Fin

Distance

“Say, if one day I suddenly leave the town, will you be sad?” little Yoohyeon ask Minji.
“Why would I be sad? It’s not like I will miss you that much too.” Little Minji answered not looking at Yoohyeon. Not knowing the hurt expression that little Yoohyeon is giving.

And that is the last time Minji ever see Yoohyeon. Because that very next day, Yoohyeon leave for America with her family. Leaving nothing, not even a letter to Minji. And she regretted telling her she didn’t care, when she actually care a lot.

And so 15 years has passed, a 25 years old Kim Minji now is a café shop owner, and 23 years old Kim Yoohyeon, a freelance photographer, finally met again when Yoohyeon went to her café this one evening.
Both are surprised, but happy that they finally meet again. They exchange number, promise to hang out when they have time, to catch up with what they missed this 15 years.

And today is the day where the two of them went out for dinner, Minji close her café early since Dami, the barista can’t take the night shift.
“Eonni… I have always wonder.”
“Yes? What it is?”
“Do you really mean it when you said that you didn’t care, and won’t even miss me?”
“Yoo… it has been 15 years, and you still think about that?”
“Well, to be honest.. it hurts when you said that.”
“How can I know that you really mean it… I thought that you are just messing around like you always do, and the next thing I know is that you and your family moved out the next morning.”
“Ahh…”
“And silly, I miss you so much. It hurts you know. You just leaved without saying a good bye, nor leaving a letter to me.”
“I am sorry.”
“It’s all in the past now, let’s just leave it as that haha.”
“Yeah… How are you tho? Got someone?”
“Me? Just, nothing special, managing café, that’s all.”
“Oh? Someone as pretty as you? Not having someone?”
“Hey, is that an insult or compliment. How about you?”
“Me? Well, like you see, I am a freelance photographer, I do photoshoot if got called, or just go around the world, taking pictures.”
“So, you won’t stay long too this time?”
“If I have a reason to stay, or if someone want me to stay, I might consider staying.” Yoohyeon said and wink.
“Hahahaha, well, it will be good if you stay.” Minji laugh.
“Do you want me to stay tho, eonni.” Yoohyeon said with a serious expression, causing Minji to frown.
“Well, of course I do, it’s been 15 years, and I miss you, we have a lot to catch up too.”
“That’s all? No other reason?”
“Yeah…” Minji said hesitantly.
And, the conversation died down, both finished with their food, ready to leave. Minji, being the one that drive that night, drop Yoohyeon at the hotel she is staying.

Because of the busy schedule of photoshoot that Yoohyeon is having, since that is why she came back to Korea, they didn’t contact each other for a few days. It will be a lie if she said she didn’t miss the younger one, because she is. But she is just too dense to admit that. And it make her friends frustrated.
‘Why can’t you just tell her that you have been missing her, and you like her and you want her to stay? Because that’s clearly what this Yoohyeon girl want to hear from you.’
That’s what her best friend, who is also her ex-girlfriend, Kim Bora, told her. They dated a few years back, only to realize that they are not for each other, and decide to end it.

As much as she want to admit it, she is afraid. Heck she doesn’t even know whether Yoohyeon also feel the same. Unbeknownst to her, the word Yoohyeon want to hear the most from Kim Minji is for her to tell her to stay, and she will gladly do so.

“Eonni.. I will be leaving Korea next Monday.” Yoohyeon called one night.
“What?! So soon?” Minji is surprised.
“Yeah, photoshoot is finished, I don’t have any more shooting to do, so I will stay for a few days to go around taking pictures and go back to US.”
“Stay.. You can stay at my apartment, I have extra room.” Minji said seriously.
“Eonni…”
“You said if there is someone that want you to stay, you will consider. I might not be someone special to you, but I want you to stay.”
“I.. You know I have to go back, eonni. My family is there. Beside, I already bought a ticket.”
“Then you go back there and come back again. And stay. Don’t leave anymore… Please…” Minji is now begging, feeling tears swelling on her eyes.
“Are you crying, eonni? Where are you now? Are you home?”
“Stop… Stop that Yoo…”
“Stop what.. eonni?”
“Just.. Go.. Leave like what you did 15 years ago…”

And Minji hang up the phone. She don’t know what happen to her, but it hurts when she realize that Yoohyeon is going to leave her again. And it also hit her, she love Yoohyeon. And she selfishly want her to stay by her side, she want to keep her by her side. But she is afraid.

“Minji, you okay?” She called Bora the moment she hang up the phone call with Yoohyeon, and Bora came right away because she is worried.
“Bora… She will be leaving again..”
“Tell her to stay then. Hold her, don’t let her leave, tell her you love her.” Sua hug her, while patting her back.
“I… I am afraid… And what if she is not feeling the same? What if it wasn’t me that she want to her that word from?”
“You never know if you didn’t try, Minji. And I can see that this girl, she want you to ask her to stay. I never meet her in person, but from what I heard from you, I can feel that she do adore you, and you are someone special to her.”
And she cried hard that night, and Bora stayed the whole night, comforting her.

She avoid Yoohyeon through the weekend. She ignore her phonecalls and also take a leave from her café. She let Dami and Siyeon, her close friends and also employee took care of it for her. No, she didn’t go anywhere, she just stay in her house, not leaving. Thinking about the tall girl.

And Monday come. The day that Yoohyeon will leave for US. And here is Minji, finally making up her mind, gathered all her courage and she drive to airport. She decide that, whatever the result is, she don’t care anymore. One thing she knows is she have to try, and she will try. She won’t let her leave anymore, not this time around.

But everything is too late. Blame the traffic, she is late. The moment she arrived at the airport, the gate is closed. And the announcement for the flight to depart can be heard. So she sat there, holding her tears. She is too late. And she lost her again this time.

She sat there for a few minutes, and stand up, ready to leave the airport, going back to her reality. She lost her again this time. And she don’t know when she will she the taller girl anymore. She turn around, walking back to her parked car, when she heard someone calling her name. She turned, and there she cried.

“You are leaving just like that? Without even trying to look for me? How are you so sure that I will board that plane?” Yoohyeon wiped her tears with her sleeves, holding Minji tight.
“I… I thought that… the announcement…” Minji cried into her hug.
“Shhh… Don’t cry anymore. I don’t know how your friends knew my number. But someone name Bora called, telling me that this certain red head is on her way to airport.”
Minji looked up with her teary eyes, and widen her eyes. ‘Kim Bora’ she muttered. And Yoohyeon just chuckled.
“I waited, but you didn’t come. I do plan to board that plane, but this friends of your called again saying that you are stuck in a traffic.”
“Yoo….” Minji hug her tighter.
“Hmm?”
“I love you.”
“I know.”
“Don’t leave.”
“I won’t.”
“Stay.”
“I will.”
And, she don’t know where she got this courage, but she kiss her, on her lips. Not wanting to let go, they stay like that, until they are out of breath. Yoohyeon smile, holding Minji, telling her that she love her too, and promise that she won’t leave her anymore. That she will stay, and joke about how she will become a parasite that stuck forever, not going to let go. And there, Minji laugh for the first time since last week.

But then, because Yoohyeon’s parents is still in the US, and she still have to take care of things in the US, she went back a few weeks later. Telling her parents about her decision to go back to Korea, and telling her parents about Minji.

Her parents of course is happy. They always thought that the two of them really make a cute couple. And they are happy for her daughter, respecting her decision. And so she went back to Korea. Staying with Minji, and now she is opening her own studio, receiving request for photoshoot.

Minji finally introduce Yoohyeon to her friends, and Bora can’t stop teasing them, telling them that they look so cute, and envying Yoohyeon’s good look and tall body, saying God is not fair. There the two of them, now stick together, facing their up and down. Nothing can separate them anymore this time around.

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Nevieforever0925
#1
I really enjoyed this story and loved it. Thank you