OCTOBER 2025

Dara’s POV

The air is getting colder and colder as the last leaves from the trees are slowly falling with every blow of the freezing air. I walked faster to where my feet always takes me no matter how I say that this will be the last one. I walk inside the building and look for him. I already know my way… even blindfolded I can make my way to him… it is like my heart tied itself to his.

“Hi!... again.. I hope you will not be fed up with me always coming here…”

FLASHBACK

JUNE 2017

It was just a week when he was released from enlistment, but was shocked and devastated by the news that Im Yoona have already tied the knot with Lee Sungi. He called me if I want to accompany him and drink outside. I was worried because I know that he doesn’t drink at all. I said yes thinking that he doesn’t want to burden his group mate and Eunhyuk is still enlisted.

I volunteer to pick him up to a park where we always meet up to talk about our stressful life. He was wearing his disguise… even if he try to cover his whole body my heart stills know where to find him in a crowd, I stupidly tied my heart to my best friend.

He was sitting in one of the park bench so gloomy. That’s why I tried to cheer him up:

“Fishy… are you out of water that you decided to drink today huh?” I said poking his cheeks.

“Neh… I need all this pain to go away… kekeke.. let’s go!” he said smilling but never reaching his eyes.

“Yah! Why are you in a hurry? Do we have shortage of soju that I haven’t heard about… huh?” I said feigning innocence. But he really not seems to be in the mood to be joking.

I wanted to drink somewhere private that is why he said that we can use his private apartment. He bought 12 bottles of soju while I bought our anju. We immediately went in his apartment and settled ourselves in the living area sitting on the floor our back on the sofa. He grabe a bottle of soju and drink straight from the bottlle. I tried to stop him and persuade him to eat first but he was so adamant on drowning himself, his misery with soju.

I let him drink his heart out and decided to stop drinking with him and just stay at his side and listen to whatever his problems are, again acting like sponge… absorving all his pain… as his pain was mine too. He was about in his third bottle of soju when he began speaking:

“Gomawo… Mianhe… I know I look stupid and pathetic right now but… but I just can’t…” he said slurring, “I loved her… but she just moved on like I was just nothing to her” clearly the alcohol have affected his system now for he is crying shamelessly like a five year old being left by his mom.

He loves Yoona that much. He composed so many songs for her and their painful separation. I was there watching him drown himself with depression, loving him even with his broken wings. I even begged for him… I begged Yoona to take him back even though I am hurting myself too; that is how much I love him. But he was blinded by his love for her… For him I