Hongjoong was the fifth college guest that had stayed at Aurora's house for abroad studying. However this time was different to Aurora in the best, yet inconvenient, way.
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Hongjoong POV
Dinner was painfully silent. If this was how it really was in a normal American family dinner setting, I was not comfortable by it one bit. All that was present were the clattering of the forks and knives on the porcelain plates every so often. I kept looking up at Aurora, only for her to awkwardly look away. I sighed internally as I chewed my steak.
Aurora's mom spoke up. "Hongjoong, how was the tour today?"
She had already asked me about it when I arrived here earlier. She must be hating the silence a whole bunch, not that I wasn't either.
"It was very nice. I got to see landmarks that I had only been able to see in the pictures back at home." I nodded at my answer and dug into the hot cinnamon apples.
Aurora's mom beamed. "How exciting that must had been. You know, Aurora might be able to do the same. Why don't you tell him Aurora?"
Aurora looked up at me this time and gave me the weakest smile I had ever seen on her. "I got the job... As a flight attendant."
"Congratulations, Aurora. I am sure you work hard for that." I tried to say to make her smile more.
"I did..." She looked at me for awhile as her answer lingered in the air, then her head sunk back down to her plate.
I was getting frustrated at myself. Did I wrongly ruin the moment with Aurora earlier?
"Okay you guys, I won't force anyone to talk. If you want to go upstairs and eat in your respected rooms then that is fine with me. I'll be going now..." Aurora's mom stands from the table and soon leaves.
Aurora then started to get up, but I wasn't going to just let her go. "Hey. I'm sorry." I apologized on the spot.
"...Come to my room, Hongjoong." Aurora walked up the stairs and I followed.
Aurora POV
I sat on the side of my bed and patted beside me where I wanted Hongjoong to be. Understanding, he did just that.
"I apologize for reacting the way I have been after earlier. I've never felt like I would be in a situation like this and so experiencing it as a reality is a sad shock to me." I shook my head and put my plate on my nightstand. "It's selfish, so incredibly selfish." I try to look him in the eye, but I can't.
Hongjoong pouts in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"Hongjoong, you are here only temporarily. Yeah yeah it's true that my family and I have offered our house and time to help college students like you with the American experience-Several times now. You're the fifth. But there is something about you that separates from the previous four."
"Oh, well I'm flattered, thank you..." Hongjoong shifts closer to hold my hand gingerly.
"I realized so clearly meeting you in your room before dinner that I don't want to forget you either." I admitted, referring to the night Hongjoong wanted me to sign my name on the drawing I did for him. I continued, "I want to know you more than the predetermined three months." The formed tears in my eyes drop creating a wet spot on my sheets.
"Then we can. Don't cry."
I shake my head. "It is impossible. I will start my job in about a month. We won't see each other again."
Hongjoong holds me in a soft hug. "It will be harder, but I think it will be okay. What is your phone number?"
I tell him and he puts it in his phone. He shows me that he saved my contact.
"💖 Pink Aurora 💖"
That is what he filled in as the contact name and I can't help but laugh a little.
"Good?" He asked me with sorrow-filled eyes.
"Beautiful..." I hug him tightly and we sit there, comforting each other in the embrace.
Instead of thinking about the inconvenient future for us, which lie ahead, I thought about the memories we could make leading to going our separate ways as I slept that night.
