~ Ryeowook ~

Comfortably wrapped in my comforter, I woke up from my deep sleep to the soft melody of a love song. I stirred stretching up my legs and arms to fully awaken myself when I realized that the sound comes from my phone and not from my alarm clock. I picked up the ringing phone from the bedside table and a smile forms on my lips when I saw the name of the caller. Nevermind my sleep being interrupted if he is the reason of it.

"Good morning honey," a voice greeted when I put the phone on my ears.

"Same to you honey. Why are you up so early?" I said closing my eyes and hugging the pillow beside me. Partially I imagined him as the pillow since I am missing his presence right now.

"I should be the one asking you why you are still on your bed? Don't you have work today?"

My eyes shuts open and I turned to the wall where the clock was hanging. 8:35am. I have a musical practice at nine thirty.

"Damn it! I forgot to set up the alarm clock before I sleep last night!" I hissed getting up from the bed and grabbing some clothes from the closet.

The person on the other line just chuckled. "I expected you would oversleep but that is not the reason why I called in early today,"

"Happy anniversary honey," he said and I stopped from digging up the closet. My body relaxes when I remembered the occassion for today. Its been four years since we've been together. Five if you would count the days when we were just friends. And seven when I first met him. Yeah, we have accidentally met years before we were introduced to each other. I bumped at him when I was touring Switzerland after graduating college and I saw him again two years later in my home country. Small world isn't it?

"Happy anniversary too Kyuhyun. If you're just here I could shower you with kisses right now," I said slowing down my move. So what if I'm late today? I'm not the main character so they can start without me.

"Don't tempt me, I could abandon my work and run to your apartment right now,"

"Then why do you have to sleep in your place last night? You could have done your stuff here Kyu,"

"I told you I have some work to do with my colleagues. Don't worry we will be seeing each other later okay?" he promised.

"We should be," I mumbled.

"Oh stop sulking hon, I will be home tonight. This project is already done today." Kyuhyun had been labouring on a project together with Changmin that is why he has been staying in his studio for two days.

"I love you honey," not hiding the longing in my voice. I am so in love with this man that I can't stand not seeing him for days. I wasn't like this before. Hell, I can live by myself since I am an only child. I am independent. But upon meeting him it seems like my life was connected to him. He became a huge part of my life or rather I can say that he is my life now.

"I love you more Ryeonggu," he replied back, sincerity showing through the tone of his voice. "I love you so much and I am so thankful that I have found you. I couldn't wish for more in my life now that you have completed it."

"Kyuhyun..." my eyes are watering from overwhelming emotions. "Aren't you supposed to be saying that to me in person later? You make me want to hug and kiss you more," I said not hiding the fact that I'm already crying.

I heard his soft laugh from the other line. "Okay, okay I'll stop now or else your director will yell at me again for making you late at work. I will text you later hon."

"Okay. Love you, bye bye,"

"Love you too, bye,"

He hanged up and I proceeded to the bathroom and got myself ready for the day. I have at least less than an hour to get to work.

~~~~

"You looked blissed-out today, what's up?" Sungmin, my fellow co-actor commented during one of our water breaks. He sat down beside me giving a bottle of water.

"Thanks," I said drinking from it to drench my dry mouth from the hours of talking amd singing. "I'm usually like this. Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing. I know that you're happily in love but I thought there's something more special in your smile today," he said. "You see, even the director got tongue-tied by that smile when you arrived late. And he was supposed to scold you!"

"Kyuhyun called me this morning,"

Sungmin just stared at me unamused with my answer. "What is the difference of that from waking up with him beside you?"

My cheeks flushed at my best friend's straightforwardness. "Shhhhh... can you lower your voice if you're talking about things like that!"

"Are you shy? Oh please, everyone here knows you have a handsome boyfriend," he teased, enjoying the scene as I place my hands on my cheeks feeling the heat.

"Its our anniversary today and I feel like something special will happen later. You know how he makes certain dates unforgottable to me," I said remembering the past anniversary and birthday celebrations. He had his own thoughtful ways to remind me of the occassion. I thought that his profession brought some ideas to him.

"Oh so there's a dinner date for tonight, that's why you're so happy and excited. Lucky for you, you have found a perfect lover. I wonder if I will ever meet mine..."

"He is not perfect Min, but I embraced his flaws and complemented my own shortcomings. Believe me, you will eventually meet yours. Who knows you might have crossed paths already?"

“Do you think so? Honestly I’m really envious when I see you guys go out with your significant other. I feel left alone,”

I took a short reflection of my life and it seems that I got everything easily. My parents dote on me since I don't have any siblings. I got a few realible friends. I graduated and now has a stable job. And I've got Kyuhyun. How did I get so lucky? Other people lacks at least in one aspect of their life. I am blessed with everything and I couldn't ask for anything more. Well, perhaps safety and good health I think. So far I am contented with my life, I can settle down peacefully.

“Aww…Min don’t be sad. I will bring you with us when we plan another tour abroad. We should be hanging out often so you wouldn’t feel left out.”

“Hanging often is good but I don’t think I will go with you guys abroad. I will just feel like the third wheel between the two of you,” he smiled faintly. “But anyways, thanks for cheering me during these times when I am lonely.”

“I am your best friend and that is my duty for you. Haven’t you got used to it? We’re practically like brothers since primary school!”

“Yeah, you’re the friend I’ve known the longest. Don’t you get tired of seeing me always?” he laughed.

“Its not my fault that even in college we have the same interests!”

“But don’t you think its much better? I know almost everything about you. I am quite handy for Kyuhyun,”

“I know that’s why whenever you disappear I know that he is with you. You two seems to enjoy picking out on me.”

Sungmin leaned on the chair while looking at the ceiling. “Whatever, I just want to get to know more about the person who will gonna take away my best friend…”

I looked at him curiously. “What do you mean? Do you know something that I don’t know?”

He glanced back at me and held my hands which made me stare at his eyes. "You will know about it soon Ryeowook-ah but I pray that your happiness lasts forever," I was lost at his words which sounded like a plea. I shuddered when my body felt the sudden increase of temperature in the room. Someone might have put the aircon in high temp.

"Thank you Minnie." We broke our gaze when he too felt the cool air coming from the aircon. “I should have brought my thicker jacket.”

“It wasn’t cold like this before. I wonder if they replaced it with new ones,” he shrugged.

Our conversation was cut when the director called our attention. Its time to go back to our place for the practice. I sighed but stood up from the chair that I was sitting at. I've memorized my lines for that day so I left my copy of the script on my bag and proceeded to the backstage.

~~~~

Later that afternoon after practice I went to the grocery store to buy some necessities in the apartment. I also need to pack up some food in the fridge considering that we were running out of it due to our busy schedule.

I roamed around the store finding all the things in my checklist. When I’m done with it I fall in line on the cashier to pay for the goods. Holding the two plastic bags, I decided to just walk to my apartment since its near.

I walked happily while humming a song that I heard from the radio a few nights ago. My smile was so visible that people were staring at me weirdly. I tried to control my smile but its obvious the happiness radiates from me. I stopped at the pedestrian lane waiting for the light to turn green. When it signaled the go light I started to walk when a hand stops me. I turned to look at the person and I saw an old woman staring at the road in front of us.

“Its not yet yours,” she said.

“What do you mean?” She didn’t respond to me but my question was answered when a loud crash was heard. A car accident happened right at the other side of the road and the young girl who was previously in front of me lay on the ground, blood all over her face.

My knees weakened in shock and when I turned back to the old woman I found her out of sight. I wasn’t imagining things. There was really an old woman talking to me seconds before and that accident its real because the people were crowding to help the victim.

I felt sick that I ran as fast I could towards my apartment while looking carefully on the road. The horrifying incident traumatized me. When I reached my apartment I heard a familiar voice singing in the kitchen.

I followed the voice and saw the back of my mother. I placed the two plastic bags on the table before carefully back-hugging her.

“Mom, I missed you,”

She turned to face me and hugging me back tightly. She pulled away seconds later to study the face of her son that she didn’t see for months. “You look healthy now but why are you so pale and sweaty?”

My mother really sees through right in me. I decided to tell a brief story of what happened on my way home. “I can’t believe I’ve seen it right with my own eyes mom.”

“Don’t be afraid because of it dear. Some things are just meant to happen. Maybe that young girl needs to go that time,”

“But mom if the old woman didn’t stop me that could have been me,”

“I know and I am so thankful for her that she unconsciously saved my only baby,” my mom holds both of my hands. “I would die if I have to outlive my son.”

“Mom…”

“Its traumatizing but let’s move on from it. That scene has a lesson to be learned son. You need to live your life to the fullest as if today is your last day in the world. Give love and you will not have any regrets when its your time to come,”

I nodded and basked at the warmth of my mother for a moment. Her presence is like a medicine to me since all my worries had gone away immediately.

“Why are you here mom?”

“Oh I just want to visit you. I also hope that Kyuhyun is here to taste this homemade salad that I made for the two of you, but I guess you two are really busy. I arrived to an empty house.”

“I can have some right now mom. I missed your cooking and we can place the rest in the fridge for Kyuhyun to eat later. We could also catch up with stories; I haven’t been home in a while,”

“Sounds like a good plan,” she said before grabbing some plates to set up the dining table. Perhaps I could enjoy a few moments with my mom before I head out to my date with Kyuhyun later.

~~~~

My wristwatch indicates that it is currently 7:05pm. It means that if he is not caught up with the rush hour traffic, Kyuhyun will arrive in less than thirty minutes. I glanced at the doorway before looking back at the stack of paper I am holding. Usually I go to this café not only to relax or have some of my favorite sweets but also to memorize