Italics - flashback

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It's been 3 years since he left me, alone. Each year I order a cake and a tub of ice cream to eat by myself and to surpress my needs of loneliness. In minutes, they both arrive and I take both items to my living room table. I take a quick glance around me and I find myself walking toward a picture we had taken of a tree we carved our names in.

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"Chanyeol-ah, I'm tired. Can we rest for a while?"

I asked, whinning cutely.

"Arrasseo, princess. But only for a few minutes. I want to see what's behind this path."

Chanyeol and I decided to hike an unknown path we haven't taken before. At first we were excited but after minutes, I grew scared because it didn't seem right. Everything was darker than usual and more tree's were shown. Still, I ignored that feeling and hiked, for his happiness.

"I'm going to look around. You stay here, okay? Yell my name if you're scared or you need anything."

Nodding my head, I let Chanyeol walk a few meters away from me but he suddenly stopped.

"Oppa, what's wrong?"

In the speed of light, he came towards me and carried me bridal way to the most beautiful tree I've ever seen. Gently, he let me down on my feet and I grazed me soft finger along the rough bark.

"Behind every nasty path is something amazing."

He said after a while. Quickly, he took out a carving knife and started to write our initials.

                                                                                              C <3 U

As he finished my initial, I quickly took out my camera and snapped a picture of it. I put the camera back down and gave Chanyeol a peck on his cheek.

"I love you, too."

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My hands over the picture and a tear slipped out of my eye.

"I miss you."

I whispered . Dragging my body back to the couch, I open the ice cream lid and scooped a spoonful into my mouth. In second, that spoonful slipped down my throat and I scooped more in my mouth. My cheeks soon became wet and I stood to get myself tissue. I reached the table where I kept my tissue and wiped away my tears. I looked up to see a note Chanyeol had written me when I was angry at him.

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We both had planned on going out to dinner tonight and he was planned to pick me up 10 minutes ago. Worried, I called him but he didn't pick up. Several times I had tried but still, no answer. I sat back on my couch thinking he wouldn't come.

"I wore this dress for nothing."

I cursed under my breath. I waited for another 10 minutes and heard a sudden ring at my door. Opening it to find Chanyeol trying to get some air, I smiled widely.

"Oppa, I waited so long."

"No one told you to wait."

He replied harshly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. Did you expect something to be wrong?"

He shot back coldly.

"Oppa, you're scaring me."

"Who cares about you!"

A cold smile appeared on my face in an instant.

"Kurae. Who does care about me? Obviously my father doesn't. That's why he left my mother and I alone. And I'm starting to think you dont either. No one does. I guess that's also why I don't have any friends. Way to make my night any worse. Good Night Park Chanyeol."

"Oh my gosh.. I didn't-"

I slammed my front door in front of his face and stomped my way to my bedroom. From my bedroom window, I could hear Chanyeol apologizing after realizing what he had done. I was too angry to listen to him. Tears of frustration ran down my cheek as I started to drift off to sleep. I woke up the next morning and washed up before going outside to retrieve my mail. I came back in from outside and checked the different mail I got. Then there was an unfamiliar looking piece of paper that wasn't in an envelope. Unraveling it, the letter read,

"My Princess,

Please forgive your dear Prince. I didn't mean all the things I said yesterday. I still love you and I care about you more than you ever think. You're my everything and if you don't forgive me then I think I'd rather not be alive. It's just, I saw my brother yesterday and you know how I feel about him. I love you, Princess."

He was right. I did know how he felt about his brother. They both were rather like rivals than siblings. Everytime Chanyeol's family had a family gathering, they would always get in constant arguments and even ignored each other for years of their lives. Hesitantly, I took out my phone and dialed Chanyeol's number.

"Yobusaeyo?"

He answered in a tired voice.

"I love you, too."

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I grabbed another piece of tissue and wiped off the tears that fell as I was stuck in my memories. Slowly, I walked back to the couch and sliced the cake into 8 pieces. I placed a piece on my glass plate and shoved a forkfull of cake in my mouth.

"This is the cake you like."

Yes, I had always ordered the flavor cake he loved. I've never gotten tired of the taro flavor in my mouth. I looked down at the ground remembering when he and I first when to this cake shop.

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"Oppa, I'm craving for some sweets."

"My princess always is. There's a cake shop close by. I'll take you there."

A smile ran over his face and also on mine. In minutes, we reached our destination and got in the shop.

"I've never tried these flavors before. They're all so different."

I said, amazed.

"Let's try taro. It looks delicous."

I suggested. A chuckle escaped his lips and right away, he bought the one I wanted. I carried the cake to a nearby table and opened the box to take a big bite.

"This is daebak, oppa. Try some."

I scooped him some cake and he ate it slowly.

"Wow! It is good. I think it might become my favorite."

Quickly, he took a few more bites and fed me some as well.

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I only ate a slice of cake and ran to my desk. Opening the drawer, I took out the picture of Chanyeol, happily playing his favorite guitar for me.

"We dated for 5 years, Chanyeol. And you have to leave me like this. Why? Just why?"

I asked, sobbing. Next to his picture was the couple neckalace he had bought for me on our 3rd year anniversary. The year we found out he had cancer.

"If only I could touch you again. I want to feel your soft lips on mine, your big rough hands holding my tiny soft ones. I want to hear your hilarious laughs and your cute pouts. I miss you, my Prince."

For an hour, I cried holding his picture close to me. In those moments of silence, I walked over to the room we both shared. I spotted the guitar he constantly played on. The piano and old laptop he made songs on and his little drum set where he taught me how to make beats. I rested my hands on every one of them and then lastly on the bed we both shared. My hand was placed where he slept and more tears came down my face.

"I miss every single detail of you my dear Park Chanyeol."

Grabbing my car keys I got out of the house and drove to his new home. The graveyard was what everyone called it but I called it his new home. Where he is now stuck forever. I walked over to his place and kneeled down, touching his stone. My eyes again grew blurry but suddenly was clear again as something cold my cheek. I look up to see the person I've always wanted to see.

"Oppa."

A genuine smile was plastered on his face.

"Is this real? Did you come back to visit me after 3 years?"

He placed his cold fingertips on my burning cheeks and I closed my eyes to enjoy the moment.

"I miss you..."

He whispers.

"I miss you, too."

"You know I can't stay long."

"No, you have to stay. Stay forever and don't ever leave me again."

"I'll always be with you, my princess. Not physically but mentally. I've always watched over my beautiful girlfriend from above. You have to promise me something though."

"Anything. As long as it makes you happy."

He let go of my cheek and I could feel his cold yet rough hands grab mine.

"Promise me that you'll find someone else. I don't like to see my princess always crying each year because of me. Time heals everything. Remember that. Will you promise me."

Hesitantly, I nodded my head.

"I promise."

"I have to leave in a bit."

Chanyeol said as his voice quivered as though he didn't want to go.

"Oppa, before you go. Sing me a song. I miss your voice when you sing me a lullaby."

In seconds, I heard his soft and calming voice ring next to my ear.

"I had a nightmare
Before I could hug you, who was crying
I woke up

With a sad heart, I opened the curtains
With my moonlight-stained tears, I send you a letter

Remember, when things were hard
I always turned your tears into smiles
Don’t cry in places without me, don’t cry
Because you always had a lot of tears

No, it’s my turn to cry, I’ll cry now
I’ll take all of your tears
It’s my turn to cry, give them to me
Even those tears, this time
This time yeah"

"Goodbye, princess. Know that I'll always love you."

"Goodbye, oppa. I'll always love you, too, even if I have another."

He planted a soft kiss on my lips and disappeared. I spend the rest of my day there and decided to leave when it turned dark.

_______________________________________ 4 Years Later___

"Jagiya! Let's take a quick picture. My parents want to know how beautiful you are."

I ran to the livingroom where my boyfriend was getting his phone ready for a picture. I smile ran across my face.

"Chanyeol oppa, I kept my promise.  And guess what? He's just like you too. He plays the guitar, the piano and drums. Lucky for you, he treats me just like a princess. Like how you did. But he's different from you. Way different. I miss you..."

I whisper to myself as I felt a cold presence next to me. Smiling, I ran to my boyfriend and sat next to him.