Engagement Story

Last Kiss

December 25, 2020
10:22 am
Incheon International Airport

The halls of the airport were in chaos. It was difficult to make their way through the sea of passengers. All of the different nationalities. Some were arriving in South Korea and some were departing.

After an hour or two in the luggage claiming area, the couple was now making their way to the VIP Parking lot where Gwang Beom and Ju Meok were waiting for them. Gwang Beom will be driving his best friend back to his apartment while Ju Meok will be escorting Seri straight to the hotel.

The couple stopped in their tracks as they called Gwang Beom and Ju Meok respectively. After the calls were made, silence enveloped Seri and Jeong Hyeok. With the luggage trolley secured in his left hand, he held her right hand and intertwined it with his. Tension, longing, anguish, and sadness marred the atmosphere surrounding the lovers.

Why was fate so cruel? Couldn't they be given a happy ending just like all the other couples? Get married, have a family, love, grow old together. That was their plan. Why were they born as heirs of their own families? A stupid arranged marriage.

"I guess my Christmas wish didn't come true after all."

Seri turned her head to regard the dashing bachelor by her side. He was staring blankly ahead but she knew he is rewiring himself to be able to confront their separation. He held her hand tighter as if she might slip away. All the pent-up emotions were threatening to break free but no he cannot because if he would then he will make the separation harder for Seri.

The lovers were reeled back to reality when a handsome young man came up to them and hugged Seri.

"Gwang Beom, how was the drive coming here?"

"It was terrible. Ugh, almost every citizen in Seoul was out in the streets. I don't know what was going on but there is an unusual amount of cars in the streets today. Ju Meok should be here any minute."

When Gwang Beom broke away from the hug, he can't help but stare at the couple in front of him with pity. Being one of the few witnesses of how their great love story blossomed, Gwang Beom's heart ached for the two of them when he learned about the news of their respective engagements.

Not all stories have happy endings after all.

Sad. Beautiful. Tragic.

That is how he can describe the lovers' current predicament.

To give them a few more minutes to themselves he pulled out his phone and pretended that Ju Meok had already texted him, "Seri-ya, Jeong Hyeok, I'll go bring your bags to the cars. Ju Meok just texted me that he has already parked."

Before Gwang Beom could move, Jwong Hyeok pulled him close and whispered in his ear, "Thank you. When Ju Meok comes, please let him come here immediately with the car. I'll let them leave first."

The men shared a brotherly hugged before Gwang Beom waved and walked to Jeong Hyeok's Lincoln Navigator. He walked away with a heavy heart knowing that in a few minutes his good friends would need to part ways due to unwanted circumstances.

He stopped in his tracks when his phone rang. He pressed the answer button and said, "Yeoboseyo? Chi Su?"

---
"We'll survive this. I want to sincerely hope that we will but if not I promise that I'm gonna find you in our next life and the lives after that and I promise I would do anything to be with you."

All hell has broken loose. Seri was the first to shed a tear but when Jeong Hyeok finally did, he became inconsolable. A steady stream of tears ran down his cheeks. He feels that he failed to keep his promise of being by her side every single day.

"You came into my life like a gift. I am beyond grateful for that, Seri-ya. You will always be the love of my life and the woman with whom I want to spend the rest of my life. You will be the only person that I will ever love."

He kissed her forehead and run his fingers through her auburn locks hoping to remember every fiber of her being. He took a back a few minutes after.

Seri run her thumb across his cheek to wipe his tears away. It broke her heart seeing him like this because between the two of them he was calm and composed one but that changed when they finally need to face their tragic reality.

They both leaned in for one final kiss.

This will be their last.

They broke away from each other gasping for air. Tear stained cheeks, puffy lips and bloodshot eyes were the images that were painted on the lovers' faces.

A black Range Rover pulled up in front of them. Kim Ju Meok stepped out of the car and informed Seri that they should get going.

Stealing one last kiss from her beau, Seri ran towards the car and didn't bid him goodbye.

Ju Meok approached Jeong Hyeok and gave him a brotherly hug before he whispered in his ear, "All will be well. Trust me."

Jeong Hyeok nodded before a few words came out of him, "I hope so. Take care of Seri. Drive safe."

"I will. Take care of yourself too, cap. See you later."

Jeong Hyeok nodded and watched as Ju Meok climbed into the car. He couldn't move from where he was standing as he watched Seri disappear in forever.