“Shin Ae Ra, age 30, passed away at…”

Beep!

Everything, and everyone, stopped moving when that sound appeared.

Youngbae stopped his light shaking shake on Jiyong’s shoulders.

Seungri stopped his constant rubs on Nara’s back, along with silent sobs.

Dr. Jung stopped his announcement.

And his assistants stopped their try to pry Jiyong off the bed.

Jiyong stopped his cries.

He stopped his tears.

Also stopped his breath.

When that sound suddenly heard clearly and loudly amidst the chaos, everyone stopped whatever they were doing and snapped their head towards the source of it.

Beep!

Dr. Jung quickly came to the machine, where it slowly showed two small ziczac lines on the previous straight one just seconds ago.

“W-what…” Dr. Jung said in astonishment when the machine beeped again.

“She’s….breathing again.” Jiyong whispered, shoved whoever holding him away from the patient bed and came to kneel on the ground, leveled his face to her side once again. “Ae Ra? Sweetheart? You are staying with me?” His tears poured down again. “Can you hear me? Open your eyes please.”

Slowly, yet seliberately, she did.

Shin Ae Ra opened her eyes after months of being unconscious.

“Oh my God…” Nara gasped and quickly sprang to her feet, came to the other side of her sister. “Unnie! Oh my gosh!” She hugged Ae Ra and cried violently. “Unnie I am so sorry. I really lost hope on you.”

“Ae Ra?” Jiyong croaked his voice, his hand shakingly touched her cheek. “Oh God is this real?”

Ae Ra’s eyes fixed on Jiyong’s face for a very long time, then she slightly crook her eyebrows. Slowly turned her head away she turned to look at Nara instead.

“Unnie?” Nara took her sister’s hand in both hers and squeezed slightly. “Can you hear us? Can you...recognize us?” She asked worriedly.

“Noona?” Seungri also asked with a nervous smile behind Nara’s shoulders. “You’re back, thank God!”

“Ae Ra-ssi?” Youngbae also appeared next to Jiyong. “How are you feeling?”

“T-thirsty..” She said with difficulty, but they all heard it, and Nara quickly spun around to give her some water.

“I’m...t-tired.” She said in a hoarse voice after gulping some water. “I wanna s-sleep.”

They all in fact wanted her to stay awake more. Dr. Jung wanna check on her condition, who he strongly believed really did die just minutes ago. Youngbae and Seungri wanna greet her more properly. Nara wanna talk and spend more time with her.

And Jiyong.

He had so many things he wanna do, wanna say, wanna tell her.

But they all did and said nothing, just quietly watched Ae Ra slowly closed her eyes again.

The fact that she just magically woke up when everyone believed that she already died amazed them too much, that they were still in awe even after there was just the sound of Ae Ra’s steady breath in the room. Just then, Jiyong tried his best to hide his sniff, choke down his tears and whispered.

“She’s really...back.” He croaked while smiling like an idiot, smoothing the hair on her forehead. “I thought it was just a dream.”

“This is just….” Dr. Jung said in astonishment. “...unbelievable.”

“But why is she still sleeping now?” Nara asked in confusion and worry.

“I will need to do some checkups first, but maybe this is normal. For someone who was unconscious for too long like her, maybe she is still very weak to recover fully. After all, she just died a moment ago.” Dr. Jung already started checking the machines in the room for Ae Ra’s health condition.

“She’s alive, thank God…” Jiyong was still just focusing on gazing at Ae Ra’s face and repeatedly kissing her hand, murmuring his thanks to God to no end. “Thank you, God. Thank you for giving her back to me.”

_______

Ae Ra woke up again several times in the next two days. She was still very weak, but showing signs of recovering at least. Dr. Jung said that her condition was getting a better in an unbelievable way.

But there was one thing confused everyone, especially Dr. Jung. Everytime Ae Ra was awake, she did nothing excepting looking at whoever happened to be with her at that time, and breathing. Sometimes she might ask for water, but that’s all. She talked to no one, even Nara. Actually, they’re all wondering if she lost her memories.

“That is a possibility.” Dr. Jung said. “Her health was in danger for twice. “Only God knows how did she survive after all those accidents.”

Jiyong still stayed with her days & nights after she woke up, even though sometimes he did go back home to get change. But, just like how she reacted to everyone, she just stared at him for a while before slowly drifted off to sleep again.

If there was any difference, the look Ae Ra gave Jiyong was...different.

It was hard to explain. It was very short, but Jiyong could see the emotion she conveyed in those black eyes. Jiyong had been repeatedly saying sorry to her ever since she woke up. He also said “I love you” and kissed her hands and forehead so many times, but all she gave back to him was just those impassive gazes, which worried him a lot.

“Hi there sweetheart…” He said with an awkward smile when he noticed she opened her eyes once again. Today was the third day, and Jiyong just came back from fetching something important from his studio. He thought this would help Ae Ra, and them. “How are you feeling today?” He asked gently, moved back some infant hair out of her face.

Shin Ae Ra still looked at him in silence, her eyes followed his hand though. Like everyone else, Jiyong wasn’t sure if she lost her memories about her life before or not, it’s hard to tell. She just simple didn’t...talk. She didn’t protest when Nara hugged her or snuggled to her side and sniffed quietly. She didn’t react anything when Jiyong kissed her forehead or hands. She just didn’t answer or reply to any of their questions.

“You’re still mad at me, aren’t you?” Jiyong said nervously, taking her hand and opened her palm, touching it endearingly with his thumb. “I’m really sorry, I was a jerk, an idiot.” He started it again, his daily apology to her. “But even if you decided not to talk with me anymore, I’m still thankful, since you’re alive.” He kissed the back of her hand. “That’s more than what I can ask for. Thank you for coming back, Ae Ra.” He looked at her with tears in his eyes. “I don’t know what would I be if….” He choked. “...if you weren’t here anymore.” He buried his face in her hands, sobbing loudly like a child.

“Stupid dragon.”

It was just a faint whisper, but Jiyong heard it crystally. He immediately snapped his head up. “W-what?” His heart clenched when he saw a trickle of tear rolled down on the side of her cheek. “Sweetheart…”

“You’re even stupider than me.” She said weakly, her eyes were tearing up badly now.

“Oh my God….Ae Ra…” Jiyong instantly stood up and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry.” Her eyes. “I’m really sorry.” Her nose. “I’m so sorry.” Her cheeks. “I love you.” He repeated the last one more than once, each time he pecked her lips gently before slowing down and lingered on . “Thank you for coming back.”

“Jiyong… I can’t breathe.” She reminded him with a soft voice, which still sounded very weak due to her state. “And I hate you.” But she gave his cheek a peck when he pulled away to give her some air.

“I know.” He grinned sheepishly, the first real one ever since she went unconscious. “I love you too.”

“Who said I love you?” She mumbled and looked away. “Arrogant dragon.”

“Where is Ae Ra? I need to see the girl now!” Mrs. Kwon’s loud voice could be heard even if she hadn’t fully stepped into the room yet. She and Mr. Kwon just came back from a short leave from Seoul for family reunion, and the moment she was told that Shin Ae Ra was back they shortened their schedule and came here as soon as possible. “Oh my God Ae Ra! This poor child!” She went straight to hug Ae Ra tightly, her voice got so emotional.

“H-hi Mr & Mrs. Kwon…” Ae Ra said with difficulty. “H-how are you?”

“It’s mom, I told you to call me mom, didn’t I?” Jiyong’s mom said with disapproval while pulling back. “How are you feeling? Are you hurt anywhere?” She examined Ae Ra’s state from left to right, head to toes. “You scared me a lot, kid.”

“Hello you too, mom.” Jiyong pouted while helping Ae Ra to sit up.

“Aigoo this childish dragon.” Mrs. Kwon chuckled before taking the chair next to her bed and sat down, taking Ae Ra’s hand in hers and squeezed slightly. “How do you feel?” She asked again.

“I’m still a little bit weak, but I’m much better now, m-mom.” She smiled nervously upon calling Mrs. Kwon as mom.

“I heard you couldn’t speak when you just woke up? Is that okay now?” Mr. Kwon asked in concern.

“Yes. I was just…” She glanced at Jiyong hesitantly.

“She was just mad and didn’t wanna talk to me.” Jiyong chirped in sulkily, hopped to sit at the end of the bed, next to her foot. “Actually she just started talking a few minutes ago.”

“I wasn’t!” She protested and cast him a glare. “It’s just…. I didn’t know what to say first.” She admitted.

“Do you remember...that you were with Jiyong before? I mean, after your accident? He could...see you, as you did with him before.” Mrs. Kwon asked carefully.

Ae Ra glanced at Mr. Kwon, and by the look on his face, Ae Ra figured that maybe Mrs. Kwon had told him the weird story about her and Jiyong before. She also glanced briefly at Jiyong, who was looking at her with a sad smile.

“I guess she doesn’t.” Jiyong said, still holding Ae Ra’s gaze after he noticed she didn’t answer his mom’s question but stayed silent. “It doesn’t matter now. We wasted enough meaningless time. I hurt her too much already.” He gently massaged her foot fingers.

“I do remember.” Ae Ra quietly said.

“Huh? You do?” Jiyong got surprised.

“I don’t know why.” She smiled. “I was supposed to forget everything, and that’s why you forgot everything before, because it’s a must-do thing. But somehow, when I woke up, I still remember the time I was with you before I was brought to that Life Interchange threshold.”

The Kwons listened to her story about the meet with that….gate-keeper in silence. They were amazed by the fact that they could hear a story about the afterlife which was actually existing.

“I should have begged him harder…” Jiyong mumbled. “I wouldn’t have forgotten you…”

“Or you may already did.” Ae Ra chuckled. “You didn’t remember anything, remember that, Mr. Kwon.”

“But you…”

“That’s a mystery, in which I have to be thankful and grateful for the rest of this life - the life I was given more than once.” She gave Jiyong a meaningful look, which got Jiyong overwhelmed with feeling and went to kiss her forehead again.

“Thank God for giving these kids back, really, thank you.” they heard Mrs. Kwon‘s sobs with gratefulness, along with Mr. Kwon’s chuckle while he was patting his wife’s back to comfort her.

_______

La promenade planteé, Paris

“What are you thinking?” Jiyong asked her while leaning in and kissed her side forehead. “Can I know?” Leisurely, the couple was walking with joined hands dipped in his pocket.

“Nothing.” Shaking her head, she squeezed back the hand tightening around hers, noticing the way his fingers grazed delicately around her palm. “I’m just enjoying us right now.” Smiling, she looked up to meet his tender kiss and snuggled closer to his side. “This is too good to be true.”

“This is our reality now, Ae Ra.” They stopped walking and Jiyong turned her around to face him. Framing her face in his palm, he looked straight into her eyes and spoke softly. “Let’s make up for the time we wasted to find each other. I’ll make it up for you, sweetheart.”

“No, you don’t have to do that.” Surprising as it was, Ae Ra wrapped her arms around his waist first, closing the gap between them. “Just be together like this is more than what I can ever ask for.”

He didn’t say anything for a while, just looked at her and conveyed the things, the feeling, the emotions he wanna say to her through those deep brown eyes. Eventually, he grazed her cheek with his thumb, the other hand nestled tenderly on her nape. “I didn’t realize how much I have loved you all along. Even when I didn’t remember you, I always knew deep down in my heart that, I loved that girl who kept appearing in my dream.” He pulled her closer, to the point their noses almost glided on each other, making her gasp unexpectedly. “Thank you for waiting for me... I love you, Ae Ra.” He whispered when their lips were just mere apart, before he closed the only remaining distance between them, owning her lips gently yet passionately.

Much longer later, when they could finally pulled apart just a bit, Ae Ra whispered her reply to his ears.

“And I love you too, Jiyong.”

_____

A/N

Wow, I can't believe I actually finished this story

It's been more than a year, and to be honest I didn't think there would be a day this story was marked 'completed'. Even though I always had the plot in my mind, actually writing it out was another story, I hope you can understand that for me. It was my first time writing a fanfic, in English, if I may add. i know it was getting bored and uneventful towards the end, and I tried so hard with this last chapter, in the hope that it wouldn't look rushed, I hoped so. I also wanted to write a more romantic and eventful and emotional closure, but my reality recently isn't too...fond of, i honestly could not bring myself happy and collected enough to write 'fluff' or 'romance', so i hope this can be considered as a 'happy ending' for you (for me it is). Kwon Jiyong & Shin Aera, their love story actually just started to begin for real from here :) 

Thank you, for reading and following this story with me. Thank you so much, for you're still here, stay with me, with If You Were Not A Dream, despite my horribly late updates, my lame excuses, my broken English written. Writing fanfic is...interesting, you know. if you ever have any idea, just write it out and post here, it's really interesting and...relaxing, to get comments on how was your story, how was your writing, no matter if that comment was critical or not. Thank you, so much, for your comments, your subcriptions, your encouragement, your honesty, your sincerity, and your concerns whenever i share some personal things in my life with you. Those mean a lot to me, really.

I actually have some other stories in drafts, but from the experience with this story, I need to prepare better before publishing them. I don't wanna make you guys wait for updates too long like this again (i am sorry T___T) next time i write another fic, I'll update at least once a week, I promise :) right now I'll concentrate on finishing my other story, Shelter. Please give it a go, can you? (but i'm in the processing of editting some parts of it haha when the next time I update chapter 11, you may need to to re-read the whole story again >.<)

Again, from the deepest of my heart, thank you <3

Rosie.