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Namjoo slept on and off. Sometimes hoping she would wake up in the Joseon dynasty again. Meet the man she had assumed was her current boyfriend.

It didn’t happen.

She was still in the modern era.

She never went back to work. She forgot about the museum venture. Her father found another team leader to replace her. Temporarily he would remind her each day until she went back to work where she belonged.

Where that was exactly Namjoo stopped inquiring.

She needed the time to grieve.

She missed her boyfriend.

Still waited by the phone in hopes he would call her. Namjoo promised she wouldn’t bicker with him this time. They could smooth things out civilly. She would push everything in her calendar aside. She was waiting to tell him to come pick her up.

Chanyeol never called.

Namjoo had never missed an opportunity of a lifetime before, but today it looked like she would be missing every one of her firsts.

Her engagement.

Her bachelorette.

Her wedding.

Becoming a mother.

Growing old with the love of her life.

All she had were memories.

And she wondered if this was some cruel dream. Would she wake up to find out she traveled through some time warp again? Was Chanyeol somewhere else waiting for her?

But every time she woke up, she was alone.

It hurt every time.

A soft knock on the door intruded on her moment of silence. Namjoo didn’t answer.

“You have a guest.” The house keeper said. “It’s Chanyeol’s mother.”

Namjoo turned from where she’d been laying to peer at the door.

After pulling on a sweater, Namjoo took her time heading down the stairs. Finding the elder woman sitting in the kitchen. Tall and lanky just like Chanyeol.

Embarrassed, Namjoo looked away.

“I wondered if you may have been at work,” she gently started walking toward her. “I wasn’t sure whether to call you to see if you wanted to come with me.” she smiled tenderly.

Namjoo wanted to hide her grieving face.

She didn’t deserve to cry for Chanyeol. An arrogant woman like her who never paid her boyfriend heed.

Chanyeol deserved better.

She had never given it to him when she still had him.

“I cleaned up Chanyeol’s place today,” she softly told. Her eyes sparkled, but she wasn’t like the crying mess Namjoo had become. It probably wasn’t fair to her. “I found some things I believe he would like you to have.”

Taking her hand, he slipped the handle into her grasp.

“Don’t be sad too long.” the woman touched her cheek. "He really waited to say goodbye to you." Her smile shook. Namjoo's tears dripped. “My son always loved you so much he’d hate to see you crying.”

Giving her hand a last squeeze, she brushed past.

Namjoo’s lower lip trembled as she struggled not to break on the spot. And she wondered how hard the general’s mother must have wept when she found out her son had been executed.

Returning upstairs Namjoo sat on the floor. Staring at the small paper bag like it could be a bomb about to erupt. Slowly reaching inside Namjoo pulled out several pictures of them Chanyeol kept in his apartment.

A self-taken picture. Another of them kissing. A copy of them below the Alps. One with her glaring in the passenger’s seat as he struck a pose in the driver’s seat. Just small memories they had captured in a moment in time.

Namjoo’s eyes burned. She wiped her face with her sleeve. Wondering if this was all Chanyeol’s mother had found.

Reaching into the bag Namjoo touched a tiny box. A velvety item. And instantly just like that she knew.

She became a slobbering mess when she pulled out the ring box Chanyeol had prepared for her. Tears blurred her eyes when she snapped it open to reveal a diamond ring. Shining brilliantly in various shades underneath the lights.

Every dam inside her broke. Unleashing the loudest cry as she doubled over hugging herself.

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It took Namjoo four months to visit Chanyeol’s grave. A month of grieving to go back to work. Would take a lifetime for her to pick up where she left off.

Each and every day she felt a little more broken. Wondering if everything that had happened was just some dream. A hallucination she’d experienced.

Meeting Chanyeol twice. Falling in love twice. Losing him twice.

There were never any answers.

Keeping her hands warm in her pockets, Namjoo quietly trekked across the lane that s around the hill. Passing other gravestones that were of no value to her.

She had started watching the sunsets in the backyard by the pool. Noting each night how the shade of the sky switched daily. From dark green and blue hues to pretty pink and orange. Taking note how the stars always aligned magnificently. Twinkling oddly before vanishing in the blink of an eye like they’d never existed.

The sky was pure today. No clouds. An emptiness stretching above her. She took it as her guardian angel had taken off for the day.

Finally nearing her destination Namjoo removed her hands out of her jacket. The ring glittered off her ring finger. Shifting to stand straight and properly in front of Chanyeol’s gravestone. His name was engraved in large bold letters. An oval portrait placed front and center.

Smiling just a tiny bit, Namjoo greeted, “I’m here.”

Lowering she laid down on the little mound that protected his coffin from the storm, cold, and rain. Caressing the fresh grass that now covered the entire grave. Closing her eyes as she found comfort in the earth.

100 years and 20 lifetimes.

Wait for me, she wanted to say, to cross over so we can go together. Spend another lifetime finding each other and this time she would love him more.

She would love him more.

***I know it wasn't much, but I did try my best. I had the ending planned way from before I started this story. I had to go all the way through with it because I wanted it this way. And if you don't agree, there are other stories.

***If I made any mistakes, I will apologize for that. 

***Whoever read this, thanks!!