January 2^nd, 2003.

Young Saeng accompanied the Songs to Incheon International Airport on the day of their departure. His parents weren’t able to make it to the airport but had said their farewells the day before. Young Saeng helped Seon Yul drag one of her suitcases to the check-in area and waited to the side as the family got their passports and tickets verified at the counter. They went through security and found the gate of their departure. Since the airport was rather quiet that morning, Seon Yul’s parents took seats next to each other and put their carry-on luggage on the seats next to them. Seon Yul sat two seats away from her mother, also putting her carry-on luggage next to her mother’s. Young Saeng took a seat next to her.

“Can’t believe it’s the 2^nd already,” Seon Yul commented.

“That makes two of us,” Young Saeng agreed. “Did you have fun yesterday?”

“Mhm.” As a last day celebration, Young Saeng had prepared a picnic basket for lunch at the park. They went to the same park that they had taken that selca a few months ago. They ate, talked, and then took a bunch of goofy photos with Young Saeng’s camera. That same day, they went to get the photos express developed so Seon Yul would be able to take them with her instead of having to wait for Young Saeng to air mail them to her.

“I’m going to miss you,” Young Saeng told her. “A lot.”

Seon Yul was taken aback by his sudden remark. “I’m going to miss you sooo much too,” she replied, trying to not make it sound a bit playful and not as blatantly serious.

“Flights going to Los Angeles, California, may begin boarding the airplane now,” said one of the lady’s at the gateway.

“Guess we better start going now.” Seon Yul’s father said as he got up from his seat. “Thanks for coming today, Young Saeng-ssi.”

“You’re welcome; it was no problem. Have a safe flight,” Young Saeng said.

“Give our best to your parents,” Seon Yul’s mother said to him as she gave him a hug.

“I will.”

Young Saeng turned to face Seon Yul, who wouldn’t make eye contact with him. She kept staring at the ground and fumbling with her ticket.

“Seon Yul-ah, we’ll go first and we’ll see you inside alright?” Seon Yul’s mother told her.

“OK,” she said. Her parents waved goodbye to Young Saeng and went through the boarding gate.

Young Saeng turned back to Seon Yul, who still wasn’t looking up at him. He stepped forward and all of a sudden she launched herself at him for a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and held onto his best friend.

I wish you didn’t have to leave me.

I wish I didn’t have to leave you.

“Oppa…” Seon Yul mumbled into his chest. She lifted her face and he saw her eyes wet with tears. “Can I ask for a favour?”

“Of course, anything.”

“Don’t forget me…” she said quietly.

He wiped the tears falling from her eyes. “Of course I won’t. I promise. Oh, I almost forgot; here.” He pulled something out of his hoodie’s pocket: it was a cute little plush bunny on a keychain. “From Everland, remember? It’s cute, just like you. Think of it as a return gift for the otter.”

She smiled and wiped away the tears from her eyes. “I love it. Thank you, oppa.”

They stood close to get other from the hug and Seon Yul looked up at him. Her lips felt dry and her voice didn’t seem to want to make itself useful. “Young Saeng… Sara—”

“Passengers for flights to Los Angeles, California, are asked to board immediately. Passengers for flights to Los Angeles, California, are asked to board immediately. Thank you.” The automated voice over the loud speaker cut off Seon Yul, and she was too flustered to repeat what she was about to say.

“I better go now. I’ll write to you when I get there,” she said hurriedly. She gave him one last hug. “Get home safely. Goodbye, Saengie!”

“Goodbye, Seonnie,” he said as she ran off to the gate with her boarding pass. When she was through, she turned around and gave him one last wave before following the tunnel into the airplane.

Seon Yul followed the stewardess’ directions and found her parents already seated. Her father got out of his seat and helped her put her luggage in the overhead compartment. Seon Yul took her aisle seat and exhaled deeply. “This is gonna be a long flight…” she mused. When the seatbelt light came on and the flight crew began their usual emergency procedures, Seon Yul shuffled around in her seat to find the most comfortable position. When the emergency procedures were done and the plane started on its route for take-off, Seon Yul dug her mp3 player out of her bag and tuned out of the world.

“WOW~!” Seon Yul gushed. They had arrived at their new home in California and Seon Yul was impressed. The two storey house was spacious and modern. The Songs walked around all parts of the house, including the backyard. They went upstairs and looked at the 3 bedrooms upstairs. The master bedroom was obviously for her parents, but they let her have her pick of the other 2 rooms upstairs. The bedroom downstairs would be a guest room.

Everyone spent the day unpacking their belongings in their new rooms. Seon Yul’s father called the company that had shipped the rest of their belongings for a location status. They said they would arrive in a few hours. Seon Yul took a nap in her new bedroom to recover from the jet lag and asked her parents to wake her up when the boxes arrived so she could help unpack.

When Seon Yul woke up, it was night time already. She gently rubbed her eyes and went downstairs into the kitchen where her parents were preparing dinner. She saw that they had already started unpacking. “Why didn’t you wake me up?” she whined.

“You looked really tired, and it’s not like you to be in a good mood when someone wakes you up,” her father joked.

“I just wanted to help, gosh…” she mumbled.

Her father laughed and Seon Yul helped prepare dinner instead. And by “help prepare dinner”, this meant setting up cutlery on the table and then observe. Seon Yul could not cook to save her life – she was a rather pathetic excuse for a female. She often wondered how she would survive in the future.

They sat and had their lavish dinner in celebration of the new house and their new lives. After dinner, everyone washed up and then showered. Seon Yul’s parents knocked out as soon as their heads hit the pillows. Seon Yul closed their door and headed to her own room. She got into bed but laid there with her phone instead of sleeping right away. She opened her messages and composed a new text:

We’ve arrived~ It’s night time here and my parents are already asleep. The house is really nice; you should come and visit some day! Hopefully we will have Internet soon so we can keep in contact without blowing up our phone bills with international texts hehe.

I miss you oppa~ Hope to hear from you soon =) –Seonnie.

She set an alarm for 9am on her phone. 9am alarm – won’t be up til 10 or 11, she thought. Good enough. She put her phone under her pillow and let sleep take her into dreamland.

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A/N: OMG, two consecutive updates in two days straight: a miracle has occurred LOL. This chapter and the last are a bit short, I know, but it's coz they're not really significant to the plot. As a matter of fact, I complete skipped what Young Saeng and Seon Yul did on January 1st (it was going to be a chapter itself) because I really want the story to get moving along. I can't wait to get to the meat of the story hahhaha. I haven't got anything written yet but I know I can't wait!!

I've finally got over 1000 views for this story~^^ Thanks to everyone who reads AND a bigger thanks to my subscribers =D You guys are DAEBAK b^_^d

- Melody~xoxo