I dug the tip of my shoe into the dirt and looked around uneasily. 

                Maybe this was a bad idea, I thought.  Maybe I should just leave quietly.  Maybe—

                “Hey Shorty,” a voice said suddenly, interrupting my thoughts with a finger flick to my forehead. 

                “Mingyu!” I yelled, smacking him in the chest like I’d done a million times before.  I rubbed the sore spot on my head and frowned up at him in annoyance. 

                He only smirked. “So, what did you call me out here for?”

                I lowered my hand, the sick feeling in my stomach returning. 

                “I, uh…”  Last night I had thought about all the things I wanted to say to him, but those words felt lost and empty now. 

                He leaned in.  “Huh?  I can’t hear you.  Speak louder!”

                I stumbled away from him.  Oh, god, I’m acting so weird.  “I’m going abroad,” I managed to mumble.

                He wrinkled his nose.  “What?”

                “I’m going abroad!” I said louder, frustrated. 

                Mingyu blinked a few times before breaking out into a grin.  “Whoa, that’s great!” he exclaimed, patting me on the shoulder.  “Good for you!  Maybe you’ll meet a cool foreign guy.”

                This was not going well, but then again, what was I expecting?  I suddenly felt so stupid, so naïve for thinking that he might miss me.

                The tears started before I even realized I wanted to cry.  Mingyu’s chatter faded out.

                “Why are you crying?” he asked.

                “Because you’re an idiot.”

                “Wow, that’s real nice of you, Shorty.”

                “See!  There you go, cracking jokes again and calling me that.  I can’t even remember the last time you actually said my name.”  The tears were really pouring now, but I couldn’t stop.  “You want to know why I called you out today?  It’s because I like you and a few days from now I’ll be halfway around the world.  But you’re just standing here telling me to have fun and meet a foreign guy!”

                He stared at me as I clenched my teeth, trying not to let the humiliating sobs escape. 

                “Forget it,” I said, wiping some tears away with my sleeve.  “Goodbye, Mingyu.”

                I walked away and he didn’t follow me. 

-x-

                I wheeled my suitcase up to the gate and turned to face my friends.  I hugged each of them and tried to keep my happy face on as they told me to keep in touch.

                “I told Mingyu that you were leaving today, but I guess he couldn’t come,” my best friend said apologetically.

                I shook my head.  “No, it’s okay.  I already told him everything I needed to.”

                The group bid me goodbye for the last time and walked back the way they came.

                “Ready?” my parents asked me.

                I pressed my lips together.  Part of me was still hoping, still waiting.

                “You guys go ahead.  I’ll be there in a minute,” I told them.  They nodded and left me standing there.

                I waited again, the same way I waited for him under that tree at school.  Over the loudspeaker, they called for final boarding of my flight.  With a sigh, I turned back towards the gate.

                Suddenly, a voice shouted my name.

                I looked over my shoulder to see Mingyu running towards me, out of breath and flustered.  He had a determined look in his eye as he drew closer and reached out a hand.

                In one swift movement, he grabbed me, pulled me closer, and pressed his lips to mine. 

                Our eyes met as we pulled apart.  A telltale smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth and he flicked my forehead.  My hand instinctively came up to hit him, but he caught my wrist.

                “If you ever start to think about another guy, remember that.”

                “The kiss or the flick on the forehead?” I asked him with a smile that meant I forgave him. 

                He released my hand and pecked me where he’d inflicted pain so many times.

                “Both, Shorty.”