“Hey, this is Ryujin, you know what to do. Leave a message after the beep!” 

 

Yeji held her phone to her ear, waiting for the beep only to hang up on the call. She shoved her shaking hands into her winter coat pockets. The icy wind bit at her pink cheeks. 

 

She stared at the view ahead of her, the morning sunrise over the city. The grass beneath her soaked into her pants, but she didn’t mind. 

 

Yeji thinks back to last winter.

 

 

“Mistletoe!” Yuna exclaims, just as Yeji is walking under the archway of Ryujin’s living room, and like a scene from a movie, Lia’s shoving Ryujin towards her. 

 

“You got to kiss the person who lives here!” 

 

“You just made that up.” Ryujin snickers. “C’mon, Yeji. Let’s give the audience what they want.”

 

Their friends cheered, egging them on, but Yeji bats away Ryujin’s teasing advances. “Get away from me!” It leads to a full blown chase around the apartment.

 

 

It was cold enough for Yeji to see the puff of air she just breathed out. 

 

Her heart ached for moments from the past, the nostalgia taking a hold of her. She brings her knees up to her chest, burying her face in them, and wills her thoughts to disappear. 

 

“What are you doing, Yeji?”

 

She raised her head at the voice, noticing a figure by the tree nearby through her tear streaked vision. “Ryujin?”

 

Yeji can only watch her come closer. Her eyes flutter shut when she feels a gentle touch on her cheek. “Don’t cry.”

 

“How can I not when you’re not here anymore?” 

 

She opens her eyes, the touch on her cheek gone in an instant. The figure is gone too. 

 

Her gaze falls to the small tombstone in front of her. 

 

Shin Ryujin

 

Yeji chokes back a sob. 

 

I’m never gonna meet

What could’ve been

What would’ve been

What should’ve been

You