“Five years four months and a sum of thirteen days...here comes the end of a melodramatic married life. Without many struggles and fights, a bold signature on a piece of paper ended a marital life. Nowadays, everything happens just like the unpredictable weather.”

Soon after posting this story on her social media page, queries and comments flooded her inbox. To give this a better highlight, she changed her marital status to ‘single’. Later, turned off the comments section. She then pulled out her current sim card from her mobile and threw it in the dustbin next. She, with a smile and confidence, came out of the courtroom. Suddenly, media reporters covered her with questions but she kept silence and walked off with confidence and pride into the car.

Whose she? Well, this is Jiya Raj Malhotra...oops...No… Not anymore .Now, just Jiya or else say Jiya Kapadiya. The youngest daughter of the Kapadiya family, the renowned successor of the V.K group of companies. For the Kapadiya’s, Jiya and her life were always a concern, but from now on she was left alone. No matter what, they will not be involved in any personal matters of hers.

“Jiya… are you sure you got to leave today,” Mrs.Geetha Kapadiya, her mom asked her while comforting her.

“Yes mamma… I need to leave today itself... I won’t be able to handle this media and …”her words struck in her and tears rolled down. She then leaned back on her mother’s shoulders. But within a minute or two she came back to her consciousness and smiled at her mother with confidence. Holding her mother’s hand she said:

“It’s OK mamma, to be not OK…I am strong. So don’t worry mamma. I need a break and also dad is not in a good temper, as for now, so are my brother’s…so it’s better if I am away for a few days like now.”

She then hugged her mother tight and whipped off her tears.

“As for now, don’t tell dad and my brothers where I am going. Let everything cool down… I know they are still upset with my decision, but mamma…I truly and wholeheartedly tried but toppled and failed. I just can’t withstand Raj and his mood swings anymore. So it’s better for both of us to get separated. Parting our ways is better than struggling in it.” Her mother held her hand and kept on hearing her out.

“ For five years, no one asked me what i wanna do or I liked Raj’s proposal. No one cares to hear my opinion. So, today, when I made myself clear, why should they be oppressive? Can’t they still understand my feelings?” Jiya's mother tries hard to console her daughter.

“But Jiya, how will you manage alone in a new country? That too, you do not tell me the exact location of yours. New place , new people, different culture and who knows what, not all are waiting for you there.” Geetha is topped up her concern for her daughter.

“It’s ok mamma .. I know your concern about me, but believe me, everything is going to be fine. Trust me OK”. Jiya's words gave her mother comfort.

On reaching the airport, she kissed her mother, took her blessings and walked off .

“Jiya at least send me mail once you arrive.” Her mother shouted at the top of her voice so that Jiya heard it. She heard but didn’t turn back, just raised her hand to wave and walked away silently.

Jiya notices that the check-in counter for Air Korea is not too crowded-so she easily goes thru the immigration check in and waits in the VIP lounge. After getting a coffee from Starbucks, she sits down and scrolls down the unread SMS on her mobile. While scrolling down, her eyes were struck at the unread message sent to her by Raj. Her lips trembled, with shivering inside opens to read:

“Jiya, I don’t regret marrying you, but its better if we get separated. I know I have hurt you and our Rahul. He was the best thing that ever happened to us. I cannot forgive myself for what has happened, and nor can I forget. So better let us end this drama.”

While reading, tears rolled down, she weeps silently. With wounded mind and frozen body she sat lost in thought. A sudden announcement for boarding brought her to reality. There was a sudden rush at the gate, and, thankfully, VIP passengers had a different entry. As she was moving in, a group of security guards rushed in there, creating chaos. Accidently she tripped but luckily a manly hand from behind caught her from falling.

“Are you OK?” the man from behind asks.”

“ I'm fine…all good thank you.” She talked to the man who helped her but she didn’t even look up in his face as she was absent-minded and walked into the gate.

“Everything needs a break ,now its my time to move on. I must move on.” Her mind whispered in her ears.

“Welcome on board Ma’am. First class is on the right. This way, please” a beautiful Korean hostess leads her to her seat.

“Here is your seat, Ma’am. The one on the right, please feel free and be comfortable.” The beautiful hostess pointed out to Jiya.

On seeing the seat, Jiya was not happy since it was a dual center seat, not a single or window seat. Even though she sat, she felt uneasy. She got up and looked around. Most every seat are being filled.

“Excuse Miss, can you change my seat.” Jiya asked the hostess.

“Halt a minute, Ma’am. I will see what can be done. For the time being, please be seated. I will get back to you.”  The hostess said calmly to her. She nodded yes and sat there. She drank the welcome drink offered and then she dozed off lightly due to tiredness.

Soon she felt the warmth and comfort in her hand. It’s a dream ,she thought.

“No…oh no!!”,, she got up with a jerk, smashing her head into his chin accidently.

“ Ahh…” he screamed lightly.

“OH!! I am sorry, very sorry” she said, trying to apologize, but she saw his lip bleeding.

“ It's OK” he said.

“You are hurt”, said she, took a wipe from her bag and she wiped off the blood.

“It’s OK.. please don’t worry, I am good, it’s just a small scratch. He said, but on seeing her tearful eyes and trembling face, he was moved.

“ I am really fine please …am OK, just relax. I will wipe it myself. Please don’t worry. Relax ..” he tries to calm her down. He then pressed the on call button and soon a hostess reported to him.

“Yes sir”, the hostess said politely with a smile.

“Can I get a glass of water and a first aid kit please” he said.

“ Yes, for sure sir” the hostess rushed back with water and a first-aid kit.

“Are you hurt sir, you need a doctor sir” she asked.

“ It's OK, I will handle it, thank you” he responded.

Soon Jiya wiped off her tears and took initiative to clean up his wound, though he resisted. While she helped, he kept looking into her eyes closely. As tears rolled down her cheeks, he wiped them out with his fingers. This brought them back to their senses. Soon they got back to their normal position, then introduced themselves.

“Hi! I am  Juan."

Jiya was just looking at him and didn’t respond. He then shook her up and repeated again.

“Hello. Hi ..I am JUAN” and snapped at her.

“Oh! Hi! I am Jiya.” She said

“Well it’s a beautiful name Jiya’’ he smiled and looked into her eyes . He felt the pain in her. He understood she was disturbed.

“I am really very sorry.”

“Sorry for what oh Jiya”

“I ..didn't ..you are hurt”

“ Jiya is relaxed and I am good. This is a small scratch. That's it, so leave it.”

 “ What can I do? I mean how I can compensate”. Jiya's upset words brought a smile to Juan. He pressed the on-call button. The hostess came and he then ordered

“an orange juice for the lady and a glass of champagne .”

“ I am sorry sir, now it's time to take off. I will serve you soon after the take off. Please fasten your seat belt, sir . Ma'am you too”, saying this, she leaves.

Juan and Jiya made themselves comfortable with talking small and talking to each other.

“ So Jiya, you are from Delhi.”

“ Yes. And I guess you are Chinese.”

She asked in a low tone. He smiled and nodded no.

“ Then are you Japanese?”

“ No… I am not. Try again Jiya. Let me see if you can guess it correctly.”

“ OK, I guess you are Korean..am I right?”

Juan shook his head with laughter.

“Yes. Yes””

“ I am very good, aren’t I ?” she asked him .

“Well, to be honest, I am Korean by birth but was brought up in the U.S, so you say .Korean American.”

She smiled. This smile was from a deep heart. He knew that she was now more relaxed .

Soon the flight took off and was now flying to its destination. As soon as the Unfasten the belt sign appeared, the hostess brought their drinks and complimentary snacks.

“Cheers”

“Cheers”

Both were going thru the menu.

“Actually we are even. “

“Even?? In what?”

“Actually, this is the third time I have seen you.”

“ Third time ??” Jiya wondered.

“ Yes, today it was me you were about to fall at the airport’”

“ Oh I am really, but I didn't … someone helped me.”

“ Well, that’s me again.”

As he said, Jiya gave him a stare but both of them started laughing.

“ So Jiya… are you on your vacation or work?”

“ I am not doing it. I am escaping prison beak "then she laughs on seeing his confused face.

“ Actually I am going to meet my cousin. He is now in Bangkok.”

But soon after she said that, lie Juan understood she was lying . he didn’t further ask her about that. Their food was served . While eating he chocked. So Jiya gave him water and softly rubbed his chest.

" That was close," he said.

“Are u ok. Guan?”

He was again shocked after hearing her tell him say his name was wrong.

“Jiya, it is JUAN. Not GUAN. J for Juan.”

“ For Jiya”. Jiya teased him.

After they had dinner, the hostess came by.

“ Ma'am, we are extremely so we couldn’t get u seat change that you asked us earlier ..we are sorry” she said

“ No .. it's OK . I am comfortable now. It's OK to leave it” Jiya said with a smile.

Juan gazed at her. She pat him with a smile.

“ Actually I said that before you came ,but now I am relaxed, so, I am OK.”

“ OK, OK believe…so what do you do” he questioned.

“Well, I am one of  the directors of …”she paused suddenly, then told him.

“Hmm, director of no job ...I have got to find something that I am not interested in now, but maybe soon”. She  soon covers up with a lie.

“ But you seem familiar. I mean I travel to Delhi quite often on business. You look familiar”, as he says, he notices the discomfort in her face. He soon changed the topic, snapping his fingers.

“Jiya! So you cousin, what does he do ?”

“ He owns an advertising company. So now he is on some advertising photoshoot in Bangkok.”

“ Oh, an advertising company in Bangkok or Delhi.”

“Well, to be honest, he ran away from home at the age of eighteen. There, he studied and got settled in Australia. So I think it's an Australian-based company.”

“Wow!”

“Why? Wow?”

“ I just asked you a simple question, say a one-mark question,  but you gave me a long-lengthy answer…a biography," he giggles.

Jiya pats his shoulders. He too pats back. They spend time like long-term friends meeting up recently.

As they were talking, one by one the cabin lights went out .

“ So, it's time to sleep, I guess.” He tells her in a low voice. Jiya nods. He then gets up, telling

“ I will go and freshen up”, he walked off .

Jiya is not now as stressed as earlier. The hostess came up to her and asked if she was comfortable . She just smiled OK.

Soon Juan returned to his seat. He saw Jiya working on her laptop and reclined his seat to a sleeping position. Jiya knew that he was trying to talk to her but avoided him but acting busy working on her laptop. He understood her ,he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. He took a sticky note from his bag and wrote

“GOODNIGHT JIYA.SLEEP TIGHT ”

Then he stacks it on his laptop so that she sees it . She read and smiled back at him. Jiya was now again lost in her thoughts and opened her gallery. There were many good memories. She deleted them one by one . She didn’t keep any of her past memories, which gave her pain and sorrow. As time passed, Jiya felt sleepy. But she didn’t want to sleep so she ordered a cup of coffee.

Drinking coffee, she saw Juan sleeping calmly. She saw a baby smile on his face which made her smile. Looking at him sleeping, she felt her mind relaxed and felt comfortable too. Later, after an over, she dozed off on her laptop.

When Juan got up in the middle of his sleep, he saw her sleeping over her laptop . He went onto her side, held her slowly and reclined her seat and made her sleep comfortably. The hostess bought the quilt. He laid it over her and went back to his seat .

“ This now looks like a couple sleeping together”, he said to himself.

In her sleep he saw her weeping. He tried to wake her from sleep but she held his hand tight and went back to sleep.

Two hours ago, Jiya got up. She saw him working on his laptop and there was a lady standing besides him. She wondered who she was?

“”Good morning Ms.Jiya “,he greeted her.

“ Good morning” she said in a husky tone.

“ I am really so sorry  my voice must have disturbed your sound sleep. I am sorry work matters sorry Jiya. “

“ No, it's OK, actually I was not disturbed.”

“ Thank god Ms. Jiya .otherwise Mr. Juan should have fired me by now” says the lady standing beside her.

Jiya looks at her confusingly, then looks at Juan for an answer.

“ By the way, this Mrs. Lee is my secretary.”

“Hello Ms. Jiya. Nice to meet you” Mrs. Lee greeted her .

“ Hello Mrs. Lee” Jiya is now actually confused, but she walks to the restroom and soon she freshens up and returns back to her seat.

“ Your coffee latte, Ma'am”, the hosts served her.

Jiya looks at Juan, he smiles at her and asks her to drink coffee. She understood Juan was the one who ordered a coffee latte for her.

Soon breakfast was served. Though they spoke, it seemed Juan was busy with work, he was often disturbed by Mrs. Lee while eating with Jiya. This made Jiya uncomfortable. But she knew he was just a co-passenger on board.

Soon came the announcement for landing and within minutes they landed at  Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok. As Taxing Jiya looked out  through the window ,it was raining.

“ It's raining heavily” Juan told her. Ashe faced toward him, the gap between them seemed little. He looked deep into her eyes without the blink of an eye. She too looked at him deep. Words were striking to both but their eyes spoke a lot. Someone passing by unintentionally pushed Juan , and he accidently kissed her lips. Jiya was taken back .

“ I am sorry " the passer- by passenger said .

 This brought back both of them to sense. Jiya and Juan struggled to look at each other.

“ I am sorry .” Juan  told her as they got up from the seats. Jiya just nods and takes her bag to leave without a word to Juan. As she left, Juan felt his heart beat racing. He had never had such a feeling before. He took his bag and then ran behind her but he was stopped by Mrs. Lee as their car was already waiting for them at the airport.

“ We must rush, Sir, our ride is already here” Mrs. Lee tells Juan.

“ The meeting is in an hour from now. We must rush, ”she adds.

But Juan did not hear his eyes were searching for her at the airport. He couldn’t find her, as he was covered by his team members and associates at the airport.

On the other hand, Jiya’s heart too raced but she had no time for her feelings. She hides it and walks off .

“Jiya darling”

A loud voice shouted from behind. Jiya turns back and sees her cousin robin with fresh Lilies in hand

" Beautiful flowers for my beautiful sister”, he said, hugging her.

“ Robin, thank you dear. Did you wait long” she asks?

“ Well, no sis just came, then saw you and rushed to you “ he, held her luggage.

But he saw Jiya was not listening to him but saw her looking for someone.

“Jiya, whom are you looking for” he asks.

“No one, nothing. Just look, that’s it.”

“ So let's move then”, he then walks with her to his car. Jiya turned back at times. She felt her heart heavy . While in the car again, Robin saw her upset. Just then, Robin's phone rings but he disconnects it.

“Jiya, let the bygones be bygones . Don’t think that has ended . Now you are  here with me, I  strongly say you must move on, OK”, he comforts her.

On hearing him, she bursts into tears  and cries out  loud on his shoulder for the first time after the divorce with Raj. After a while she felt  easy  and relaxed. As Robin drove she looked out and took a deep breath. Robin's phone rings again and again, but he ignores it. He seemed irritated. Jiya notices this.

"Why don't you answer the call Robin", Jiya questions him.

Robin smiled at her and put the phone into silent mode.

“ Mr. Juan,  are you OK” Mrs. Lee asks while in the car.

“I am ok "

 But Juan  was not OK, he was feeling stressed and uncomfortable. . He sat back and closed his eyes. He  only saw her as he closed his eyes.

“Will I meet her again ? When ? Where?” his mind quested.