The Past (Part 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlYPxJHtogE

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That night, the orphans were split into different groups by age and genders. You were put into a room with the upper elementary girls ranging from 3^rdgrade to 5^thgrade. The lights were out and everyone seemed to be asleep except for you.

Maybe it was because you were in a whole different setting with new people, but it was hard to shut your eyes.

You couldn’t stay still anymore and got up. Silently, you crept over the bodies and opened the door. Once out of the room, you exhaled in relief. You looked up at the grandfather clock.

It was already midnight. You walked up to the window and pressed your hands against the glass. You looked up at the starry sky and sighed, causing the window to fog up. *Granny, are you up there? I miss you. I wish you were still here. I miss you making warm meals for me, braiding my hair, and reading me bedtime stories. Now I have no family. I’m an orphan. How will I ever survive on my own?*

Tears welled up in your eyes. Soon, you were sobbing quietly in distress and desperation. *There’s no one who will be here for me now. What do I do?*

At that moment, the door to the middle school boys’ room opened and Daehyun stepped out. He heard a crying noise and froze. *What is that noise?* Daehyun turned his head.

In the moonlight he saw a figure curled up by the window crying.

*Who is that?* Daehyun stepped closer and scrutinized you. His eyes widened in recognition *The new girl! But wait, why is she crying?* Then he heard you whimper, “Granny, granny.”

His expression softened. *Why would she not be? She lost her loved one and was sent to a place for outsiders.* Daehyun didn’t know what to do. He looked around for tissue or towels.

Seeing none, Daehyun headed towards the bathroom. But he stopped when he saw an angel doll sitting in the corner all alone. She had a comforting smile on her face and her halo was shiny and bright under the moonlit sky. Daehyun paused then picked up the doll. He dusted off the lint on her dress and held it closely to his chest.

Daehyun went back to where you were. He poked his head out from behind the corner and looked at you. You were still crying and it seemed as if you weren’t going to stop crying anytime soon. Daehyun shifted closer and closer to you. Finally he was in front of you.

Daehyun cleared his throat loudly.

You gasped and looked up, startled. *Who is that?!* In the moonlight you saw his face, “Daehyun …?”

He awkwardly held out the doll. You blinked at it, wondering why he had just given this to you. You looked up at his face, “What is this…?”

Daehyun saw you gazing at his face and self-consciously covered the area of his nose and mouth. Annoyed, he shook the angel, “Can’t you tell? It’s a doll. Don’t girls like dolls?”

*Some girls do…* You gently took the doll. The angel’s smile strangely comforted you. It reminded you of your Grandma.

“Enough with the crying already.” Daehyun said. You looked up. He looked away, “You have to learn to move on, like everyone else here did. Hug the doll and go to sleep.” Daehyun left the room.

You stood up and called, “Daehyun oppa!” He froze. No girl had ever called him that before. His name sounded special coming from your lips. And with the extra ‘oppa’ in there, he felt his heart elate with strange happiness he hadn’t felt in a long time.

You tearfully smiled, “Thank you for the comfort. I think I can sleep now. Thank you so much, Daehyun oppa….” His heart flip-flopped in his chest *There my heart goes again.* He glanced at you and quickly went back into his room.

You cradled the doll closely to your chest and smiled *It’s really pretty…* You walked back into your room to get some sleep.

Daehyun poked his head out *She’s gone.* He shut the door and leaned against it. He put a hand over his chest. That was the first day that his heart had beat for you like that.

And ever since then, he had vowed to let his heart react that way for you and only you…

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Daehyun pushed your bangs away from your forehead and softly smiled with a twinkle in his eyes. *See? I’ve always been your guardian angel. I don’t talk but that doesn’t mean I don’t see. I always see and hear you, Song Yeojin. I feel it when you’re scared, happy, angry, or sad. I care for you so much. I hope you realize that…*

Daehyun leaned down towards your face. His loving eyes swept over your face and rested on your full, cherry-like lips. Daehyun reached out and stroked them once. *So soft…* He held his breath, just in case you would wake up.

But your eyes remained closed.

Daehyun let out a low breath of relief. His eyes drifted over your face and he admired every one of your facial features.

“Song Yeojin…saranghae.” Daehyun whispered.

Then he lowered his head and oh-so-tenderly kissed your chin, right beneath your bottom lip.