---

 

Warning: this is kind of bittersweet. 

After all of the cheesy/cliche moments from the previous chapters, I decided to switch things up a bit with a more toned down oneshot. Personally, I write the sad/angsty stories better, I think. Don't worry, none of this relates with your writer though, guys :D. It probably comes from how broken Moon Lovers made me feel. 

Happy reading!

 

---

 

"You're...leaving again?" Tears began to well up, even as she forces them down.

 

But we just met again.

 

She looks back and forth between his eyes, and gripped the sleeve of his uniform tightly as if it would prevent him from going.

 

"You know that I'll come back. I'll always come back to you."

 

 

-20 years ago-

 

"Ha Jin-ah!" Her mom called from downstairs.

Little Ha Jin padded down the stairs as fast as her short legs could carry her.

"Yes, Omma?"

When she turns around and sees her daughter's face full of makeup, she laughs.

"Honey, what have you been doing?"

"I want to look as pretty as those unnies on TV." Ha Jin smiles widely, proudly pointing to her face.

"And where exactly did you get the makeup?" Her mom looks down at her questionably, teasing.

Ha Jin shuffles her feet and looks down at the wooden floor.

Suddenly lifting her head, she says proudly with a smile, "Oh....I got this from...A FAIRY!"

Laughter erupts in the small kitchen.

"Oh, really now? What did the fairy tell you?" Go Hye Lin asks, playing along with her daughter's see-through lie.

"That I'll become a great makeup artist one day!"

"I'm sure you will." Ruffling Ha Jin's hair fondly, Hye Lin goes back to cooking.

"Oh, I called you down here to tell you that tonight, Appa is taking us to meet his friend's family."

"Where are we going?" Ha Jin tilts her head to one side curiously.

"An observatory."

At that, Ha Jin's eyes twinkle. She always wanted to go to one, but never got the chance because her dad was always busy.

Imagining how the stars would look that night, she doesn't hear her mom's voice, only catching the end of her dialogue.

"I want you to be on your best behavior ok? The Wangs are very influential and this could be a great opportunity for your dad."

Despite not understanding most of what her mother was saying, Ha Jin nods her head, agreeing to act accordingly.

"They have a son about 4 years older than you that you can play with when the grown ups are talking."

"So...I should call him oppa?"

Her mom nods.

"Let's see—Ha Jin raises her small hands up—if I'm six, then oppa is—she counts on her fingers one by one—10! Oppa is 10. Right mom?"

"Very smart, honey. That's right."

"Oppa is old." Little Ha Jin crinkles her nose.

Giggling, Hye Lin looks upon her daughter dotingly, who at the moment was recounting on her fingers to make sure her possible friend would not be that "old."

 

~~~

 

Face plastered to the car's window, Ha Jin watches as cars speed past right next to her. Millions of lights in the distance become blurry when she squints her eyes, willing them to become distorted.

The ride there wasn't long, but excitement made Ha Jin impatient.

As soon as her dad's car pulls up to the curb, she makes a dead run to the observatory's entrance without waiting for her parents.

Of course, she didn't know where to go so she stood in the middle of the lobby as adults three times her size moved back and forth.

By escaping to the side, Ha Jin barely avoids being knocked over.

When her parents eventually catch up, she gets a good scolding for potentially getting lost.

Her mom even held onto her hand to keep her from running away.

That didn't stop Ha Jin from pulling her mom with her, though.

"Honey, slow down," Hye Lin laughs as her daughter drags her along.

 

~~~

 

Hye Lin had given up on following Ha Jin around, promising that if she didn't stray too far, she was allowed to go anywhere she wanted.

So, that was exactly what Ha Jin did.

The whole area was beautiful. The domed top was made of glass, showing the shimmering stars among the night sky, and the steps leading to the upper observation decks were pristine marble.

Although Ha Jin wanted to go to the upper floors, she knew her mom wouldn't like it if she did.

As she wanders around, head held way back to look through the glass ceiling, she bumps into someone without noticing.

"Oof.." Looking up, she sees an older boy with brown eyes and hair, a couple inches taller than her.

"Ouch!" Ha Jin says as she puts a palm to her forehead.

"You bumped into me first," says the boy she didn't know the name of.

Embarrassed, she slowly puts her hand down and avoids his gaze.

He lowers his head down to look at her. "Aren't you going to apologize?"

Ha Jin bites her tongue and half-heartedly apologizes with her head bowed 1° instead of the proper 90°.

"Sorry."

An award silence settles between them.

She doesn't move, and neither does he, until her parents come looking for her.

"Ha Jin! We've been looking all over for you!"

“Sorry, Omma.”

"I told you not to wander too far."

"But I didn't, Appa."

Her father's attention was preoccupied with something else at the moment, not hearing his daughter's excuse.

"Oh! So-ah. You're here already!"

Ha Jin looked between her smiling parents and the older boy, bewildered.

"Who's So?" She asks, tugging on her mom's sleeve.

"The oppa we talked about Ha Jin," her mom whispers quietly.

Her eyes widen in recognition.

So this was the 10-year old oppa.

"Ah So—her dad gestures—this is Ha Jin, my daughter."

Her dad nudges her with his elbow, giving her the "introduce yourself" look.

Right as she opens to speak, So says, "It's alright, Ahjussi. We've already met."

"Oh? In school, perhaps?" Her dad inquires.

So shakes his head while laughing.

Her parents look at each other confused, conversing silently with their eyes.

In the midst of all the chaos, Ha Jin was thinking about how she might actually have an older friend to look out for her now and how nice his laugh was.

 

~~~

 

"Oppaaaaa!" Little Ha Jin scrambles after Wang So, but her small steps were no match for his long strides.

"Stop following me!" He shouts without turning around or stopping.

Her long dress wasn't helping her case. Sighing, Ha Jin bunches the fabric in her hand to keep her from tripping.

Why'd you make me wear this Omma?

"Can you slow down?" The more she pleaded, the faster So walked.

She sees him rounding a corner as he goes upstairs and runs after, only to trip on the edge of a step and falls.

Being the small kid that she was, and from the impact of her fall, she begins to cry.

Her hands and knees were scraped. Ha Jin looks down at them, which only effectively sprouted more tears as she registered how much it hurt.

Tears were blurring her vision and she couldn't see that So had come rushing back.

He crouches down in front of her and grabs her face with both of his hands.

"Are you ok?!" From the tone of his voice, worried would be an understatement. His eyes were wide with guilt and pity.

"All I wanted was someone to play with," she chokes out while hiccuping.

Angry, Ha Jin turns away, refusing to look in his direction.

He sighs.

She feels her hands being turned over, and realizes that he was checking for injuries.

While he was focused on looking her over, she looks at him.

Why was he like this? He was both mean and nice to her; she couldn’t figure him out.

When So looks up, she looks away.

"I'm sorry," he says sincerely—she knew he meant it.

"It's ok." Although she whispered, Ha Jin was sure that So had heard her clearly.

And it was the truth. She doesn't know why she can't stay mad at him when he smiles like that; happy that she wasn't too upset with the way he acted.

Wiping her tears away with her tiny hands, she tries to get up. But with the dress and her hurt knees, it was a much more difficult task than it was originally thought out to be.

"Ouch." Ha Jin mutters under her breath.

She hears So chuckle, but immediately stops when she glares at him.

So turns around so his back was facing her.

"Get on."

"What?"

"Get on my back. I'll carry you."

She cautiously gets on his back, afraid that he would throw her off as a prank.

He lifts her up easily almost as if she weighed nothing.

She clings onto his neck tightly as he makes a dead run for the upmost deck where their parents were.

Her laughter mixes with his as they fly down the halls, the pain in her scraped hands and knees long forgotten, along with the resentment.

She didn't mind the weird looks people were throwing their way, and Ha Jin was completely sure So didn't either.

 

~~~

 

Her parents—of course—automatically went into frenzy when they saw her injuries; minor as they were.

When So was about to speak up and apologize, Ha Jin spoke up first and put the blame on herself for being careless.

So's parents were there as well. Under their scrutiny, Ha Jin suddenly feels self-conscious and taps So's back, telling him to put her down.

But, he doesn't.

She concluded that So's dad—appearance and personality-wise—was better than his mom, who kept throwing evil glances her way.

At least his dad was willing to talk to her, and didn't look down on her family with scorn as his wife did.

The matter was soon brushed aside, and their parents went to the other side of the deck to talk about business, most likely.

Soon, the night passed as they gazed up at the stars, with So piggybacking her the whole time.

She realized she quite liked his company even though they didn't talk as much. Ha Jin learns that they have similar interests—like stars—despite the .

"Look Ha Jin-ah! It's a shooting star. Make your wish before it's too late."

So proceeds to close his eyes and she follows suit.

I wish that we could become even better friends in the future.

She opens her eyes, but sees that his are still closed. His hair was blowing into his face and she smiles to herself. Being nice suited him better, she decided.

When he finally opens his eyes, Ha Jin hoped he didn't notice she was staring.

"What'd you wish for?"

"I'm not telling you. It's a secret." So smiles widely up at her with a hint of mischievousness.

She scoffs and he chuckles at the expression on her face.

Looking at him laughing, Ha Jin feels something fluttering in her stomach that she couldn't quite explain.

Even if her mom couldn't hear her from this side of the deck, Ha Jin tries to send her mom the one question she didn’t have an answer to.

Omma, I'm not hungry and it's not pain, so what can it be?

 

---

 

-10 years ago-

 

Beep. Beep.

Sleepily, Ha Jin feels around for her cellphone. Unfortunately, it was lost somewhere in her massive duvet blanket.

Frustratingly sitting up, she turns on her bedside lamp and finally finds that her phone was on the nightstand all along.

Picking up her phone, she was too tired to register the name.

"What?" Ha Jin grumbles, groggily while falling back on her bed face down.

A chuckle is heard on the other line.

Wait, that voice sounds familiar.

"Ya! Is that any way to speak to me? It's time to wake up!"

If Ha Jin wasn't awake before, she surely was now.

Quickly yanking the phone away from her ear, she sees that it was So <3 calling, a name she inputed without his knowledge.

"Oh my god. I'm sorry oppa. I didn't realize it was you."

"Gee thanks," So says sarcastically. "You'd think after 10 years of being best friends, you could easily recognize my voice."

Ha Jin giggles, still sleepy.

"But really, what is it? I want to go back to sleep."

"Aish. This girl. You're not even sleeping beauty."

"I'm still listening, you know." Ha Jin smiles at his teasing.

"I know. That's why I said it."

Silence.

"Ok, ok. Don't you know what today is?"

Her brain was still cloudy from waking up and she couldn't think straight. Racking her brain, Ha Jin still couldn't remember.

"You forgot, didn't you?" So could be heard audibly sighing.

Was it his birthday? Her birthday?

Wait, she wouldn't forget her own birthday. Plus, he wouldn't be so mad if she forgot her own rather than if it was his.

"Call me back when you figure it out."

He didn't sound mad though, so she was sure it wasn't important. At least, she was hoping for that much.

"I'm hanging up now."

"Wai-" Ha Jin calls out, but the line had already cut off.

She rolls around in bed trying to wake up, but it was useless as she still had no clue what So was talking about.

Suddenly springing up from bed and flinging off the covers, Ha Jin remembers that she writes everything down on her calendar.

Scrambling to find the calendar on her messy table proved to be easier than she thought.

Flipping to the current month, Ha Jin quickly scans over each square box. There, on today's date was a note she had written to herself.

Rapping on her own head a few times to serve as a reprimanding, Ha Jin checks again to make sure her half-awake brain wasn't playing tricks on her.

How could she let herself forget a day as important as this?

She was a bad friend.

 

~~~

 

Ha Jin paces back and forth, deciding whether this was a great idea or if it would backfire.

Hand held in mid-air, she prepares to knock on the door, but drops it and paces again.

Aish.

Sitting down on the front steps, Ha Jin berates herself in her head.

She's never forgotten in the past nine years, yet here she was—messing up big time.

No excuses would be able to cover for her since So was much busier and he didn't forget—not once in the past ten years they've known each other.

Today marked the first time they met at the observatory years ago.

For other best friends, a simple sorry would've most likely sufficed—along with multiple gifts—but to her, it was different. Guilty couldn't compare to how bad she felt.

Reason being, she liked him. It was as simple as that—at least, to her it was.

So was oblivious to the way she felt towards him. There was no indication of her feelings being reciprocated because he was always steadfast with his actions—albeit friendly ones.

He treated her like a younger sister most of the time, to her dismay. All of the hugs, head pats, and piggyback rides only added to her confusion and a slowly breaking heart.

Even though it was in his caring nature to look after her, it didn't help her heart; not one bit. That fickle thing would beat on its own without her consent.

As the years went by, Ha Jin's hope for them to be anything more than friends slowly dwindled. It was hard to try and convince her heart to not beat so fast when he smiled at her, but she was trying her best.

There have been times when she would catch him staring longer than what was considered a friendly glance. But when she turns her head, he had already looked away. That's when Ha Jin realizes that maybe it was all in her head; hoping for the day he would finally hear her heart and accept it.

Sighing, she stands up and brushes her dress off. Walking back up the steps again, she knocks on the door right away, leaving no room for the hesitation of backing out once more.

Once the door creaks open, she sees a very sleepy So still in his pajamas. Rubbing at his eyes, he squints at the person standing on his doorstep.

"Ha Jin?" His eyes widen, no longer sleepy. "What are you doing here?"

Without thinking it over, she launches herself at him and wraps her arms around his waist, face buried in his shirt. If it caught him by surprise, she wasn’t able to tell.

"I'm so sorry I forgot. Please forgive me. I've never before. Although it's no excus—"

He chuckles at her rambling and pulls her even closer, though she was already clinging onto him.

"Even if you forgot, I still love you though."

 

~~~

 

"You know I hate having to dress up!" So complains, pulling his red button up away from his body—struggling since he was wearing a thick coat as well.

Ha Jin wasn't complaining though. He looked good.

"I'm dressed up, so you have to be too." She points to the white dress she was wearing.

"We look like playing cards."

Scowling, Ha Jin says, "It's a special day. Can't you deal with it for a couple of hours?"

"Fine. If it's for you, I will." He walks on ahead as if nothing happened.

Meanwhile, she's left staring at his retreating back wondering how he expected girls—more specifically, her—to not fall at his feet when he says things like that.

"Wait up!" Ha Jin scrambles after in her heels, which was no easy task.

As she nears So—who was waiting—her heel gets caught in a crack in the road.

The heel breaks off, sending her tumbling forward.

Luckily, So manages to catch her and she ends up in his arms instead of on the ground.

"You're really high maintenance, you know?" He looked quite amused at her predicament.

If she weren’t so flustered with the position they were in, she would've given him a piece of her mind.

So steadies her back to a standing position, and crouches down at her feet.

"What are you doing?" Still balancing on the foot with a single heel, she stares down at him, wondering what on earth he was doing.

"Since your other heel is broken, you wouldn't be able to walk in it. Plus, mismatched pairs of shoes won't do."

He pulls down on her foot without the heel and places it on one of his black leather shoes so that she wouldn't have to be stepping on the cement with her bare feet.

His consideration always warmed her heart.

"I didn't think this through."

"What?"

"Here, just get on my back."

"We're doing this again?" Ha Jin had to pretend she wasn't ecstatic about the idea.

Fortunately, she managed to get on his back without tripping or causing either of them to fall over.

Once she was on his back, he reaches back to take off the one heel she still had left and throws it somewhere carelessly.

"Hey! I liked those." She pouted behind his head.

"I'll get you new ones."

She wraps her arms tighter around his neck as he walks away.

"Wake me up when we get there." Placing her chin on his shoulder, she closes her eyes.

He laughs, but continues to walk on through the cold.

Right before she drifts off to sleep, Ha Jin mumbles subconsciously. "This feels like a date."

"It can be whatever you want it to be."

What she doesn't hear though is, "Just for today, let's be more than friends."

 

~~~

 

Once So parks the car, he rushes over to her side and holds open her door. Before she could unbuckle her seatbelt, he does it for her.

She looks at him suspiciously. "What's with you today? You're nicer than usual."

"Aren't I always nice to you?"

Ha Jin doesn't reply because it was true.

Wordlessly, he takes her hand and pulls her along in the direction of the tower.

You're confusing my heart.

Once they arrive, the elevator takes them all the way up to the top.

The view was even more beautiful from this vantage point. The lights of Seoul glowed even more in the dark. She was standing above a sea of lights, underneath a myriad of stars above.

Now she knew exactly why So brought her here. It was no different than the observatory ten years ago.

Without her knowing, he locks a padlock onto the railing.

Standing next to each other, there was no need for words. They were both enjoying the view quietly, lost in their own thoughts.

Ha Jin was the first to speak up. "Standing up here...doesn't it make you feel like you can fly?"

"You're getting poetic on me now." He smiles.

"I want to go somewhere far away. There are so many other beautiful places in this world I want to see and experience."

At that, So becomes deadly silent.

When he doesn't speak for a long time, she glances over and sees his jaw clenched tensely. His eyes were no longer shining in their usual playful way.

"What's wrong?" Turning to him, she grabs his coat sleeve and shakes it back and forth.

"Huh? Tell me what's wrong, Oppa." He wouldn't look at her, and she's beginning to worry.

In an almost inaudible voice he says, "I have to leave tomorrow."

"Oh, when are you coming back?" Oblivious, Ha Jin's fears slowly go away.

"I'm...moving to America. My dad wants—needs—me to study abroad there."

Her chest constricts and she finds it hard to breathe.

"What?"

"I don't know when—if—I'll be back."

She drops her hand from his sleeve.

"You're just telling me this, now?" She couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice.

He takes a step closer, but she steps away.

"How long have you known?"

He doesn't reply.

"I'm your best friend. I deserved to know."

Now I'll never get the chance to tell you that I like you.

"I'm sorry. You weren't supposed to find out this way. Especially on a day as nice as this."

"Then how was I supposed to find out? When you had already left?"

So looks away.

Tears are streaming down her face as the wind picks up. It blows his nicely styled hair around, messing it up. Hers is flapping against her face, sticking there due to her tears.

The background didn't help lessen how much her heart was breaking.

"Don't you know how much I'll miss you?"

I don't want you to go.

So turns around, and pulls her against him, one hand behind her head to keep her still.

She was beating on his chest angrily but without much effort. After yelling and cursing at him, Ha Jin tires from thrashing around and the only sound on top of the high tower was her crying.

"I'll miss you even more than you'll miss me."

She says nothing, even if her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.

That's not possible.

He pulls away, and looks her right in the eye.

So was crying too.

Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulls a hairpin out of his pocket. Placing it in her hand, he says, "I know it's selfish to ask, but please don't forget me. If you still have this when I come back, I'll know that you still have a place for me in your heart."

How could I ever forget you?

With both hands, he reaches up to caress her face, wiping off any tears that fell.

"Remember that if someone loves you enough, they'll come back."

He steps in closer until their faces are inches apart.

"And I definitely love you enough."

As he leans down, she closes her eyes and a single tear rolls down her face.

Snow is falling down on them along with their goodbye.

First snow.

Behind her eyes and in her mind, Ha Jin makes an earnest wish while grasping the peony hairpin tightly in her hand.

I hope that his feelings won't change whenever we meet again. I know mine never will.

 

 

---

 

-Present: 5 years later-

 

"Ah, Woo Hee! I need your help. We're short on staff members." Ha Jin has been running around the store frantically all morning, trying to get things in order. This fundraiser for the international soldiers had to be perfect.

"Wow, we're very pressed for time." Currently Woo Hee was balancing two potted plants, some makeup products, and a backpack holding who knows what—all while wearing heels.

Needless to say, Ha Jin was impressed.

"Can't you drag Baek Ah here?"

Woo Hee laughs, putting the plants into place. "I would, but he's actually working too."

"Really?" Ha Jin asks, with utmost curiosity and surprise.

"Yeah. He's actually part of this fundraiser. The paintings are just a few of his works."

After Woo Hee had set everything down where they were supposed to go, Baek Ah comes bounding over, holding a painting.

"Woo Hee ah—he waves to Ha Jin—where did you want me to put this?"

It was a beautiful painting to say the least. A silhouette of a couple—a soldier and a girl—was painted against a starry night sky atop Namsan Tower.

Baek Ah quickly flips it around again, not expecting Ha Jin to have been looking.

Woo Hee—sensing the situation—waves him off.

"Ah...ok. I'll just hang it—Baek Ah points—over there." He walks away awkwardly.

The direction he pointed to was the bathroom, but Ha Jin paid no attention; mind somewhere far away.

"Ha Jin ah..." Woo Hee grabs her arm.

"Huh?"

Her friend looks at her, concerned.

"I know what you're going to say."

Woo Hee sighs. "If you miss him, why don't you just ask Baek Ah? They're brothers after all. Plus, according to Baek Ah, he should be able to make it today."

"I know. I just...don't want to burden the both of them."

"Why would you?"

"I...don't know. Maybe his feelings have changed."

"I doubt it—"

"It's been five years, Woo Hee."

"He waited for ten before. I don't think any amount of time will change his heart."

"What do you mea—" before she could finish, Woo Hee walks away, throwing a meaningful look over her shoulder.

She first met Woo Hee when she worked at this mall—in the cosmetics center. Of course, she slowly got to know Baek Ah as well. Woo Hee and him were a package deal—never one without the other, so it was inevitable.

Ha Jin had no prior knowledge that Baek Ah was related to So until he started mentioning his brother in America—the one who had given up his father's dreams of taking over the family company to serve the country instead.

There was no doubt that Baek Ah was proud of his brother—she was too.

Neither Woo Hee nor Baek Ah had the slightest idea about So and her until So started asking Baek Ah about a girl—specifically one named Ha Jin.

Of course, being on opposite sides of the world meant that they had lost contact. It was a pity, really. She missed his voice dearly since the day his plane took off.

Baek Ah had tried to get them to connect again, but it was her fault for dodging his attempts every time. Eventually, Baek Ah had given up.

Although he sometimes mentions his brother, it was no longer as consistent or heartfelt as before.

Ha Jin doesn't quite know what she's avoiding—not wanting to meet So and all, but then again, she does know.

Her mind and heart are at loggerheads. Her brain warns that it's not a good idea to get hurt again should he leave; soldiers have to eventually—even if it wasn’t by their own will. Her heart—on the other hand—tells her to take a risk and push her pride, as well as fears away.

Touching the peony hairpin she placed in her bun this morning, she desperately hopes that he'll make it today.

Because she would be lying to herself if she said she didn't think of him. There wasn't a day that's gone by where she hasn't imagined him by her side again.

 

~~~

 

"Welcome soldiers!" The majority of the mall's members saluted in sync—just as they had practiced.

Ha Jin stood by Woo Hee and Baek Ah as the CEO's speech went through her left ear and out her right.

Her eyes were busily scanning the crowd for So.

He was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, an elbow nudges her.

Turning her head, Woo Hee whispers, "You're still saluting."

Sheepishly, Ha Jin lowers her hand.

Thankfully, everyone was too focused on the speech to pay her any attention.

Only catching the ending, she claps along with everyone else as the CEO's final words reverberated out of the speakers above.

"Thank you for all that you've done for your countries and it's people. Without you, we wouldn't get to enjoy the freedom we have every day—the thing we cherish deeply yet take for granted unknowingly. I wish you all a safe trip to your destinations and may you all come back to your loved ones in due time."

The throngs of people disperse to enjoy the events as well as mingle with others.

Ha Jin slowly sneaks back to her counter, leaving Woo Hee and Baek Ah alone together.

Soldiers clapping each other on the back and meeting up again with their family put a smile on her face as she makes her way down the halls.

Ha Jin could've sworn she saw So in a corner of the room, but when she blinks, no one was there.

He didn't make it. Shaking her head, she walks on.

As she's cleaning up her counter, strong arms wrapped around her.

Startled, Ha Jin begins to move away, but the person only holds her closer.

"I missed you, Ha Jin-ah."

She lets go of the breath she didn't know she was holding as tears well up in her eyes.

Slowly turning around, she comes face to face with So, the one she's been dying to see.

Her eyes scan his uniform-clad body, his face, and then stops at the scar on his left eye. It wasn't a big one, but it was definitely noticeable.

Slowly lifting her hand, Ha Jin slightly traces over the scar gently.

So looks away.

What happened?

I got in an accident...

You're supposed to look after yourself without me there.

I'm the one that's supposed to look after you.

Standing on her tiptoes, she kisses his left eye. Even if he hated the scar, nothing would ever change the way she looks at him.

 

~~~

 

Currently, So was seated in front of her while she applied concealer to his face.

Opening his eyes, she's shy upon realizing how close they were.

He grabs her wrist suddenly, saying, "Let's go somewhere far away."

He looks sad, and the dread slowly bubbles in her stomach.

"Okay," is all she says before he laces his fingers in hers and takes her away from the upbeat mall.

They spend the whole day as they would've fifteen years ago. Neither of them approaches the topic of their feelings, seemingly communicating silently all that they couldn't say out loud.

Ha Jin allows herself to be swept away in the bliss of their old camaraderie—just for today.

The moment he takes her to the beach during sunset, she prepares her heart for its inevitable break once again.

"Ha Jin-ah."

Here it was, the one thing she feared the most. She should've listened to her brain, but her heart had overruled it.

"I have to leave again. I hate doing this to you every time we meet."

Tears began to form behind her lashes.

But we just met again.

She looks back and forth between his eyes, and steps forward to grip the sleeve of his uniform tightly as if it would prevent him from going.

This is happening all over again.

So's eyes linger on the hairpin stuck in her bun. "Please know that I love you. I really do."

"Then, can't you stay?" She pleads quietly.

He holds onto her shoulders and plants a lingering kiss on her forehead, causing her eyes to close and tears to drop.

The water washes over the sand at their feet and recedes back again into the ocean.

"You know that I'll come back. I'll always come back to you."

 

---

-1 year later-

She should've suspected something was wrong when he didn't text back like he normally did.

Right before he left, they exchanged numbers and So never forgot to text her before she went to bed.

When he forgot last night, she just brushed it off as him being busy with soldiering affairs.

But when Baek Ah and Woo Hee came pounding on her door at 5 A.M. with sorrowful faces—Baek Ah's was pale with bloodshot eyes—she knew nothing good was going to come of it.

When she heard that his plane had crashed, she fled from the house, leaving her friends to stand on her doorstep without so much as a backwards glance.

Not giving a second thought to anything else, she just runs. Ha Jin didn't mind the cold. Perhaps it could numb her mind and make her forget.

The longer she ran, the more she cried. Everything was becoming blurry and she walked haphazardly across the streets. Cars were honking every which way, but she paid them no heed.

Unintentionally, Ha Jin ended up at Namsan Tower. Ironically, it was snowing today as well.

Once again, she had missed her chance to tell him her heart.

She loves him.

Now she knows she should've told him sooner—when she still could.

Reaching the top, Ha Jin wanders over to the railings, fingers grazing over all the locks hanging up high.

It was selfish of her to be jealous of these couples. But she was.

Maybe her and So were destined to meet, but not fated to stay together.

Do we not deserve to live our love like everybody else?

There was one last lock left in the corner, and she goes over to look.

Eyes widening upon seeing the engraving, Ha Jin crouches down to observe. It had their names on it.

How?

This small, metal heart padlock right here represented their love. Above all, it was supposed to stay sturdy and last for as long as this was still hanging from the railing.

But it didn't.

Sinking down onto the floor, Ha Jin curls her knees to her chest, head placed on her arms.

Her tears had run out from crying too much and now she was just sitting there—a shell of herself—as snowflakes gathered on her head.

She had cut her hair short. When he came back, she was going to boast about the change. He would've scolded her because he had always preferred her long locks.

Ring after rings from her phone are ignored. They must all be from Baek Ah or Woo Hee. She hadn't returned since this morning.

Turning her phone off, she stands up to leave, going anywhere to escape the memories that kept surfacing.

As she waits for the elevator, it opens. Looking up, she meets eyes with So—still in uniform.

Time stood still as he stepped off—they were face to face.

She drops her purse on the floor and runs straight into his arms.

Forget about her tears drying up. They were once again flowing again as he enveloped her in the warmth of his arms.

"This isn't a dream is it?" She sobs out.

The only response she gets is his hand smoothing down her hair.

He was real. He didn't die. He had come back. This wasn't a dream.

"I love you."

After sixteen long years, she finally expressed everything she never got to say.

It definitely couldn't compare to all the words imprinted in her heart, but he'd understand. He always did.

"How is this possible?" Is all she mumbles into his chest.

Without him saying much, all her questions are answered. As long as he was here, nothing else mattered.

"I told you before didn't I?  I love you more than enough to always find my way back to you again."

 

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No copyright infringement intended. All references and inspirations are from the original writers/directors.