“Granny, did you ever let a love go away?” There was a troubled young teen sitting at the wooden table across from her- after all these years of being the dermatologist she had dreamed of, Hyebin allowed herself to buy Granny’s cafe from her youth and be the new owner. She met all sorts of lovely people as she sat in a secluded corner, and even towards the end of her life, she felt the same childish and goofy smile appear on her now wrinkled face at the thought. Koo Junhoe.

    “Of course I had. He was the love of my life and my soul mate too.” Hyebin replied, and the girl stared up at her with wonder in her eyes. This was a teen she had become acquainted with after watching her sit outside in the rain for almost two hours- she was obviously waiting for a guy who would never come. Hyebin had lead her inside, gave her a mug of hot chocolate on the house, and seated her to listen to her story. Suhyun had a place in Hyebin’s wisened and old heart.

    “Then why didn’t you two get married?” Suhyun asked with curiosity. Hyebin felt a youthful rush of butterflies in her stomach at the thought of Junhoe- he had unfortunately left for heaven first, and she undoubtedly missed her faithful friend and companion.

    “Because we had too much to gain and so much to give up for us to be together. We were both ambitious young adults at the time, not too much older than you. And in the end, we decided to wait until we met in heaven for that chance.” Hyebin said. She remembered the promise all too well; now that her sight and hearing were starting to fail her, and it was increasingly harder for her to move with as much ease as there had been previously, she could tell she may be reunited with him soon. But this did not bother her at all.

    “Then what about your actual husband- didn’t he get jealous?” Hyebin’s mind drifted to her late husband as well. Yang Hongseok was many things that Junhoe was not; a naturally hardworking guy with the dream to be a reconstructive surgeon. They had met in medical school when Hyebin returned to Korea, and it was just like Junhoe all over again except he could not replace Junhoe.

    “Oh no, Hongseok was such an understanding husband. I could never have asked for more from anyone. I loved Hongseok a lot and I miss him too, but Junhoe was a little different.” Hyebin’s eyes became glassy as she thought of all her memories with Junhoe. Until she was about 26 years old, people had assumed her to be dating Junhoe. The first time she actually stated otherwise was later.

    She had gone to this very cafe with her friend Sumin, who had called to hang out after work. Hyebin was expecting it too; Sumin was already engaged and it was obvious this would be for the wedding invitation.

    “I can’t believe Howon oppa actually proposed. I still can’t believe it,” Sumin said with an adoring smile as she gazed at her ring. It was white gold with a diamond, showing his success as a lawyer. “He’s the most perfect guy in the world.” Hyebin wanted to say that he was only like that for her, but she held herself in check.

    “You deserve it, Sumin. You’re going to be a great wife and mother in the future,” Hyebin said with a smile. Sumin caught the glare of the ring on Hyebin’s finger as well, a simple silver band.

    “Is someone else going to be a wife soon too?” Hyebin rolled her eyes at the teasing manner of her friend, before shaking her head to indicate that she was not.

    “We’re dating, but it’s not marriage soon. We’re too busy for that.” Sumin nodded slowly, as if to think about what to say. There was something that she obviously wanted to say; anyone could see it in the curiosity that sparkled in her intelligent eyes. “Just say it,” Hyebin added with a laugh, coaxing her friend. Sumin obliged without a second word.

    “It’s Junhoe, right?” It had to be for the world to seem right for the alumni of their school; no one could imagine Junhoe without Hyebin, or Hyebin without Junhoe. It made no sense for the world to work that way, and it was obvious that even seven years later the pair was still that couple that should be. Hyebin gave a bittersweet that seemed to answer the question already.

    “No, it’s not. He’s dating another girl named Hyeonsu- she’s a great person too, by the way. And I’m dating a guy named Yang Hongseok. He’s really someone I love.” Sumin could not deny the sincerity of Hyebin’s voice, but she could also tell that no matter what she felt for Hongseok, there was an underlying affection for Junhoe, but perhaps that would simply be there forever.

    “Tell me about him.” And the two spent the rest of their evening gossiping about their future husbands, and the next day their year all heard the news: Junhoe and Hyebin were officially not going to happen. But even now, to this very day, Hyebin did not quite regret that choice either.

    “How was Junhoe different?” Suhyun interrupted her thoughts, and Hyebin laughed, shuddering as she did so from the effort it took now.

    “He was my first love, sweetie. A first love comes once and only once. You can’t ever see that person in a regular light after loving him first, and it’ll always be there no matter what. You’ll feel it too someday, that I am sure.” Suhyun nodded, although she still seemed to not be able to tell why Hyebin would choose Hongseok over Junhoe.

    “Do you think he loves you just as much?” Hyebin thought back to her own wedding day, when Junhoe was right up there with the rest of iKON. Despite the childish group name, it stuck with them forever. Youjung and Hanbin had beaten the rest of the group to marrying, and so had Sumin and Howon, but otherwise marriages were quite new to them. Getting walked down the aisle by Yongguk because her father had passed away by then, Hyebin found herself staring at Hongseok with a loving smile, but when she averted her gaze right before saying, “I do,” it was to Junhoe. And he was staring right back at her with a sincerity in his deep gaze that she could understand.

    Similarly, his own wedding took place a year before her own, and she remembered how excited she was. There was no sadness for not being the girl in a white dress that day, but pure joy to see her beloved friend get married to a girl who would treat him well. Despite not quite liking the notion of an arranged marriage with Hyeonsu, he accepted it and they eventually found love as well.

    “I know he does. And when we meet in heaven, I know we’ll finally be together.”