ON THE LINE

By EvelynHY

 

 

Yoona grabbed her phone that was ringing incessantly on the couch. She looked at the screen and answered.

 

- Yo, Tiffany.

 

- What happened?

 

- What are you talking about?

 

- It's been two days that I can’t talk to her and now Taeyeon calls me saying that...

 

For a moment the line went silent, Yoona gasped.

 

- ... she will catch a flight to Japan.

 

Yoona was stunned for a few seconds. She didn’t know exactly what to say. She wanted to ask what time the flight would leave, what airport was, and the most important, why she was doing it. But all she managed to do was letting out a low moan of pain.

 

- It can’t be. - She managed to whisper after a few moments.

 

- Yoona, tell me what happened. She was with you before disappearing, what happened?

 

- She ... I'll talk to you later, Tiffany. Tell me what airport it is.

 

- It's Incheon Airport, she’ll get the 6pm flight today.

 

- Thank you.

 

Yoona pressed key 1 of her cell phone and waited.

- Come on, pick up... - She whispered to herself.

 

- Yoona unnie?

 

- Seohyun! - The girl screamed euphorically.

 

 

 

-----------

 

 

The phone rang, Seohyun looked at the screen and sighed before answering.

 

- Yoona unnie? – She spoke hesitantly.

 

- Seohyun! - Yoona shouted.

 

Seohyun felt an urge to hang up the phone as soon as she heard her voice, but a noise from the other side of the line caught her attention, preventing her from moving forward with her intentions.

 

- What was that? - She asked worriedly.

 

- Nothing. - Yoona answered - Where are you?

 

Seohyun looked around, watching the flight schedules. Only thirty minutes left.

 

- I'm at the airport. – She replied, trying not to show nervousness in her voice.

 

For a long time she didn’t hear anything on the line. Seohyun thought that the older girl might have thrown the phone somewhere, not caring about anything else related to her. Should Seohyun blame her?

 

- What do you think you're doing? - Seo was surprised to hear her voice again.

 

- ... I need to do this, Yoona unnie ... I'm sorry. – She murmured with difficulty.

 

Seo heard a sigh of irritation and some disconnected words.

 

- ... You must be kidding me. – She heard Yoona speak those last words.

 

- What did you say?

 

- That you're crazy. Damn, can we talk? Before you do this crap?

 

Seo thought Yoona’s breathing was strange… Was she panting?

 

- ... I'll be back in a few months.

 

- Seo ... – It was now clear that Yoona was panting heavily - ... I know that things don’t make sense to you right now, and I want you to forgive me for that, but ...

 

There was a noise and then total silence. Seohyun didn’t know how to react. She called Yoona out but got no response. She thought about hanging up the phone, but the call hadn’t dropped. Then something happened.

 

- Seo, talk to me. - Yoona's voice was urgent.

 

- Yoona unnie, what's happening? - She asked, beginning to worry.

 

- Hey, I had a little problem, but it was already solved. - She was clearly trying to control her breathing.

 

- I better hang up... – the younger one suggested.

 

- NO. Don’t do that! I need you to listen to me, ok? - another uncomfortable silence - I know my reaction was not one of the best. I ... I don’t know what happened, but I was hoping you'd give me some time to think...

 

- It's been two days, Yoona unnie. - Seohyun remembered what happened and was taken by sadness.

 

- Still, it was all so sudden, you ... I didn’t expect you to do something like that.

 

- And does that matter now?

 

- Yes, it does.

 

- No need to feel guilty. Don’t feel sorry for me, I am responsible for myself.

 

- It’s not that. Please, let's talk.

 

- Talk about what? You’ve already given me your answer.

 

- I didn’t. Actually, you didn’t even give me a chance to say anything. - Yoona said angrily - After all, you ran away before I could have time to react.

 

- It was too much for me to say that. Standing still in front of you, waiting for a response was out of my control.

 

- HEY, DON’T STOP! - She heard the older one speak loudly, scaring her.

 

- What? – She asked stunned.

 

- It’s not you. Wait a minute.

 

Seo waited and the silence that followed was muffled. There were confusing noises around and it took a little while for Yoona to speak again.

 

- Seo, what I need to do to make you quit? - The maknae found strange that Yoona seemed to be panting again.

- Nothing.

 

Seohyun closed her eyes tightly, trying to keep her tears from falling. She clutched the phone with both hands and tried to keep herself from saying anything else.

 

- Damn, Seo. How could I imagine that you would tell me that you love me so out of the blue? - She said, sounding completely tired.

 

- Not even I believed I would. - She was sincere.

 

- So how did you do that?

 

- I don’t know ... I just ... - Seohyun didn’t want to open herself even more. She tried to prevent those words to come out of , but all what she managed to do was to let out a heavy sigh - I just wanted you to be mine. – She said, unable to avoid those words from escape.

 

- Seo ... I ... - The older girl stammered after a moment in silence.

 

- Don’t say anything. I don’t want you to feel obligated to say nice things to make me feel better.

 

Seohyun thought for a moment that this time the call had indeed dropped. She didn’t hear any noise for a while. But then she heard something, this time it didn’t seem to be the noise of cars, but of people.

 

- You should stop talking so many unnecessary things. - Yoona spoke again and there was a change in her voice. She was no longer panting and she seemed strangely excited…

 

- What are you talking about?

 

- Everything. You show up at my apartment and say you love me. You run away without giving me a chance to say anything. You disappear for two days and now you want to get away from me? Did you really think I would allow you to do that?

 

- I don’t need your permission.

 

- No? - She heard her laugh, it was now clear that in fact she was cheerful – You’re really naive, maknae.

 

- I...

 

- Now it's my turn to talk, ok? I didn’t look for you earlier because I thought you needed some time alone. I didn’t react at the time you said you loved me because I was afraid...

 

- Afraid? Of what?

 

- Afraid this all would be just a dream, that I was imagining things. You know, I'm usually not very normal. - She laughed - And when you ran away, I didn’t know what to do, I just wanted... That everything was real.

 

Seohyun was surprised, trying at all costs to get used to those words.

 

- Yoona unnie...

 

- Now that it seems you want to listen to me, can I give you my answer to what you told me two days ago?

 

Seohyun held her breath. It couldn’t be true, right? She squeezed the phone even more in her hands, waiting for her to speak. Every second now seemed minutes, hours. Everything seemed to stop around them.

 

- I... - Yoona started.

 

And suddenly ... the phone call dropped.

 

For a moment she thought she was imagining things, but then she looked at the screen of the phone and there was no connection... Yoona had hanged up.

 

Seohyun shook the phone between her fingers and slowly put it inside her bag, lowering her head in an attempt to hide her face taken by grief. How stupid she was!  What did she expect? She really thought Yoona would say what she wanted to hear?

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

- I love you.

 

 

-----------

 

 

Yoona looked around after saying goodbye to Tiffany. She grabbed her coat and keys while at the same time she pressed key number 1 on her cell phone, listening to a dial tone.

 

- Come on, pick up... - She murmured as she stumbled towards the door. It was not an easy task to walk when she was still trying to wear her shoes.

 

- Yoona unnie...?

 

- Seohyun! - The girl screamed euphorically.

 

Yoona tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground, causing a thud due to the carpet.

 

- Damn...

 

- What was that? - The girl on the other end of the line asked.

 

- Nothing. - She pulled herself together quickly - Where are you?

 

There was silence before she heard the answer.

 

- I'm at the airport.

 

Yoona was surprised. So it was true. She quickly left the apartment and locked the door with difficulty, walking hurriedly to the elevator.

 

- What do you think you're doing? - She asked, seriously.

 

- ... I need to do this, Yoona unnie... I'm sorry.

 

Yoona stopped in front of the elevator.

 

- Maintenance? You must be kidding me. - She muttered irritably as she ran down the stairs.

 

- What did you say?

 

- That you're crazy. Damn, can we talk? Before you do this crap?

 

Her breathing was heavier every floor. The stairs seemed never-ending, seven floors to go.

 

- ... I'll be back in a few months.

 

- Seo ... - She is now completely breathless - ... I know things don’t make sense to you right now, and I want to apologize for that, but ...

 

Once the stairs ended, Yoona turned the hallway and bumped violently into a guy, her phone slipped from her hand while the two were on the floor.

 

- Sorry. - The guy said, standing up and reaching out to help the girl.

 

Yoona accepted his help and then looked startled to her hands, there was nothing there.

 

- My phone ... - She murmured as she looked horrified and desperately around - Damn, where are you? – She murmured nervously while looking for it on the corridor.

 

- Are you talking about that? - The boy pointed at something silver in the distance flashing a small light.

 

Yoona ran to the phone and picked it up with an unusual speed, as she turned to run toward the exit of the building.

 

- Seo, talk to me. - She spoke after putting the phone back to her ear.

 

- Yoona unnie, what's happening?

 

- Hey, I had a little problem, but it was already solved.

 

- I better hang up...

 

- NO. Don’t do that! I need you to listen to me, ok?

 

Yoona got into a taxi and took the phone away from while saying the name of the airport to the taxi driver.

 

- I know that my reaction was not one of the best. I ... I don’t know what happened, but I was hoping you'd give me some time to think…

 

- It's been two days, Yoona unnie. - She said sadly.

 

- Still, it was all so sudden, you ... I didn’t expect you to do something like that.

 

- And does that matter now?

 

- Yes, it does.

 

- No need to feel guilty. Don’t feel sorry for me, I am responsible for myself.

 

- It’s not that. Please, let’s talk.

 

- Talk about what? You've already given me your answer.

 

- I didn’t. Actually, you didn’t even give me time to say anything. - Yoona said angrily - After all, you ran away before I could have time to react.

 

- It was too much for me to say that. Standing still in front of you waiting for a response was out of my control.

 

- HEY, DON’T STOP! - Yoona said loudly.

 

- What?

 

- It’s not you. Wait a minute. - Yoona put the phone against her shoulder and turned her attention to the taxi driver - Why did you stop? I am in a hurry.

 

- Sorry, we can only wait. - He replied with a shrug.

 

Yoona looked ahead, there was a huge traffic jam. It would take hours to reach the airport.

 

- How many blocks to the airport?

 

- Five.

 

Yoona took a deep breath. She took a sum of money from her wallet and gave it to the taxi driver.

 

- Keep the change. – She said as he left the vehicle.

 

- Good luck. - He said looking at her through the glass window.

 

Yoona thanked as she looked ahead. She would definitely need it.

 

- Seo, what I need to do to make you quit? - She returned to the cell phone as she ran through the cars stuck in traffic.

 

- Nothing.

 

Yoona pressed the phone tightly between her fingers and looked at the time quickly. Just a few minutes left to board. She was not sure she could get there in time and her heart ached with every step she took.

 

- Damn, Seo, how could I imagine that you would tell me that you love me so out of the blue? - She blurted, feeling her voice failing as she closed her eyes for a brief moment, without stopping to walk hurriedly.

 

- Not even I believed I would. - The girl confessed.

 

- So how did you do that?

 

- I don’t know ... I just ... - Yoona sighed heavily and she could feel the pain in her voice - I just wanted you to be mine.

 

Yoona was silent, too stunned to say anything. All this time…

 

- Seo ... I ...

 

- Don’t say anything. I don’t want you to feel obligated to say nice things to make me feel better.

 

Yoona took a deep breath when she arrived at the airport. She watched the huge entrance and felt her body shaking with fatigue, but this was not the time to rest. Not a second to rest, she thought as she stepped further into that crowded place. There were so many people, but she knew where to look for her. Fany had told her what gate she was.

 

- You should stop saying so many unnecessary things. - Yoona said containing a smile.

 

- What are you talking about?

 

- Everything. You show up at my apartment and say that you love me. You run away without giving me a chance to say anything. You disappear for two days and now you want to get away from me? Did you really think I would allow you to do that?

 

- I don’t need your permission.

 

- No? - She laughed again, now more openly for she finally caught sight of her in the distance – You’re really naive, maknae.

 

- I...

 

- Now it's my turn to talk, ok? I didn’t try to look for you earlier because I thought you needed some time alone. I didn’t react at the time you said you loved me because I was afraid...

 

- Afraid? Of what?

 

- Afraid this all would be just a dream, that I was imagining things. You know, I'm usually not very normal. - She laughed, getting closer to her. Now she could walk again without haste. - And when you ran away, I didn’t know what to do, I just wanted... That everything was real.

 

- Yoona unnie...

 

- Now that it seems you want to listen to me, can I tell you my answer to what you told me two days ago?

Yoona could feel that Seohyun was tense, she was breathing slowly while holding the phone with both hands. She smiled slightly and nodded, watching her as she got closer. She was beautiful.

 

- I...

 

Yoona hung up the phone and put it in her pocket as she stepped slowly toward her. She watched her looking surprisedly at her mobile and soon after being consumed by disappointment as she lowered her head. The girl smiled and silently took a final step in her direction.

 

- I love you.

 

Seohyun looked up quickly and turned at her startled.  Her hands trembled to see who was in front of her.

 

- Yoona ... - She whispered incredulously.

 

- I said I wouldn’t let you leave me.

 

Seohyun still seemed not to believe. She didn’t move, even when Yoona moved closer, getting face to face with her.

 

- Now can you understand why I reacted that way? - She said, smiling kindly.

 

Seohyun nodded her head slowly.

 

- Sorry for taking so long to tell you that. I never imagined that you would have more courage than I do. - Yoona said laughing, and then showed a calm smile on her lips - I love you, Seo.

 

Seohyun hugged her tightly and tried not to cry, otherwise she’d look like a child.

 

- I always wanted to hear that. - She spoke without releasing the girl - I love you so much, Yoona.

 

Yoona pushed her away a little, caressing her face.

 

- Sorry for taking so long to get here, the traffic was not good to me. - She joked.

 

Seo laughed along and after wrapping an arm around her waist, she grabbed her neck with her free hand, tilting her face closer to hers.

 

- Wait. - Yoona turned her face away, surprised.

 

- What is it? - The younger one asked confused.

 

- You’re… not ashamed of me...? – She asked, insecure as she looked around quietly. Many people were looking at them suspiciously.

Seo smiled slightly and without hesitating or looking around, she kissed her intensely, pulling her closer as she felt her gradually returning the kiss. After a few minutes they walked away and exchanged a smile.

 

- You’re really naive, Yoona unnie. - She repeated what the older one had told her minutes ago. – To love you and knowing that you love me is something I’d never be ashamed of, never.

 

Yoona beamed proudly. Her maknae was already a woman.

 

The younger one walked to her suitcase, held it with one hand and offered the other for Yoona to hold, who quickly accepted intertwining their fingers.

 

The two were a few moments in silence, watching their hands and then looking at each other showing their bright smiles.

 

- I think I can get used to it. - Yoona said proudly, when they began to walk out of the airport.

 

- The plane ticket to Japan was so expensive. - Seohyun muttered, then turned to the girl beside her - Wait, what do you mean by "think"? - She asked indignantly.

 

Yoona could only laugh.

 

- How long do you think Sooyoung will tease us when we tell her?

 

Seohyun seemed to think for a while on her friend who at that time was probably eating something as an appetizer for dinner.

 

- At least three months. - Seohyun replied.

 

And they both laughed, knowing that at least for the rest of that day nothing, not even Sooyoung, could make them stop showing those happy smiles plastered on their faces.