Three Days Later

Grace sat in the cafe as she went through case law for a new case that she has gotten. She usually works at home but due to a certain toddler in the house, she rather spend time in the cafe. 

She needed to be alone. 

It has been a few days since Minah told her the news, she out for a moment. Minah explained to Myungsoo what actually happened and she never saw him get so angry with anyone before. 

"What happened?" As he quickly took the unconscious woman from Minah's grip. Minah gladly stepped away, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I was... I was just telling her what actually happened. She just fainted like that!" She rambled as Myungsoo picked her up bridal style, Grace's head resting on her chest. He could see the tear tracks that were evident on her cheeks and he felt rage burning inside of him. 

"What did you tell her exactly?" Myungsoo growled at her, catching Minah by surprise. "You made her cry!" 

It was a stupid way of bringing up a confrontation but he didn't want Grace to hurt anymore. Not by Haerin, Hoya and certainly not by Minah. "Make yourself useful and leave." He snapped at her. Minah stood there frozen, defiant and in shock. "No. I am her friend. Who are you to her anyway?" She asked. Myungsoo scoffed not before jeering at her and walked out of the kitchen. 

"Yah! I am talking to you!" Minah shouted grabbing her Furla bag from the counter. She walked out of the kitchen, following Myungsoo who was not listening to Minah anymore and pushed open the master bedroom door. Minah was about to hit him with her bag when Eunhye tugged her skirt, 

"Aunty Minah, don't hurt Uncle Soo." Her eyes pleading at the older woman. 

Minah, known for her short temper and her hand raised mid-air looked down at the toddler. Looking at Eunhye closer, she inherited Hoya's eyes and dark hair but she inherited Haerin's good heart and wanting to protect people she loved. 

"Don't hurt him, Aunty Minah." She told her. "He is a prince." 

"A prince?" Minah asked, lowering her arm as she turned fully to face the little girl. The little girl nodded and turned her head away to where Myungsoo took Grace in. 

"Yeah. He is a prince and he is going to break the spell that is placed on Mama Gracie." 

As she was taking a sip of her cappuccino, she saw Hoya entering the cafe and her chest tightened but she no longer shook at the sight of him. He scanned the slightly crowded cafe until his eyes met Grace who gave a tight smile at him. 

At first, she didn't want to tell Myungsoo that Hoya contacted her but she caved in when he saw her fidgiting when she was about to leave. He didn't say anything and remained expressionless. He didn't try to stop her and a part of her wanted him to do that, tell her that it was a bad idea. Yet, the both of them knew that she needed closure. She needed to seal that chapter in her life once and for all and that was why she agreed to meet him. 

"Gracie." He pulled the chair opposite her and sat down. 

"Hoya." She replied, smiling at him and pushing her work aside. He smiled at her, flashing that dazzling smile she once made her knees buckle at the sight. It would be so easy for her to melt into his arms, to start over. 

Then, the haunting of Minah's words and Haerin's cries replayed in her mind made her stop and made her realize that he was the reason that they are living such separate lives at that point. 

"Thanks for coming to see me." He said and Grace nodded, her eyes shifting away from his piercing gaze. 

"What do you want, Hoya?" She asked, looking at her cup.

"I want to win you back, Gracie." He confessed, scratching the back of his ear as he told her that. She lifted her head and met his eyes. 

He couldn't be serious.

"Excuse me?" She asked baffled, but her eyes didn't meet his gaze. She couldn't and she wouldn't connect with him. 

"I can't live without you, Gracie. My life has been miserable without you and... God, Gracie please look at me." He took her hand in his but she pulled away, sharply and it made him blinked. 

"Gracie..."

"Don't 'Gracie' me, Hoya." She said, her tone was hard as she stared at him. "I know what you did." 

He sighed and pressed his fingers on the bridge of his nose. "Are you talking about Haerin again because I-"

"I know the truth, Hoya. About what happened that night." Grace said. He still had the cheek of lying to her? She felt her body recoiling and wanting to hit him from the rage she felt. 

Suddenly, his face turned pale and he has lost the arrogance and he looked like a scared little kid that has his hand stuck in the cookie jar. "What?" 

"You knew that Haerin wasn't interested in men... You forced yourself on her." Hoya inhales deeply and his gaze dropped. When his eyes flickered to Grace, she could feel the world has stopped spinning. The way the colour of his eyes darken, the look he gave: she knew that he was going to tell her something she didn't want to hear. 

"I... I did but it was only once. I was drunk and she looked so ravishing and..." His voice trailed off and he took in another shaky breath. "I only had with her once." 

But?

"But," he continued. "I was unfaithful to you more than once before Haerin." 

Grace felt her whole chest tightened and she turned to look out at the window, facing the road and overlooking the kindergarden. It was a full blown hit to her chest and she felt she was going to suffocate. 

"It started with a couple of flirtations and you didn't seem to notice and I thought I could get away with it. Then, I got bolder and it progressed to ting and pictures."  

Strike one. 

"I told myself to stop this and I loved... No, I love you. You would then bring out your insecurity and I would tell you not to be silly because you are beautiful that jealousy was getting the better of you. When you let it go, I thought it couldn't be that bad and it went on."

Strike two. 

"And it led on to a couple of one night stands when I was away on holidays with the guys or business trips."

Strike three.

"I swore I would stop after the last one and I told myself I have to recommit myself to you: you're the woman I wanted to marry, Gracie." 

Leave, Grace. 

"I'm sorry, Grace. For all of it." 

"Why are you telling me this? You should just..." Her voice failed her and she covered her eyes as she tried to compose herself, breathing in and out to not let herself break down. 

"I didn't want to tell you but I had to. I wanted to start over, start us over especially when Eunhye is in the picture. I want to be a good father to her. I want to be a good person to you. I love you. I never stopped loving you and I am so, so sorry." His voice filled with regret as he told her. 

She looked at him trying to understand how everything just went so wrong in the blink of an eye. But, the more she looked at him, the more she realized that somewhere along the line, he wasn't the man she dreamt of marrying, to be the father of her children. Somewhere, they got lost in translation, he asked for too much and maybe what they had was a masterpiece until it all fell apart. 

She couldn't be with someone who was going to destroy her over and over again, making her stagnant forever in that place as he continued using her as a pawn in his own little game. 

She picked up her belongings, clinging onto her folder close to her chest. Her fingers closing tightly around the handle of her bag as she stood up from her seat. She met his gaze one last time, his eyes sparkling with tears. It was strange looking at him, he looked so small: no longer the confident man that she met in university. She wondered if things would have been different if they didn't meet that faithful day, if they didn’t bump into each other at the football field, if they didn't kiss in the library. She shuddered at the memory, remembering every detail of how he would press his fingers beneath her lips and told her things he never told another soul. 

"Gracie... Please." He begged as she began to walk away from the man who gave her the world.

She turned around and gave him once last hard look but even then, her eyes were glossy with tears, fogging her vision and distorting Hoya's frame. "You know what? I loved you, Hoya. I really did. And I thought it was real for you too. Everything... Everything said or done wasn't real for you as it was for me. I know now that this feeling that I felt for you all these years that were slowly eating me alive, I’ve to let it go. So thank you for making me realize that before it was too late." Her tone laced with poison that she could feel the taste of bile on her tongue.

"Gracie." He grabbed hold of her wrist but she shoved him away.

"Stay away from me, I don't want to have anything to do with you. Stay away from me and my family." And with that, she ran out of the cafe, not caring that people were staring at them. 

She could hear him calling after her but with every step she took, she was slowly leaving the past behind, him slowly disappearing from view. 

---

Myungsoo slung one arm around Eunhye and Eunhye snuggled closer into his chest as they watched Tangled. Myungsoo would watch tentatively- although he knows the lines by heart now, while his fingers play with her hair. 

"Uncle Soo?" 

"Hmm?" 

"Do you like Mama Gracie?" 

Myungsoo looked down to see her head poking up to look at him, her eyes sparkling as she stared intently, waiting patiently for him to answer her. He gave a lopsided grin in return. "Of course I like her. I wouldn't be here if I didn't like her." 

"Do you like like her? Like how Flynn and Rapunzel do??" She asked. Myungsoo to say the least can't say he wasn't expecting that but at the same time, it took it by surprise. In the past week since they met Hoya at the cafe, he felt this burning passion in his chest: jealousy, anger when he saw Hoya with her. Yet, when they are both alone with Eunhye, he felt elated, he felt light like he was walking on clouds.

There were times that he sees her more often than not in an emotional state of mind. It was funny how on the outside, people will never think that Grace was the kind who has any insecurities or any problems. She carries herself well, head held high but not with arrogance but confidence. She speaks her mind and she puts anyone in their place if they go out of line - even the people she loves. 

Her insecurities began to unravel when they were by the beach and when she was with Hoya once more. He could see that Hoya had a power of possession and greed. Hoya was the kind of person who had a one track mind of doing things for himself but not for any other people. It destroyed her without her realizing because she was blinded by his attention, confusing it with love. 

Myungsoo doesn't know when he started becoming protective over Grace. He didn't know when he wanted to heal her emotionally, for her heart to stop breaking. Was it at the house when she first broke down? Was it at the funeral? At the beach? He couldn't quite place it. He felt his heart swell at the very sight of her or the very thought of her. 

He would wake up every morning to find himself staring blankly at the ceiling, thinking about her. It was strange that at one point of time he found her as a threat because he was stealing Eunhye away from him but now-

"Ooo!" Eunhye's voice broke him out of his thoughts and she gave a very sly grin, her eyes forming crescents as she looked at him. "You like like Mama Gracie!" 

"What?" Myungsoo asked baffled, his cheeks turning crimson again and she giggled and poke his chest with her finger. "I don't like like her that way." He used her own language and she scrunched up her nose in disapproval. 

"If you didn't, Uncle Soo, what took you so long to answer then, hmm?" Eyeing him, scrutinizing him and he groaned, his head hitting the back of the sofa. She huffed in triumph, her hair bouncing when she straddled his lap. Eunhye grabbed his face with her hands and slowly lifted his head up, squishing his face in the process. His eyes bulged and his pink lips pouted like a fish as he stared at her. 

"S'okay, Uncle Soo. I am sure Mama Gracie like likes you too." She lets go off his face and went back to sitting next to him to catch her favourite part of the movie: when Flynn and Rapunzel were at the city dancing. He blinked at her when his brain finally registered what she said. Before he could ask her, the front door clicked as the locks became undone, revealing a disheveled Grace. 

She threw her bag down on the floor along with her keys. She didn't even acknowledge the two of them. Her fingers fumbled as she unbuckled the straps of her shoes, discarding them carelessly all over the floor. Kimberly Fang poked her head out of her room and was about to berate her about the noise when Grace shot her a teary look at her mother. 

"Honey, what-" 

"I am going to sleep." She announced, her voice shaking and she made her way to her room, discarding her shoes as she close the door softly. Mrs. Fang was about to go in to see her daughter when Myungsoo stood up. "I will go look after her, Mrs. F." He told her and with a pat on Eunhye's head, he went into her room. 

Mrs. Fang stared at Myungsoo, blinking and Eunhye gave a little grin. "What are you hiding, Eunhye love?" She asked as she walked towards the little girl. 

"Uncle Soo is a prince and Mama Gracie is a princess... Only, she doesn't know that yet." She explained to her grandmother. 

"Oh? And how will she know then?" Going along with Eunhye's extereme imagination. 

"Easy. With true love's kiss of course." She replied simply before turning her attention to Rapunzel again, sighing when I See The Light played. 

---

Grace jolted awake to a dark room, sitting up and trying to readjust her eyes in such dim lighting. The brunette was slightly disorientated as to how she got there when she remembered: Haerin loved her. Hoya Haerin. She was about to panic again when a hand grabbed hers. Grace was about to scream when her eyes met Myungsoo. He was sitting next to her on her bed and even with minimal lighting, she could see the worry on his face. It broke her heart that he was always the one trying to save her. She felt so weak, so useless.

"Scoot over. You're freezing." He told her softly and when she didn't move, he let go off her hand. She immediately felt the pang in her chest when his warmth hand let her go. Instead, he pulled the covers of her duvet and slid in next to her. She moved away from him to give him more room but he held her in place. Covering the both of them up to their chest, he pulled her gently and let her sit in between his legs. She was too in shock to even come up with something sassy to say, too focus on the rapid beating of her heart.

When the both of them were comfortable - although Grace was still rigid, Myungsoo rested his chin on her shoulder blades, his nose breathing in the scent of her cherry scented lotion. She froze in her spot as he rested his chin on her shoulder blade, his breath tickling her exposed skin. She didn't realize she was freezing when the warmth of Myungsoo's body radiated around her, slowly calming her down, her breathing becoming even. 

But her heart was still pumping hard against her chest. 

His strong arms slowly encircled around her waist and pulled her closer to his bigger frame, into his strong chest. The young woman wanted to pull away, panic building in her when Myungsoo spoke again. "Relax, Gracie." His voice was soft, sweet yet raspy. He held onto her waist tighter, afraid that he will disappear from his grasp. She  listened to the soft and steady breathing, the soothing tempo of his chest rising and falling, relaxing her frazzled mind.  

"Is this real? Am I dreaming?" She asked quietly. She wasn't sure what was she asking for: the coffee date or...

His chuckles sent vibrations to her body and it made hre heart flutter slightly. "It is. Don't worry about Eunhye. Your mum is around to take care of her."

Everything is real. 

Grace was about to tense up slightly when his hand stoked her soft honey brown hair. It was with such tenderness, his fingers coming through her wavy hair easily and she sighed. He closed his eyes, savouring her scent, this reality as he did so. Myungsoo's heart was beating so hard that he knows that Grace was able to hear it. They sat in silence for a while before Myungsoo spoke again. 

"I know what happened. Minah told me." He told her, his breath tickling the side of her neck, making her shudder. She could feel a whole new set of emotions rising in her body, sending jolts of electricity all over her body. 

Grace had tears welling up in her eyes when he said that. She sniffed and she shut her eyes tight, trying to erase the sudden truth from her memory. The man she supposedly love, the one she was supposed to spent her entire life with, her best friend, her sister. 

"I did this to her." Grace spoke quietly, her voice sounded scratchy and dried up. "I killed my best friend." 

"Hey, no you didn't." He said. He pulled away slightly and made her turn to face him. His hands went up to her face, cupping her cheeks as he stared intently into her chocolate coloured orbs. She broke the eye contact, her eyes looking elsewhere. "Don't beat yourself over it, Grace. Please." He begged, his voice breaking.

The desperation in his voice made Grace's breath hitch. Still glassy with tears, she looked up and studied him, drinking in his features and tilted her head to the side slightly. His hair was toussled, messy even and pointing out in different directions. He looked tired and she could see in his eyes, the colour of midnight, were sparkling not with the usual mischief and boyish charms.

However, with fresh tears. 

"I don't want you to get hurt, Grace." He said, blinking at her and a rogue tear spilled from his eyes. Taking in a shaky breath, he spoke again. "I don't like seeing you hurt because of Haerin, Hoya, Minah or whoever. You don't know how much it hurts me to see you so broken. Everytime you cry, everytime you close and shut yourself out," He lifted her hand and pressed her hand against his chest. She gasped when she felt the rapid beating of his heart. "my heart breaks." 

"Please, don't shut me out anymore, Grace. You are hurting not only me but Eunhye too. I'm here and I am not going to leave you." Grace looked away from his chest and met his eyes again. The sincerity in his voice, the way he looked at her: it sent shivers down her spine. 

It was like how Hoya used to look at her when they were younger. 

The amount of times he has seen her cry, the reason she was smiling and hasn't gone mad from everything being so overwhelming and suffocating were uncountable. In that short span of time, she has found herself, unwillingly becoming attached to Myungsoo and he to her too. 

She was so used to getting up and running away, so used to leaving everything behind and starting over. She did this to herself, buried everything deep down in her heart because she did not want to relieve something like that ever again.

She didn't want to open up to him, afraid to do so because the thought haunted her that one day, he will wake up and get fed up with her and disappear from her life. It was a stupid fear to have but it was still a fear that never really went away. 

The fear that he will leave her for someone not so broken, someone not so complicated and ripped at the seams. 

"I am scared." She said to him and he only held her hand tighter as another tear spilled out of his eye. 

"I know you are." He told her. "But, I am not going anywhere. You don't have to face this alone. I like you Grace, very much. And if you let me, I want to stitch all your broken pieces back together." His fingers played with her hair and the other brushed her cheek. “Let me help you get through this with you. You don’t have to be alone anymore. I am not going anywhere.” She felt his breath on her neck as he whispered those words. She closed her eyes and the remaining tears in her eyes flowed down her cheeks.

“Okay.” She sobbed and he hugged her close to him. He drew small circles on her back as he let her cry her heart out, kissing the top of her head. Slowly, he pulled her away till their eyes met. She hiccupped and he brushed her tears away from her cheeks. She could feel the silence engulfed them, the tension that was so thick between them that she swore it could be severed by a knife.

When he inched himself closer to her, she didn't pull away this time and slowly, her eyelids flutter to a close, feeling his breath against her plump blood red lips. The tips of their noses brushed and he stopped, giving her time to pull away. Grace nibbled her lips before tilting her head up and closing the distance between them. The kiss was a mix of passion, neediness and comfort.

Myungsoo poured out his heart into the kiss, showing her that he was not going anywhere. Grace could feel her walls breaking and slowly, opening her soul into the kiss. He pulled her closer, his arms s around her waist and her hands had found their way to his hair. Everything Grace felt was magnified tenfold as his touches sent her head buzzing with adrenaline. 

Their kiss turned feverish and even more intense as it went on. He kissed her furiously, leaving both of them breathless and Grace was depending on his hold Her hands had moved from his hair to his chest, the tight shirt and pulling him closer to her body.

It was all a blur and all they were thinking about is each other.

Grace turned her body fully to face him and her legs were wrapped around his waist, straddling him while Myungsoo leaned against the headboard of her bed. Myungsoo had no idea what was going on in her mind and he was scared that whatever they are doing may make her regret this.

Yet, he didn’t want to pull away. 

Grace moved from his lips to his neck, nipping and on his clavicle which made him gasp at the new sensation. His senses were getting foggy as she went on lower. He bit his lip as he savoured the pleasure she was giving him but he didn’t want her to regret this. “Gracie...” his voice was more of a whisper as she kissed the hollow of his neck and her hips rubbed against his. He gasped for air as a surge of electricity went through his body.

“Gracie, Gracie stop.” He said but she just held him closer to her if anything and tried to kiss him again.

“Grace!” He said more forcefully and pulled her away from him. Her eyes were a darker shade than usual and wilder if anything. Her usually straight black hair was messier and pushed to one side. Myungsoo’s hair was pointing in every direction and his neck had a red mark which was not there not very long ago. Neither of them wanted to let go, their chest heaving from the intensity of the kiss that almost went too far. 

Grace was in a trance when she realized what almost happened. The both of them just looked at each other neither wanting to break the silence and only their ragged breaths could be heard. Myungsoo tried to read her expression but to no avail and her eyes were glassy again with tears. 

Was she disappointed?

He pulled her close to him, her flushed cheek pressed against his chest and he possessively held her around the waist.

“I need you.” She said. 

“I’m not going anywhere.” He replied, her hair. 

“You know that’s not what I mean.” He chuckled at her response and she couldn't help but crack a smile too. She never felt so needy, never acted on her emotions so much and it scared her.  

“I know but we shouldn't be moving too fast. You are hurt and you need time to heal.” He told her. 

"Do you think..." Her voice trailed off and he lifted her chin so that he could face her. 

"I don't think, Gracie." His other finger tapping her forehead, making her lips form a pout at him. "I know you will be okay. Everything will be okay in the end, you know that right? If it's not okay, it isn't the end." 

---

2 Years Later

"Hi, Haerinnie." 

Grace made herself comfortable in front of Haerin's gravestone. It took her two whole years before she could bring herself to her friend's grave. She wasn't completely healed from her past but she was getting there with Myungsoo and Eunhye's help. There were times when she would get disturbing nightmares about Haerin and Hoya but it wasn't as frequent as before. She had her boyfriend. who would lull her to sleep, holding her close to his chest as they drifted off to sleep.

She smiled at the thought of calling him her boyfriend. 

"I am sorry it took so long to see you." She told her, placing the bouquet of white roses in front of her. "I was... I just didn't want to believe you're gone and the idea of taking care of Eunhye... It was all too overwhelming for me, Haerin." 

The spring breeze filled the silence, as if it was responding back to her with the rustle of the leaves in the wind. She smiled and traced her finger on Haerin's headstone. 

"Rinnie, you were always the strong one. Since the time I met you when we were very young. And I am sorry for pushing you away, Rinnie. I should've known better. If only I knew the truth sooner, I would have been with you. I... I was so caught up with the betrayal that I pushed you away, I pushed everyone away. I am so so, sorry, Rinnie." Taking a deep breath she traced her names with her fingers. "I am sorry for pushing you over the edge." Her voice was barely a whisper as she fluttered her eyes close. 

"It's not your fault, Gracie." Her eyes opened and there she was, Haerin sitting in front of her where her headstone should be. Her eyes were dark and full of life but there was a sadness in them. She wanted to look away, she wanted to be angry with her but the look she gave her, the look of endearment and sadness broke her heart all over again. 

"But you still left. Why did you leave?" 

Grace's gaze was still transfixed on her flawless face, her hair resting below her shoulders and wore a white top and long white skirt. When she reached out to touch her, she could feel the warmth of her skin radiating from her. 

"I am sorry." As tears spilled out from Haerin's eyes.  

"You left me, Rinnie." 

"I know." 

"Why?" 

"Papa!!" Eunhye's voice snapped Grace from her thoughts when she turned around to see Eunhye giving one last hug at Myungsoo and ran towards Hoya who was standing a good distance away. "Hi kiddo!" He beamed at her and he gave a nod at Myungsoo's direction before he got down on his knees and enveloped her into a hug.

It was strange that after their meeting a year ago, Hoya has changed a lot. He goes for a support group for his addiction for being a ual predator. Myungsoo and her were adamant in Eunhye meeting the man, let alone spend time with him but Hoya was a persistent man. He showed that he was and will be a devoted father to Eunhye and it wasn't for the sake of his moral compass.

Slowly, Myungsoo and Grace let Eunhye stay with Hoya over alternate weekends. He even had a woman in his life by the name of Seulgi. 

Grace giggled and brushed herself down before she remembered that she was having a conversation with Haerin. When she turned around, she saw that Haerin was gone and her headstone was at her place. She shook her head, maybe her mind was playing tricks with her. 

"Don't I get a kiss goodbye, Eunhye?" Grace teased and Eunhye giggled and ran towards Grace and she pressed a kissed on her temple, not wanting to let go. It was strange that once upon a time, she didn't want to have anything to do with this child and now, even for a weekend, she felt the twist in her chest when she goes away. 

"Have a good time and don't give your father and Seulgi such a bad time." Grace reminded her and Eunhye grinned. "I won't." Hugging Grace once more, she peeked from behind her body to see her mother's final resting place. Smiling, she whispered: "I hope you like the flowers mama. I love you." Blowing a flying kiss at the gravestone, she rushed towards Hoya who was smiling down at her. 

"We will call you later, alright? Have a good time you two." He looked at Myungsoo and then at Grace. Myungsoo made his way towards Grace and wrapped his arm on her shoulder. She waved at the little girl and she felt like she would tear up. 

"Bye daddy and Mama Gracie!" She cried out, taking a liking to calling Myungsoo that. Myungsoo didn't mind it one bit. He even encouraged her to call him that. 

But sometimes her mind works in mysterious ways. They were living together but they weren't married (yet). Eunhye however assumes that they are married since they lived together. 

"Mama Gracie?" Eunhye yawned out and Grace looked up from her book and Myungsoo was next to her playing Flappy Bird. 

"Yes sweetheart?" 

"When I grow up... Can I marry daddy?" She asked hopping onto her lap and looking at her with a pleading look. Myungsoo stifled a laugh when Grace's lips tugged upwards. 

"Sweetheart, I am married to him." She was sure to ask him about that sooner or later. 

"I know." She said and closed her eyes. "But when you're done, can I marry him?"

"Sure." Myungsoo answered him and she waved at Eunhye who started talking to Hoya about school while Hoya listened tentatively to her. He was really trying to be a better man and Grace admired him for doing that. Once they were away from view, Myungsoo gathered her in his arms, resting his chin on top of her head and began to sway as he hummed a tune. 

Grace had a pensive look on her face as she read the words on Haerin's headstone as she began to wonder if she really had that conversation with Haerin a few moments ago. It felt so real, it was as if she was really there talking to her... Almost telling here why. 

In Loving Memory of Moon Haerin

1992-2020

A loving mother, daughter and friend

"What are you thinking, my love?" Myungsoo whispered into her ear, sending tingles down her spine. She turned slightly to her side so their faces were just inches apart. "Do you think she is happy and at peace?" She asked quietly as she pulled his arms tighter around her. Myungsoo thought about it, frown lines slowly visible in between his brows. He kissed her side of her head as she shivered when another breeze softly caressed her skin. 

"I don't think remember, Gracie? I know that she is happy." 

"How sure are you?" 

He smiled at her and nuzzled his nose on the side of her face. "Because you're happy and I am sure Haerin is happy if you are." He told her and pressed a lingering kiss on the side of her face, his eyelashes tickling her skin. She closed her eyes and smiled, thinking that she could never get used to this no matter how many times he does this.

He was right, naturally. There were times that she had an irrational fear that Myungsoo will one day just pack up and leave without a trace. Yet, time and time again, he will reassure he won't do that. 

"I love you." He whispered, making her turn fully but his arms still placed strongly around her torso. "My not so lawfully wedded wife." He teased and she felt goosebumps when he called her his wife. It didn't sound so bad, coming from him. 

"And I love you, my not so lawfully wedded husband." She replied cheekily, tip toeing and gave him a peck on the cheek. He winked at her and he leaned in to kiss her fully on her smiling red lips. Kissing him was something she would never get tired of. Albeit it was chaste, it was enough to leave the both of them breathless. 

"Until we are old and grey?" His breath ghosted over her lips, his eyelids still closed. She nodded, the tip of their noses bumped each other before she replied in a soft voice.

"And beyond." 

---

Haerin watched the couple finally leave her grave site. Grace blew her a kiss and Haerin caught it, holding it tight in her palm as she watched the two of them, their fingers intertwined and together, disappear from her view. Haerin had a soft smile on her face as she brought her clenched fist to her chest where her heart was. Slowly, she uncoiled her dainty fingers and closed her eyes as fresh tears trailed down her cheeks. 

My dearest Grace. 

I want you to know how happy you once made me and I am forever thankful for that. You were everything I can never be: strong, loving, a sweetheart and a best friend any girl could ask for. You were the light to my darkest day and we completed each other many ways than one. 

Know that it's not your fault that I left. I want you to remember that and the good times we had as we grew up. Sneaking out in the middle of the night, drinking till we are hungover with Minah and the very things that we never told another soul. I want you to know that I have kept sacred everything you had entrusted me and I always will. 

Grace, 

I am sorry for leaving you like this for I wasn't strong enough to live with myself that you were so unhappy. I got in the way of your happiness and I couldn't live with myself knowing that I've hurt you. You were my safeguard, my sanctuary and you were the place I can call home. I never felt safe till I was in your arms, Gracie. I want you to know that most of all. 

I want you to be happy: for someone else to know the warmth of your smile, the joy you bring when you speak and the sound of your melodious laughter. I want you to feel alive like how you made me feel when I was with you all those years. 

As she stood up and watched the couple talk as they walked to the car, she glanced at Myungsoo, a smile etched on Haerin's face. 

And Myungsoo,

Thank you... Thank you for everything you have done: for bringing the light back into her life, something that I've failed to do when I was alive.

Thank you...

For being her saving grace. 

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A/N: And the story has come to an end! :D thank you for subscribing and upvoting. Also, thank you mariana and sarah for being my number one fans by commenting on this story and the other stories xx I wouldnt have finished it if weren't for the both of you.

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