“… How are you?”

“Mm, fine! How about you?”

“Same.”

“Do you have another story to tell?”

JiNa glanced at the smiling young man on the bed, with bandages still wrapped around his head. She looked away and took a seat beside his bed. She could hear people walking up and down the hallways outside, and the occasional siren of an ambulance rushing away to some unfortunate person. The bland white room smelt funny, like anesthetics and metal. “Yes.” Recounting the past wasn’t always easy.

“Will it be a happy one? Like that story when a girl and boy met?”

“… No. It’ll be different this time. Just listen and wait. Once, not so long ago…”

---

“The young girl propped her head up on her elbows and stared dreamily at the guy sitting across her. His features were all just so… Perfect. Flawless. Indescribable. The boy was talking about something; the girl had no idea, too lost in her own distant land.

‘Yah, are you even listening?’ The boy leaned over and gave her a playful flick on the forehead. Jutting out her bottom lip, the girl nodded and rubbed her forehead. ‘Of course…’ She trailed off at his unbelieving look and grinned foolishly, knowing she had been caught. The boy merely shook his head, a smile playing upon his soft lips.

‘Come, we’ll go to the café and I can tell you everything again pabo.’

‘Yah! I’m not a pabo!’”

---

JiNa looked at the young man. He had begun chuckling softly. He caught her gaze and gave her thumbs up. “Don’t stop, it’s great so far!” He encouraged. JiNa locked eyes with him, and looked away first, opening and another string of words followed.

---

“The days went by happily, not a single day past with a hint of sadness. The girl sat happily at her desk, finishing off homework and was about to start reading a new book.

*ring*

‘Oppa!’

‘Annyeong… Come to the café in 10?’

‘Um… arasso! Be there soon!’

Soon the girl had arrived at their usual meeting place, where all sorts of news were told to each other. She entered the stuffy yet cosy room and searched for him. She found him sitting by the window. ‘Hello!’

‘Hello to you too!’ The boy greeted back, a strange tint in his eyes. It seemed that his emotions were veiled, unlike usual, where his soul and feelings could be read clearly.

‘What’s the news now?’

‘…’ Here, the boy drew a deep breath, as if preparing himself for an explosion. “I’m leaving Korea for 5 years to pursuit my dreams in becoming a journalist.”

‘… I-I…’ The girl had stuttered. Dreams shattered, from 5 words only. Leaving Korea for 5 years. Dread and grief consumed her inside, eating its way up to her heart. But there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t stop him from going. ‘I… I see… When will you be leaving?’”

---

“It sounds like a k-drama.”

“It sorta does, doesn’t it?”

---

“’I’ll be leaving next week… I’m sorry. But I’ll be back. I know I will.’ He mumbled out an apology. The girl merely looked out the window, watching a thin sheet of snow cover the ground. ‘I’m sure you will.’ She let no doubt enter her voice.

Soon the day arrived. They had made the most out of the week, and now the time has come. Each day the girl had tried to imagine that he wasn’t leaving, that the small meeting was only a trick of her imagination, just a dream. But it still remained and it had finally come.

‘You’ll come back for me right? And you won’t forget me?” The girl stared at his eyes hopefully. The boy smiled lightly and nodded his head.

‘Pinky promise.’

‘Pinky promise’”

---

JiNa paused, a lump lodged in . Desperately she swallowed it down. The room had gone silent, the boy still listening intently, waiting patiently.

---

“The boy boarded the plane and the girl watched from the windows, watching the plane rumbled off into the sky and disappearing into the thick and grey clouds. Silently, she returned home, heartbroken.

2 hours hadn’t even gone by since he left, and already the girl felt like chasing after him, wanting him to come back. Searching for a distraction, she flicked on the television and to the news. And that’s when she saw it. A plane crash somewhere in Korea, close by. And it was the same plane her beloved was on. The exact same one. A scream choked her and tears flowed freely. All hope drained from her. The flickering image of the distorted plane remained in her head. Somewhere in that wreckage laid the man.

---

JiNa stopped and looked at the face of the young man, searching for any signs of reaction. Nothing. Slightly disappointed, she continued the story quietly.

---

“There were survivors from the disaster. They had all been taken to the nearest hospital. And to the girls great relief, among them was the man. As soon as they were able to receive visitors, the girl had leapt from bed to visit him. She ran into his room, enveloping him in a grateful hug, tears escaping her eyes. But it was then she realized something. The man had forgotten his promise. He had broken it.

He had forgotten her.”

---

JiNa blinked and stared at her lap.

“The boy in that story… It was me wasn’t it? Kim Himchan is the boy.”