Episode 7 – Goodbye

Shortly after the day at the beach, Stephanie’s day to fly has arrived.

“It’s my last day here, Taetae. You know how much I will miss you right?” Stephanie spoke with slight clarity in her already hoarse voice.

“Yes, Mushroom. It will be mutual. I will feel the same too.”

“Remember the promise we’ve made when we were on the beach?”

“Yes. I will always remember it. You must not break our promise, okay?”

“Yes I will not break it. Plus, I will fold a blue star every year for your birthday. So when we meet next time, the bottle will be filled with 15 blue stars.”

“I will totally love it, mushroom! Like I said, you are the best mushroom; just that you can’t be eaten.” Taeyeon joked to neutralize the current atmosphere. She is not being used to this kind of situation at all.

“You have the thoughts to eat me?!”

“I will consider if you are blue.” Taeyeon chuckled while teasing her playmate. She will miss the times when she will tease the latter.

“Stop teasing me you, mean Taetae.”

“I’m teasing you right now because I can’t tomorrow.”

“Taetae, you know we will be meeting again next 15 years right?”

“but, 15 years is so long. A lot of things will happen during that period.”

“I’m sure a lot will happen, but I’m also very sure that we will meet that faithful day.”

“Pinky promise mushroom?” Taeyeon held out her closed fist, slowly stretching out her last finger.

“Sure Taetae!” Stephanie excitedly and hooked her last finger with the other girl’s last finger.

“Let’s stamp our promise!” with their fingers still linking, Taeyeon released her thumb from the clutched fist and looked up to Stephanie eye-level.

“Definitely.” Stephanie once again obligated to the other girl’s request and stamped their promise.

“Let’s have a punishment if we fail, touch wood, to keep our promise.” Taeyeon exclaimed while patting on a piece of nearby wood furniture.

“Sure. How about no boyfriends at all?! Or no sweets anymore?”

“No boyfriends! This is good! Okay. So if the person who did not keep the promise will be punished with no boyfriends for 10years!”

“That’s long! But it’s okay, since I will keep the promise.”

“Okay Mushroom! Let’s go outside and play with the sand!”

“Sure Taetae!”

Soon, the sun is setting and batches of parents came to fetch their children home. Taeyeon and Stephanie were the last few remaining after the supposed pick up time.

“I wonder what is holding up my Daddy” Stephanie mumbled to herself while sitting on the bench, swinging her dangling legs forth and back. But her voice was loud enough to be heard by Taeyeon.

“Same here, my Mummy is late too.”

The clock is ticking with every minute passing, finally a figure appeared in front of the both girls from the darkness ahead of them.

“Steph? Are you there?” the figure said as he shortened the distance between him and the girls.

“I’m here, Daddy. Why were you so late?”

“I was helping this lady just now with the punctured tyre. I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s get on the car now.”

“Wait a while, Daddy. I must say goodbye to Taetae.” Stephanie cried and turned to the shorter girl.

“Taetae, this is goodbye. I really hope to see you soon.”

“Same here Mushroom. You must remember me and our promise okay?” Taeyeon finished her statement and rushed forward to hug the other girl. Stephanie returned the hug and they both enjoyed each other embrace until Stephanie’s father walk up to her daughter.

“You must be Taetae. Stephanie talks about you a lot. I’m happy that she met you here.”

“Hi Uncle. I’m happy that I’ve met her too.”

“I’m sorry that you girls have to part.” He said while placing his arm over Stephanie’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, Uncle. I will meet her again.” Taeyeon and Stephanie’s dad were having a conversation while Stephanie remained silent on the spot. She is extremely devastated and heartbroken to have another love one leaving her.

“I’m sure of that too. Steph,” he looked down to his daughter and added “we have to go.”

“Bye mushroom.” Tears started to form at the corners of Taeyeon’s eyes and seconds later, drops of tears streamed down her cheeks.”

“Good bye Taetae.” Stephanie said in between her breaths while catching oxygen from her intense sobbing. She is more emotional compared to Taeyeon. She was already weeping while the other two were conversing.

“It’s nice meeting you Taeyeon. I believe that is your real name and thank you for taking care of Stephanie these days. She was really happy. Goodbye.” Stephanie’s father patted Taeyeon’s crown and tugged her daughter closer to his body, signaling her to stop her crying while making his way towards the car. Stephanie followed his father footsteps and moved along towards the car, leaving a crying Taeyeon at the bench waiting for her mother. The both of them reached their car and Stephanie’s father opened the passenger seat’s door for Stephanie to get on.

“Steph, let’s go.” Stephanie remained on her spot and turned her head slightly to face Taeyeon. She saw a small figure ahead of her. She very much did not want to get separated with Taeyeon but her father circumstances did not allow that. She looked towards Taeyeon direction and with her gaze fixed onto Taeyeon. The gaze did not break while she was being carried into the passenger seat of her father’s jeep by her father.

“We.. will.. meet.. again.. Taetae.” Stephanie whispered to herself as the engine roared.

Taeyeon watched as Stephanie was being carried by her father. Her tears were falling without any internal control from her. She couldn’t bear without having Stephanie to tease, to play, to share lunch and to cuddle as they were having their afternoon nap.

“I’m sure we will meet.” Taeyeon thought to herself while looking that the vehicle that took off towards the main road. Taeyeon was left alone in the dark waiting for her mother after Stephanie was gone. Only after 5minutes, her mother’s car enter Joan driveway.

“I’m so sorry baby, I was… “Her mother said in a rush while walking over to her daughter and noticed she was sniffing and had a red puffy eyes. “Were you crying baby? Who hurt you?” her mother scanned Taeyeon’s body to look for any visible injuries.

“It’s not that. Stephanie is gone.”

Relived that her daughter was not hurt physically, she sighed and hugged her tight.

“It’s okay baby. Hush hush. Everything will be okay. Let’s get home and take a nice hot bath.”

That night, both girls did not fall asleep at the normal timing when they would be sleeping soundly. They thought about one another, the happy moments that they have spent together, and slowly, they drifted off to their sleeping mode. Both girls dreamed while the morning draw close.

-At the airport-

Every single minute passes, Stephanie will exhale a sigh. Her father noticed her behavior while roaming around the duty-free shops in the airport. He entered a candy store and brought a big bag of candies for her daughter.

“Don’t be too sad Steph. I am sad to see you like this. Have some candies or chocolates? It will help you feel better.”

“Really? She took the bag and picked out one blue gummy bear and began to chew on it. She replaced one candy with another candy in her mouth when they are munched off.

“Not too much of it, Steph. You will have a toothache if you continue eating at the speed. Keep it in your bag and save it for later okay?” Stephanie complied with her father‘s request and kept away the half-gone-candy-bag.