Seoulmate (Soulmate #1)

Day 5: Incheon Airport

Incheon Airport

(06:53am)

With a hand on my cheek, he repeated his words from last night.

"I don't want to let you go."

I felt like my heart squeezed from those words.

"You don't have a choice," I murmured, closing my eyes and touching his wrist.

Then, he said something in Korean that I didn't catch.

"What?"

He shook his head. "I said, I don't get it." He lifted my chin up so he could look into my eyes. "Why did I have to meet you, only to let you go in the end?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but I didn't know what to say. So I closed my mouth shut and my eyes turned down. Jin Yeong's arm snaked around my neck and pulled me closer to him until my face was against his chest. Putting my arms around him, I closed my eyes and breathed in his wonderful scent.

I was counting down the seconds until we had to say our goodbyes. We wouldn't be seeing each other for the rest of eternity. I was nowhere near ready to do that.

Isn't it silly? We've only known each other for a few days and yet here we are, feeling so connected to each other that neither of us is willing to let go.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not in love with him. But the thing is, I'm getting there.

I'm falling. Hard.

It was sad, really. It made me realize that I didn't have to be fully in love with someone to feel a deep connection with him.

Jin Yeong stroked my hair, before kissing my head. I sighed contently.

Maybe that was what people mistook for 'love at first sight.' Maybe it wasn't really love. No, I didn't believe so. Because love is a heavy thing to feel.

It needs to grow. It needs to nurture. Most of all, it needs time.

And we have anything but that.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Flight ZB573 is now boarding..."

Case in point.

My grip on him tightened, while he sighed. I took a deep breath, trying to will my brave face, before letting him go and pulling away first. His thumb caressed my cheek as his eyes traveled all over my face, as if memorizing every inch of it.

"Josim." Take care.

I nodded, catching his brown eyes land on my lips as he gently brushed them with his thumb. I closed my eyes briefly at the soft touch. I gathered my courage for what I was about to do.

With a hand wandering to the back of his neck, I went on my tiptoes and pulled him down to me until his skilled lips touched mine. He didn't waste time – He kissed me back, his hand on my neck and the other on my back.

Lips on lips.

Skin on skin.

Breath on breath.

I wasn't sure how long we stayed like that. It was major PDA. I bet Papa's men were hidden somewhere, watching our every move. But like these past few days, I just didn't care. They could tell Papa for all I care. I wasn't a child anymore.

Okay, but seriously, I'll just bribe them later to keep their mouths shut about my escapade with a certain Korean guy on my trip to Seoul. I'm very persuasive, you know.

"Last call on Flight ZB573..."

Pulling away, my forehead touched Jin Yeong's as I kept my eyes closed.

"I have to go," I mumbled, looking up at him.

His hand pressed on my back, like he seriously didn't want to let me go. But he released it after a minute or so, slowly nodding his head in a way that said he understood. Biting my bottom lip, I stepped away from him, grabbed my things from the floor, and started walking backwards.

Everything that needed to be said was conveyed with our actions. Both of us didn't wanna ruin the moment with unnecessary small talk. All that was left now was . . . goodbye.

"Annyeong," I said quietly, my voice cracking.

With a sad smile, he replied, "Sayonara."

I almost freaking cried right then and there. Before I left, I memorized his face – his tousled silver white hair, his slitted eyes, his straight nose, his dazzling smile.

God, he's good-looking.

It took everything in me to finally turn my back on him and walk through the security gate without letting a single tear fall. As soon as I got past the detectors, my phone beeped. I pulled it out of my pocket and saw a message.

Yi Jin Yeong sent a photo

Quickly, I opened the message and saw a selfie of us in Gyeongbokgung, the one he refused to show me. In the picture, I had my eyes closed as I scrunched up my face while he had his eyes solely on me. What touched my heart the most was the fact that there was a warm smile on his face as he looked at me, like I was the best thing he ever laid his eyes on.

Taking a deep shaky breath, I looked up and continued walking.

No matter how much I want him, it will never work between us. Why? Because I'm –

My phone started ringing. I stopped on my tracks and answered when I saw it was our family butler in Japan. He was basically my mentor for all things about the family business.

"Ohayogozaimashu, Hime-sama," he greeted immediately in Japanese. "Your father demands for your presence. He asks for you to travel straight to the dojo in Tokyo."

"Why?" I demanded, growing alert. "Did something happen?"

"There is an urgent matter you need to discuss."

I nodded sternly, even if he couldn't see. "Wakarimasu. Arigato, Hyousuke-san." I understand. Thank you, Hyousuke-san.

"Doitashimashite, Hime-sama." You're welcome, Hime-sama.

After I hung up, I stared at my phone for a couple more seconds, trying to figure out what could be so urgent that Papa couldn't wait after I got settled back in Japan to talk to me.

I looked over my shoulder, imagining where I left Jin Yeong.

This was exactly why there was no future with us. We each had our own responsibilities to our families. Long distance wouldn't work on us. We would be too busy by then.

Take me, for example. I have to carry out my duty as my father's daughter.

Watashi wa Takeshi Yuki, Yakuza Hime.

I'm Takeshi Yuki, a Yakuza Princess.

_____________

THE END