Epilogue

Quickly, the little boy grabs the four leaf clover and brings it closer to his face, examining it carefully, his eyebrows furrowing. He stares at his new finding so intensely as if he is trying to make it disappear like that, or turn into another object, a candy perhaps. But no, he is just thinking really hard what to wish for. What do you think he would wish for? What do little boys dream about? Cars, adventures, guns and swords, sea of candies or chocolate bars bigger than their house, maybe even about fighting a dragon or owning a robot.

"I wish..." he whispers quietly.

"I wish I can live really long."

.

.

.

"A fairy will surely grant me my wish"

Thank you.

The door to the hospital room opened slowly. Jiyong was expecting to see Dara that's why his heart skipped a beat when the one coming in was her mother, Eun Jung. Seeing him sitting there, somewhat vulnerable and weak, made her sigh. However, relief washed over her, he looked healthy.

"Dara went to buy a few drinks. How are you feeling?" She asked as she walked closer to his bed.

"Just fine" Jiyong answered quietly, it was hard for him to face this woman. So hard it hurt.

"Good to hear" Eun Jung's fingers curled into a tight fist, the boy was making her feel nervous.She wasn't sure how to face him. "Will you get discharged soon?"

"I'm sorry." Jiyong suddenly blurted and slowly raised his gaze. The air in the room got heavy and Eun Jung found it hard to breathe. 

"For what?" 

"That I left like that the last time we met."

"Left like that..." she merely repeated his words.

"I won't give up on anything."

Eun Jung looked at him very intensely and then a slight smile spread on her lips. "The look in your eyes... has changed."

"I love Dara."

"I know."

"I love her so much I don't care, I don't care what you did in the past, I won't care" Jiyong swallowed, it was hard for him to speak these words aloud and even harder to forgive. "But I am not sure about forgiving..." Himself in the fist place.

"It's okay, I know it won't be easy."

"Just tell me why did you give him that push, why?"

Eun Jung quickly wiped a few tears from the corners of her eyes. Her lips trembling she finally said it out loud: "He told me he wanted to fly away. Ah, I could see it from his every gesture that... he had already died long ago. And angel without wings trapped in hell, torture, suffering, begging to be saved. How could I not help him... to be free."

"Tell my Jiyong that I am happy he exists."

Eun Jung covered her face with her palms, not able to hold her tears in anymore. "I'm sorry my child, I am so sorry. If only I hadn't done that he would be here, he could have gotten better. I should have helped him, I should have saved him."

"No" Jiyong's face was grave. "It was his choice" His stepfather had given up on living long ago, even before Jiyong had been born. How can you save someone who doesn't want to be saved? He was so selfish to leave behind so many people who would miss him, so selfish yet so miserable. So sad it was a little bit easier to forgive.

"I'm so sorry" Eun Jung kept repeating.

Jiyong sighed and rubbed his forehead, her crying was contagious and he felt like any moment from now he'd be bawling too. "Please stop crying, I don't want to make Dara worry when there is nothing to worry about."

Eun Jung grabbed his hand, her teary eyes peering into him. "Make her happy."

"You... you are accepting me?"

"No, you are wrong. I never disapproved of you. Never."

Ah, yes. When she comes in give her a dashing, debonair smile. Come, come, show me the smile.

- Lumiere: Beauty and the Beast

When Dara came to see Jiyong she found him looking rather depressed. Her mother was nowhere to be seen either and she said she'd be waiting there. A bad feeling crept into Dara's heart, maybe the doctor had told bad news? Please no.

"What did they say about your wound?"

"It's healing fast and good."

"Really?" A bright smile lit up Dara's face. "Then that's good news!"

"Yeah..."

"Why are you looking so depressed?"

Jiyong's melancholic gaze caught Dara's eyes, he attempted to smile but instead a tear rolled dow