It’s him! I’m sure it’s him!

How could he’s here? Right in front of me?

He’s already..

dead.

When some drunk hit his car four years ago.

Just.. how?

“One Americano, please.” He started talking with annoyed tone and then I just realized what I just did.

“Y-yes.. please wait for a moment.”

I chocked slightly and ducked my head to hid my teary eyes. I couldn’t even focus on what I’m doing because I kept spilling the coffee with my blurred vision.

“H-here's your coffee. H-hope you e-enjoy it..” I gave him the coffee and he gave me the money in return.

He’s ready to walk out and turned his back but suddenly my mouth doing something against my brain, but my heart sure I’ll be regretting this if I’m not doing this now.

“Sorry! But, do you know me? Or—“ I take a deep breath.

But then I took a courage to continue what I wanted to ask. “A-are you perhaps B-Baekhyun?”

The man only tilted his head on the left side then put his cap a little lower than already it is.

Then, I could see he’s smirking.

“What the hell? This is my first time coming here though. You’re really annoying.”

Then he walked out without looking back.

“Eunji, I’m sure it’s him!”

I’ve been brawled my eyes for the past hour on my bed and Eunji could only said comfort words to me. But, it still has no effect though.

“Maybe, it’s just someone who looked like him, okay?” Eunji sigh.

“His voices are even the same! I miss him so much until my heart hurts, Eunji-ah. How could I forget him now?” I took another tissue from Eunji’s hands.

“God.. what is happening?” I sobs hardly.

Eunji glanced on the clock above my bed and squeezed my shoulders lightly, “Now now big girl, you should sleep. It’s already past twelve and you have to work tomorrow. Don’t disappoint me for giving you the job, okay? And I don’t want to be an angry mother every morning to wake you up.” Eunji groaned. “So, please, sleep now and don’t think about him again. It’s for the best, hmm?”

Then Eunji stand up from my bed and started walking towards the door.

“Keep smiling, please? For me?” Eunji had been tried to make me smiled this past hour and yet I couldn’t take myself and being selfish.

I tried to give her smile and nodded.

The moment Eunji closed the door, I started tearing up again.

Sorry, Eunji-ah. I just couldn’t forget him.

And memories about him washed over me like a wind on the winter chilly night.

May, 2012

“Hey, Baek. You sure you’ll be coming tomorrow for my drama performance, right?” I’m holding my phone on my right ear while my left hand opening the door to my house.

“Oh baby, do you miss me so much? We just met, like 5 minutes ago I dropped you in front of your house and now you’re calling me?” Baekhyun chuckled while talking on the phone.

“Tsk. So full of yourself.” I dropped my bag on the floor and flopped on the mattress. Finally.

“Princess, of course I’ll be coming to support my favorite girl in the world. Even if I have to take thousand miles to be with you.” He smiled. “I’ll be coming tomorrow. So, you don't have to worry.”

“Okay.” I hummed in response.

“I’m still on the road. I'll be calling you when I got home. And just sleep right away if you are too tired.” He chuckled. “Okay, princess?”

“Hey, Baek,”

“Hmm?”

“Why are you always calling me princess, Baek?”

“Because I’m your prince charming! Who will always give the light of life to my one and only princess!”

I rolled my eyes. I knew he’s being cheesy again but I could sense determination in his voice. But, because I was too tired at that time, I slowly going into deep slumber while still listening to his voice.

“You’ll always be my princess forever. And please, don’t ever forget that. Hmm?”

“Hmm..” I only smiled and slurred in my sleep.

Baekhyun chuckled.

“I love you.” He’s saying it even though he knew I already asleep. And he’s smiling with the thought of it.

I didn’t know how.. but now I’m standing in front of the operation room of the hospital with disheveled hair and crinkled shirt at 11 p.m.

The only thing I knew is, the moment I answered my phone and heard the news, I ran out from my house like a mad woman and came straight to the hospital. My vision blurred with tears. My hands were shaking and I couldn’t even feel my legs to stand straight.

At time like this, usually Baekhyun would be the one who stand close by my side, holding my hand and kept assuring me that everything will be okay. His big warm hands would envelope mine and he’ll draw circles with his thumb to soothe me.

And he would be saying, “My princess is the most strong girl I knew!”

But now, who would?

When he’s the one who’s inside on that operation room?

I tried to keep standing on my feet when the doctor suddenly came out from the room, lowering his head.

From the TV drama I’ve watched together with Baekhyun, if there’re any scenes similar like right now, Baekhyun would always asking me, “Why is the doctor always lowering his head down when he come out from the operating room? Too saying it out loud that the person he’s been doing an operation is dead? Tsk. And next the doctor would be saying ‘Sorry, we’ve tried our best’. Cliché. I don’t like it.”

Baekhyun was right. I didn’t like it one bit. I even really hate a situation like this, like right now.

I knew what will the doctor say next so I only walk away from the scene and find the emergency staircase.

I sat on one of the stairs and hugged myself from the cold.

I couldn’t even shed any tears right now but my hands keep shaking.

I took a deep breath and thought of one sentence he’s always said to me everytime I’m facing hard problems.

“When you’re thinking that your world is going to end because of the problem you’re facing, please keep remember that I’m with you, okay? Because you’re my universe. And so do you, I’m your universe. I’ll be forever by your side.”

Now, that my universe is already gone forever, how to live on my life anymore?

I glanced on the watch on my left hand, and it’s already past twelve.

“Happy birthday, Baekhyun.”

February, 2016

“Oh! Hey you!”

Eunji shouted and came up to me the moment she walked into the shop. Eunji had been saying since yesterday that she’s going to have dinner with her whole family tonight, including her uncle, so Eunji would be going together with her uncle using his car.

I smiled and looked up to her, “Oh, Eunji-ah.”

“Finally! My girl is smiling again! After—what? A whole days and nights?” Eunji whined and looked up to the ceiling dramatically. Her child character is showing up again and I tried to calm her down because she’s starting to gain attention from the customers. God.

Then, her uncle came out from the back door and ready to go.

“I’ll see you at home, okay?” Eunji patted my arm a bit then waving her hands.

After her uncle told me to clean a bit and close the shop later, the both of them waved their hands to me and walked out.

It’s almost 10 p.m., nearing the closed time but the customers keep coming since it’s Saturday night.

Well, I think I have to work a little more tonight.

Without realizing, after I cleaned the place a bit, it’s already past 11 p.m. I locked the place then started walking to the direction of my house. I hugged myself close because the stupidity of me forgot to take thicker coat. Who would be on the right mind to walk alone at winter midnight with only thin cardigan?

I shivered and groaned lightly.

Not to mention that I have to walk on dark alley because it’s the only shortcut to my house. I never liked being in dark alone at night, so I could only walked faster the moment my feet brought me near the alley.

As I keep walking, I heard some noises and could see moving shadows from the corner of my eyes. I shivered at the thought of having someone following me or worst scenario—a ghost. This is why I always hated it when Eunji took me to watch horror movies!

But, what if it’s some drunked men? God I still want to live longer—

I only walked faster and faster but I still have to pass one more abandoned dark alley to reach my destination.

I looked up and see the street lamp is died and the whole street is black out. I never liked dark since I was a little and because of that, I always sleep with the lights on. I saw some moving shadows again and I tried to walk faster until I stumbled and fall on one of my feet. I tried to stand up and walks with my sprained ankle.

I’m so scared.

Help.

Baekhyun, help.

Please, please, please.

I kept chanting Baekhyun’s name without I’m realizing everytime I sense some danger or I felt scared.

But then, the street lamp right above me is showing it's light. The light is so bright, like—it wasn’t usual light from the street lamp. It lights up so bright that I feel it could illuminate the whole street. And without I'm knowing, the light feels so comfortable and it shootes me, a lot.

I started walking again. The strange thing is, as I walked further more on the streets, the street lamp before me is turned black and the street lamp in after me is showing it’s light.

Like—some trick is playing with me. But I could careless and relief washed over me the moment I see my house building. I almost immediately plunged the key on the door and walked in with ragged breaths.

***

But, without you realizing, a boy with a familiar cap have just flicked his hands not far from the house. And the moment he’s doing it, the whole street is back to black out again.

He then smiles and turned his back started to walk.

“I’ll always protect you, princess.”

Yayy! New chapter!

What's the true identity of the cap boy, tho? :D