http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgcvzsvNTW4

Tree of Heaven OST- Main Theme

-----------

*A poster link isn't working :( so I wasn't able to post it. Sorry!

-------

“All passengers to Seoul, Korea on flight 1578 must board now. The gate will be closing in five minutes.”

Kris and Haewon stopped in front of her gate and faced each other.

“Do you have your boarding pass?” He asked. “Yes.” She nodded.

“Passport?”

“Yes.”

“Phone?”

“Yes.”

“My heart?” Kris asked. Haewon paused and looked up at him.

Kris smiled tenderly at her. He took her hand with the engagement ring on her ring finger. “Yes, you do.” Haewon didn’t know what else to say without giving him hope or discouragement, so she remained quiet.

“I can’t believe the day after I propose to you, you’re leaving me.” Kris sighed. “I have to go. The director of my old school passed away.” Haewon quietly replied.

“I know, I know. I’m not trying to be a jerk. I just…” Kris reached out and gently curled a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I’ll miss you a lot. Every moment that you’re not here, I’ll be thinking of you, and it’ll drive me crazy.” Haewon dodged his love-filled eyes. “I’m going to be back soon. After I pay my respects to the director…and revisit my homeland, I’ll be back in Canada.”

Kris withdrew his hand and crossed his arms. “You know…I have this strange premonition that I’m going to lose you.”

Haewon looked up at him in puzzlement. “Lose me?”

His expression turned confused as well. “I have a bad feeling that once you go to Korea…I’ll lose you somehow. You won’t be mine anymore. You won’t be the Alana I knew.” She didn’t say anything but a part of her heart was laden with guilt.

Kris shook his head. “I’m probably just being paranoid since it’s the first time I’ll be away from you.”

“Last call for passengers to Seoul, Korea on flight 1578.”

“I should go.” Haewon said.

“Okay, I can’t make you miss your flight as badly as I want to.” Kris stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. “Come back soon, Alana. Don’t make me wait too long” He whispered.

Haewon nodded against his shoulder. She stepped back, waved, and took her belongings to the gate.

The employee checked her ticket and passport and allowed her inside.

Haewon stopped and glanced back.

Kris smiled and waved. With a small smile, she headed inside.

Haewon found her first-class seat and sat down.

“Would you like anything to drink before we depart, miss?” The helpful attendant asked.

Haewon shook her head. “No, thank you.” She looked out the window and took a deep breath. How long had it been since she had left Canada? Too long, she thought. Haewon sighed and looked down. Her eyes landed on her hand.

On her wrist was Luhan’s bracelet. On her finger was Kris’s ring.

Haewon gently ran her thumb across the bracelet and closed her eyes as their names painted across her mind. She opened her eyes and looked back out the window. *Will I be able to find you, Luhan oppa? Will the fate you believe in so much let us cross paths once more?*

To be honest, Haewon was going on this trip, not only to say farewell to one of her favorite mentors, but also to take a break from all the chaos and confusion in her life. It would be an opportunity to take some time alone and think.

Hopefully by the end of this journey, she would know what she truly wanted.

---------

Nearly fourteen hours later, Haewon arrived at Incheon Airport. She stepped out of the airport and pushed her sunglasses into her hair. Haewon inhaled deeply and looked around her home country. *I’m home. Mom, dad…I’m back. Luhan oppa…I’m back.*

A cab stopped in front of her. Haewon pushed her suitcase inside the car and sat in the back.

“Where to?” He asked. “To Suncheon Funeral Hall, please.” She would go to the funeral immediately.

Would Luhan be there? The thought of seeing him made her stomach curl in anticipation.

How would she recognize him when she didn’t even know what he looked like?

*I’ll know. My heart will recognize him immediately.* Haewon reassured herself.

--------------

Haewon paid the driver, took her luggage, and stepped out of the car. She stopped and looked up at the name.

Suncheon Funeral Hall.

People in black and white attire went in and out of the building.

Haewon took a deep breath and rolled her suitcase inside. She went up to the obituary and searched for Dr. Nam’s name. She found it and saw the room number his funeral procession was taking place. Haewon headed up to the second floor and searched for room 205. *203…204…205.* She halted and took a deep breath.

Haewon dared take a couple steps inside the room. Mournful cries filled the room. She peered inside and saw a picture of a man with warm eyes and a gentle smile. *That must be Director Nam. He was so kind to me. I will never be able to forget him.* Haewon slipped off her heels and stepped inside. She took a daisy and walked up to the photo. She bowed low and closed her eyes. *Rest in peace, Director Nam. I’m sorry I couldn’t visit you sooner. You have touched so many lives. I’m sure you’ll be rewarded in heaven. Thank you for everything.*

Haewon lifted her head and opened her eyes. She set the daisy in front of his picture, bowed ninety degrees, and walked away. She sat down and began to put her shoes back on.

“I don’t believe it…Cho Haewon?” A skeptic voice asked.

Haewon froze in her position. *That voice. I know it.* Slowly, she lifted her chin.

“Oh my gosh! It is you!” She cried out.

“Ms. Lee…” Haewon whispered.

“It is true! You regained your sight! Thank God! It’s a miracle!” She began to cry.

Haewon stood up and walked towards her. “Ms. Lee…” Her eyes misted over as she stood in front of her favorite teacher.

Ms. Lee embraced her warmly. “Welcome back, Cho Haewon. We all missed you.”

Haewon hugged her tightly and finally shed her tears. *I get to see my favorite teacher. She is as beautiful as her heart. I didn’t realize how much I missed the staff of the institution.*

Ms. Lee pulled back and touched her face. “Let me take a good look at you. Oh my gosh, Haewon. I can’t believe it’s you. You became so lovely. Can you really see me?” Haewon nodded. “Oh, thank goodness.” She repeatedly claimed. Haewon laughed and cried at the same time. Ms. Lee held her again, and they cried together.

A male figure walked inside. “What’s going on, Sohee?” They pulled back and looked towards the door.

The man stepped back and blinked at Haewon. “My god…is that you Cho Haewon?”

She recognized his deep, assuring voice immediately. “Mr. Song.”

“Look, Taewon! Haewon isn’t blind anymore! She is able to see us now!” Ms. Lee rejoiced.

Mr. Song blinked at Haewon, and his expression softened. “The news was true after all. It’s nice to see you again.” She smiled tearfully. “It’s good to be back.”

“I just have one question…” Mr. Song crossed his arms with an authoritative look. “Where the hell have you been for the past seven years?”

The three of them looked at each other and chuckled.

“It looks like we have a lot of catching up to do.” Ms. Lee beamed and squeezed her hand.

Haewon smiled earnestly with a nod.

----------

“Here.” Mr. Song handed both women cans of soda.

“Thank you.” Haewon accepted it, opened the top, and took a careful sip. The three of them left the funeral hall, and was now sitting at a park nearby. They couldn’t leave the room for too long since they had been the closest ones to Director Han and were taking care of his memorial service.

“So what has been going on with you?” Mr. Song asked. “It’s a really long story.” Haewon exhaled.

“You look healthy and happy.” Ms. Lee beamed.

*Maybe healthy but not exactly happy.* Haewon had so many questions for them but decided to take it one at a time. “What happened to Director Nam?”

“Heart attack.” Ms. Lee sighed. “We received the news and were shocked. We went to Cheongsangdo right away. I bet you had been surprised, too.” Comfortingly, she rubbed Haewon’s back. She nodded. “I couldn’t believe it when I first heard the news. I grabbed the first available flight. Director Nam was our linchpin. I still can’t believe that he’s gone.” Everyone was quiet in deep thought.

Mr. Song sighed, “Heart attack can happen to anyone, even to the best of us. I just hope he gets his rest up there.”

Ms. Lee turned to Haewon. “How is life in Canada? Did you make new friends? How is your aunt?”

She nodded. “Life is…good. I ma