Characters: Minwoo, Enya (OC) 

*idea from my cousin and us. Any similarity to any stories is purely coincidental.

The aroma of thick cream and heavenly chocolate  invited him as he took his first step in. He glanced around, greeted by the sincere smiles on familiar faces.  They haven’t changed a single bit ever since the last time he was there last year. “hey ! it’s been a while.. the usual ?” Minwoo’s face lit up with a warm smile, slightly nodding, as he settled himself in a seat beside the window, watching as children ran about, couples strolling by, smiles on their faces.  Lost in his thoughts, a plate with a piece of delicately decorated chocolate cake was placed before him.  He muttered a soft “thank you Vicky” at the prim lady that served him his plate, before lifting up his fork and indulging in the cake he long awaited, leaving the lady slightly shocked, at his sudden politeness.

Finally after he finished his little dessert, Minwoo headed towards the counter, bending forward and squinting with all his might at the display of cakes before him. After a long time, he finally decided on a coffee cake, covered in cream coloured icing, a few chocolate strands gracefully dancing on it. Gently, he lifted the cake that was packaged for him and brought it over to his side, holding it with care. “For that pretty girl you always bring with you?” Vicky asked casually. Minwoo nodded. “Yeah, I was planning on surprising her later.” He proudly exclaimed. Vicky gave him an assuring smile as he made his way out. “Good luck .” she wished.

Minwoo strolled along the Han river towards his favourite flower shop, collecting the lilies he had ordered a while ago. Breathing in the scent of flowers, his mood lightened up as he greeted the store owner politely. “Oh the lily boy !” The old man excitedly exclaimed and he hobbled his way towards the young boy. “Where’s that lily girlfriend of yours?”  Minwoo just bowed in respect and explained that she was not available that day as he received the flowers from the old man’s wrinkled hands. “Thank you.” He once again said, sniffing the flowers a little before making his way out of the store, leaving the old florist a little wide eyed. It was indeed weird… he thought, before shaking it away and returning to his work.

Almost immediately after collecting his flowers, he rushed towards the bus station, anxiously waiting in the queue, flowers and cake in hand, ready to get his bus ticket to her home 2 cities away. The last thing Minwoo wanted was to break his promise again. It had almost been 3 month since he last visited her in their hometown, ever since he left for Seoul to pursue his career. He had promised her yesterday that he would definitely make it today, and he was determined to arrive at Daegu before sunset, giving her a surprise. Minwoo stretched his hands towards the counter, the bouquet of flowers interfering with his action of collecting his ticket. After several adjustments, he took the ticket and sincerely expressed his gratitude. “Thank you,” he said, hoping the lady at the booth heard, happy that he was finally on the way to his destination. “Just a little while more,” he thought “and I’ll be there, wait for me” , as he tightened his grip on the flowers and cake box, hurriedly boarding the bus before him.

The bus trip was long. Throughout the whole time, Minwoo just stared out of the window, smiling as he recalled the memories they had together in that same bus when they travelled together. The cool ocean breeze flowed through his soft hair and they passed by the calm beach. My first kiss… he recalled as he smiled shyly, remembering the time when he sat beside her on the warm sand, their faces inching towards each other as their eyes flutter close and soft lips met. The wind gliding past their lips as they parted, just like how it did as the bus drove along , cold wind pressing on his face.

“Daegu Bus station!” The bus conductor announced as the passengers who were alighting hurriedly gathered their things and waddled down the bus. Minwoo stood up, carefully lifting up the cake and flowers and paced towards the front door. “Thank you ahjussi!” He cheerfully thanked, as he hopped of the bus like an elementary kid. “I’m here now… just a little longer and I’ll be there” he thought as he smiled to himself. The bus station was very near where she was so Minwoo decided to just take a stroll to her place since it was only 3 in the afternoon.  “I wonder what she is doing now …” he thought to himself as he paced past the park they would always meet at. He recalled the time when he would patiently wait at this park for her, while she would slip out of her house in the middle of the night just to be with him for that couple of minutes. They would sit on the bench near a fountain, Minwoo caressing her cheeks and silently enjoying each other’s presence. A small smile appeared on Minwoo’s face as he quickened his pace to meet his girlfriend, anxious to finally meet her again. He just couldn’t wait. 

He pushed open the majestic gate to her house, creeping past the garden. He settled the cake down on a stair, only to remember that she has a habit of not returning home until 7 pm. “Probably stuck in those books again” he commented, shaking his head slightly. Gently, he picked up the broom nearby and began sweeping the floors of the place she resided, that very place he intended to wait to surprise her. Memories flowed back in from the time when they just became a couple, she would visit the house Minwoo stayed alone in frequently to help him manage his area. She would sweep the dirt from one end of the room to the other, with Minwoo teasingly getting in her way. “Yah ! minwoo-uh ! Move over! Bring those legs up! “ she would command. And for the first time in his life, he realized how tiring it was to manage a household. “You’ve done a pretty good job around here.” Minwoo whispered just enough for himself to hear as he took a stroll in the garden around her house. Winter was slowly creeping in, but yet the wind always managed to blow that little bit of frost on the stairs away. 

He dusted the dirt off his hands and carefully set up the cake with candles lit and held the flowers behind his back. The clock in her house finally struck seven and as if on cue, the gate creak open, revealing a young teen, dressed in a simple cream coloured dress, lace dancing off the rim of it. She gave him the greatest smile as she approached him. He closed his eyes as he tried to breathe in much of her scent, that fragrance of roses floating in the air. Tears formed in his eyes. It has been a long time since he felt her presence and he really wished it wouldn’t end. This  familiar feeling of her skipping towards him, musically calling his name. He braced himself up before opening his eyes, his blurred vision finally cleared as that tear rolled down his cheeks. She wasn’t there. Minwoo finally broke down, after 3 months of holding it in. His tears flowed out uncontrollably as he forced a smile on his face, his eyes showing otherwise. He turned around and stared at the tomb where her name was carved on. He knelt down before where her body was laid and all over again, it hit him like a bullet as he remembered the times he saw her. …

 “Minwoo-yah?” She whispered into his ear. Minwoo, forced those tears of his back in as he inhaled deeply, plastering a smile as he answered, as though knowing what she was about to say, “yes?” She just didn’t say anything as she lifted her hands up and smoothed it across his cheeks, stained with tears. “I’ll be going soon, to the place I have always wanted to go. So don’t cry, because you know I will be happy there. Maybe one day, I would see you again. And even if you don’t, you know I will always be there shining in your darkest moments, but never leaving even in your brightest.”  Minwoo couldn’t hold out any longer. Tears broke out as he grabbed onto her hands, as though they were his life savers. “No! Don’t go! We have so many places to go together! I’ll buy you your favourite cake, and decorate your room with lilies together. Please… don’t say that.” Minwoo cried out as he brought her hands to his face.

 “And minwoo yah , remember to always say thank you, for everything. I love you Minwoo, Thank you.” She continued to say, disregarding Minwoo’s plea, before closing her eyes, hands slipping through Minwoo’s  to her side. “No…” was the only words forced out of his mouth. 

Minwoo tilted his head and closed his eyes. When he opened them, a whole sky of starts greeted him. But there was this one very shining star which never failed to catch his attention.  For once in a long time, he smiled genuinely. “Thank you, for never leaving me. Someday, we would surely meet and then I would be that star next to you, shining on others, whom we have made a difference on.  And Enya, I love you, and have never stopped, even when death did us part…”

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