faraway | purinz

track 008

TRACK 008

cross ur mind

INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SOUTH KOREA ♥ PRESENT DAY

Chaewon and Yunjin had made a sort of silent rule that whenever one of them called the other by a nickname, the other would respond in kind.

So, Yunjin's stupid brain instantly told her mouth, Call her Pupu!

But Yunjin's heart's effect was so strong that it said no, call her Chaewon.

"Chaewon," Yunjin forced out, turning around with a tight, fake smile, as best she could muster.

Chaewon looked... too good.

The four years had done her well. Her short black bob was the same as ever, but she was taller now- a few inches?- and more matured. Her face was stingingly beautiful as ever, sweet and hot all at once, sort of like apple cider- yes, that was it. The pale tinge of her skin, the contours of her face, the rich color of her eyes, the darkness of her hair. Apple cider- warm, sweet, tangy to the taste buds and sugary to Yunjin's eyes.

Except no. The sweetness that was Chaewon was being drunken in by someone else by the name of Choi Yeonjun.

He had his hand in hers, a pleasant smile on his face that made Yunjin want to scream, Why are you even here? His neat dark hair was tousled to the point of perfection, his intelligent, mercurial eyes hidden behind sharp glasses. He wore a crisp suit jacket and pressed white shirt, paired somewhat awkwardly with khakis. 

"I'm Yeonjun, it's so nice to meet you, Chaewon told me all about you," he said, extending a hand.

Yunjin's eyes were still on Chaewon's, but she ripped her gaze from Chaewon's impassive admiration to stare at Yeonjun, taking his hand in a firm grip and shaking it. "I'm sure she has."

The awkwardness continued until Kazuha burst in.

"Hi, I'm Kazuha, Yunjin's best friend," and Yunjin was never more thankful for the Japanese girl in that moment. Her Korean may have been stilted, but the message was received perfectly. "I'm just visiting."

"Hello," Yeonjun said politely to her, shaking her hand, even enduring her enthusiastic handshake. Kazuha shook Chaewon's hand also, keeping her nice face on and ignoring Chaewon's curious eyes flicking between her and Yunjin.

And then Kazuha did something so typically Kazuha. She said, "Kareshi-san wa rukkusu ga futsuu desu."

Yunjin's mind worked slowly, translating, and then Kazuha's tone of voice plus the situation plus the jet lag made her snort.

Kazuha giggled also, but kept it in, smiling at Chaewon and Yeonjun. What Kazuha had said, roughly translated in a sense, meant that Yeonjun's looks were average, and her tone was basically implying that Yunjin was better.

The support made Yunjin grateful.

"Should we get going, then?" Jihyo asked, breaking the awkward silence, and both Kazuha and Yunjin nodded. The families began to walk, Jihyo and Daniel walking side by side in the back, Eunchae lurking in front of them, Yunjin and Kazuha walking by Eunchae, and Chaewon and Yeonjun walking awkwardly in front of the group.

"Why did you do that," Yunjin hissed, trying to hold in her snickers, and Kazuha swatted her arm, also snorting and responding in pitch-perfect Japanese.

"Because it's true."

"But he's right there! Zuha!"

Kazuha snorted, and Eunchae butted in. "What did you say, unnie?"

"I said," Kazuha answered in dramatic English, dropping her voice to a whisper, "that your Jinjin unnie has better looks than her ex's boyfriend."

Eunchae giggled also, but Yunjin had given up attention and was watching Chaewon. She walked the same as ever, that smooth stroll full of confidence, and her arm on Yeonjun's didn't impede her walk at all.

A broken part of Yunjin wondered why she was even there.

Once they reached the garage, Yunjin let out a dramatic gasp. "She's alive!"

The famous SUV the Hong-Huh family owned sat in front of the airport in all its black, sleek, and ever-so-slightly-banged-up glory. Eunchae's stickers sat on the back window, and Yunjin could see her black-and-pink fuzzy dice hanging in the front seat area. The car seats still had Jihyo's antique pillows, and the steering wheel still had Daniel's tasteful cover on it.

The sight was like home.

"That is a cool car, Mama Huh," Kazuha remarked, tutting appreciatively. "I like how you kitted it out."

"Thank you, Kazuha," Jihyo said with a smile, walking around to open the door for Yunjin. "You'll be staying with us." She then lowered her voice to speak to Yunjin. "Do you have anything you want to say to Chaewon? You won't see her for a while, and I know it was hard for you, so if you have anything to work out, it's completely okay if-"

Yunjin smiled awkwardly. "I'll... go say bye."

"Okay." Jihyo gave her a sympathetic smile, patting Yunjin's shoulder, and went into the car. "We'll be waiting."

Kazuha entertained Eunchae while Yunjin went around to talk to Chaewon, who was still standing with Yeonjun.

"Hi," Chaewon said, a shy smile on her face.

"Hello," was Yunjin's stiff reply. "I- um."

"How've you been?"

Their conversation was in English, so Yeonjun just stood there, an awkward, stilted smile on his face.

"Well, thanks." Yunjin stuck her hands in her pockets. It only occurred to her that Yeonjun was barely taller than she was, and Yunjin was four inches taller than Chaewon now. A much bigger difference. "How about you?"

"Pretty well," Chaewon smiled, and briefly looked at Yeonjun. Yunjin looked away. 

Ouch.

"Your hair looks good."

Chaewon's compliment jolted Yunjin's gaze back to her.

"Thanks. I cut it after... um." Yunjin shrugged. "Just felt I needed a change."

Chaewon winced and looked away.

"Look, Yunjin, I'm sorry. I really am. But can we continue on civilized, if that's okay with you?"

Yunjin exhaled, her voice shaky, and was about to make a remark. A Yunjin-type remark, one that would tell Chaewon that no, she hadn't changed, she had never felt that she needed a change or needed to change her hair. A remark so Yunjin that Chaewon would smile and say, You're still the same as ever.

That fantasy dissipated. Yunjin didn't want Chaewon to think that she was the same, ever.

Yunjin needed to stay emotionless. Cordial. That was the only way to make Chaewon close the gap she had ripped between them.

"I wasn't under the impression that we were continuing at all."

Chaewon exhaled fast and looked away, and Yeonjun's expression was a mixture of furious- Yunjin assumed at her- and concerned- likely about Chaewon.

Yunjin offered another fake smile.

"Congratulations on your wedding."

That was when Yunjin turned on her heel and marched into her car, burying her face in Kazuha's shoulder to hide her tears.