“Mom, I am going out!” I closed the door and walked out the gate. Just then, I heard someone called out to me. “Happy Birthday Kang Hee!” a familiar figure approached me with a bouquet on his hand. “Dongmin!” I ran towards my boyfriend with a big smile plastered on my face. “Happy Birthday dear,” he smiled so gently and handed me the bouquet. A box was placed on the middle of the bouquet, “what’s this?” my other hand reached for it. Dongmin helped me hold the bouquet and gestured me to open the box.  Inside the box lay a very beautiful diamond necklace. I was smiling ear to ear. “Do you like it?” he asked me.

“Yes I do, but why is the pendant a hummingbird?” i asked him. Dongmin took the necklace and helped me put on, “Hummingbird symbolizes joy and energy, just like you, it also tells us not to dwell in the past, no matter how awful things are, so I hope that you will always stay happy and will always move forward no matter what happens in life” he took a good look at me and kissed me in the forehead. “I never knew that humming bird has such a deep meaning,” I gazed at him. “I sincerely hope you will never lose your joy Kang Hee” I then took a step forward and kissed him. “I won’t, I will always be your happy virus” I went inside the car.

Dongmin smiled and got in the car too. “Aren’t we going to the restaurant?” it seems like we are going farther from the city. “There is a place that I wanted to show you. Get ready to be more surprised!” he laughed. “Yah, you’re getting cheekier  ‘eh,” I pinched his cheek. “Hey hey” he was still laughing. He continued driving.

The car stopped in an empty field. “Where is this?” I asked. “Come on just follow me,” Dongmin opened the door and took my hand.  Suddenly my vision turned dark. A cloth was wrapped around my eyes. “What are you doing?” I was shocked. “Shh, just follow me” he nudged me to step in front. We walked quite a distance before he stopped. “Did we arrive?” there were sounds of water drizzling and nature’s smell. My mind was working so hard to figure out where am I. After a while, my eyes were hit by a breeze. I opened my eyes and was awed by the view in front of me. Oh my god I thought to myself. “Are we still in Korea?” I eyed Dongmin. I was totally stunned, my mouth was hanging. Looking at my expression, Dongmin chuckled, “Of course, close your mouth or else a bug might fly in,” 

“Just where are we?” this place is breathtaking. I can’t believe that we are standing on what it seems like a small forest, there is a little waterfall flowing so gracefully and there were flowers and birds chirping. I would call this place wonderland. Dongmin seemed so pleased looking at how amazed I am. That gentle smile was plastered all over his face again. Honestly, this is the first time I saw him smiled so tenderly. He smiles usually but since he has that bad boy vibe around him so it’s more like smirking rather than smiling. 

He then started walking away, “Hey where are you going? Wait for me!” I ran to him before locking my hand with his. We arrived in front of a house, it is more like a little cottage to be exact. “Is this yours?” I asked while he unlock the door. “Its my grandparent’s to be exact, can you believe that this place is my inheritance?” he laughed. “Are you serious?” I laughed with him, “I wonder how your grandparents found this place and kept this away from the outer world,” I took a sit on the couch. The house was surprisingly clean, “Did you always come here? Its quite clean,” I looked at him. “Yeah sometimes, this place is great isn’t it?” we cuddled on the couch. “Did you bring other girls here behind my back?” I started to think wild. Why would he come here by himself most of the time? “What? No, never! What were you thinking,” he ruffled my hair. “Don’t lie! Why would you come here by yourself?” I was pouting. “Awww, trust me Kang Hee, you have been my only one and will be my only one, I just came here for healing,” he hugged me again; “Can you feel my heart? It only beats for you,” he said in a cute voice. I coughed, “Oh my Dongmin, where did you learn those mushy words from?” I hugged him back. “Let’s go out! I want to stroll around the place!” I grabbed his hand and pushed him into the waterfall, the waterfall is not that deep. “Hey!” he pulled me in too. We had a great water fight before we were both tired and lay down on the grass.

“Are you happy?” he my hair. “More than happy! This is the best birthday I’ve ever had,” I scooted closer to him. “I am glad then” he continued to fiddle with my hair. “Dongmin-ah, thank you for showing me this place, it made me really happy,” Dongmin then sneezed, “Are you okay? Let’s go back to the house and change clothes, you have spare clothes here right?” he suddenly looked very pale, and I took him into the house. “You go change, I’ll make some hot tea,” I pushed him into the bathroom. He came out soon after and I handed him ginger tea. “Here, drink this, you have always been weak towards cold,” I his hair. “You know me best,” he sipped the tea and smiled.

After a while, he stood up and walked into the kitchen, “What are you doing?” I catch up to him. “Come help me, I am making dinner,” He may not look like it, but Dongmin is actually a good cook. He stayed in the States for two years and learned how to cook. He started making steak. It seems he prepared everything beforehand. Such a meticulous guy, I am glad that I have met him. I surprised him by throwing him a back hug. “Are you deeply moved by this boyfriend of yours?” he playfully joked. “Yes no maybe?” I walked away shyly.

We ate dinner and talked for hours before Dongmin drive me back home. I was grinning the whole way home, I still can’t believe that there was such a beautiful place. Before I step out of the car, Dongmin pulled me into a hug. He hugged me so tight as if afraid that I will disappear. “What’s with you? We just literally spent the whole day together and you already miss me?” I laughed. He murmured something but I can’t seem to make out what he was murmuring about. He seemed really tense and worried. After quite a while, he reluctantly let go of me, before pulling me into a deep kiss. “Do you want to come up?” I cupped his face. He shook his head before smiling, that smile again. “Okay then, let’s go visit that place again sometime okay?” I went down the car. “Kang Hee,” he called to me and I turned my head around. “I love you, I really do,” his gaze seemed so sad. “I love you too,” I smiled before waving him goodbye.

The day after he called me and said that he went back to the Sates to settle some matters. I was angry because he didn’t tell me beforehand. Its been a week and he is not back yet. He won’t tell me what’s the urgent matter was about and it was making me so worried. What’s worse is that he didn’t reply my messages nor accept my calls since yesterday. I was so worried did something happened to him.

Just when I was spacing out, my phone rang. “Dongmin ah!” I quickly pick up. “Kang Hee, its me, Jimin,” I checked the caller ID, its Dongmin’s older sister. “Oh unnie! I am so sorry, Dongmin’s not replying my messages nor answering my calls, I was so worried, is he still in the States?” there was then a silence. “Hello? Unnie?” I asked again. “Kang Hee ah, what I am going to tell you next, please, please stay calm,” there was a sob coming from the other side of the phone. “Unnie are you crying? What happened?” I don’t know why but I was trembling. “Dongmin, he… he passed away,” Jimin unnie then broke into tears. “What? Unnie? What do you mean passed away?” I still could not fully understand. “Kang Hee, Dongmin passed away, he is gone, he left all of us,” all of a sudden my brain seemed to have stopped working. My phone slipped away from my hand and I was tearing up. With all my might I picked up my phone and trembled “Wh… where is he now?”

My parents never saw me acting like this before. It seems like I have been possessed, I grabbed my coat and ran outside, ignoring my mother’s shouting. I drove as fast as I could to the hospital. Trembling all the way. It can’t be… it can’t be… Dongmin wait for me. You can’t go.

***

Meanwhille in Kang’s resident…

“Hello?”Mrs. Kang picked up the phone. “Jimin? Dongmin’s sister? Yes, why have you called?” Mrs. Kang’s face then turned gloom. “What? I see, Kang Hee must’ve been rushing there, my deepest condolences,” she then put the phone down. “Who’s that? You look bad” Mr. Kang came to sit beside Mrs. Kang. “Dongmin, he passed away” Mrs. Kang speak in a low voice. They were both silent for a while before Mr. Kang speak, “I think it is time to tell her,”.

Author's Note: First chapter is up! Please read, comment and subscribe! <3