In a good mood with happy feet, Taeyang entered the café and was immediately shoved out by Steph, who dragged him down the street a bit. When they had stopped, Taeyang demanded, “What the hell?!”

But Steph replied quickly, “She’s forgetting.”

Taeyang’s eyes widened in surprise, “What do you mean?”

Steph looked around and then pulled him down a small alley that led to the back of the café. “The more time she spends away from TOP, the more she forgets about the dreamt up life she had here. She’s going back to the way things were.”

Taeyang shook his head, “I don’t get it. Why?”

Steph shrugged, “Maybe she’s choosing to forget.” And then she turned to Taeyang, “If she sees you, she might remember. So, I shoved you out,” she added.

Taeyang stared at her. “We were friends before the accident,” he started and then stopped.

Steph nodded slowly, “Actually, not really, right?”

Taeyang felt his heart squeeze and then he asked, “Are you telling me to stay away from her?”

Steph swallowed and then nodded firmly, “I think so.”

“What about TOP?” he asked quickly.

Steph replied, “We deleted everyone here’s numbers off her phone. All message and past emails are gone, too.” She looked away and then added, “We thought it was the best thing to do.”

Taeyang stared at her and then remembered the crying Rania had done on his shoulder and he sighed. “So, that was her decision,” he whispered.

Steph pulled out one small envelope and handed it to Taeyang. “Before she made the move to forget, she asked me to give this to you.” Taeyang took the envelope and frowned. Steph stepped back and stared at the ground, “Thank you for everything, Taeyang.” She bowed and walked into the café.

Taeyang stared at the envelope and then opened it. One small crane fell out addressed to Woobin, one small heart fell out addressed to TOP, and the last rectangle that came out was addressed to him. He replaced the other two into the envelope and then opened his rectangle. As he read, tears welled up in his eyes and he felt his legs weaken. As he finished his letter, he looked away and grumbled, “How could you leave this to me?”

***

TOP and Woobin entered the café and looked around. When they saw Kanari, she pointed to the patio. Both of them tore up the stairs and found Taeyang standing there, alone. Woobin looked around and then TOP demanded, “Where is she?”

TOP turned and tossed Woobin the crane before tossing TOP the heart. Both of them opened their letters and read n silence. TOP wondered what were in them but knew that, if she’d been half as brutal to them as she was to him, then it would hurt about the same.

Woobin reacted first, walking to the wall and slamming his hand against it in anger and agitation. TOP, on the other hand, stared at the ground for a long time before he looked back up to Taeyang, “Where is she?”

“Gone,” Taeyang replied.

Woobin sat down and was silent. Though his heart was heavy, he didn’t want to make a scene. TOP, on the other hand, stared at his letter and then ran down the stairs. Taeyang turned and watched TOP reach his car and shoot into gear, heading for Incheon.

When he was gone, Taeyang added, “She will be back, but I don’t know how she will be.”

To this, Woobin nodded sadly and sighed, “I’ll see her next time, then.” It was hardly easy for him to say those words, but he didn’t want to think about the reality of it. Not at all.

***

TOP ran into the airport, looking around. He thought quickly and then ran towards the international gates, hoping and praying to God he wasn’t too late to see her off. What he would say or do were still up in the air, but he wanted to at least see her, just once more.

TOP walked quickly past several onlookers but he kept looking. He peered through a few groups of people before he saw a flight listing. He looked for an American flight and then felt his heart tug as someone walked past him.

He turned and felt the world stop around him as Rania walked by. She looked good, refreshed, but also a bit lonely. He knew, if he let her walk away without seeing him, she would forget him and positively never return to him. As she fell away from sight, he took stiff steps and followed her at a distance. He couldn’t see her but the idea that they walked in the same direction brought him light comfort.

When he stopped at the gate, he couldn’t even tell where she had gone through, which frustrated him a bit. He felt numb and sad, the wave of regret and heartbreak screamed through him.

She was gone.

 

His heart hurt… and there was nothing… he… could do.

 

TOP closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. He’ll be normal again, he just needed a few seconds to collect himself and the pieces of his broken heart. He could do it, or so he told himself.

Just do and don’t think.

Breathe and try not to dream.

 

…

…

…

 

“Hey,” came from behind him, “are you following me?”

TOP turned and saw that Rania stood behind him. She wore a white dress that looked angelic on her. Her long black hair was tied up, as usual, and her large sunglasses covered what he knew were beautiful milk chocolate eyes. Her legs looked tanner from her travels and he wondered if she had sunbathed or gone to a tanning salon. When he didn’t answer, Rania pulled off her sunglasses and looked him over with the same investigating gaze he had for her. It wasn’t easy seeing him looking so good.

Rania heard the boarding call for the gate and then snapped out of it. “Are you following me?” she asked again, cocking her head to the right.

TOP swallowed and barely managed to breathe, “No.”

Rania smiled and nodded, “Okay.” She walked towards him and then side stepped him. “So, it WAS all a dream,” she whispered.

TOP felt her walk past him and then he turned, took two steps, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, effectively stopping her. “Then let me still dream,” he pleaded so that only she could hear.

Rania bit her bottom lip and the placed her hand over his arms. The physical contact was enough to break down the wall that she had so securely built enabling her to survive the days without seeing him. She’d left her phone out so that her friends could do what she couldn’t bear to do herself. And when they finished, she was ready to face the future away from the dream-like world she had felt so secure and happy in. But his touch broke that all away and left her with his familiar scent and his warmth.

“Will you wait for me?” she asked suddenly.

TOP swallowed, “Maybe.”

Rania turned in his arms and, holding onto the sides of his jacket, she lifted her chin and placed a gentle kiss on TOP’s lips. He didn’t attempt to respond, afraid of where it would lead them. And though she pulled away after the kiss, he didn’t let her out of his embrace.

“A few more seconds,” he whispered, his eyes searching her face.

Rania sighed and reached up to touch his face. “I’ll see you in my dreams,” she whispered and then covered his eyes. “Close your eyes.” TOP obeyed and let his arms drop.  Rania smiled and took a step back from him, “I love you, Seunghyun-Oppa,” she whispered and walked away, unable to look back. And when TOP opened his eyes, she was gone.

 

=== the end? ===

 

*** I hope you enjoyed this story. There is a END SPECIAL as the next chapter. Version B will be marked Mature. Version A will be clean. Please send me suggestions, thoughts, comments, and etc.! Let me know how I'm doing!! ***