absquatulate
(v.) to leave without saying goodbye

A   Y O O   J I A E   S H O R T

Jiae stirred awake and when she breathed in the fresh cold air, she knew she had slipped. As she opened her eyes, the nostalgic sea of white welcomed her as the trees in their beautiful white coats swayed gently from side to side.

She missed the view. She missed the silence. She missed the crackling of the fire in that little warm home. She missed being here.

How long has it been?

Suddenly, she shivered. Her body had belatedly realised the change in temperatures and as she looked down at her clothes, she was thankful it had been nearing winter back home in Korea. The last time she came, it was summer and she was dressed so lightly she was sure she was going to freeze to death.

Taking another deep breath of the air she had longed for, she found her bearings and slowly strolled in the direction of the place she loved.

The first time Jiae came, she was so afraid and often got lost. The second time wasn't any better for she still couldn't make sense of the landscape that looked exactly the same at every turn. Now that it's her eighth time, she was as confident as those who had lived there all their lives.

The light was beginning to go out as the sun in the area always sets by five in the evening. Quickening her pace, she soon found herself at the doorstep of the home who sheltered her each and every time.

She was about to reach for the knob when she heard the rhythmic sounds of firewood being chopped. A small smile crept on her face as she forgot the knob and treaded to the back of the house.

There he was, all wrapped up in thick and warm winter clothing, working tirelessly at chopping the chunks of wood he had. It was as if he knew she was coming and therefore decided to prepare a lot more firewood than he would usually require for himself alone.

Lightly sneaking up behind him, she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck, ensuring he wasn't holding the axe at that point in time.

Startled, he dropped the wood he was carrying and felt his heartbeat quicken.

"Jiae..?"

"Mmm!" she giggled. "It's Jiae!"

Gently removing her arms from around his neck, he turned to look at her. It took more than a second for reality to sink in and when his mind and heart finally confirmed that the girl in front of him was real, he brought his own arms tightly around her.

"It's been long."

"Yeah." It's been so long.

"I missed you."

Me too.

Breaking the hug, they simply stood in the cold, gazing into each others' eyes. She couldn't help but notice the severe bags under his tired eyes and the dryness of his skin and lips. It weighed upon her heart, seeing how he wasn't as he used to be – the fair, bright looking man wit