6.

Cause you never think that the last time is the last time. You think there will be more. You think you have forever, but you don’t.

If she knew they would end a week from now, she’d have told her mother to get a new machine so she can make him the apple chips that he liked so much. Or she would have forgiven him right away for losing the scarf that she made him, instead of wasting her time sulking over it when she could’ve easily made another one.

If she knew their end was so near, she would’ve checked the checklist they had on the fridge and made time to do all of them, so she could lessen her regrets even just a few. If she knew… she would’ve made effort to show him how important he had become as a part of her life.

In the beginning, she thought she had all the time she needed to fulfill and experience the things she thought she lacked and the reason why she had joined the program, to begin with. She thought even a year would be more than enough and time would push as low as it could. But it wasn’t the case and now she felt as if it was just a breeze that passed by. 

She hadn’t thought how it would end—how they would end.

There is that hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach as she stared at the pictures scattered on the floor unable to bring herself to gather them. “It’s the end…” she whispers. How do I say goodbye?

She hadn’t thought she would fall in love in the process. She hadn’t thought there would be an end. But now that it's in front of her, she feels like suddenly the road that she is walking on is now only a few steps away from ending, just a few steps and the string that connected her and Yonghwa would break and that was it. She would have to go back to her world, pretending Yonghwa never existed in the first place. 

7. 

He stared at her knowing with certainty that he was in love. 

Perhaps he has known this the moment he saw her this morning with her radiant smile when she greeted him shyly and said Happy Birthday. In reality, he should’ve been the one to say it first, but his circumstances didn’t allow it. He realized then how clueless he was when it came to things like love because he was supposed to be the one guiding her. He had more experience after all.

There were so many things he wanted to tell her all day but not one makes it through the tip of his tongue. They were surrounded by so many people and cameras watching their every move that he couldn’t bring himself to say the words that were only meant for the two of them. Fortunately, in the end, they were given a short moment to have their own little privacy between them.

The sky was dark by this time, but as he silently and secretly looked at her focused on her fishing rod while fiddling with it, he could tell that she was also thinking about something serious. 

“Hey… Do you have something to say?”

“Huh?” She turned and gave him a glance. 

He smiled. “You’re too quiet. How was today?”

“It was great. I’m really thankful that you prepared so much for today! I didn't expect to receive so much. Thank you.”

“Hey, you prepared so much too. The song, the ring, and especially the book!” he cheered. He thought she looked even more adorable, sulking. “What you prepared were all more than enough, trust me. Thank you, Hyun.”

“Thank you, too, oppa, for thinking like that.”

“Hey, Seohyun-ssi, you’re too