2014

Seoul University – western building, block A

Art Faculty

            Park Shin Hye opened her eyes then found out that she’s inside her practice room, back in her university. There’s none, just her in that room. She got up from her chair, walked toward the opened windows, and took a look at the outside. The sun shone so brightly, the wind blew calmly. Many colorful flowers and evergreen trees added the panorama. It was spring, as she still found cherry blossom trees which looked so beautiful with its pinkish flowers between the colorful plants. Then her eyes caught a familiar figure whom sat on the bench under the cherry blossom tree. He dressed in his casual navy blue long sleeve shirt combined with ripped jeans and a pair of black sneakers. He let his bang covered his right eye. From Shin Hye’s place, she knew that the man whom she eyed right now was busy with his book which on his left hand, while his right hand wrote something on that book, sometimes.

            ”So... it’s really happened.” Shin Hye muttered, still gazed at the man named Jang Keun Seok.

Jang Keun Seok, her senior since in the high school, a student of Korean literature, and lately he has published his third novel. As if he knew he got watched by someone, Jang Keun Seok put his book on his laps, then shifted his attention to the art building which not too far from his place. His sharp eyes straightly found her, caught her whom watched him. A small smile appeared on his face as he saw the girl got shy then disappeared.

”Is this her special thing? Watching me.” Jang Keun Seok mumbled as he took back his book and opened it at the page which he left before.

Jang Keun Seok’s right hand still wrote some notes in his book then stopped when his eyes caught something more interesting than his book. He lifted up his gazed, found the familiar beautiful face which he dreamed about every night.

”It’s really happened.” Shin Hye started the conversation. ”We’re back to this time, three years before that night.” She continued.

Jang Keun Seok closed his book and put it on the bench. Then he took Shin Hye’s hands, hold it between his. His dark brown eyes still hold its gaze on Shin Hye’s beautiful brown eyes. ”Let’s go somewhere.”

===

            Both, Shin Hye and Keun Seok sat on one of the benches which placed near the beautiful Han River.

            ”Why are you bringing me here, Sunbae?” Shin Hye asked suddenly.

            ”This is your favorite place.” Keun Seok answered shortly, then faced Shin Hye whom already gazed at him. ”You know, I can read you, right?”

            Shin Hye got surprised by his sudden question, made her blushed unconditionally. As she felt her face got warm, she turned just to hide her crimson face. ”Eoh...” Shin Hye couldn’t processed any kind of words. She bowed, looked at her hands which clutched her floral skirt.

            ”I’m not asking you to go back to this time just to see your silent mode, Hye.”

            Shin Hye lifted up her head as she heard Keun Seok’s words. Then, she remembered why she chose to go back to that time. There was something important she wanted to do. Something she wanted to confirm.

”Do you like me?”

Jang Keun Seok didn’t answer immediately. He just eyed the girl whom questioned him several seconds ago with the unexpected question. ”Why are you asking me that question now?” He asked her back.

Shin Hye didn’t know how to react or how to answer that question. She looked at Keun Seok, there’s no clear signs that the man who sat beside her was had the same feeling with her. Maybe...

”I love you, since the first time we met.”

Shin Hye got surprised, again. She never wished, that words, will got spoken so easily from his mouth. That words, it heard so sincere, so heartfelt. But, it seemed like a fantasy, like a dream. As if Jang Keun Seok could read through her mind, he took her hands and put it between his. ”Should I say it again?”

”Ne?”

”I love you, Park Shin Hye. I love you since the first time my eyes saw you.”

It was like many fireworks burst inside her heart as she heard that confession.

”Do you like me too?”

A small smile appeared on her lips. ”Why are you asking me that question now?” She repeated his question before, which got a laughter as its answer.

As Jang Keun Seok ended his laughter, he looked straight at her beautiful brown eyes. His right hand lifted up her chin a bit, made him got a better look on her beautiful face. Then as fast as the light, he pecked her lips, gained the blushed Park Shin Hye whom looked so adorable in his eyes.

”Sunbae!”

”Oppa.” Keun Seok said as he placed some of her stubborn hair behind her ear. ”Call me Oppa, Sukkie Oppa.”

Park Shin Hye couldn’t describe how much the happiness which she felt inside her heart as she heard that command from the man before her eyes. Her thin lips haven’t uttered that nickname yet, but got greeted by Jang Keun Seok’s lips, took it at another kiss. He kissed her gently, met his lips with Shin Hye’s lower lip then the upper one. Both of them closed their eyes, as the two drowned into the heavenly feeling they first experienced.

Jang Keun Seok couldn’t stopped the kiss. Her lips was as lovely as he always imagined about, even they matched perfectly as his own lips met them. But as the two needed the air to breath, they ended the kiss to catch their breath back. Jang Keun Seok could saw a tint of crimson color adorned her beautiful face. He brought his right thumb to caress her lower lip slowly.

”Do you like me too?” Jang Keun Seok repeated his previous question to her.

”Didn’t you have the answer just now, Oppa?”

”Be my girlfriend, Hye.”

She got speechless, but slowly like robotically she nodded. A smile appeared on Jang Keun Seok’s face as his eyes caught her movement. She nodded. She accepted him. He brought her into a hug, put his chin on her left shoulder then positioned his face near her left ear.

”Promise me, you won’t leave me?” He whispered on her.

She nodded as her answer which gained another happy smile on the young novelist whom hugged her tightly.

===

            Just like that, Jang Keun Seok and Park Shin Hye started their relationship as lovers. Spring, summer, fall, winter. The change of seasons made them got closer, knew each other more, made their love grew bigger. It was in one evening after they finished their classes, Jang Keun Seok asked his girlfriend to take a walk around the beautiful Han River.

            ”I’ve read your latest chapter. As always, it’s so good, so heartfelt. I even shed a tear after reading it.” Park Shin Hye started the conversation between her and the man whom clasped her left hand.

            ”I didn’t know you read something like that?”

            ”Mwo?” Park Shin Hye stopped while gave her boyfriend an annoyed look. ”Shouldn’t you happy that I read your ‘work’?”

            Jang Keun Seok looked at her in silent, he kept looking at her beautiful face for several minutes before he chose to walk again, left Shin Hye without said a word. While Shin Hye who felt got ignored by her own boyfriend pouted her lips in annoyed. She turned around just to find her boyfriend’s back got farther.

            ”Oppa!”

            She called him then run just to catch to his steps, then circled her left hand on his right one, made the young novelist stopped his step. He looked at her.

            ”What’s wrong with you?”

            ”Nothing.”

            ”Jinjja, neol...”

            Her words never got finished as suddenly Jang Keun Seok claimed her lips into a kiss. Shin Hye who got caught off guard found her eyes got widened because of that act. But slowly, she closed her eyes as Jang Keun Seok deepened his kiss against her.

            ”I love you.” He whispered to her between their kiss, made her smile.

            ”Love you too.” She replied as she ended their kiss, gained an annoyed look in Keun Seok’s eyes which amused her. She brought her hands to his handsome face, then pecked his lips.

            ”You know, Hye...” He paused as he brought his right hand to caress her left cheek. ”I’m so grateful that I meet you, to fall in love with you. No matter how far you run, I’ll make sure that I’ll catch you. I’ll run farther than you just to welcome home to you. I’ll protect you.”

            Park Shin Hye didn’t utter any single kind of word until the man before her finished his heartfelt confession. She felt her heart got warm because of his words. She still didn’t know what will happen in the future. Nor him. She’s conscious enough how she got there, how they returned to the time before that tragedy happen. Three years, how if three years later they got separated? How if three years later they experienced that tragedy again? How if... three years later she left him? For eternity... She wanted to be with him longer... until they grew old, until they built a happy family, until the end of their lives.

            ”Then... never let go of me... for whatever that will happen to us.”

            Jang Keun Seok’s thumb moved slowly to erase her tears which dampened her face. He nodded as his reply to her request. He brought her in a hug. A hug which felt like eternity for both of them.

===

            They sat on one of the benches located at the park near the Han River. Shin Hye rested her head on Keun Seok’s left shoulder while Keun Seok’s left hand rested on her waist. Both of them stayed silent for a while before Keun Seok broke the ice between them.

            ”You don’t want to say something?”

            ”Hmm?”

            It was when Keun Seok brought his left hand up to caress her silky hair, Shin Hye got up from her position then looked at Keun Seok who glued his eyes on hers. ”Why you suddenly left me... in that time, Oppa?”

            Jang Keun Seok didn’t answer that question immediately, as he shifted his gaze toward the vast Han River which located not far from their place.

            ”Oppa.” She called him in low voice, demanded for an explanation.

            ”Because I’m afraid... that I’ll repeat that bad fortune again.” Keun Seok’s voice trailed off as he said that words.

            Shin Hye looked puzzled with that explanation of his. ”What do you mean, Oppa?”

            Jang Keun Seok looked at her, he didn’t know that the day he should told his reason behind his action in the past time was that day. After thinking about it repeatedly, he found out that his reason was the stupidest reason which ever exist.

            ”Should we discuss it right now, Hye?” Jang Keun Seok gave her another question. He didn’t want to tell her now. Actually, he didn’t wish to tell her. He could saw a disappointed look in her eyes as he said that words toward her. He brought his hands over her arms, caressed it lovingly. ”I just... didn’t want to bring back that bad memories again. Now that you’re with me, let’s talk about us... in this present time.”

            Shin Hye nodded slowly as she brought her head against his chest. She hugged him for the nth time in that day. Inside her own mind, she cursed herself for her stupid question which she gave him before. Being with him was her wish which she dreamed as long as she could remembered. Now that she had already got that wish, why she questioned about the past event that she never wished for to happen in her life? She knew... deep down in her heart that the man whom she hugged right now was wished to erase that memories.

            ”I’m sorry... for asking something stupid.” She whispered as she tightened her hug.

            ”Don’t be.” Keun Seok replied as he shook his head himself.

            The time kept ticking without a rest. The golden sun which stood up in the endless blue sky slowly but surely set down, shifted its duty with the silver moon which gave the dim light in the dark night. Two lovers whom sat in that same exact bench still hugged each other even the day has turned into dark. Their minds flied to another places which crowded with many kinds of things. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, then turned into years. Even it happened so fast without they realized, they knew it. That time kept walking.

===

In a certain study room. Jang Keun Seok sat near the opened double big windows of his study room. His eyes gazed the scenery outside of his room, but his mind wandered somewhere. Many things had happened in this three years. But, as the time got closer to the date of that tragedy, he felt uncertain. He suddenly felt so afraid because of something he didn’t know the reason of it. But the thing he feared the most was losing her. He has lose her in his previous life, experienced it again twice before he turned back the time, and this time... he didn’t want to experience that horrible thing ever again.

Three years felt like a blink of eye as the young novelist opened his eyes in that morning. He looked at the calendar in his phone. February, 11th 2017. It was the day he feared the most since he experienced that unforgettable tragedy. He woke up in the same state as he had experienced before. He woke up not in his bedroom, but in his study room. His laptop which he wrote and saved his works still on, showed his word sheet with countless words typed on it. Unlike his previous time-travel back, this one... he, no. He and she had made so much changes. Will it happen again? But the situation between them has changed. She’s no longer a plain young painter who asked him held a book signing in her gallery, she’s his girlfriend. People around him already knew that fact. So, that misunderstanding mustn’t happen. She won’t dead in seven days. She will be safe.

”Geurae... you mustn’t worry about something like that, Keun Seok-ah.” Jang Keun Seok said it to himself. He turned around his chair to meet the desk where his paperwork and laptop stayed on it. He took the round-framed glasses which placed beside his laptop and it was when the writer started positioning his fingers on the keyboard of his laptop, the door of his study opened, revealed his director’s stupid face. Just like it should happened, like the time he first experienced it.

”Writer Jang, let’s go out.”

===

You've promised me, right?

That you'll get angry if I do something bad

That's why, I believe that you'll find me once again

I don't need to be in a lonely place anymore, right?

Petals of flowers

I looked up all alone by myself have withered and fallen

===

            Tears fallen from her beautiful brown eyes as her eyes gazed the painting in front of her. A painting that placed at the left corner of the painting row. A man, clothed in yellow-gold dopo inside the gold colored feather-shaped pattern black dapho, stood at the bridge, alone. The man closed his eyes, a crescent moon hanged on the dark sky. A white silhouette of long-haired girl hugged the man from behind, eyes-closed with a smiling face. Her long fingers reached for that painting, touched the picture of the man.

”I miss you so much, that I can’t get over you in the day and night.”          

She remembered it well, his deep yet delicate voice which heard so melodious in her ears confessed that words. That same voice which she always heard for saying ‘I love you’ since three years ago.

”The love you’ve given to me… It’s so wonderful. I… I thanked you, for giving me… those love. Let’s meet again… in our next life.”

Her lips parted but nothing came out from it. Her tears kept flowing as she remembered her last words toward him, in her previous life. Her silent cry turned into a heart-piercing sobs as she crumbled down to the floor. His pained look, his watery eyes, his warm embrace. They had been together, in their past life. In this life, they met again. Just like her wish. But... they met the same cruel destiny again, as they got separated before they lived their happy-life ever after. And the one who left first was her. She left him first, again... gave him the unbearable pain.

”Shin Hye-ssi, we should...” Manager Han didn’t continue her words as she saw Shin Hye sat on the floor with her face wet with her own tears. Manager Han approached the beautiful painter, caressed her shoulders then faced her. ”Shin Hye-ssi, what’s happened?”

”Manager... Han... what should I do? What should I do to erase his sadness?” Shin Hye asked between her sobs, without looked at her manager. Her eyes still lingered on the painting she looked since minutes ago.

”Shin Hye-ssi.” Manager Han couldn’t utter other kind of words but her name. She didn’t know the meaning of Shin Hye’s question. Slowly, Manager Han brought Shin Hye into a hug. She tried to lessen her sadness.

”I don’t want to leave him... I don’t want to repeat that painful memory again.”

Manager Han just could hugged her.

===

February, 18th 2017, 17.00 KST

            People started filling that large ballroom of Lee Jongsuk’s enormous mansion. They came from many kind of professions, like actor, actress, singer, idol, fashion designer, businessmen-businesswomen, photographer, writer, etc. Still dressed with the same light grey colored dress, the ivory hairpin which pinned on her long black hair. Her white heels clicked as its meet the floor when she walked slowly toward her destination. Shin Hye still looked stunned as ever.

            ”You truly want to go there alone?”

            Her steps got stopped by that voice. A voice which she knew so well. Shin Hye put her small smile on her face before she turned around to meet the owner of that voice. She didn’t surprise as her eyes caught his handsome face first, then looked at him from head to toe.

            ”Hey, beautiful.” He called her, then took a peck on her lips.

            A small hit landed on his chest after he did that small kiss. ”What are you doing, Oppa?”

            ”Kiss you.” He answered shortly then smiled. Another hit was about to land on his shoulder but it got interrupted as his right hand caught hers. ”It was for your birthday gift, Hye.”

            Shin Hye froze for a while as she heard that. Jang Keun Seok put down her hand, then held her arms. He looked into her brown eyes which he loved so much.

            ”Happy birthday, Hye.”

            ”You think... I will accept that birthday gift?”

            ”And I don’t think you’re the type who asked something for a gift?”

            ”Aheeem...”

            Jongsuk interrupted the conversation of the lovers, as both Shin Hye and Keun Seok looked at the owner of that party. Jongsuk came toward the couple with a glass of champagne.

            ”So the rumor of you two are dating… was true?”

            ”I think you’ve got the answer, Jongsuk-ah.” Jang Keun Seok answered as he took Shin Hye’s right hand into his, then led her to another place. Left Jongsuk alone.

            ”Aigoo... in front of colleagues and old friends, he act so cold. But when he’s with her... he looked like someone else.” Jongsuk commented as he took a sip of his champagne. As the couple got farther from his eyesight, the small smile which he has before disappeared as if he never smiled at the first place.

            ”Even until now, you still couldn’t beat him, Jongsuk-ah.”

            Lee Jongsuk turned his head to meet the owner of that voice. Lee Minho, one of his actor friend, took a sip of the champagne which held by Minho’s right hand.

            ”Is that so?” Jongsuk responded as his eyes still tailed the traces of the couple.

            Lee Minho gave his empty glass to the waiter who walked in front of him. He put both of his hands inside the pocket of his black pants. ”The fallen angel. I thought that nickname really suit him as he always perfect in everything.”

            Jongsuk eyed the actor from the edge of his eye, said nothing. He shook his head slowly as his eyes were no longer caught the couple’s traces. His lips created a very small smile. Jang Keun Seok, perfect in doing everything? That’s not true. Maybe, it’s only in Jongsuk’s opinion. He knew that writer was only an ordinary man, a normal human being. He became a successful writer because he’s natural born to be a writer, and he always learned to improve his talent, to be better than before. Jang Keun Seok, he did mistakes too. He never