before you go

It's another Monday and Sooyoung comes out of their house in her usual deranged Monday self -- hair half-combed, blouse tucked untidily into her skirt, bag still unclosed, and an expression of panic upon realizing that her school bus has left without her again.

She fixes herself quickly and prepares for what might be another long dash to school.

"Aigoo, Sooyoungie~"

The familiar low voice stops her and she turns around to see a fresh-faced Changmin smiling at her. He was shaking his head and tutting in a teasing manner as he pedals on his bicycle; the one he swapped with the convertible his father gifted him for his birthday as Sooyoung remembers.

"Oppa~" the girl whines cutely. She need not say anything else for him to understand. The young man simply smiles back upon the unsaid request before signaling the girl to hop on his bike.

"Thank you!"

Sooyoung does a mental dance and sits herself comfortably behind him. She wraps her arms around his waist and rests her chin on his back.

They rode in silence, happily observing the trees glimmering in the golden sunlight of a March morning, unmindful of the fact that the toll of the school bell has already faded into faint echoes as students usher themselves into their classrooms for the start of the class. Instead of pedaling faster, he takes his time to bike a little bit slower than he usually does. After all, classes are ending this week and summer is about to start soon. His high school days have long been numbered and it will be a long, long time before he might see Sooyoung again.

"Oppa..."

"Hmmm?"

"Are you really going to attend a university in America?"

The question comes out of nowhere and the wind answers on his behalf. He feels Sooyoung's cheek against his back and he gives out an exasperated sigh before speaking.

"I have to."

She does not reply. He has expected the silence.

"Don't miss your best friend too much." He swallows a lump on his throat and looks straight ahead.

"I won't." she answers too quickly. Her voice a pitch too high.

"I'll miss you."

The words roll out before he can stop them. The wind blows and the coldness seeps in his skin from the wet patch on his uniform soaked by the girl's tears behind him. He swerves gently on a sidewalk and stops the bike. Sooyoung holds unto him tighter.

"Soo---"

"I love you."

It's just a tiny bit louder than a whisper but his breathing hitches for a moment. The silence was long and Sooyoung hopes he will say something to break it. He gives off a small sigh, untangles her arm in the most careful manner he can and gets off the bike.

The monotony of the pavement is broken by the shadows painted by the trees lining up on the roadside. Sooyoung looks down as tears stream down her cheeks. She raises her hand to wipe it away when another hand stops her from doing so.

She looks up to see him looking at her with a dazed expression. She barely had time to think before the boy pulls her into an embrace. He plants a kiss on her head and murmurs something that sounded like 'pabo'. He pulls back, gazes at her lovingly, and brushes his lips gently against hers.

"I love you too."