***
"My existence now solely depends on you." She whispered one cold evening.

Winter was coming, she could feel it.

''As for me, if all else perished and you remained, then i therefore will prolong my existence. But if all else stayed unchanged and you were ceased, then the world i know of would become a mere stranger to me.'' He told her. It was true, they depended on their other half solely, never wishing to imagine life without the other.

''I don't want to go.'' She muttered truthfully. ''I don't want to leave you and wander into the next life all alone.''

''Aren't you tired of the pain, love? Sometimes, it hurts me as well that you have to go through this. If heaven permitted, i would have taken it all for you.''

''Hush. You have done more than enough in this life. You have been the best and most supportive partner any wife could have in all history.''

''But love, it's time for your sleep. Do not fear for what will become of me. I will be fine. We will meet in the next life, i promise.''

She didn't know if it was because of the exhaustion she felt right then, but she really did feel like the time had come.

But she completely trusted his words.

Their paths would cross again, she was sure.

She rested her head against his chest, bodies mashed together, and fingers entertwined in the small hospital bed which served to be a tight fit for the both of them, but they seemed to make it work somehow. They always have.

Slowly, her eyes grew heavy as he hummed her a lullaby. The tears which stinged his eyes were unnoticed by her, and he went on with the song.

Without a reason, or a hint of confirmation, he just knew that this time, she wouldn't wake up. Nor would she wake him up with her soft giggles, or small fingers poking his cheeks.

And as he reminisced, he recalled the early days of the post-wedding times they had together. How she'd wake him up for work with breakfast set perfectly on the dining table, and how she'd stay up just as long as he worked, yet woke up hours before him. She'd always make him hot chocolate every time he pulled an all-nighter, and when he went out of the city for work, he knew he could come always come home to her loving embrace. But not anymore.

And just as she was about to fall asleep, he caressed her cheeks, and whispered, ''I love you.''

She looked up with droopy eyes. "I love you too. And i'll be waiting until you're by my side again - whether it be in heaven or the next life, i will wait for you. See you soon, Jongin, and again, i love you for who you are and everything you've done. And most of all, i love you for loving me through everything.'' She said as stray tears made their way down her cheeks.

This was it. The real goodbye.

''Go to sleep, love. Have that long awaited sleep, and move past all the pain you have suffered. I will be okay, i have your memories to keep me from aching for your presence. I....i promise, just as you have always asked me, to not run in the rain or lay in the snow. I will not work till dawn if not deemed necessary. I will...take good care of myself, in your place.'' He said with a very stuffed voice. He could barely breathe, talk or keep his tears from staining his cheeks.

''No, don't. Don't restrain the possibilities you could have in life. Run in the rain, make snow angels, watch the sun set, live your life. It's too short to just let it go to waste, look at me, I have spent the expanse of my life in exact calculations, but with you, only then did i experience an adventure. Live your life, Jongin, and live it to the fullest. As for me, i will be watching over you, if i am granted the chance to do so. Don't live your whole life mourning over me.''

''I love you. I always have and i always will.'' He stated these words in a barely audible tone.

''I love you too, Jongin, in this life and in every life. See you again.''

''I will seek for you again, and in that life, i will love you for sure, 'till death do us part, i will repeat it again and again. Good night, love.''

''Good night.'' She closed her eyes.

And in that moment, the first snow fell.

It was a cold winter, and a long one too.

***

Her body ceased, they would never be seen together again, but their love remained.

Their love was forever in the hearts of the hospital staffs who saw it with their own eyes.

He went through the cold alone.

Then winter passed. Spring came. But for him, it never did.

Maybe they will meet again.

Maybe their paths would cross once more.

Maybe they will fall in love again.

Maybe next time, they might be a little more lucky than in this life.

His winter never ceased.

But as he lied beside her grave, head resting upon the oak tree he had grown familiar with, he realized he had hope.

He had that spark of hope lighting up his heart, he knew, and he became certain that their paths would cross again.

They might love again, he hoped so. And that's all that mattered.

And like he had done every spring since the past three years, he fell in love with the tune the birds sang, once more.

Death did break them apart, but life, along with destiny and hope, will set their paths as one again.
Fin.

***
A/N : So....how was it?? ^^

If you liked this story, and if you don't mind me being in my shameless-author mode, then by all means check this one out - http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/812081/