It is the first day of school. How the kids have changed during the summer. Emily is in my Drawing 3 class. As usual she is wearing a BTS t-shirt and baggy pants. Her hair is pulled back in braids. She smiles at me, and I smile back.


    After class, she comes to my desk and notices that I have framed the card she gave me. She smiles when she sees it. “You kept it!”


    “Of course I did.” I can see how pleased she is. If she only knew how much that little card has meant to me. I tell her, “Your wish came true. I did have a good summer.”


    Her voice has a stifled squeal in is when she says, “Oh good! I was worried about you.”


    I tell her, “I’m fine.”


    “You look it. I better run!”


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    So, she noticed I was struggling last school year. I did the best I could to hide it, but obviously I failed. Still, her kindness was appreciated. I pick up the card and star at the wonky seagull. In that moment I recall the first conversation I ever had with the adult Hae-in.”


    *


    The numbers for time are changing on my phone. I let out a sigh. Hae-in should have gotten in touch with me by now. I begin to worry. I am a champion worrier. By the time the FaceTime sound blares on my phone, I have imagined several car accidents and one big white service truck running over Hae-in on his scooter.


    His image pops up on the screen. His hair is a mess. He croaks, “Sorry, I was sick all night.”


    He doesn’t look well now. I ask, “Do you have a stomach bug?”


    “No, I made a mistake and went out with Dong Jo last night. For a Korean, I don’t drink well.” He sighs and says, “Today is gonna suck.” His eyes finally focus on me, and he smiles. It is lopsided. “God, I miss you.”


    “I miss you too.” The missing is the hardest part of the distance. I wish there was a way for it not to hurt so much.


    “Drinking with Dong Jo last night has an upside. I managed to talk him into letting me come to the States for Thanksgiving.”


    I squeal.


    He wraps his hands around his ears. “Careful lady.”


    I want to squeal again, but I hold it in. Thanksgiving is still weeks, months away, but it is a definite point in time. I now know when I am going to see Hae-in!