‘BEEP…BEEP…BEEP…BEEP…BEEP’

Young Bae groaned as he reached for the alarm clock to stop its loud noise. When he finally got the clock to stops it’s ruckus he his back placing his arm over his eyes. He exhaled heavily as he opened his eyes as he remembered his dream. It felt so real.

He sat up on his bed and slid his legs to the side staring at nothing as he tried to understand what his dream meant. It had been a while since she had showed up in his dreams. He shook his head to clear all the cobwebs and pushed himself up from the bed and walked towards the bathroom to get ready for the day.

His mind was full of that dream while brushing his teeth. He stared at the mirror inside the bathroom as he splashed some water on his face. The whole dream was bothering him. He grabbed the towel to dry his face when he left the bathroom. He walked inside his closet to choose the clothes he would wear today. He was browsing through his closet when something caught his attention. At the corner of his eyes he saw a pink polo shirt. He grabbed the shirt and looked at it. He smiled as he remembered how she was nervous when she gave that shirt to him as his graduation gift few years back.

 

He took the polo off its hanger and decided to wear it. He grabbed his dressed shoes and black slacks and got dressed completely. He looked at the mirror and smiled at himself thinking about her again. Once finished he grabbed his overnight bag and a white fancy envelope on his bedside table as he headed out.

He walked out of the house and straight to his red convertible car. He threw his bag inside his trunk and then walked around his car and opened the driver’s side door to get in. He checked everything making sure he has everything. He then pushed the button that made the top of the car go down. He smiled again thinking the first time his friend saw his car…

Young Bae smiled at that memory. He backed out of his driveway and started to drive towards his main destination. When the traffic light turned yellow he slowly stepped on the breaks and made a full stop at the light. He was tapping his hands on the steering wheel while listening to the radio when he saw Café Ai at the corner. He smiled again as he remembered her waving at him from the window the first time she came over to visit him. It seemed like this whole city reminded him of her.

He stepped on the accelerator when the lights turned green giving one last look at the corner Café. Young Bae looked at his watch and saw it was almost lunch time. He was close to his destination when he thought about that place…their own secret place. He decided to stop by that place first for old time’s sake. He turned his car the other way and drove towards the hill.

Young Bae parked his car close to the big tree that overlooked the whole town. He got out of the car and walked slowly towards the big sakura tree. Once he was under the big tree he touched it and slowly looked up to see the familiar pink and white sakura flowers. He slowly closed his eyes feeling the cool breeze touching his face.

“Oppa?” A sweet voice called.

Young Bae smiled as he hears that sweet voice. “I’m hearing things.” He said as he sighed.

“Young Bae Oppa!”

“I missed that voice.” He said out loud thinking he is hearing her voice through the wind.
“Yah! Young Bae Oppa!”

Young Bae eyes flew opened in shocked as he turned around to see the source of the voice. There few feet from him stood his best friend and the only girl that he ever loved.

“Eun Hye?” He whispered when he saw the same smiling face engraved in his mind.

“Finally! …I keep calling you Oppa!” Eun Hye walked towards him and gave him a big hug and a peck on his cheek. “What are you doing here?”

Young Bae smiled at her and showed her an envelope that he brought with him.

“Oh that…” Her smile was still there but the excitement in her eyes was gone.

“I know I’m late, but it’s better not showing up right?” Young Bae .

Eun Hye forced a smile on her face. “Yes Oppa. It was nice of you to show up.”

“Why the sad face?” Young Bae came up to her touching her cheeks softly with the back of his hand. “C’mon…where is that smile that I love the most?” He asked looking at her with that smiling face of his.

Eun Hye raised her hand to touch his hands and slowly moved it away from her face as she turned away. She looked down and said, “It’s nothing Oppa. I’m just happy to see you again.” She looked at him with those beautiful eyes. “Oppa, you know that I love you right?”

“Of course I do and you know I love you too.” Young Bae smiled but with a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

Eun Hye lowered her head as she tried to hide her tears.

“You shouldn’t be crying at the time like this. This is your day you know.” Young Bae forced another smile on his face while wiping the tears off her face.

“I know Oppa.” She said and composed herself and looked at him with a genuine smile on her face. “I’m so happy to see you Oppa.”

“Me too kiddo…me too.” He ruffled her hair and held her hand. “Let’s go back okay?” Young Bae still holding her hand walked ahead of her, but stopped when he felt a tug from her hand. He turned around looking at her with questions in his eyes.

“Go ahead Oppa…I want to stay here a little bit more.” Eun Hye said smiling at him.
“Are you sure?” He asked looking deep in her eyes.

Eun Hye smiled wider. “Yes Oppa…go ahead and I’ll be behind you.” Eun Hye pushed Young Bae towards his car and inside the driver’s side while closing the door.

“Don’t take too long okay?” Young Bae reminded her showing concern on his voice.

“You worry too much Oppa.” Eun Hye laughed and leaned down to kiss him on his cheek. “Good bye Oppa.”

“Good bye?” Young Bae asked, but Eun Hye just smiled at him and shooed him away before he can asked anything. He smiled at her and turned the engine on. “I’ll see you later kiddo.” He said before driving down the hill.

He looked on his rear view mirror to see her one last time. Her smiling face still there while she waved, but he caught something in her eyes…a hint of sadness. Then out of nowhere he felt a gust of wind passed his ears and hear the words, “Saranghaeyo Oppa…”

Young Bae decided to go to his parent house first before paying respects to his friend Seung Hyun. He parked his car on the driveway and grabbed his bag from the trunk. He was about to knock when the door opened. His whole family was shocked to see him. He smiled and waved his hand and said, “I’m home.”

“Young Bae…” His mom mumbled as her shaking hand flew to her face covering . “Oh my goodness…Young Bae.” She started crying and walked towards him and hugged him.

Young Bae looked lost as he looked around behind her mom. He noticed his dad, younger brother, and sister wearing all black and looked like they were all crying.

“What’s going on?” Young Bae asked as he started to get nervous.

His mom let go of him looking so sad. “You haven’t heard?”

“Heard what?” His mom walked towards his dad resting her head on his chest as she continued to cry.

“Oppa…” His sister whispered. He looked at her as she started to cry too. “Oppa…It’s about Unni…”

Young Bae was getting more agitated. “Unni what?”

“Hyung…Eun Hye Noona” His younger brother muttered.

“What about Eun Hye?” He demanded.

“Son, Eun Hye…” His dad looked at his wife and other children before looking back at Young Bae and said, “She passed away this morning son.” His dad said looking at him with grieving eyes.

Young Bae stepped back slowly dropping his bag on the floor. “C’mon you guys…stop this nonsense.” He tried to joke, but he felt like they were telling the truth. “This is not funny.” He looked at his mom. “Mom, c’mon tell me you guys are just joking.” His mom lowered her head as tears fall down her eyes.

“Dad, this is a bad joke.” Young Bae started to shake. He turned to his siblings, “You guy are just making this all up right?” He walked toward them as he touched their shoulder with his shaking hands trying to convince them it’s not true. “Where is the camera? C’mon joke is over.” He looked around checking the house.

“Sorry son, I was planning on telling you about it, but everything happened so fast.” His dad explained.

Young Bae stepped back again.

“No!” He shouted. “You are all lying! I just saw her few minutes ago!” He pointed outside the house towards the direction he came from. “We were just talking just few minutes ago!”

His mom came up to him and hugged him. “Son, that’s impossible.” She rubbed his back. “She was pronounced dead this morning at the hospital.”

“No! You all are lying to me!” He screamed as he pushed his mom away and ran out of the door. He jumped back to his car and drove fast to the last place he saw her.

He jumped out of his car and ran up to the hill. He reached the tree but couldn’t find his friend. He looked around making sure she was not there. He yelled her name, but only the sound of the wind could be heard.

He ran back and jumped in his car and drove to his friend's house. He didn’t even bother turning his car engine off as he ran towards the front door. He started knocking and ringing the bell like a crazy person. The door flew opened and there stood his friend.

“Young Bae?”

“Seung Hyun…where is she?” He asked frantically as he walked inside his friend's house without even bothering to ask for permission.

“Who?” Seung Hyun asked looking tired and drained.

Young Bae turned around and walked up to him. “You know who! Where is Eun Hye!?” He screamed.

Seung Hyun slowly closed the front door and leaned on it. “Eun Hye…” He whispered with mournful look in his eyes.

“Yah! Seung Hyun! What’s wrong with you?!”

Seung Hyun looked at his friend and muttered, “She’s gone…Young Bae…she’s gone.” Tears ran down his cheeks as he slowly slid down the door holding his head.

“No, that can’t be right.” Young Bae shook his friend. “I just saw her earlier…I talked to her! We even joked around!” He screamed at his friend.

Seung Hyun looked at his friend. “She died this morning Young Bae…the doctor pronounced her dead already. I was there…by her side the whole time…holding her hand.” He shook his head trying to clear his head. “I couldn’t do anything for her Bae…I couldn’t do a damn thing!”

“No…this is not right.” Young Bae still in denial. “What happened? What really happened?”

“I don’t know…I don’t know.” He started crying again. “One minute we were in front of the priest rehearsing for the wedding, but out of nowhere she turned her head towards the door as if someone was calling her. She whispered your name and started running down the aisle and out of the church. Next thing we know we heard a loud screeching sound. Everyone started running outside and there…” Seung Hyun stopped as he started to shake again.

“What did you see?” Young Bae forced him to say.

Seung Hyun looked at his friends and said, “She was hit by a car…I saw her…she was lying there still…with blood all over her clothes.”

“Seung Hyun…don’t joke like this.” Young Bae pulled back from his friend.

Fury can be seen in Seung Hyun’s eyes. “Do you think I’m making all these up?!” He screamed at his friend. “We were supposed to get married today!”

Young Bae finally grasped the whole thing. He shook his head. “It can’t be true.” He whispered while shaking his head. “I just saw her…”

“She’s gone…she’s really gone Young Bae.” Seung Hyun said as he leaned his head on the door as he closed his eyes as his tears fell.

Young Bae found himself standing in front of the Sakura tree. He just wanted some fresh air. The funeral home was too much for him. Too many people he knew that reminded him of Eun Hye. Those eyes showing pity towards him…he just couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted out of that place, so he left and drove around, but then ended up here.

He touched the tree as he looked up to see the leaves sway in the cool breeze. He heard a noise behind him. He turned around hoping to see Eun Hye again, but he saw his friend Seung Hyun instead.

“Hey.” He said.

“Hey.”

“I knew you would be here.” Seung Hyun said when he stepped beside him. “Eun Hye told me about this place yesterday.”

“She did?” Young Bae asked as he looked at his friend’s face.

“Yeah…Do you know that she loved you?” Seung Hyun stared at one of the sakura leaves that fell on his hand.

“I know…I loved her too.”

Seung Hyun shook his head as he looked at his friend. “She really loved you…more than a best friend.”

Young Bae finally looked at his friend in the eyes. “Stop it Seung Hyun. We all know she loved you more since she was getting married to you.”

Seung Hyun laughed sadly. “The reason she said yes to marry me was because I asked her to and you didn’t.” He paused, “I really love her. I was the happiest man in the world when she said yes when I asked her to marry me. I never thought she will spend the rest of her life with me even though I knew deep down she loved you more.” He flicked the dried leaf off his pants and said, “But I guess I still didn’t get her…it was not meant to be.”

Young Bae didn’t know what to say.

Seung Hyun pats Young Bae’s shoulder and then pushed himself off the tree as he dusted off all the dirt off his pants. “Well, I’m going to head out first. You should come back before everyone starts asking where you are.” Seung Hyun was about to walk away when he remembered something. He turned back around and pulled out something from his pocket and handed it to Young Bae.

Young Bae looked at him, “What’s that?”

Seung Hyun pushed the piece of paper in front of him. “Something from Eun Hye…I believe she wanted to give you this before the wedding.”

Young Bae grabbed the letter a bit hesitant. Then he saw his friend smile at him and then walked away.

 

Young Bae stared at the white and pink piece of paper with a snoopy logo on the side. He smiled as he remembered how she loved snoopy. He slowly opened the folded piece of paper and Eun Hye’s beautiful writing appeared.

 

Tears started to gather in his eyes as he started reading the letter.

 

Young Bae looked away from the letter trying to calm his feelings as he cried his heart out. He didn’t want to read the rest for it hurt too much. Why didn’t he see it? No…he shook his head…He knew about it, but he was scared…Scared that he might lose her if he did do anything with those feelings. He wiped his tears and looked back at the letter…

Young Bae’s tears kept on rolling down from his eyes. He walked slowly away from their tree and looked up at the darkened sky and screamed his lungs out. He fell down on his knees with his right hand over his heart and the crumpled letter in his left hand.

“Eun Hye ahhhhhhh!!!!” One could hear the pain from his heart. “Saranghaeyooooo!” He screamed as he broke down on his knees crying.