-TIME SKIPPED-
Mina's room in the girls' apartment appears clean and empty now, devoid of the usual clutter and personal belongings. With Chaeyoung's help earlier in the morning, Mina has packed her things, preparing to move out.
"Babe, we're going to be late for your flight. Let's go," Chaeyoung's voice breaks through Mina's contemplation.
Despite his own sadness at seeing Mina leave for Japan today, he remains composed, not wanting to add to her sorrow.
"Okay," Mina responds casually, falling into step beside Chaeyoung as they exit the room, joining the others who have already gathered in the living room.
"Let's go, guys," Chaeyoung takes charge, picking up Mina's luggage and slinging her bag over his shoulder.
"Babe, I can carry it myself," Mina protests softly, her voice tinged with sadness as she tries to stop Chaeyoung from taking her bag.
"Nah, let me do it for you," Chaeyoung insists gently, smiling down at her.
"But who will hold my hand?" Mina pouts, extending her hand for Chaeyoung to take.
"Give me that, Chaeng," Tzuyu interrupts, grabbing the carrier from Chaeyoung's hand and heading towards the front door.
With his hands now free, Chaeyoung intertwines his fingers with Mina's. "Happy now, baby?" he asks softly, seeing the smile light up her face like a cute puppy.
Throughout the drive to the airport, Mina finds herself unable to part from Chaeyoung's side. Even as he concentrates on driving on the road, she leans her head on his shoulder, unwilling to be separated from him by even an inch.
In the back seats, Tzuyu and Jihyo observe the couple with amusement. They're captivated by the tender way Chaeyoung cares for Mina, and decide to tease them by snapping a picture and posting it in their group chats.
As they arrive at the airport, they all gather around, settling into one of the cafes at the airport while waiting for Mina's flight. Mina leans her head on Chaeyoung's shoulder, their hands intertwined.
"Babe...you'll text me every day, won't you?" Mina's voice is soft, her words filled with uncertainty.
"Of course, babe. I'll never forget to text you," Chaeyoung replies gently, reassuring her.
"And you'll wait for me, right?" Mina seeks further confirmation, her eyes searching his face.
"No matter how long it takes, I'll always be here waiting for you," Chaeyoung replies, bringing Mina's hand to his lips and kissing it tenderly.
After nearly an hour of waiting, Mina's flight is announced. Both of them feel a mixture of nervousness, anxiety, and heaviness in their hearts, evident in Mina's sobs as she clings to Chaeyoung in a tight hug.
"I don't want to go," Mina mumbles amidst her tears.
"I don't want you to leave either, but this is just temporary, babe," Chaeyoung murmurs, patting her back and gently stroking her hair. "Stop crying, baby," he adds, his voice tinged with sadness as he tries to keep his own tears at bay.
"Why don't you come with me, babe?" Mina asks between sobs, gaining chuckles from the others as they look at how Mina is too clingy to her boyfriend and Chaeyoung just being sweet, treating Mina like a baby.
"Babe," Chaeyoung giggles, "we need to finish our studies so that we can get a better job and get married later, just like we discussed before..hmm??" He tightens his embrace around Mina's waist, seeking to comfort her.
"Fine," Mina pulls away from the hug, her voice still wavering with tears but firm nonetheless. "You won't be naughty without me here, right?" she warns him, a hint of fierceness in her tone despite the sadness in her eyes.
"Promise, babe... I won't be naughty," Chaeyoung assures, lifting his palm near his ears in a gesture of sincerity.
"Don't worry, Mina-yaa, he won't dare to be naughty... we can all be your spies," Jeongyeon interjects, attempting to lighten the mood with a touch of humor.
Chaeyoung watches his friends with a smirk, appreciating their attempt to ease the farewell. Meanwhile, Mina manages a smile, though tears continue to roll down her cheeks.
"I'll leave him to you guys," Mina says with a hitch in her breath.
"You are so cute, Mina-yaa," Nayeon says, pulling Mina into a hug as a silent farewell. "Don't worry about Chaeyoung, I trust him to wait for you," Nayeon whispers, offering reassurance about Chaeyoung's reliability.
As they pull away, Jihyo is the next one to hug Mina. "I'll spill every bit of tea for you next time, Mina-yaa... Just come back faster," she says with a chuckle.
"What tea?" Chaeyoung overhears them, asking in confusion.
"Why should I tell you?" Jihyo responds, teasingly.
The last girl to hug Mina is Momo. With slow steps, she embraces Mina while saying, "Take care, Mina-yaa... Thank you for being a good listener and friend to me," gaining a nod from Mina as she replies, "Anytime, Momo-yaa."
"Did you all share secrets?" Dahyun asks, looking at both of them.
"Of course, we all share a lot of secrets with each other," Nayeon replies. "And we know everything about you guys too," she adds playfully.
"Ugh... these girls are scary," Jeongyeon gives the girls a side-eye.
"Take care, Mina-yaa," Dahyun says casually, stepping close to Mina and playfully opening his arms wide as if to hug her, surprising everyone.
With a swift motion, Chaeyoung pulls Mina close to him, while Momo spontaneously grabs Dahyun's ears. "Yaa!! Do you have a death wish, right here, right now, Kim Dahyun?" Momo pulls harder, making Dahyun wince in pain.
"Arghh... you almost gave me a heart attack, Dahyun-aa," Chaeyoung chuckles, looking at the foolish Dahyun, who is now nursing his reddened ears.
Suddenly the announcement pierces through the air once more, calling the attendees for the last time as the flight is set to depart imminently.
"Babe..." Chaeyoung's eyes soften as he speaks, his fingers delicately wiping away the tears on Mina's cheeks. "Take care, okay... and update me every day," he adds, his voice filled with genuine concern.
"I love you, Chaeng," Mina utters softly, locking her eyes with his.
"I love you more than anything, Mina-yaa," Chaeyoung responds before planting a deep kiss on her forehead.
"Ummm," Mina pouts slightly as Chaeyoung pulls away from her forehead, her eyes darting from his eyes to his lips, silently signaling him for something more.
Chaeyoung catches the signal but feels a hint of hesitation. He glances around at the others who are watching them, feeling a pang of guilt for disappointing Mina's last request.
However, unable to resist, he chuckles softly as he gently cups her face in his palm and tilts his head. Closing the gap between them, their lips meet in a short, tender, and sweet kiss, Mina's hand finding its place on his chest as they immerse themselves in the moment.
"Uhhh, did you say something, Tzu?" Jeongyeon blurts out suddenly, breaking the silence.
"Ahh, yes, yes... I said something," they quickly respond, engaging in trivial conversations amongst themselves.
"Isn't the lighting too bright?? It's hurting my eyes?" Nayeon interjects.
"Wow... the floor seems to have an earthquake like my heart now." They keep talking to each other, purposely diverting their attention away from the intimate moment between Chaeyoung and Mina, though still teasing them.
Chaeyoung, still caught in the moment with Mina, chuckles softly as they pull away from the kiss, appreciating the efforts of their friends to provide them with some privacy amidst the farewell chaos.
"Guys, stop being nonsense," Chaeyoung interjects, regaining their attention.
"Uhh... what do you mean nonsense?? We were talking about life and death though," Tzuyu responds, trying to defend their conversation.
"Fine, fine," Chaeyoung surrenders, their focus returning to Mina, who is preparing to leave them.
"Goodbye, Mina-yaa," the others wave their hands in the air as Mina slowly steps away, her hand still holding onto Chaeyoung's, until they lose their touch as she walks further away.
Chaeyoung presses his lips into a warm smile, though tears start to well up in his eyes as he waves to his girlfriend.
"I love you," he silently mouths the words as Mina moves farther away. He can see tears streaming down her cheeks. "Don't cry, baby," he whispers, the words barely audible.
Mina pouts, wiping her tears then turns her body from them and walks away. Chaeyoung and the others trail her departure until she disappears from their sight, a mix of emotions lingering in the air.
Chaeyoung's gaze remains fixed on the departure entrance, where Mina has now disappeared. Unbeknownst to him, his own tears, which he had been holding back until now, burst forth, as the feeling of loss and emptiness hits him hard.
Chaeyoung's heart aches with the desire to run after Mina, to pull her back into his arms and never let her go. But he knows he can't. He reminds himself, over and over again, that this parting is temporary. They will meet again, he reassures himself, clinging to the hope that their love will see them through this distance.
"Let's go, Chaeng," Tzuyu taps his shoulder, snapping him back into reality.
Chaeyoung blinks his eyes a few times, trying to stop the tears while wiping the remaining ones on his cheeks. He takes a full cycle of breath, "Ummm," he hums, and starts to take heavy steps out of the airport with others.
AUTHOR'S NOTE ;
Let's calm down first before the next chapters ahead 🙂 I can't guarantee you guys can be this chill after this eheks. Don't forget to vote and comment🫶🏻