Begin Again; Choi Yeonjun

Twenty Two

"Did you pack everything you're going to need?" Haneul's mother asked as soon as she watched her daughter walking downstairs with luggage in hand.

Haneul gave her a quick smile without stopping on her tracks, placing her stuff behind the closed door.

"Yes mom, don't worry" She said, walking towards her mother and placing her hand on her shoulder with a soft smile on her lips.

"I hope so" She sighed "I'm worried about you, we won't be able to communicate as much since you'll be in a mountain"

A soft meow made her look down, finding Minki rubbing himself against Haneul's leg, making her giggle and picking him up. 

"I'll be okay mom, Yeonjun will be with me and Kai's parents will be there" She assured once more, caressing the soft furr of her cat. "I wish I could take him with me" She said, pouting.

Her mom chuckled, taking the cat and holding it in her arms. She looked at him with adoration. It had been just a couple of days but she for sure learned to love him quickly.

"I'll take good care of him" Her mom promised "And he will be waiting for you" 

Haneul smiled, petting the cat a bit more when they heard a horn on the outside.

"It must be them" Haneul said, taking a deep breath through her nose in excitement and nervousness. She turned on her heels and walked to the door, finding Yeonjun as soon as she opened it.

"Jesus Christ you scared me" He said, placing his hand on his chest to soothe his racing heart. Haneul chuckled in response.

"Sorry" She apologized, grabbing her luggage before he stopped her. She looked up and he smiled gently at her.

"I'll do it"

Haneul smiled.

"Thank you"

Yeonjun turned around and walked to the van that was waiting in front of her house, placing the luggage inside whilst Haneul said goodbye to her mother.

Wrapped in a hug, Haneul inhaled her mother's sweet scent and received a sweet kiss on top of her head. Her mother rubbed her back and as soon as they pulled back, tucked a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear.

"Please take care of yourself. Eat well, sleep well, don't be a burden for that family"

Haneul rolled her eyes and nodded, chuckling.

"I will, mom, I promise" She said, holding her mother's hand between hers. "Tell dad I said goodbye"

Haneul turned around after her mom gave her one last smile. She made her way to the van where Yeonjun waited for her to get in, smiling to each other.

"Please don't forget to use the seatbelt!" Her mother shouted from behind, making Haneul stop on her tracks and almost freeze up, processing her mother's words.

The seatbelt. Don't forget to use the seatbelt.

Her smile vanished when she got inside the van after Yeonjun, although he was the one who closed the door. He sat next to the window and she sat next to him, fastening the seatbelt around her frame. Her friends started to cheerfully greet her, snapping her back to earth.

"We are going to have so much fun!" Kai exclaimed, sitting on the row behind. Haneul smiled and nodded, but she wasn't really feeling it.

She heard the engine roaring, and the van started to move when Kai's parents introduced themselves. 

She could hear all of their voices, but she couldn't pay attention to them. She suddenly felt tense and her body stiffened. Her heart was pounding so fast it made her feel nauseous, and she could've sworn she had cold sweat running down her neck. As soon as her mother said those words and she thought about being in a car for at least three hours, she started to feel terrified.