“Happy Valentines Day Chairman Lee.” Secretary Kim said while giving a box of chocolate to his Chairman.

“Thank you, Ms. Kim,” Hyukjae said while accepting the box of chocolate. “I will give you chocolate on White Day too.”

Secretary Kim chuckled. “No need for it Chairman.”

Hyukjae just smiled at his secretary and spoke. “By the way, Ms. Kim, is my schedule for later is cleared?”

“Yes Chairman, I rescheduled all your schedules for today. But Mr. Choi Siwon asked for an urgent meeting tomorrow about the joint project of UNICEF and D&E Foundation” Ms. Kim explained

Hyukjae nodded in acknowledgment. “Alright schedule the meeting tomorrow morning and please inform Mr. Choi about it.”

“Noted Chairman.” Ms. Kim said

Hyukjae stood up from his seat and grabbed his coat from the coat rack beside his office desk. He put it on and grab his car keys above his desk.

“I will be going now Ms. Kim, just call me when there’s something urgent,” Hyukjae said.

“Yes, Chairman. Be careful driving” Ms. Kim and she bowed.

Hyukjae strode towards the exit door of his office while his secretary is trailing behind him. The moment he stepped outside the office, the employees have greeted him and he reciprocates the greetings. He walks out of the small building and walks towards his car that was parked in front of it. He opened the car door and slip in. He darted his gaze to the engraved name on the side of the entrance door – D&E Foundation.  And a smile had formed on his lips as he started the car engine.

His life has changed drastically over the years. He stopped drinking alcohol and started to have a healthy lifestyle. He fixed the mess he created for himself. He became a regular comer of the church instead of being a patron of a bar. He founded a non-profit organization to help children who are battling cancer.  He founded it with the help of his two brothers Jungsoo and Heechul, who also owned a business in the entertainment industry. His two brothers were surprised by his sudden desire for building a non-profit organization. They are skeptical if he can manage because he doesn’t know anything about running a business in that field but they believed in him.

After one year, his foundation thrived to its peak and they have helped millions of children in South Korea and Southeast Asia. This year, his foundation has a big project with UNICEF in helping the children in South Africa who are also having a tough battle with cancer. Because of the success of his organization, he became one of the most popular bachelors in South Korea, for being unmarried at the age of 45.

When he lost Jieun, he also lost the desire of getting married, and it worsen when he met someone he can never have. Someone who he can only have in dreams. But despite his life choices, he was happy. He was happy and contented with the life he had.

He parked his car on the sidewalk and got off the car. He walks towards the entrance door of the flower shop across the street. He opened the door and the florist greeted him.

“Good morning Mr. Hyukjae, you’re early today.” the florist greeted.

“Good morning too Minji.” Hyukjae reciprocates the greetings and he shrugged “Well, I am not busy today so that’s why.”

Minji hummed in acknowledgment. “I already prepared the flowers you have ordered Mr. Hyukjae. Give me a second I will just get it.”

“Thanks, Minji.” Hyukjae responded.

Minji disappeared to the authorized room behind the counter. And after a minute she got out with two beautiful flower bouquets in her hands – a lavender flower bouquet and a blue iris flower bouquet. She reached the counter and gently handed it to Hyukjae. “Here are your orders Mr. Lee. Have a great day.”

“Wow, your skills in flower arranging are indeed splendid Minji. These two are beautiful.” Hyukjae said while he is admiring the two flowers he’s holding with his two hands. “Anyway, I’ll be going now. See you again next time.”

He turned around and walk towards the exit door of the shop. He reached his car and opened it placing the two flowers on the back seat. He started his car and excitedly drove off from the alleyway, with an excited heart, he ventured the way to his destination.

Hyukjae was standing on the familiar grassy field of the place. He smiles while looking at the purple tombstone in front of him, besides it was the lavender bouquet he brought from the flower shop earlier.

“Hi Jieun, how are you? I am doing well, I hope you are proud of me. I can’t wait for the day to see you again. If God permits, let’s get married in our next life okay? I am missing you every day, but I know that you are in a better place now.” Hyukjae said and the familiar cold, yet the warm wind blows, it was the indication that Jieun heard him and it is his cue to go. “I’ll be going now, I’ll visit you again when I get back.”

Hyukjae bid his goodbye to Jieun, and he turned away walking towards his last destination. He stopped in front of a familiar tombstone. He crouched down and placed the blue iris flower bouquet beside it. He reached for his coat pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and polaroid photos, he placed it in front of the tombstone. He took a deep breath and beamed at it, before standing up. He left the place without a word. Leaving without regrets and a will to move forward in his life even more.

Sanghyun watched Hyukjae leave the place. He was watching him from afar not wanting to disturb him. It was his sister's death anniversary and he was surprised when he saw Hyukjae in front of his sister's tombstone. Since his encounter with his sister's organ recipient, he never saw him for a second time for unknown reasons.

Sanghyun walks towards his sister's tombstone and a letter and stack of polaroid pictures that was bonded on a thin rope had caught his attention he opened it and realized that the letter was from Hyukjae, and it was addressed to his sister.

Dear Dara,

It’s me Hyukjae your eye owner. I am using your eyes well and taking care of them as well. There are many things I wanted to tell to you. I am so grateful for you for so many reasons and I can’t enumerate it at all. You did so many things for me and one of them is visiting me in my dreams.

Did you know I thought everything was real, from the moment you saw me at the bar until the time you and I are at the beach? And how can I forget that one kissed you gave me when you said goodbye. It broke my heart when I woke up from the dream that I wished will never end. But as they always say everything was temporary, it has an end.

I don’t know if it is possible, but I fell in love with you for the brief moment we shared on that dream of mine. I now believe that a “dream girl” exists. I only thought it only happens in the movies,  I was wrong. And because of that, I can’t bring myself to love someone else after you.

Nevertheless, I am not regretting anything about my life choices, I am happy and contented with the life I had now and over the years of working as CEO of a charity foundation. You are one of my inspirations to move forward in my life and live all of my remaining time in this world remarkably.

I wanted to repay all of the kindness you have given to me but I don’t know how, until I remembered your bucket list…

Dara, I completed it all. I did all of it like the things we did in my dreams. and the proof of it was the polaroid pictures I took. Please, take the time to check it okay?

I have to go now, I probably can’t visit you anymore because the day after tomorrow I will be flying to South Africa to start my journey there with Siwon. I promise I will take care of myself and I will take care of your precious eyes too.

See you again Dara, maybe in our next lifetime.

Always,

Lee Hyukjae

Author's Note

I would like to thank all of the people who have read my short story. I apologized for the delays in updating this fic. But I do hope you enjoyed my not-so-good story. See you again next time, if ever I write again! Goodbye! ~