Word Count: 841

It took you eleven years to find the love of your life. Eleven years of terrible dates, heartbreak and the lingering feeling of something’s missing. At the age of thirty-one, you found the man of your dreams and his name? Kim Seokjin.

Nobody could ever compare to him, but it took you a long time to fully trust him. Too much pain had been inflicted on your heart over the years to give your everything to someone, but that never stopped him from trying harder. His gestures went from small, yet well thought out, to big and romantic. From white roses on Valentine’s Day to a key to his apartment on Christmas. And now here you were, four years later.

The two of you took a stroll through the park on a cold wintry evening. You had already been out to celebrate his birthday over dinner and Seokjin wanted to take the scenic route back home. The snow was falling and painted the dull landscape a glistening white as he linked his arm with yours.

You couldn’t help but think about all the time you had spent together leading up to this very moment as you took in his beauty which was illuminated by a lamppost.

The image of him running after his dog in the park came to mind, when you thought about how the two of you had met. The scent of the cup of coffee he had treated you to, after you had helped him catch his pup, danced around your nose, when you thought about your first date. You felt the touch of his luscious lips on yours, when the two of you bought your very own home, and you remember the tears of joy when you told him about your pregnancy.

Eventually, you noticed muffled noises and Seokjin waving his hand in front of your face as you were brought back into reality by his dazzling smile. You had been walking for a while and were now standing in front of a fountain, staring at the beautiful statue of two lovers in a deep embrace and felt nothing but pure happiness.

Seokjin took your hand in his and kneeled before you as he pulled out a small box and revealed a beautiful diamond ring. Tears were running down your cheeks as you slowly nodded your head, before he stood back up and lovingly pulled you into his arms. The two of you were glowing and the lampposts were shining on your figures, as if the stage was all yours.

A snowflake landed on the tip of your nose and then suddenly, the picture faded to black.

—

You opened your eyes and realised that moment had passed a long time ago. Today it was his birthday, but Seokjin had passed away from heart failure five years prior, and you were sitting on a bench in front of the exact same fountain he had proposed to you fifty-five years ago. Your skin has gotten wrinkly and your hair turned grey, but your feelings toward him were the one thing that would never change.

You were simply tired as you looked at the two lovers. Emptiness overtook your heart ever since Seokjin took his final breath and all you wanted was to meet him one last time. You wrapped your hands around the lukewarm cup of coffee before taking a long sip and suddenly, there he was. The young man you had fallen in love with, encompassed be a golden glow and a set of large white wings.

“Seokjin…” you whispered and tears started welling up in your eyes, as he slowly stepped towards you with his gorgeous smile and an outstretched hand. You knew what he came for and you wanted nothing more than to be freed from your pain.

Once you stood up, his crooked fingers touched your hand and your life together flashed before your eyes.

The beautiful wedding and the birth of your son. His first steps and his first day of school. The birth of your daughter and her first words. The family vacations and your children leaving for university. Their weddings and the birth of your five beautiful grandchildren. The countless times you had been sitting with Seokjin on your front porch and lastly, the moment he closed his eyes forever.

You were ready to be reunited with him once again and simply let go of all your worries and sorrow. He took you into his arms and wrapped his wings tightly around you as your body got cold, so socold. For the first time in five years your heart started beating again for just a second, before it stopped completely.

You were found in the early morning hours lying on the cold hard ground, one hand clasping your chest, a blissful smile resting on your face and an imprint of wings in the snow behind you.

It took you eleven years to find the love of your life, fifty to lose him and five more to spend all eternity together.