Chapter 2: "His Heart, My Faith"

Episode 2: The Storm Within

The loud voices, the excited shouts, the flashes of cameras—everything felt overwhelming. My heart was still racing as I turned back, my eyes searching through the crowd that had gathered. But just as suddenly as it had begun, the storm faded. The noise died down, the people dispersed, and the airport returned to its normal rhythm. Yet, inside me, a storm had just begun.

I stood frozen, my mind struggling to grasp what had just happened. It felt surreal, as if for a moment, the universe had shifted, and now everything was still again—except for the chaos in my heart. The university representative was still standing beside me, holding the board with my name. He looked at me, confused by my question.

"Where is Jeon J?"

His brows furrowed slightly, and he hesitated as if unsure what to say. That hesitation… it made my heart pound harder. I opened my mouth to ask again, but then I stopped myself. What was I doing? Was I really about to chase an answer I wasn't prepared for?

Taking a deep breath, I forced my emotions down and turned back to the representative. "Sorry," I said quickly, shaking my head. "Let's go." He gave a small nod and gestured toward the exit. I followed, gripping my shoulder bag tightly, trying to steady my thoughts. As we stepped outside, the cold air hit me, making me shiver.

"Was he really here?" I kept asking myself. "Or was it just my imagination?" But deep down, I knew the answer. It was real. He had been here. And even though everything had returned to normal, my world would never be the same again.

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That night, I arrived at Pusan National University's hostel, knowing that my first class would start on Tuesday. It was Sunday night, and I decided to fix some things—mainly, the thoughts that kept attacking my mind. I had come here for a purpose, and with time, everything would fall into place.

In this country, I needed patience. Back home, people questioned everything: "Why study abroad? There are no jobs here. You should get married instead." But here, no one was forcing their opinions on me. No one was teasing me for waiting, no one was hurting me. Here, my life was mine to live.

As I sat on my bed, trying to process everything, the door suddenly opened. Two girls entered the room. One looked Indian, while the other had features that reminded me of Chinese or Nepalese people. But I wasn't sure.

They both smiled and greeted me. The Indian girl, Ruhi, simply said "Hello!" with a warm smile, while the Korean girl, Hana, bowed slightly in the traditional way of her culture. I hesitated for a second, then returned their greeting with a small smile. "Hello!"

Ruhi introduced herself first, her voice filled with friendliness. "I'm Ruhi, from Hyderabad, India." Then Hana spoke, "And I'm Hana, from Jeonju, South Korea."

I nodded, adjusting my posture slightly. "I'm Zoya, from Pakistan."

The moment I said Pakistan, Hana's expression changed. She glanced at Ruhi before looking back at me. "Pakistani and Indian… aren't you both enemies?"

Her words caught me off guard, and for a moment, my smile faded. I turned to Ruhi, but her expression was neutral, as if she was waiting to see how I would respond. I took a deep breath and said softly, "No, we are not enemies. Pakistan and India are like brothers. It's just that some people play a bad role and spread hate, but in reality, we are one."

Both Ruhi and Hana smiled at my words. Hana nodded and said, "That's good to hear. Anyway, make yourself comfortable. This is our room, our world, where we live together, joke, and share everything."

I felt a sense of relief at their kindness. We spoke in English, but Ruhi and I naturally switched to Hindi sometimes, as Urdu and Hindi were so similar. Later, as I learned Korean, I knew I would start using it more in my daily life.

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The Mess Hall Incident

That night, Ruhi and Hana told me they had arrived a month earlier and would guide me through everything I needed. "First, freshen up. Then we'll go to the mess and eat something," Ruhi suggested.

We walked to the university mess together, and I noticed that many new students had arrived today. Since my department was Teaching Education, I saw many people from different countries greeting each other. Those who already knew Ruhi and Hana greeted them and were introduced to me.

As we stood in line for food, I held my plate, and Ruhi and Hana did the same. Unluckily, I ended up near a section where a stack of meat was served. As I reached for the serving spoon, Ruhi suddenly grabbed my hand.

I looked at her, confused. "Come with me," she said quickly.

She led me to another section where she filled my plate with vegetable noodles and curry. We sat down at a table, and I finally asked, "Ruhi, why did you stop me?"

She looked at me carefully before replying, "That was pork. The food tags are in Korean, so you didn't notice."

My smile disappeared. My eyes filled with tears, and my heart sank. I felt bad—not just bad, but deeply disturbed. My throat tightened, and I struggled to speak.

"Allah, I almost ate it…"

Ruhi saw my expression and quickly said, "It's okay. You didn't eat it. Allah saved you. That's what matters." I nodded, swallowing my emotions, and whispered, "Thank you."

I didn't say much for the rest of the meal. But inside, I kept thanking Allah for sending Ruhi at the right moment.

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The Next Morning – Fajr Prayer

The next morning, I woke up early. The room was dark, and I didn't want to disturb Ruhi and Hana, so I quietly turned off my alarm.

I went to the washroom, performed wudu, and then searched for a place to pray Fajr. The early morning darkness felt a little unsettling, but I stepped outside into the hallway, looking left and right.

Finding a quiet corner, I spread my prayer mat, the one I had brought from home, and began my prayer. As I finished my farz, I stayed for a while, reciting azkar.

Then, as I lifted my hands for dua, tears welled up in my eyes. "Ya Allah, You know what happened yesterday. First, he was there, but I didn't realize it. And second… I almost served myself haram food."

I sniffled, my voice barely a whisper as I continued, "Thank You for sending Ruhi. She stopped me. But Allah… I feel bad. Please forgive me. And please…" My voice broke. "Please make his heart bright with golden shine."

I wiped my tears, took a deep breath, and stood up. Everyone else was still asleep. But at that moment, I knew I wasn't alone.

Only Allah was truly there, listening to me.