THE MYSTERIOUS GIRL AT THE AIRPORT

** Episode 8 **

"Welcome to Fenghua Airport, China."

He gasp loudly at once as the realization hit him like a cold wave. "China?" he whispered to himself. He blinked rapidly, hoping the sign would change, but it remained stubbornly the same. He quickly put on the necessity covering his face. Now he understands why the language was so familiar.

Panic and curiosity surged within him. How had he ended up here instead of Kenya?

After a few minutes of aimless wandering, he grew tired and found solace in a chair occupied by a few other people. Minutes later, they all left, leaving him alone with a young lady who seemed deeply disturbed and lost. He glanced at her several times, but she appeared lost in thought, oblivious to his gaze. She remained motionless, her eyes fixed on a distant point.

He thought to himself, maybe he could get her to help him instead of sitting and waiting for a miracle to happen. Now that he found himself in China instead of Kenya he was supposed to be, the address manager Ma had gave him earlier wasn't useful anymore.

"Hey_hello_excuse me_ hi," Min-Jun said, trying to get her attention, but she ignored him completely, neither moving an inch nor blinking.

At some point, Min-Jun concluded she's definitely blind and deaf as well waving his hand in front of her eyes. When she didn't react, he assumed she was indeed blind.

But then, she turned slowly, like a ghost, and stared at him. Her face was devoid of expression, but her beautiful, large eyes with long lashes were striking. Stunned, he quickly withdrew his hand from her face.

After a minute, Min-Jun cleared his throat and tried getting her attention again but she returned to her previous state of stillness.

At this point, Min-Jun assume maybe she's only deaf but certainly not blind. "What a pretty face for a deaf girl," he murmured, feeling a twinge of sympathy but then, she moved again, giving him a sharp glare this time before turning her gaze back to the distance.

"Oh! She isn't deaf either," he realized, stand up, walking away and murmuring, "Maybe she's mute, anyway." He sighs and added, "So pitiful."

She heard him murmuring and got angry, without warning, stood up, walked over, and kicked him hard in the leg from behind. Min-Jun yelped silently, turning to face her.

"I'm not mute either, you bastard asshole of a bit*h," she snapped before walking away.

"Bastard__ asshole__ bit*h? Did she just call me that?" he wondered, taken aback by her attitude. At some point, he wondered if she's behaving at such because she recognize him but no, he got his face properly covered. Her words kept being a pain in his ass and then he__

"No, I can't let her get away with this. Wait!" he yelled, hopping on one foot to catch up with her. She paused, and within seconds, he reached her, panting. "How could you walk so fast?" he asked, trying to catch his breath.

"What do you want?" she replied, her irritation evident.

"How dare you—" he began, but her unfriendly gaze made him rethink his approach and he stopped. Then a realization quickly dim on him, she could speak Korea. She look Chinese and Korea at the same time but Min-Jun was sure she's Chinese judging from her attitude. Maybe she could be of help, he thought.

"Uh, I need your help, please."

"Do I look like the good Samaritan?" she shot back, already annoyed by his presence. But then, a thought crossed her mind—maybe he could be of good use to her as well. She quickly smiled at the ideax but then frowned to hide it before he noticed.

"What do you want?"

"Please, I really need your help. I'm new here and came to meet someone for a business proposal, but he has an important meeting and can't pick me up unfortunately. He suggested I find a hotel, but I don't know my way around. Could you take me to a nearby hotel?"

A smile flashes across her lips at a thought. He must really be rich if he's here for business and it's best she take advantage of him. She offered to help him if he would pay for her service and when she mentioned her service charge, Min-Jun got stunned.

"Pardon?"

"In it out?" She asked making sure her serious expression was intact.

"What? That amount just to take me to a hotel?" he exclaimed, shocked.

"Are you in or not?" she asked again, standing firm.

"I'm not asking you to share my bed with me." Min-Jun said and she immediately get angry.

"Get lost," she said, turning to walk away, clearly disappointed. She began to think he might not be as wealthy as he appeared or he's just the stingy type. But then again, she has to kept her angry attitude aside and look for a way to get back home.

"You pay *** yuan?" her voice called back.

Min-Jun thought about it for seconds, 'Maybe I should just accept. I won't give her a tip anyway.' he said and agreed approaching her again. She extended her hand, waiting for payment.

"You don't expect me to pay you now, do you? It's service before payment," he argued.

She thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement. Arguing with him is just a complete waste of time. "Follow me," she ordered, taking charge of the situation.

She hailed a taxi, and they both climbed in. "To the nearest hotel," she ordered firmly in Chinese and the driver zoom off. Eventually, she's in a strange town for the first time as well.

"How far is the hotel from here?" Min-Jun asked after few minutes of driving.

"A few minutes more," she replied with a guess.

After just four minutes, Min-Jun repeated his question and she reply with the same answer. Min-Jun notice something was off and then he kept asking questions. At some point, she got tired of answering him.

"Just shut up and wait," she snapped, her tone reminiscent of a strict boss.

Min-Jun found it amusing and let out a chuckle, mimicking her tone. "Just shut up and wait."

"What was that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Nothing," he replied, trying to suppress a grin.

"No, that wasn't nothing. I heard you disrespect me."

"I didn't," he countered playfully.

"Yes, you did." They argued some more and then Min-Jun finally admitted.

"Okay, I admit it. But what's the big deal?"

"You dare ask your rescuer to shut up?" she retorted, her irritation palpable.

"Rescuer? More like a knight in shining armor," he teased and humorously giggle. She'd been trying to held in her anger but his attitude was getting irresistible.

"You dare mock me? I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget in a hurry," she threatened, clenching her fist tightly, flying out in the air, ready to hit him.

Just then, the taxi came to a sudden stop making then hit their head hard together.

"ouch!" she smirked, her fist froze mid-air as she angrily turned to the driver definitely to unleash her frustratuon at him but they meet the unexpected. The driver was pointing a gun at them. She held her breath, their eyes wide with shock and freezed at once.