I was doomed. The plane had stopped at a remote parking lot. I still held onto hope when they said the landing was at 9:30. After all, we were departing at 10:00, and I had already notified them that we would be running. I thought there might still be a chance if we ran as soon as the doors opened. I told them we should somehow get our luggage the day after tomorrow and just head to Seoul first. Now, I really just wanted to go home.
The ramp bus arrived and stopped quickly, but it took time for the bus to fill up. And
Many people I met while running kindly pointed out the gate and let me check in first, but when I finally arrived, only airline staff remained. You must have come from Geneva. I'm sorry, but the gate is closed...
After getting off the ramp bus and running, my partner and I joked that we had been running all this time just for this day. We ran until we could taste blood in our throats, but we still missed the flight. We slumped down in front of the gate to catch our breath, listening to the staff tell us that we could find alternative flights, accommodation, and taxis somewhere nearby—we only denied it for a brief moment. Soma’s words, "We’ve really been screwed by Europe," kept swirling in my head. I couldn't believe it was true that you could not get home because of a flight delay... I bought a bottle of water from a nearby vending machine. Water prices at European airports are all the same—2.4 euros. 
I woke up to find myself in a hotel on the outskirts of Rome. I hadn't planned on coming all the way to Rome... The American-style hotel district, likely built during a time when tourism was booming, had only a few hotels remaining in operation, including this one. Since breakfast was included in the package, I went down to have a meal. Funnily enough, it was the most delicious hotel breakfast I have ever had.
Hand cream was the only moisturizer I had, so after washing up, I applied nothing but hand cream from head to toe. My clothes, socks, and underwear were exactly as they were yesterday. I was left naked, so my luggage was light. It took about 10 minutes by train from my accommodation to Trastevere. Feeling lighthearted with the mindset of "whatever happens, happens"—I just need to get home and I won't ask for anything more. The weather was nice. Perhaps it was the most enjoyable walk of my life. 
It’s been almost a week since I arrived in Seoul, but I still haven’t adjusted to the time difference. It’s not just that my day and night are reversed; I’ve literally been sleeping the whole time. I’m currently passing through the first week of November, trying to gloss over the fact that I’m still adjusting to the time difference....