Hoya, L, Woohyun and Sungyeol stayed in Busan searching for Aeri.

It wasn’t until the third day of her disappearance that they got the bad news.

“This isn’t her. It can’t be Aeri!” Hoya jumped at the officer.

Both Woohyun and L got a hold of Hoya before he could lay his hands on the officer.

“We’re sorry but the test results came back and the DNA matches exactly that of Miss Kim’s.”

“How did this happen?” L shook his head.

“We’re investigating the case, but preliminary evidence shows it was suicide." He said before leaving them to be with Aeri for the last time.

“It can’t be...” Hoya backed away from the body.

“We were just with her. This can’t be her…” He walked away from the body.

Sungyeol and Woohyun only stood in silence.

This wasn’t what they were expecting.

They couldn’t get themselves to accept the truth.

L took one last look at the unrecognizable body before dropping to his knees.

“We broke our promise…we couldn’t take care of her.” He choked on his words.

Woohyun tilted his head up and fought back his tears.

He was now the oldest and had to stay strong.

“First Sunggyu hyung, now Aeri…” Sungyeol cried. “This isn’t fair.”

“No. This can’t be. It’s not her!” Hoya punched the wall, one punch after another.

Woohyun walked over and put his hand on Hoya’s shoulder.

“We promised we’d stay together forever…We were going to stay together forever…She was all I had left…” He hung his head.

“You still have us.” L put his hand on Hoya’s other shoulder.

“Right. We’re here.” Woohyun and Sungyeol joined in.

Hoya held his hand to his chest as tears fell.

“Aeri…you’re not really gone, are you?” He muttered as he held the necklace.

Before they left, Hoya brought up the courage to look at Aeri one last time.

“Don’t…it’ll only hurt more.” L stopped him.

“Just this last time. A final goodbye.” He sighed.

This time he looked at her carefully but then something caught his eye.

Her ring was missing.

The ring she had promised never to take off was missing…

~

They four boys returned to Seoul and not a word was said to entire trip back.

They were all hurting, especially Hoya.

Sungyeol headed home first, leaving Woohyun and L with Hoya.

“Why don’t you come and spend the night at our place.” Woohyun suggested.

“I’m okay. I’ll just be heading home now.”

“No, it’s late. Just come spend it at our place and I’ll drive you home tomorrow morning.” L added.

Hoya had no will to argue so just followed them back to their apartment.

It was exactly like how they had left it, everything in its original place.

“You can take my bed; I’ll sleep in Woohyun hyung’s room.” L said.

“Can I…can I spend the night in Aeri’s instead?” He asked.

Woohyun and L exchanged glances.

“Please?”

They turned back to him and nodded.

His feet froze in front Aeri’s room.

Hoya’s hands trembled as it reached for the doorknob; a part of him wished that Aeri would be behind that door.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he turned the doorknob.

And of course, he was disappointed.

Her room was empty, just how they had left it.

Except now there was a noticeable smell.

“This is what she meant…” He thought back to the times she had complained about Hoya’s scent.

She never meant that it was a bad scent – instead it was a comforting scent.

“It smells just like her.”

Hoya ran his finger along the wall and made his way to Aeri’s bed.

“This is your new home.” He carefully placed the stuffed bear he had won for Aeri onto the bed.

Hoya hung his head and sighed just thinking about Aeri.

For the first time, he was experiencing a heartache.

He rested his head on the pillow and held his chest.

His eyelids felt heavy.

And finally, after 70 sleepless hours he was finally able to get some rest.

~

“…Now, sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. Thank you.” The flight attendant finished her announcement through the PA system.

Aeri stared out the window as the airplane prepared for take off.

“This is really it…it’s goodbye forever.” She sighed as she thought of Hoya. 

“Miss. Please put on your seatbelt, the plane is preparing for take off.” The flight attendant said.

“Miss?”

“Aeri.” Sian tapped on her hand.

“Hm?” She turned to him.

“Seatbelt.” He pointed to it.

“Oh, right…sorry.” She quickly put it on.  

“Is everything okay?” Sian asked.

Aeri nodded.

“Well, don’t worry too much. Canada will be fun, I promise.” Sian said, oblivious to what was really going on.

The decision of moving away to a foreign country for school with Aeri seemed completely normal to him.

He had no idea that Aeri was doing this against her own will.

Aeri forced a smile.

“Fun will no longer exist…not without Hoya.” She thought as she ran her finger over the ring.

~

The next morning Hoya woke up to an unfamiliar alarm.

He rubbed his eyes and searched for where the sound was coming f