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Seyeon was flipping the pancake on the pan when two rough hands wrap around her waist from behind. Her pink lip curled into a smile. The same smile which lit across her face on their first day together after marriage. Every day feels the same as long as he is by her side. She turns her head to the side and caught glimpse of her husband’s face.

“Honey, what are you making? I’m hungry,” Jongsuk said and gave his wife a peck on her cheek, “Pancake! You really know what I like the best.”

Jongsuk slowly grabs Seyeon’s hand, which is holding the pan, ready to flip the pancake together with her.

“1, 2, 3, flip,” Jongsuk said while Seyeon has her eyes only looking into her husband’s.

They smile as the pancake lands perfectly on the other side. Today, they’re going to head to the place they first meet at, McDonald’s. It may seem like a very weird place to fall in love at to others. However, to them, it’s a place full of love, blessings, which brings their two hearts together to become one.

Jongsuk looks at his wife, with eyes full of love. He just can’t let go of her. He wouldn’t let go of her. Even if he found someone who is similar to her, someone who behave like her, feels like her, think like her or look like her, he wouldn’t change the direction of his love. All he knows is, his love is for the right person.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The husband and wife stares at each other. Jongsuk stood up, heading for the door, while Seyeon removes her apron. Jongsuk opens the door, and there stood in front of him, his parent. The sign of ages that have seeps into them are showing through their wrinkles.

“How are you, son?”

That’s the first sentence which escaped from his dad’s lips, while his mum hugs him straightaway. Tears rolled down their sagging cheeks as they wondered how their son has been coping with the loss of his loved one. The loss of a loved one, which their son has prayed a million times, for it to never happen. Maybe more than a million times. However, God wants things to turn out the other way he wanted.

“Mum, dad, why are you crying, and why you’re here so early in the morning? Come in,” he invited them both.

The old couple slowly walks into their son’s messy home. The stink of the unwashed dishes in the sink begin to seep through their nose. Dust flying everywhere, as if this was an old abandoned home. The look on their son was haggard. It was as if he was a homeless guy living at the side road of a crowded slum.

“Sit down and wait while I bring Seyeon to you. She must be shy to see you,” Jongsuk said.

As he was walking to the kitchen, his dad grabs him by his hand and pulls him close. Tear has already formed a puddle in his eyes, ready to flow down on his old cheeks at any point of time. He knows that his son is out of his mind.

“Son, please. She’s gone now. She’s resting in peace. She… She’s not here already,” tears began to roll down on his dad’s cheeks.

 “Stop it Dad. She’s still here. We already planned to go McDonald’s today. She’s still here with me. She was just making pancake before you came,” Jongsuk pulls away his dad’s hand, “Who’s the one who told you that she’s dead. Who did it? I’ll make sure to kill him!”

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“Honey, let’s head to the McDonald’s later to grab a BigMac for each of us,” Seyeon hugged her husband from behind.

Jongsuk nodded his heads and stood up from the studying table. He holds her in his arm, while looking at her in the eyes. I’m so lucky to marry you, his heart said and his mind thought. She is a one in a million for him. Even if she is standing in a crowded place full of other ladies, the others will just be dark shadows while Seyeon is the rainbow to him.

“Honey, can I ask you something?” Seyeon said and Jongsuk smiles, hinting at her to ask it, “If I’m gone, will you fall in love again with another person? Will you forget about me?”

Jongsuk looks at his wife with a disturbed look on his face. He can’t believe what his wife has said. Fall in love again with another person? Forget about Seyeon? Seyeon, gone? Her words ran through his mind although the answer is already obvious. None of that will happen.

All he knows is he will fall in love with the same person again, Seyeon. All he knows is he will never forget about her, he can’t forget about her. All he know, if she’s gone, he’ll be gone too. How can he live a day without her. A day? Even a millisecond without her will be a torture greater than Hell itself.

He kissed his wife on her forehead, and hugs her tight, “None of that will happen. Will never let that happen. Now, get ready and let’s head out for McDonald’s, the BigMac are waiting for us, honey.”

A few minutes later, they head out. The couple walks side by side, holding hands. At the traffic light, waiting for the green man to light up, they talk to each other on what they will have at the McDonald’s.

Screech!

The sound pierced through their ears, and a blinding light shone at their eyes as the couple feels the impact of a van hitting both of them from the side Seyeon was standing. The pain was as if God has trampled on them as the sound of crushing bones emitted from their body. Blood trickled down all over them.

Lying on the ground, Jongsuk turned his head to look at his wife beside him. The body of his wife was motionless and her head turned to him. Thick red liquid flows out of her nose. He tried to get up but his lower body was numbed. He slowly dragged himself towards her. He carried his wife’s head and put it on his lap. Tears mixed with blood began flowing down his rough cheeks as he began crying.

“No, no. God save her. Please, I can’t live without her!”

“Son, I’m sorry to brought up this painful memory upon yourself so you will accept the facts of what had happened,” his dad’s voice rang through his ear.

Jongsuk began to sob uncontrollably. She’s gone. Yes, she’s gone. He had tried to deny it a lot, imagining and acting as if she was still by his side, always. Seyeon have now turned into a beautiful memory which he wouldn’t change. His promise? Not falling in love with someone else and not forgetting her, is not one which is only made through his mind and lips, but one which is made through his heart.

He looks at Seyeon in the photo again as he sits his weak, old body on the rocking chair. He smiles.

“God have made me my last love, but now you’re gone. However, I know, wherever you are, you will still love me like I love you. Even if death sets us apart, our love will still continue to bloom like the first time. I know you’re waiting for me in Heaven, right? Promise me, you will.”

As he said those words his heart spoke and closed his wrinkled eyes, a translucent soul is looking at him with a smile on her face, and a drop of tears rolling down on her cheek.

His soul flew out of his lifeless old body towards her. With his teary eyes, Jongsuk looks at Seyeon the same way as he looks at her on the day of their marriage. The face he missed so much when he was living without her. His heart that was aching began to heal. They may be dead, but their love will live on. The husband and wife hold hands and head on a journey to Heaven, where love will forever be theirs.

THE END