The invitation comes out of nowhere it can’t help but to makes her suspicious, “A date? You and me?” The boy nods excitedly, “Yes, tomorrow. I’ll pick you up.” She raised an eyebrow, “What? Do I look like your next target or something?” With a small, secretive smile on his face he answered, “Am I that bad?”

“Yeah, kind of.” She shrugged.

He locked his eyes with hers, “Kim Hyoyeon, you, me, a date. Tomorrow. I’ll take you to anywhere you want. Just please say yes.” He said, holding the gaze intensely it made her uncomfortable. She broke the gaze as she sorts out her books and stationery, “Well before I said ‘yes’ I need to ask why.” He leaned closer, “I want to spend this part of my life with you, that is all.”

“And what part is this?” She asked. His answer only made her suspicion increased.

“You’ll know it soon enough.” He ruffled her hair playfully, “So is it a yes?” Hyoyeon let out a long sigh, “Yeah, it’s a yes.” A wide grin appears on DooJoon’s face, “I’ll pick you up at 10 AM okay?” Hyoyeon nods, “10 AM is okay.”   

“Meet you tomorrow, kid!” DooJoon slung his backpack, “I need to get going now, okay? Be safe on your way home.” Hyoyeon nods again, “Okay, bye.” “Promise me you’ll eat your dinner.” DooJoon said as he put his hands in his pockets and slowly walk away. “Okay okay, I promise.” She rolled her eyes.

DooJoon turned around and smiled, “That’s my girl.”

______________

The faint make up can’t hide her blush and DooJoon likes it. He likes to know that the reason behind her blush is him fooling around with her and it made him happy and giddy. Her mesmerizing smile and her perfect hair, her faint aroma that consists of vanilla and roses, her captivating eyes, her everything. All of that makes him happy. But on the other hand, he is reminded of the harsh reality waiting for him.

She elbowed him in his abdomen, “You’re zoning out, Yoon DooJoon.” His lips turned into a half smile, “I’m just wondering why you are so beautiful today.” “So you’re saying usually I’m not beautiful?” She teased back. “Even if I never said it before, doesn’t mean I don’t think about it.” She just smiled in response and sipped her drink.

“It’s a great place by the way.” DooJoon said, realizing the blush on Hyoyeon’s cheeks turned a little bit redder, “I never knew you knew this kind of place.” “Well, my father introduced me to this place, he said they have the best Italian food. And you liked Italian foods, so I choose this place.”

“Wow I never thought you’d paid this much thought to me.”

Hyoyeon shrugs, “Well, you’re paying for this anyway, so I have no loss.” DooJoon snorted, “Of course you have no loss, kiddo. Everybody loves good pizza.” Hyoyeon grinned and turn her head around to face DooJoon, “Exactly my point.”

DooJoon ruffles her hair again, this time a little harsher than usual. Hyoyeon sighed, “And I thought I would have a perfect hair day today.” DooJoon glanced at his watch, “It’s a record though, we’ve been spending more than 8 hours together and I ruffled your hair just once.”

Hyoyeon rolled her eyes, “Did you like it that much? Ruffling my hair?”

“Yeah, whenever I do it, you have the best expression.” Hyoyeon frowned, “What kind of expression?” DooJoon chuckled and pointed to Hyoyeon’s face, “Just like that, it’s funny.” As Hyoyeon opened to give a comment about DooJoon’s worse derp faces, a waiter comes by their table, “Excuse me sir, this is the bill.”

DooJoon accepted the bill and take a glance; he pulled out some cash and handed it to the waiter. “Oh thanks by the way! It’s been an amazing day.” Hyoyeon said. “Thank you for staying with me today too. I’m glad you said yes.” DooJoon said and smiled sincerely but a ghost of sadness flashed in his eyes, crystal clear to Hyoyeon.

“Do you have something you want to tell me?” Hyoyeon asked carefully. DooJoon looked at her eyes before –as expected, shook his head. “Nope, I’m all cool.”  Hyoyeon smiled to hide her worry, “If you said so.”

“By the way, can I ask you a favor?” DooJoon suddenly asked.

“What is it?” Hyoyeon leaned closer. DooJoon looked away as if he hides something and Hyoyeon twist the end of her top to calm her nervousness. He took a deep breath, “You know that you always worried about me, and you cared about me a lot. It makes me feel good; it makes me feel needed in this world. It reminds me that I have a reason to live in this world and –”

“Wait, what are you saying?” Hyoyeon cuts him off. He chuckled nervously and shrugs it off, “Oh sorry, I was saying nonsense things.” He looked right to Hyoyeon’s eyes and saw worry and perhaps something more than that in her eyes. “Forget about what I said, I got carried away. Its not what I want to ask to you.”

Hyoyeon sighed, she nods even though she doesn’t believe what he said, “Then what is it?”

“Please act like you don’t know me tomorrow, treat me like a stranger.” DooJoon said quickly –way too quickly that Hyoyeon got a feeling it’s really hard for him to said it out loud. This is getting on her nerves, him acting like this. First he asked her for a date out of nowhere, and now this? What the heck is actually happening?

“Hyo, breathe.” He reminded with hints of laugh appeared on his face. “Ah, sorry.” Hyoyeon took a deep breath, “Why so sudden?” “I need to do something tomorrow, alone. And I don’t want anyone to know about it –well, yeah except my parents until it’s really done. What I’m asking is don’t text me, don’t call me, don’t talk to me, don’t do anything.” The darkness swept over his face again, “Am I asking too much?”

Hyoyeon thought for a second and shook her head, “No, I can do it. I promise you.” DooJoon smiled, “Thanks. Thanks a lot, really.” Hyoyeon found the strength to smile, “No problem. But can I ask you, why should I do it?” DooJoon looked down on his lap and smiled sadly, “Because its going to be hard for me.”

“Why?” Hyoyeon demands for more information. DooJoon put his index finger on his lips, “Part of the secret.” Hyoyeon sighed again, “Okay then.” “You know what, just accept this like a dare.” DooJoon adds.

“A dare?”

“Yeah, I dare you to stay away from me for a day, can you do it?” DooJoon challenges. “And If I succeed, what will happen?” DooJoon thought about this for a moment and with a smile full of triumph he said, “I’ll always be there for you, no matter what happens. I’ll never leave you alone. But that; is only if you want to.”

Hyoyeon smiled at that thought. Even though she doubts DooJoon told her the whole truth of the prize she’ll receive, it doesn’t matter. Its fair enough. “I accept the dare.” 

__________

Hyoyeon shifts uncomfortably in her bed. The day where she promised not to contact DooJoon in any way had passed, and now she is anxious. Should she call him? Or should she wait for him to call her first? She locked her eyes to her phone scree, waiting for something to pop out. A message, phone call, anything.

When minutes passed with nothing comes out, she typed his number furiously and called him. She was deciding whether to boast up about her success or getting pissed at him for not congratulates her first when someone picked up on the other end, “Yoon DooJoon!” She practically almost shouted his name.

“Ah, sorry Kim Hyoyeon-sshi…” A woman voice replied and Hyoyeon almost hit her head to the headrest. “This is his mother, he told me you would call.” The woman continued, her voice is hoarse and distant and Hyoyeon sense something’s not right.

“Oh right, sorry Ahjumma. Where is DooJoon?” She asked. The woman on the other end didn’t reply immediately, but her breathing can still be heard. “Ahjumma?”

“DooJoon told me he wants you to be here.”

“Where? I can go there right now.”

“Seoul National University Hospital.”

______________________

She ran through the hospital’s corridor, but she cant find his room. She cant think straight at all and she didn’t even realize. Finally after a while, she asked a nurse what floor is this and feels stupid immediately. But she knew she wouldn’t find him in her condition like this, so she asked the nurse if she can show her the way.

Its still ringing in her head, what his mother said between her sobs.

He is suffering from arrhythmia, a cardiac disease. He had a surgery yesterday, and didn’t wake up since.

Yoon DooJoon you idiot.

He didn’t have much time left, HyoYeon-sshi. It’s a miracle he’s still breathing right now.

Stupid. You’re so stupid.

The only reason he’s still here is probably because he is waiting for you.

“Miss, this is the room you’ve been looking for.” The nurse she’d been following awakes her from her incoherent, perplexed thoughts. “Thank you.” She muttered and her eyes found DooJoon’s mother.   

“Ahjumma…” She called.

The woman turned around and put her arms around Hyoyeon’s shoulder, “Thanks for coming here, dear.” “I have to. Its DooJoon.” DooJoon’s mother let her arms drop at her sides, “He never told you?” HyoYeon shook his head in response, “He didn’t even mention it.”

DooJoon’s mother patted HyoYeon’s back and HyoYeon can see how much suffering this woman had been through. HyoYeon doubted she got some sleep last night and she didn’t even bother to erase her smudged mascara. “Ahjumma, where is Ahjussi? Should I get some water or food at the cafeteria? Or do yo–”

“No, you should go inside, Hyoyeon-ah.” DooJoon’s mother smiled with ghost of tears and sadness in her eyes, “I told you he’s waiting for you.” Hyoyeon diverts her eyes, she knew she have to go in there sooner or later. “But... How… What will happen if he… If I met him and he stopped waiting?”

___________

HyoYeon looked down on her palms for minutes that felt like centuries before she took a look at him. His dark skin was so pale, and he looks so thin. It’s even more awful with those machines around him. She braced herself to hold his hand and surprised herself because his hands were so cold.

“Hey.” She whispered, “I miss you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Her voice was hoarse.

“You promised you’ll never leave me alone. You promised you’ll always be by my side; you have to wake up okay? You have to, you promised.” Tears started rolling down her cheeks, “You have to, Yoon DooJoon.”

She erased her tears with the back of her hands and she realized that DooJoon had tears in his eyes as well. “DooJoon-ah, you heard me? DooJoon-ah.” She started to feel hope when the machines started sounding odd. She realized what’s happening and finally let out a sob she’s been holding. Someone pulled her out of the room as people with white clothes started to swarm in.

_________________

She stood there alone in his room, the funeral ceremony just ended an hour ago. This room is packed with things that remind her of him, the football posters that filled up the wall, the desk is still unorganized, even the bed still has hints of his aroma.

She was tidying his desk unconsciously when she found a note with her name on it. She holds her breath and hesitated to open it.

“Hyo, breathe.”

She braced herself to read that note. Tears started forming in her eyes as she read it. After a while her knees turned limp and she needs to hold the desk to stop her from falling to the floor.

She is cursing in her head. After spending years’ worth of guessing who she is to him, she finally found out.

But that doesn’t matter anymore, he’s gone.  

__________________________

HYOYEON-AH!

Well, if you read this, chances are… the worst had happened.

I’m sorry I’ve been selfish, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this. I’m so sorry. I’ve planned to tell this but I can’t find the strength to, you’re always happy and all and I don’t have the strength to ruin it.

Yes I know, I’m selfish and this is unfair to you.

By the way…. CONGRATULATIONS! You have succeeded with the dare. I know you’re stronger than I am :-)

P.S: No, I keep my promise. If you want me to, I’ll always be there with you and I’ll never leave you alone, I’ll stay in your heart. From now on, I’m your guardian. (This sounds cheesy I know, but I keep my promise right?)

P.P.S: I love you. If I have the chance to live longer, I’ll marry you.