Laila was torn. On one hand, she wanted to try riding in the hot air balloon, but on the other, she was worried she might feel as uncomfortable as she did on airplanes. After all, she was someone who would rather endure long car rides than step onto a plane. She had even directed *Final Destination*, a movie that made countless people around the world share her fear of flying.
"I'll just watch you fly," she said after some hesitation, deciding it was better not to embarrass herself up there. "Besides, it's so cold today. Won't it be even colder up there? Have you fully recovered from your cold? It's better not to risk getting sick again!"
Roy was initially a bit disappointed, but when he realized she was nervous, he found it intriguing. "Laila, are you scared?"
"Who's scared? I'm just worried it'll be cold up there!" Laila widened her eyes as if he had said something absurd.
She would never admit to being afraid of a "tiny hot air balloon." The word "fear" didn't exist in her dictionary! She was a modern woman, someone who had lived two lifetimes. How could she possibly be reduced to fearing something as trivial as a hot air balloon? That was ridiculous!
But the more she tried to explain, the more her nervousness showed. If Roy had only been suspicious at first, he was now certain. Thinking about her dislike of flying, he suddenly understood. "Do you have acrophobia?"
Then he dismissed the idea himself, as they had once gone skiing together, where they had to ride a high cable car up the mountain. Back then, she hadn't shown any signs of fear of heights. She had been quite fascinated by the snowy world beneath them.
"No, you probably don't. Then why are you afraid of hot air balloons and planes? Claustrophobia? Or aviophobia?" He began wildly speculating.
Laila smacked his arm, stopping him from making random guesses. "I don't have any phobias! I just don't like flying, that's all." Though she felt a bit guilty saying it, she stubbornly denied everything.
"This isn't a plane. Hot air balloons are much safer than planes. Plus, I've prepared everything—parachutes, a heating stove. Don't you think a hot air balloon ride would be fun?"
Laila was tempted. How many people could resist such an allure? It was a hot air balloon! Something she had only ever seen on TV. She had no idea how envious she had been of those who could ride in one while watching those shows.
Seeing her hesitation, Roy seized the moment to add, "I promise we won't fly too high without your permission. How about that?"
Laila wrestled with herself for two minutes but ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of the hot air balloon, nor Roy's pleading, puppy-like eyes. "Fine, but you have to promise to listen to me up there!"
Roy smiled. "I swear."
With his command, the balloon quickly inflated, and the basket beneath it was fully revealed.
Only then did Laila realize that the basket was much larger than she had imagined? On TV, it seemed to only reach waist height, but this one came up to her shoulders when she stood inside, giving her a sense of security. The viewing experience might be slightly compromised, though. It seemed the basket was custom-made, and designed with safety in mind.
Inside the basket was a heating stove, as promised, and the unusually large basket also contained a variety of items. From what Laila could see, there were fruits, drinks, and even a bottle of red wine.
Was he planning to host a banquet in the sky?
Finally, under Roy's persistent pleas to "fly together no matter what," Laila nervously climbed into the hot air balloon.
It was impossible to imagine just how big the balloon was until it was right in front of her.
The rainbow-colored hot air balloon Roy had bought was over 20 meters tall, equivalent to a seven- or eight-story building. When fully inflated, its colors were stunning, brightening the somewhat desolate surroundings. The cold hadn't yet left Los Angeles, and there weren't many green plants around. The nearby barren hills made the balloon's vibrant colors even more striking.
Once inside the basket, perhaps to reassure her, Roy first had her put on cold-weather gear and then strapped a parachute to her back.
"I was just saying, I don't feel that scared," Laila said, feeling a bit embarrassed. It seemed like she didn't trust him, and she worried she might have hurt his feelings.
Roy hugged her reassuringly. "It's fine. Safety first. Now, I'm going to start the ascent. Don't move until I say it's okay, alright?"
At this point, Laila would treat his words as gospel. "Okay, I won't move around."
Roy signaled to his friend nearby, and with his friend's well wishes, he began the ascent.
The basket beneath their feet swayed slightly, then slowly rose as the hot air balloon lifted them into the air.
Laila had expected to feel scared, but once they were airborne, all she felt was wonder and joy. She didn't experience any discomfort, not even the unease she felt on planes. Instead, it felt like true freedom.
Thanks to the cold-weather gear, the protective equipment on her face, and the warm stove radiating heat beside her, none of the negative experiences she had imagined came to pass. Instead, it felt like she was living in a perfect fairy tale.
"It's so beautiful!" she exclaimed, stretching her neck to look into the distance. She remembered Roy's warning not to move around, or she might have leaned out of the basket in her excitement.
Roy had been closely watching her reaction. If she had shown any sign of discomfort, he would have aborted the flight, even if it meant ruining his plans. He wanted to give her a wonderful experience, not make her unhappy. Thankfully, she seemed to be enjoying herself.
As everything below grew smaller, Laila recalled the view from the top floor of her grandfather's corporate headquarters. But that experience, standing inside a room and looking out at a concrete jungle through glass, couldn't compare to this.
As the balloon rose higher, there was a slight difficulty in breathing due to the altitude, but with such an incredible view before her, who would even notice?
Roy, seeing they had reached a sufficient height, stopped the ascent and let the balloon hover in place.
"Laila," he said, taking her hand.
Laila, still immersed in the sensation of flying, turned to him excitedly. "So this is what a hot air balloon is like! Let's do this again sometime. But next time, let's pick a more beautiful location."