Hye Mi entered the hall where the after party was being held to celebrate her 100^th concert. All her friends and staff members were gathered there and they cheered and clapped when she entered. To one side she spotted her Kirin friends and former members of a group once known as Dream High. She smiled brightly. Yoon Baek Hee ran up to her and gave her a hug before linking arms.

“Congratulations, you gave a great performance,” said Baek Hee as she led Hye Mi to their group where she received heartfelt congratulations from everyone.

“How have you all been? I missed you guys so much,” said a teary eyed Hye Mi.

“Omo, Hye Mi is crying just from missing us?” joked Kang Oh Hyuk with affection. Everyone laughed.

“Yah!” said Hye Mi as she hit him. “That’s not funny saaem.”

“Silly girl. There was a time when I wished you would call me that, but I’m not your teacher anymore,” he said. Hye Mi stuck her tongue out at him and turned her attention to Pil Sook and Jason. Jason held Pil Sook in a back hug.

“I see you guys are still together. Why don’t you just get married already?” complained Hye Mi.

“Ask Pil Sookie,” whined Jason. “I must have asked her 100 times already, but she keeps saying ‘no.’” Hye Mi raised an inqusitive eyebrow at Pil Sook. Pil Sook rolled her eyes.

“Hye Mi-ah, can you explain to this one,” said Pil Sook as she tilted her head back to indicate Jason. “That I gave up singing to become a kindergarten teacher tso that I could stop being in the spotlight? I’m tired of people judging me based on my looks.”

“I love you just the way you are though,” said Jason lovingly, nuzzling her neck. Pil Sook blushed and grinned happily.

“Just get married in secret. No one needs to know,” said Baek Hee.

“Why do I need to hide the fact that I’m married to such an amazing girl,” demanded Jason. Baek Hee and Jason began arguing the pros and cons of revealing the marriage of an idol to a non-celebrity. Pil Sook looked at Hye Mi pleadingly to say something. Before she could get a word in, someone covered her eyes. Hye Mi panicked for a moment until the mystery person whispered into her ear.

“Congratulations,” said Jin Gook’s voice softly.

“Yah!” exclaimed Hye Mi. She turned around and glared at Jin Gook. He ignored her and swept her into a hug. Baek Hee and Jason postponed their arguing as everyone greeted Jin Gook warmly.

“I’ve got a surprise for everyone,” he announced. “Follow me.”

“You guys go ahead,” said Kang Oh Hyuk. “The baby looks tired. He should probably head home.” He glanced at Kyung Jin who held a sleepy baby in her arms. They all said their farewells as the Dream High group snuck out of the party.

Jin Gook brought them to the underground basement they once practiced in. It had changed a little. It still had its grungy charm, but it looked more like a studio now. There was recording equipment and a small two person recording booth in one corner. Otherwise it looked the same. Jin Man’s keyboard was off to one side. Hye Mi walked towards it in silence and its keys lovingly.

“Wow. It still looks the same. I thought the owner was going to renovate and sell it,” said Pil Sook.

“He was, but it was too full of memories. After we released our first album, I bought it and converted it into my private studio,” said Jin Gook

“I know you’re a street thug and all, but couldn’t you have cleaned it up a little?” joked Jason.

“Why you little,” said Jin Gook as he moved to grab Jason into a head lock, but missed. He was about to chase Jason when he heard a familiar tune. He turned around to see Hye Mi’s back. She was playing Sam Dong’s first composition from the Kirin showcase on the keyboard. Everyone grew silent as they listened to her play. They hadn’t heard that song since before they even graduated from Kirin High, yet Hye Mi played it like it was only yesterday. They all looked at each other with worried expressions. When Sam Dong left 8 years before, he didn’t leave anything behind except that song and he never once returned to South Korea. They recalled the day of the showcase.

When the song came to an end, Jin Gook approached Hye Mi and rested his hand on her shoulder.

“Hye Mi-ah, I met with Sam Dong in New York before returning. He wanted me to give something to you,” said Jin Gook softly. He walked over to the recording equipment and inserted a CD.

“Go Hye Mi! It’s Sam Dong-ee,” said a voice through the speakers with a heavy accent. Hye Mi’s eyes widened and she turned to look at the speaker. She was shaking like a leaf. Baek Hee rushed towards her and grabbed her hand with a squeeze. She looked at Baek Hee, her eyes flooded with tears. Baek Hee gave her a reassuring smile.

“Congratulations on your 100^th concert. I wish I could be there, but I am working hard like you told me to,” continued the message. “Did you hear I was nominated for Best Foreign Artist at the Grammy’s? Keke. Aren’t I awesome? Have you stopped worrying about me yet? Do you think I’m cool now?”

Hye Mi’s head fell forward. She let the tears fall freely. She couldn’t help, but cry. Hye Mi hadn’t heard from Sam Dong in a long time. For eight years, she only heard from him once a year on her birthday and it was always through hand written letters he sent in the mail. This was the first time she heard his voice since he left, that is besides through his music that played regularly on the radio.

“Have you heard my new album? I dedicated a song in it to you,” said the voice recording. “It’s called You Are My Music. I gave Taecyeon an album to give to you. I even signed it, kekeke. Wish me luck at the Grammy’s.”

Taecyeon switched the CDs. Music began to play and it was an emotional ballad.

It was a cold winter day, when my dream found me

I tried to run away, but you followed me home

You entrapped me with your song, your voice

When I told you to leave, you told me to come with you

Hye Mi knew the song well. The day of the release of each of his albums, she personally went to the store and waited in line with all the other fans to buy it. She closed her eyes and listened.

It was you, my dream, who saved me

It was you who filled my heart with song

It was you who pushed me to succeed

To me, you are my music

Hye Mi’s tears suddenly stopped. Something was off about the song. It didn’t sound the same as the album. It was sadder, more emotional. Hye Mi stood frozen in place, not wanting to hope. Maybe she was mistaken. She stared at the floor as she continued to listen, concentrating on his voice.

When my hope was crushed, you held my hand

When I was lost, you guided me back

When I was ready to give in to failure

You would not let me, and helped me rise again

Hye Mi was now certain she wasn’t wrong. She ran to the corner of the room that held the recording booth and yanked open the door. Sure enough, there was Sam Dong breathing heavily with a hand on his chest, scared by the door suddenly opening. He was sitting curled up on the floor so that she couldn’t see him through the window earlier.

“Yah! Pabo-ya!” said Hye Mi. She was now sobbing like crazy. Tears streamed down her face and she couldn’t hold any of it back. She just stood at the open door of the booth weeping. This was not the reaction Sam Dong had expected. He stood up and hesitatingly pulled Hye Mi towards him. Before he could wrap her in an embrace she pulled away and started hitting his chest.

“Pabo! Pabo! Pabo!” she kept yelling as she hit him, still crying uncontrollably.

“Hye Mi-ah…” he said affectionately with his accent. Eventually she got tired of yelling and hitting him. She dropped to the floor and just kept crying. He kneeled down next to her and pulled her in a tight embrace.

“Mianhae… Mianhae…” he said over and over again as he patted the back of her head until she calmed down. The others had left quietly to give them some privacy. Finally Hye Mi stopped crying and calmed down enough to speak.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have the Grammy’s tonight?” asked Hye Mi.

“I did, but the Grammy’s began in the late afternoon. I performed fairly early in the ceremony and immediately left after receiving my award. I hopped on a flight home so I could show you,” said Sam Dong. He pulled out his Grammy to show her.

Sam Dong explained how he contacted Taecyeon and told him his plan before he got on the plane.

“It was all for you,” he said. “I have returned after becoming the best. Can you admit now that you don’t worry about me anymore? That you’ve fallen for me?”

Hye Mi leaned against his chest silently. He took her hand and slid a ring on her finger before letting it go. She kept her hand frozen in front of her and stared at the ring. Sam Dong heard the high pitched tone that often came before he went temporarily deaf. He closed his eyes and recalled the proposal he had been reciting to himself over and over again for many years as he waited for this day.

“You once told me that you were worried about me and that if I became better, if I became the best, you would think about what I mean to you,” said Sam Dong softly. “For eight long years, I stayed away working tirelessly so that I could one day come back here and ask you a question. What do I mean to you?”

Hye Mi sat up and turned to face Sam Dong. He opened his eyes and looked at the beautiful face he longed to see for eight long years. He continued, “Hye Mi-ah, for me nothing has changed over the past eight years. To me you are my music and a place without you has no music. You have always been running away from me, lying to me when I know you better than you know yourself. But now that you have nowhere else to run, will you marry me?”

Hye Mi tilted her head down so that her chin pressed against her chest and said something. He could not figure out what she said. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. He couldn’t tell what her response was from her trademark expressionless face. His eyes wavered as he searched her eyes for an answer. She held his face in both of her hands as she had done once before and mouthed her response clearly. As she responded a smile appeared on her face. She mouthed SA-RANG-HAE and gave him a kiss. Now he too was crying as he held her close to him and kissed her back.