• CHAERIN •

 

I took Dara to some private restraunt which I'd booked for us. It was dark and romantic and, to be honest, we did more kissing than eating. I was going to miss her way too much. I now had thirty minutes to get her to the airport. I didn't want to take her. I wanted to just runaway and never let her go. But her Aunt had called and told her strictly to meet her in the airport.

 

This was the part of the day I've been dreading. "C'mon," I open the passenger seat to my mother's Lexus and let dara slip in. "Your Aunt's waiting."

 

dara bites her lip and I notice her eyes get teary. "chae?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

She takes me hand and pulls me to her, laying her lips on mine and kissing me gently. I kiss her back, squeezing my eyes shut so no tears could escape.

 

"We've got to go." I murmur, pulling away. I make my way around the car and jump into the driver's seat, starting the ignition.

 

I drive in silence, not turning to look at dara because I know she's crying. If I look at her, I'm scared I might cry too.

 

The drive to the airport is about ten minutes long and I can barely take the silence anymore. I can see the airport up ahead. For the first time in my life, I hate airports.

 

"This is it." I whisper as I park the car, stoping the engine but not making any move to open the door.

 

"I don't want to move." dara sniffles.

 

"Tell me about it." I'm finally able to pry open my door and make my way around to open dara.

 

She curls her fingers around mine and leans into me as I lead her into the airport.

 

"dara, chaerin!" Aunt voice calls. She's standing by the airport stairs, carrying no luggage which I assumed was already beneath their plane.

 

"Where are we staying once we arrive?" dara asks her aunt, her hand still in mine.

 

"My old friend, Karen's place. She has a pretty big house and offered to share it with us when we arrive." Aunt tells dara. "Until we get our own place."

 

"Oh." dara mumbles.

 

"Flight A-17 departs in ten minutes. Flight A-17 departs in ten minutes." Some lady calls through the intercom.

 

Aunt grins. "Oh! That's our flight. We should get going. Don't want to miss it." dara turns towards me, tears rolling down her face. "I'll miss you." She says, her voice breaking.

 

"Me too." Tears threaten to escape but I blink them back. "I love you." I lay my lips on hers and kiss her deeply, letting my tongue slip into in one last passionate kiss. She squeezes my hand and kisses me back, her free hand caressing my cheek. "I love you too." She whispers against my lips.

 

"Call me when you arrive." I tell her, not wanting to pull away but doing so when the intercom warns that there are five minutes left before flight A-17 departs.

 

"I promise I'll be there when you graduate, no matter the circumstances." I promise her. She smiles weakly. "You're amazing, chaerin. You know that?"

 

"I've been told." I give her another slow kiss before Aunt clears .

 

"Sorry to break you up, but we've got to get going."

 

dara nods and slowly begins to walk away, her eyes still locked on mine and my hand still around hers.

 

The minute I feel her fingers slip away... I know I won't be seeing her in long time. I turn around and make my way to the car, tears finally betraying me. I slide into the driver's seat and thump my head against the wheel, bursting into tears.

 

dara leaving was as if someone had just shot a bullet through my heart.

 

• DARA •

 

I spend the entire flight in tears, not able to get Chaerin out of my head. sHe was the best thing that's ever happened to me and hell knows when I'm going to see her again.

 

Sometimes during the flight, I managed to fall asleep, waking up at the sound of the plane's captain saying that we've arrived.

 

"C'mon, sweetheart." Aunt motions me out of the seat and I stand up, yawning. We take our carry-on bags and exit the plane, me somehow managing not to cry.

 

We make our way through the airport, stopping to get our bags and then continuing on.

 

"Ms.Park ! My goodness! It's been years!" A lady's voice exclaims as she wraps Aunt in a tight hug. I stand there, looking uncomfortable.

 

"Oh!" The lady, who has brown wavy hair and brown eyes, tens to me, grinning. "Yoy must be her daughter-"

 

"Niece." I correct her, cutting her off.

 

"My bad," The lady apologizes. "It's just that you guys look so much alike!" She holds out her hand. "I'm Karen."

 

I shake it. "Nice to meet you."

 

"And..." She begins to say, grabbing some guys hand (who hasn't noticed had been standing there the whole time) and pulling him over. "This is my son, Sam."

 

"Hi." The boy grins sheepishly, holding out his hand. "I'm Sam." He has dark, brown hair that's cut short and hazel eyes which somehow remind me of chaerin. I hold back the tears and try to think of anything else.

 

Sam's nose is slightly curved upward, barely noticeable. I can see some muscle visible through his white shirt and, overall, he's kind of handsome.

 

"dara." I tell him, taking his hand and giving it a quick shake before pulling away.

 

"Let's go home and get y'all settled." Karen chirps. "I made dinner and sam bakes brownies."

 

"You make brownies?" I question, starting up a conversation as we head out to the parking lot. "Doesn't make me sound too manly, does it?" sam chuckles.

 

"Not so much." I tease.

 

He laughs. "Didn't think so."

 

Suddenly my cellphone begins to ring,

 

I snap, slipping the phone out of my pocket and grinning like a manic when I see chaerin's name clearly printed on the screen.

 

I hit answer and press the phone to my ear. "Hey." I answer. "I just got off not long ago."

 

"That's good." I can hear the sadness in her voice. "Do you miss me?"

 

"Too much." I admit.

 

"I miss you more." sHe informs me. "Text you tonight?"

 

"You better."

 

"I will."

 

"Love you."

 

"Love you more." sHe tells me. "Bye, dara."

 

"Bye, chae." I heave a sigh and hang up, looking up towards sam who has a raised eyebrow.

 

"So that was your boyfriend?" He guesses.

 

"No.Girlfriend" I exhale, tears threatening me. "I miss her."

 

sam gives me a sympathetic look. "I know how you feel. My girlfriend moved away a few months ago and we had together for two years."

 

I tilt my head to the side. "And you just called it quits?"

 

sam shrugs. "I loved her but...we just couldn't make the long distance thing work. We just ended it."

 

"Were you crushed?" I ask him in a soft voice.

 

"Heartbroken." He confesses. "I cried like a girl for weeks."

 

I chuckle. "You're not manly at all."

 

sam crosses his arms. "Is it about the crying thing or the brownies?"

 

"Both."