| romantic universe |

 

 

"Chen! Chen!" Yumi yelled waving her hands in the air. Eagerly awaiting her best friend to appear out of his house on a Saturday evening. He exited out in a rush with his blue sweater on. Holding a few snacks in hand. Ones that Chen knew Yumi loved to munch on. Lay's Sour Cream chips and pretzels.

He run down the steps of his house over to Yumi who was on the side walk awaiting. "Finally you took soooo long" Yumi huffed. "Not even that was barely a few seconds" Chen chuckled. "Really it felt like 20 minutes" Yumi pouted. Chen ruffed the base of her long black hair.

"Always impatient" She glared at him not amused by his actions. He knew that Yumi didn't like it when people messed with her hair. "Chen what did I tell you, don't touch my hair. God do you know how long it took to straighten it" Yumi patted her hair down where he ruined it. 

Chen looked at the sky, it was getting late. "We should hurry before our spot gets taken" He told her as she was still fixing his mess. Not wanting to waste more time. He took her hand and ran down the street without a care of whether she was mad at him for his sudden move. Yumi would be more mad about having their spot taken away than Chen pulling her along like a dog on a leash.

Finally reaching the grassy area along the long Han River on a cold fall night. The two friends found their usual spot, empty awaiting for their taking. Yumi sat tugging at Chen's sweater for him to sit next to her. He handed her the snacks meant for them to share together. Yumi laid herself out on the grass not caring for the coldness of the ground. Or her hair anymore. The sky was darkening as the lights of the nearby bridge lit up. The stars in the sky illuminated. Reflecting in Yumi and Chen's eyes.

The sound of cars honking and people on their phones were fading away. Nothing but the two friends and the stars that were blanketing them was now their world. Chen enjoyed the nights they would spend doing this. Especially since Yumi enjoyed this the most, making a smile grace her small lips. Curving upwards at the wondrous beauty above.

Turning his head to her, her face was now reflecting in his eyes. In the same effect a smile sneaked up on his lips. "What are you staring at" She chuckled not moving her eyes from above. "Nothing" His smile stayed as he switch back to the sky. Enjoying the comfortable silence. A thought occurred to Chen. "Do you ever miss Japan" Yumi breathed in. Making Chen wonder if she really did but it was quite the opposite. "Not really, its not that I don't love my home country. I just barely remember it. Plus..." She trailed off. Chen almost lifted his head to check if she was alright when he felt her head on his chest.

Chen's heartbeat started to race at the sudden closeness. It wasn't the first time she had hugged him yet he was flushed. Chen doesn't easily get flushed so this made him wonder if he drank to many Monsters before he left the house. "I have you, Jongdae" She spoke into his chest. Taking a whiff of his scent that was her sweet serenity.

If he wasn't there for her she would be all alone. Yumi was grateful for Chen. He made her at home in Korea. She tightened her arms around him. She was going to miss him. She hasn't told him yet that she was leaving soon. "Jongdae" was all Chen uttered at the unfamiliar sound of his name. He wasn't used to hearing her say his real name. He wasn't exactly fond of his real name. That is until he heard his name slip from her lips. For the first time he liked the way it sounded. "Sorry I know you don't..." Chen cut her off "No its alright" he patted her head. It's fine as long as it's you. That's what he wanted to say. He ended up not saying anything after that.

Chen felt Yumi shivering as she was still laying on him. The night had grown colder near the river. Chen ped his sweater and placed it around her and him like a blanket. Yumi sighed. After being in a comfortable silence she spoke.

"What do you wanna be when you grow up ChenChen?" Chen hadn't thought about that much because it was clear when he was about 11 years old. When he sung for his mother when she was on the bed rest during her second pregrency with his younger brother.

His mom would tell him his brother would kick hearing his brother's sweet voice. Ever since then he wanted to be a singer. It didn't matter for what, he wanted to be a singer for the rest of his life. "A singer" Yumi could hear a smile in his voice. "What about you?" He already knew the answer. "An astrouant" She couldn't stop her excitement from appearing in her voice. It was obvious from her love of the stars. She didn't know why but once she heard the names of the planets like Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter. She grew a fascination for them. They were beautiful names she would never forget. She also thought about one day naming one of her children after them. Or even naming a planet she discovered after her children's name. She couldn't wait to become an explorer. Tell stories about what she saw to others.

"Of course" Yumi laughed at Chen's words. Yumi poked Chen. Causing him to poke her back. Resulting in them having a tickle fight. Yumi couldn't stop laughing when he tickled her weak spots which were her sides. Yumi did the same to Chen. He hated being tickled in his under arms. Chen throw out curse words as he was being attacked. "Okay okay" He surrendered to his friend. Holding up his hands while still covering his under arms with his arms tightly together at his sides. Laughing hard at his surrender, tears almost fell from her eyes. Real tears. Sad tears. Yumi really didn't want to go. Back to Japan.

She promised herself that she would tell him today. It was her last chance before tomorrow comes. Every time it would cross her mind she was hesitant to say it. Would he be mad, sad, tell her to leave and never come back. Those thoughts all crossed her mind. The most important of all was the one that she kept hidden from him all this time. That the universe was him. Kim Jongdae was her wondrous beautiful universe that reflected in her eyes.

Chen noticed Yumi's strange transition from her joyous laugh to a blank face. She was thinking but of what? "Yumi, are you okay? Did I hurt you? Do you wanna go home?" He asked her, concern across his face. He held her shoulders. She shook her head. Shifting her eyes up at his worried ones. "Chen..." She started with a quiet voice. "I'm leaving" Her voice still quiet to the point that Chen still couldn't hear her. "What?" His eyebrows knitting together. "Chen I'm leaving back to Japan" She confessed, her head hung down.

Chen didn't utter anything. He just got up from his spot next to Yumi. Walking away he stopped mid way looking back at her. "Let's go home" was all he said to her since what she said. They walked home together silently with her only a few steps away from Chen. Once they got to the front of his house. She stopped. Waiting for him to say something. "Why didn't you tell me" His eyes didn't meet hers. "I didn't know how to" She whispered. "I could've..." he trailed off.

Chen was stuck in a bunch of could've should've would've. Could've enjoyed the days we had left together. Should've told you I was into you. Would've made you my girlfriend and never let you go.  "You could've what?" She questioned him, leaning over to see his face. "Nothing" He shook his head. He walked towards the door without turning back. "Chen please forgive me" Yumi spoke out. "I don't want to leave like this" He closed the door cutting her off.

Not listening anymore. Yumi was left outside drowning in her regrets. She was afraid of this all along. He was upset and this was the last night. She didn't even get the chance to tell him the other part.  That she belonged to him with or without distance. Realizing that she won't get a chance to say goodbye she walked down further to her house. Finishing up her packing for Japan.

Chen couldn't say to stay because it was no use. He couldn't say that he liked Yumi more than a friend because she was leaving. There was no use for any of it.  He had to let go.

Reaching a new day. Yumi was done packing, setting up for her flight. She wished to see Chen. Hoping that he would still see her off. He didn't show up. "Yumi?" Her parents called to her as she stared at the house that was not too far from hers. "Hold on I need to do something" She said when she ran over to the mailbox in front of his house. Placing a small envelope inside. It held everything she couldn't say within it. Yumi closed it, hurrily going into the car to leave to the airport.

Chen stretched when he woke from his sleep. Realizing by the light in the room that it was mid day. Chen quickly tried to get out of his bed sheets that were trapping him. He was going to say goodbye to Yumi that morning of her departure because after everything she was still his best friend. He cared about her and loved her. Hoping that she was still there. He raced down the stairs and out the door with his messy bedhead, still dressed in pajamas. He ran over to her house knocking on the door, ringing the door bell. No response.

Looking up at the day sky. He searched for an airplane. Any one just so he can think it's her and he can say goodbye for now. Instead he saw a falling star in pure daylight.

Chen entered his house that was once full of commotion now dead silent upon his arrival. "Jongdae" His mom chocked out. Her eyes glistening in the sun bathed room. Her eyes shifted to the TV in the living room that was on full blast. That he didn't notice.

"Breaking News: Flight 412 from Seoul to Japan has crashed. There was no surivors from this crash. Although there is no report on what caused the crash. Investigatiors are looking for what might've caused this tragic occurrence"

No.

Chen fell to the ground, blank. A ringing sound reached his ears. His mother ran over to him holding her children in her arms. He couldn't let himself cry. The dryness in his throat. The burning tears that were overflowing his eyes. He couldn't but he did. She was gone forever. He can never get her back.

He fell apart by the thought. He yelled out that his veins were popping out around his forehead and throat. He gripped onto his mom's shoulder tightly. He clenched his shirt where his heart would be. Hitting his chest in an effort to beat out the pain within him. Chen hadn't cried since he was 5 years old when he scraped his knee. This would be the first time since then. The pain was drastically different. It was unbearable. It wouldn't  be healed with a band aid and quick kiss. She was gone.

His universe disappeared.