Summer Child

The End of Winter

She knew this day would come, and that she would feel as if her heart was torn into pieces once more when the day come. She knew that. Had prepared herself mentally on how to get through that. However, actually experiencing it was another thing.

Despite her best intention to start the day as best as she could, she still couldn't bring herself to eat the hearty toast and eggs breakfast that her mother prepared for all of them. The toast felt like burnt paper and the eggs felt too nauseating. Even the coffee that Jeong Hyeok prepared for her tasted like ash on her tongue.

Jeong Hyeok took the brave route and plastered on a cheerful face that looked more like grimace than a smile to brave the day. Even her mother was uncharacteristically cheerful as she placed additional bacons on each of their plates. Neither was willing to call the day as it was, the day where two lovers had to say goodbye to each other with no set meeting date for their future.

However, Seri felt that her tear ducts had run dry, because she felt she couldn't cry anymore. Even when her mother called her to her room to check if she had packed everything into her suitcases, she went with dazed look on her eyes. Her mother, unsurprisingly, had packed her belongings for her, therefore she only had to swept her gaze to the room she had been living in the past 3 weeks and saw nothing left there other than the furniture and decorations prepared by her father.

No trace of her personal belonging graced the place, and definitely not a trace of her and her lover spent their nights together in the king size bed at the center of the room. She sighed. She really should get going before she broke down and the thought of boarding a plane would be too much for her sanity. Therefore, she picked up her purse that had laid unused in the past three days and went outside to say goodbye to her lover.

Once more.

~

"Open it when you're alone, my love" Jeong Hyeok whispered to her when they said their goodbye and Seri looked into the small box Jeong Hyeok put in her hand. She raised her eyebrows and Jeong Hyeok smiled sadly.

"It was your birthday present" he explained and Seri inspected the small box more closely. It was plainly wrapped and small, even smaller than the palm of her hands. "I wasn't sure if I had the right to give you birthday present at that time"

Seri was faltered, remembering the worst state they were in during that time and reached out to graze his face. She gave him time to continue.

"With everything that happened afterwards, I forgot about this, honestly" he said, then added with small smile, "However, I know that I have to give it to you. You said you don't need physical reminder of our vow, and I agree. However, it gives me peace knowing that I can give you something to remember me by during our time away from each other"

Seri felt the dam in her eyes was about to burst again, therefore she just nodded and threw herself into his arms. And he reacted instantly, closing more gap between them. They stayed like that for a while, until her mother gently tapped her shoulder and reminded them that they had to get going. Seri nodded and pulled back from the hug, before she was pulled in again for a kiss. Their last kiss, for God knew how long.

Therefore, she poured everything she felt into the kiss. All of the love, desperation, yearning, and most importantly, devotion to the man of her life. He was doing the same, and it took another gentle tap from her mother for them to separate. With a heavy breath, he released her from his hug and Jeong Hyeok turned to say his goodbye to her mother. With everything that had been going on, Seri almost forgot that her mother was also a very important person in her boyfriend's life.

She was the one who gave Jeong Hyeok the first chance to taste freedom outside of his country. She was the one who introduced them to each other. She watched with more tears in her eyes on how two people that she loved the most hug each other goodbye, and Seri was not surprised to see a ghost of tears in her mother's eyes.