May 20, 3:30 p.m. Schuyler, Nebraska
A few wispy clouds speckled the azure sky. Sunshine filtered through the weeping willows leaves, landing on a teenager’s pearly face.
Her boyfriend stared at her. Her and her ethereal beauty. He loved the way the light made her blue eyes shine, the way the breeze ruffled the grass around her face and the way her lips curled into a soft smile. When she smiled like that, the whole world reacted.
The birds sang louder, the sun shone brighter, his heart beat faster. He took her slight hand in his, causing her to turn her bright eyes his way.
Daniln Li | Rawr
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, a soft smile touching his own face, while his heart grinned as well.
Her eyes lit up with eagerness, but she kept her answer casual. “The future.”
This had been a common topic between them for years, but he still feigned surprise. “Really? What about the future?”
Excitement reached her voice, her smile widening ever so slightly. “I’m thinking about the travels I’m going to experience, the people I’m going to meet, the food I’m going to taste and the adventures I’m going to have.”
He watched her sit up slowly, a long strand of brown hair hugging her bright, enthusiastic face.
“I’m going to do it all, Min. I’m going to see it all, live it all.”
Min smiled. His heart could burst every time he heard her talk about the places she wanted to see. “Yeah? Where are you going to start?”
She paused, thinking. “Hmm … definitely Japan, then Korea, then Hong Kong and Tibet before going to Europe. Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Ireland. Everywhere!”
She was standing now, her arms spread wide, smile broadening with each passing breath.
“And you know what?” she asked, grinning down at him.
He raised his eyebrows, pretending to think about it. “No, what?”
“I’m going as soon as we graduate. I’ll never come back.”
His smile faltered slightly. Something in his chest throbbed.
“And best of all, I’ll get the chance to do it alone!”
The world slowed. He could feel his chest constrict, his breathing becoming shallow. Black dots danced in front of his eyes. He saw her laugh with delight, the sun making her white teeth glisten, and the wind blowing her beautiful hair behind her.
She was going alone.
Did this mean she was leaving him forever? The pain in his chest grew tenfold.
‘But Kit …’ he thought, staring at her glowing form.
A tear slid down his face, glimmering like a diamond on his cheek.
‘… I want to go with you’
The birds sang, the sun shone. Laughter bounced off the river.
Ten years later Feb. 18, 10 a.m. New York City, New York
He wasn’t sure why he had dreamt of her again. It was the third time this week. Even though he had almost forgotten everything else about her, that one memory remained. The best and worst afternoon of his life. He always woke up with a sharp pain in his chest and a tear on his face. It would infuriate and frustrate him.
Nearly 10 years had passed since graduation. Ten years since she left without looking back, 10 years since he had last said “I love you.”
Staring darkly into his cup of coffee, Min brooded on all of these things. His distinctly Asian features twisted unnaturally, casing his serene face to exhibit pure sorrow. This sadness passed quickly, though, and was replaced with a mellow objectivity seen in most psychiatrists.
Turning his brown eyes to the window, he wondered where she was now. Paris? Rome? Tokyo? Istanbul? Cairo? Seoul?
His heart beat faster when he thought of Seoul. Irrationally, he thought that must be where she was. The sun shone over the gray towers of the New York City. Its rays made the glass windows look like fire. With a soft smile playing on his lips, he allowed himself one final thought.
‘Kit, if only you could see this now …’
Standing, with his coffee left untouched, he walked out.
Feb. 19, 5 a.m. Seoul, South Korea
She wasn’t sure why she had dreamt of him. It had been years since she had last thought about him, even longer since she last dreamt of his face and longer still since she had last cried over him. Even so, the pain she endured when leaving him was as fresh as ever.
She remembered walking away from him outside her house, refusing to turn and look back, refusing to let him see her tears, refusing to let him see how disappointed she was. He had never even asked her to take him with her. She had always wondered why.
She gazed out over the city, watching as it slowly woke up, or, in some areas, went to sleep. Her soft smile stuck at the corner of her mouth. She could not help but wonder how he was doing. Did he direct his next great show? Does he still work in Los Angeles? Has he made it to Broadway?
A feeling fluttered through her heart, and her smile freed itself. Yes, he made it to Broadway. She was sure of it.
Resting her elbows on the railing, she smiled into her cup of coffee.
The real question she wanted an answer to was: “Is he thinking of me?”