We walked together to the garden. I sat on the floor and patted the empty grass patch next to me. Byunghun oppa sat beside me and he started crying. Ever since I started dating him a year and 6 months ago, I never saw the Almighty L. Joe shed a tear. *This must be serious* I pulled him closer to me, letting him cry on my shoulder.

“Baby..” I shh-ed as I his hair.

“Don’t leave me.. No matter what.. Please don’t..” his voice husky, full of tears.

Seeing my boyfriend cry was one of the most painful thing I have ever experienced. I wish I could feel the pain instead of him. I sighed and continued to console him. After a while, he sat up, wiping his tears. He looked at me in the eye.

“You know… I love you… Right…?” he whispered.

I nodded furiously. I saw a smile plastered on his face.

“Omma.. She’s gone..” He said, trying to hold back his tears. I gasped. A thousand pitfalls rushed through my head.

L. Joe’s mother has always been ill since the first day I met her, when oppa wanted me to meet her. His father left them when he was a month old, leaving his mother and younger brother alone. Every day, I would drop by his house to help him take care of omma and clean the house. She would tell me stories and share oppa’s habits with me.

-Flashback-

“Jinhee-ah. If I happened to die before Byunghun gets married.. Please make sure you’re the only one he marries..” She smiled at me weakly.

“Omma.. Please don’t say that.” I dapped a wet cloth around her face.

-End of Flashback-

I his hair. We stayed in the garden, skipping lessons after lunch. He fell asleep on my lap. His eyes were puffy and swollen. I woke him up when school was over. We grabbed our bags and headed to his house, preparing for his funeral. I stayed with him for the next week, making sure he had all his meals and had sufficient rest. He was still grieving over omma’s death. I was at a loss..

“Oppa.. Please be okay. It hurts to see you like this. I want my oppa to be happy. Omma won’t be happy if she sees you like this too. Even Daehyun’s upset seeing you like that.” I lightly pushed away his bangs as I watch him sleep.

My eyes slowly started to close.

“No.. No.. NO! GET AWAY!” I heard him yell. 

I shot up. I saw Byunghun oppa perspiring, his eyes wide open.

“Oppa..?” I asked him worriedly.

He pulled me to his chest and hugged me. His heart was pouding. I could feel his tears dripping onto my tanktop. My heart was aching. *Oppa.. Please be strong.*