So Sweet And So Bitter

XXVI.

> Mingyu <

3 weeks later

"Oh come on" I exclaim as I force my suitcase to close, I think I put too much inside and now it won't shut. I decide to sit on it to see if it works with my weight on it and finally I manage to close it.

I have to leave in ten minutes and I still haven't taken a shower, I know my manager is going to curse at me if I don't hurry. My timetable for today and tomorrow is full so losing a flight is not an option, especially since Wonwoo is probably going to get there early and have everything ready and in order, while I'm lucky if I don't forget my passport... which I don't remember packing.

I quickly find my passport and put my other documents in my purse, I take the fastest shower of my life with cold water and go down the stairs. My manager told me to be in the car by 7 a.m., now, as I'm running down the stairs, I look at my watch and see that it's 7.03 a.m. so I should be safe?

"Thank goodness I told you 7 a.m. knowing you were going to be late" Chanyeong, my manager, tells me as I put my bags in the car and I squint my eyes at him. I'm not usually late to things, but there is something about flying that simply doesn't make me want to be on time.

We ride for half an hour before reaching the airport, my most dreaded place. There is a crowd of fans and photographers awaiting my arrival and I feel my stomach churn, mostly because I skipped breakfast this morning but also because I'll be flying, next to Wonwoo.

"Come on Mingyu" My manager encourages me so I get out of the car with my sunglasses on. I look through the windows inside of the building, seeing a tall man with a black bucket hat on and I feel my heart quicken as I recognize him.

I wonder how he's handling the place full of people and the lack of space, Jeonghan once told me he got anxious in these kind of social situations and I can't help but worry about the gravity of it. We push through the crowd and enter the airport, Mrs. Lee notices our arrival and pats Wonwoo's arm, making him turn around as we come to stand in front of them.

"Hello!" Wonwoo's manager's bubbly personality is clear in her voice as she greets us with a big smile.

"Good morning" Chanyeong answers smiling in return and I say hi just as Wonwoo speaks as well. The silence is awkward and I find myself fidgeting with my suitcase's lock but our managers fill the space with their friendly chatter.

"Wonwoo, Mingyu, go clear your passports and tickets while we get your bags checked out" Minae, my partner's manager, tells us.

"And grab something to eat, Mingyu hasn't had breakfast" Chaeyeong says handing us our company's card and pointing at a cafè. "You can sit at that cafè, there's enough time until we depart"

Minae smiles at us before leaving with my manager and our suitcases. We stand in line and then check out our tickets and passports in silence, we each do our thing before walking to the cafè without a single word uttered between us.

Wonwoo's expression is empty of emotion, no tiredness, angriness, sadness or other are shown in his expressionless face. I'd like to think that it's better this way, at least he's not rude or angry, but I wish it didn’t have to be like this.

But I blame him this time, he had every chance not to ruin things between us when we had just started to patch things up. I know I should have shown him the voicemail sooner but I was simply waiting for the right time to do it, making him hear those words after all this time could open old, healed, wounds and I didn’t want it to happen.

Now I just feel angry at him for not making an effort into trying to salvage our restoring bond and frustrated with myself because I know that even after the hurtful words I would still forgive him and go back to him at any time. A part of me is convinced that he didn't mean any of it but still I don't want myself to get more hurt, I can't let myself go through it again.