Three years had passed since the wedding. I stayed in bed for weeks My Company planned a business trip a one month vacation. Jinwo begged me to come. I agreed. Not just because I wanted to relax, but because I wanted to forget about everything. I packed my things for tomorrow. As I opened my closet, a photo of me and Haru fell out. I picked it up and stared at it. I didn't even realize tears were falling down my cheeks.
"Haru! Dinners ready! Come downstairs and eat" I flinched as my mom called me for dinner, "Yes! I'll be right there" I took one last glance to the photo and crumpled the photo tossing it to the trash
* * *
I arrived at the airport, there I saw Jinwo and the other's waiting for me. "hyung! Over here!" he called out like a puppy wagging its tail. . "Jinwo when are we gonna board?" I asked "ohh in 5 minutes" I nod, put my backpack on the chair and waited for us to be called. A few minutes later we heard an announcement "all passengers going to Japan, please proceed at gate 3, I repeat…" Oh! It's our flight," Jinwo said. "Hyung, let's go!" I grabbed my bag and followed him toward Gate 3.
We walked through gate 3, and after a short wait, we finally boarded the plane. The flight was quiet. I stared out the window most of the time, watching the clouds drift beneath us like soft pillows ironic how something so light could carry such heavy memories. After a few hours, we landed in Japan. The moment I stepped out of the airport, a cold breeze hit my face. It wasn't harsh—but enough to make me pull my jacket tighter. The others were busy taking selfies, excited to be back. I forced a smile when Jinwo pointed the camera at me.
"Smile a little, hyung," he teased. "We're here to enjoy, remember?" I nodded. "Yeah." Our van arrived and took us to the place we'd be staying—an old-style inn just outside the city, surrounded by sakura trees that had just started to bloom. It was beautiful. Too beautiful for a heart like mine that hadn't healed. "Room 203," the staff handed me my key. I bowed and walked upstairs alone. The room was simple but cozy. I dropped my bag and sat on the edge of the futon, taking a deep breath. For the first time in a while, I felt something I couldn't name. Not peace. Not pain.
Just… empty.