The nostalgic air brushes against his tan skin, as he has finally landed both his feet upon the ground. It sends shiver down his spine and butterflies in his stomach. It gave him an undeniable amount of happiness, that he couldn’t help but to let the smile curved his lips. The cold wind somehow feel warm and welcoming, it will be spring soon. He tightens his black trench cold, ready to face the world.

He has gotten manlier and even handsome, from what he could remember. He had an elite look; different to how it was years ago. He has grown even bigger and not to mention taller. He has matured a lot and now he has returned.

It has been years since the last time he let his soul to travel around the city of Seoul, such a beautiful name for a city .He may have forgotten the hidden meaning, but its name remains beautiful in his heart. And for the name he shall always remember, he shall never forgot – the name of the woman. He swear, those days, they were more than infinite yet he had to break it all. And now, that he has return. He has returned to claimed what once was his. He has returned to pull her back to her rightful place, right next to him. He, too, shall return to his rightful place, by her side.

For those long years that have been gone, it remains as a mystery how life has been for her. He wasn’t courageous enough to call her, scared that it will be too soon or too late, and both remain silent for those empty years. Therefore, he shall return and searched for her. He did not asked her to wait as he did not know when he shall returned, but he was faithful enough to believe she would wait. He’s bound to return, he knows it.

“I shall believe everything is a dream and wake up from this nightmare by the time you returned.”

He’s bound to return, he knows it, but he never knows he’s bound to return to this place. He’s bound to return to his rightful place, but he does not know the truth that lies behind his rightful place. He’s bound to return, yet the time remains mystery, and when it came, everything turned dark.

***

It does not take him a single second to figure out the room and the woman that lies inside. He knows it, better than anyone, where his feet have brought him. Despite his grudge and hard feelings for the place, he can’t help but to bring him inside and see her. It had been too long for what he could remember, that he spent nights wondering if she has ever stopped waiting or whether she has changed. But no, the answers to both of them, she never stop waiting, neither she has ever changed. She is still the woman he used to and still loves.

She was as petite as ever, her fragile figure scared him that it would break once he laid a finger on her. It scared him, seeing how fragile she has become over years. She has turned paler, for what he could remember. Her white porcelain skin has turned paler and her red lips have turned plump, bluish. Her fingertips were cold and she seems so weak. Yet she looks very calm that it made him wondered if she ever feels cold or has she ever been lonely?

A clicked echoed as he closed the door. It pierced through the loud silence, somehow thrilling. He walked up to her, who has lying peacefully on the white bed, sleeping. The faint sun rays that penetrated through the thin layer of curtains fall on her skin, making her look even more beautiful. It made her silky brown hair glows beautifully. He had the urged to gently caress it. Somehow, it was a perfect fit, how the yellow sunrays would fall on her pale porcelain skin. Even if her lips have turned plump, it never stopped her from smiling. Even in her sleep, she’s smiling.

He didn’t know how long she had been sleeping, but he has turned naïve enough to believe she’d wake up soon since he has returned. She promised him, everything would be a dream, she would be a Sleeping Beauty and he’d be her prince. Once he has returned, she promises she would wake up and returned to her rightful place – in his embrace. He’d have to kiss him for her to return. Therefore, she’d remain sleeping and waiting over the years he had gone.

He pulled a chair, as he sat next to her. It didn’t changed, not her scent, not her presence. His lips curl up to a smile, despite the pain that has slowly engulfed him. He was burden, his heart wasn’t at peace. It should be a happy day, yet then everything changed once he step into the room. Scary, isn’t it? He gently brought his hand upon her hair and run his fingers through it, gently caressing it. He holds her hand gently, intertwining their fingers. It’s cold yet it felt comfortable, as it two puzzle pieces were finally connected.

“I have returned now, Jieun. You should wake up. Your mom is worried over you; I saw her crying just now. Don’t you feel tired? You always nag when I choose to sleep over doing my homework back in the days.” Woohyun chuckled, remembering how the girl was simply bubbly and cheerful, yet she loved to nag.

“How has it been? I miss you. I’ve returned, I wanted to see you. You’re such a bad person, sleeping peacefully rather than welcoming me with your suffocating hug. You could squash me right now and I won’t even complain.” A bitter-sweet smile appeared on his lips, knowing she used to hug him a lot and how he has come to miss those hugs.

“Lee Ji Eun, I’m a better man right now. Thank you for waiting. I’m no longer than lazy country-bumpkin-boy. I’m no longer poor. I’m no longer untalented. I’m ready. Princess, your prince has returned to marry you. You need to wake up and see how he’d propose.” He pulled out a red box from his pocket, inside was two diamond rings that he brought from the States, something he wanted to propose her with, yet she remained silent in her deep slumber.

“Lee Ji Eun, marry me.”

He had the urged to hug her, it was big but he managed to resist it. He fears he might break her once she is in his embrace. He took the ring, with his shaky hand, as he slips it to her thin fingers. It has gotten thinner, no, she has gotten thinner. He found it scary to how much weight she had lost. A tear escaped her eyes, as the ring managed to fit her fingers so beautifully. It was as if she could listen but failed to react. It was too much for him to take, that he almost broken down and burst to tears.

It was a beeping sound, another scary sound that suddenly echoed through the whole room that made him tremble in fear. He clenched to her even tighter, asking her to flutter her eyes open and gently let her brown orbs meet his darker one.

“Wake up. You never broke a promise. Wake up, I’m begging you.”

I’m your Sleeping Beauty, you’re my prince. Kiss me and I’ll return to you.

He has lost it – all his senses and mind. He has gone too naïve, people might even consider him a fool. Her words were the things that were filling his mind. He didn’t want to lose her. It felt as if she has slowly disappeared from his grasp. It was with one swift movement, a desperate act that comes from a desperate man – he kissed her. She had never broken a promise. How he hopes today won’t be her first of breaking one.

But it came. As the reality isn’t such a sweet fairy tale, but rather a bitter one, the sound came. It was the fearful sound that echoed through the room, and he couldn’t help but to break down in front of her. She had broken it, the promise she made him from years ago. She’s gone. Ever since the beginning, it will never be too late or too soon, it will always be too late.

Rest in Peace, Lee Ji Eun.

The woman woke up, to find herself in a beautiful garden. Her lips have curl up to a bitter-sweet smile. She had never broken a promise, in fact she never will. When he kissed her, just like how she had requested him, she woke up. She woke up in the other side of the world.

Dear Readers,

Hello, there. I am still on HIATUS and maybe coming back on the first week of October, but then I'll have to immediately returned to hiatus again. I need some helps here. Some of you, if you'd like, would you tell me what's this chapter lacking? Something like grammar errors or something. I need to know the lackings I had, I need to make some quick improvement, especially in grammar. Simply telling me what you hate with this story is fine too. Help me out please! Thanks! Let me know your review in the comment box.