Wendy is kneeling next to her grandfather’s bed.

 

 

The rest of the family are all present in the room.

 

Everyone’s eyes are red, except the old man.

 

 

Wendy holds her grandfather’s hand and feels his cold skin.

 

 

“Seunghwan…. You’re here……” The old man opens his eyes slowly feeling the touch.

 

“Grandpa…. How’s it ?” The girl just wishes it’d be easier for him to go.

 

“Doctor’ve done their best…….. Dear, I think the coming sunrise will be my last ……”

 

“Is there anything you want us to do ?”

 

“Don’t you love to sing ……. Sing for me.” The old man weakly smiles.

 

“I-I …..” Wendy buries her face in her hands.

 

“I have just confirmed my will ……. You and your father would take over my business from now on…… All of them.”

 

 

“Seunghwan-ah. The lawyer was here earlier. He got all the papers he needed.” Her dad comes up and pats her daughter’s head.

 

“Doctor said he will be unconscious soon … So we’re here to see if he has anything else to say….” Her mom is also weeping, accompanied by her older daughter.

 

“Grandpa…… I promise I will sing for you. Just hang on.” Wendy reaches her trembling hand to caress his beard and rushes back to her bedroom.

 

 

“Dad….. Are you sure we’re doing the right thing ?” Wendy’s dad asks after she’s left.

 

“Eh… Nothing is forever right…. After I died, it’s up to you to decide. I….. tired….. You go …..” The old man exhales painfully and closes his eyes afterwards.

 

 

The others nervously go back to their respective rooms.

 

 

 

 

Wendy cries her heart out lying on her bed.

 

She doesn’t care to wipe the tears away. 

 

runs dry, making she feels nauseous.

 

Her eyes are prickled.

 

 

She has to face the fact that her most loved family member is leaving her forever.

 

It’s like her heart and head have been hammered.

 

 

 

Her mom is standing outside, earvesdropping by the door.

 

When she hears her daughter crying so hysterically, she has an urge to go in and comfort the little girl.

 

But her husband stops her to.

 

 

“Don’t.” He mouthes.

 

“Don’t you hear that ? How could a mother not do anything hearing her child crying like that ?” She mumbles.

 

“You can’t help much…. She has to get over herself. She might stop crying but she’s still hurt on the inside….. And she’s grown up now.” He knows best since he lost his mother when he was young.

 

“My Seunghwan, my darling……” She looks at the door one last time and walks away.

 

 

 

 

Wendy fell asleep for a while exhausted from crying.

 

And it’s normal bedtime after all.

 

 

She seems paranoid after waking up, since time is ticking.

 

 

She nests herself once again in front of the computer.

 

And she picks up her guitar, strumming every chord she knows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sky is tainted black. 

 

No moon. No stars.

 

The only light in miles comes from Wendy’s room.

 

 

 

 

The 20-year-old lets herself embraced by darkness and buries herself in music.

 

 

 

 

When the sun comes up again, a girl also comes out from her room.

 

 

She is greeted by her dad, who has dark shades under his eyes.

 

“Dad !! I did it !!!” She grabs his shoulders and says.

 

“What ?” He watches the girl running to her grandpa’s room without replying.

 

 

He then goes to get his wife.

 

 

 

 

Wendy places her guitar on her lap and takes the old man’s hand.

 

“Grandpa… I’m back….. Squeeze my hand if you hear me.”

 

 

His fingers have the slightest movement but it’s enough for her to feel it.

 

 

“Listen…. I-I finally wrote a song…… For you. I will sing to you, now.” She seems thrilled.

 

As long as she starts playing her guitar, her parents silently enter the room and stand behind her.

 

She her chapped lips and closes her eyes and sings.

 

 

“Things were all good yesterday,

And then the devil took your memory.

And if you fell to your death today,

I hope that heaven is your resting place.

 

I heard the doctors put your chest in pain,

But then that could have been the medicine.

And now you're lying in the bed again,

Either way I'll cry with the rest of them………”

 

 

She is getting choked with sobs but she manages to carry on.

 

By thinking of all those good times they used to share.

 

 

He may be not a perfect man. 

 

However, he does his best for his loved ones.

 

 

He used to tell her since she’s a child, to be a better person than he is.

 

Because there are too many regrets in his life, too many wrongs.

 

 

And she reminds of his dead wife so much. 

 

Always bright, caring, forgiving.

 

 

One of his biggest regret is that he couldn’t see his wife one last time.

 

He promised he would forever stay by her side when he asked for her hand.

 

But he broke it at the very last moment of her life.

 

 

He loved her so much.

 

 

When Wendy grew older, her grandfather has been telling her their love stories.

 

That’s when the little girl learned about love.

 

 

“Although my grandma used to say, he used to sing….

 

Darling hold me in your arms the way you did last night,
And we'll lie inside, a little while he wrote.
I could look into your eyes until the sun comes up,
And we're wrapped in light, in life, in love.

Put your open lips on mine and slowly let them shut,
For they're designed to be together oh.
With your body next to mine our hearts will beat as one,
And we're set alight, we're afire love……..”

 

 

 

The way he held her, the way they touched, the way they kissed.

 

So romantic in the eyes of the little girl.

 

All engraved into her head.

 

 

And he has been reminiscing these alone for nearly 30 years.

 

Living in guilt.

 

 

 

And now she is still singing. Soulfully. Angelically.

 

Her parents are sobbing with their linked hands.

 

Her sister crosses her fingers with watery eyes.

 

 

 

What a heart-aching scene to see.

 

 

The first morning light softly raying on a girl, who is singing fondly by her dying grandfather’s side.

 

 

“And my father and all of my family,

Rise from the seats to sing hallelujah.

 

And my mother and all of my family,

Rise from the seats to sing halellujah.

 

And my brother and all of my family,

Rise from the seats to sing hallelujah……”

 

 

Wendy’s singing gets slower and fading.

 

Eventually she stops as something blocks up .

 

 

 

“Do you hear ? Do you like it ….. ” The girl genuinely smiles yet tears are streaming down her face.

 

 

“Tell me….  Do you like the song I wrote ?”  She trims his beard and gently asks.

 

 

“Please….. say something………” She begs as she his hand.

 

 

 

 

“Seunghwan-ah ….. H-he’s gone……” Her dad says.

 

 

“No… H-he…. You like it, don’t you ? You heard it, right ??” Wendy reluctantly continues.

 

 

“Stop it, darling……. He’s gone.” Her mom holds her from behind and pulls her away.

 

 

“No…….” She cries and covers .

 

 

 

A tear escapes from his eye. 

 

 

 

Wendy sees it and dashes to wipe it away.

 

 

“So you heard………. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…….”

 

 

She kisses his cold forehead and her tears mix with his.

 

 

“Goodbye, old man.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wendy locks herself in her room for the rest of the day.

 

Not willing to come out, not willing to eat, not willing to talk.

 

 

 

She crouches and embraces herself.

 

Dully stares at the wall.

 

 

 

She doesn’t know it would hurt like this.

 

She starts wondering what if she had spent more time with him.

 

So she could know he was sick earlier.

 

 

But she wouldn’t have met Irene if she had stayed in Canada.

 

Or she wouldn’t have been the Wendy she is today.

 

She wouldn’t have met Taeyeon, Seulgi and Joy either.

 

 

 

Maybe nothing in life is completely right or wrong.

 

 

 

No one knows she has stayed in that position of how long.

 

 

 

Until her phone rings.

 

 

“Wendy ?” 

 

“Irene…….” 

 

“Did something happen….” Irene could almost get the answer from the husky quaking voice of her girlfriend.

 

“He died this morning.” 

 

“I’m sorry……..” Irene knows it must be heartbreaking for her.

 

 

“I fulfilled his last wish and wrote a song for him…. I sang it and…… he passed away.”

 

“It’s….. good for you to do that.” Irene doesn’t know what else to say.

 

“You know what, I am just starting to realize he’s now gone, forever.”

 

“I am here for you, Wendy-ah.” 

 

 

“He’s the one first taught me about love…..  You know……  The beautiful stories between him and my grandma. I think they would reunite in heaven ……” 

 

“They definitely would…… ” Irene could also feel the pain, and she wants to hug her so bad.

 

 

“But he didn’t get to see her one last time……. He broke his promise……… I don’t wanna see this happening to us…….” Wendy begins her sobbing again.

 

She thought she has already cried all of her tears out.

 

 

“We wouldn’t. Believe in me, Wendy-ah. I will never let you down and break my promise.” Irene finally realizes there’re more reasons for her deep sadness.

 

“Irene-ah…. I am not doubting you….. I’m just-” 

 

“It’s alright. I just want you to know. I swear to whatever god that I will stay with you until the end of time.” Irene suddenly recalls the first time they met and how Wendy swore to her.

 

 

“Don’t try to copy me…….” Wendy softly chuckles.

 

“Wendy Shon Seunghwan, my soulmate, I swear.” Irene sticks out three fingers and vows like Wendy did, although the latter couldn’t see.

 

“Irene Bae Jooyhyun, I swear too. I will not leave you alone again for the rest of my life.”

 

 

The two laugh for a while.

 

 

“You don’t have to worry about me for now. Family business first. I’ll be fine.” Irene reassures her girlfriend once again with her super sweet velvet-like voice.

 

“Thanks…. I’ll find you again after everything has settled. And you too, take care of yourself while filming. Don’t catch a cold, okay ?” Wendy resumes her nagging (or caring) mode.

 

“Araso….. And no need to thank your girlfriend, pabo. Just let me know if you need me, okay ?” Irene says as she is preparing to sleep.

 

“Araso ~~ ”

 

“Oh… By the way, Jessica-unnie asked me to move in with her. Since she knows about the scandal thing and she wants some company after Krystal has returned to the States.” Irene remembers why she called Wendy.

 

“That’s good. So I really don’t have to worry about you.” Jessica is indeed a very -worthy person. Not to mention she is Wendy’s favourite unnie’s soulmate.

 

“Then I’ll start moving tomorrow. And you, go and get some sleep. I bet you’re tired.”

 

“Yes ma’am. Saranghae.” 

 

“Saranghae.”

 

 

 

Wendy hangs up and steps out from her room.

 

 

Her mom hears the door and comes up to her. 

 

 

“Darling, is everything okay ?” She asks worriedly, considering the reaction she had earlier. 

 

“Mom, I’m fine now.” She cracks a smile.

 

 

“Talk to us if you need to… And the funeral will be held a week later.”

 

“Okay. I’ll go to Contento when I have time.” 

 

“Seunghwan-ah. Don’t push yourself too hard.” Her mom grabs her hand lovingly.

 

“I know. But we need to move on, right ? He would want us to….”  She looks away. “I shall sleep now. Goodnight, mom.”

 

 

 

 

Wendy finds herself spacing out in her room after a hot shower.

 

 

The death of her grandfather is depressing, but it also marks a turning point of Wendy’s life.

 

And she can’t tell it’ll be good or bad.

 

 

She makes a phone call again.

 

 

“Hey, it’s me.”

 

“Wendy ?” Taeyeon doesn’t sound sleepy at all even though it’s midnight in Korea.

 

“You’re working ?” 

 

“Yeah…… Luckily Seulgi got Joy back…. I mean, they’re together now.”

 

“I know that … Good for them. And good for you.”

 

“Wendy-ah, what’s it ?”

 

“He died this morning.“ It doesn’t hurt much as she states this fact again. 

 

“Oh…. And you sounds fine.” Taeyeon doesn’t mean to be mean but the girl does sound a little bit calm.

 

“I am getting over it, Taeyeon-unnie.”

 

“Or someone has already talked you through that.”

 

“Irene called a moment ago.” Wendy sometimes thinks there’s nothing that Taeyeon doesn’t know.

 

 

Maybe it’s the magic of age. Age means experience.

 

 

“And you’re still worried about something.” Bingo for Tae again.

 

“So I’ll be the director of Contento….. Or theoretically, I am. Already.”

 

“I thought it’s just a name.”

 

“I still have to do something. Like stay in the office, go to some events, sign some papers, attend some meetings…….. Not roaming around all day or playing PS4 in the office.”

 

“So you’re worrying about you ain’t gonna cope with that ? Since things will be different from now on ?”

 

“Exactly. My dad is there to help. But… You’ll never know how the others would think of you. The old man wasn’t that nice when he was in the game.”

 

“Do your best. And just don’t lose yourself. Then everything will be alright. Remember, someone is waiting for you. Although she ain’t going anywhere and she loves you very much, it doesn’t mean you could slack off.” 

 

“Got it, unnie. All the best with you and Jessica-unnie too.”

 

“Yeah, I hope so.” 

 

 

 

Wendy ends the phone conversation and texts her buddy Seulgi.

 

They have exchanged their updates.

 

 

She is happy for her buddy and Joy and thinks they are quite a match for each other.

 

Like complementary.

 

 

And she has also “warned” the mono-lid blunt bear to take good care of their cheerful giant baby.

 

 

 

 

 

So many things have happened lately and Wendy wonders what could happen tomorrow, one month later, one year later. 

 

 

 

 

Nothing matters as long as she has her loved ones by her side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I come :)

Schools are starting next week *rolls eyes*

God, I wanna finish this fanfic asap since semsters are always crazily packed.

But don't worry, I won't rush it though :D

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

xo