“Some people are meant to fall in love with each other….but not meant to be together.”

1968, Seoul

Graduation at Seoul Arts High School

“Yongie, you need to think this through,” Jonghyun said, stopping Yonghwa from walking. “Why not? I can’t take it anymore. I need to tell her,” Yonghwa said. He tried to walk past Jonghyun but the latter blocked his way. “Come on, Yonghwa. You’ll just hurt yourself. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t like you,’ Jonghyun said, still trying to stop his best friend from doing a big mistake.  “Besides, today is our graduation. What is the point of confessing if you won’t see her again?”

“She got accepted in Seoul National University too. I heard her talking to Sooyoung about it. And what makes you so sure that she will reject me? Some friend you are,” Yonghwa said, successfully dodging Jonghyun and walking away.

Jonghyun followed him and walked beside him. “Yah! You’re the notorious trouble maker of the music club. She is the nice girl everyone likes. She’s a goody two shoes, always follows the rules kind of girl. You’re a rascal who does whatever you want regardless of the consequences.” Yonghwa stopped walking and faced Jonghyun. “I like her. If I don’t tell her now, I wouldn’t have a chance. Besides, we’re friends. Maybe, just maybe she might have some good feelings towards me. She wouldn’t agree to be my friend if she doesn’t like me, right?”

“A duet in first year, being her seatmate in second year and being some-what friends in third year summarized your whole relationship with her. You barely spend some time with her. How will she like you? Come on, Yonghwa. This is insane,” Jonghyun said, trying to persuade Yonghwa not to confess.

Yonghwa ignored Jonghyun and walked away. He looked for Joohyun all over the campus and when he spotted her with her friends, he muster up all the courage in him and approached her. He cleared his throat when he reached her. Her friends all look at him strangely while Joohyun smiled at him. “Oh, Oppa. Annyeong! Congratulations!” she said.

“Can I talk to you?” Yonghwa asked her seriously. “Alone,” he emphasized when her friends didn’t leave her. “Oh, alright,” she agreed. She turned towards her friends and said, “I’ll just talk to Yonghwa Oppa.” I led her away from her friends and made sure that we were alone.

“Uhm, so what do you want to talk about, Oppa?” Joohyun asked me. She might have noticed that we were alone so it made her a little uncomfortable.

“Well, uhm… you see… the thing is… I have something to tell you,” I stuttered. Mentally, I’m face palming, imagining how idiotic I look in front of her.

“What is it?” She looked straight into my eyes and I have half a mind to melt in her stare making my mind more jumbled.

“Uhm…IlikeyouWouldyoubemygrilfriend?” I hurriedly said. She frowned at me, obvious confusion written on her face.  

“What did you say, Oppa? I didn’t hear it clearly,” she asked me.

I breathe deeply, gathering courage and praying all together. I looked at her seriously then I slowly said, “Joohyun, I like you. Would you be my girlfriend?”

There! I said it and the world didn’t come to end but sadly, it looks like my world will come to an end. I looked at her and she was looking at me too but with uncertainty, probably thinking how to let me down gently.

“Uhm, Oppa. I don’t know what to say,” she whispered but enough for me to hear. She’s looking down now, avoiding my eyes.

“Anything. You can say anything,” I said. “Let’s me ask you, do you have a boyfriend now?” She shook her head. “Have you had a boyfriend?” I added to which she shook her head again. “It just never crossed my mind. I haven’t thought of things like that Oppa,” she answered.

“You can slowly start thinking of things like this. Uhm… Do you like someone right now?” What I thought was a doomed failure was turning in a good direction. She didn’t walk away. My hopes are rising up.

“No. I don’t like someone at the moment,” she replied. Hallelujah is what I shouted in my mind upon hearing her answer.

“I told you I haven’t thought of things like that. My main focus is my education Oppa,” she said. “You can start now,” I suggested. “What? Why would I?” she asked me. “A chance. I’m asking you for a chance,” I answered.

“But we didn’t even know each other that much,” Joohyun frowned at me. I’m pretty sure she thinks that I’m a weird person but I need to this. I need to convince her. “We can get to know each other now. We can start now,” I asked.

“Oppa, today is our high school graduation. How can we start?” Based from her question, I think I have above 50% of success rate now. She wouldn’t ask that if she’s not interested too, right? “I will go to Seoul National University too. Pre-med. We can meet there. I have your phone number. If we want to then we can find a way. I’ll find a way. We can start talking. You can start getting to know me more. We don’t have to be in a relationship. We can start as friends and then we’ll see what happens. Just please let me spend some time with you?” I asked. I was honestly so close to pleading with her.

A silence fell between us. Long silence. Too long in fact that I feel that she will say no. I was readying myself for her rejection when I heard the one word I was longing to hear of.

“Alright,” she whispered.

“Alright? Yes?” I asked making sure I heard her correctly. When she nodded her head, I jumped in happiness while pumping my fist in the air, shouting “Whoop! Yes! Yahooooo!” I faced her again, smiling. “You agreed. Don’t change your mind!” I said. “Ne, Oppa,” she nodded, smiling at me.

I beamed at her. I am so happy that she agreed to give me a chance. “So, can I take you home? Oh, right! You’re with your parents. Can I call you instead later? What time can I call you? I’m rambling, am I?” I hurriedly said. I obviously can’t hide my excitement. I grinned at her and she smiled back. “Relax, Oppa. Breathe, Oppa” she said.

I nodded. “So I’ll call you later?” I asked to which she agreed. “I need to go back now, Oppa. Talk to you later,” she said to me. I waved goodbye at her while I walked backwards. I don’t want to turn my face away from her. She waved back at me. I stumbled while walking backwards causing her to giggle. “Be careful!” she shouted. I bobbed my head, still grinning at her. I watch her walk away until she disappeared from my sight.

I breathe a sigh of relief. I can’t believe my luck. I need to do well. Treat her well and all that. Excitement bubbles inside me. Then I remember Jonghyun. I need to tell him. I walked back to the campus looking for my best friend with a hop in my steps and a smile so wide I am sure I looked like a crazy person to anyone who saw me.

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2013, Seoul

Spending time with Seohyun has been a great help for me. The days that we were together, practicing for our performance or basically just hanging out around Seoul were my reprieved. I feel like this is my new beginning. Days seem easier to pass by without me drowning in grief and sorrow. Whenever I feel like depression will swallow me up, there she was making me play guitar, asking me her thousand questions or taking me out and touring Seoul and other places.

Right now I’m with her in one of the music rooms. We were practicing for the upcoming festival and I am once again caught staring at her while she played the piano. She smiled at me and stopped her playing. “So, Oppa. What are you going to do later? Any plans?” she asked me.

“I’ll go to Jungshin’s laboratory later. I have some things I need to give to him, “I answered while I fiddle with the strings of my guitar. “Jungshin? My friend Lee Jungshin?” she asked. “Yes, why?” I asked her. She beamed at me and then asked, “Can I come with you? I haven’t seen Jungshin in a while.”

“Sure,” I agreed with her. “Oppa, where’s your phone?” she asked me. I gave her my phone and she also took her phone out. “What are you doing?” I asked her. She looked at me then gestured at our phones. “I’m transferring some albums to your phone. My brother enjoys listening to these bands so I thought since you’re both guitar players, maybe you’ll like it too,” she explained. “Your brother is a doctor, right?” I asked her. I remember her saying that to me. “Yup. He’s a resident doctor in neurology,” she answered. “Which hospital?” I asked. “Here. Seoul National University Hospital,” she replied.

“I see. What songs are you putting there?” I sat closer to her to look at what she’s doing in my phone. “I have songs of Maroon 5, The Script and some indie US bands. Also, I have here some Nell and Buzz albums. They’re really good. I like some of their songs too,” Seohyun said while she showed me how she transferred some songs from her phone to mine. “I’ll listen to all of it,” I said. She beamed at me upon hearing what I said so I smiled back.

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At Seoul National University Hospital, Ilwoo was inside the neurology department with Inguk, discussing about Yonghwa’s medical chart.

“So, what do you think?” Ilwoo asked his best friend who is currently frowning at the med charts. “Until now, all of his monthly check up resulted to normal. Everything is fine, health-wise,” Ilwoo added. Inguk frowned some more then he proceeded to shake his head. “I have my doubts about these results. Being frozen for forty years and not have a single side effect is far from normal. He should be showing some side effects. Also, what about his growth hormones? Is it still frozen? Is it back to normal? Will he normally age or will his real age caught up with him? There are so many questions need to be answered before we can declare that he is perfectly healthy. This is a special case so we need to tread lightly in this. And personally, I think it is better for Jung Yonghwa to show symptoms now before it is too late,” Inguk explained.

“You’re right. I thought of that too. That is why I kept on insisting that he continue his medical check-up despite having good results. Now, how am I going to explain that to my father? He’s really happy that Yonghwa’s progress is going well. If I share our doubts to him, I’m afraid it will just affect him negatively too,” Ilwoo said.

“How about Lee Jonghyun?” Inguk asked. “He’s already dead. Why are you asking about Lee Jonghyun?” Ilwoo asked back. “Well, it was his experiment. I’m sure he has notes about it. So where is it? Maybe it can help us. It can also explain a lot of things especially the mechanics of cryonics and how it works” Inguk suggested. “Maybe it has the answers to our questions.”

“I’ll talk to Lee Jonghyun’s family and see if they know something. Hopefully, we can get some questions answered,” Ilwoo said while arranging the papers. “I’m hungry, let’s eat. Have you had dinner yet?” Inguk asked. Ilwoo shook his head in answer. “Come on, let’s eat some beef. My treat!” Inguk said, putting his arms on Ilwoo’s shoulders and dragging him out of the office.

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In Jungshin’s laboratory, different work notes are scattered all over his desk and all of it are about cryonics, animal testing and all its effects. Ever since the discovery of Yonghwa in his uncle’s cryotank, Jungshin has read all of Lee Jonghyun’s notes about it. From the start of the research up to the result of the animal testing as well as the initial results of Yonghwa’s status while in the chamber but clearly, something is lacking. He read and read all of the notes, underlining what he thought are important parts yet he still feel that there is something missing and it is an essential part. He underlined the words in his uncle’s notes on animal testing experiment: Using the enzyme telomerase in cancer cells to sustain the telomere length resulted to infecting the healthy cells with cancer. Unable to suspend the ageing process. Subject eventually died. How to suspend the ageing process without being infected?

His phone rang and he answered it. “Oh, Yonghwa. Are you here already?” Jungshin asked. “I’m buying dinner. I’m with Seohyun, by the way. Is it alright if she joins us?” Yonghwa asked him on the other line. “Sure, I haven’t seen her in a while. Tell her to buy me some mangoes,” Jungshin said. He can hear Yonghwa talking to Seohyun, telling her what he asked and Seohyun agreeing to what he said. “Call me when you get here, alright?” he asked Yonghwa. “Sure, I’ll see you later,” Yonghwa said before hanging up. Jungshin looked at his uncle’s notes on his desk and sigh. “Is the experiment really successful?” he asked himself.

A while later Jungshin welcomed Yonghwa and Seohyun in his laboratory. The two brought dinner and dessert too. “So I’m back here,” Yonghwa commented upon seeing Jungshin’s laboratory. “Welcome back, Yonghwa,” Jungshin smiled. Seohyun hugged Jungshin in greeting. “Aren’t you going to welcome me?” she teased. “Welcome Seohyun,” Jungshin said. He led the two to his office and Yonghwa put the foods on the table before the three of them sit.

“So where did you came from? How come you’re together?” Jungshin asked the two of them. “We were practicing for our performance,” Seohyun answered while she prepared the food in front of them. Yonghwa helped her. “Performance? What performance?” Jungshin asked.

“Eunji asked me to join the music club so I did and then we were assigned as partners for the school festival. We’ve been practicing since,” Yonghwa answered. He put some chicken on Seohyun’s plate and even poured her a soda. Meanwhile, Seohyun gave Yonghwa his jajangmyeon and pickled radish. Jungshin saw all of it and hid a smile. The two must have been spending much time together that they naturally prepared food for each other.

“You should come and watch,” Seohyun offered. She gave him his requested mangoes. “Sure, just tell me when,” Jungshin agreed. The three of them continue their dinner, talking and asking how each other has been. After eating, Yonghwa gave an envelope to Jungshin, “Here are Jonghyun’s notes that are with me,” he said. Jungshin looked at it and then looked at the papers on his desk. “Thanks,” he accepted the envelope and put it on the desk, covering his uncle’s other notes. He remembered what he read and stared at Yonghwa. 

“It’s getting late so we’ll get going,” Seohyun said, taking her bag with her. “Ok, thank you for visiting and for the dinner,” Jungshin said. Seohyun patted his shoulder, “Don’t mention it. Call me if you need anything.” Jungshin walked them out of his office and saw Yonghwa gazing at the back corner of the laboratory where the cryotank is. “Alright, Yonghwa?” Jungshin asked him. Yonghwa turned to look at Jungshin and smiled. “I’m fine. I hope the notes may help you a lot,” he said. “It will,” Jungshin answered. “Let’s go?” Seohyun asked Yonghwa. Yonghwa helped Seohyun with her bag and they went out. Jungshin waved goodbye at them.

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We were walking towards the nearest bus stop and I was reminded of the same time we’re walking like this and Seohyun offered me her advice. I smiled silently remembering her words. “So, will you get back to school to get your bicycle?” Seohyun asked me.

“Uhm, I didn’t bring my bike,” I answered. I noticed she was fidgeting with her hands, clasping and unclasping it in front of her. “You’ll go straight home now?” she clarified. I shook my head and said, “I’ll send you home first if that is ok with you?” I asked her. “Sure,” she agreed.

We reached the bus stop and stood side by side waiting for the bus to come. I cleared my throat and faced her. “Uhm, I want to say something,” I said to her. She turned and looked at me, waiting for me to finish.

“Thank you. You have been a great help for me especially these past few days. Thank you for helping me in accepting the reality, for helping me in moving on with my life and most of all thank you for making my everyday not just bearable but pleasurable. I’m grateful that I found a friend like you. I really appreciate all of it,” I rambled. I chanced a look in her eyes and saw her smiling at me. “It was nothing, Oppa. I was glad to help,” she replied. We smiled at each other. I’m pretty sure we looked like weird people to anyone who saw us but I don’t care. All I care is that I found someone who I can rely to, a friend that I can count on to.

The bus came and we get on it. There is only a single seat available so I let Seohyun sat on it and I stood beside her. At the next stop, lots of people got on the bus making it full. Thankfully, Seohyun is already sitting. I didn’t want her to be uncomfortable while we’re on the bus.

The bus suddenly lurched sideways and someone pushed me so I braced my hands on the windows, boxing Seohyun inside. My heart is right next to her head and upon knowing this; it suddenly beats faster than normal. At every bumps made by the bus, I was pushed towards her making my chest pressed on her side. I was afraid that she can hear how loud my heart beats. I tried stopping myself but my attempts are futile. I can feel my own face turning red so I did the only thing that I can do. I pretended nothing out of norm is happening and I kept on looking away, avoiding her eyes at all cost all throughout the ride.

We reached our stop and we got off the bus. While, walking towards her house, I kept on breathing deeply, trying to relax my flustered heart. I hope that the redness of my face is not noticeable in the dark. Silence fell between us but both of us didn’t mind. It feels comfortable to share the silence with her, walking and just enjoying our time together. Or maybe it was just me.

We arrived in front of her house and we both stood at the gate. Seohyun cleared and looked at me, smiling with her sparkling eyes that seem to shine brighter that time of the night. It was really like looking at the stars twinkling above. “So here we are. Thanks for taking me home, Oppa,” she said gratefully.

“Don’t mention it. It was the right thing to do. Girls like you shouldn’t walk home alone. It’s dangerous, you know,” I said, rationally. She frowned at me, “Girls like me?” she asked.

“I mean, pretty girls like you,” I clarified. She frowned some more at me. She crossed her arms in front of her. “You’re making fun of m