Date – December 15, 2016

Time – 10:00 AM

Place – Chen’s Apartment

I saw Chen and Naeun whispering in the corner. “Should I really say that?” I heard her asking him unsurely.

Chen nodded furiously. “Yes! I believe that is the best thing you can do.”

I hated being left out of a conversation, mainly because I was so used to Naeun’s attention being only on me.

But I was confident that Chen looked at Naeun only as a friend and nothing more.

“What are you two talking about?” I asked curiously when I was finally able to grab the two's attention. “Is it about something concerning me?”

But Chen just pushed me away with a playful smirk.

Date – December 20, 2016

Time – 10:00 AM

Place – Naeun’s Apartment 

“Why are you avoiding me?” I asked her dismally. She looked up from her school work (Naeun is currently in her last year in college) and shrugged.

“I’m not ignoring you," she replied. "I’m simply busy.”

Though I was doubtful, I let the matter rest.

Date – December 23, 2016

Time – 10:00 AM

Place – Chen’s Apartment

The two are whispering again. This time though, more urgently.

Both Naeun and Chen looked outwardly calm, but I could tell that whatever they were talking about caused them to be even more serious than usual. Finally, after an hour of leaving me out of their conversation, they were finished

Again, they ignored me when I asked what they were doing.

Date – December 24, 2016

Time – Does Not Matter

Place – It Looks Like a Park

For the first time, Naeun was the one grabbing my arm and pulling me to our destination.

“Where are we going?” I asked with a surprised tone. She refuesd to answer me, and her grasp tightened even more.

Her gesture reminded me of the times when I brought her to places, before OPERATION:HEALING was complete.

Now she was the one doing it.

Time – Night

Place – Local Park
Naeun suddenly stopped in the middle of a snow-capped playground. Pure white, shriveled ice covered the slides, the seats of the swings, the see-saw, and the now-hidden grass.

As she stood in front of me, snowflakes began to fall and drop daintily on her shoulders. 

It emphasized her features perfectly.

Time – When the Moon Reveals Itself

We had had multiple heart-to-heart conversations in the past, but I knew that this one was, by far, the most significant.

“The first time I met you,” she interrupted my thoughts, “was when I was at my most weakest state.”

I nodded slowly, the harsh memories of four years ago returned to my mind. Naeun bled, cried, and fought me that day. How could I forget?

"I ignored you for months. I just wanted you to leave like everyone else. But you kept on coming back. Every week, almost everyday. It soon came to the point where I was afraid of losing you."

Time – When the Stars Start to Shine

We sat on a swing, our gazes never leaving each other.

“I was a complete stranger, so why did you continuously return?” she asked. “More than anything, I was thankful. No one ever gave me that much care and attention before. I could only let go of my fears and hope you wouldn't be like the rest.”

My heart pounded at her acknowledgement.

"And you know what?"

I stared curiously.

"You weren't. Chanyeol, you're unlike anyone else."

She spoke the next words confidently, as if she's been wanting to say them for the longest time.

"You're the best person who's ever entered my life."

Naeun gradually bowed down to get a handful of snow. It covered her right palm entirely.

Time – A Time When I Can Only be With Her

“Don’t you find snow so clean and inviting?” she asked. “That is why I want it to represent what our future was four years ago. Each contrasting mark, be it a footprint or a fallen leaf, shows how the snow could be so easily tainted.”

Naeun looked directly in to my eyes and smiled sweetly. Her dark orbs spoke of joy, completion, and an emotion which I simply could not decipher. 

“When you first opened the door of my apartment, I could tell that only two results could come about from your presence,” she continued.  “I would either write another regretful entry in my diary or would become whom I am today.”

Naeun stood up and faced me so that we were now on eye-level. Her smile never wavered, her eyes never dimmed.

“The snow could have been further corrupted. It could have become tainted beyond repair. But you were there to hold it gently in your arms and keeping it safe."

The beating in my chest quickened, and my breathing grew shorter.

I knew why.

Time – The Closing Ceremony

She took her hands in mine. “With youor care, slowly began opening up to people. Look at me now, I'm even talking it complete sentences!"

I understood then what the extra emotion reflected in her eyes was.

Love.

Naeun took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily, but she continued to grin.

Then, she exposed it once more as she spoke the exact words which I had been waiting for years to hear.

“In the future, only you can be the person whom I am willing to spend the rest of my days with.”

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