|13 February 2012|

“Alright class, that’s all for today.” Hyun Seung said as he put down the marker after writing the last sentence on the board.

The students in the classroom hurriedly packed their bags, ready to leave the class. When almost everyone was about to leave the class, So Yeon, one of his students, called him again, “Mr Jang!”

“Yes, So Yeon?”

“Are you spending Valentine’s Day with your girlfriend tomorrow?” She giggled and stuck her tongue out.

Hyun Seung’s smile faded a little but he managed to give her an enthusiastic response, “So Yeon, are you asking me for more homework?”

So Yeon was dumbfounded and ran away, “Bye, Mr Jang!”

♥ ♥ ♥

Driving in his car, he was taking the same old route as before again. It would seem like this route was his route home now. He took this route even more than the route he took home. He passed by a roadside stall that sold spicy rice cakes. He stopped over and parked his car at one side, “Sun Young likes rice cakes.”

 He carried the rice cakes to his car. All of a sudden, he received a call before he could even enter his car. He picked it up, “Hello, who’s this?”

There were some mumbles in the phone. Hyun Seung dropped his rice cakes as he bumped into someone who walked into his way. "Yah, watch where you're going! You almost spilled the ricecakes on my expensive outfit!" The person flared up at Hyun Seung.

Hyun Seung just nodded, his concern was not about this matter anymore, and hurried into his car while talking on the phone, “Okay, I got this. I’m coming!”

He the engine and drove quickly, not caring a single thing in a world. He gripped on the steering wheel tightly and his mind was in a whirl. He drove past the red light just in time and he was almost over the speed limit.

For a moment, he shut his eyes tight and continued driving. Without a warning, he spotted a man in front of him, not looking at the road before he crossed. He stopped the car abruptly in time to prevent banging on the person but he was furious so he stuck his head out of his opened window, “Yah! Watch where you’re going! The light is still red so don’t cross the road without looking!”

“I’m sorry!”

Hyun Seung noticed the man was bleeding. He felt a sense of guilt for screaming at him although he was also in the wrong, “Go see a doctor.”

He started the engine again and drove off without another word. He reached the hospital in no time and rushed to level six as usual. He ran towards the ward that he always frequent and saw Sun Young’s mother waiting outside the ward. He panted heavily and asked, “What happened to Sun Young?”

“She has a relapse again.”

He hugged her mother and comforted her, “Sun Young is a strong girl. She’ll be fine.”

After saying that, the doctor came out of the ward after diagnosing, “I’m really sorry. Her relapse is far serious this time. You two have to be prepared. If she has any last wishes, please do fulfil for her. Spend all the time that you can with her.”

Sun Young’s mother broke down and cried. Hyun Seung could not believe his ears. Why did this have to happen on this special day?

Hyun Seung brought her mother into the ward. It revealed Sun Young’s exhausted face and weak body. However, she was still smiling like usual. Although it might seem forceful, she still made the effort to remain optimistic. She waved hello to the both of them but they were too devastated to stay positive.

Hyun Seung sat on the bed and her fragile face. Her hands trembled as she grabbed onto Hyun Seung’s hand, “Don’t give me that frown. You don’t look handsome when you frown.”

Too caught up with the harsh reality, Hyun Seung did not say anything. He knew this day was coming. Five years ago, Sun Young had the surgery to cure her leukaemia. She was deemed to lose her life at that moment but Heaven decided to prolong her life. Her surgery was a success and both of them thought it was a happy ending for them.

They promised each other to spend 13^th and 14^th of February together. They promised to stay with each other no matter what happened. Hyun Seung became a high school teacher while Sun Young fulfilled her ambition of being a fashion designer.

However, her cancer cells did not fully disappear. Just a few months ago, Sun Young collapsed when she was at work. After seeing the doctor, it was revealed that her cancer cells were spreading rapidly again and this time, there was nothing they could do to save her life. Sun Young was dumbfounded but remained optimistic.

Although she had to stay in the hospital for long periods of time, she never cried or showed her weaknesses in front of Hyun Seung. Hyun Seung treasured their days together, hoping for another miracle to happen.

Now it was apparent that Heaven was going to take her along.

“Seungie, remember our tree? Our time capsule?”  She muttered through her breath.

Hyun Seung forced a smile at her, “Of course, I do. Why would I forget it? We promised each other we will open it up on this very day…”

“Hyun Seung, let’s fulfil our promise.” She said.

Hyun Seung was hesitant. She could not even get up from the bed now. How was she going to go out and see the time capsule? He shook his head, “But with your condition…”

“Hyun Seung, please?” She begged and her eyes sparkled.

He knew that there was no way he could change his mind. He nodded and agreed, “Okay.”

♥ ♥ ♥

“Don’t you remember this, Seungie? You carried me like this up the hill, just like five years ago.” Sun Young laid her head on his shoulder as Hyun Seung carried her up.

It was exactly the same, except that Sun Young felt so much lighter now. His heart hurt but he tried to remain cheerful so Sun Young would not be worried, “Of course. I even remember you were begging me to carry you up!”

“Yah, I did not beg!”

“Yes, you did!”

Their little tiffs continued until Hyun Seung reached the top. The tree was much bigger now. Hyun Seung held her hand and brought her to touch the carvings he did five years ago – Property of Hyun Seung and Sun Young. They both smiled and laughed, “We are indeed very immature five years ago.”

Hyun Seung carried on and brought out his spade to dig out the time capsule. Suddenly, without Hyun Seung’s realisation, Sun Young grabbed her chest and bit her lips. Her chest was feeling the pain but she did not give out any sound. She did not want to worry Hyun Seung. Instead, she sat down quietly and turned her face around so he would not see her agony.

“Sun Young, I’m done!” Hyun Seung exclaimed.

Sun Young tried to force a smile and moved closer to him, “Let’s read our letters together.”

Hyun Seung grinned, “Would you like to start first and read out my letter?

She nodded.

Sun Young took out the letter and was about to read it but her chest was torturing her again. She coughed and handed the letter to him, “Seungie-ah, I’m tired. Can you read it for me, please?”

Hyun Seung noticed her face was getting weaker by the moment. He knew it but he refused to show his sorrow to her. He took the letter, “Listen well, Sun Young. Listen well to what I have to say.”

“Dear Sun Young in 2012,

How are you doing? I wonder how you look like right now! You must be chubbier and cuter after I have fed you well right? Keke. Sun Young-ah, I know you will be alright. Heaven is not cruel enough to take you away from me. Even if he tried, I make sure I won’t let you go because you’re my one and only. Sun Young, don’t try to leave me without a word, promise? Our love is undeniable and I promise to you for the next ten years… No… Next hundred years we will stay happy and blissful like this. Sun Young, I love you.

Love,
Seungie”

Sun Young tightened her grip on Hyun Seung’s arm and smiled sweetly. His letter was adorable but sweet. However, nothing of his words in the letter came true. It was the exact opposite but none of them said anything about it.

Hyun Seung kept the letter and opened Sun Young’s letter, “Sun Young, I wonder what you have written for me… Can you read it for me?”

Sun Young was feeling breathless already. She said another sentence with effort, “Seungie, I’m shy. You’ll read it.”

Hyun Seung was about to start reading but Sun Young stopped him, “Seungie, promise me that you will not blame me for anything I have written inside, okay?”

At that moment, Hyun Seung felt something was amiss with her. Her voice became so much softer and her hands were feeling cold. It was as if time had stopped for her. He tried to conceal his tears so he could finish the letter, “Sun Young, don’t fall asleep. You have to stay with me till the end, okay?”

She nodded.

Hyun Seung started the letter after sniffing,

“Dear Seungie in 2012,

If I am still here with you, I must be the most fortunate girl in the world. However, life just in some ways. I was fortunate enough to meet you and be your girlfriend. Unfortunately, I don’t know how long my luck lasts. I wonder what happened to the surgery back then. Somehow, I feel something very big is happening in 2012. Seungie, I hope in 2012 if I am not present with you, you would move on and find someone better than me. I am weak and fragile. I know we won’t have a future together. We may lie in each other’s face but we clearly know that we are impossible.

Seungie, I’m sorry to have ended this way. Let’s not be together.

Again, Happy Valentine’s Day.

I still love you.

Love,
Sun Young”

Sun Young heard her name in the letter and she knew it was the end. She closed her eyes with peace and released her grip on Hyun Seung’s arm. She was never going to open her eyes, ever, again.

Hyun Seung noticed that and he lifted Sun Young up gently to hug her, “Yah, Sun Young, yah! How can you write such a letter to me? I’m not accepting this, do you hear? I am not accepting this. I never gave you the permission to fall asleep! Lee Sun Young, wake up!”

He knew there was nothing he could do. He just sat down and embraced her tightly. She was gone. She was gone for good. He was trying to accept the truth but his tears flowed down endlessly like a running tap.

 The sun was setting and the night was falling.

“You cannot just give up on love like that, Sun Young…” Hyun Seung whispered to her after calming down. He gave a final kiss on her cheek and laid her head on his thighs. He placed both letters in the time capsule and put it back to the hole.

Suddenly, he remembered a question Sun Young had asked before, “What is love?”

He stayed silent.

“Love is not written on paper, for paper can be erased. Nor is it etched on stone, for stone can be broken. But it is inscribed on a heart and there it shall remain forever.”

He moved her fringe to reveal her porcelain forehead and touched her eyelashes gently, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Sun Young.”