CHAPTER 21

The morning came too fast. Aera was woken up by the brightness of the morning. Chan's arms were still wrapped around her tightly and she could feel his face buried in the nape of her neck – still asleep. Aera wiggled in his arms, turning toward him so she could see him and he slowly woke up.

"Good morning," she said airily.

"'Morning," he croaked with a smile on his lips.

They kissed each other quickly as they lay there looking into each other's eyes. Chan's smile slowly faded and Aera's fell right after. The weight of the morning was slowly dawning on them. In a few short hours, Chan would be bringing her to the airport to fly back . "I-I need to go get ready," Aera whispered.

"I don't want you to go," he said sadly.

"I don't want to either," she replied somberly.

"Then stay until we leave at the end of the week," Chan told her.

"Chan, I don't think that's a good idea," Aera said, her eyes falling from his face.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I think we need to do it like a Band-Aid – rip it off as fast as possible so the pain isn't as intense," Aera told him.

"The pain is going to be intense no matter what," Chan countered. Aera nodded because she knew he was right.

"You need to get the kids up. And I need to go get my stuff together," she told him, changing the subject. He nodded sadly.

They both reluctantly got up, but before they left the room, Chan pulled her into his arms and held her. After a few moments he kissed her lips and then let her go. They went their separate ways once they were outside the confines of his room – Aera to her room and Chan to his kids' rooms to wake them up.

It didn't take long for Aera to get everything together. She pulled both her suitcases to the entryway as Felix came up to her.

"I can put those in the car for you," he offered.

"That would be awesome, Felix," she said with a small smile.

He gave her a nod as he grabbed the handle of one of the bags. Feeling a sudden rush of appreciation for the man standing in front of her, Aera wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He hugged her back as he chuckled at her abruptness.

"Thank you so much, Felix," she whispered in his ear.

"You're welcome, Aera," he told her.

Aera pulled back and smiled at him. He gave her a smirk in response.

"I hope you keep in touch," Felix told her.

"I will," she said with a smile.

"When I come back to Korea , you will always be on the list," he told her.

"Okay, ha. I can't wait to see you," she laughed.

"Good," he chuckled before grabbing her bags. Aera held open the door for him and he took them out to the car.

When Aera went into the kitchen, Chan was in the process of making pancakes for everyone.

"Aera!" Jaehyun cheered as she walked in.

"Hi, buddy!" She smiled at him.

"Hey, guys. It's Aera's last morning with us," Chan told his kids.

"I don't want you to go," Areum said, her face scrunching up with emotion.

"I don't want to leave, but in a couple of days you'll be in Brisbane with your grandma and auntie. And you guys will be having so much fun that you'll totally forget all about me," Aera told them.

"I won't forget," Jaehyun said somberly.

"Me neither," Areum said, her face falling even further.

"You guys are the best kids in the whole world," Aera said, smiling at them, giving them each a tight hug.

Chan, Felix, Minhee, Jaehyun, Areum and Aera all ate breakfast together. It was nice, since really the only meal they all ate together was dinner. Aera really appreciated them all coming together for her last morning. It made the goodbye that much more bearable.

Once they were done eating and the kitchen was clean, Aera checked the time. Her flight was in a little over three hours and it took an hour in itself just to get to the airport – it was time for her to go. Everyone gathered in the foyer to say goodbye. Aera started with Felix, giving him a quick hug, since they already said their goodbyes earlier. Then Aera walked over to Minhee.

"It was fun, Minhee. It was nice to get to know you and to work with you," Aera told her.

"It was my pleasure," Minhee spoke with a soft smile on her face. Aera hugged her, even though she knew it would make her uncomfortable.

"Have a good flight," Minhee said as Aera pulled away.

"Thank you," Aera said with a small smile.

Next, Aera turned to Jaehyun and Areum , noticing Jaehyun was leaning against Felix' leg with his bottom lip stuck out. Chan was holding Areum in his arms – her curly hair in pigtails.

"Come here, Hyunnie ," Aera said, kneeling down, holding out her arms to him. He ran into them and Aera could see the tears in his eyes. She felt the lump in her throat rising and the tears in her eyes started to well.

"You are such an amazing kid, Hyun-ah. I am going to miss you so much, you have no idea," Aera told him truthfully.

"I don't want you to go," he cried.

"We will see each other again, I promise. We will always be friends," Aera told him.

"Really?" He asked, pulling back to look at her.

"Really. Friends forever," she told him.

"Friends forever," he said with a wide smile.

Aera gave him another hug before she stood up to say goodbye to Areum. Jaehyun leaned against Felix again. Aera looked at Chan, who had a pained expression across his face and she knew it was incredibly hard for him to see his children so upset.

"Come here, baby angel," Aera said, holding her arms out for Areum.

She leaned over, still in her father's arms and Aera gripped onto her. Areum wrapped her legs around Aera's waist and her little arms wrapped around her neck, burying her sad face into her arm.

"I'll tell you this too. You and I, Areum... we're going to be friends forever. We will see each other again real soon, I promise," Aera told her and she sniffled.

"I love you, Aera," she said in her tiny little voice. It broke Aera's heart, but also made her very happy.

"I love you too, Areum," she said and kissed the side of her head.

"Guess what's going to happen in less than a month, pretty girl?" Aera asked, lacing her words with excitement.

"What?" Areum asked, looking at her curiously.

"You're going to be starting kindergarten!" Aera said, smiling excitedly.

"Yay!" She cheered, smiling widely.

"You're going to have so much fun, baby girl!" Aera told her.

"I can't wait!" Areum cheered, bouncing excitedly in Aera's arms.

"I can't wait either!" Aera giggled, giving her another hug.

"You be a good girl, okay?" Aera told her.

"I will. I promise," she said, smiling widely at Aera.

"Okay, good. Now go to your uncle Felix, okay baby?" Aera told her.

"Okay," Areum said as Aera handed her off to Felix before giving her another kiss on the side of her head.

Aera looked over at Chan, who was looking at her somberly. She had to look away or he was going to make her break down again. Aera looked at the kids. Jaehyun leaning against Felix's hip. Areum with her head on his shoulder.

"I love you guys. Hyunnie, Areum. You're the best," Aera said, blowing them a kiss.

"I love you," Areum said sadly.

"Love you too," Jaehyun said with a pout on his face.

"We should go," Chan said quietly.

Aera nodded and he led her out the door. She gave one last wave to Felix and the kids before walking out with Chan. Once she was seated in the passenger seat of the SUV, she broke down, crying into her hands.

"I'm so sorry," Chan said, wrapping his arms around her as she cried.

Aera wrapped herself around him, crying on his shoulder. After a few moments, she knew she needed to compose herself or she wouldn't have enough time to say goodbye to Chan at the airport. She kissed him on the lips and he kissed her back. Once they broke apart, Aera let herself fall back against her seat as Chan started the vehicle up.

Chan held Aera's hand the whole way to the airport. Not very much was said during the fifty minutes it took to get there. They were just in the moment. Aera tried to pretend they weren't driving to the airport – that they were just going to the beach or driving to see the sights. Anything to keep her from thinking about the hardest goodbye she was facing once they reached Airport.

Chan parked the car on the ramp and came into the airport with her – although he wouldn't be able to get through security. They were using every second together wisely. They walked in holding hands, each of them trailing along a suitcase. Aera checked in for her flight and had her suitcases checked. And then she and Chan found a bench and sat down. She wasn't going through security until right before her flight was going to leave. There was no way in hell she was leaving him when she still had time.

Chan held her hand and she rested her head on his shoulder for a long time.

"I love you," he cooed.

"I love you too," she replied quietly.

"I'm going to miss you so much," he said sadly, kissing the top of her head.

"I'll miss you," she whispered, trying her best to hold back her tears.

The time passed by way too fast and before she knew it, Aera needed to go through security. They both reluctantly stood up. Chan's arms wrapped around her immediately, kissing her with everything he had in him. It was enough to take her breath away.

"I want you to call me if you need anything and I mean anything – ever. Promise me," Chan told her.

"I will, I promise," Aera said as her tears streaked down her face.

"And Baby , please keep in touch. I don't want to lose you," he said, holding her face in his hands.

"I will," she said softly.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," she told him. He kissed her quickly and then wrapped her in his arms.

"I don't want you to go," Chan whispered in her ear, which caused Aera to break down again.

"Don't cry. Please don't cry," Chan cooed.

She knew she had to compose herself. She knew she needed to go. She took a couple of deep breaths and forced herself to pull away from him.

"You take care of those kids, Chan," Aera told him.

"I will. You take care of yourself, Aera. Come back to me in one piece," he said, putting a smile on his face even though his heart was breaking.

"I will. I love you," she said softly.

"I love you too," he said, kissing her one last time.

Their fingers stayed connected until they were pulled apart as Aera walked toward security. Chan watched her the whole time and she snuck as many glances at him as she could while going through security. Once she was through, she blew him a final kiss and he waved before she turned the corner to catch her flight.

Her heart was no longer whole, because she just left part of it wrapped around his – Christopher Bang Chan, her summer love.