The person beside me sees life differently. She sees the world in a way no one else does. I see the world as a -filled mass while she sees it as a world filled with rainbows, unicorns and butterflies. She can’t see the color of the world but she said that the real color of it should be felt, use your heart and not your eyes.

 

 

“What can you see?” I asked.

 

 

She smiled sweetly before spreading her arms and inhaling the sweet scent of autumn.

 

 

“Everything is orange, yellow and red. The leaves are dancing with the wind while the birds are chirping on the tree top.”

 

 

My hand, in its own accord reached for her face and rubbed her cheek.

 

 

 “It’s cold. Aren’t you tired? Let’s go in.” I said softly.

 

 

She smiled and rested her head on my shoulder. “I can’t see you but I know you’re frowning. You’re handsome when you’re not frowning.”

 

 

She raised her hand in search for my face. I grabbed them and placed it on both sides of my face. She cupped my cheeks; her hands are awfully pale against mine. Her eyes sparkles as she smiles, her lips were chapped and pale but still they look as delectable as before. I smiled as I watch her face, so beautiful.

 

 

“Jiyong-ah….when I’m gone I want you to continue your life. Remember me as someone who came and passed your life. I don’t want you holding onto me. Being the stubborn kid that you are, I know you won’t let go. Find someone who is healthier than me, someone who will protect you and not someone who you will protect. I have kept you by my side long enough. You must be tired taking…..”

 

 

“I am not….” I had to cut her off. I felt the need to. She always considers herself as a burden. How can she say that when being with her was the happiest days of my life?! A tear rolled out from my eyes. My heart ached awfully thinking that we have very short time.

 

 

How can life be so unfair? How can someone as beautiful as Dara with heart made of gold be blind and have brain cancer at the same time? Through an accident she got blind and through that accident we found out that she had cancer.

 

 

She knew about it...not exactly but she said she had a feeling. Her father died from it, that’s why she was very hesitant to go to the hospital. She was afraid to confirm it.

 

 

For a year we tried to battle her sickness. She had chemotherapy and all sorts of treatment possible. We were hopeful but after a year and a half of battle the doctors said they can’t do anything anymore. The cancer cells had fastly metastasized to the other parts of her body. Dara, she’s a very strong person, maybe she did it for me. I never saw her cry or break. Not even once. She remained strong despite everything, always smiling and positive.

 

 

A few more tears rolled out from my eyes. My chest feels heavy imagining she's not smiling to me, not holding my hands and not kissing me anymore. How can I possibly survive?

 

 

I felt her fingers brush away the tears.

 

 

“Hush now, you’re making me cry too. Sorry for giving you too much trouble and pain” she smiles bitterly.

 

 

I pulled her hands away from my face and reached out to cup her cheek. My lips landed on hers. Two lips that mold perfectly, perfectly for each other. That’s how it feels whenever I kiss Dara, so gentle and sweet yet so addicting. The taste of Dara, this is the taste that I will never forget. I kissed her with more passion knowing I might not be able to kiss her again and she responded with even greater passion.

 

 

Our lips separated for much needed air. I rested my forehead on hers and cup both her cheeks caressing them with the pad of my thumbs.

 

 

“I love you.” I said. My heart constricted but I want to tell her how much I love her as often as I could.

 

 

“I love you even more.” She responded that caused my heart to have unbelievable pain. How can hearing someone you love tell the words  ‘I love you’ be this painful?

 

 

She placed her right hand on my chest. “I’m sorry for making this ache.” she said. A new batch of tears rolled out from my eyes as I hug her. I hug her as tight as I could, while she sobs on my chest.

 

 

How can life be so unfair?

 

 

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

 

I sat on the bed beside her making it bounce in the process. I took the medicine tray from the nurse and placed it on the bedside table. Dara never liked hospitals. The doctor told her that it will be better if she stayed in the hospital so they can take care of her more but she refused. She said, if she’s going to die, she wants to die in our house, the place that gave her happiness so I didn’t argue.

 

 

I requested a nurse from the hospital and told them I prefer old lady nurses. They were surprised that I want an old lady. They referred a tall and handsome young man before but I rejected it. I don’t want someone as handsome as him near my Dara. I’m a jealous bastard I know. But I want Dara only for myself.

 

 

I also had all the medical equipments needed in the house, in case an emergency happens we're prepared. I work in the morning, taking care of the company until 2 in the afternoon since Dara is a heavy sleeper. She sleeps the entire morning and wakes up at noon. Yongbae my business partner and bestfriend takes care of the company from two pm onwards. He also visits me and Dara at home after work.

 

 

“You didn’t eat much again.” I said taking her hand and playing with it.

 

 

“Cant taste anything. Maybe because of too many medicines I’m taking.” she pouted.

 

 

 

“Want me to cook for you??” I wrap my arms around her waist and rested my chin on her shoulder staring at her beautiful side profile.

 

 

 

“No, just stay here beside me.” she turns her face towards me leaving my face just a few centimeters apart from hers. A playful smile spreads across my face and pecks her lips.

 

 

 

“Jiyong-ah… nurse Shin is still in the room. It’s embarrassing.” she covers her face.

 

 

 

I winked at the old lady who just chuckled.

 

 

 

“Don’t worry Dara-sshi  you two look really cute together. Anyway I’ll leave you two.”

 

 

 

“Thanks nurse Shin.” I said waving at the old lady before turning my attention back to my little rabbit. “So, can I get another kiss?”

 

 

 

She smiles at me and took my face in her hands kissing me deeply. I smiled.

 

 

 

“Missed me that much?” I teased when our lips separated. She nods cutely.

 

 

 

“I woke up early today. Waiting for you to come home is excruciatingly boring. Time is so slow.” she pouted.

 

 

 

“Aigoo.. I can take a day off tomorrow if you want me to. I can just ask Yongbae to take over for me.” I said, I don’t feel like working tomorrow too. I just feel like cuddling with Dara the entire day.

 

 

 

“No, you can’t bother Yongbae too much.”

 

 

 

“No, I have decided I won’t go to work tomorrow. I want to cuddle with you the entire day.” And with that I pulled her down on the bed straddling on her waist and hovering on top of her. I leaned down to kiss her but her hands on my chest stopped me.

 

 

 

“Why?” I asked.

 

 

 

“Medicine. I need to take my medicine first. We might forget it if we continue like this.” she smiles shyly. I rolled off of her and lied beside her. I snuggle close to her neck and mumble.

 

 

“Arasseo.”

 

 

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

 

 Weeks and months flew by fast, the end is coming fast too. Dara became weaker and weaker as days go by. I told her we need to go to the hospital but she’s too stubborn. She said she won’t go because it’s pointless. She’ll die eventually and she wants to die in the place that gives her good memories.

 

 

She even refused treatments saying those just weaken her body more. Watching her suffer every night when I can’t do anything but just hug her tight is mental torture. I cry as she screams in pain as she gasps for breath and as her body trembles.

 

 

 

The only thing I can do is cry with her, while whispering how much I love her.

 

 

 

But tonight seems like the worst night. Her face is so pale and she’s trembling too much. She’s crying in pain and all I can do is just stare at her as the nurse infuses a new batch of medicine through her IV.

 

 

The doctor walks towards me and whispered.

 

 

“We need to take her to the hospital immediately.”

 

 

 

“If we take her to the hospital will she survive? Will she live another month or another day?” I croaked.

 

 

 

The doctor shook his head. “She won’t.”

 

 

 

“Then I won’t take her there. I promised I won’t take her there no matter what. She wants… she wants to die here.”  Tears roll down my cheeks. I sob loudly, saying the word die pains my heart to unbelievable extent.

 

 

 

Dying such a harsh word.

 

 

 

The doctor pats my back. “Be strong for her. We’ll leave the two of you here.”

 

 

 

The doctor called nurse Shin who has tears in her eyes too. She hugs me telling me she’ll be outside if I need anything. Right after they closed the door I went to our bed and laid beside her. They gave her pain medication but still her face contorts in pain. The pain medications aren’t working anymore, it just alleviates the pain but after a few hours the pain will go back.

 

 

 

She felt the bed bounce and she turns to me.

 

 

 

“Jiyong-ah.. I don’t have much time.” she said. I held in the tears afraid that my tears will weaken her. I pull her close to me making her head rest on my chest my arms around her waist.

 

 

 

“Don’t talk like that.” I said.

 

 

 

“I’m happy I met you. You’re the most beautiful gift God has given me. Don’t forget about me..huh… you have to remember someone as noisy as Sandara Park has passed your life. Too bad she can’t stay long. I’m sorry for leaving you.” she said in gasps. She’s having a hard time talking but she still continues. I understand she doesn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.

 

 

 

Good bye. I hate that word. I hug her tighter soothing her back.

 

 

 

“Don’t talk too much, save your energy. I won’t go to work tomorrow. You have me the whole day.”

 

 

 

She chuckles weakly. “I’d love that….but Jiyong-ah. Promise me, promise me you won’t do anything stupid..eung? I’m afraid you’d do something wrong when I leave you. You’re a great man. Yongbae needs you in the company. Promise me………………………….. you won’t follow me.” she said.

 

 

 

I let go of the tears that were b my eyes awhile ago. How can I not follow you? This world is meaningless without you. My life is meaningless without you. Even in your last breath you keep on worrying about me.

 

 

 

Just for once, think about yourself. Think about living…….live for me.

 

 

 

“Jiyong-ah….promise me you’ll continue living. For me, live for me. I won’t be there to pick your clothes for you in the morning, I won’t be there to annoy you and remind you that smoking is bad for your health. I won’t be there to hug you at night whenever you have nightmares. In a few years.. someone else will do that for you….”

 

 

 

“Stop that…I don’t want one anyone other than you. Please don’t ask me to love again. Coz my heart will only love you. Only you.” I cried pulling her closer and burying my face in her hair. I tremble, in fear that she might really leave me tonight.

 

 

 

“Jiyong-ah…do you believe in fate?”

 

 

 

“I don’t. I only believe in you.”

 

 

 

“Someday, somewhere….we will meet again. I believe in fate. I met you because of fate afterall.”

 

 

 

I loosen my arms around her and brought up her face close to mine. “I love you, Sandara Park.”

 

 

 

She smiles and nuzzles on my cheeks. “I love you..Kwon Jiyong. I just need to… take … a…..rest.”

 

 

 

I cried, loud…hugging her tight. She’s fading, in my arms she’s fading.

 

 

 

“Jiyong-ah…promise me…..you…won’t…you won’t follow me..”

 

 

 

I didn’t answer. Coz right now all I am thinking of is drinking the strongest poison in the world and following her.

 

 

 

“Jiyong-ah…promise me.”

 

 

 

I closed my eyes and bit my lips hardly.

 

 

“Promise.” I said.

 

 

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

 

 

A year has passed and the memory of Dara dying in my arms still lingers. What could be more traumatic than having the person you love the most die in your arms? I sigh, eversince Dara died I buried myself with work. That’s the only thing that’s distracting me from thinking of Dara.

 

 

 

 A few times suicide has entered my mind, but remembering my promise to Dara stopped me from doing so. I look up at the clear sky. This is the world that Dara  loved so much.

 

 

“Baby… are you watching me from up there? You said… someday… somewhere… we will meet again. I am still waiting for that time. This world is a cruel world and I know you’re having fun there in heaven. But visit me sometime…I miss you terribly.” I felt warm tears b my eyes.

 

 

 

“Yah…Sandara Park. Don’t you miss me?” I scream hoping she can hear me.

 

 

 

“I think you need this.”

 

 

 

Someone said.

 

 

 

I froze.

 

 

 

 The voice… that voice. I know that voice perfectly well. With trembling hands and body I turn to look at the person who owns the voice.

 

 

 

“Hi… I saw you from afar and it seems like you need this.” The person smiles at me offering me an immaculately white handkerchief.

 

 

Her black hair, her pale white skin, her sparkling eyes and small lips…. the lips that looks so delectable even without lipgloss.

 

 

 

I look at the person with wide eyes as tears finally flow from my eyes. I can’t stop it, I know crying in front of a stranger is crazy but this stranger is not a stranger.

 

 

I took a step towards her, her smile faded when she saw me crying.  Is this the fate that you were talking about baby? You said we will meet again somewhere somehow… is this the time? I stood a good few inches away from the woman who looks exactly like Dara.

 

 

 

 

“I know you’re not her. But you look exactly like the person I love….” I said. Her smile turns into a frown. She must be thinking I’m a psycho.

 

 

 

“Really,..” was all that she said when the smile came back to her face.

 

 

 

I wipe the tears away from my eyes, and reached for her face. Everything is surreal; I can touch her, she’s not an illusion. Someone who looks exactly like Dara is standing in front of me. She even smells like her.

 

 

 

“Aren’t I creeping you out?” I asked when she didn’t slap my hand away from her face. She just smiles.

 

 

 

“That person that you love… is very lucky…you’re letting your tears be seen by some stranger like me.”

 

 

 

“You don’t feel like a stranger at all.” I said.

 

 

 

She smiles and reaches for my face too. “It’s weird.. I feel like I know you too.”

 

 

 

I gather all my courage and asked, “Can I hug you?” I will accept if I will receive a slap on the face because of this. I just can’t help it. I need to know, I need to feel. She didn’t answer, I close my eyes preparing myself for a slap when.

 

 

 

“5 seconds.” she said.

 

 

 

My lids flew open surprised that she allowed me. Without second thought I wrapped my arms around her shoulder pulling her close. Our chest collides; I hope he can feel how hard my heart is beating inside my chest.

 

 

 

This warm feeling. This is the exact same feeling…. Her body fits perfectly in my embrace. Sandara Park you really did comeback.

 

 

 

I bury my face on her shoulder as new batch of tears rolled out from my eyes. I felt her tap my back. I pulled away not wanting to scare her too much and wipe the tears with the back of my hand.

 

 

 

“By the way are you sick or do you have some kind of disease?” I know this is crazy but I have to make sure. Another death and I will go insane.

 

 

 

“No, I’m perfectly healthy.” She answered with scrunch eyebrows. She must be thinking I’m a creep.

 

 

 

“Good.” I smile. “Do you have time for coffee?? I know a good place,”

 

 

 

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

 

 

END.

 

 

A/N:

My first one shot fic…  T_T

This is originally a Woogyu fic but I decided to make a Daragon version of it.

Comments are appreciated.

Thank you.

 

@anjellie_ka