Hiraeth | Im Youngmin

25

The sun finally went down, revealing just the moon and the stars in the night sky. Silence grew upon just Youngmin and Joo as they sat down on the grass.

"How have you been?" Youngmin asked, looking over at Joo who avoided his gaze.

"I don't know." She plainly replied while placing her chin atop of her knees.

"Hiraeth?" Youngmin whispered but enough for Joo to hear. Joo's head suddenly shot up and finally, her eyes met his. "A homesickness for a home you can't return to."

"Or never was." Joo finished off.

Youngmin looked away and started fiddling with his fingers. There wasn't much to say between the two. Both were so caught up in the moment to think of anything to bring up.

"Who was that girl?" Joo asked out of the blue. She's been keeping that question in, trying to avoid asking. Yet she still did.

"Sarang." Youngmin answered instantly. "We dated for a month."

Joo blinked a few times at Youngmin, still waiting for him to answer more about this Sarang girl he confessed to dating. He let out a sigh as a small laughter before continuing.

"Funny thing is, I never came to fully commit my feelings to her." Joo tightly grip onto the grass as her heart started to beat at an unrecognizable speed hearing those words.

Youngmin noticed and smiled while taking Joo's hand, holding it tightly and firmly. "Because I felt Hiraeth. You know?"

Joo had nothing but a confused expression plastered over her face.

Youngmin then continued. "I miss Busan so much that I decided to ask my company if I could take a small vacation here. Something didn't feel right, though." He tilted his head while looking upwards to the sky. "I started talking to Sarang and we ended up 'together' if you should say. And let me tell you. She made me feel more at home."

Now, Joo suddenly felt her heart shattering to pieces. Was it jealousy? Was it anger? Was it sadness?

"Hate to break it to you, but that didn't last long." Youngmin trailed off and chuckled.

"I suddenly felt homesick again. But I'm here...in Busan. The place where I was born. The place that is my home. His tone sounded a bit disappointed. "Yet, it doesn't feel like it."

Youngmin brought his face closer to Joo's face. His eyes never looked elsewhere and kept it right on hers.

"That's when I realized that with you by my side, I already feel at home."