~Somewhere Down The Road~

Listen to this song while reading <3

Before leaving home, she childishly buried things that reminded her of Seungho; like the sticky notes she brought back from the dorm, the hospital mask she took from his yellow folder before the last semester ended and even the piece of contract she and Yuri made about forgetting Seungho and Minho. She could either come back to it when the time comes that they both realize they are meant for each other or just let it be buried there forever until she's completely over him. After this, she promised to herself, she should really grow up and stop believing in fairytales.

Jiyeon wasn't sure of this, but she had given herself just one last chance to settle things with Seungho. She just wanted to make sure that he's going to be fine and she's going to forget about him without any regrets before she leaves. She had said to her parents that she's only going to take a visit for her friend in a hospital in Incheon, they have no idea what's on her mind, really. The cab waited outside for her, their luggage already prepared. Jiyeon had also said goodbye to her friends, but they promised her that they will be in the airport too. Mika promised that she'd skip class together with Yuri and the others just to see her before she leaves. Jiyeon was thankful she had good friends like them. She knows she's gonna miss them all. She didn't want them to come, but they insisted. It would only make Jiyeon cry seeing her friends as she walks away from them.

Jiyeon's finally in the hospital where Seungho sent Sora. It wouldn't be a good idea to suddenly appear in front of Seungho's fiancé. But she couldn't help it. There's just something about Seungho that makes her keep on chasing after him. She knows that she might be trying to grab something that she can no longer see or feel anymore. She knows that she's getting beyond the limit, but that's her... She's Jiyeon after all, she hates giving up easily. She just doesn’t care what others think of her... All she wanted was to make sure she's not regretting anything.

Jiyeon found Sora's room, but she just stared at the door's number, thought maybe if she goes in there, she'd probably get killed. She doesn't belong here. She doesn't belong to Seungho. Her conscience keeps on saying that but she was just following her heart.

Enough already, I'm only hurting myself more. She thought again. She walks away from that door. She should probably get back before her parents decide to leave her and go ahead to America. She walks back toward the elevator, gazing down the clean white floor. The elevator opened, and Seungho was there, surprised to meet Jiyeon. 

"Jiyeon?" He mumbled her name as he gets off the elevator.  Jiyeon looks up to him, she couldn't find the words. "What are you doing here?" Seungho asked.

What was she doing there? What was the reason that she wanted to meet Seungho?

She should tell him what hurts the most. She should ask him why he left yesterday just to meet her. She should ask him if there's a meaning behind it! She should ask if he too believes in them together... 

Or is she the only one believing?

"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday... Sora is just stressed... I already explained everything to her." Good. Jiyeon thought as Seungho said that.

"Why did you leave in your engagement party?" She finally asked. It wasn't that easy, it took her a lot of courage to finally say those words. Curiosity brought her to.

"I..." Seungho began. "I was just nervous. I thought I wasn't ready to face her... I needed someone to cheer me up."

Cheer you up? So it's like I was just used by you, because you were so down that you're going to get married soon... Jiyeon thought, almost laughing emotionally. But deep inside, she felt offended too.

"And I thought of you," Seungho continued. "Because you're my little sister."

Little sister? Great. That's even worse. And I came here believing that you actually feel something for me. I came here believing that I was wrong. Sure, I was really really wrong... I shouldn't have believed. I shouldn't have assumed things then. Jiyeon thought again.

"Good... You take care of her well, oppa." Jiyeon said, smiling wryly. "I'll go ahead now... I just wanted to make sure she's fine because she fainted yesterday and that really worried me-" Seungho hugged her. Jiyeon has been wishing the man she loves would at least hug her. She wrote that once in one of her sticky notes back in her old dorm with Mika. She wished at 11:11 before; that she'd be in his arms one day. But not this way.

Not a goodbye hug.

"Let's meet again someday," Seungho whispered. "I might become one of the doctors in a hospital you'll be working at. You'll be a nurse. We'll meet again someday. Somewhere."

Nurse... Will that even happen?

"Don't forget what I taught you." He added before pulling away from the hug. Jiyeon nodding, holding back her tears. "Take care..." He said with a smile. Jiyeon smiled too.

"I will." She assured him. "Take care." Just the right timing, the elevator opened and Jiyeon was now inside with the other passengers. She gave one last smile to him before a tear came streaming down her cheek and the elevator closed.

Seungho had noticed it. Jiyeon was crying. He thought maybe she's just sad that she's leaving. She's probably gonna miss him as a big brother. After all, she said it herself... She's a fan. He will always be her idol. She never really looked at him as more than a brother. Seungho reminded himself.

But...

She was really crying. Seungho weeped. He's been holding back his tears since yesterday. He didn't want Sora to see him crying all of a sudden. But now he's really shedding tears, just right after Jiyeon went away.

They both have no idea. They were pushing each other away.

Meanwhile, Jiyeon gets back to the cab. She was wearing the sunglass her mother gave her so no one noticed she's been crying- again. For Jiyeon, it's the most awkward moment when a mother and father see you crying. She's been there, and she doesn't want that to happen again. She doesn't want to appear helpless in front of her parents. She doesn't want them to worry about her... 

So it was better if they don't know something stupid just happened. It was Jiyeon's first heartbreak. She never thought it would hurt this much. Jiyeon stared at her phone; she won’t be using it anymore when she arrives to America. She remembered what Seungho told her. They will meet again someday, and when that happens, he's a doctor and she's a nurse. Ever since she was a child, she wished of becoming a nurse. She knows though that she will be facing a lot of challenges before she officially becomes one... At least, not as hard as it is for doctors.

Maybe...

Maybe it's because he wanted to be a doctor so much... Maybe that's why I dreamed to be his wife... Jiyeon laughed at that thought. She then opened the gallery on her phone. It was time to clean everything. If she's leaving, she should remove the bad memories and leave it with good memories. So, just put the past away and move on with your life. She can't just let it choke her existence. 

"Jiyeon, can I borrow your comb?" Jiyeon's mother asked.

Jiyeon nodded her head and looked for her comb inside the bag. She grabbed a hold of the old sticky she used before.

"What's that?" Her mother asked.

"Oh, it's nothing," Jiyeon shook her head and gave the comb to her mom. She took the old sticky note and read:

Seungho oppa... If I was her, would you love me? LOL

It's been a long time since she wrote that... back on Valentine's Day.

She took it back after a few days, aware that he doesn't care.

She then reached for the pen and crossed out what she wrote on that sticky note.

Seungho oppa... If I was her, would you love me? LOL

I should really throw this away... I can't keep it with me forever. She sighed as she said on her mind.

She opened the cab's window and finally... she let go of it.

"I need to grow up, right? So goodbye... Seungho." She murmured softly.

Seungho finally made up his mind. He's going after her. He was hoping that he'll get there on time. Just leave behind the fact that he's getting engage, he can run away from it whenever he wants. Just that, he's going to hurt Sora and her parents if he does that. But seeing Jiyeon cry, it was a major pain for him. He can't just let her leave, he might regret it.

He was calling her on phone but she wasn't answering anymore, shortly it wasn't ringing. She must have turned off her phone. Seungho ran outside the hospital and hopped in a cab as he felt agitated. "Hurry, to the airport!"

His heart was racing. He told the driver to go faster but he couldn't just control the traffic. Seungho was mad.

"If you want, you can just run." The driver joked.

Seungho rolled his eyes and climbed down the cab. He ran without even paying. The driver yelled back. "Hey! You didn't pay!"

"I'll pay later! Just go back to that hospital and wait for me!!!" He screamed as he raced with the cars not even moving an inch because of the traffic. "Hey you cars! Move hurry! Move!" He cried and stopped as he was running out of breath. That's when he found Jiyeon's sticky note, lying on the surface. He noticed everything was crossed out. He could remember when he first saw that sticky note. Jiyeon threw it away. Seungho sighed.

Meanwhile, Mika and the others approached Jiyeon in the airport. They hugged her.  Jiyeon still remembered when they were complete like a family, until things happened and separated them. But now, look, they're all there for her. Her college friends. They haven't been together that long, but it already felt like years.

"I'm gonna miss you and our crush hunting," Yuri blurted. "But always remember this, we're old enough now. We should know what's right and wrong. I believe in you, Jiji." Yuri kissed her in the cheek before showing her a drawing of Seungho. Jiyeon's smile faded.

"Sorry," Mika said apologetically. "She saw it in our room and took it. I swear I told her not to!"

"It's okay," Jiyeon smiled. "Jeez, that guy is ugly." She chuckled at her drawing.

"I know right? I remember laughing at this when I first saw this. And now, you're leaving. Wow, time runs so fast... But I brought this here. You can keep it or you throw it yourself, Jiji." Yuri suggested.

"Whoa," Jiyeon mumbled. "That's a bright idea, Yuri."

"Jiyeon-ah," Yuri pouted, she was about to cry. She doesn't want her only crush hunter best friend leave her too early. "How am I gonna go to school without you?"

"Don't be silly, Yuri." Jiyeon couldn't help but cry. She hugs Yuri again. Then Mika and the rest one by one. It was time to say goodbye. She can't be late for her flight. She grabbed the drawing and turned her back on them. She still has a few minutes to think whether to throw it away or keep it so she could be motivated to draw better than Seungho's face. She waved goodbye at her friends before going in to the airport.

She took a seat with her parents and brother. Staring at her drawing, she suddenly laughed. Her brother noticed her sudden action and asked, "What are you laughing at?" and saw Jiyeon's drawing. "Whoa, that's your ugly drawing."

"Ya!" Jiyeon exclaimed. "It's my first masterpiece!"

Her brother playfully, just like what they usually do. Their parents wouldn't even understand, especially the father. He'd think his babies are fighting when actually; they were just playing around like cute couples.

"No dad, it's not like that." Jiyeon would say and smile.

Shortly, it was time for their flight. Jiyeon took one last look at her drawing before leaving it lying on the waiting chair.

Jiyeon held hands with her brother. Her thoughts flying as they were walking away.  Jiyeon thought why she's hurt. It's either she's been pushing things that are not meant to happen or she just kept on expecting as if there's no limitations. Either way, both are wrong.

Seungho scurried into the airport, his eyes dancing to the random people walking, wandering around for any sign of Jiyeon. Catching his breath, he thought he saw a girl that looked exactly like Jiyeon. But as he ran closer to her, he realized he was only hallucinating. He looked around. Everyone, everyone looks like Jiyeon every single second. He rushed to every waiting area, examining every single person sitting there. There was no one that looks like Jiyeon. Jiyeon wasn't there. He was about to give up... He fell down on his knees, gripping his hair tight.

He crumpled Jiyeon's old sticky note and threw it on the floor. Then he noticed a paper on top of the chair opposite him. He just closed his eyes...

"Who's that? Is that yours son?" A lady asked.

"No mom. I saw a girl left it there." A boy replied.

"Let me take a look," the boy gave the drawing to his mother. The mother smiled as she read what was written on it. "March 8, 2014... Park Jiyeon's first masterpiece?" Seungho caught Jiyeon's name. He quickly opened his eyes and found the mother and son laughing together.

"Look baby, isn't it cute?" The mother said. 

"It looks ugly." The boy muttered. Seungho stood up in front of them. The two stared at him in ignorance. They were foreigners so it was weird for Korean to suddenly appear before them, haggard and dirty.

The mother looked at the drawing then back to Seungho. "Oh. Is this yours?" She asked.

"Yes..." Seungho lied. The mother handed it to him with a smile. Seungho, still catching his breath, glanced down the drawing. Jiyeon's first masterpiece. He couldn't help but smile, half-heartedly. 

"You are so lucky to have someone like her." The mother spoke with sincerity. "You must be very amazing that she drew you."

Seungho looked at the lady sadly. "But... she already left. I... I haven't even told her..." Seungho cleared his throat. "That I love her..."

The mother and son stared at each other. "Well," she said. "That's sad..."

"She didn't even say goodbye..." Seungho added, now looking down. The woman and her son fell silent. They have never encountered anyone as weird as this... as brokenhearted as Seungho.

Seungho bowed respectively to them. "I'm sorry for the disturbance," and started walking away. He stopped by the glass wall and watched a plane taking off.

She drew me...

But she left it...

Is she really leaving behind the memories we had together?

I always have this fear that one day; she's going to discover that I'm not as great as she once thought I was.

She discovered it already.

Will she ever be the same when we meet again?

Park Jiyeon... Will you?

Jiyeon looked at the view of the sky by the window. "South Korea, see you soon..." She whispered, smiling.

"Remember, it might take at least five years before we can return here." Her father reminded her.

"Yes, I know... I'm gonna miss everyone, dad." She smiled. "Everything. Our house, the school, my friends."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay? I can always tell the flight attendant that you're going back." Her father joked. Jiyeon laughed, making sure it wasn't too loud to annoy the other passengers.

"No, Dad. Everything is just perfect, we're all together. Mom, you and brother. It's not about where we live anyway; it's about the people who surround me that make me feel at home. My family." Jiyeon said sweetly. "And of course my friends, I can always tell them to pack their things and meet me in Paris someday." She laughed.  Her mother heard and also smiled. Jiyeon's father squeezed his daughter's hand, proud to have her as a daughter. Jiyeon took a deep breath and let it go.

I wish he was more honest and told me that he was coming into my life but had no intentions to stay long. I could have prepared myself. I'm letting him go, because I have to accept that we're never meant to be.

What hurts the most? It's when Seungho who made me feel special yesterday, made me feel unwanted today.

The most painful goodbyes are the ones that were never said and never explained.

Somewhere down the road, our path shall cross again... Seungho promised.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

OH.MY. It ended guys. BADLY. Actually, I made this story because I fell in love with a guy who's graduating. So basically, this was supposed to be a true story. But it's not... I mean, there were parts that are true. Like how Jiyeon and Seungho first met, and all characters exist in real life except Kang Sora's role.

So since the story ended badly, I was planning to make a sequel.

At first I was planning to make this a longer story, but I decided to cut it into half. So the other half would be the sequel. So, yeah, their love story isn't finished yet.

I want to be thankful that I made this story though. This helped me think of him more and more each day, but it also made me realize that we're not meant for each other. That I just have to accept that. Things don't always go the way you want them to. I learned from my own story, from the assuming Jiyeon and to the stupid Seungho. Anyway, thanks if you're reading :)