Chapter Text
Missed call from my mother
Like, "Where you at tonight?" Got no alibi
I was all alone with the love of my life
She's got glitter for skin
My radiant beam in the night
I don't need no light to see you shine
It's your golden hour
You slow down time
In your golden hour
Sitting on a tablecloth that they had casually laid onto the grass, Jeong Hyeok and Seri lazily gazed at the sunset, smiling and holding each other’s hands.
It had already been two weeks since they arrived in Switzerland but, to both of them, it felt like hours. This was their third year seeing each other over there and, again, it all went exactly as planned; Seri visited the country to supervise the Annual Classical Music Festival, funded by her Scholarships Foundation and, as for Jeong Hyeok, he had become the best pianist in North Korea so every year he was guaranteed a participation to the festival by his government.
“The sky’s so pretty it’s unfair”, Seri sighed as she snuggled closer to him.
Seconds later, the sun set, sparking its last orange sun rays across the hill and leaving the horizon in pink and indigo shades. The sun would now travel around the globe towards Pyongyang and Seoul. This was the last sunset Seri and Jeong Hyeok watched together for this year.
“It was so pretty”, Jeong Hyeok pointed out and Seri, hearing the past tense, let out a light groan as she hid her face in the crook of his neck.
“Can’t we just rebook our flights and stay over here a little more?”
She knew they couldn’t do that. Jeong Hyeok’s delegation from the DPRK was scheduled to leave on that day and no one was allowed to be left behind, plus Seri had tons of work left behind. Still, just hearing herself saying that created the illusion that they actually had a choice, that they could choose to stay in this euphoria for a little more. And she loved this illusion a lot.
Jeong Hyeok stayed silent at the rhetorical question; he only held her closer. Her right hand rested on his chest and he held it, gazing at her ring with fondness.
Minute after minute, they kept hugging each other, unable to let go. They held each other tight as the last birds stopped chirping, as the first bats of the night began flying here and there, as a dark blue shade took the place of the colorful sunset sky.
And even then, they didn’t dare to move. They didn’t dare to say out loud that it’s time to go.
But when Seri’s alarm clock rang, they couldn’t avoid it anymore. They never look at the time while they’re together, and that’s why she put a reminder on her phone for them to leave.
“Is everything ready inside?” Seri murmured, her head still buried on Jeong Hyeok’s chest.
“I love you” was the only reply he gave her.
Without saying anything further, Seri stood up reluctantly, grabbing an emptied bottle of wine. Her face stiffened as she clumsily folded the tablecloth. Before heading towards the tiny mansion that they had been staying at (without the DPRK delegation knowing, of course), she stayed still and looked at him with wide eyes. It had gotten pretty dark around them, but Jeong Hyeok didn’t have to squint in order to know the way she looked at him. They breathed heavily as they were left staring at each other and something glistened under Seri’s eyes.
The first year they met in Switzerland, Jeong Hyeok kept asking himself how time passes so fast here and so slow in Pyongyang. But he gave up questioning after he figured that the only one to blame is time; it passes so ridiculously fast when they’re together that nothing can justify it, not even the fact that he’s with his other half. It’s not a mind game, it’s that this world doesn’t want them together, so even when they manage to find each other the universe conspires to keep them apart as soon as it can.
Because they cannot stand the unfamiliar and the foreign
Because it is too soon, you hear me?
He didn’t need to speak as she kept staring at him. Even if he couldn’t stand seeing her tear up, he would always let it slide because he knew well that, if it wasn’t for him being so closed, he would break down on the spot and cry even more than her.
Seri turned her back to him and he followed as they walked towards the house. Just five minutes later, they were closing the door behind them, they were putting their bags in the car and they waved the mansion goodbye. He had seen her doing this gesture last year and when he asked her what that was for, she simply answered that they’ve filled this place with moments and, every time they leave, they just put those moments to sleep till next year, where they’re gonna relive them. So, they have to wave goodbye to their little moment-keeper in the mountains. He hadn’t answered anything back then; he only did the same as her and it became a ritual ever since.
The radio was playing soft indie-pop music in the car, filling the dead silence between them as they drove towards the airport.
Because they cannot stand the unfamiliar and the foreign
Because it is too soon, you hear me?
Too soon in this world, my love,
To speak of you and me.
And, when they arrived at the airport’s parking lot, they both sighed loudly. The DPRK delegation would wait for Jeong Hyeok at the departures entrance. They had to separate there so they wouldn’t raise any suspicions. They got out of the car, gave the car key back to the rental agency and stayed there, facing each other under the weak white lights.
“I cannot do this”, a sob went up to Seri’s throat as she spoke.
“Me neither”
She eliminated the distance between them by walking forward and hugging him tight. He immediately gave in her touch and caressed her hair as she cried out and made the coat fabric on his shoulder wet.
“Yoon Seri”, he fought back his tears that threatened to flow from his eyes. “Do you know how much I love you?”
“No”, she shook her head on his chest and she sniffled. “Actually, I do”, she said as she lifted her face to look at him. “Because I love you that much too”
His eyes became red as he looked at her. He hated this world. With her love, he felt that he was able to manage anything; anything, but her tears running on her cheeks. No matter how many times he wipes them off, no matter how many times he kisses her cheeks and feels the saltiness on the tip of his tongue, they would always come back, and there was nothing in this world he could do to keep them away.
“We are destined to meet again. It will all be fine”, he comforted her.
“Do you believe in second chances?”
Jeong Hyeok squinted. “What do you mean?”
“I mean second chances in life. Do you think that the universe will show us mercy after we die? Do you think fate will bring us back together in our next lifetime? Do you think borders won’t matter then?” she asked desperately.
“My love”, he almost sobbed as he held her even closer. “I’m certain about it”
She sniffled again as she got away from him. “It’s time to go”, she whispered and her voice trembled.
“Hey”, he comforted her and held her close as she burst out crying again. “Look at me. Do you see this ring? It’s not a common ring. It’s our vows”, he smiled at her. “It’s my promise to always love you and protect you, no matter what. Here”, he said, as his hands mimicked to tie something around her ring finger. “Do you see this thread?”
“What thread?” Seri tried to smile, still tearing up.
“It’s the thread of fate. This very thread brought us together”, he pretended to hold the invisible thread between his thumb and his index. “Don’t you see it now?”
“I think so”, she murmured.
“Now that I tied it on our fingers, we can never be apart. You’ll always be connected to me. I’ll always be connected to you”
“We will never be apart”, Seri repeated after him. Her tears totally had vanished from her face.
At least Jeong Hyeok could manage to drive her sorrow away for a little while, and he was grateful. He couldn’t think of a happier image than Seri smiling at him.
“Right”, Jeong Hyeok beamed.
“Please take care of yourself while you’re up there. Take good care of your parents as well. And, please, don’t cry too often”
“You too”, Jeong Hyeok held her hands. “Please, Yoon Seri, don’t skip any meals. Don’t overwork yourself. Take care of your Edelweiss till we see each other again”
“I promise”, she cried out, raising her pinky and trying to pull off a smile through her tears. “I’m gonna miss you”
“Me too. I’m gonna miss you a lot”, he sobbed, as Seri looked at him for the last time and turned her back to him, walking fast towards the departures. He could hear her sniffing her nose, no matter how far she was getting. When he lost her from his sight, he started walking slowly towards the airport’s entrance, where the DPRK delegation would gather before checking in.
The moment he arrived, he saw his delegation’s bus parking. Two government officials had followed them to Switzerland, mainly for supervision purposes. One of them ran towards him as soon as he got off.
“Good evening, sir”, Jeong Hyeok kept a straight face looking at him.
“Jeong Hyeok, I was talking on the phone just now”, the official coughed in embarrassment. “I have some news for you”, he managed to say.
“Please, tell me”
“It’s about your father”, he started. “He suffered a stroke earlier this afternoon. He died half an hour ago at Pyongyang’s General Hospital. I’m sorry about your loss”