till kingdom come

n. until the end of time
example: For you I’d wait till kingdom come.

: :

The flat was empty when Chorong stepped in. Shutting the door behind her and kicking her shoes off, she threw the key into a bowl on the console table on her way in, making a loud clanking sound that echoed inside the humble residence.

She made her way to the bedroom, just in case she’d find him dozing off underneath the thin sheets of their faded marigold blankets, but much to her disappointment he wasn’t there. Instead, a pile of clothes were scattered on the floor. She dug through the one million little random things in her tote in search for her phone, but a yellow Post-It note stuck on the refrigerator door in the tiny space they dared to call the kitchen caught her eyes just as she managed to find it. She walked towards it to read the messily scribbled words.

Kikwang’s down with fever so I have to fill in for him. Flying to Haneda.

Chorong clicked her tongue in frustration. But you promised. Upset, she hit the first number of her speed dial and pressed her phone to her left ear. He picked up on the second ring.

“Sorry,” ― was his first word upon answering.

“When are you coming back?” she probed, tapping her fingers on the kitchen table top.

“Tomorrow night. Flight’s at 7,”

She didn’t reply. Her eyes were flicked at the vast blue sky. She could smell the fragrance of the newly arrived spring peering inside their home through the slits of the slightly ajar windows. “But it’s such a nice day,” she pouted.

“I know, I’m sorry,” he returned. “How about this? You can ask Bomi out and spend the day with you,”

“Don't you remember? She's with Hoya in Changwon,”

“Oh right, I forgot,”

Chorong stayed silent for a while, before saying, “I hate your boss, whoever he is,”

At the other end of the line, Minhyuk let out a small laugh. “Yeah, sometimes I hate him too, but unfortunately for us he’s the one who pays my salary, so there’s nothing we can do about that,”

“You can quit and find another airline company,” she muttered.

“Maybe,” he chuckled. “But not now,” he added. “Chorong ah?”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll make it up once I come back,”

She scrunched up her nose ― a habit of hers whenever she ponders on something. Often something mischievous. “Bring back some katsudon for me,”

He laughed again, this time louder and heartier than the previous one. “Park Chorong, you can’t expect me to bring that on board,”

“But you’re the pilot. Tell them if they don’t let you do that, you won’t do your job,”

“You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

“I know, and you love me for that,” she smirked.

“Exactly,”

As the laughter died down, an eerie, heavy silence fell between them once again. Fiddling her fingers at water tap awkwardly, she let out a sigh. “Are you boarding soon?”

“In ten minutes, yes,”

“Oh,”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,”

“Tomorrow,” she repeated.

“I’m really sorry,”

“You better be,”

Minhyuk giggled a little. “Take care,”

“You too,”

“Hey, Chorong?

“Hm?”

“Wait for me,” he said in a tone so soft it almost came out as whisper.

She smiled sadly. “Of course,” she whispered back and heard the line go dead. Glancing at the empty flat, with the white curtains swaying lightly to the chilly breeze, Chorong sighed yet again before grabbing her keys and heading out to her car.

: :

Minhyuk stared at the little square box inside his locker and groaned. He had everything planned out for today, yet the phone call ruined it all.

Hearing his colleague calling his name, he stared at the box for another two seconds before slamming the locker shut, grabbing his hat on the way out.

Park Chorong, wait for me.

Lyrics excerpt from Coldplay's Till Kingdom Come