walk with me// junhao

13

Soon enough winter break was coming to an end.

Soon enough I would be going back to China with my dad and leaving Korea behind.

I still haven't told Minghao, I was too scared of how he would react. He would most likely hate me for not telling him though.

In four days I would be leaving. My mom didn't really try to stop it, knowing dad wouldn't listen to her so she didn't try.

I called dad once, twice, twenty times begging him to let me stay, he would only say, "It's only for two years. Deal with it Junhui."

Tomorrow was the deadline. I would board a plane and fly to China while watching the fields of South Korea get smaller and smaller.

Today I was going to tell Minghao, I called him to come to my house at 12 in the afternoon.

It was 11:43 now and I only sat on my bed in my empty room.

I looked around at the suitcases on the floor filled with clothes from my empty closet and pictures taken from my desk.

*ding dong*

The sound of the doorbell ringing echoed through the house and my face went white.

Maybe I should just tell him to go home, or ask him to go on a date and insist there's nothing wrong.

The doorbell rang again and my feet finally started moving, before I knew it I was opening the door to a boy engulfing me in a hug claiming, "I missed you Jun! We haven't seen each other in three days!"

Something wet slid down my cheek and I wiped it away before Minghao was able to see.

"I missed you." I told him.

"Me too. Hey are you okay? Your eyes are puffy."

"I'm fine, I've been tired lately." I lied.

"Then let's go cuddle on your bed." He grabbed me by the arm and tried to run upstairs.

I stood in the same spot and said, "I don't want to right now."

His smile faded to a frown but slowly crept on his face again, "Or we could do something else if that's what you want." He winked at me.

"No. Actually, I brought you here because we need to talk." I said with a serious tone.

"No way Junhui you are not breaking up with me now!"

"Minghao! I'm not breaking up with you."

"Then what?"

I sat down on the couch and he slowly followed behind.

"Minghao, what would you do if I would have to move away for two years?"

"Well, I would be sad of course. Please don't tell me you're leaving." He looked at me with puppy eyes.

Once again a tear escaped from my eye, slowly cascading down my face then settling itself on top of my pants.

I grabbed Minghao's hands.

This oddly felt like something from a dramatic movie. Not the cute lovey parts but the sad background music parts.

I hesitated before telling him, "I have to leave tomorrow."

I continued telling him about the talk on the phone with my father and the nights I spent thinking about Minghao and the endless callbacks to my dad begging him to say I can stay here.

"Jun...Please don't leave me."

"It's not like I want to Minghao. I don't want to ever leave you. I'm practically in love with you."

Minghao stared into my eyes for a while until he stood up and said, "If that's how it's gonna be, then so be it."

He continued, "If this is what your father wants then... I'm okay with it. It's only for two years right? That's not too long, right?"

Minghao quickly burst into endless tears. He sat on the cold floor as I stared in surprise.

"Yes, that's right. Only for two years. And I'll call you and text you every single day, and the day I get back, we will go on the perfect date."

We both stood up and hugged, "can I stay here tonight and drive you to the airport tomorrow?"

"That would be perfect."

"I love you Jun."

"I love you too Minghao."

The next thing I knew I was waking up early and walking to a plane with a crying lover I would see again one day standing behind me.