Our Story

Chapter 22

Jinyoung arrived at the airport, with Jackson, an hour prior to the departure time. It was still an early morning outside. They decided to have a quick breakfast at one of the cafes inside the airport.

"As soon as you get to the hotel, Skype me, okay?" Jackson demanded, "I need to be assured you're safe."

"By the time I get there, it'll already be night here."

The waiter had brought two cappuccinos and lemon cream cakes and carefully placed them on the table, before leaving. Jinyoung got a cake first and savoured the taste.

"Whatever. Just Skype me. So that I'll be able to sleep well. I want to go there too," Jackson whined, "I've never been to Italy. Maybe, we can go somewhere like that together, one day. You, me and Wendy."

"So that I can third-wheel you?" Jinyoung shook his head and laughed. It was kind of funny that when it came to relationships, he was more of a third wheel than the one being on dates. "Wendy's going there, right?"

"To the wedding? Yes. This afternoon, she said. Wants me to accompany her. But I'm not going. Never ever."

"You're making me guilty, Jackson. Maybe, you should accompany her," Jinyoung said.

Jackson made a face which showed Jinyoung had said something stupid. "I'll just get angry, staring at that guy's face. That coward, who doesn't even want to admit to himself that he's not as straight as he claims to be. And my stupid friend here was in love with him. Or still is."

"Hey, I'm trying to move on, aren't I?" Jinyoung hoped, after the wedding, Mark would never be mentioned in the conversations. Even if he might still pop up in Jinyoung's head at times. The fact that Mark was going to be someone else's, officially and legally, was still hard to get used to.

"And you've been saying that for... what, three months?" Jackson snorted, sipping his cappuccino.

"That's why I said 'trying to', okay? It's not easy, Jackson. Have you even had any heartbreak in your life?"

Jackson raised an eyebrow. "I had a few back in highschool, alright? But it was never that difficult for me to move on."

"It was because you weren't that much in love with those people. Imagine you and Wendy-"

"Okay, enough. You made a point." Jackson lifted both of his hands in defeat, causing Jinyoung to laugh.

Jinyoung checked the time and gasped; it was only forty minutes left. "I should get going." He finished his coffee first and stood up to leave, taking his luggage.

"Wait. I'll accompany you to the check-in area."

"No, finish the snacks. I'll get going. See you in a few days, okay? I'll Skype you once I get there."

Jinyoung did not wait for any more response from Jackson and hurried away. He heard Jackson saying he had not paid for the food but just laughed and kept going.

If only leaving Korea meant leaving his memories there, too. Even if it could be only for a short period of time. Every hour passed, dragged his mood down. In a few hours, Mark was going to be someone else's husband.

Jinyoung tried to distract himself, watching a random movie. But he could only make it to the half of the movie, and finding his thoughts only centred around Mark and the wedding, he had to give up and abandon the movie.

The rest of the flight was spent, by him trying to sleep and finally falling asleep. When he woke up, the plane was already entering Italy.

The plane was going down bit by bit and the view of Italy came into sight. Jinyoung felt a surge of excitement at the thought that he was finally in Italy.

After the plane had landed at the airport and he had gone through all the processes needed there, he could finally leave the airport, by the texi sent from the hotel.

It was still afternoon in Rome. Jinyoung was both tired and thrilled, and everything he saw on the whole way to the hotel, was all foreign and so much to absorb.

He got to the hotel within about twenty minutes and after getting the key card at the reception, he went straight to his room on the fifth floor.

Once he was inside the toom, he threw himself onto the bed; it was unbelivably good to lie down again, after those thirteen hours of sitting on the plane.

After indulging himself in the warmth of the bed for several minutes, he Skyped Jackson.

"Hey," Jinyoung said, as Jackson's face came into view. "I'm inside the hotel room."

"Already? It's 10pm here. You look like shit, honestly."

"Be grateful that I kept the promise," Jinyoung retorted, fixing his messy hair a bit. Jackson was right anyway; Jinyoung looked so worn out. "It's afternoon here. I think I'll just sleep for the rest of the day. Jet lag and all that jazz."

Jackson nodded and for a moment, he looked serious. Jinyoung raised an eyebrow but Jackson just laughed and turned back to his usual cheerful self.

"Have fun there, okay? Gosh, I envy you. Bring me back some souvenirs. And take a lot of pictures."

"Sure, Mom," Jinyoung said.

"Alright, my boy, you can take a rest now. Enjoy yourself there but not too much to forget me."

"I can't promise that."

"Whatever."

Later, the video call was ended and Jinyoung took out some casual clothes from the luggage, before heading for the bathroom. Looking at himself in the bathroom mirror, he wondered if he would ever find himself again during and after this trip.