I arranged my lamp on the side table for about the twelfth time.  Ever since he called a few days ago, I had become an obsessive clean freak, straightening everything and making sure my apartment would look perfect when he arrived.  I didn’t want him to think I had deteriorated into a slob over the past year and a half, which was a hard thing not to do after moving away from my parents.

                The doorbell rang and I nearly jumped out of my skin in surprise.  I forced myself to calm down and coolly walked to the door, pulling it open. 

                Jisoo’s face broke into a wide smile. 

                “Hey,” he greeted.

                “Hey,” I echoed shyly. 

                We stood there for a few moments, unsure of what to do.  Do we hug?  Shake hands?  High-five?

                “Come in,” I said finally, stepping aside to let him through.  He didn’t have much with him, just a duffle bag and a suitcase, which he promptly dropped in the foyer as he tugged off his shoes.

                “How was your flight?” I asked.  He walked over to the couch and collapsed onto it.

                “Tiring. 12 hours on a plane wears you out,” he sighed, draping an arm over his eyes. 

                I tucked a leg under me and sat on the other end of the sofa.  “You should rest.  Get readjusted to the time zone,” I said, trying to hide the disappointment in my voice.  Since when had I been so awkward and distant around him?  I had been so excited to hear my close friend was coming back from America, but now I didn’t know what to say to him.

                He sat up.  “Nah.  I haven’t seen you in so long; it would be a waste to spend today sleeping.”  He reached over and ruffled my hair.  I wrinkled my nose and swatted his hand away.  We both laughed, and it was starting to feel like old times again. 

                I rose and padded into the kitchen.  “Are you hungry?”  I opened a cupboard to see what I had.

                “Depends,” he replied, following me.  “Am I going to taste some of your cooking?”  He was so close behind me that I could feel his breath on my back of my neck.

                I surveyed our choices and plucked something from the top shelf.  “If by cooking you mean my high-class three minute ramen,” I answered with a smirk. 

                We caught up as we prepared and ate our dinner.  He was always the more interesting one in our pair, full of stories about his American classmates and college professors.  So much had happened to him in the time we’d been separated, but I felt like I was still stuck in my same old shell, watching him from a distance. 

                After our meal, Jisoo unpacked a few of his things and went to take a shower.  He emerged wearing a thin white t-shirt and sweatpants, his hair slightly damp and the clean scent of shampoo wafting from his body.  I swallowed hard as I watched him walk across the room.  It was almost painful, being this attracted to him.

                “Do you want to watch a movie?  I have new DVDs that haven’t been released in Korea yet,” he offered, crouching by his suitcase.  “They’re in English, though,” he added with an almost challenging look.

                I scoffed.  “Please.  English was my best class in high school.”

                He laughed as he selected a movie and put it in the player.  “Because I coached you through it.”

                “Not true!” I protested, shoving him in the shoulder as he moved to sit beside me on the floor. 

                The movie was a thriller, full of exciting action scenes and stunts.  Jisoo and I sat close as the bright light of the TV illuminated us in the darkness.  As the credits rolled, I leaned my head back against the couch and studied his profile.

                “Jisoo,” I murmured.

                “Hm?” he asked, tearing his attention away from the screen to glance at me.

                “I’m glad you’re back.  I missed you.”

                He smiled.  “I missed you too.”

                “Are you going to stay for good this time?” I couldn’t help but ask.  He was always bouncing back and forth between the country he grew up in and the country his parents grew up in.  Since our families were friends, I’d seen him during plenty of summers.  I thought that after he moved in the middle of high school that his visits would be permanent, but within three years he had gone back to the States to study.  I knew he was only planning on staying with me for two weeks but part of me remained hopeful.

                He frowned slightly.  “I have to finish university first.”

                I looked away.  “I know.  I understand.”

                There was a pause, a grand orchestra piece playing in the background.

                “Did you meet anyone over there?” I wondered nonchalantly. 

                “Not really.”

                My mind wandered to the day he left. 

                We’d already said our goodbyes, but I grabbed his arm at the last second. 

                “What’s wrong?” he asked.

                “Jisoo, I…”

                I couldn’t bring the words to my mouth, and my voice was replaced by the attendant announcing final boarding.

                I reluctantly released him.  “Never mind.  It’s not that important.”

                “Don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it,” he assured me, ruffling my hair and waving before turning away and disappearing past the gate. 

                “There was something I wanted to tell you at the airport before you left.”

                “Oh, yeah.  What was it?”

                He gazed at me, his bangs falling in front of his expectant eyes and a slight smile playing at his lips.

                “I l—”

                I jumped as the DVD returned to its menu screen after the credits, playing a composition that involved heavy percussion.

                “Ah, it’s late.  We should go to sleep.”

                He furrowed his eyebrows as I stood up.  He clasped my wrist, the soft pressure of his fingertips heating my skin. 

                “Wait, finish what you were saying.”

                “I can save it for tomorrow.  You must be really jet-lagged.”

                He let go.

                “Good night, Jisoo,” I told him, retiring to my room. 

                Once alone, I scolded myself.  Why couldn’t I just say it?  It occupied my thoughts as I brushed my teeth and got ready for bed.  I lay awake in the dark for several minutes before finally getting the resolve to spit the words out once and for all.  I wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and went to my bedroom door.

                I almost screamed when I opened it to reveal Jisoo, his hand poised to knock.  The blanket slipped off and pooled around my feet, sending goose bumps across my body.  We stood there, our gazes locked, for a beat.  Then, Jisoo crossed the threshold and kissed me, holding me close.  I eagerly returned the sentiment.

                “I love you,” I exhaled when we pulled apart. 

                He smiled.  “I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”