Im Jaebeom: Collection

Begin Again

You open your eyes and peek out the window to see the Seoul skyline come into view. You stretch your limbs as a smile makes its way on your face because you're glad to be back. You have spent the past 2 weeks in London as a translator for your Manager to help close off a business deal. You were extremely stressed because this was a big deal for the company you work for and you didn't want to screw this up by messing up your translations. Luckily, everything had turned out well and now you were back home.

Home. You were originally from LA but when an opportunity arose for someone to move to the sister company in Seoul, you had gone for it without a second thought. The move was permanent but after everything that you had gone through, there was nothing keeping you in LA apart from your family, who had given you their full support. When the sister company in Seoul found out that you could speak Korean thanks to your studies in high school, they did not want anyone else to take the position but you. It was the perfect opportunity and you couldn't wait to leave mostly everything behind; but especially heartache and disappointment.

You check the time on your phone and smile as the flight attendant asks the passengers to prepare for landing and you see the photo of you and your best friend Mark. He is a few years younger than you but you guys had been next door neighbours since childhood and even attended school together. You guys were inseparable to the point where people thought you were a couple and you both just laughed it off because you were definitely more like siblings. You didn't have any siblings so when they had moved in next door, it was a blessing and you finally gained friends. 

When you had informed him of your move to Seoul, he was beside himself with worry. He didn't want you going by yourself especially due to your state; you had just gotten out of a very abusive relationship. Mark would only allow you to move if he could move with you. You had tried to get his parents to talk him out of it but since they saw you as one of their daughters, they had given Mark their full support about moving with you. He will finish the rest of his studies in Seoul and live with you while you were there. You had eventually relented and four years later, he is on his last year at uni in Seoul while you had been promoted as your company's official translator.

xxx

"I'm home!" you yell out as you walk through your apartment door and close it shut. You weren't sure if Mark was home or out with friends but when you heard rustling sounds and his infamous laugh while you were shrugging off your coat, your question was answered. You were about to walk towards the couch when you see him darting around the corner and crashes into you for a hug. You're lucky he's strong enough to hold both of your weights or you would've ended up on the floor. You can't help but laugh at his actions because you missed him too but just as you were about to hug him back, he slides down until he's kneeling in front of you and hugging you from the waist.

"Hey! What the – what are you doing?!" you ask while trying to pry him off of you. There's no use, he's too strong and he's just clinging on tighter.

"Please don't leave again! I'm starving! All I've had is ramyeon the past two weeks. The next time you leave, I think I would die from starvation!"

"Stop being dramatic!" you laugh as you keep trying to pry him off to no avail. You suddenly remember a sure fire way to get him away from you. "Markiepoo...." 

And he's gone in a flash. He had scooted so far away from you; he was almost passed the kitchen. You couldn't help but laugh at the look of disgust on his face and smirk back at him in victory. "Well, I did tell you to let go," you say with a shrug.

"Yeah, but Jesus you didn't have to bring the big guns out," he says while getting up from the floor.

"Oh, come on you big baby. Why don't you let me have a quick shower and we can go and have a coffee? To celebrate my return and you eating actual food again. Deal?"