Many things bothered me because the same thing happened. I was about to poke him but what the hell clouds? It started to rain and he picked up my sister in a swift motion and held my hand then we ran to the nearest shelter. When we were running I ped my jacket and wrapped it around my little sister. I don’t want her to get a cold in Korea, she will be sniffing all the time and it will bother her and she’s not gonna enjoy her stay.

We arrived in a café and the people are so kind that they gave us towels to dry our hair, we ordered warm drinks and thankfully my sister didn’t even felt rain. I looked up in the sky, it’s sad again like Kris’ expression.

Is asking bad? Will—Never mind I better not associate myself with him that much.

Mom and Dad waved goodbye, and my sister is in pool of tears while waving goodbye too. I waved and made a heart sign and that was a message that I will get home as soon as possible.

Thankfully, until the last moment they believed that Kris is my boyfriend oh come on he’s so good in acting. We held hands sometimes and he sleeps in my shoulder during boring times in the tour bus when we were with my parents, even though I know he was really tired. My sister likes him of course, she has someone to punch now and not feel any pain because Kris is kinda strong, they played more than we did. Unfair.

Kris’ girlfriend sure is lucky.

I blink. Why did I even think about that? Oh well yeah it’s true, he’s reliable, can you believe that he wash his own clothes, yes, even without the help of the washing machine. He likes kids, because he is the only child in the family he said he was lonely, his parents even bought him an orphanage for him to play with other kids and also help the other kids.

Will it invade his space if I ask where his girlfriend is or ask if he has a wife?

Our Korean lessons keep coming and knowing myself I leaned pretty quickly. Kris asks me to translate some and I earned a pat every time I translate correctly. Days past and wasted by going to all the places we can go and I learn every place we go.

“I love you.”

I turned to face him, “Excuse me?” Am I blushing? Oh my gosh. Did he just—

“Translate.” He nodded

“Oh.” I thought “Pabo.”

This time he didn’t pat my head but laughed so hard. I need to hit him sometimes you know, is he teasing me about my accent? Tch, as if he doesn’t sound weird too.

Walking on the streets of Seoul we eat street foods here and there. Laugh at our lame jokes, finally I found someone to laugh at my jokes (except my sister of course).

Never did I have this nice feeling with Henry.

Is this…

“Amber look! Fireworks!”

I looked at where he pointed and there it is. I don’t know why they are showing it now; they should have showed it yesterday my sister would be jumping for joy. I looked at the person beside me and never had I seen a person so amazed by a simple fireworks display.

“Pabo.”

I covered my mouth what did I just said?

He turned and laughed, ruffled my hair “Silly! I’m not crazy!”

I barely heard him because of the people, the noisy fireworks and the beating of my heart. I stood there wide eyed looking at Kris.

Is this the fireworks I’m hearing or my heart exploding because of what I realized.

The show ended and I looked at my surroundings, closing my eyes and opening it again. I was about to ask for my bag from Kris but when I turned my head he was nowhere.

I ran and looked for him.

Just some shops away I see him clutching his phone once again. I proceeded to walk forward but stopped when I heard him talking to a person in front of him that I didn’t see in the first place.

“Tiffany..”  he spoke

The girl looked surprised. She was taller than me and you can easily say she comes from a family like Kris’. I see Kris grabs something from his pocket and it was what I predicted it to be.

The ring.

Kris walked to her and opened her palm and placed the ring he was keeping all the while.

I get it now. He came here to look for her, his fiancée. He has one.

Why am I crying? I laugh and wipe the little droplets. I should exit from the scene, I’m not invited here.

Was about to turn away but I see a guy approach Tiffany and pointed Kris. Tiffany shook her head and handed the ring to Kris’ hand. She mouthed something I didn’t hear and the two of them left.

Leaving me and Kris frozen, unable to know what to do.

That night I heard him cry when I peeked inside his room.

It made my heart ache too.

“Thank you for all you have done to me. As soon as I land in Canada I’ll be sending money.” He bowed “Thank you again.”

I never finished his goodbye and I ran outside. This is stupid, he’s going home and I can feel the heart ache again. What am I even expecting, I should have known. I should have known.

I went to the place where we ate gummy bears together with my sister. Why did I even assumed that he would stay, I should have reminded myself that this is not some fairytale.

This is not happy ending.

I looked at the surroundings, looking for Amber surprisingly. I don’t know why she sprinted out earlier when I was bidding my goodbye.

The person who am I supposed to spend my time here in Korea left me with those words.

“I never planned to be married with you.”

“Sorry Kris, I was never meant for you.”

“I hope you can forgive me.”

“Bye.”

Maybe Tiffany was never meant for me. Maybe I was just hurrying things. I was blind. I have a lot of explaining to do when I come home.

I opened my bag to get a sweater but I pulled something else. A notebook? It’s Amber’s notebook, this is her notes for the Korean lessons I teach her. She sure learns fast, I must say. My stay here was fun and I forgot the reason why I liked to stay here for a while because of Amber, I hope she can explain the pretending to her parents. I hope that Henry bastard won’t be back to her life.

I already miss her and her sister.

She is fun to be with; she will do anything for the person who loves her. I hope she lives well.

As I flip the pages I see my name.  Every page I see it with the some emoticons. Wait is this her journal too?

“Pabo, Kris.”

My forehead wrinkled. Pabo? I’m not crazy.

"Pabo means I love you"

Amber likes me?

“Requesting all passenger of flight 41 please proceed to gate three. Thank you.”

“Gomawo! Pabo Kris!” I shout as I see an airplane at the sky taking its flight

I sigh. I never imagined I will shout that to him.

Still sitting on this bench. I wonder if he feels the same—well of course not he has a fiancée and if he really likes me he would be here right now and--

“Amber pabo!”

My neck twisted in an instant and when I saw him my eyes started to tear up.

“Kris pabo!”

“What if I told you. Pabo doesn’t mean ‘I love you.’”

“Say what?”

“It’s fine. Pabo will always be our ‘I love you’.”

The both laughed “Epic”

I AM KNEELING BECAUSE THIS STORY IS SLOWLY UPDATED. IM SO SORRY AND AS IVE SAID THIS IS A SHORT STORY AND IM REALLY THANKFUL THAT SOMEBODY ACTUALLY LIKED THIS. THANK YOU AND COMMENTS AND UPVOTES ARE APPRECIATED <3

-Pj