CLOSE TO ME | MARK LEE

35

We finished eating breakfast and we had to get on with the busy day. It was going to be exhausting but I knew it would be worth it. We got ready for the day as we had shows we were going to be on. I did realise I wouldn't see Areum all day but I'll meet her later on.

T I M E. S K I P.

It was such a long and tiring day. My legs were stiff so I plopped straight into the bed. We were at a new hotel now. I had messaged Areum quite a few times today but she hadn't replied back. Maybe she was just busy. Soon I drifted off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, my phone started vibrating. I shifted in the bed and looked at the time, it was 1:57. I picked up my phone and seen it was Areum.

"Hey, wassup? Are you alright?" I asked in a quiet sleepy voice.

"Mhm, can you come and meet me on the top floor right now?" She sounded tense.

"Yeah, I'll be up in a minute."

I cut the phone and put on my slippers and jacket.

I went to the top floor to see Areum sitting there with her head down.

"Areum," I softly said.

She turned around with watery eyes. I picked up my pace and walked faster to her. I sat beside and held her face in my hands.

"What happened Areum? Why are you crying?"

Just with those two questions, she burst out crying. I just hugged her, with her face on my chest. I could feel her clutching onto my jacket as if her life depended on it.

After she calmed down, she decided to talk.

"Mark, I'm going to have to leave." She said whilst looking at her hands in her lap.

"What?" I was in shock.

"It's best for the both of us. I want you to have a healthy and prosperous life. I just block that for you and I can't risk your life just for me."

"What do you mean?" I was utterly confused.

"I'm not meant to be the one for you. I bring you danger. So I'm leaving to go back to Korea. I thought of an excuse and the manager had booked me a flight for tomorrow night so this is my last day here."

"No... you can't just leave me here. Why?!" I raised my voice because none of my questions were being answered. I felt frustrated.

"I don't want to but I have to. For you."

"Is it the managers? Did someone say something? Tell me." Tears were welling up in my eyes and they dropped down my cheeks.

Areum wiped them away as she stared at me.

"You can meet me again when you come back to Korea. But for now, I have to go."

We both just stared at each other.

"Today is my last schedule with you and Jaehyun for when you need to go to Times Square. After that I'm going straight to the airport. I don't want you to be sad and I'm always wishing you the best."

"But it's not going to be the same without you.." I said whilst holding back my tears.

We both stared at each other before she gave me a really tight hug. I hugged her back and had my head in the crook of her neck. Tears started rolling out my eyes non stop.

"Shh Mark don't cry. You need to be strong."

She held me by my shoulders and pulled me back up.

"Let's go." She said as she started walking.

I got up and quickly ran behind her. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back as she fell into me. I held her face as I leaned in to kiss her. My lips met hers and tears still ran down my eyes. I firmly held the sides of her face as she hugged my waist.

It was a sincere and longing kiss. A kiss that felt like a goodbye. That felt like we truly wouldn't meet each other for the next month. It might not sound so long but I always need her with me. She made my life be full of colour. I looked forward to waking up in the morning to see her in the day. I can't believe she's just here for this day and is going back. It still makes no sense to me as to why she's going but I hope it'll be explained soon.