The Charming Game Developer

Last Chapter

Kim Namjoo

The next time I opened my eyes, Hayoung wasn’t next to me anymore.

The space next to mine feels tidy and empty. I tried to look around, searching for traces of her but nothing. I was alone, and briefly, I was scared.

Then someone walked in the room.

“E-excuse me, is this Oh Hayoung’s room?”

I glanced up, the stranger doesn’t even seem a bit familiar to me not until it clicked my brain. I saw his face in that photograph from before. The same ash grey hair and and eyes, although it seems way more defined than that of the picture.

“I-I a-actually don’t know where she is… Are you a friend?” I curiously asked, the man in a fit between answering yes or no. In the end, he took a deep sigh and looked down.

“Y-you can say I’m h-her ex—uh—friend?”

He put up an awkward smile that I didn’t buy. Giving him a look that he must’ve understood, he stepped forward and added.

“I-I just came to apologize. I know it was too late, especially when I only came by when she got hurt. I didn’t know how to face her and she was avoiding me as well. I-I know I was s-such a c-coward back then b-but I c-can’t take r-responsibility of t-the c-child and I l-love Hayoung b-but I c-can’t—“

“Hang on, child? Minjae? You are Minjae’s father?”

“What?! No! I-I, t-that kid was my pal, Minjae’s, son! Hayoung n-named the little boy Minjae to not forget her brother. W-we were young then, and I can’t adopt the little boy so I ran away. S-she hated me a l-lot for that.” The man looked down with a slight disappointment, probably to himself. “I just learned that she’s getting married, and it was a woman… It’s you, isn’t it?”

I nodded my head. He offered his hand, as if expecting me to shake it. I did nonetheless.

“I-I’m happy someone healed the broken heart I left behind because of my cowardice. I’m Oh Sehun.”

“I-it’s nice to meet you?” I mumbled in confusion, “I’m Kim Namjoo…”

“Such a pretty name. W-well, I g-guess I better get going. H-hayoung must’ve left earlier, knowing I’ll come around. Can you do me a favor, Kim Namjoo-ssi?”

I raised my eye brow before he smiled sheepishly. He took a note out of his shirt’s pocket and handed it to me.

“I can’t give excuses to Hayoung, nor had the right to say sorry. I left her when she needed me the most, and it was someone else who walked in the dark and helped her out. The guilt was killing me for years, but I came to make everything right. I came by Kai’s room just now, he gave me a letter. He wants to apologize for what he has done. I-I—“ He paused, putting the note beside me on the bed before continuing. “Tell Hayoung I don’t blame her for Minjae’s death. No one does, at least not anymore. It’s time for her to free herself from the guilt as well. Minjae would want that.”

“T-thank you, I guess…”

I took the note. I didn’t dare peek, knowing that the words scribbled in the parchment is only for Hayoung’s eyes to read.

“Also, please tell Hayoung my heart was true, all those years. That the cowardice was only because I was afraid of the future, not with the future of my love. Now, she can start again with you.”

Oh Sehun’s smile grew more genuine each passing time.

“I hope you’ll love her better than I did. She deserves all the love in the world. And here!” He took out a bouquet of white roses, “Give this to her. It’s purple hyacinth. Not really her favorite flower since she doesn’t have any, but she’ll understand what it means. I guess I better get going now. Good bye, Kim Namjoo-ssi?”

I nodded my head, staring at the flower in my hands that he left behind. I had a lot of questions, but slowly, it started falling into place. As the past slowly unfolds, a sense of sadness sent waves into my heart. Hayoung has been through a lot. Maybe that was the mystery hidden by the mask of her eyes…

I hope, I’ll start seeing the real her now.

Oh Sehun was about to leave when he stopped by the door and faced me again.

“Oh, I was so stupid! Here, I forgot to give you one last thing!” He quickly took out a small notebook and placed it in my palm.

“W-what’s this? For Hayoung? You surely have a lot of things for her…” I mumbled the last part inaudibly, trying to mask the slight jealousy I feel. (And yeah, I’m not denying it.)

“No, silly. I said it’s for you.” His smile got bigger, if it was possible. “It’s a list of things about Hayoung. I haven’t read it all myself. In fact, I never opened it once after what I did because I know I don’t deserve to know it.”

“Mmm…?”

“She was in eighth grade when she wrote all of that, the list of things she wants, she dislikes… everything about her. She says it’s for the person she’s gonna spend the rest of her life with, since she’s not great at expressing herself. You’re gonna need that now.” He tapped my head and shrugged. “Consider it as my wedding gift. I’m leaving this land in 13th. It’s my congratulations for you two. Live happily from now on and tell her I said hi.”

I waved my hand as he left, as a sign of goodbye.

“Daddy!!”

A small grin etched on my lips as Minjae ran to his mother—father—who was busy typing in her laptop despite her condi