long minutes which felt like 5 years he replies, "Yes, tell me."

"I have got things to say to you. It was supposed to be surprise, But I couldn't keep it within myself.", I reply with a pounding heart.

"Yeah, say it. What?"

And again....

"Wait, are you going to say that you're pregnant?" Jin replies with LOL emoticons.

I'm going to kill this guy once I get there. "Fuck, No. I'm single." I reply while rolling over on my bed laughing.

"Then what is it?" He seems curious.

"I'm coming to Korea Jin. For study." I reply with my heart in my mouth. I whisper under my breath, "for you Jin, I'm going to Korea for you."

It's a long pause.....1 minute....2 minutes....3...4.....5.....I see the green round sign beside his name turning into red. He's unavailable. I stay like a stone for 10 minutes.

Have I just made a fool out of myself? Why didn't he react anything? How could he do this to me? He doesn't even care a little bit for me? What am I going to do now?

I see my reflection in the mirror opposite to my bed. I see her laughing.

"Did he commit that he'll take care of you if you go there? Did he for even once said that he cares for you? Did you just get dumped by yet another charmer?"

I keep sitting on my bed like a thousand years have passed. My whole world collapses at that very moment.