Yura : 27 Day Mission

There's always a goodbye in every meeting. Two things that are intertwined but sometimes forgotten. And me... I might just be one of those who forgot.

The sound of his footsteps descending the stairs still echoes softly in my ears. I stand frozen on the rooftop of the building where I work at a private TV station, not even attempting to follow or chase after him.

What happened just minutes before he left felt like a four-inch nail driven into both of my legs. Let alone walking, even shifting a few millimeters felt heavy. And... it hurt. Really!

"We're done."

He said that, making the beauty of the night sky lose its charm in my eyes. My heart raced, its rhythm matching the wind gently brushing my face tonight.

"Done? But why? Haven't we been fine for the past year?"

Warm tears began to fill my eyes. Something in my heart was cracking, almost breaking. Ugh... why am I being so emotional?

"Yes, we've been fine. But I don't know why, I feel bored. I'm tired of this with you."

"Bored? You want to end everything just because of that?" I asked, still in disbelief.

Is he really this childish? I thought boredom was the most ridiculous reason to end a relationship.

"I'm sorry. But this is the decision. We're finished."

Without further ado, he walked away, leaving me without a care for how shattered I felt. Sadly, I couldn't find a hint of regret for having loved someone like him. Am I too naive, or is everyone like this when they fall in love?

In the same place, on the same day, and even the same date, he entered my life a year ago. But now, he's the one choosing to leave. Pain and wounds-that's all he left as a souvenir from our farewell. The rooftop of our office stands as a silent witness to every moment of our relationship.

I remember the first time he discovered the beauty of the night, illuminated by the city lights that could only be seen from the top of this fourteen-story building. He seemed so eager to show it to me. He even waited for me, as I was working late, just to share that beauty.

I also remember the starry sky we saw for the first time on this rooftop. It looked so beautiful, shining brighter and feeling more reachable when we were here together.

And yes, I'm sure everything will change after this. The sky we see might still be the same, the stars sparkling just as brightly, but the moment will feel different. There will be no more us sitting here, spending time just gazing at the star-filled sky like tonight.

What remains is just me. Me and the sky that remains faithful in its beauty. Not like Brian Edison, I knew over the past year. He was sweet at first, but now he chooses to leave, as if my feelings mean nothing to him. Huh... are most guys like that?

"I knew I'd find you here."

A voice broke my reverie about the farewell with Brian a week ago, every detail still vividly etched in my memory. And yes, I still cry every time I think about it.

"Wendy," I said, realizing my friend had arrived, wiping away the tears that had fallen on my cheeks.

This sweet girl with curly hair walked closer, shaking her head. From her body language, I could tell she knew exactly what I was doing up here at this late hour.

"How did you know I'd be here?" I asked, pretending to be clueless.

Wendy sighed for a moment. "After you and Brian broke up, where else would you hang out besides here?"

Her words made me pause. I couldn't deny what she said. It was true that after that day, every time office hours ended or after working late, I didn't go straight home. I always came to the rooftop to calm myself, or rather, to reminisce about my memories with Brian. It seems silly, but for now, that's all I wanted to do. At least until I could accept everything.

"Thinking about him again?" Wandy asked, trying to guess what was on my mind since I hadn't responded.

Instead of answering, I just looked up at the night sky. Wendy did the same. The atmosphere fell silent, only the sound of the wind filling the silence. It was getting colder now that it was past 10 PM.

"It's been a week since you and him broke up. And for a week, you two have acted like you don't know each other. And... you still can't move on. At least don't come here anymore and stop reminiscing, Allison."

Yep... once again, Wendy was right. After it all ended, Brian and I really felt like two people at odds. Even when we met, we never spoke. Any conversation we had was strictly work-related. I thought that was normal, especially since it all ended so suddenly.

But when it comes to moving on, I can't agree. It's not that I can't, it's just... not yet. I've tried hard, but I haven't seen any results. A week isn't enough to forget a year-long relationship. There are too many memories there.

"You're right, Wendy. And I don't think that's going to change as long as I'm still here."

"What do you mean?" Wendy asked, looking a bit confused.

I paused before answering. I walked to the edge of the rooftop and chose to sit there, letting my legs dangle off the edge. My long hair seemed to dance in the gentle breeze.

"I'm going to leave this job."

"Leave? Are you sure?"

Wendy walked closer and sat right next to me, staring at my face with wide eyes.

I knew she must be shocked by my sudden decision. Although I had actually been thinking about this for a while. I was just waiting for the right moment to start. And I feel like this is it.

"Allison, come on. Don't act like a child. Where's the professional Allison Valerie we all know? Are you really going to quit just because of Brian?"

"Brian isn't the only reason, Wendy," I replied, still gazing at the sky with a faint smile.

"Then what? What's your reason? And when did you start thinking about leaving?" Wendy still looked shocked by my decision.

Well, Brian isn't the only reason I'm making such a big decision. But I can't deny that his choice only strengthened my resolve.

Heartbreak hurts, and the wounds are no joke, but that doesn't mean I want to run away to forget Brian. Life always has priorities, and Brian is no longer one of them.

"It's time for this naive Allison to become a little more selfish for her own good."

***