I can’t do this anymore... not like this. Seeing her here just within my grasp, right beside me... right there. And yet I can’t do anything, I’m powerless.

She has remembered quite many things, but...

Then she gets those headaches...

I can see she tries... it hurts me to see her like this. It’s not her fault and now she suffers just because I couldn’t be there for her when she needed me the most. I should have been there! I should have protected her... I should have! But I couldn’t... I didn't...

Now JR, Baekho and Chinsun... They could have hurt Lia... look what they did to JR! I couldn't do anything about it... Only god knows what they have done to Baekho and Chinsun...

If I could turn back time and make it all right again... but I can’t... I’m not a miracle-worker.

Aron swallowed the bitter lump in his throat and raised his eyes to look over the sleeping city. The night’s air was cold, but he wasn’t bothered. He remained as he was: leaning on the railing of the small balcony which had become his sanctuary over the time. No one ever looked up here, no one ever saw him. He could be as invisible as he had always been.

I can't believe I've actually considered leaving this world... I've been so selfish.

***

Sunhi tossed and turned but she could find any comfortable position to sleep in. She sighed, sat up, and ruffled her hair. She had been thinking about all that had happened to her in the past few days. It all seemed so surreal – everything did. Just two-

The Grand City Clock twelve times. Midnight.

-just three days ago she had been just another room-maid among hundreds in the castle. Her life had been simple and nice. She did her job and was quite happy doing it. She didn't think about what her life would turn out to be tomorrow. She knew what she would do tomorrow: what she will clean, who she will help, when she'll be standing by that window where she saw that one boy walking past the castle's East Wall every single day despite of the weather.

Now that I think about it... That boy...

Wasn't it Aron?! Must have been... the way he walks... just like this... and his build and all... but he never looked our way...

But all of this lovely little routine changed when she accidentally saw something she shouldn't had seen. Maybe it was a good thing it happened. She just couldn't sleep that morning. Her head ached a bit – like it did now – and she had been having strange dreams lately so she didn't feel like going back to bed anymore. To tell the truth the head aches and all those dreams started when she was out one evening and saw this familiar looking young man – she knows now that it was Aron...

I thought it was OK if I looked out of the window... but...

And now I'm here. The worst part of it all is that I know I should know every corner of this house, every board of the floors, every square of the windows, every single detail... but I feel like a first-time quest here. I'm like a stranger.

And now I can't sleep and I can't stay awake either. It's night. What am I supposed to do at night? Sleep of course. Like normal people! Well, not if you're the Night... Watch...man... Aron! Maybe he's awake! Then I could... if it's OK... She bit her lip and took a deep breath. ...I could talk to him. About whatever really... about... She giggled feeling her insides dance up and down but then her mood dropped again, she frowned. But he has to do most of the talking then... I don't have much memory of us...

It's all so weird... It's kind of good in a way, too... I have a second chance to fall in love with him again... She smiled wide. ...but the hurt in his eyes...

She got up and fumbled around in the dark just to make sure that she won't walk into something again. I wonder if he ever thought that I may not even like him anymore... No-no. I shouldn't even consider that thought. I've pulled myself down too much. After all love doesn't have a switch, you can't just turn it off. She nodded, pulled in another big breath and swallowed all her doubts. Here we go.

Her first steps up the stairs were rather hesitant. She wasn't sure if going up there was the best idea. What was she afraid of? Afraid of Aron? Or afraid that she'll bother him? Maybe he's already asleep? But it's his job to stay awake at night... But maybe he'll be mad? Maybe he wants to be alone...

Nonsense! The boy actually needs somebody by his side right now. And if that somebody is Sunhi then it'll be more than perfect. Aron has wanted to talk to her alone for the moment she had arrived here. He didn't know when to take that moment though. He didn't want to scare the girl... but he still wanted to be with her... even if it would mean that they'll say their goodbyes and depart.

But the girl hadn't even considered leaving. Instead she was moving towards the place where Aron was. Let's hope he's ready for it.

Now where is the way to the attic? In the end of the hallway... duh~ Dummy...It's so dark in here... I can't see a thing. - Oh, what! What is this? She stopped and listened to the unknown sound.  It sounded like someone just turned in their bed... I'm getting paranoid. - Oh, there's some light... Hey, Aron, I hope you won't mind. Her heart sped up at the thought that she was soon – hopefully – sitting next to Aron and I'll talk to him! And... I'm really feeling like I'm falling for him for the first time... She bit her lip feeling tingly all over. Did he open a window? It's freezing here!

***

Aron sighed and shook his head. I shouldn't think about such things anymore. Sunhi's here now. I will make her remember! I will...

He turned around and stepped into the attic, he closed the balcony's door behind him. He looked around the little space. He couldn't see a thing. The darkness had laid its thick and heavy blanket onto this place; it suffocated him. This room was too quiet, too. That's why his first action was to turn on the lamp, which hardly shed any light around but at least it was something.

“Why are you as pathetic as I am, little lamp?” Aron found this whole situation ironical. He humfed and sat down.

Aron took a necklace, which had been placed onto the same small table next to the lamp, into his hands and looked at it. It was supposed to be... my gift to you... on our first anniversary... Aron blinked and bit his lip. His eyes were welling up. Do you remember? Do you remember when I sang for you?

***

Sunhi made her way towards the attic's hatch step by step. She tried to make as little noise as possible. Is it just me or did I just wake up everybody? Be quiet, floor! The hatch was wide open and waited for someone to climb up the small stairs leading up into the attic's space.

When the hatch was closed there was no sign that it was ever there, it remained hidden from untrained eyes. The ceiling panels were placed in a way that the hatch's edges matched perfectly with the panel's edges. The two ceiling beams gave the impression that the panels were firmly placed and heavy, unmovable. But the first impression may be deceiving. The heaviest seeming panel was actually the lightest – it was the hatch.

Sunhi's eyes had adapted to the darkness and thanks to the dim light coming from above she could see before her, she could see the small steps attached to the hatch. It looked like a small staircase not like a ladder, what it should have been. Comes out that every little detail was thought through when this house was built.

Sunhi came to a stop by the hatch. She was about to step on the first step but...

“~Thanks... for the times that you've given... me. The memories are all in my mind~”

Sunhi held her breath. She recognized the voice. Aron... The boy's voice was sweet and calming, but she could clearly hear that it was shaking. Bitterness rose to Sunhi's throat and she covered .

“~But now that we've come to the end of... our rainbow...There's one thing I must... say... out loud~” Aron paused from time to time. He tried to keep his emotions under control for long enough so he could finish this one verse. Singing this song was one of the few things that still brought him a little bit of happiness, even if it was only for a moment.

Sunhi stood by the hatch. She squeezed her eyes shut but the first tears had already rinsed her cheeks. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Aron! I'm so sorry... I'm sorry... She swallowed – hurt.

Out of the blue she felt dizzy and she went weak from the knees. Her head felt heavy and it felt like someone was squeezing it from all directions. The world around her went off twirling and swirling, dancing off to merry-go-rounds. She had to lean on the steps for support.

Aron, upstairs, swallowed down the bitter hurt and with hot tears leaving trails on his cheeks he went on: “~You're once... twice... three times a lady...~”

Sunhi's headache got stronger. I'm sorry. She removed her hand from and breathed in a shaky breath. Her vision flickered. She felt that any moment now she'll just collapse right onto this floor.

“~And I love you...~”

Now Aron stopped, it was the end of the verse. He couldn't keep in his feelings any longer. He let out his sorrow, muffling his sobs. He hid his face into his arms and let his tears run free.

Sunhi's memories came flooding back. The girl was startled. Pictures ran through her mind in the speed of light. It was like she was watching a movie, but she was the main character.

Suddenly she remembered every single moment from that year she had locked away in her mind. She saw every detail. Every single moment! Everything! How they laughed, how they held hands, how warm she felt when Aron had held her, how Aron sang to her – that song! It was the same song!

I need to... go...up... see him. I need to tell him... see him!

Aron whispered his message to Sunhi into the night: “I love you...”

Little did he know that the girl was right there to hear his cry.

Sunhi couldn't take it any longer. She didn't care if she was noisy when she climbed up to the attic; she just wanted to see Aron, to tell him she feels the same.

Aron right away turned to look at the hatch when he heard a noise coming from there. But seeing Sunhi coming to his way was something he never expected. He thought he was dreaming.

Sunhi ran up to him and hugged him as soon as she was close enough to the boy.

“I love you, too. I love you, too, Aron.” she sniffled.

Aron hugged the girl back by reflex. How much he had missed that feeling, the warmth he felt, the happiness, when he held Sunhi in his arms. All this joy was now filling up his heart again. He felt like he could breathe again for the first time after a long and heartbreaking year.

“I love you, too, MacAron...” the girl whispered.

Aron's world stopped. Sunhi remembered.

“H-how? When?” the boy stuttered trying to get a grasp of all what he had just heard.

“Just now, a moment ago. It was... your song... our song.”

Yes, Aron could breathe freely once again. A heavy burden was lifted off his shoulders; a stone fell from his heart. After a long time he felt happiness and joy... relief.

The boy hugged his girl a bit tighter and made her sit on his lap. Sunhi rested her head on his shoulder and put her arms around his neck. Aron her hair slowly and gently.

“I remember when we sat like this.” Sunhi smiled recalling the moment.

“Mmm. What else do you remember?”

“That you said you loved me.”

“And I still do.”

***

The love birds reminisced the year they had shared together for the following hours. Only after the City's Clocks two jolly they realized how late the time had got.

“Ohmygosh, we need to go to bed.” Sunhi said yawning afterwards.

“You can stay here if you like.” Aron suggested.

“And where would I sleep? We can't share a bed yet.” the girl objected as she got up from Aron's lap.

“I have two mattresses up here,” the boy said going up to his bed and pulling off the upper mattress to reveal another one. “See. You can stay here.”

“Oh... I-... I'll go get my things then~.” Sunhi sang and hurried downstairs.

Aron smiled a wide smile as he looked after Sunhi. He felt that everything was going to turn out just fine. He had the strength to go on 'til the end now.

As she gathered her things and at the same time calmed the butterflies in her stomach she saw a ray of light, in the darkness, moving past her head. She grabbed the items what she had came here for and squatted behind the sofa. Aa-ah... Help me! Are they burglars?! What is this?!

She didn't look back. She ran up the stairs... trying to keep her steps quiet.

“Aron! Aron!” she whispered when she was half-way up the attic's hatch – her head was already in the attic.

“Yes, what is it?” Aron asked oblivious to the situation. He had his back facing the girl, but when he turned around and saw the girl's face every cell in his body tensed up.

“What is it?” he now asked in much more serious tone.

“D-downstairs. Someone was behind the window... They had flashlights...” Sunhi informed the boy as she climbed up visibly shaking and came to sit on the mattress that was waiting for her.

“You stay here.” the boy said.

Sunhi wanted to object, but then she remembered that if Aron will not go down there then things could get much worse – there wasn't only one life at sake here. “Be safe... please.”

“I will,” he said and kissed the girl's forehead. “I have you now.”

And with that Aron slipped down the hatch's hole.

I have you now...

Ho-ho-ho! Another chapter! Yea... I guess Sunhi's memory came back awfully soon, but you should recall that she voluntarily locked them away herself... So... yeah.

Anyway: Enjoy and have a good day!