Eunbi took a taxi to the apartment her mother now rented as the latter was at work and couldn’t come pick her up. It would be the first time Eunbi saw where the older woman was living after the divorce and she was somewhat antsy. The address she’d been given gave no real hint either, seeing as she was pretty bad with street names and directions. At least her mother described the building for her so she was given something to look out for. The only problem, and something Eunbi noticed after a while, was that most of the high-rise buildings looked the same. Large windows, steel structure, and white-gray color. There wasn’t much difference and she found herself having to call her mother for further directions. And of course was she greeted with a voice that told her to hurry up.

“I’m about to go into a meeting so make it quick.” Eunbi was not the slightest surprised by the words and therefore hurried, telling the older that she needed more information about how to get to the apartment. The only explanation she received before the line went dead was that it lay next to an Italian restaurant. It narrowed down the search a bit and she relayed the newfound information to the taxi driver, who said he thought he knew where it might be. So with that, Eunbi kept herself on the outlook for this so-called restaurant and any high-rise building that stood beside it. This was so not how she imagined her first day back in Seoul would be like, and thus heaved a sigh of relief when she, after almost half an hour, spotted what she believed to be the right place.

After having paid, Eunbi grabbed her luggage and dragged it over to the entrance and the elevator that took her up to the eleventh floor. She was ever so thankful when the door unlocked on the first try and thereby allowed her to slip inside. Tired after the long flight, she dumped everything on the floor and searched for her bedroom. According to her mother it was supposed to be in order. Something Eunbi confirmed as soon as she stepped into the room that was hers. All the furnitures from before stood there and without further ado, she threw her worn out body on the bed and fell asleep. Several hours passed and Eunbi was still sleeping by the time her mother returned home from work that evening. But a slam of a door was more than enough for Eunbi to wake up. Slightly disorientated and tired, she rubbed her eyes and let her gaze fall upon the bedroom door as if expecting it to open. It didn’t however, and she slipped out of bed and went out to the living room where she ran into her mother. The latter told her to go clean up before they ate. Seeing no reason to argue, she did as told and headed for the bathroom, Eunbi hurried to take a shower and dress herself before she took a seat at the dinner table, which was filled with various dishes.  

“I want to see your final grades after we’ve eaten.” There was nothing to be nervous about. Yet Eunbi found herself becoming increasingly worried that her grades wouldn’t be enough. She hated that. How even though she’d grown as a person and become someone who now defended herself still felt so small in front of her own mother. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. And out of curiosity she wondered why it was so important to know of her grades. Why it mattered so much. She’d already been accepted into a University and thus did not need to worry about her high school grades.

“Why? Is there something you don’t want to show me?” Not really. No. But Eunbi would rather not show the paper since she knew how upset the older woman might get. It was not all straight A’s exactly and she knew from experience that her mother were going to question her on why she hadn’t done better. A frustrating situation to say the least and one Eunbi didn’t want to be faced with at the moment. Then again. When did her will ever get through to the older woman? Never. And neither this time either.

“I can show them. It’s not that. But don’t expect me to have all straight A’s because I don’t.” There was no reason to lie and in comparison to any other time, Eunbi stood her ground as her mother began to question why. Anger and irritation boiled within whilst the woman asked for an explanation as to why she hadn’t worked harder. First and foremost. She’d been sent to a completely new and foreign country against her will and thereby forced to do as told. Second. A new language. One Eunbi was far from fluent in when arriving. And third. Their school system was different from the one she was used to. Sure they had after school activities just like in Korea. But that’s about where the comparisons ended.

“See. This is exactly why I’m going to stay in a dormitory. You’re never satisfied by anything I do and always complaining at everything. But I’m sick and tired of it already.” The previous lack of confidence was long gone and had instead been replaced with courage. She would no longer take any crap her mother threw at her. Those days were over. The woman seemed to have other thoughts in mind though, and Eunbi left the table when the latter began to argue. She’d not come home just to be yelled at and without a care in the world, she voiced out her disapproval. Eunbi couldn’t care less of what her mother said as she headed back to her bedroom and closed the door. She decided, since she’d slept through pretty much half of the day, to go out and check the surrounding area. It was better than having to stay inside. And so Eunbi reached for her backpack and her cell phone that lay in one of the pockets.

Her hand caught onto something else besides the said device and it was with an expression of surprise that she retrieved the letter lying there. Eunbi’s name stood on the envelope and she noticed whose handwriting it was. Several thoughts popped up in her head as she realized it was Sehun who’d left the letter. How could she not have come across it in over the two years it must’ve laid there? It seemed impossible almost. Bewildered at what she was supposed to do, Eunbi let her gaze move over to the window and the dark sky above. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for whatever he’d written. It crossed her mind though, that it would probably be for the best to know. To see what it said. And with that in mind she turned it over and ripped at the lining, only to hear a clank as something landed on the floor. It wasn’t the paper that now lay on the ground, but rather a ring. Eunbi was a bit confused and reached down to pick it up. As she did, the piece of paper fell out from the envelope and landed at her feet. Having grabbed a hold of both the ring and the letter, she proceeded to take a seat on the bed.

Eunbi was crying by the time she’d finished reading everything Sehun had written. So many emotions were taking over and she sat there as tears flowed down her cheeks. The fact that she’d let herself be sent away so easily troubled her now more than ever. All the things he described, how he never wanted to let her go, how he wanted to be with her all the time, made her feel even worse. There weren’t much she could do about that now. But Eunbi needed to accept that she’d left him behind to get an education. Still. It pained her to think about Sehun. He didn’t want her to go and yet she made no attempt to fight for their relationship. The letters she’d sent him, the ones she received no reply for, was another reminder that he probably did not want to have any contact with her.

There was a knock on the door and Eunbi scrambled to her feet. Carefully, and as to not let her mother see what she was up to, did she shove the letter and ring down the pocket in her jeans. The woman knocked once more when it took too long, only to order Eunbi to step out of the bedroom so they could talk. The latter saw no other option and did as told since she didn’t want to fight.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to get out of hand.” Eunbi figured she must be dreaming because there was no way her mother could be apologizing. It made no sense whatsoever as to why the woman would change her mind all of a sudden. It’d never happened before so why now?

“I’ve come to realize that I haven’t been entirely fair towards you. I should have paid more attention to you and your needs. And I’m sorry for not doing so. But you also have to understand that I sent you to the US for your own good. Love will come again and you’ll see that there are other guys out there besides Sehun.” Why. Why did she have to do that. Why did her mother have to include the last part about Sehun? It didn’t make it easier on Eunbi, who her heel, grabbed her jacket and slipped into her shoes, before disappearing out the door. It started so well. Only to end in the worst possible way.

Eunbi realized as soon as she’d stepped outside that her jacket was unnecessary as it was still rather warm. Disregarding the thought, she headed down the street and it didn’t take long for her to get a feeling of the neighbourhood. One that was slightly louder than what she was used to. Not that it was bad or anything. Just one of many things she needed to get accustomed to. Just like she had to get accustomed to a life without Sehun. Eunbi came to the realization that it would most likely be different now when she was back in Korea again. Memories and feelings that she’d tried to bury were going to resurface. And there was nothing she could do about that. He invaded her mind once more and it grew to a crescendo where Eunbi buried her face in her palms. She couldn’t hide from it, couldn’t run away from the fact that she wanted to talk to him, to hear his voice.

So with the adrenaline rushing through her system, Eunbi reached for her phone and dialed Sehun’s number. Which she within a few seconds found out weren’t in use. He’d changed his phone number and that meant there was a high chance of Eunbi never seeing him again. The possibility was like a punch in the stomach. It was devastating to a point where she didn’t know what to do. And without thinking she dialed Luhan’s number. Her previous fear of him was gone and instead replaced by a feeling of indifference. Luhan was, believe it or not, a person who’d truly made Eunbi realize her weaknesses, and thus was a part of her change. He’d, along with Sehun, made her understand that she couldn’t keep on taking from everyone and obeying to everything.

Someone answered and she was greeted by Luhan’s voice. Well. Not so much greeted in a friendly manner for the older male wanted to know why she’d called him. They hadn’t talked in over two years so Eunbi could understand that he seemed a bit defensive. She decided pretty quickly to just tell him that she wanted to get a hold of Sehun. Laughter met her ears, as if he thought her question was funny.

“Don’t you think you’re a bit too much? You abandoned him two years ago with some bull excuse, and now you’re trying to get him back. Tough luck because he’s moved on.” Eunbi wasn’t sure as to what she’d expected for him to say, but that was definitely not it. Not feeling the need to further increase her own pain, Eunbi cancelled the phone call and tried her best to blink away the tears. He’d moved on and it seemed like there was nothing she could do about that now. Then again. How could she have expected him to simply wait? It wasn’t fair towards him and even though it hurt to admit, Eunbi understood both of the brother. Sehun for moving on and Luhan for thinking she was ridiculous.

Eunbi found it incredibly hard to fall asleep that night. Not only because she went to sleep when she returned from the airport, but also because Sehun was on her mind all the time. He’d taken over her thoughts completely. In fact. It didn’t pass a day without some sort of reminder and it certainly did not make it easier when her mother, every other minute, told her to get over him. It’s not like you’ll have time for him either how now when you’re going back to school, was something her mother would say. As if that would ease her troubled heart.

Eunbi brought most of her belongings to the dormitory the day before school started. She wanted to make sure everything was in order and by the looks of it, the room seemed fine. There was a bed, a desk and a chair, and a rather large wardrobe where she could store her clothes. It was more than alright for the money she’d spent. The room type was one of the cheapest and though it would’ve been nice to have a bigger one with both a bathroom and a small kitchen, Eunbi was satisfied.

After having put her stuff in their place, she took the opportunity to look around the campus. It became clear rather soon that the school grounds were huge. Several buildings were scattered around the area and it would be a lie of she said she wasn’t impressed. There was a quite drastic feeling to it as well in comparison to being in high school. This felt more adultlike, which was no surprise seeing as people were older. Hopefully they were going to be more mature, too. Other students were out checking the surroundings and Eunbi knew this would be an experience to remember. There was of course a hint of nervousness even though she was excited for a new school year and the life as a University student. It was normal however, to feel a bit anxious and Eunbi pushed the thought away before she directed her attention to the park she’d walked into. Green grass, tall trees, and lush and colorful flowers met her eyes and it was truly a sight to behold. It was really pretty and she moved over to take a seat on one of the benches.

Just being there was more than enough for Eunbi, who laid down and closed her eyes.

A voice in the distance made her shoot up from her seat and look around. Eager to know who’d spoken, Eunbi headed in the direction she thought the sound came from. She could have sworn the voice sounded just like Sehun. But she realized, after having wandered about the area, that it had to be her mind playing tricks on her because Sehun was nowhere to be seen. Did she miss him so much that she was hearing his voice now? Eunbi sighed and walked towards the dormitory, where she spent the next hours going through some of the books she’d bought for her classes, before she made some dinner and then went to bed.

Eunbi woke up a bit earlier than usual the following morning as she wanted to make sure that she’d be able to eat, get ready, and get to class in time. So when she arrived twenty minutes earlier than necessary, she took a seat in the library. Eunbi was excited to start a new semester and could barely contain herself when she, once the time hit half past eight, entered the classroom and sat down. More and more students arrived and took their seats, and it didn’t take long before the room was crowded. It had to be a hundred or so people sitting all around her and Eunbi found herself slightly overwhelmed at the amount of students. She wasn’t used to it. A whisper from a nearby table caught her attention just as the teacher walked in through the door. A whisper that made her heart race after she’d heard someone mention the name Sehun. It didn’t have to be her Sehun of course. But the mere mention of his name was enough to bring her some hope. The small glimmer of hope vanished a few moments later though, when the same girl said something about going out on a date with him. And just like that did Eunbi’s mood fall.

The school day ended around four pm and Eunbi headed over to the library after she’d grabbed something to eat. She knew it would be a place she’d be spending a lot of time at. Not that it bothered her. In fact. She thought it was rather cosy there and thus paid no attention to the fact that it might become somewhat of a second home. The library was a nice thing to keep her mind off of things, too. During her stay in the US, Eunbi learned that reading books was a great way to occupy herself. Several hours ticked by as she was going through everything she’d written down during the lectures, and it was already past eleven when she decided to get back to her room. Eunbi must’ve been so tired for half-way back to the dormitory did she realize she’d forgotten her bag. With a sigh and a quick roll of her eyes, she headed back to the library again.

That’s about when she saw him. He stood, along with some other people, just outside the entrance to the said library. He couldn’t have seen her though, because he did not acknowledge her. Either that, or he knew who she was but decided to simply ignore her. Eunbi wanted to bet on the former. At least that’s what her heart did. She didn’t dare think of anything else. There was a moment of uncertainty for she needed to get her backpack. At the same time she feared that if she left, he would to. Taking a deep breath, Eunbi ran inside, took the bag, and ran back down.

A tiny part of her almost wished he’d left, as she felt nervous about talking to him again. But the other part wanted nothing more than to meet him. And because of that, because of her desire to see him, Eunbi’s heart beat faster than it’d done in two years when she saw that he stood there. Sehun stood just a couple of meters away, staring directly at her. It felt like a dream to Eunbi, who couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He was even more handsome than before.

“What are you doing here?” There was an underlying feel of uncertainty, and Eunbi grew worrisome when she saw a frown upon his lips. It was never a good sign. And if that was a bad omen, Sehun’s refusal to meet her gaze, was even worse because Eunbi felt like he no longer wanted anything to do with her. That his question was nothing but a formality since they knew one another. The thought seemed to be confirmed as the seconds ticked on and she noticed his expression grow sour. Had he really not missed her?

“Why I’m here? I attend this University. My first classes were today and -” Eunbi found the information irrelevant. Instead she wanted to know why he never contacted her. Not a single phone call. Not a letter. Nothing did she receive from him in two years. Did he become so disappointed with her, over her decision to leave, that he no longer wanted anything to do with her. It was possible. But Eunbi didn’t want to believe that. Sparing no thought that he might get upset, she asked him.

“Why didn’t you call, or send me a letter? Or is it that you don’t want anything to do with me anymore? Any previous fear existed no more, for Eunbi realized they needed to talk, to sort this out.

“I put a letter in your bag before you left. But since you never answered, you didn’t call or send any letters in two years time, I thought you’d forgotten all about me.” The fact that she’d sent him letters for nearly half a year must have passed him by because he made no mention of them. Which was weird considering they were quite many. In fact. Eunbi wondered how he couldn’t remember that he’d received any letters. It didn’t make sense. On a side-note. His so-called letter went by unnoticed by Eunbi until she came back to Korea. Still. This was only one letter. She’d sent at least a hundred.

“Are you serious? I sent you two or three letters every week for half a year and you’re telling me you never got any of them? Does that even make sense?” Eunbi was getting worked up because she couldn’t understand how so many letter could have passed unnoticed by Sehun.

“Why are you getting mad at me for? I’ve already told you I never received anything. It’s not like I took care of the mail -.” He paused mid-sentence. Almost as if he remembered something all of a sudden. But whatever it was, it didn’t seem good for his frown deepened and he let out a deep sigh. It made Eunbi curious and a bit troubled. And she was right about to ask him what was wrong when her cell phone rang. The sound distracted her for a moment, and thus gave Sehun the chance to speak.

“Your mom took care of all the mail.” He stated matter-of-factly, to which Eunbi cursed. She knew exactly what her mother had done.

“This is just -. I can’t believe she would hide all those letters.” Beyond infuriated, she reached for her phone and was right about to dial when Sehun advanced and took a hold of her hand, and thereby making it impossible for Eunbi to press the keys. She looked at him, not really understanding why he’d suddenly grabbed her hand. But then she noticed it. What’d caught Sehun’s attention. The ring that lay in the letter she’d found days earlier now sat on her left ring finger.

“I can’t believe it took me two years to find it.” She didn’t know how it could’ve passed her by for so long. Her phone rang once again as they stood there and she didn’t have to look at the display to know it was her mother. The fact that she wasn’t answering must have surprised Sehun. It was understandable seeing as she’d done everything the older woman said when they all lived together. But it was different now because the tyranny was long over. Her mother could no longer control her anymore.

“Isn’t she going to be upset?” Sehun frowned, he disliked Eunbi’s mother with a passion.  

“Probably. But I don’t care.” And with that, Eunbi stuffed the phone back in her pocket before she leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. It was a bold move considering she was unsure as to how he would react. She liked it though, being this close to him again after so long time. He was slightly more hesitant. She could feel it as he raised his arms and wrapped them around her waist. Maybe he was scared, scared that she would leave again, and therefore wanted to take it slow. Eunbi realized as she stood there that he might not even feel the same anymore. His feelings for her might not even exist any longer. The thought caused her to pull back ever so slightly before she glanced up and met his eyes.

“Do you still love me?” There was no need to beat around the bush and Eunbi held her breath as she waited for his answer. An answer that came in the form of a kiss when his lips found hers. She had to grip onto his side to steady herself. Her whole body relaxed at the touch and Eunbi pressed herself closer when he deepened the kiss. It was nothing but pure bliss. Overwhelming almost, since she’d missed this. She’d missed having Sehun by her side so much that she did not want to let him go. Luckily for Eunbi, he didn’t seem to mind and she soon found herself on his bed in his dormitory.

They lay side-to-side staring up at the ceiling. Well. He was. Eunbi herself was looking at him. She didn’t mind though, that it was quiet. In fact. She thought it was rather nice. That he did not have to get into detail regarding everything that’d happened during the past two years. But despite the hardships of the past, Eunbi was nonetheless glad. Glad that she’d grown as a person and become more independent. More self-assured. The days were she was dependent on her mother was no more. And she was forever happy about that.

Sehun’s hand brushed against hers and she took the opportunity and let her hand slip into his.

“I don’t want you to ever leave me again. Promise me you won’t.” Sehun’s words were met with warmth and regret considering she’d broken the previous promise. But it was different now. Her mother was no longer an issue, and Eunbi came to realize, as she lived in the US, that he was the only person besides Ahbin who’d stood by her side. He’d always wanted the best for her and she hadn’t appreciated his efforts as much as she should have. That was in the past though, and Eunbi squeezed his hand before she spoke.

“I won’t.” She reassured him, promising that she would never leave. And as she did, the words her mother said at the airport when Eunbi was about to step on the plane to the US, made itself known. You’ll meet other boys so there’s no need to fret over Sehun, was something the older woman said. As if that would’ve eased her mind. There was a moment of irritation when she thought of the incident, before she remembered where she was and relaxed. Eunbi relished in the fact that nothing could separate them now. More importantly. No parents to get in their way.

“Good,” A smile lit on her lips when he graced his finger over the ring she was wearing.

“Because I’ll never let you.”

~~~~~~

I want to thank every one of you for reading this story, and hopefully you found it somewhat enjoyable. It’s taken me quite some time to write this, far longer than what I first imagined. Anyhow. Thank you once again for all the love you’ve given this story.

And if anyone’s interested, I’ve started a new story;; Another Star