(Guide Us to) A Million Stars

31🔥

"No," Tae said, his voice serious.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and took a step back. "No?" I asked, to make sure he was rejecting my proposal.

"My father...he said I would bring shame to the family if I married a foreigner." He diverted his eyes and picked at the corner of the computer desk. "I'm sorry. My angel is telling me...you take this time to have your adventure around the world."

As I went back into his arms, I closed my eyes and rested my head on his shoulder. My blood pressure was rising as we held each other for a while, not knowing what to do next. Was this it? Had we just broken up? I was still planning to stay in Seoul until my visa expired in February.

"Would it be okay if we spent the night here? Together?" Tae asked, looking down at me.

"I'd like that." I smiled.

He left to get some things from his dorm and promised to share essentials with me. I moved to the kitchen and found some packages of ramyeon in the cabinet and began to cook dinner. Then I searched for a vase and noticed a glass cylinder that was perfect for the roses. As I stood by the kitchen counter I realized these were my last six weeks in Seoul. I was moving on. But it wasn't because I didn't love Tae. If it weren't for the circumstances surrounding us, I would have stayed. I hoped he knew that.

A song he had released earlier in the year called "Sweet Night" came to mind. I started singing, "'On my pillow

Can't get me tired

Sharing my fragile truth

That I still hope the door is open...'"

Tae's comforting voice caused me to spin around and face him. "'Cause the window..."

I put my hand to my heart at the sight of his beauty. Months ago, I wondered when I would get used to it and at that moment he still had that effect on me. I studied his look, burning it into my memory so I would never forget this beautiful man. He continued to sing,

"'Opened one time with you and me

Now my forever's falling down

Wondering if you'd want me now...'"

In one stride our bodies met and we swayed from side to side, his arms around my waist, my hands on his shoulders. He gave me a peck on the lips. We sang the last lines together in harmony.

"'How could I know?

One day I'd wake up feeling more

But I had already reached the shore

Guess we were ships in the night..."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Yeah. We are two ships passing in the night. I'm not leaving because I don't love you, Tae. I guess, we're just at different points in our lives."

"And I love you too. But if we don't have a future then..."

There was an ache in my chest that made me want to soften the situation. "I'm sorry. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe this isn't what I really want."

"But I think this is what you need."

I nodded slowly. I guess I wasn't willing to take the risk of staying here without a promise of more from him. Maybe another girl would have agreed to wait. Perhaps destiny had other plans.

"'Sweet Night' is my favorite song of yours. Who helped you write it in English?" I asked, playing with the hair at the nape of the neck. I was going to miss his soft, luscious locks.