The universe is said to be filled with another universe inside and so maybe in every universe comes another one and another one and another one, till the infinities of all infinities cannot be measured. Even after decades, centuries and millenniums no one in this world have ever gone to those infinities of universe but only those people who we considered dead or maybe even dead people haven’t yet seen those infinities. No one in the human existence can tell. They can only assume but they can never assure.

Inside the end of infinities of all infinities ( if ever there was something like that) was a boy standing, his eyes were staring intently to the wide space of the earth – one of the tiniest of the tiniest dot of one the universe’s universe of the universe of another universe and so on till infinity.

He watched as people struggle to live, to live and to live. That was how life is anyway. Life is living. For how many days, weeks, months, years or decade no one knew. They live for as long they can like how each and everyone else does, including the boy who stands to watch the earth.

“Have you thought about it?” The boy who stands to watch the earth heard a familiar voice. The voice that he had once wished he could hear. The voice that every believer on earth wanted to hear. Someone like the voice of the Creator of the infinities of all infinities of the universe. Someone who had magically created an end to those infinities. Someone so great.

“About?” The boy asked, not even bothering to look at the man who now chose to stand beside him and joined him to watch the earth.

“About the wish.” The taller man replied to the young boy.

“Ohh.”

“What’s taking you so long?” The taller man asked and glanced at him for a short moment.

The young man sighed. After he died, which was almost half a year ago, his soul woke up inside a glass-like stairway. He walked and walked till he reach the gates, which was apparently the gates of heaven. Then it came to him that not all pure and kind hearted persons ends up in heaven cause if they do then he wouldn’t be there.

He was not nice. He was an annoying brat. He was not kind. He was that kind of person who wants to get everything that he had. He didn’t bully anyone, yes. But that’s because he didn’t have that much time and strength too. But even the heaven knew he wanted to.

When the long stairway to heaven ended, he was welcomed by hundreds, no, thousands of people in line to enter. There he was assured that heaven is really not for those kind hearted and pure people. Maybe heaven is for everyone.

But more to his horror was when he saw some more than human. Some creatures that he haven’t yet seen to exist in his entire life. They were in different shapes, colors and there it occurred to him aliens does exist.

There was another life beside the life they consider on earth. Extraterrestrial does exist! Oh gosh! He might be hallucinating. But do dead people hallucinate?

He walked in the crowd of people or aliens or whatever they were called. He had to prepare his self to more shocking revelation of heaven and universe. He might be able to see Michael Jackson for goodness sake, ran into Adolf Hitler (if he was accepted in heaven but he doubt cause he was sure he was thrown out to hell), or maybe he can see a flying dragon who puff fires. Oh gosh, he might go crazy and die again.

He was in the middle of his walking when a young man with tiny cute little wings appeared in front of him, all smile in his face as his eyes turned into a line of a pedestrian lane.

“Hi.” He greeted.

“Hello, I’m angel Yesung.” The man with wings said.

“Obviously… an angel.” He said and glanced at his wings.

“Don’t worry you’ll have those too. You’ll grow wings as time goes by. That’s how it goes here in heaven.”  The man named Yesung said, maybe ignoring his sarcasm.

He blankly stared at the whole place. “This is really heaven?” he asked stupidly.

Yesung’s forehead crinkled for a little. “Doesn’t seem one to you?”

“Not really… I mean… didn’t know heaven will be packed with… Do I still call them human or dead people? Or whatever. Well I imagine heaven will be an empty space filled with people I can count in my hands. Just that… didn’t think good people exist is huge amount.” He explained.

“You wonder with those kind of things when you’re supposed to be thanking you’re in heaven.” Yesung said.

“Well thank God I’m in heaven.”

“Heaven is not for pure goodness—”

“Ryeowook.” The man said when Yesung stopped in the mid of his sentence.

“Ryeowook.” Yesung continued. “Heaven is for love.” He meaningfully said.

Ryeowook stared at the angel for some moments and he wanted to slap his face for not noticing that the angel infront of him is indeed beautiful. Angels are indeed beautiful.

“You should fill this one up.” Yesung then said as he handed him a piece of paper and a pen. Ryeowook was surprised, certainly heaven does have pens and papers. Just a different style.

Ryeowook took it and he read, “One… wish. One wish?”

“Well, apparently everyone who enters heaven is granted one wish for those people they left in the universe. Write your wish and hand it to the man over that counter beside the gates.” Yesung said and he saw an angel with a cute dimple on his face. Ulinke Yesung his wings were rather big.

“That’s Angel Leeteuk. He got bigger wings cause most probably he died ages and ages ago.” Yesung explained to Ryeowook and he leaned a little closer and his voice a little lower. “He’s old. Older than your great great great grandfather. But he doesn’t want to be called old. So most new angels called him peterpan man. You know the man who doesn’t age but in his case he doesn’t WANT to age.”

Ryeowook nodded. “Do I have to fill this up right ahead?” He asked.

Yesung thought for a moment. “No. You can fill it up anytime you want I guess. You don’t have a wish yet?”

“Something like that.” Ryeowook answered as he stared at the paper.

“Okay then. Take your time. Make your wish worth it then.” Yesung said and ruffled Ryeowook’s hair. “I gotta go. I still have to distribute these papers.” He half raised his hands to show the pile of papers.

“Go ahead.” He smiled faintly.

“I’ll see you around, Ryeowook” Yesung waved at him as he disappeared from the crowd.

---------

“Nothing in particular.” Ryeowook answered the tall man after he recalled his first encounter in heaven. There was no particular reason why he haven’t yet said his One Wish. No reason but rather excuses. He was torn between giving and being selfish.

Ryeowook saw in his peripheral vision that the taller man raised his hands and sliglty waved his fingers in a slow yet mesmerizing swift. Suddenly the world was not wide but instead it now focused at one particular place, one particular moment and one particular person who’s Ryeowook is familiar to.

“Cho Kyuhyun.” Ryeowook whispered as he lovingly stared at the younger man. Kyuhyun’s cheeks where a little thiner so as his body. His hazelnut hair was messy yet classy, his round eyes were swollen and his lips are a little paler than usual or than the last time he saw them.

Was he miserable after his death? Did he not take good care of his self? Did he cry his self to sleep? Did he not eat? Did his Cho Kyuhyun lose his life after he died? Did Cho Kyuhyun’s life is not living but rather Ryeowook?

The terrible sight of Cho Kyuhyun made Ryeowook asked a lot of questions. Questions that were inevitable and yet he wanted to hear a different answer.

He never regretted meeting and loving Cho Kyuhyun. He never did and he never will. Cho Kyuhyun made a life out of his life just like how universe exist in a universe. It was amazing. When he met Cho Kyuhyun somehow he found a reason to live and fight, a reason to stay in the world and a reason to believe in miracles. Though there was no miracle for him to live longer but to him, falling in love and feeling so alive when all his days are limited was already a miracle.

Miracle doesn’t come in big packages but rather small impossibilities that became possible. Ryeowook’s miracle came with Kyuhyun. His miracle was falling in love when he thought he have no time to. Love… yes love is always timeless. Love is not how long but rather how true. Love for Ryeowook was something he found when he met Cho Kyuhyun.

“I was not different to Cho Kyuhyun.” Ryeowook, for the first time, started a conversation with the tall man. “I was not different to him when everybody else saw me as one. For everybody I had cancer and I should be treated in a special way. But for Cho Kyuhyun, I had cancer but I was no different.” He said and small drop of tears rolled down.

“And?” The tall man was listening intently.

“And I like it. No… I love it.” Ryeowook confessed. “I think… I’m gonna tell you my wish now.” It was almost a whisper but the tall man caught every word.

“Are you ready to give?” The tall man asked.

“Some more like, I’m willing to give.”

The tall man stared at Ryeowook and Ryeowook stared back. The tall man smiled at him and for the first time he smiled back, a genuine smile.

-------

Mid winter season is rather colder than usual. Snow comes a little heavier and a little longer than even thick clothes can’t warm your body up. But then, white Christmas was something more beautiful for most of the people. The snow flakes, the humid wind and cold hush became warm when it comes with the season of Christmas.

Cho Kyuhyun blew a warm breath in between his palms as he walked in the crowd of people who are busy in buying gift for Christmas Eve celebration that’s happening a few days from now. People were all enjoying the season, well not to mention those 50% Offs and Christmas sales in every store.

It was cold and yet he went out for his daily volunteer session in a rehabilitation center where people with cancers stay. He signed up as a volunteer a few days ago and today was his first day and he quite regretted signing up if it was not for Ryeowoook of course. It was Ryeowook’s dream. A dream he wished to live if he had a miracle of surviving his cancer but then he didn’t. He didn’t survive, he didn’t live his dream and so he is fulfilling the dream for his Ryeowook.

Kyuhyun met Ryeowook in an ordinary university. Ryeowook was a transferee and he presented his self in class as a temporary student who wants to be a normal student before he dies. Everyone in the room gasped in horror but Kyuhyun remain to listen.

“I have cancer. You know, the disease that eats your body and you kill this disease to live and everyday you have to fight for life.” Ryeowook said.

Everyone at that time remained silent after Ryeowooks horrific introduction about his cancer in a math class. It was ironic but at that time the class was quite, all eyes were on the transferred student, all with worried eyes and apologetic face. Kyuhyun wondered why they feel sorry for the man. It was not their fault that he have cancer nor the man’s fault. It was nobody’s fault and so why?

Ryeowook then sat beside Kyuhyun as an instruction from their professor.

“Hi?” Kyuhyun who was busy scribbling on his notebook, glance at Ryeowook who’s trying to make friends with him.

“Just because you have cancer doesn’t mean everyone is going to be friendly at you. Or maybe yes but not me.” He threw him hot words and he felt his friend, who also sits beside him, elbowed him.

“What?” Kyuhyun asked Donghae.

“He was kidding.” Donghae whispered to Ryeowook then looked at Kyuhyun. “You bastard! You should atleast be a little nicer.”

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes. He doesn’t really get people. You’re nicer to sick people when they doesn’t need your petty kindness. Then people are mean to people who does nothing but to be their selves. Humans are really some kind of specie you can easily predict and when you do you won’t be able to get your own prediction at all.

“You don’t be need to be friendly at me.” Kyuhyun heard Ryeowook mumbling.

“That’s good news.” He replied.

“You’re different.” Ryeowook said with an amusing smile on his face.

“Thank you but sorry I won’t return the compliment.” Kyuhyun saw his friend, Donghae, rolled his eyes and shook his head as if surrendering to whatever attitude he has towards everyone.

“It’s fine. I don’t want to be different. I want to be like everybody else.”

This time Kyuhyun shifted his head to stare at Ryeowook. He was a bit dissimilar from a far. A little thinner and a little paler. His hair was ruffled in a messy way but it suits him, his cheeks were pale but they seem so delicate to touch, his eyes were round as if he can mirror the world and his lips were pursed.

“You don’t look like sick to me.” He blurted out without thinking.

“And you said you won’t return the compliment.” Ryeowook grinned at him.

“That’s not a compliment.”

“But I’m taking it as one.”

“Up to you.” Kyuhyun said and focused in scribbling in his notes again.

Their professor went out for awhile and gave them a problem to solve.

“You think you can join me for lunch?” Ryeowook said after awhile.

“You think I consider you as someone as whom I can join for lunch?” he countered back.

Ryeowook nodded. “I think I’m the only person you consider, as a person whom you had talked the longest at first meeting.”

Kyuhyun was stunned. Hell yeah but he was right. How can he not realize that? Aside from his friend Donghae and Eunhyuk, who was absent today, he had the longest conversation with Ryeowook, to consider that he only met him. Their conversation which was rather full of counter backs.

“What do you think?” Ryeowook asked for a smile.

“You think you know everything.” Kyuhyun shrugged. “Lunch is not a bad idea. Fine.” It sounded like surrender rather than an agreement.

It was just lunch turned to dinners and more lunches and more dinners they shared together. They didn’t become friends but rather the exceeded the category of companionship into the level of love. There was a boundary that sets them, between friendship and love and the crossed together, that dangerous line… they became lovers.

Kyuhyun knew that Ryeowook was dying, everyone kenw. The only thing that he had in mind at that time, when he realize that he fell in love with a dying man, is to be with him for all those days he was alive. He wated to hold his hands until Ryeowook can still grasp into his, he wants to stares at his eyes till Ryeowook can still open his eyes, he wanted to talk to him till Ryeowook can still utter words and till he can hear his voice, and most of all he wanted to kiss his lips until Ryeowook can still respond to his sweet kiss. In short, he wanted to be with Ryeowook until he’s capable of living in this world. He wanted to love him until his very last breath.

That’s how love is for Kyuhyun, being able to stay.

They didn’t have the longest time. But he chose to love Ryeowook, he chose to fall in love with him, he chose to hurt himself and for him everything was worth it for Ryeowook. Yes, even the pain.

---

Kyuhyun entered the gate of the rehabilitation center for the cancer patients. He was welcomed by the head guidance adviser, Siwon. He heard about this man from his friend Donghae, it was said that Siwon is a rich man who spends his wealth for cancer patients because his mother died because of ovarian cancer and by that time they were so poor to afford chemotherapy.

When they entered the not so huge house, Kyuhyun saw the cancer patients along with one volunteer. They were talking or more like chatting and he thought this is how Ryeowook wants to do. Ryeowook wants to encourage people to fight and he wondered how he can encourage people to fight when he himself is still weak from his loss.

“Every volunteer usually talks to 1-3 patients every stay. Well it’s up to you how long your free time is.” Siwon started to explain as he tours him around the house.  “You just chat. Ask them how they are. Tell them stories, tell them your experience, and tell them something encouraging. It will always be nice to know there’s someone who cares. Don’t you think?” Siwon looked at Kyuhyun for a moment.

“Yeah.”

Siwon smiled at him. “I’m going to introduce you to someone.” He said and opened the door of a certain room. Kyuhhyun followed him inside and closed the door as soon as they both got in.

“Sungmin, we have a new volunteer here.” Siwon said.

Kyuhyun glanced at the man who stands from his sit with a wide smile on his face. His hair dye faded a little, his eyes were foxy, his cheeks were puffy.

He walked over to them leaving his table behind.

“This is the volunteer leader Sungmin. He had been a volunteer all his life.” Siwon proudly introduced the man to Kyuhyun.

“He exaggerates most of the time.” The man named Sungmin told Kyuhyun. “It was nice meeting you and you are?” Sungmin held out his hand.

“Cho Kyuhyun.” He answered and they both shook hands. The handshake took for only seconds cause somehow they both felt something unusual from the contact and yet they decided to shove if off.

“I’ll leave him to you, Sugmin.” Siwon excused his self and left the room.

They were both alone. Sungmin sat back to his table and she sat infront of his table.

“This is not my office. This is every volunteer’s office.” Sungmin explained. “I’m just piling up some bio datas. Do you work?”

“Still in university.” He answered.

Sugmin nodded. “What made you decide to join?”

Kyuhyun stared blankly. “Am I required to answer?

And Sungmin was rather taken aback. “Not really. Just mere curiosity. Anyway, you can start now. I’m going to introduce you to your new friend.” Sungmin stood and lead Kyuhyun outside the office.

Kyuhyun followed him.

His first volunteer session started really well. All he did was chat with some stranger like how he did with Ryeowook before. It felt nostalgia and yet he felt thankful for deciding to fulfill Ryeowook’s wish. He felt like as if he brought back to when he first met Ryeowook. There was something new that subsided within him without even noticing.

- To be Continue -

Authors note: Leave your comments. I would love to hear from you :) <3