“Where is she? We’re gonna be late!” Mandy shrieked to herself as she looked at her watch. “If she doesn’t get here in 2 minutes, I’m leaving!” Just then I walked into our room with a huge smile on my face. “Speak of the devil! Where have you been?!”
“Well good morning to you too,” I laughed. “I just had to run a quick errand. But I’m here now. So are we good to go?”
“I’ve been ready for the last half an hour.”
“Well, let’s go then. Wait, where’s your stuff?”
“um…, I gave them to one of the hotel’s employee, and He went to load up the car. I gave him your things too, so all we have to do is go now,” Mandy said quickly.

“Okay, Okay! I get the point,” I laughed out loud.
“Boy, you’re in a good mood! Did you talk to Hyun Joong by any chance?”
“Nope. Haven’t seen him at all. But I guess I can’t tell you why I’m so happy because we’re gonna be late. So come on!” I replied slyly. Mandy raised an eyebrow at me and then agreed. We quickly locked up the room and headed for the receptionist desk to hand in their keys.

As we walked into the lobby ready to leave. We greeted the guys who were also there waiting for us.
“Jeez! The one day I’m ever late, the whole world bites my head off!”
“Okay, whatever. Let’s just go,” Hyung Jun said with a yawn. He was still tired from last night, and couldn’t wait to sleep in the plane. Just as he finished, all of us  headed for our cars, which were going to take us to the airport.

“Good morning, Hyun Joong,” I greeted him with a big smile on my face. He was extremely surprised because he didn’t know what to expect from me after what he said the previous night.
“Good morning, Na!,” he gloomily replied. He didn’t know about the thing I had to tell him so he thought these were the last couple of hours we would ever see each other.
“All ready to go?” I asked cheerfully as he put his luggage in the trunk. He was really confused now.
“Is she happy she’ll never see me again? Was she leading me on all weekend?” Hyun Joong thought to himself as he stared at my face.

“Uh…yeah. We’d better hurry though,” he replied quietly. He looked like he had a lot on his mind and was about to do something he would regret.
“Na, get your slow over here!” Mandy yelled from our car. “Chill Girl!” I laughed and made Hyun Joong laugh. “Well, I guess I’d better go, before she comes here and drags me by the ear. I’ll see you in a bit.”
“I guess so,” he mumbled. “Slan.” I gave Hyun Joong a perplexed look because of the word slan, and just waved and walked away. “Took you long enough! If we miss the plane, I’m totally disowning you!” Mandy shrieked as i got in the passenger’s seat.

I turned around in my seat to see if i could see Hyun Joong through the rear window. A tear rolled down my cheek as i saw him get into the car, the one where Jung Min was driving. I wiped away the tear and we were then off to the airport to go home sweet home.

“Hello! Hello!” Jung Min greeted everyone as they arrived. There were no fans or paparazzi waiting for them at the airport since they’ve all agreed to go secretly by their private plane just to be relax before their flight, Mandy and i had arrived before everyone and we learned that our flight had been delayed for half an hour. Mandy was calm now and looked like she didn’t have a worry for the world.

“Jung Min, do you have to be so loud early in the morning?” Mandy asked as she sipped from her coffee. She had just woken up after an hour and half’s sleep she had during the car ride.
“Mandy, it’s quarter past eleven. You should be fresh as a daisy by now, it’s almost lunch time!,” he replied looking at his watch. Mandy didn’t have the energy to answer and chose to ignore Jung Min’s comment.

“Well lads, I think we should go in and give our bags, so all we gotta do is board the plane in 40 minutes,” Kyu Jong suggested. He was in a good mood too- probably because he was going to start his work again. With that, everyone went inside and we waited for our boarding call. Hyun Joong barely spoke a word and I stayed by his side the whole time. Finally ‘the call” came.

“Would all passengers on flight KA05 to Seoul please board the plane,” the intercom overhead announced. At that moment, Hyun Joong’s heart felt like it had been shot and left to drown in his blood.
“Well, I guess this is it. After this, I will see you only in my memories, unless…” Hyun Joong began softly as he turned to me.
“Unless?” I inquired, my voice shaking and my eyes filling with tears at the way he was talking.
“Unless…I…I…quit,” he whispered holding back his tears. I was getting emotional seeing Hyun Joong getting emotional.
“quit? What do you mean?” I asked searching his face for an answer.
“We could be together if I quit …….. quit being a Hallyu star,” he mumbled. The guys who were standing right there were shocked and they looked at each other’s faces in horror.

“Kim Hyun Joong! Are you crazy?” I asked as i saw the expression that arose on the faces of his friends. “You can’t do that!” I said while the tears rolled down my face and looked in to his eyes.
“But it’s the only way. I was up all night making that decision, and I really would sacrifice my career to be with you.”
“Hyun Joong, listen to yourself! People needs you., this is your life. Besides You love singing and acting.”
“But I would leave everything to be with you…I…..I….I love you,” he whispered his voice shaking completely.
“No you don’t Kim Hyun Joong. You can’t love me in just a few days,” I said trying to be realistic.

“Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do, Be strong. I got stronger because of you, now it’s your turn!” he continued, and i insisted to try and convince Hyun Joong, that he sounded foolish and that he shouldn’t quit. “We can still be together. It’ll be difficult but we could do it.”
“But…but I thought you didn’t want a long-distance relationship?” he asked while looking at me who was crying, right in my eyes.

“I know. But I thought about it, and with the help of Mandy, I’m willing to do what ever it takes,” I said with a smile. Just as i said that the intercom started again,
“Last call for all passengers on flight KA05 to Seoul. Please board the plane.”
“Na!!, you don’t know how happy you’ve just made me,” Hyun Jong said as he wiped away my tears and pulled me in a long, warm embrace.

“Hyun Joong, wait. Before i go, I have something for you,” I said, as i pulled away and reached into my purse. “Here, this is for you. It’s something to remind you of me.” he looked at me with an odd look and opened the present. When he saw what was in it he chuckled. It was a picture frame with a picture of me in it that i got done at the gift shop just before we left the resort. The funny thing though was the little caption on the frame. It said ‘The ship that will never sink is my friendship with you’ under the picture of me.

It was a cute picture of me and it had the date on the back so that Hyun Joong would never forget that day. “Thank you, it’s adorable. Just like you. I have something for you too.” I looked at him before i opened the piece of paper that he handed to me and i read what it said to myself.

If you wanna know
Tomorrow morning I have to leave
But wherever I may be
Best believe I'm thinking of you
I can't believe how much I love you

All we have is here tonight
We don't want to waste this time
Give me something to remember
Baby put your lips on mine

And I'll love you forever
Anytime that we find ourselves apart

Just close your eyes
And you'll be here with me
Just look to your heart
And that's where I'll be
If you just close your eyes
Till you're drifting away
You'll never be too far from me
If you close your eyes

When i was finished reading it, I just stared at the page for a minute and let everything sink into my brain. I had tears streaming down my face and i then looked speechlessly at Hyun Joong, “I wrote it last night. It best expresses my feelings.” “Thank you! Thank you so much! It’s beautiful. And I will do exactly that, Close my eyes when I need you near me,” I said with happiness tears in my eyes. As I said this He pulled me in a hug again and slowly kissed my forehead with all the emotion he felt for me.
then we had our foreheads pressed together and our noses touching while we both closed our eyes and cherished the moment together , we  hugged again and this time we wouldn’t let go of the embrace. Neither one of us wanted to let go. Mandy, who was also crying, had to pull me away gently, while Jung Min gave Hyun Joong a pat on the back and told him everything would be all right. However, we had difficulty pulling away, but we did it on our own this time.

Finally, everyone said bye to each other and we headed for our departure gate. Just as I was about to walk away, I heard my name in the distance. I quickly turned around and saw Hyun Joong running back to me. I didn’t know why he was doing that and i worried what it could be. I instantly ran towards him and it was just like the old romance movies. When i reached him, i just gave him a blank look.

“Na, I almost forgot! I don’t have your mobile number,” he said a bit embarrassed. I sighed in relief.
“Hyun…I…uh….don’t have a cell phone,” I replied timidly.
“Oh. Well we can fix that,” he said. “Here you go, you can have mine,” he said without hesitation as he took out his phone from his pocket and handed it to me.
“You are crazy, aren’t you?” I said in amazement at what he had just done. He didn’t reply to me and just pouted with those adorable lips of his. “Are you sure, Hyun Joong?” I was still hesitant to take the phone.
“Positive. Look on the bright side. I already know the number. I insist…so please take it.”
“Thank you Hyun Joong. But here’s my home phone number…and address, just in case,” I said as i scribbled down something on his hand.

“Thank you!! Now I will go,” he said as he gave me one of his sweetest heart melting smiles.
“Bye. Have a safe trip and I’ll speak to you soon, wish you the best.” I said as i hugged him goodbye.
“Bye, NA!” He said and With that i walked away. I was almost to the gate when i turned around and waved to him. He was still standing there and I blew him a kiss. He pretended to catch it and place it in his heart. I then waved to all of the guys until they walked off and i could see them no more. A couple tears rolled down my cheek again but i wiped them away and said, “I can do this.” I finally turned around and headed back to Mandy to go with her for our flight…