“Oh, hmmmm…”

She hesitated with a hint of shyness. She took notice of me, for simple reasons – her past. I tilted my head sideways, curious of her initiation. She stared at my face, her hands twined together in an awkward position – a sign of nervousness.

“Are you Son Dong Woon?” She pronounced my name with exact precision.

“Ah, yes,” I replied with much surprise and awkwardness. The first question that popped up in my mind was the reason as to why she knew my name. The lift came to a halt and announced the arrival to the fifth floor of the building – a hospital.

“It’s so nice to see you again, woon-ah.” Those strange words caught my attention. The nickname ‘woon’ sent a tingling feeling up my guts. I stared at her with novelty till the lift doors closed shut.

I frowned, puzzled of that strange sensation.

“Are you listening?” My girlfriend laid with her hospital robes.

“Eh?” I diverted my attention back to her.

“I want to break up with you.”  She said with much determination.

“You are joking right?” I chuckled, taking this as an April’s fool joke.

“No, I’m not. They were right, this relationship won’t last. Just treat it as I’m in love with someone else. Leave right now.” She turned her head away, avoiding my pitiful glances.

“Alright,” I stood up slowly, the truth sinking in. She wasn’t the first but the ninth. All nine relationships ended up this way, the girls would always be the one initiating the break up. Even though this had no element of surprise, I was still heart broken. I would always wonder the reason for the unknown break ups.

Leaving the building, my thoughts strayed through memories of all my dating experience - happiness then nothingness. My inside screamed for help, for guidance.

“Woon-ah!” That familiar nickname I heard, called out for me. I turned, a horn sounded urgently. A pair of soft hands pulled me aside, back to the safe pavement. I came in face to face with her, the stranger in the lift. Silence filled us as pedestrian brushed past us. Right now, her beautiful face was the only thing I took notice of.  

“Do you want to grab an ice cream?” She smiled sweetly after a while. She wasn’t like others, not leashing out on me for not looking out for the traffic. Maybe, if not for her, I would have been dead. I simply nodded.

“Thanks for back then.” I mumbled awkwardly. She smiled brightly, her hair danced in the wind and her eyes shined. A sense of familiarity flushed over me. Who was she?

“Do I know you?” I questioned as we strolled.

“Yes, but at the same time, no,” She answered confidently, grinning to herself. It was as if it was an inside joke that only she understood.

“That’s an ambiguous answer.” I frowned at her reply. She chuckled yet again, her smile as dazzling. I let out a grin too, forgotten about my recent break up.

“Can I have a double chocolate and one honeycomb ice cream?” She paid the ice cream man and handed me the honeycomb flavored ice cream. I took it in amazement of the fact that she knew my favorite ice cream flavor.

“Don’t ask,” She grinned, savoring this very amusing moment.

“Then can I ask the reason for my nickname?” I questioned once again.

“Woon?” She chuckled softly, settling on a bench. “It’s a long story.”

“I’m listening.” I shrugged.

“Have you ever considered the possibility of a parallel world that exists in the universe? I came from another world, woon. You might doubt my words, but that’s the truth. Parallel world exists because of the choices people make. Each different path you take leads you to different outcomes. We are the reason of multiple endings. We might have met in this world when we are young like how I met woon in another world.” She concluded her existence in a short paragraph of words. I listened, processed and believed her words. Something about her made me want to have faith in her.

“I believe I haven’t got your name.” I my ice cream in anticipation.

“It isn’t something you should remember.” She sighed, her smile weakened on her face.                    

“Then how about friends?” I reached out my hands for her, and she took it gladly. Friends were what we started out as. Ice cream was the food we shared at our first date.

“Woon-ah,” She paused, the ice cream melted slowly in her hands. She turned towards me, her eyes deep with sadness. “Promise me to be even more careful.”

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t trying to suicide.” I defended myself.

“Please?” She pleaded as if it would kill her right now without my agreement.

“Sure,” I shrugged. Why not? If it could make her smile and she did. Corners of lifted into a sweet smile on her face. I just stared and stared. I knew it was rude to stare, yet she caught my eyes in this instant. “You look lovely when you smile.”

“That’s what he said too.” She took in the comment naturally. “But, thank you, woon-ah.”

“Why are you here then? Since the other me exist in your world.” I asked, finishing the last bit of ice cream cone. Her face sunk into confusion, happiness, sadness then tears brimmed on the edge of her eyes. I could only stay silent while those emotions poured out from her. He was gone. She turned to me with watery eyes, wrapping her arms around me in seconds.

“Woon-ah,” Her voice trembled, crying hard. “I miss you so much, so much. How could you leave me just like that? We promised to spend our life together, get married, have kids and watch our grandchild grow up. Why did you leave me alone?”

“Hush, hush, it’s alright.” I embrace her sadness, her sorrows. Patting her on the back, hoping that I could give her some comfort. I had no explanation for my actions. I just knew this girl needed some reassurance. “I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

Her tear shed for him, my heart ached for her. The cascade of tears continued to run down her face in a waterfall. Her eyes were bloodshot red, ringed with the pink of outpouring tear ducts. Her face glistened with water.

“Shh, shhh…” I hushed her, calm her down.

She slowly sniffed and settled down. She hugged her knees, rocking back and forth on the bench. I sat beside her, sincerely concerned for her. I just met her, yet my heart ached for her. I want to see her smile again. That was when I made a decision. Standing up and mustered all my courage, I grabbed her soft hands.

“Woon-ah, where are we going?” She tagged along behind.

“Go on a date with me,” I turned around and faced her. Holding onto both hands, I poured my heart out to her. She gazed at me in surprise. “For this moment onwards, there isn’t any parallel world that existed. There is only woon and you, understand?”

She nodded with enthusiasm, her face lit up at the idea. I grinned, ruffling her hair. Seeing her brightness, I knew I didn’t make the wrong decision. We strolled the streets, tried the foods, played the games; forgetting the reality.

A fireworks parade bloomed in the air above the tallest building in Seoul. Our hands intertwined together as we stopped in the streets to admire the sparkles in the sky. I took a peek at her face that reflected the lights.

“Woon-ah,” She yelled my name softly. “I love you.”

She turned around and met my eyes. I felt the exact same for her. It was this moment that I realised my feeling for her - a love at first sight. We only knew each other’s presence in this moment. My eyes traced every single feature she owned, every perfect angle. Her eyes searched for the deepest of my soul and my love for her. Then, it slowly landed on my lips, while mine sourced for hers. She inched a step closer and tipped her toes. Her lips parted as it pressed against mine. Sweetness filled my lips; Warmth flooded my body. Her soft lips were the only thing I earned for. She poured everything to that kiss every fear, every moment of torment, and every confusing, frustrating and fantastic emotion into that kiss, and I felt my lips respond to hers eagerly.

“Woon-ah,” She whispered softly against my lips as we broke apart.

“Hmm?” My forehead leaned against hers with eyes closed.

“Goodbye,” She let go of me all together, abruptly ending this yet blossom love. My brows locked in confusion and disbelief. Her hands reached for my face, it softly. “I’ve came only to save you from the car accident that took your life. Wooh-ah, you’re meant to live a blissful life. In this world, you’ll succeed and soar higher than others. I could only do this much for you.”

“What are you saying?” I was utterly baffled by her words.

“Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you was beyond my control. You’re woon, yet you’re not. But, I’m still glad I’ve met you. You are a one-of-a-kind precious person in this world I wish to care for and embrace. Live, woon-ah. Live for me and woon from another world.” She said with sincerity, eyes glistering with tears.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to disappear.” My heart bled like its being stabbed.

“Yes, I am. Treat it as I toyed and betrayed you.” She smiled as naturally as she could, not allowing those tears to ever fall.

“You don’t have to leave.” I pleaded. She nodded – she had to go. “No, don’t. I don’t want to let you go, please don’t leave. You just came, you can’t leave me. Don’t say goodbye to me, it’s unfair. Don’t…”

“I can’t, woon.” Her expression hardened, but her eyes gave her away. That hint of unwillingness and sadness. “Goodbye.”

She turned away swiftly, fading into the crowd. Slowly, she grew smaller and smaller then vanished. I stood rooted on the spot. This can’t be, not so easily. She wasn’t my first girl, yet she was my first love. There was no one like her. Strong, passionate love scarred my heart. Those words left wounds in my heart, and hurt it so badly. Just looking at her leave drive me insane.

I fall on my knees, my weak legs gave in. They could no longer offer the strength to remain standing or to hold her back. I cried; my weak heart ached with each pump. They streamed down my face like the rain with a mixture of emotions as I watched her leave. I hate how I looked right now - A weakling, a loser, and a failure that could not hold back my love.

A part of me resented her for choosing to enter my life and yet leave so easily. Did she really just toy around with me, like she said? All these should not had happen if a parallel world didn’t exist, and if love hadn’t creep into our lives. Love was such a great word that no one truly understood. Love was never in a form of sacrifice and sorrow. How did we end up like this?

 Don’t go, don’t leave! My brain screamed and my heart yelled - a silent scream was the most powerful scream possible in the world. No one could hear you, except you.

“Woon-ah,” She called out in the gentlest voice. I reached out for her, to my hallucination.

“Don’t go, don’t say goodbye to me.”