The unexpected goodbye

[A city in the US, Spring 2020]

“Eun-ah! Come downstairs and eat breakfast!”

Her mom’s voice pierced through the house, dragging Eun-ah out of her sleepy daze. She groaned, yanking her sweater over her head before yelling back—

“I’m not eating, Mom! I’m running late for school, but can you pack my lunch? I’m almost ready!”

“Okay, but hurry up! Your brother already left! What am I going to do with you?” her mom sighed, shaking her head.

Fifteen minutes passed.

Loud, hurried footsteps thundered down the stairs.

“Mom, I’m so late! I’m sorry, please don’t be mad—gotta go!” Eun-ah rushed, snatching her lunch bag off the table.

Her mom just rolled her eyes. “Just get to school safely and don’t be late if you’re going out with your friends!”

“Okay, okay! I’ll try not to be late! Love you, bye!”

She bolted out the door, her legs carrying her in a sprint toward school. It was only a ten-minute walk, but today, every second fucking mattered.

School went by as usual, from 8:55 AM to 4:15 PM. Nothing seemed off—until the final bell rang.

“Bye, Eun-ah!” Her friends waved from across the street.

“Bye, girls! See you tomorrow!” she called back—

Only to freeze as a familiar figure stepped beside her.

“What do you mean ‘tomorrow’?” Her brother’s voice dripped with amusement. “Today was our last day of school.”

Eun-ah frowned. “What the hell are you talking about? Are you crazy?”

Her brother just grinned. “I’m serious! Mom didn’t tell you? We’re moving to Seoul, Korea. We’re leaving tomorrow morning.”

“NO FUCKING WAY.”

Her stomach dropped. Her chest tightened. Her breath hitched.

This had to be a joke. A prank. A sick, twisted—

“We need to talk to Mom. NOW.”

Without another word, she took off running, shoving past people on the sidewalk, her heart pounding against her ribs.

“Eun-ah, wait—!” her brother called, but she didn’t stop.

She couldn’t.

She stormed into the house, barely catching her breath.

“Mom! Is it true?! Are we really moving?!”

Her mom barely looked up from the boxes she was taping shut. “Yes. Your dad is already here—where’s your brother? We need to finish packing.”

“Mom, what the fuck?! Why didn’t you tell me? Do I even matter here?! What am I supposed to do?! I didn’t say goodbye to my friends—or my cute neighbor! But mostly my friends! And why are we going to Korea?! That’s so far away!”

Her mom sighed. “Because I knew you’d react like this. And we’re moving because your dad’s company is in Seoul, and things are getting complicated. He needs to be there, so we all have to move.”

Eun-ah clenched her fists. “But—” She swallowed, her voice cracking. “You could have told me.”

Her mom softened, stepping closer. “Most of our family is there, too. You’ll get to learn more Korean, make new friends.”

Eun-ah scoffed, eyes burning with unshed tears. “That’s not what I wanted.”

She spun on her heel and stormed toward her room.

As soon as she was alone, she let out a long, frustrated sigh.

“Fuck.”

She collapsed onto her bed, staring at the ceiling.

“I won’t get to see my neighbor again… Well, whatever. I don’t even know his name, so who fucking cares?”

But even as she tried to brush it off, a part of her lingered on the thought.

Would she really be able to start from zero?

Or was something waiting for her in Seoul that she never saw coming?

[TO BE CONTINUED…]