What was I expecting? For him to come in through the back door like he always did, drop his back and hold open his strong arms, saying that it was all a prank, that he wasn’t actually leaving? Yes, at least that was what I was hoping for. I didn’t want him to leave. I did the math. 5,619 miles is too far away. It isn’t suppose to be like this. Him leaving wasn’t supposed to be written in our story.

“You know, if you sit here and do nothing, he’s really going to be gone,” My brother, Jinki, spoke. I sent a frown his way and resumed starring at the floor from my seated spot on the couch.

 That’s not true. He’s going to waltz in and laugh in my face for falling for such a lame joke.

“Once he steps foot on that plane, Taemin, he won’t be coming back. Minho’s leaving, what part don’t you get?” His words must have had some type of special magic to them that made me stand, slip my shoes and jacket on, and slam the door shut behind me. It wasn’t a prank. He was really leaving.

No. No, no, no. He can’t leave. He’s not allowed to leave. He’s supposed to stay with me. Love me. Be in love with me. Care for me. He can’t leave. I won’t let him.

 My legs were throbbing and they felt like jelly. The only reason that I was still able to run was because of the hope that his plane had delayed and taken longer to get to the platform. At one point, I had to opt for a taxi because the hope began to slip and fade from my mind.

He’s probably already on the plane, ready for take off… If he hasn’t taken off yet.

I threw an unknown amount of money at the cab driver and started to sprint into the airport.

Please, please, be there. He couldn’t have left yet. He couldn’t have.

I ran past terminal after terminal. The airport was larger than I expected and my shoulders were most likely all beaten and bruised from bumping into person after person. Tears were collecting in my eyes only to be up by my tear ducts and start again as fresh, new tears. I had barely any hope left; my diaphragm hurt from running too much, there was no more saliva to wet my mouth with, and my burning lungs were enough to make me want to suicide.

He’s not going to be there. He’s left already, hasn’t he.

I finally got to Terminal number 33 and bent down to rest my hands on my knees. My breaths were withered down to short excerpts of barely enough air, not enough to satisfy and water down the sharp pain in my lungs.

He’s not going to be here. I know it, already.

I smiled slightly when I realized that there was still a generous amount of people sitting down and waiting and I quickly scanned the face to find my desire one. Almost instinctively, My eyes locked on to the man with aviator sunglasses and a hat on, his hands casually holding a magazine of some sort. I sighed in relief, though it probably came out rigid and dry.

He’s here. He didn’t leave yet. He’s still mine.

 I ran with tears of joy springing out of my eyes and slowed to a stop right in front of him. He didn’t look up until I sniffled with a hiccup. He dropped the magazine in the empty seat next to him and removed his sunglasses.

“Taemin?” Minho questioned, hoisting himself up from the seat. I smiled at the sound of him saying my name and hastily fell into his surprised arms. He wrapped them around my body, creating a warm seal, and it was enough to make me break down into loud, wailing sobs.

He hadn’t left. Thank God.

“I love-I love you. I-I’m sor-sorry, Pl-lease don’t-don’t leave m-me,” I stated through a fit of cries. Honestly there was a lot more things that I wanted to say but my mind went blank and my brain refused to complicate the obvious things. His grip tightened as my sobs died down to whimpers and hiccups that shook my body. The people around us were giving awkward glances and boarding the plane.

“It’s okay, Taemin-ah. I’m not leaving. I won’t go anywhere,” He said in a hushed tone, his words filing into my ears and filling my heart with giddiness and a warm, sun-kissed feeling. I pulled away slightly so that his face was visible and blinked, the teardrops that collected on my bottom eyelash smoothing against my skin.

”Promise?” I asked. He pulled me in for a kiss, sending fire to scorch my body and enwrap me in flames. I was left breathless, no oxygen able to get in through my nose as we stayed there for as long as possible. The kiss took all the pain from my lungs and body away and replaced it with a joyous feel. My mouth no longer felt like cotton was shoved into it and I pulled away so that I could wet my dry lips.

“I promise. I love you, Taemin,” He quipped and my knees buckled, sending me to the floor. The weight of relief that washed over me took the last of my energy and I smiled as I sat on the floor. Minho crouched down in front of my and chuckled.

 Finally.