Chaewon closed her suitcase and stared at it.  

The suitcase that started it all.  

She took a last look around her room, smiling softly. For sure she would remember it for a long time. It was there that she spent so many hours studying so hard, but it paid off. She aced all her final exams and could go back home with her chest filled with pride.  

Chaewon pushed her suitcase to the living room, where her roommates stood up from the couch the second she approached.  

“Is it time already?” Sooyoung pouted.  

“Yeah.” Chaewon tried not to sound sad, but she felt like crying already.  

“H-Hey, there’s no need to be sad. We’ll meet back in Korea!” Jiwoo said, shooting her brightest smile.  

“But I’ll still miss you.” Chaewon took a step closer and pulled them both into a hug.  

“Awn, Chaewonie.” Sooyoung patted her head. “We’ll fly next week with Jungeun. I don’t know about the others, though. But we’ll tell you as soon as we arrive, then we just need to meet up!”  

“Okay, you’re right.” Chaewon chuckled, wiping her eyes. “And it’s not like we can’t talk whenever we want. I live really close to Seoul, I can visit you easily. It’s just that I will miss this little space of ours and our memories in Boston.”  

Her roommates pulled her in a tight hug, and she inevitably let a few tears escape.  

“We’ll miss it too. But we also miss Korea and I’m sure you do too. It’s time to go back home.”  

“Exactly.” Jiwoo pinched her cheek. “Are you sure you don’t want us to go to the airport with you?”  

“Yes, it’s fine. I already called an Uber and I’ll be there in an instant.”  

“Alright. Have a safe flight.” Sooyoung pulled her in for another hug, then Jiwoo did the same.  

“Thank you, guys, for everything. I’m glad I got to spend my time here with you as my roommates.”  

“Us too. It was a long ride, but it was a fun one. Remember the first day?” Jiwoo laughed.  

“I can never forget.” Chaewon laughed along with Sooyoung, and her phone rang. “I need to go, the Uber is almost here. I’ll tell you guys before I depart and as soon as I arrive, okay?”  

They nodded and accompanied her to the door.  

“W-Wait, Chaewon.” Jiwoo grabbed her wrist. “Did you tell Hyejoo you are going today?”  

Chaewon avoided their eyes. “No.”  

There was silence until Chaewon’s phone rang again. “The Uber is here. I’m fine, really.” Chaewon gave them a smile and a last group hug.  

---  

Check-in was taken care of. Chaewon was glad she called the Uber early, because traffic was worse than she imagined, and now she didn’t have that much time to go through security and all that bureaucracy.  

“Gowon!”  

She froze.  

“Park Chaewon!”  

She turned, and no, she was not hearing or seeing things.  

“ing , I don’t remember the last time I ran so fast,” Hyejoo said, supporting herself on her knees.  

“H-Hyejoo, what are you doing here?”  

“I don’t have a clue, but I had to come.”  

Chaewon frowned.  

“Gowon, listen to me.” Hyejoo took a long, deep breath, and recomposed herself, looking her straight in the eyes. “I know you said it was over, but-”  

“Hyejoo...”  

“You were right, love itself doesn’t sustain a relationship, and I didn’t want to be helped. But that changed, that same day you told me that. I quit everything. Well, not smoking yet, but I’m getting there. I quit the weed and pills for good, and I’m in therapy. I focused on my health, just like you told me to do. I don’t give a crap about classes anymore because I’m gonna quit as well. I’m tired of being scared of my father and doing whatever the er wants me to do. I’m gonna fight back and do what I want, and I started by taking care of myself, so I could come back and show you the new Hyejoo.” She did a cool pose and pointed to herself with a smirk on her lips. “This Hyejoo right here.”  

Chaewon eyed her from head to toe. How she looked much brighter than she had looked in their happiest times. How her face had gained color and the dark circles she had worn permanently were barely even noticeable anymore. How she no longer looked like the troubled girl who acted confident in her own defense, and now radiated a charming pride in herself.  

She couldn’t bring to close or her feet to move.  

“I’m sorry for everything,” Hyejoo mumbled. “I know I don’t deserve it, but I can assure you I’m changing. Losing you, treating myself so bad to the point I could actually have died really opened my eyes. I’m becoming a better Hyejoo, the one you can finally trust again. So...” Hyejoo reluctantly approached her and cupped her cheeks with so much care it felt like she was holding a porcelain doll. “I’m not asking you to take me back yet, because I know I messed up real bad, so, for now, I’m just asking for you to forgive me. If you can do that, I’ll leave here with my mission accomplished.”  

“I-I...” Chaewon stuttered, “I forgive you, yes. Of course.”  

Hyejoo’s face molded into that smile she missed oh-so-much, and she had to find a way to avoid her eyes or she would do something reckless--  

“, my flight.”  

“Park Chaewon cursing, again?”  

“It’s your fault. Since I did it for the first time, it felt so liberating that now it slips sometimes!”  

“It’s kinda cute.” Hyejoo snickered, then approached her ear. “And hot.”  

“Son Hyejoo!”  

Chaewon slapped her arm time and time again, knowing her face was already burning red. Hyejoo grabbed her by the waist, lifted her petite body and spun her around, laughing like a little kid.  

“Hyejoo, put me down!” Chaewon shrieked, but couldn’t stop laughing along.  

“, I missed this so much.” Hyejoo complied, but didn’t let go of her yet. “I missed you so much, Gowon.”  

“I missed you too, Hyejoo, but I need to go, I can’t miss my flight.”  

“You’re right. I’m going back soon as well, and I’m gonna confront my father. I have no idea what I’m gonna do, I stopped answering him at all and he now sends me multiple texts every day, but I’m fighting through it. Text me when you arrive, and I’ll figure something out until I go back.”  

“You don’t have to figure something out by yourself.” Chaewon smiled. “I’ll be here for you.”  

Hyejoo beamed. “Thanks. I’m really happy I can count on you again.”  

“Me too.” Chaewon rubbed her shoulder. “Now, I really have to get in line for security or I might miss my flight.”  

“I know, I know, but there’s something else I have to say.”  

“What is it?”  

Hyejoo took a deep breath. “I love you. You don’t have to say it back or anything, I guess I just wanted you to hear it from me again because I still---”  

“I love you too.”  

So much for trying to play it cool. The words escaped smoothly, as if it was the easiest, most natural thing to say. But it was alright. She would have regretted more not having said it back.  

“Don’t miss your flight.” Hyejoo gave a gentle squeeze on her hand. 

Chaewon gave her one more smile before turning and rushing to the security.  

“Gowon!” Hyejoo called, making her turn again. She was rushing behind her. “I almost chickened out on this but I need you to forgive me for something else.”  

She blinked. “What?”  

Hyejoo grabbed her head and closed the distance between their lips. As passionately as the first time, with the urgency of a kiss that might be the last. Chaewon didn’t resist. As naturally as could be, she melted into the moment, seizing Hyejoo’s waist almost as if she was about to refuse to leave her at the airport and separate from her now that they had reunited and aligned as one.  

The voice on the speaker announcing that her flight had begun boarding snapped her back to the dreaded reality.  

“Oh no, and I haven’t even passed security yet, and I need to get to the gate and--” Chaewon started running to the security line, which thankfully wasn’t that long. “I’ll text you when I arrive!”  

Hyejoo held a chuckle and nodded.  

“Have a nice flight, Gowon!” Hyejoo shouted as she waved goodbye.  

Chaewon stole one last glance at Hyejoo before it was her turn to be searched. She looked so different, and yet she was aware she was about to put her heart on the line once more by giving back her trust.  

But Hyejoo was worth the chance. 

---

A/N: Did you like my Christmas gift? hehehe I hope everyone had a happy Christmas, if you celebrated it, and enjoyed this chapter! They're finally back ^-^