Departure ♥♥

“I can’t believe were leaving in a few hours!” my older cousin blurted out as we finished packing our bags.
“I know, I wonder if anything changed?” I replied to her with a puzzled look on my face. She just gave me her
sarcastic look and said “Of course it changed! What do you expect after ten years of not living there!” It was
a rhetorical question but as always she had to answer. “Yah, unnie! You don’t have to be so blunt.” I giggled
as I reached for a shirt and threw it at her face. She smirked at me and continued packing.

I hate to say it but unnie is right of course a lot has changed since we lived in Korea. Back then we were just l
ittle kids with dreams that are bigger than any horizon. To be honest though, I hope not everything changed,
especially my childhood friends. My best friend. Thinking about it I haven’t kept in contact with them as much
as I wanted to since all of us went our separate ways. Some had written to me but we were so little that it was
hard to maintain such a long friendship. But to those who wrote to me I kept their letter and looked back to
them every now and then. We all have been so busy but I hope they still remember me.

“Yah! Would you write to me if I gave you my address?” I asked holding a piece of paper behind me. “Nope!” he
replied and walked away from me. Tugging on his shirt, “Yah! Yah! Why not? I thought I was your best friend?”
I pouted begging for him to answer me. “Haha, I was just kidding raindrop! Of course I will but only if I have
money okay?” he answered with a smile as I handed him the piece of paper with my address on it. “Arraseo,
you better wash all the dishes your mom asks you to do!” I .

*THUMP* A pillow just landed on my face! “Yah, ouch! What was that for?” I said as I rubbed my forehead.
“Well missy, I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes but you won’t budge! Plus your
starting to drool.” She teased. I quickly wiped my face “Aish there’s no drool! Ahh unnie,  you ruined my
flashback moment!” I joked. “You don’t have to do anymore flash backs. You’ll see him soon.” She raised an
eyebrow. “Ahh dongsaeng before I forget, we have some time to kill before we head to the airport you should
rest.” I nod, as I finished packing my hand carry. Crawling on my bed I can’t help but reminisce about my 
childhood. Maybe because I’m coming back home after so long and it feels the same as before when I left for
Canada and I only had a couple of hours left. Or maybe I’m anxious to see him again. I can’t help but question
if my old friends would remember me? If they would talk to me? Treat me differently? Or would he…

Would he? Remember… 

Remember me? 

His promise…our promise? 

“Promise?” I held out my pinky, “Promise!” he latched his pinky on to mine and gave me his award winning smile.
“Well then you better remember!” He reminded me. “I will, so you agree when we’re old enough and you don’t
have anyone you’ll be my girlfriend!” he giggles “Neh, arraseo! You know we should really get this in writing. Ahh!
We can ask unnie, since she wants to be a lawyer.” I said to him, suddenly remembering about what unnie keeps
on rambling about. “We should but your leaving in a couple of hours, we won’t have enough time.” He replied with
a disappointed look. “It’s okay, don’t worry I’ll just keep it locked in my heart!” I placed my right hand on my chest
in assurance. We were both quiet for a while; I can’t help but let a tear escape my eye. “Raindrop, why are you 
crying?” I sniffled and answered. “I’m scared, I’m gonna be all alone there. Even with unnie around I’ll still feel
lonely I won’t have you or our friends to hang out with. No one will sing and play guitar for me when I can’t sleep
or pretend to dance with me…” I started to wipe my tears but he took my hand and wiped them for me. “I know I’m
sad you’re leaving but we’ll see each other again right?” He smiled at me. “Neh! Keep your promise to reach your
dream and I’ll work hard to reach mine! I’ll cheer for you from the other side of the world!” It was time of me to
leave and as we said our goodbyes he stared to tear up. All I could do is hug him. I pulled away and he kissed me,
my first kiss.  I touched my lips as he said “Don’t forget Jorenne!” I smiled “I won’t! I’ll come back, I promise!” 

“Time to go!” My umma yells across the house. Waking me from yet another flashback moment then followed by a 
sudden knock on my door from umma asking me, “Are you ready to go?” I nodded and picked up my bags. 

At the airport, we had our very emotional and dramatic goodbyes. “Umma take care of yourself and appa! I’ll miss
you both so much! Learn to skype so you can still lecture me digitally!” I joked around to keep us from shedding
more tears. “My princess, take care of yourself and show them how talented you are!” Appa told me as he wrapped
me in his burrito hugs. “Neh, appa I’ll make you proud!” 

Getting on the plane I know it’s going to be a long flight so might as well visit Lala Land  for a couple of hours. The
last thing I remember before shutting my eyes was the sight of my unnie holding my hand as the plane start to
ascend in to the sky. I suddenly woke up to some announcements about the plane landing in ten minutes. “Seriously 
ten minutes? Did I really sleep that long?”  I scratched my neck as unnie chuckled, “Yah! Haha you really did sleep 
that long, and you were snoring too!”