I know that the clock is clicking.

I know that it will be time to board soon.

I am well aware of all that already. What else do I need to know?

I have checked in online. So, I don’t need to get into the Departure Gate so soon. I still have some time, I consoled myself.

“Shall we grab a quick bite?” I asked.

I watched you pecked at your sandwich while my coffee went cold and untouched. My realisation still revolved around my mind.

You walked me to the Departure Gate, again.

My legs feel odd, just as though they have been casted by the transfiguration spell, turned into iron, rooted to the ground and weighed a tonne more than a month ago.

“May I?” I shivered nervously as I stretched out my hand to you.

You looked at me, eyes wide open.

I took a step nearer. “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a humble step.” I explained.

“And?”

I know that I was being vague as I haven’t figured out the logical and systematic manner to convey my message clearly. Technical terms are much easier. Complicated formulaes are more straight-forward.

What should I do with the overwhelming feelings of mine?

What am I thinking about?

How should I convey them to you?

"You asked me why I suddenly returned? To be true, I have been asking myself that too. Till now, I realised. I am back as I need to.. I want to .. see you."

“I..”

My blood raced in my veins. I breathed. I felt braver. I held your hands gently and looked into the depths of your lovely-ness, holding your gaze. “Can you come to me? Please?”

“What?”

“I have thought about it. I am serious about what I said.”

“I.. “

“I appreciate you. Appreciate meeting you. Appreciate knowing you. Appreciate that our seemingly divergent paths crossed and converged here.”

“I.. “

“You have time to think. We have time. I am telling you now so we will not miss this precious moment, this timing, this special feel about you, about us.”

“I..”

“Let me answer the question/comment which you had teased me with during our photo shoot now. I don’t want or need 10 girlfriends. I only need one - You.” This is clear enough.

“I am not tall, far from extraordinary. I am just average, a simple, normal person on the streets.”

“I am tall, often knocked into the handrails of buses, subways, etc. I have strengths and weaknesses. I am a common man too."

“Am I good enough?”

I know your mind first, then know you. I had been in a relationship before, but that never felt really this intense, so deep, so ingrained in me that got me so focused, gone the length which I had. So, I am pretty sure. “I do. I believe in myself and you. What are you concerned about? II am reading the questions in your eyes.) Physical distance? Does it mean so much? What’s most scary is not the physical distance. It’s when we are physically near but mentally distant.“ We already conversed much more than usual pairs.

"Age? That you are already learning to walk when I was only newly formed? Statistically, woman live longer than man. So, being younger than you means that its more likely that I can walk to the end with you. Of course, my mental age could be older. Do you mind?”

My eyes never left your mesmerizing ones, still holding onto your glittering gaze.

“How much more time do we have to spend looking, finding, bridging?”

Tears welled and dazzled in your lovely-ness.

You are not the common girl in the streets. You think, you are logical, you have a story, a rich one that I read faithfully and kept coming back for more.. Wishing to create much more content with you, such an amazing you.. I hope… I’ll.. one day, be given the honour to…

I looked into your soulful and puppy-ish eyes, felt your thumb dabbing off the moisture falling from mine.

“I wish to believe. I want to.”

“I’ll be back as frequently as I can. We can plan trips together. We’ll make a move at a time.” You took another step towards me, “Just like this.”

“I am not DBS.”

“I am not AMH too. Just that you read DBS, and I read you.”

No one. No one has ever look at me, appreciate me, like me, confess to me in the way that you did.

Everything seems to happen like a whirlwind. I feel myself falling..

I shuddered.

I watched you walked into the Departure Gate. I waved. My heart was warm but also felt close to breaking as the view of you diminished and vanished from as far as my eyes could reach.

All of a sudden, someone or something jumped right in front of my cloudy view. I cleared the warm fluid that was clouding my view. That’s you, who has been jumping up and down waving… Pointing at the big Garfield ‘head’ (plush toy) that you just got.

“Calling for Mr Lee Hyun. Please proceed to Boarding Gate 30 immediately.” You waved to me and dashed in immediately.

My phone ringed. “Bye for now. (I heard seat belts clicking.) I’ll call you when I reach. Do you have anything to tell me?”

“Be safe, okay.”

“Sure thing.”

Passengers, the time now is 2300 hours. Welcome on board xxx Air. Please switch off your mobile devices as the plane is taxiing to the runway. The weather... “Sir, please switch off your phone.” the air stewardess advised.

“I really need to put down the phone. Talk to you later. and ..”

"I'll miss you.."

The line went dead. I stood in front of the the cold shimmer of full-length windows at Incheon, overlooking the runway, which is decorated with millions of small bulbs lining and illuminating the runway. Glittering, sparkling …

Physically lone. Emotionally charged. I watched the aircarft which is carrying Polaris off the ground…

I woke up early after an almost sleepless night.

My message to you remained unread. Wondering where are you now?

"Buzz... buzz" A speed post delivery arrived at my door as I was about to leave for work.  "Urgent delivery for Ms Yeong. Who would send a parcel to me? I opened the box, inside is the the Garfield which you were hugging in the restricted area last night. Hugging it, I inhaled your residual warmth that was left on it…

I found a mountain of work waiting for me in office. That’s great! As there is this hole in my core, the strange, hollow emptiness since last night.. Work will keep me occupied.

I hardly had time to touch my coffee in the morning hours..

And my phone ringed. “Hello! I touched down. How are you?”

“I .. I am okay. Going to grab a bite now. Have you eaten?”

“My hours are really funny. Jetlag maybe? I took some meals on board.”

“What did you try? Are they good?”

“I am not quite sure what they are. What I am sure is - None are half as good as those that we had shared together.”

I was taken by surprise for a moment. You could really express yourself so well, so aptly.

“Are you still there?”

“Errr… Yes” I bring myself back to reality, back on the line.

“My transport is here. I’ll call again.”

“Be careful.”