[EPILOGUE]

"A Truly Happily Ever After"

How many Spring has it been and how many Spring have already gone by? Every Spring that passes by always feel the same. There’s always a mix-feeling between happy and loneliness whenever this time of the year comes around. Hakyeon usually counts up to the years he’s been working as a teacher in the Gwangju High School section but as time flew by, he started to count all the new faces he got to meet and the old ones where he would have to say goodbyes to.

This time was also the same but there were a few faces in particular, that he didn’t want to say those ‘goodbyes’ to.

“Mr. Cha!” a few students came running up to him as he dazed around in the hallways and reminiscing the good times that has gone by.

“You guys, no running in the hallways,” Hakyeon joked.

“Aw~ we’ve already graduated today. Let us off the hook just one last time, please?” his students played along adorably to his jokes.

“I’ll think about it,” he couldn’t help but smile.

“We’re really going to miss you, Mr. Cha,” one of them started to break down into tears just saying her farewell.

“Yeah, me too,” another said and comforted her friend.

“I will too. Remember to come back and visit from time to time, okay?” Hakyeon said and comforted the students that gathered around him.

“We will!”

Today was the day where his third-year students were finally graduating and after the ceremony, the students roamed around the school freely to say their final goodbyes to both their teachers and their friends. Some would reunite in Gwangju but there were many that would also choose a different path. Many tears were shed on this happy day, but they were all tears that expressed how they felt on this special day. Despite having to experience this every year, Hakyeon can never stop that feeling of loneliness, lingering within him.

He walked down the hallway, greeting both his former students and their parents. Just as he did, someone else caught his attention from the courtyard, two floors down. It was Hongbin.

He’s completely surrounded like always… he noticed the usual group of students both boys and girls, surrounding the handsome boy. Just like Hongbin wanted, he spent his three years in high school as Hakyeon’s student.

Hakyeon still remembers how taken back he was when he first met the young boy from the Elementary sector who suddenly came up to him one day and confessed out of the blue.

“Please marry me,” the boy said.

Hakyeon thought it was cute at first and didn’t treat the boy seriously and the boy continued to sneak through the yards from one sector to the next despite getting caught several times in the process. But eventually, Hakyeon realized that Hongbin was serious about his confession. So, he had to turn down the boy with countless excuses while trying not to hurt the younger’s feelings.

But all of his efforts didn’t work out. Hongbin was still persistent as ever.

“I told you I’d get in,” Hongbin said in a cheeky tone right on the first day of his class with Hakyeon as his new homeroom teacher.

Since then, Hongbin would follow Hakyeon around even though he had many friends around his age who looked up to him. For example, every Valentine’s Day, both Hongbin and Hakyeon would receive a lot of chocolates from the female students. But Hongbin didn’t care one bit for the chocolates he receive and instead, he decided to give chocolates he made to Hakyeon. Hakyeon knew he should’ve declined those chocolates when he got them, but he couldn’t bring himself to do something so… cruel. Even now, the boxes of chocolates and the gifts that he received from Hongbin still lies on his shelf at home.

Three years went by in a flash and Hongbin has finally graduated. Strangely enough, rather then rejoicing and feeling happy for the younger, Hakyeon feel sad instead because Hongbin no longer has a reason to cling onto Hakyeon nor will he get the chances to do so.

“Look at you, Lee Hongbin. Surrounded by girls even on your last day,” Hakyeon said as he continued to watch on the second floor.

And now you don’t even care about m-

Hongbin looked up immediately and saw Hakyeon watching him. Without a word or even trying to make his way to Hakyeon, the younger gave Hakyeon a smile instead.

Thump.

What is he- nevermind. Forget about it. He’s already graduated, so I won’t have to see him… anymore…

He found his thoughts dropping gradually just thinking about it. He left his spot and stopped watching the younger, hoping that he could think of something else instead. The day eventually ended without saying goodbye to Hongbin at all. The younger never showed up in front of Hakyeon even on the last day of his graduation and if Hakyeon said he wasn’t anticipating something, that would have been a lie.

That heartless, cheeky Kong! He grumbled all the way back to his neighborhood up at the hills of Gwangju after a staff party with the other teachers.

Hakyeon found himself wavering a bit as he walked through the streets since he might’ve drunk a little too much at the party.

It’s all his fault! Hakyeon couldn’t help but think.

Through his little stroll home, he found himself stumbling into a detour and ended up somewhere he didn’t expect to go at all. The old, forgotten back streets of the neighborhood. It felt strange for him to have come here and he didn’t understand what brought him in this eerie little place in the first place. Hakyeon didn’t feel good about the strange, unexplainable atmosphere he got from the area and decided to turn around. But just as he did, an obnoxious yet familiar noise could be heard.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

Hakyeon have always been strangely attached to that noise even when he was at school. On the second floor and in one of the science lab classrooms, there was the exact same noise there. But it wasn’t just that but every time he heard the chimes of the tin-cans, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of nostalgia hitting him from within. So, he decided to follow these sounds as well.

As he approached the sound, he found himself standing in front of a vacant old building at the corner of the street. Everything was barricaded with wooden panels and he could see cobwebs from around the window frames. He peaked through the cracks of the windows to see if he could catch a glimpse of what’s inside but it was completely pitch-black due to the night sky.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

Again. That sound… but where was it coming from?

Hakyeon looked around and saw nothing at all but rather, something else caught his attention. Right across the building was a giant weeping cherry blossom tree that has already bloomed fully. It was an amazing sight and Hakyeon found himself admiring it from afar as he stood there from across the street. Though it was already night and most of the lights were already out, the petals of the tree looked as if it was illuminating on its own.

A strong yet gentle breeze then brushed through and the petals started to scatter across the air.

“It looks like snow…” Hakyeon reached out to catch one of the petals and watching it to see if it would melt like snow as it landed on his palms.

As he looked at the single petal, he felt a tingle of happiness that eventually made him smile.

“You’re not crying anymore,” someone suddenly came out from behind, followed by the sounds of the tin cans.

Hakyeon turned around immediately and jolt a bit as he saw who it was.

“Hongbin?”

Hongbin came out from the vacant building and caught him by surprise.

“What are you doing here? In there?” Hakyeon asked in confusion.

“I should be asking you the same thing,” Hongbin said.

“It’s just a coincidence.”

Hongbin leaned in, causing Hakyeon to feel rather nervous for some reason. There was almost no distance between the two of them and Hakyeon could feel his heart racing rapidly in response.

“You were drinking?” the younger took a little sniff.

“I was at a party with the other teachers.”

“Oh?” Hongbin seems as if he was silently judging the older without saying another word.

“W-what?” the older stuttered.

“Nothing,” Hongbin chuckled a bit, obviously trying to tease Hakyeon like usual which the older finally noticed.

“And where were you after the ceremony? You shouldn’t be staying out so late at night,” Hakyeon said in his usual teacher’s voice.

“You know, you’re not my teacher anymore,” Hongbin reminded him.

“R-right,” Hakyeon felt defeated once more. “By the way, what do you mean by I’m not crying anymore? When did I ever cry?”

Hakyeon tries to recall but he doesn’t remember ever crying, especially in front of the younger. Hongbin looked at Hakyeon and suddenly caressed the older’s face.

“Because as far as I can remember, you’ve always been crying,” Hongbin’s voice grew low and gentle at the same time. There was a bit of sadness in the younger’s eyes as he said those words. It looked as if he was the one who was going to cry instead. Hakyeon has never seen this side of Hongbin before.

He found his heart racing faster and craving for Hongbin’s touch even more.

“No matter what time or what world we’re from, even if our memories get reset, I believe that I’ll always continue to love you.”

Huh? W-who?  It sounded almost like… Hongbin but when have the younger ever said such things to him?

“What’s wrong?” Hongbin caressed the older’s cheeks to comfort him. Hakyeon looked at him quietly and didn’t say a word which began to worry him. “Hakyeon?”

“I promise you, that no matter what, even death will not be able to part us.”

Again, Hakyeon heard it. The words that continues to pop up in his head but the younger simply looking at him without a word. Except, he found himself touched by just having the younger stand in front of him and looking at him so earnestly…

The silence wasn’t awkward between the two of them and with the petals that fluttered around them, the two stood there in peace. Hongbin looked straight into Hakyeon’s glistening eyes which couldn’t have been more perfect.

“I finally caught up to you,” Hongbin said as he measured his height to Hakyeon’s.

Ah, he’s right, Hakyeon just noticed as well as he finally met Hongbin eye-to-eye. It wasn’t too long ago when the younger was still a child and always chasing after him to propose. Hakyeon found himself unable to look away from the younger’s enchanting gaze. Just remembering and looking at Hongbin made him feel nostalgic once more.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

Hongbin leaned in closer towards Hakyeon, tempted to kiss the older finally as he saw an opening, but he felt nervous deep down inside. He’s always been chasing after the older but now, he felt a little scared to close the final distance they had between them. He didn’t want Hakyeon to hate him especially not after everything he’s down in order to get the older’s attention. Maybe he needs to give the older more time and space still…

He swallowed nervously but decided to back away before he accidentally makes the wrong move.

He let go of the older’s face finally and backed up slowly. As much as he craved for more, he knew he shouldn’t rush it anymore. He’s spent years, time and time again, chasing after the older. He could wait just a little more, can’t he?

Just as he let go, Hakyeon grabbed his hands back and nudged his cheeks against the palm of the younger’s hands.

“What are you so afraid of?” Hakyeon asked in a whispering melody.

“I-“ Hongbin was afraid of everything. He’s afraid of losing Hakyeon, again.

“What happened to the kid that kept sneaking into the High School sector just to confess to a man much older than he is? What happened to that confident Lee Hongbin who chased after me throughout all three years of his high school days? Where’s the Hongbin who proposed and vowed to me that no matter when or where we end up, that even if everything becomes reset again that you’ll continue to love me?” Hakyeon found himself tearing up as he repeated the younger’s exact words aloud.

“Hak…yeon-ah,” the younger found himself choking inside by the older’s gentle gestures.

“Where did the Hongbin who broke all the laws of fate just to help me find my ending? You took so many risks to get to me before, what are you so afraid of now that I’m finally standing in front of you?”

“Y-you remember…”

The older nodded and held onto Hongbin’s hands tightly without a hint of wanting to let go. The two of them could feel the other trembling nervously. Their feelings and their memories finally connected.

And ‘fate’ was right.

No matter what happens, even if their memories change or becomes unwritten, neither would ever forget because even in the distant future, they will always have one another.