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tourist-destinations · 6 months

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Best Airports in the World

Travelling by air is no longer a luxury but an essential service, and when so many factors drive your business, it is crucial to list out the best airports in the world for everyone’s understanding. Airports have induced better service and other factors, making our travel effortless and seamless. Let us deep dive, find the best from the lot, and make sure to capture all of them for your social media handles.

Changi Airport, Singapore

Changi Airport Singapore has been awarded the best airport in the world several times. The number of airlines operating out of this airport stands at around 100. It has also accolades of being the cleanest and stands among the highly rated transit airports internationally. The destinations are Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and North America. It is used for civil and military purposes and is the best airport in Asia. The airport's location is just 24 km from Singapore's downtown. It has the base operations of various airlines like Singapore Airlines, Jetstar Asia Airways and BOC Aviation. Three runways serve it, each four kms long. In 2019, a mixed-use complex to cater to tourists was opened with various retail and entertainment options. Though it is one of the busiest, it is not the world's biggest airport.

Incheon International Airport, South Korea

Incheon International Airport, also termed Seoul-Incheon International Airport, is the largest in the South Korean region. In 2021, it was awarded the fourth-best airport in the world. It also has been awarded the top certificate for security purposes. It has set great examples during the Covid-19 pandemic. The airport comprises a spa, a dedicated golf course, a casino, various indoor games, an ice skating rink, and the Museum of Korean Culture. The airport's departure and arrival average times are a delight for every traveler, as it has the fastest customer processing time across the world. The airport is located 48 km from Seoul. This airport has won various prestigious awards over the years, making it a delight to travel.

Hamad International Airport, Qatar

Though there were some delays in opening this airport, they can handle nearly 50 million passengers per year which speaks about the prowess and efficiency. This lovely airport has an oasis theme and water motif built in and is a delight to pass the time between your flights. They use recycled water to grow the lovely indoor plants, which are a sight to withhold. It has lovely artistry, like the lamp bear designed by Swiss creator Urs Fischer. It played a vital role in handling the usher of guests during the FIFA World Cup. The airport consists of two parallel runways, one considered the longest runway in the world. It also acts as a major cargo destination from across the world.

Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan

The official Tokyo International Airport serves the region along with Narita International Airport. The airport is 15 km south of Tokyo in Ota, Tokyo and covers a 1522-hectare area for its operations. By traveler’s throughput, it is one of the busiest airports in the world. The 2020 Summer Olympics saw the government increase accessibility and made new railway lines, which enabled travel time of less than 20 minutes to Tokyo station. It has three terminals equipped with numerous stores for travelers to enjoy their time here.

Munich Airport, Germany

Munich Airport, also known as Munich Franz Josef Strauss Airport, is the second busiest airport in Germany. Lufthansa calls it their den along with Condor and TUI fly Deutschland. The location is 29 km from Munich and is near to the town of Freising. It boasts of two runways and has dedicated parking lots for visitors. The Munich airport center comprises various business and local leisure centres for travelers. This airport also has a helipad, and the two runways are of 4000metres long. It has a lovely visitor viewing area from which great views of Terminal 1 can be obtained.

Hong Kong International Airport, China

Located in Chek lap Kok in Hong Kong's western region, this airport was started in 1998. This airport has the credentials to hold the world's busiest cargo gateway and the largest terminals for passenger movement. It employs almost 70000 people, making it a big employment zone for the country. It covers an area of 3101 acres and has 90 boarding gates. It has two terminals and huge concourses for swift movement of air traffic. It has various engagement avenues for the public to keep engaged during a long flight haul.

Dubai International Airport, UAE

With a whopping 88 million passengers in 2017, Dubai International Airport was the fifth busiest in the world. It operates out of two runways, which are more than 4500 meters long. Dubai, being a major flower imports center has a dedicated arm for the smooth functioning of the same. The airport speaks of the luxury of Dubai and caters to travelers with the multitude of duty-free shops, premium lounges, and world-class amenities. It acts as a s primary fulcrum in global aviation between the west and the east.

Zurich Airport, Switzerland

This airport, which started in 1948, serves Zurich, Switzerland and is located 13 km from it. It has three operational runways, each beyond the 2500 m length, serving around 29 million passengers yearly. According to officials, this number is forecasted to reach 50 million by 2030. The terminals are well maintained and equipped with essential and luxury brand outlets for everyone's delight. This airport deals with the tourists coming in from the world over to witness the beauty of Switzerland.

Vancouver International Airport, Canada

The airport in Vancouver serves the Lower Mainland region and has a dedicated float plane terminal, making it unique. It is a star-studded affair as it has won 12 nonstop awards for Best North American Airport till 2022 by Skytrax. The airport also holds worthy mention of having a maximum number of direct flights to China than any other across this region. It has three runways, out of which two are more than 3000 meters long while the third is 2225 meters. It navigates the traffic through two terminals—the Main terminal deals with the domestic and international concourses. Every region inside is covered with dedicated internet, while the south terminal is for the float planes.

Summary:

These airports’ ultimate goal is to provide seamless and hassle-free travel to their patrons. They make the design and feel in sync with the latest trends to appeal to the public. With the need for flights growing daily, these airports must keep up with legal issues and other regulatory norms for smooth operations.

#airports in the world #Vancouver International Airport #Zurich Airport #Dubai International Airport #Hong Kong International Airport #Munich Airport #Tokyo Haneda Airport #Hamad International Airport #Incheon International Airport #Changi Airport

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mariadnelson · 7 months

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https://www.airlinesexplore.com/airports/flight-to-vancouver-international-airport

#Flights to Vancouver International Airport #flight tickets #flights deals

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allthecanadianpolitics · 9 months

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Around 200 hotel workers including room attendants, servers and front desk agents are nearing two months on strike in Richmond, B.C., demanding wages to keep up with the cost of living in the region.

"We're just out here for fair living wages," said Shey Lyn who for five years has worked at the Starbucks at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel.

She and other workers have been picketing at the hotel, which is part of a complex of hotels near Vancouver International Airport, with several run by Larco Hospitality, including the Sheraton where workers are unionized.

The unionized workers, represented by Unite Here Local 40, have been without a collective agreement since the last expired in March 2020.

"We tried negotiating for three years," said Shey. "It just really wasn't going anywhere." [...]

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

#cdnpoli #British Columbia #Vancouver #workers' rights #strike action

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bitchinbarzal · 1 year

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make a decision | elias pettersson

summary: elias makes his decision

part one

The next available flight that Elias could get was the next evening, he’d called the airlines and surfed the internet but to no avail the first available seat was over twenty-four hours later.

He desperately wanted to be with you, to find you and talk about this.

He told him family what happened, why you left and how upset he was with himself.

They were upset with him too, shouting at him how they raised a better son and how disappointed they were by his reaction.

He felt horrible. He felt like a horrible person, boyfriend and dad.

He however felt a million times worse when the news played the next morning.

“and we have breaking news coming out of Canada! An international flight has crashed coming in to Vancouver. It’s not yet been announced which flight it was or where it departed from… there have been several casualties reported”

Elias felt like he couldn’t breathe.

He began crying, grabbing his phone to see if there was any extra news and trying to call you.

He got your voicemail time and time again.

He couldn’t sit here any longer, he had to do something. So he took himself to the airport — if it was your flight he’d be better in Vancouver than in Sweden.

The entire time in the airport, Elias was pacing back for forth, asking random by-passers any news on the plane crash.

If by a strike of luck, as Elias sat on his plane seat on the runway his phone lit up with a notification

‘it has been confirmed the vancouver flight crash originated out of heathrow airport - 6 people have been confirmed injured’

Maybe he should have felt guilty about the relief he felt when he read that.

It wasn’t relief those people were hurt.

It was relief that you were safe, his love was safe and his baby was safe.

The almost 10 hour flight was just filled with anxiety and Elias’ seat-mate was not too fond of his very shaky leg.

By the time he touched down in Vancouver airport Elias was sure he was going to have a panic attack, he tried calling you again.

There was still no answer.

He had claimed his luggage and went through customs before he fought his way through just about every tourist in the taxi rank so he could get a ride to the apartment.

When he got there he ran in, straight to the elevator completely ignoring the doorman who was welcoming him home.

When he made it to the apartment, he fumbled around in his pocket for keys — his fingers were too shaky to get a proper grip.

He flicked through the keys; his home in Sweden, Brock’s apartment, Canucks training facility, Nils’ home and finally your apartment.

The door unlocked and he threw the door open, letting out loud, winded breaths.

His eyes immediately fell on your sleeping form on the couch, fast asleep.

Shutting the door quietly as to not wake you , he rushed over to your sleeping form.

Kissing your head, his thumb rubbing over your cheek and pressing kisses on your shoulder too before he pulled the blanket from behind the couch over you.

After, he sat on the floor next to you in silence just staring at your chest rising up and down with every breath.

He sat there for four hours, not a word, not a sound before he began to fall asleep. When you woke, you saw his face not too far from yours, his head had fallen to the side and lay next to your stomach.

You grabbed a pillow from behind your head, lifting his softly and sliding it under knowing that he was going to wake up with a sore neck if he slept like that any longer.

You lay there a little longer, hand carding through his hair and scratching his scalp lightly.

He hadn’t chased you down the hallway of his parents home but he had followed you back to Vancouver. Maybe he was here to tell you to leave? To pack his stuff?

You didn’t get much of a chance to continue down the rabbit hole you had begun mentally climbing as Elias stirred awake under your hand.

You smiled at him softly “hey, baby, hey”

Once he’s fully regained his consciousness he grabbed your hand and kissed your knuckles repeatedly. You only let him, in this moment just needing to be by him.

The sweet moment soon turned to worry when you felt his tears on your hand and watched his shoulders shake with sobs

“Hey, hey what’s going on? What’s wrong?”

“I thought- I thought I’d lost you” he gasped.

You furrowed your eyebrows “I wouldn’t leave, I told you this was your choice. I just had to come home, I’ve been home waiting for you” you explained.

He shook his head “No, no there was a plane crash and I thought- I thought you were hurt, the baby was hurt!”

Your heart simultaneously broke and soared as you listened to him.

Your hands gripped the sides of his head and made him look at you “Babe, I’m here! We’re okay I promise…”

“I was so scared” Is all he said, now pushed up on his knees to kiss you.

When you pulled away from the kiss and your foreheads rested against one another he said

“I want this baby, I want this baby with you! I was scared and selfish but I love you and I know we are going to be good parents”

You sucked in your bottom lip and nodded “I can do this alone if you’re not confident, please don’t do this if you are not-“

He cut you off with another kiss “I am one hundred percent sure I want to start a family with the woman I love”

The tears that lined your eyes fell and you smiled “We’re having a baby”

He nodded “We’re having a baby”

You watched as Elias moved down your body, pulling the blanket down to your waist before you felt your shirt lift and he kissed your belly

“du är redan mitt allt” you are my everything already

You laughed “What are you two talking about down there?”

Elias smiled “That’s between me and baby”

“Can’t mom know?” “No, then we’ll let out all of our secrets”

You only smiled and said “I love you ‘lias, so much”

“I love You more, my angel”

Six months later and they were still up to their secret conversations.

You lay in your hospital bed listening to Elias speak to Astrid in Swedish.

“jag älskar dig redan, astrid” I love you already, astrid

She cooed, no idea what her dad was saying.

“din mamma är bäst. vi är så lyckliga som har henne” your mom is the best we’re so lucky to have her

You could identify words, not sentences. They were talking about you “You two talking about me?”

Elias looked up at you, still bouncing your daughter in his arms “it’s secret, we won’t tell our secrets”

You only rolled your eyes “you two and your secrets”

#nhl imagine #elias pettersson imagine #Elias pettersson x reader #astrid’s world

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thislovintime · 25 days

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The Monkees with CFUN DJ's Terry David Mulligan and John Tanner in Vancouver, April 1, 1967.

“Regina: CKCK’s Terry David Mulligan claims to be the first Canadian air personality with an interview with the Monkees and he has a tape to prove it. Anyone wishing a copy can take Mulligan up on his boast by sending him a blank tape and he will return a dub to sender. Terry also did a 30 minute Christmas show with Peter Tork, his sister and brother. They sang cuts from the Monkees new LP (Mulligan sings too)[,] sang a few carols and just chit-chatted in a relaxing mood.” - RPM Canada, January 28, 1967 (this Christmas 1966 anecdote was previously posted here and more about Christmas 1967 here)

“History records that The Monkees played their first Canadian concert in Winnipeg on April 1/1967. What never gets mentioned is that the first time all four Monkees set foot on Canuck soil was many hours earlier, in Vancouver, while en route to Manitoba’s capital city. Top 50 radio station CFUN assigned two deejays—Terry David Mulligan and John Tanner—to meet Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork at Vancouver International Airport. A photo op ensued in a private waiting area as the lads waited, shortly after sunrise, to board a connecting flight. 'If you study that picture, you could tell two of the guys (Davy and Peter) were really into it and the other two (Micky and Mike) didn’t really want to be there,' recalls Mulligan (second from right in photo). 'They weren’t pissed off at us. They were just tired and weren’t particularly into having their picture taken that early in the morning.' Nevertheless, all six exchanged pleasantries. Despite the early hour, Davy Jones seemed friendly and 'Mike Nesmith was so whip smart, while Micky Dolenz had this interesting Hollywood vibe about him,' remembers Mulligan. Terry and Peter got the opportunity to renew acquaintances. The previous year, when Mulligan was spinning discs at CJME Regina, 'who should walk in but Peter Tork. Of course, I asked: "What are YOU doing here?" And Peter answered: "My dad (Halsten John Thorkelson) teaches at the University of Saskatchewan and I dig your radio program."' Peter would take a couple of additional breaks from Monkees commitments to visit his family. Each time, he’d visit Mulligan at CJME. 'We’d always have really good off-air chats, in between as I was playing records.' For his part, CFUN deejay John Tanner (second from left in photo) boarded the plane bound for Winnipeg with The Monkees. 'I remember being at the tail of the plane while The Monkees and their entourage were much further forward. I walked up there at one point and noticed some of them were sleeping. So I went back to my seat as I didn’t want to bother anyone.' Prior to the late afternoon Monkees concert at the Winnipeg Arena, Tanner said he killed some time walking 'what seemed to be the coldest streets in Winnipeg.' Indeed, band insider David Price would mention the frigid 17 degrees Fahrenheit daytime temperature when he subsequently wrote a four-page article titled My Life With The Monkees—That Wild Canadian Weekend for 16 magazine that detailed the April 1 concert in Winnipeg and the ensuing show in Toronto on April 2. Price, who also served as a decoy for Davy Jones (in addition to other band duties), claimed The Monkees came to Canada aware of rumours that attempts might be made on their lives during the two concerts. In the 16 magazine piece, Price wrote: 'Mike asked me and his friend Charlie Rockett and Mike’s wife Phyllis’s brother Bruce Barbour to make sure that any packages that landed onstage were thrown off again, because one of them might contain a bomb.' In the end, the only ‘bomb’ at the Winnipeg show was a water bomb hurled at Micky Dolenz atop the seven-foot high stage just before opening song Last Train To Clarksville. Seconds before, the four Monkees burst out of phoney amplifiers on either side of the stage, with the boys having hidden themselves within when the house lights were momentarily turned off. Likely backing up The Monkees onstage was Candy Store Prophets. If so, that band’s members—including guitarist Tommy Boyce and keyboardist Bobby Hart—had played on many early Monkees studio tracks that Boyce and Hart produced. Winnipeg-based Electric Jug & Blues band opened the show. Press reports later revealed that before the concert, rambunctious fans charged past about 30 police officers as the band left the Hotel Fort Garry for the arena. Monkees publicist Don Berrigan described the incident as a 'near riot' adding 'Mike and Davy were knocked down. It was really nasty.' There were apparently well over 400 police and security inside the arena. Perhaps it was the security concerns that resulted in Winnipeg and Toronto fans receiving slightly shorter concerts than about a dozen previous American shows in late 1966 and early ‘67—13-song setlists, three less than south of the border. The Winnipeg concert marked the first time Peter Tork-sung Your Auntie Grizelda, was played publicly. 'He really dug it, and so did the audience,' wrote Price. [...] Back in Winnipeg, after final song I’m A Believer, the band rushed to limos to return to the hotel, before taking an evening flight to Toronto. A subsequent Canadian Press article noted that one policeman was taken to hospital after a wire retaining fence collapsed on him when 'thousands of fans surged towards the rear exits in an unsuccessful bid to catch a glimpse of their departing idols.' The officer was treated for cuts and abrasions and released. The official capacity of Winnipeg Arena was 11,800. But Price claimed that several hundred additional tickets were sold just before showtime, resulting in an attendance closer to 12,500. Later that Saturday night, The Monkees checked out of the hotel and headed to the airport in what Price described as near-blizzard conditions. For his part, CFUN deejay John Tanner got a kick out of the 'wild and crazy' show he had just witnessed. 'It was kind of a thrill being there.' The photo taken back in Vancouver earlier that day would be published in the April 8 copy of the C-FUNTASTIC FIFTY survey given away at Greater Vancouver record stores. Part of the photo ID read 'They said it couldn’t be done' — likely a veiled reference to doubts that The Monkees would trek north for concerts so soon into their existence.” - Richard Skelly, Facebook, April 1, 2022 [x]

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art-that-fucks-you-up-tournament · 8 months

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SET THIRTEEN - ROUND ONE - MATCH FIVE

"The Day" (? - Victo Ngai) / "Spirit of Haida Gwaii" (1986 - Bill Reid)

THE DAY: [no additional commentary] (anonymous)

SPIRIT OF HAIDA GWAII: I'm very fond of the Coastal styles, and while I normally prefer the painted wooden sculptures that are well know through totem poles and the like (I have a fish on display in my bedroom, but wikipedia has an entire page on Kwakwakaʼwakw art!), I'm very Cautious about putting those into a tumblr tournament, so, public art it is. I'm just. there's something that draws me in with the shapes of beings in Haida art, and something about it being larger-than-life size doesn't make it threatening but instead.... reassuring? the canoe is bookended by Raven and Grizzly Bear but it's Raven that's steering the canoe into the future, and all the tricks he represents. what an interesting future we might have, huh? (@kaerran)

("The Day" is a digital image by Victo Ngai. It was originally created as a cover for Liberty Magazine.

The "Spirit of Haida Gwaii" is a bronze sculpture done by Bill Reid. It measures 3.89 m × 3.48 m × 6.05 m (12 ft 9 in × 11 ft 5 in × 19 ft 10 in). There are three versions; the one displayed is the version at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. A second version in bronze is at the Vancouver International Airport and a third version in plaster is at the Canadian Museum of History.)

#art that fucks you up tournament #polls #atfyu polls #id in alt text

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corner-stories · 4 months

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when it's dark in a cold decembre (but i've got you to keep me warm)

Jean Kirschtein. Mikasa Ackerman. Kiyomi Azumabito. Holiday Visits. Awkward Family Dinners. Cuddles. Doggies. 4191 words. (ao3.)

Vancouver is a change of pace. Having grown so used to winters in Montreal — or even his hometown of Trois-Rivieres — arriving at YVR to rain instead of snow leaves him confused.

At least Mikasa seems to find amusement in the poor Quebecer getting soaked in the drizzle.

A rapid transit line takes them from the airport to downtown, then an Uber driver takes them the rest of the way. As the vehicle crosses the Lionsgate Bridge, Jean’s eyes are affixed to the window and towards the rainy city outside.

At this time of night, all he can see is artificial lights — buildings with glass exteriors standing amidst the ocean and coniferous trees. It’s just enough to let him see the outline of the mountains. Above it all are clouds in a dark sky.

The car drives deeper into West Vancouver. The houses lining the roads are built with an emphasis on style and aesthetic, most of them looking to have been designed very recently with walls made of stone and glass.

Mikasa had told him that her Auntie was wealthy, and as the car passes by a house with more driveways and outdoor entertaining space to do with, the sentiment rings true.

Soon enough, the car arrives at the destination.

The house Mikasa grew up in differs from the gray homes adorning the streets. When Jean sees it, his eyes go to the vinyl siding and the rugged roof tiles, attributes that make the craftsman home feel like an island in the ocean of stone and glass houses.

Jean hoists his bags over his shoulder as the Uber driver takes off down the street. Mikasa walks from the street to the curb, comfortably taking her boyfriend’s hand as he looks at the house.

“You like?”

Jean nods, unable to take his eyes off the bulbs adorning the eaves. “I like the lights.”

“Auntie likes them, too.” She then squeezes his hand and begins guiding him towards the house.

Jean follows, keeping his eyes on the ground and watching her boots step into the puddles on the pathway. The rain is lighter here than it is at the airport, but it’s still enough for water droplets to collect in his hair.

The two climb up the steps and Jean mentally goes over the backstory Mikasa had given him regarding her aunt. Kiyomi had grown up alongside Mikasa’s mother in Tokyo, and despite being cousins they acted a lot more like sisters. They even moved to Vancouver together to study. They had kept in touch even when Makoto married a local man while Kiyomi moved back to Japan.

It was no surprise that Kiyomi was the one who stepped up after Mikasa’s parents passed, gladly taking the nine-year-old in and giving her shelter in a time where she had none. She even decided to move back to Canada permanently to be near her niece.

Despite coming from wealth, Kiyomi kept herself busy as a tenured professor at a local university. Giving lectures on international relations seemed to be her second priority on top of providing for Mikasa. Academia appeared to run in the Azumabito-Ackerman household.

As Jean keeps reciting the lore in his head, he turns to Mikasa and asks a last-minute question.

“So… is there anything else I should know?” His voice is just slightly tinged with his signature wit. “You know, before the point of no return?”

“Just be yourself,” Mikasa insists as her boots touch the top of the porch. “Besides, you both like sassing me and old school Celine Dion, in her mind you can do no wrong.”

Jean makes a noise that’s in between an awkward laugh and a nervous chuckle. “That’s one way to look at things…”

When the doorbell rings, what immediately follows is the sound of several dogs barking their heads off — one even sounds like a howl. Through the pane of glass in the door Jean can see two fluffy creatures with legs rushing to the door. After they yelp at the door for a few seconds, a person descends the stairs and gestures for said creatures to quiet down.

Unsurprisingly, the act of wagging one’s finger at two rambunctious dogs does nothing to quell their screams.

Nonetheless, the door opens and the pair of tired traveling grad students are greeted to the sight of Mikasa’s Aunt Kiyomi.

As to be expected, the older lady is smiling from ear to ear and immediately steps forward to embrace her niece. Mikasa herself gives a gentle grin as she hugs her Aunt back.

“Mikasa!”

“Auntie.”

Jean gives them their space as they reunite. In the space between the doorframe and the door, he gets a better look into the house, taking note of the wooden floors, the warm lighting, the spotless walls. The whole place is impeccably clean, even with the two dogs running around.

Speaking of which, Jean also gets an eyeful of the canines standing behind Kiyomi — one is a samoyed with the doofiest grin he’s ever seen on a dog, and the other is husky with an abundance of fluffy fur. The husky in particular is letting out dramatic weeping noises as it looks at the visitors at the door.

When aunt and niece separate, Kiyomi sets her eyes on Jean.

“And is this the boyfriend I’ve heard so much about?” she asks. “Jean, right?”

Jean gives a nod and a polite smile. “That’s me.” He reaches out and shakes her hand. “Nice to meet you, Miss Azumabito.”

Kiyomi is a head shorter than both Jean and Mikasa. Like her niece, her hair is dark, but she keeps it neatly combed and tied into a proper bun.

The only woman looks him up and down, seemingly content with finally meeting him in the flesh. She even seems flattered by his formality. “Please, call me Kiyomi. And come in, you two must be soaked.”

Jean and Mikasa enter the home, bringing their luggage with them. He’s only been in Vancouver for an hour and he’s already relieved to get out of the downpour.

As Jean shakes the water out of his hair, Mikasa kneels down to the two dogs of the Azumabito household. She beams sweetly at both the husky and the samoyed, both of which are excited to see her return. The husky in particular is wagging its tail so hard that its rear end is shaking.

Back at McGill, Mikasa had spoken at length about her dogs back at home. Back at their apartment, there’s a photo of both the husky and samoyed as puppies pinned to their refrigerator.

Seeing the dogs in the fluff is significantly more enjoyable than seeing them in photo form. The sweet look of heartfelt joy on Mikasa’s face is also a bonus.

“Yes, yes, I missed you, too,” says Mikasa as the husky kisses her cheek.

Kiyomi immediately proves to be a cordial host. She takes Jean’s jacket without being prompted, hanging it up on a nearby coat rack. She then reaches for the luggage and grabs the first two bags she can find.

“It’s been raining all week,” the older lady says. She takes a pair of backpacks to a nearby closet.

“Has it?” asks Mikasa.

There is an irked, gravelly tone to Kiyomi’s voice as she replies. “Unfortunately.”

Mikasa lets out a hum, which is her way of laughing. “That’s a Vancouver Christmas for you.”

Jean chuckles as he rubs his freezing hands together. Now free from the constraints of his parka, he kneels down to get to Mikasa’s level and looks at the pair of dogs.

“Hey, I’ve heard a lot about you two,” he says, petting the head of the cheery samoyed. “So… which one’s which again?”

Mikasa gestures to the husky lovingly licking her cheek. “This one’s Mochi…” She then points to the white fluff ball. “...and this one’s Miso.”

Jean can’t help but chuckle, a throaty one that makes the corners of his mouth turn up.

Somehow, he’s getting the feeling that he’ll enjoy the holidays here.

…

Dinner is a simple affair, though Kiyomi uses it as an excuse to break out a bottle of red from the cellar. Christmas may be a few days away, but her beloved niece returning home is a good reason to celebrate. She serves dishes that Mikasa has had throughout her childhood, only occasionally having to scold the dogs for putting their paws on the table. Evidently, Mochi absolutely drools in the presence of Kiyomi’s katsudon.

And true to Mikasa’s words, Kiyomi is a fan of old-school Dion, as the singer’s Christmas album proceeds to play on the house stereo.

Jean sits at the table and listens to aunt and niece catching up, taking note of the way Mikasa’s eyes light up as she speaks. Sometimes they’ll slip into Japanese in the middle of the conversation, only exchanging a few brief sentences before returning to English. It happens so smoothly that Jean can tell it’s just one of those habits the two share.

And suddenly, he now knows how Mikasa feels when he switches into French with other francophones in front of her.

A part of him is hesitant to chime in, as the flow of the conversation feels so fast. He’s also worried that he might spoil the joy of the reunion.

So he spends the time petting Miso under the table while Mochi tries to steal some bites of okonomiyaki. At least the samoyed has begun taking a liking to him.

Mikasa recalls to her Aunt Kiyomi exactly how she and Jean met. The story involved a social gathering for McGill grad students, as well as alcohol and a karaoke machine. Sometimes Jean thinks about how different things would have been had Mikasa not spilled wine on his shirt at the start of the party — he would have probably spent the night drunk singing instead of watching her trying to fruitlessly clean his clothes in the bathroom.

Considering how many of his colleagues at the School of Architecture were attending the party, Mikasa had most likely saved his reputation before he even had one to destroy.

Mikasa is in the midst of explaining her thesis to Kiyomi, detailing how she made the choice to specialize in plant pathology. Recently, she’s been studying a virus that has only been affecting flowers that thrive in cold weather.

Jean loves it when she gets like this, so wrapped up in explaining her work that she’s talking more than she usually does. Truth be told, he can’t comprehend enough botanical science to truly understand what she’s talking about, but the fact that she can talk about trees and flowers like an artist talks about the Sistine Chapel is enough for him. Seeing the way she lights up as she talks about what she’s dedicating her life to is all he’ll ever need.

Plus, Mikasa always seems tuned in when he goes on and on about architecture mumbo jumbo, even the stuff that he knows for a fact will bore people to tears. (“No one cares about the history of the pillar,” Sasha’s voice echoes in his head.) The least he can do is be an attentive boyfriend.

“It’s nice to know that all those years away from home have done you good,” Kiyomi says, pouring herself a little more wine.

“It has,” Mikasa assures. She then looks down and sees Mochi resting his chin on her lap with a loving look in his eyes.“But I can never stay away for too long…”

Kiyomi looks amused. “Have you ever considered getting a dog?”

“We have,” Jean finally speaks up. It’s telling of him that the one topic he’s more comfortable chining in on is pets. “But it’d be a hassle while we’re both still in school.”

Nonetheless, Kiyomi looks interested and listens intently.

“We did dogsit for our friend Historia once — she’s got a terrier mix, we watched it for about a week,” Jean continues, then lets out a chuckle. “The poor guy would weep every time we crated him for the night, wouldn’t sleep unless he was in the bed with us.”

Mikasa lets out a polite hum, reliving the memories of the two stressed grad students trying to curb a terrier’s energy inside their apartment. At least the little one was calm once he was allowed to sleep in the realm of the humans.

“And our bedroom still has some of Donut’s dog hair in it,” Mikasa adds.

Kiyomi spends a moment politely laughing along.

“Oh, speaking of which,” the older lady starts, eyeing the man currently petting the samoyed under the table. “Jean, I prepared the guest bedroom for you.”

It does not take long for both Jean and Mikasa to understand the implications. Jean is suddenly plunged into a mix of embarrassment and confusion, a sensation that makes him pick up the fidgety mannerisms of a twelve-year-old boy.

“Ah… thank you?” is all he can muster. Awkwardly, he scratches the back of his neck.

Meanwhile, Mikasa’s sweet smile disappears from her pretty face and in its place is a glare directed at the hostess.

“Auntie, I was under the impression that my room would be available for us,” she asks in a tone that’s the slightest bit stilted, perhaps to cover up her clear agitation.

“Oh, certainly, Dear, it’s available for you,” Kiyomi explains simply. The way she says ‘dear’ is both motherly and condescending. “I’ve cleaned it and everything.”

Mikasa starts to look more and more frustrated with every passing second. “I meant for both of us.”

“Not in my house.” Kiyomi then reaches for the bottle in the middle of the table like nothing is wrong. “More wine, anyone?”

Then just like before, Mikasa and Kiyomi slip into a tongue that’s foreign to Jean's ears. This time, instead of speaking Japanese for a sentence or two, the two engage into what can respectfully be referred to as a “passive aggressive debate.”

Jean hasn’t learned enough Japanese to discern exactly what the two are saying, but the subject matter is enough to bring a blush to his cheeks. He didn’t anticipate that the concept of he and Mikasa sharing a room — despite sharing so much more back in their apartment in Montreal — would be such a hot topic in the Azumabito household. Apparently, Kiyomi had put a lot of thought into making sure that her niece and her niece’s boyfriend didn’t get too close.

Mikasa’s tone is composed, focused, the one she uses when she has to babysit freshmen undergrads all day. Yet it is laced with just enough persistence to prove that she’s not backing down without a fight. On the other hand, Kiyomi remains placid as she explains her point, continuing to act like there’s nothing wrong with her silly little rule.

Suddenly, Jean’s wondering why he passed up on his mother’s offer to spend the holidays with her in Montpellier.

To quell the uncomfortable knot forming in his stomach, Jean begins petting another dog — Mochi this time — and reaches for the bottle of red.

“Some wine sounds nice, actually.”

…

Once dinner and the debate is over, the two jet-lagged grad students decide to retire for the night. It’s only 9 o’clock but it feels so much later than that.

The outcome of the conversation has caused Jean to unpack his luggage in the basement guest room, whereas Mikasa is forced to do the same on the top floor.

The last time Mikasa had stayed in her childhood bedroom, she was taking a break before heading onto grad school. She can remember the months she spent preparing to move across the country for a second time — the tables she waited to earn extra cash, the lessons she spent with a tutor to get a better grasp on French. Montreal was going to be a whole new beast compared to Toronto — where she had completed her undergrad — and every reminder of that was a sign that she needed to prepare.

That era of her life was roughly two years ago, yet Mikasa feels like it’s a millenia away.

Despite Kiyomi’s rule regarding her niece and her niece’s significant other, at least the bedroom is clean and cozy. Although the pictures and art on the wall have been removed, the sheets are clean and the blankets are soft, more than enough to help Mikasa survive the night.

So alone in her room, Mikasa lies on a bed and reads a book, her usual habit whenever she needs to fall asleep. With the sound of rain hitting the roof and the two dogs napping at the foot of her bed, she almost feels like she’s in high school again, preferring to spend hours in her room just snuggling with Mochi and Miso.

As Mikasa turns the page, she hears a light knock. Mochi immediately lifts his head from the cushions and watches the door open. Jean peaks in with a playful, almost boyish look on his face, knowing well that what he’s doing is a little mischievous.

He steps into the room calmly, having changed from his traveling clothes to something a lot more comfortable. He’s wearing a pair of pyjama pants that Mikasa bought for him on a whim, as well as a flannel shirt that he’s buttoned sparingly. His hair is damp from a shower, ashy brown locks draping messily over his face. The stubble on his jawline and chin looks a bit thicker, more like a short beard.

Knowing Jean, Mikasa wonders if he’s trying to entice her, as he knows exactly what she thinks when she sees him looking so disheveled.

“What are you reading?” he asks, stepping barefoot into her room. He sits on the edge of her bed and starts petting Miso, who predictably reacts with a doofy grin.

Mikasa looks away from her book. “One of Sasha’s romance novels — she lent it to me.”

Jean catches sight of the muscular man on the cover and raises an eyebrow. “Sasha reads romance?”

“When she can,” Mikasa answers. “Vet school’s been taking up a lot of her time.”

There is a beat — Mikasa continues reading and Jean continues petting the dog on the bed. He then notices something that brings a smile to his face.

“You’re wearing my shirt.”

Mikasa is nonplussed as she turns a page. “I know.”

Nowadays, Jean’s green button-front shirt finds itself in Mikasa’s care more often than his. He doesn’t seem to mind though.

Mikasa changes the subject with ease. She looks up and affixes her gaze to his. “How’s the guest room? Cozy?”

“It is.” He nods his head, then his voice goes warm. “Not as cozy as this though.”

Mikasa is quick to close her book and give him a knowing look. “Don’t get any ideas. I wouldn’t want Kiyomi to toss you onto the street.”

Jean puts his hands up in mock defeat. “Trust me, I wouldn’t want that either.”

Putting her novel away, she straightens her back and sits up. “I’m sorry you had to see the argument.”

“It’s fine,” Jean shrugs. At least he’s good at taking things in stride. “What’s the holidays without some family bickering, huh?”

Mikasa lets out a sigh and looks down. “Unfortunately.”

In hindsight, attempting to argue with Kiyomi in Japanese was somewhat pointless, as Jean most likely knew that they were talking about thanks to their mannerisms. Some things in the world are just made to transcend language barriers.

“But hey, I don’t wanna rock the boat.” He’s trying to keep a positive undertone to his voice. “I just wanted to say goodnight.”

He moves on the bed a bit to sit next to her, gently cupping her face with his hand and pressing a kiss to her forehead. Mikasa closes her eyes and lets the gesture send a warm sensation throughout her entire body. The unease she had dealt with at dinner starts to fade away.

With his palms still touching her cheeks, Jean presses a kiss to her lips. It’s gentle, sweet, and makes her want him to stay.

She puts her hands on his as they remain on her face, gently deepening their kiss as her forehead brushes against his. He’s warm, so warm.

Mikasa’s hands trail down to Jean’s shoulders, then to his chest — her thumbs start hooking into the hems of his shirt.

But before anything more can happen, Jean pulls away. She can see the flustered look on his face as his breathing goes unsteady.

“I should go,” he insists, quickly buttoning up his shirt.

Sensing the urgency Mikasa nods along. She then remembers that Kiyomi is still awake and currently relaxing one floor beneath them.

Also, if they are to engage in any intimacy during the stay, she would rather do it without the dogs in the room.

Jean takes her hand and kisses it, a last gesture before he leaves.

“See you in the morning, mon amour.”

And when everything said is done, he leaves. Standing from the bed, he gives the dogs some last pets before walking out of the bedroom. He makes sure to give Mikasa one last assuring look before he is truly gone.

Once the door is closed, Mikasa takes in a breath and rubs her face. Her palms are sweating. When she opens her eyes she is greeted to the sight of Mochi and Miso staring at her with their unblinking gazes.

Her first instinct is to glare back. “Don’t judge me, I’ve seen you two dig up a hornet’s nest.”

…

It’s 5AM when Mikasa wakes. The room is warm and so is the bed, yet when she reaches to the other side to only feel nothing it might as well be cold as ice.

After opening her eyes, she spends a few moments staring at the ceiling and thinking about how tired she is. She may be on vacation, but parts of her are still in grad student mode. Her body has yet to comprehend that she’s not going to spend the day TAing or going over research notes.

When Mikasa gets up, she notices that the dogs are no longer sleeping at the foot of her bed. With the bedroom door ajar, she surmises that Mochi and Miso have transitioned to sleeping in Kiyomi’s bed, as per usual.

Being jet-lagged, Mikasa feels awake, but the kind of awake where one can either function for the day or go for a few more hours of slumber. She contemplates going for an early morning run to ease her nerves, then looks to the window to find that last night’s downpour has intensified.

Vancouver is always rainy, but the kind of rain that makes it impossible to go outside feels truly constricting.

Then an idea pops into Mikasa’s head, one attached to consequences but possible enough to pull off. She has to be careful though, so as quietly as she can she slips out of bed and steps onto the floor.

The carpets dampen the noise of her footfalls as she makes her way through the hallway. When she sees Kiyomi’s bedroom door slightly ajar, she takes in the sight of her Auntie sleeping in between the world’s fluffiest dogs. Smartly, she makes sure to close the door.

Mikasa descends the stairs to the first floor, moving past the furniture and framed photographs before approaching the basement entrance. The lower portion of the house is as cozy as the rest and when she arrives at the bedroom at the end of the hall she slips in without any hesitation. She makes sure to lock the door behind her.

The guest room is warm, Jean’s belongings are scattered about. On a nearby chair is the shirt he had been wearing in her room and on the desk is one of his sketchbooks — he’s quite fond of traveling with at least one. The open page is filled with doodles of Mochi and Miso.

Jean is fast asleep on the bed, bare-chested and breathing gently. His eyes are closed and his hair is strewn in every direction.

Mikasa doesn’t waste any more time. She slips under the sheets, her body easily finding his, and begins peppering kisses against his shoulder.

With the sweetest touch, she trails her lips up his neck and onto his jaw. His stubble is soft and tickles her face. He lets out a hum, as he’s used to being woken up like this. His eyes are still closed as he shifts slightly, letting Mikasa easily pry herself under his arm. Soon she rests her head on his chest, where she always likes to be. He’s warm, warmer than her room upstairs.

With all his strength, Jean manages to open his eyes just enough to see his girlfriend snuggling against him. The room is dark, but she can still see the sleepy smile on his beautiful face.

“Couldn’t stay away?”

“Not a bit.”

Mikasa relaxes into him, letting his heartbeat become a gentle lullaby. In the sheets his hand finds hers and holds it tight, one of her legs hooking around his. She is content to drift off to sleep just like this.

She’ll deal with the consequences later.

#Jeankasa #Jeanmika #jean kirstein #mikasa ackerman #jean kirschtein #kiyomi azumabito #modern au #grad student au #snk #jkholidaysspecial2023 #jkholidaysspecial

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katblu42 · 9 months

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Day 1 of the adventure.

I have been (basically) awake for 24 hours and I still haven't finished travelling! Admitedly I am sitting at an airport gate lounge awaiting a connection. I have been here for about 3 hours, and my flight boards in just under 2 hours from now.

Sydney to Vancouver is a 14 and a half hour flight, and we were delayed by half an hour before boarding. Because you have to be at the airport 3 hours before boarding for an International flight I had to get up at 4:30am.

24hrs later and it is 11:30am (local time) on the same day. Time zones. Gotta love 'em.

I tried to snooze on the plane a few times, but it's next to impossible for me to sleep on planes. Also really hard to sleep in an airport when you also have to keep an eye on your valuables!

Anyway, free Wifi at the airport is a blessing . . . but my eyes are starting to go all sleepy blurry again.

Maybe I'll go see if food helps!

Next stop San Diego.

#my big north america adventure #day 1

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malbecmusings · 9 months

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Bellingham, Wshington

July 25: So long Bellingham. We didn't see much, but we found a good BBQ restaurant and, most importantly, the peeps at the hotel and FBO were awesome. Gas is a little higher here at $7.20/gal but that'll look cheap compared to the prices farther north.

The first order of business after getting checked into the hotel last night was to find dinner. Shoutout to Big Stick BBQ; I'm a little too far west to find my favorite Eastern NC BBQ, but the brisket was pretty damn good. We spent a couple of hours catching up, comparing notes, and making plans, then went back to the hotel and promptly crashed.

The temperature this morning was a cool 54°. Goodbye sweating, hello down jackets. We had breakfast at the hotel (a big thank you to Danis for taking care of us early) before Jose hauled us to the Fred Meyer and to the airport. Even with shuffling 5 planes up to the pump to fuel up, we were wheels up by a few minutes after 8.

The plan was to go from Bellingham to Ketchikan to refuel before ending up in Juneau, or an alternate location if everything aligned. We skirted Vancouver and followed the Strait of Georgia north until we turned direct to Ketchikan. I've been on, and in, Puget Sound. As stunning as it is from the surface, it's insanely beautiful from the air. With the view of the vast Pacific off to port, especially breathtaking at the 140 mile-wide opening to Queen Charlotte Sound, it was easy to imagine the #NextChapter when we'll be sailing north instead of flying. (or motoring as the Inside Passage makes for terrible sailing)

Although we don't have any real use for them now, I've been teasing the Boy Scout about getting floats. All I could think about as we flew over the island-dotted waters was how sick it would be to look down, pick a spot, and land on the water. Maybe do a few dives off the floats before having lunch and flying off to find the next interesting spot. After today I don't think he needs more convincing.

The Ketchikan International Airport is located on an island across from the town of Ketchikan, which appears to exist solely to cater to the cruise industry. Like many other towns in Alaska, Ketchikan is not connected to the rest of the world by any kind of road; it's accessible only by water or air. We topped off the tanks (11.29/gal) and continued toward Juneau.

About halfway to Juneau we passed over the community of Wrangell which lies opposite the Stikine River Delta and several glaciers formed from the Stikine Icefield. There are several National Park and State Recreation cabins available but we couldn't see any way to access them short of a boat or a float plane (hey cowboy). Flying over them confirmed they were a no go. What we did find was a multitude of gravel bars which was the perfect excuse to put the new tundra tires to work. For the most part the ground was sandy/gravel and pretty smooth but the big tires made the landings like buttah. After finding a wide gravel bar where we could park and tie down all five planes well off the water, we set up camp in the tree line overlooking the river. A few tried their hand at fishing (no luck) while the rest of us gathered firewood, did a little exploring, and chilled. A little river-bar happy hour soon commenced around the fire while we thought about what freeze dried delicacy would be on the dinner menu.

I should add here that I'm not a boy scout. I grew up sailing, not camping. Tonight's events were the most boy scout shit ever, and it was awesome. More flight-seeing, including glacier flyovers, tomorrow before we head to Juneau for a couple of days. Assuming the local bear population doesn't get rowdy in the middle of the night.

#acwm #alaska 2023

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upthewitchypunx · 2 years

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There's also the time I did a travel luck spell with an emphasis on getting swiftly through customs in the UK. The ticket was bought by a third party in France so I was a bit concerned because I knew 3rd party tickets would get extra scrutiny.

At the airport I found out my ticket was registered with my last name first and it too them awhile to figure out and I was told I would get my seat assignment when I changed planes. When I changed planes in Vancouver i went up to the counter for my seat assignment, explained my name issue, and was very polite.

When I went to sit down in the waiting area I noticed my seat assignment was in row 2. Row 2 on an international flight was first class, which I knew was not the ticket code on the paperwork I had. So, somehow I got a first class seat on an international flight. They lost my vegan meal, but fed me bread, berries, snacks, and wine the whole flight. I slept on a layflat bed and work up the most well l rested I had ever felt after an international flight.

What I didn't know until I arrived was that first class tickets allow you to be in an expidited line through customs. So, somehow my spell did get me what I wanted: a speedy time through customs. It just had a random bonus gift I guess?

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itsmegint · 10 months

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Seattle->Vancouver

Oh boy has it been a LOOONG day(s). Gonna do updates in parts so this is the beginning of my travels. Woke up bright and early to head to the airport for a whole one (1) hour flight to Vancouver! Though it was short, it’s still out of the country—that’s a first for me! I like to look at the safety manual on airlines to see the different babies they draw, because sometimes they turn out really silly… Seattle’s was a bit disappointing to be frank. Once we got to the Vancouver airport we had five hours to kill before our next flight, so I walked around and enjoyed the beauty that is: Vancouver International Airport!! Hung around, took up only three seats trying to nap and had A&W! I thought that was just a root beer brand, not an actual restaurant?! You learn something new every day! Anywho, from then on we had our next flight which means, our next adventure B)

#travel #international #canada

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aviaposter · 10 months

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Boeing 787-8 Air Canada

Registration: C-GHPQ Type: 787-8 Engines: 2 × GE GEnx-1B67 Serial Number: 35257 First flight: Mar 22, 2014

Air Canada is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Canada by size and passengers carried. Air Canada maintains its headquarters in the borough of Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec. Air Canada's major hubs are at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Vancouver International Airport (YVR), and Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL). Canada's national airline originated from the Canadian federal government's 1936 creation of Trans-Canada Airlines (TCA), which began operating its first transcontinental flight routes in 1938. In 1965, TCA was renamed Air Canada. It is a founding member of the Star Alliance.

Poster for Aviators. aviaposter.com

#boeingaircraft #boeingfans #dreaminer #airplane #b787dreamliner

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fcble · 11 months

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🙊 for mingeun!!

🙊 ― a memory you don’t ever talk about.

In which Mingeun tries to go home. WORD COUNT: 1k WARNINGS: Verbal abuse. Extremely shitty parents. NOTES: Takes place mid 2020, amongst Mingeun's scandal, which you can read more about here and here.

Mingeun can’t go home. He knows that much. He explains the situation as best as he can over the phone to his older sister, Minah. It’s a difficult process—Mingeun chokes up over random words and backtracks multiple times to explain the whole story. By the end of it, his sinuses hurt from the effort of trying not to cry.

Two days later, Minah picks him up at Vancouver International Airport.

Mingeun stares straight ahead at the road from the passenger seat of her Hyundai Sonata. “How long can I stay?”

In his peripheral vision, he sees the sideways glance he gets. “As long as you need to.”

But Mingeun doesn’t want to be a burden, and he knows she lives with her boyfriend—Stephen or Daniel or Kevin or some other similarly generic name—in an apartment barely big enough for the two of them.

“You won’t tell Mom?” he asks, just to reassure himself.

“Of course not.”

Mingeun figures his parents already know. They can read the news. His only hope is that they’ll assume he’s still in Korea, not that the CEO of his entertainment company is a such an asshole he packed Mingeun onto a plane and sent him halfway around the world.

Minah parks in her designated spot, and Mingeun lugs his suitcases out of the trunk.

“Is your boyfriend home?” he asks on the elevator up to the fifth floor.

“Gary? No, he’s at work.”

Mingeun is off on every count. The name of Minah’s boyfriend. Average working adult schedules.

The elevator door dings open.

“Shit,” Minah breathes quietly.

Mingeun looks past her to see a familiar silhouette pacing up and down the hallway. The freshly blown out perm, hair cut slightly shorter than a bob. The sensible black flats, silent on the carpeted floor. The timeless, stylish outfit, modest in its long sleeves, shin-length pants, and high neckline. It’s been almost four years since he left, but the sight of his mother still fills Mingeun with trepidation. He doesn’t think children are supposed to fear or despise their parents the way he does.

“Minah. Why don’t you answer your phone?” his mother asks.

Mingeun is relieved she didn’t talk to him first. He doesn’t wish her scrutiny on his sister—he doesn’t wish it on anyone—but at his core, he’s all about self-preservation.

“I was driving, Mom,” Minah says. “Please don’t yell in the hallway. Let’s go inside.”

She leads the way down the hall and into her apartment. Mingeun follows close behind, rolling his suitcases as quietly as possible.

“Yah. Mingeun,” his mother says from behind him.

All she says is his name. Mingeun flinches.

“How come you didn’t tell me you were coming home?”

“I don’t know,” Mingeun mumbles.

“Just leave your stuff,” Minah says quietly in English. “We have to get rid of her first.”

Their mother is poking her way around Minah’s kitchen. She opens the refrigerator and sniffs. “Only takeout containers! Minah, you need to cook more.”

Minah hurries over and closes the refrigerator door. “I have work.”

Mingeun takes an uneasy seat on the edge of Minah’s couch, one of the only places that isn’t occupied by pillows and blankets and stuffed animals. This wasn’t what he expected to return to. He was thinking he could spend some time here, lay low for a few weeks, and then return to Korea to pick up the pieces of his career. His mother wouldn’t even have to know.

“I heard from Yerin you were in trouble. She showed me the picture of you at the airport. You know how embarrassing that is for me? The son I raised didn’t tell me anything. I have to hear through gossip.” She says the last word like it’s caused her personal offense.

Mingeun has no idea who Yerin is. Probably one of his mother’s friends, but he doesn’t pay much attention. Does that make him a bad son?

Minah takes a seat next to Mingeun, pushing aside multiple pillows. Mingeun likes her there. It makes the battle lines evident.

“Sorry,” Mingeun says to the floor.

His mother lets out an exaggerated sigh. “How did I have two worthless children?”

“Mom!” Minah snaps.

“Don’t talk back.” She flaps her hand in Minah’s direction. “So disrespectful.”

If Mingeun was braver, he’d say something. Something about how there must be some common factor that made both him and Minah act this way. Instead, he becomes very interested in the carpet threads under his feet.

His mother addresses him next. “You need to go back and apologize. How can you run away like this? You’re disgraceful. How can your father and I show our faces?”

These questions are rhetorical. Mingeun sits there, numb and quiet. He can’t explain the situation. She wouldn’t understand. He tries to tune her out, but his mother’s voice is loud and grating. Every word seems like a direct attack on Mingeun, cutting deep into his very being.

“We make so many sacrifices for you. You do nothing. First, you drop out of SM. Then you drop out of high school. Now you do this.” She gestures meaninglessly through the air. “Your father and I try to support you. You make it so difficult.”

“Sorry,” Mingeun says again. He keeps his head bowed, still interested in the floor. Maybe this way, no one will see the tears threatening to drop with each passing second.

When his mother stops to take a breath, Minah stands up. “That’s enough, Mom. We get it. You need to leave now.”

If Mingeun didn’t feel like shit, he would find it amusing to watch his sister strong-arm their mother out the door. Minah is younger and stronger, and with one arm around their mother’s back, she’s forceful enough to make their mother stumble.

As it stands, Mingeun does feel like shit, and his vision is blurry with tears. He hears the lock click, and then feels Minah’s weight on the couch again.

She wraps him a hug, one hand stroking his hair, in a way Mingeun can’t remember experiencing for years. “I didn’t know she would be here, or that she would say anything like that. You know it’s not true, right?”

Mingeun doesn’t say anything in response, but finally lets himself cry into his sister’s shirt sleeve.

#╰ to be written in ink is to be immortal — [ mingeun. ]#╰ to be written in ink is to be immortal — [ writing. ]#╰ to be written in ink is to be immortal — [ answers. ]

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