I twirled the pen in my hand while still looking down at my phone. The notification screen hasn’t lit up since I came into work which makes me more anxious. I sighed before looking back up my computer screen before my mind wandered off to the times where I didn’t always have to wait for the screen to light up.

“Amber!” I looked over to the girl I was waiting to show up. She didn’t even let me respond as she leaped into my arms, “I missed you!”

I smiled knowing that she missed me too. Without hesitance, I leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips. It was simple and tender, “Hop on.” I could feel her gentle touch as she used my shoulders for support as she got onto my moped. It was a bit cold so she leaned into me as if to the heat from my body with her arms securely around my waist. It was times like these that I didn’t wish I lived so close. I loved how her body leaned against mine and her head rested on my back. However, it was a quick ride to my dorm and she let go.

As we rode the elevator up, I looked down at her hand before taking it into mine. She looked at me with those caring eyes saying, ‘I wanted that too.’

*Beep Beep*

I looked down to my phone to see a message. The butterflies in my stomach started to turn as I anticipated it to be from her. I quickly opened the screen but was filled with utter disappointment when I saw it was just a notification from the school. Stupid school notifications. Taking matters into my own hand, I decided to take the initiative.

My Love:

“Work is boring. I wish you were here.”

It was simple but it was an honest message. I continued to stare at the phone but nothing appeared. Another heavy sigh came out of my mouth as I knew this would probably be the result of my effort. I made a resolve that staring at my phone will only make the day go by slower, I busied myself with work.

The winter weather made my ears burn red as I rode my moped from the city center back to campus. It was about a thirty minute ride which created a lot of time for me to think. Think about why she won’t message me back or why we have such a bad communication problem. Of course there were the obvious obstacles such as we were both in school and both had part-time jobs. I mean I tutored in English and she was doing an internship but a simple message shouldn’t be too hard to send right?

I don’t know what came across my head when I decided on taking a global adventure. Maybe I wanted to get closer to my heritage or something like that but going half-way across the world might have been pushing it. If I think about it, this is really stupid to go to a country I don’t even know the language just to study my nationality. Yet here I am, Amber the lone American studying Korean Culture at Seoul University with no knowledge of Korean.

I was into my first month already and homesickness was creeping into my skin. Sure, Korea has its charms but it was the small things that would make me anxious or irritated. Like, having no idea what people are talking about or going to the store and not able to ask for assistance were just a few of my problems. Not to mention the amount of ‘fake’ friends I had. They were the people who wanted to be close just to improve on their English. How was I to tell the fakes from the real?

Then it happened...I found my fellow American! I was a glorious day because she not only knew English, but knew Korean. I must admit that our friendship was at first out of desperation. I was desperate to have someone along to translate things for me, but as any relationship, there is growth. We kind of took a seed that was supposed to grow into a flower but instead grew even more and turned into a tree. Meaning, we went past the friend stage and became lovers. Silly and random texts turned into sincere and longing messages. I grew accustomed to having her message me every day at every hour but it is when you get used to something, that you are more likely to be disappointed when that habit breaks.

I looked up towards her dorm room. The lights were black. I knew they would be yet I drove that little extra bit just to see if she was there or not. I am guessing she is at work or something but I wish she would just tell me that.

“Amber?” I looked over and there she was, best timing ever! “Why are you here at this time?”

“I got off work.”

She smiled which made me think that my hopeless worrying was all for not, “Come on up. It is cold.”

I quickly parked my moped before running into the building after her. We were in the elevator when I looked at her hand, but I wondered if it would be okay to take it. Too late...we arrived so I walked out with her hand not in mine.

After unlocking the door, we both entered her room. She looked around as if to see if her roommate was around but I already saw the dark lights and knew it would just be us two. “I think my roommate is out.”

I smiled brightly thinking this is the best opportunity to have her all to myself so I didn’t waste time. I held her by the waist and tilted my head to meet those lips I missed for the past 3 days. She gasped a bit but her hands went to my neck and we pressed harder. In the doorway we commenced a short but heated make out session before I let go and looked into her eyes, “I said I missed you.”

She leaned in and gave me a peck on the lips, “I did too. Why are we both so busy?”

I took my hand and cleared the strand of hair from her eye, “We just have to try harder.”

She took my hand and leaned into it, “What if we have been trying our hardest already?”

It pained my heart thinking that the days without her could increase if this was the result of our efforts already. I really didn’t want to think about it. I knew her roommate would come back so I wasn’t going to waste time on a future we couldn’t control.

I led her to the bed and we both cuddled up together. She was in my arms and that was all I wanted to have for today. She shifted so she was facing me, “You know graduation is coming after this semester.”

I knew. I didn’t know what that meant either, “What are you thinking about?”

“Are you going back to the states?”

It was a question I didn’t know either. I knew she was to stay here with her family. Except, I had a visa that would be expiring and family back in the states that were eager for me to return. By return, I mean to live a life there. They had a fear of me coming to Korea and staying in Korea for good, and that possibility looked more real after being in a relationship with her for 2 years. However, is a two year relationship something I would sacrifice for the future I had planned in the US?

“I haven’t booked tickets if that is what you are asking.”

She cuddled even further into my chest, “Do you think we were stupid for going into a relationship when I knew you would leave?”

I kissed her forehead, “Love is never stupid.”

“Hurting ourselves on purpose is stupid. We both should have known our feelings would grow and then we would break.”

“Isn’t that how love works? No one knows going into a relationship if it lasts or not.”

She flipped so she was on top of me, “I don’t want to talk anymore.” I saw the glint in her eyes and knew that she was looking for something more intimate for our time together. I guess talking could be done at a later time.

“How are you and your girlfriend doing?”

I looked over to my best friend, “I am not sure anymore. Krystal, she is like hot and cold with me these days.”

My friend sighed, “How many days this time?”

“Two weeks.”

“But she messages you right?”

I looked down to my phone, “Yes. She does but I want to see her, not look at our relationship through the phone.”

“Why did she stop seeing you?”

“She says the internship is finishing so she is busy.”

My friend when to pat my shoulder as I was slumped in defeat, “I hope she doesn’t make you wait too long since you will be leaving.” Then my friend slapped me on the back, “Which I am still angry for you doing that too!”

“Victoria! That hurt! And I have to go back. At least for my visa I have to go back.”

“Then why won’t she see you? What is her problem?”

“I came to see you to ask you that same question.”

My friend leaned back in her chair, “I guess you just have to wait. It is up to her if she wants to meet or not.”

I rolled back my eyes in contemplation, “I just want to see her...”

“I know buddy. I know.”

Here we were again. In my room alone. It had been nearly three weeks and she said we would meet. Really nothing out of the ordinary happened. She kissed me and I kissed her. She laid in my arms and I held her tightly. Are we really in a relationship where the distance apart doesn’t hurt our relationship? I really don’t know because I was hurt when she wasn’t around. I longed every day to have her but did she long for me?  I really can’t tell as she makes our time together like all the other times.

“Krystal...can we talk?”

She looked up at me with those eyes I loved, “Sure. What is it?”

“You know I am leaving in a little over a month...can you spend it with me?”

She sighed....sighing is never good, “We have exams in less than a month. I know you are leaving and I really hate that but we can’t always see each other with the exams.”

“I see...”

She leaned over to hug me tightly, “Don’t worry about it. We can make time go by slowly so the time we have together lasts longer each time we meet.”

My cheeks were burning with her caring words. “Okay.” And we did just that, we made time go by slowly in each other’s arms.

A flower was pushed into my hands, “Congrats!”

I smiled looking at the beautiful flower, “Thanks Victoria!” I gave my friend a tight hug.

“I will miss you so much. You have to come back.” She said sternly.

“Or you could just visit me instead?”

“Or you could just come back like I suggested?” I laughed at my friend’s foolishness until the laughing subsided upon the arrival of my favorite person.

“What is so funny?”

“Oh thank god you are here Krys. You need to convince your girlfriend to at least visit sometime after leaving.”

I saw my beloved look me into the eyes, “I couldn’t even convince her to stay so it is up to her to visit or not.”

I frowned thinking back to how she tried to “convince” me to stay. It was more like a suggestion than a demand from her. “I will do my best,” was all I could promise them. I would do much more if Krystal did or said something that convinced me enough to say she wanted me to stay. Yet she was not the type of person to beg or demand things like that. Something I wish she would do though.

With my parents flying out to see my graduation, I didn’t spend my last days with her. Instead we are here at the airport. Our last meeting. “Arrive safely.”

I smiled before pulling her into a hug, “Take care of yourself while I am gone.”

She leaned into my hug, “Same to you.”

I pulled away and kissed her on the cheek, “I love you.”

She smiled at me before giving me a peck on the lips, “Me too.”

I let go before looking back at her several times. She was to be engraved in my mind as this was our last encounter before traveling a long distance from her. She just smiled and waved for that was all she could do as I was departing.

Distance may be separating us now and the reality looks bleak with a world between us, but one thing is certain. I will be waiting. Will you be waiting for me too?

~END~

Author's Note

Like I said, I will add a chapter if you express that you want one. Sorry it took long to update. So many things came up after posting that description.