-So? Have you heard the news? – Sam, your best friend, asks you with a side smirk on her face while you focus on the notes you wrote during class. – He is back.
-Who? – You ask, with not much interest in your voice.
-Taeyong. He arrives today from the military service. – Sam says, and your heart jumps inside your chest just by hearing his name. You freeze, stop rolling the pen between your fingers.
-Oh. I see. How did you know that? – You ask, faking tranquility.
-His mother told mine she got a call from him. – You simply nod, still feeling Sam's gaze over you. – What are you gonna say to him?
-Welcome back? There's nothing more to say. – You say, and she rolls her eyes annoyed.
-Come on. Don't just pretend that nothing happened between you. I know he stayed 2 years away, but... You still think about him, right? – She says, leaning her back on the chair, and you jaw clenches.
-And what happened exactly? Nothing really. Good that he is back to see his family and friends. Some things changed, and others didn't. – You answer coldly, and she sighs.
Talking to you about Taeyong was difficult. Even more than any of your exes, which was funny because he isn't even an ex. Actually, he is a friend. Everybody's friend. Taeyong is the kind of guy with a perfect mix of fun, responsibility and charm, and a lot of people have noticed that. Especially girls. However, Taeyong didn't pay much attention to them.
Most of the time he used to spend with you, and at some point, your gazes at each other changed. The small touches you used to share were becoming more tender. Smiles and blushed cheeks were a common thing. But... Nothing more. You hoped that he would say something, that he would make the first move, but the time passed by, and you thought that he maybe didn't feel the same. Maybe he wasn't sure of what he felt. Maybe he didn't want to ruin the friendship. And it only got worse when that time finally came.
-I'm going to enlist. – He said with a straight face, and you stopped stirring the coffee in your hand.
-Ugh? Already? Don't you still have a few years until you must do it obligatory? – You ask, and he shrugs.
-Yeah, I do, but I thought, why postpone it if I will have to do it anyway? Also, I think it's better to do it now that my mom is still healthy. I don't want to be away and take the risk of not being here to help her if her health decreases.
You couldn't say anything about it, after all, you are just a friend. It's his decision. The decision to be away for 2 years.
You know that day would come, but that being so soon caught you by surprise. You looked at him while your throat hurt from holding back tears. He was wearing his uniform when he went to the airport. He said goodbye to his family while you waited there feeling like a fool. Not a fool because he was leaving, but a fool because it was his mom to invite you to that moment.
He was distant. Barely meeting your eyes with his. He seemed nervous, and his eyes were watery. You wanted to burst into tears while throwing yourself in his arms, screaming everything hidden in your chest. That you loved him. That you would wait for him. Even if it was 2 years. Even if it was 3, or 4, or 10. But you bit your lips. You stayed silent, just watching him check the big screen, looking for his flight.
When the time of leaving came, he finally looked at you in the eyes. His mouth opened for a moment, but closed right after, without a word. You wondered what those words were that he preferred not to say, but it stayed a mystery. His lips curved into a weak smile, and only one thing made it to escape from his mouth.
