April 9, 2014

Dear Mino,

My Our home is finally clean. I wasn’t even able to take a shower yesterday. I was that tired. It would’ve been easier if you were here. I remember when we unboxed my things and uh…I found The Notebook in your room. I didn’t think you’d leave it here. What should I do with it?

Later today, I’m going to the mart to fill up the cupboards and fridge. Haha, there’d be no one to stop me when I’d check out cups of ramyeon. But there also won’t be anyone to push my cart for me and grab unnecessary bottles of juice!

I missed you yesterday, I miss you today and I would probably miss you later, and in the tomorrows to come.

That’s my goal for now. I’d live so I could see you soon. You’re always in my heart. You’re home there.

I wasn’t sure why I kept on saying such things in my letters to Mino. I wasn’t even sure if I’d let him read it. I felt good writing, because it was only when I wrote to him that words came. When I would try to write about anything else, the ink on my pen dries.

I felt for my phone underneath the pillow. I didn’t know why I kept it charged; I wasn’t waiting for the phone call anymore. I was trying to lift my head off that subject. The call would come when it’s ready. I barely touched the device the past few days. I kept the phone in my pocket just in case.

My father stopped calling, probably with the thought that I would never answer him, but he never failed to send me money.

I was out my door when I felt the phone in my pocket vibrate violently. I fished it out and saw that the call was coming from an unknown number. My finger hovered over the ‘Receive’ button as I hesitated to answer the call. But I was curious as to who owned the number, and I would never know if I didn’t answer.

“Hello? Byul?” The voice sounded worried, and it was the first time I heard someone call my name in days. I didn’t need to ask who it was. The voice was all too familiar.

“Sir?”

“Byul,” I heard a relieved sigh on the other end of the line. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” the automatic answer came out without much thought.

“You’re not sick or anything?”

“No, I’m fine,” I repeated.

“Then why are you not attending your classes?”

I don’t know, I wanted to tell him. The heavy breath came from me this time, and I didn’t know what to tell him so I just didn’t say a word.

“Come back,” there was a pregnant pause that could’ve been filled with words. It seemed that Mr. Dong was trying to gather his thoughts as he was talking to me. “But you’ve been absent for eleven days, I don’t think your professors would let you in,” He clicked his tongue and I heard the regular snapping of fingers.

“I have a doctor friend…We could arrange an excuse letter for you.”

“But sir, I haven’t agreed to go back.”

“You should.”

“I—”

“I guess it’s your choice, huh…” There was another long pause. “You should come back. Forget about that poem assignment. Just…come back.”

My eyebrows furrowed for a moment, “It is my choice.”

“Right,” the word came with a heavy breath. “I’ll see you.”

“Sure,” and I hung up.

The momen