She had planned out her future and he was supposed to be in it.

Namjoo ran faster, harder as the world blurred around her. Breathing harder, begging God that she was not too late.

Turning a corner, she raced up to the heavy black door that led to the house she used to live in. Punching the bell impatiently. Screaming, “Jongin! Jongin! Open the door! Jongin!”

Desperation wracked every inch of her body. She had to have made it. Jongin was still here. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. He was still here. She had made it in time.

Namjoo in empty cries. The world only turned darker and darker. The wait longer and longer.

Please, please, please she begged.

Then the door clicked open and Namjoo stepped back. Her expression fell away when she saw Jongin’s father. Face grim, lips downturned as he stared down at her.

“Can I speak to Jongin?” Namjoo asked clutching more securely onto his button.

“He’s not here.”

Namjoo’s lips trembled. She squeaked, “Please?”

“He’s at the airport right now.” His dad informed. “He won’t be coming back, and even when he does, he’ll never see you again.”

“Where is he going?” She blinked back tears.

He shook his head, refusing to tell her. That stung more she imagined. This person who had been her father for a short while was treating her so coldly.

“But I didn’t even get to say goodbye.” Namjoo cried. The tears rolled down her face cruelly displaying her emotions for him to see.

“If you really like him, do him a favor. Stay away from him.” His father told. “He deserves someone from a better family.”

The heavy door clanged shut in in her face. Namjoo’s lips trembled. The dam in her broke and she fell onto her knees. Sobbing, Namjoo lowered her head hiccupping as the pain tore through her.

Jongin had left her.

⸛⸛⸛⸛⸛

Five years later…

“Namjoo.” A knock on the stall door. “You ok in there?”

“Oh, yes. I’m almost done,” Namjoo replied pulling at the waist of her dress. Spinning around to look at her backside.

Opening the door to the changing room she stepped out. Holding arms out and putting on her best celebrity smile as he called it.

“What do you think?”

“It’s pretty,” he grinned.

“You think?” Namjoo spun around for him.

“Anything you wear is pretty.”

Shin Jonghun wrapped an arm around her waist kissing her cheek causing her to giggle.

“You’re beautiful.” He complimented.

Withdrawing her arm from around his neck, Namjoo said, “Let me change and we can leave.”

Their next stop was a printing shop. Just a block down. The walk wasn’t even a meager five minutes. Namjoo slid her arm from around him as soon as she put it around him during their walk.

“They just finished this morning. The cards turned out really well.” The shop keeper pushed over a white box consisting of neatly folded cards. Each one delicately printed with calligraphy across the front.

“It’s beautiful,” Namjoo breathed lifting a card up to examine under the lighting. Mouth opening in awe as she gaped at the pretty font. Reality was sinking in faster now. The days were seriously closing in on her.

They were getting engaged. In soon time, she would become his family.

Shin Jonghun, who had always stayed right by her side, was about to become hers.

“Thank you,” Jonghun smiled at the woman behind the counter.

Returning to the car Namjoo watched Jonghun gently place the box in the back. His phone beeped the second she tugged the seatbelt over her body.

Grabbing the phone out of the cup holder he read something. A huge grin flickered across his face.

“What is it?” Namjoo curiously asked.

“That’s right.” He shifted to her. “I didn’t tell you, did I?”

She cocked her head. “You keeping secrets?”

He breathed a handsome smile, laughing in the process. Leaning over to brush a kiss across her lips he said, “Like hell I could.” Rubbing his thumb against her forehead he peered into her eyes. “Jongin is coming home.”

The smile her lips were containing faltered.

The day he left her had been the end of what never really started. Namjoo knew that the friends kept in contact. They were best friends. High school till now. It was that way. Nothing to escape.

When they spoke through the webcam, she always made sure not to be around. Jongin already knew she had started seeing his friend a year ago. Even more confident he knew she was getting engaged to him. Her fiancé would have bragged, because he had leapt into the air when Namjoo said yes a few months prior.

Since she had wept on Jongin’s doorstep the day of her graduation, she didn’t know him anymore. He was just a person of her past.

There was only one thing Namjoo knew.

She would never see him again.

“I’m picking him up tomorrow.” Jonghun explained. “You want to come with me? We could be the same troop we used to be back in high school. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

Namjoo grinned. “I can’t call off work so suddenly.”

“Take the morning off. His flight’s early,” Jonghun persuaded.

⸛⸛⸛⸛⸛

Hefting a box down from the shelf Jongin swiped his hands together. He had moved out from the student dorms to a student residence near campus two years ago. Right now, his place was littered with boxes stuffed with his belongings.

Graduation had long passed. He had decided to stay an extra year to help a professor with a marketing project. Now that the presentation was done and over with it was time to head home. No more reason for him to stay. No excuses to make anymore.

Day two of packing was currently in process.

“Ok, I just finished cleaning up the bathroom.” Yoon Sohee appeared from down the hall. A student who had also been a part of his professor’s marketing team, and his girlfriend who had gone through the same student exchange program.

“Oh? What’s that?” Coming over she peered into the box in front of him. Lifting out a framed photo covered in dust. Blowing the grime off she grinned and asked, “Is that Dami when she was younger?”

Jongin stared at Namjoo. A photo of them taken on campus when they were outside together. A yearbook entry Dami had strangely given him when his family visited over the holiday. He hadn’t been keen on spending time with Dami and his father, but the old man had pushed for it. Jongin sti