Picnic (Repost)

Picnic

(Sungjong)

You waited anxiously at the terminal. People passed you with luggages and suitcases but none of them had your attention. You were waiting for one person and one person only. He was finally here. Or more specifically, coming.

Antsy and excited, you clasped your hands above your chest and went on your tippy-toes, straining your neck to see past all of the taller people, but there was no familiar head of dark chestnut coloured hair.

You sighed letting your hands fall to your sides and stood normally again. "It's been more then two hours..." You pouted staring at the time on your watch. 'His flight must have been delayed...'

It had been so long since you've last seen him. Years, it was years. So many years...

You remembered when he broke the news to you that he was going to leave....

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*A few years ago*

"I'm sorry, Jagiya, I...I have to leave..." He said holding the side of your face and rubbing away a tear that had escaped from your eye. "Leave? What are you talking about? You don't really mean it, right?" Your voice was choking back a sob. He pulled you into your chest and held you tenderly. "My parents and I are going to America because they were offered a job and I was accepted into Stanford." He whispered, the pain evident in his voice.

"I'm so happy that you got accepted, but I thought you told me that you weren't going to submit your application to Stanford." You hugged him and cried silently. What you said broke his heart and he felt extremely guilty. He just sighed and tried not to cry with her.

"I know this is being selfish, but can't you stay?" You begged pathetically, the pain almost unbearable. His eyes flooded over and tears flowed down his cheeks, falling onto your hair.

"You know how much I wish I could stay with you, Jagiya. You know I can't though. I-I can't believe I have to leave you..." He squeezed his eyes shut painfully. "I love you. I love you so much."

You started to cry audibly as you gripped onto the back of his shirt. He tilted your head up and kissed you with so much dread and pain, you had to savour it because now your kisses numbered.

The two of you held each other and supplied empty comfort. All you could do was cry.

A few days later, you went to Incheon International Airport to say your final goodbyes to the love of your life. Pasting a brave smile on your face, you bowed to his parents. You promised yourself that you would send them off with a smile.

"Have a safe trip, omonim, abonim."

"Thank you and thank you for being such a good daughter. We'll check in first so that you two can say your goodbyes." His parents bowed and left you two by yourselves.

After they left, you both turned and looked at each other at the same time. He smiled sadly at you while you wordlessly stepped into his embrace.

"I love you." He whispered. "I love you too." You whispered back. "I promise, once I finish school, I'll get on the next flight to Seoul and come to you."

"Do your best. I'll be cheering you on from here. I'll be waiting for you." You said, trying not to make your voice crack. "I promise that I only love you and that I'll only love you. Don't forget, I don't want you going off to another man." He attemped to joke and you managed to crack a small smile. "I won't"

He brushed your hair behind your ear. "Thank you for smiling for me, Jagiya." "I know you wouldn't want me to cry." You smiled widely, but your eyes were wet.

"All guests taking flight 108 to California, United States be ready to board your plane. We will start letting in passengers in five minutes." A woman's voice came from the speakers on the walls.

"You better go..." You pulled away from him, but he just pulled you back. "I don't want to leave." He murmured into your hair.

"All guests taking flight 108 to California, United States bring your carry-ons and make your way to the boarding gate, thank you." Another message sounded.

His parents came and put a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go, son. We have to go board the plane now." His father started dragging him away from you and at that moment, it really hit you that he was leaving.

His hand was slipping out of yours and you couldn't help but let the hot tears fall. His eyes never left yours as they led him away. He tried to shake the hand off, but his dad held on tight.

"We've got to go." He muttered to him sternly through gritted teeth. "JUST WAIT A SECOND." He yelled out, earning looks from everyone in the terminal. His dad looked surprised but let him go.

He went back over to you, grabbing your face and kissing you hard on the mouth. The final kiss.

His dad had to pull him off of you and forcibly bring him toward the plane. "Wait for me! I promise I'll come back! I love you! I love y-" He was cut off and finally leaving for real this time. You watch him until he was gone from your sight.

As the plane raced down the runway and took off into the sky, you longingly touched the large window of glass. You couldn't support yourself anymore and you fell to your knees and sobbed quietly.

Up in the plane, he saw his beloved watching his plane taking off while his cheeks were streaked with wetness. His hand on the portal window mimicked her hand and too soon the airport was lost from sight, hidden by the clouds.

His fist curled in, knuckles turning white and with his head hung low he let out breathy cries as he left behind his love to begin his new life.

-----------------

It was so lonely for you without him and it was like a dream he was actually coming back. It was so unreal to you, but you believed in it with everything you had.

A large crowd of people steamed in around you making it even harder to spot the one you wanted. But then you saw it, that sheen of eyes, the soft hair...it was him.

Your eyes watered and finally he saw you and stopped for a second before running over to you and wrapping his arms over your body. His familiar scent invaded you and it made you weak from not being able to smell it for so long.

"I'm here. I'm here." Sungjong murmured. You gasped hearing that voice again. The voice that you loved so much. "Am I dreaming? It's really you, right?" I whispered, afraid. You had dreams just like this before and you didn't want to be fooled by your own head again.

"It's me, Jagiya, it's really me. I'm really here and you're awake. Baby, I missed you so much." He pulled away and kissed your lips. "I can't believe you're back. I waited for you like you asked." Your smile couldn't get any wider. "Where are your parents?"

"I came alone. I finished school and came here even though they didn't want to me to. There is no way I would let them keep me away from you." He kissed you again.

"I love you." I whispered. "I love you more." Sungjong lovingly whispered back. "Now come on! Let's go to the cottage." Grabbing his suitcases and strapping his backpack onto his back again, he pointed to the exit.

"But you just got here!" You protested, but followed, not wanting to be far away from him ever again. "Come on, Jagiya. I really want to go. I can rest later." He smiled like an angel, moving a bag from one hand to the other and took yours to occupy it instead.

Soon enough a taxi was flagged and you were off to your family's summer home in the country. Sungjong told you everything about America and how the school was like and what kinds of things Americans do and say and wear...just everything.

Eventually, the long drive lulled the both of you to sleep, your head resting in the crook of his neck and Sungjong's resting on your head. His arms draped comfortingly around your shoulders while the other was holding your hand. It was pure heaven.

After a couple blissful hours, the driver woke you up and told you that you had arrived at your destination. All of Sungjong's belongings were taken out of the trunk and the cab drove away.

In front of you was the cosy cottage, unoccupied for a while now. Going inside, you were greeted with dust, spider webs and the sunlight streaming through a window.

Sungjong left his things to the side and sneezed from all of the dust. You giggled while opening all of the windows for some air flow. You cleaned away the spider webs and uncovered all of the furniture making it feel more like a home again.

"Jagiya." Sungjong called. "Hmm?" You put the white sheets into a closet. "Why don't we go exploring. You know, to our old spot."

"Right now?" "Yeah. Just like old times." He hugged you from behind. "Aren't you tired? We can always go tomorrow." "We slept in the car. I really want to go see it again. I miss going there. Please?" He pouted cutely. There was no way you could resist.

"Okay, but I'm going to change first. It's so hot. I'm a pabo for wearing this in the summer." You made a face and pinch your shirt. "You're not a pabo, don't call yourself one and don't take too long." He kissed your cheek and you started upstairs.

In your closet were the summer clothes you left here the last time you came. You didn't bother bringing it home because next summer you would have to just bring it again.

You pulled out a pastel yellow summer dress and a pair of flip flops then went to the bathroom to change. In ten minutes, you returned downstairs and the two of you walked out the back door hand in hand.

"Watch out for this branch, Jagiya, and there's a puddle on your right." He led you around making sure the journey through the forest behind the cottage was smooth without any complications.

It was so nice visiting such an old place once again with the one you loved. Everything felt right again.

Soon you two cleared the forest and it opened up into a clearing. It was still the same as it was years ago. We progressed to 'our spot' which was under the big oak tree.

He led you all the way there where a blanket and a typical picnic basket were awaiting you. "When did these get here?" You pointed at it. Sungjong shrugged. "Who cares, let's just enjoy." He sat him and you down.

Inside of the basket was food that was still hot and drink that was still cold. It made you wonder about who did it and how they knew you were coming. Your only suspect was Sungjong, but you weren't complaining.

After eating, the two of you leaned your backs onto the tree and snuggled together.

You closed your eyes and your mind drifted into another memory.

-----------------

"Come on! Let's go play!" A seven year old Sungjong knocked on your back door in one of your first summers at the cottage. "Coming!" You struggled to strap on your sandals, but eventually you got them on.

The younger you and Sungjong ran together twisting through the trees and ferns laughing and screaming happily.

You remembered the first time you went to the cottage, but you didn't remember how you even met Sungjong. He was just always there.

Every summer, your family drove all the way to this place and you always looked forward to playing with the boy that lived there.

Not very far was a small town, but Sungjong lived all the way out here until later, when his parents decided to move to Seoul. Your two families still came for your vacations. That is, until your parents died from a fatal series of car accidents that involved more then forty people.

You were over it for a while now, but you hadn't come here since.

The child you ran away from, the scary monster, Sungjong who was declaring that he was going to eat you after he caught you. You two played long and hard until you got tired and sat where you were sitting now.

On your first day there, you were shy, but you had brought a toy picnic set and pretended to have a picnic with him. He shoved plastic cookies into his mouth and drank all of the pretend tea you poured for him. He was so comfortable around you that you became comfortable too.

All of the summers spent laughing and playing with your best friend and the one you loved were the most sacred memories that you kept and held on to.

Every coming of the fall, you hated it and threw a fit when you had to leave him behind, but he always smiled his sunny smile of his and told you that he'd see you next year.

After meeting him, everything else was dull in comparison. He was your sunny day. The light in your life.

When he moved to Seoul was when you two really started showing interest in each other and that was how you became the love birds you were now. Life without him would be meaningless.

You were interrupted from your roll of your most favourite memories when the present Sungjong kissed your cheek.

"I think I know what your thinking about." He said. "And what is that?" You opened your eyes and smiled.

"How we used to play here when we were kids." Sungjong said matter-of-factly. "How did you know?"

"How do I not know? I was thinking about it too." He confessed, eyes shining.

"The summers were always my favourite. I would anticipate your junky blue car rolling up to your cottage." He chuckled.

"Yah, that car was not junky! It was...vintage."

"Whatever you say, Jagiya." He pinch your nose. "Owwie..." You covered it with your hands.

"You know, summers were my favourite too. This place is just so beautiful and I always got to see you." You smiled sweetly, reminiscing.

"Live here with me." He suddenly said.

"What?" You asked confusedly.

"I said live here with me." He repeated with all seriousness. Sungjong moved and stuck his hand inside of his pocket.

"What are you doing?" You asked as he moved in front of you. His eyes shone.

"Live here-" He said again getting on one knee and pulling out a small box that made your eyes widen.

"-and marry me." Sungjong finished.

You teared up all over again and nodded enthusiastically. You had absolutely no hesitance whats-so-ever.

"Of course, Sungjong. Yes, oh my god, yes." You flung your arms around his neck. He pulled you back to give you a passionate kiss that went deeper then it ever has before.

From the picnic that started your friendship to the picnic that has tied you two together forever, you could finally spend all four seasons together.

Of course, you will always have that soft spot for the summer.