Chapter 56

“You’re so ugly when you cry, it’s beautiful – Raindrops”

“I still don’t know why you have to leave all of us just ‘cos of this guy,” Jae scowled

“No Jae-nyan, I’m not leaving because of him. Time for me to start college, remember?”

With special permission, they were all at the VIP lounge, sending Momo off finally.

The stewardess in charge have called upon Momo for boarding twice already, yet the boys stalled for as long as they could.

Momo has already said her goodbyes with Manager, Cordi and Baby Choi, and found Jae first in line for the final hug.

“Yeah well, I still don’t understand why you can’t just study here in Seoul?” Jae reluctantly agreed, yet his scowl remained. “Make sure you study hard now, y’hear?”

“Will do. I’ll make you all proud.”

“I’m sure you will.”

Jae bent down at 45 degree to finally give his petite cordi a hug.

Visions of them sitting at the kitchen table going through her contract all those months ago, of Jae’s surprise look at her being angry for the first time, of him pulling her through the corridors to meet Radwimps in Tokyo and his happy face at being given his nickname - went through Momo’s head in rememberance, and it took all of her resolve not to break down and cry.

It was Dowoon’s turn next.

Momo has seen Dowoon’s face animated at being happy, cheeky, excited, panic and many others. Times when he was happily gobling down her cooking, his cheeky face as he taunted or pranked his hyungs, his excited face looking at the skyscrappers of New York and his panic expression as he gallantly shielded her away from the sasaeng fans' attack.

But this was her first time, seeing him sad.

“Please come back to us one day, ok.”

Momo could only smile at that statement not trusting herself to make any promises. She knew Young K has not told them of her request of not staying in touch for a year. She could not imagine the boys’ reaction if they knew.

“Don’t miss my aegyo too much,” the drummer said, “and I’ll try not to miss your cooking.”

“I can’t promise you that, Woonie-chan,” Momo shook her head. “I know I’ll miss your aegyo very much.”

Always a man of few words, Dowoon simply took her into a bear hug. Rocking her from side to side as he did so.

Sweet, sweet Dowoon, Momo thought silently, please stay innocent and continue to be the apple of your hyungs’ eyes. Please take of them after I’m gone.

Momo felt Dowoon leaving her arms and saw Sungjin lifting the maknae by his collar away from her.

Momo almost smiled at the familiar gesture.

“Please take good care of yourself, and that’s an order,” Sungjin said sternly, his eyes red with unshed tears.

Momo nodded, suddenly compelled to stand in attention.

“You’ve been instrumental for our growth, I hope you realised that,” the leader said. “And our doors are always open whenever you’re ready to come back.”

“Neh, thank you, Sungjin-oppa,” Momo nodded. “Please continue to lead and take care of the boys.”

“Y’know I will,” the leader accepted.

Always a father figure in her eyes, Momo remembered how he understandingly let her spend the night with drunk Young K, yet urgently woke the  up before the other could find out.

“Legends, that’s what we want to be, ok?” she grinned with unshed tears, reminding him of their conversation on the couch.

“Neh, arasso,” Sungjin returned her smile albeit sadly, bending down to hug her hard, before handing her to Wonpil.

And the sight of the man crying profusely, she laughed and cried in unison, unable to hold her tears anymore.

“Wonpil-ssi…”

And they could only hold on to one another helplessly.

Words no longer necessary.

Times with Wonpil has always been  precious like the man himself. Fleetingly, Momo saw flashes of her putting her makeshift ribbon choker on him, the interchangeble interactions he had with Dowoon in front of her and the time he cried as he combed her hair at JYPE. 

“You’ll always be our kawaii sushi,” Wonpil cried, breaking her reverie.

“And you’ll always be my Piri-kun.”

And they cried again.

“Time for boarding, Momo,” Manager Choi alerted her, seeing the agitated stewardess by the door, all the other passengers gone through the boarding gate.

“Neh,” she nodded, kissed Wonpil quickly on the cheek and ran to hug Baby Choi for the last time, whispering another goodbye to Cordi Kim.

Standing on the side all this while, Young K finally came forward and took her hand to walk her to the gate.

The stewardess understandingly moved away, to give them some space.

Young K simply looked at her and started to wipe her tears away.

He then took her in his arms and deeply breathe the scent of her hair, before bending down to kiss her on the lips softly, sweetly, lingeringly.

He tried his luck one more time.

“Stay?”

Momo only smiled sadly and shook her head.

He sighed and rested his forehead on hers.

“One year,” he whispered. “That’s all I’m giving you.”

This time she nodded. Yet internally she was sad.

They may make promises now, but who knows what the future will bring.

Especially in the wild and fickle entertainment world.

Her Brian-san may find another love perhaps. Or even her when she was back home.

But nonetheless, what they shared the past 2 odd years will be incomparable. Will be forever entrenched in her memories and in her heart.

She will forever be a My Day in all accounts.

With no more words to be said, she went in for a final hug.

“I love you,” she muffled into his chest.

“Saranghaeyo,” he hugged her back. “Will always love you. Please remember that.”

She pulled back and smiled, unable to contain her crushing heart.

And took a long, final look at her beloved beautiful angel of a man. Mere seconds were not enough to recall the many moments they shared together.

Hence, she reluctantly stepped back.

Looking at Young K and then all of the Day6 family behind him, she smiled.

“Arigato, mina-san, domo arigato gozamaa. Thank you for taking such good care of me. I will never forget you. Never!”

And Momo bent a full 90 degree bow to break down, fresh tears flowing freely down her face.

“Sayonara!”

And before Young K could catch her again, she turned around and fled down the galley towards the awaiting airplane.