c h a p t e r  t w e n t y - f i v e.

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Winter thawed and made way for spring; the sun could finally breathe without being suffocated for such lengths of time by the veil of snowy grey clouds, and cast its wholesome glow on the world below.

                The melted snow and warmer weather also helped distract or even forget about the pain that comes so often as a side effect of cold.

                Wendy had been busy at home one particular morning in early April, packing an assortment of luggage for her grand trip to Florence in Italy, where she would be living and studying until Christmastime.

                She tried not to think about being away from Chen for eight months at a time. It made her heart ache and her stomach hurt.

                Laid out atop her bed were all of the items that she intended to pack: shirts, skirts, pants and leggings, a few dresses, socks (lots of those), shoes, undergarments, some jewelry (not including the dainty pearl pendant that Chen had gifted her for her birthday, which hadn’t left her neck since then), and a few other, more random things. An album of photographs to peruse whenever she was feeling particularly lonely or nostalgic. The honey-scented lotion that her older sister bought for her every time she visited her favorite country, Greece━a familiar scent that reminded Wendy of any place that she considered to be ‘home.’ She was disappointed that Taro was too fat to fit in her suitcase, but realized that he was safer left behind, anyway.

                It took half of a day and three cups of coffee, but Wendy succeeded in packing her bags with just over an hour to spare before she had to meet up with Henry at the airport.

Chen had decided, with Wendy’s agreement, not to see her off, since that would be easier for the both of them.

                As Wendy zipped up her bags and stacked everything on the bed with her passport and boarding pass right on the top of the pile, she felt her heart slowly crashing in her chest.

                She couldn’t stop the sob that caught in .

                Amber entered the room then, car keys in hand.

                “You ready? I━“ but she stopped short, noticing that Wendy looked quite a bit distressed. “...What’s up?”

                The other was having trouble breathing properly. “I... I...don’t want to... I don’t want to go.” she said, before bursting into tears. Amber frowned at her.

                “Yes you do.”

                “No.” Wendy sobbed, shaking her head, “I really, really don’t want to━“

                “Yes, you do. And even if you didn’t, Jongdae wants you to. If you can’t do this for yourself, then at least do it for him.”

                Wendy just cried, looking miserable as she sat on the edge of her bed, nervously tugging at her fingers and the hem of her pinafore dress.

                “You’ll learn so much. And you’ll have a lot of fun, too.” continued Amber, “Lots of great experiences and memories and stories to tell everyone when you return. Not everyone has the opportunity to travel and study in another country━in Italy, of all places━you’re very fortunate, you know that?”

                “Yes, I know... But...”

                “And when you do come back, for good, you’ll be stronger, smarter and more able. Probably more beautiful, too; fresh air does wonders for health and beauty. You’ll be a master barista and you’ll have Jongdae. You’ll have it all; everything that you’ve ever wanted and dreamed of.” She paused to pick up Wendy’s brown beret and put it on its owner’s head. “...And that’s what you deserve. Everything.”

                Wendy looked up at her roommate with a tear-stained face. She looked so young, so fragile, so vulnerable━like a child lost in a crowd of strangers and unable to find her way out.

                “You’re not a loser like me, Wendy. You are de