;;;;;

“Leeteuk!!!” Taeyeon screamed until went dry. “Leeteuk!”

She coughed running down the road. Where was he? Was he sitting somewhere alone wondering why he’d been lied to all along?

“Leeteuk! Answer me!” Taeyeon spun in a circle from where she stood and felt raindrops land on her face.

;;;;;

Someone was crying, heavily weeping. A girl’s wail. He turned around in a full circle in the darkness that he was enclosed in. The darkness slowly began to fade and once it was gone he saw a young girl clutching herself by a tombstone. A little girl in a white dress, who was sobbing really hard.

“I was alone. My parents didn’t come back to this town,” a voice appeared.

Leeteuk turned around but saw no one.

“Who are you?”

“And everyone forgot me. You were happy, everyone was happy. No one remembered.” a long pause. “But I still hoped so I waited because I was sure my favorite oppa wouldn’t forget me. But you didn’t. You didn’t remember me.”

Leeteuk stared at the empty grave covered with weeds. Not even one flower had been placed there.

“Oppa, you owe me.” she said.

Leeteuk’s eyes widened when a white figure appeared before him. Slowly her human form came into shape from the misty fog she’d been. Her face was drenched in lonely tears and they appeared to be back under the trees off to the side of the road.

“You’ve left me to be alone for so long. So, oppa, come with me.”

Leeteuk felt his heart hang in the air. Yes, he’d forgotten her but he didn’t mean to. He couldn’t help not remembering.

“Oppa,” she said placing her cold hand on his face. “I love you so much.”

“You should have moved on. Why did you wait?” Leeteuk asked feeling sadness overwhelm him.

The friend he’d forgotten for so long. Seeing her with so much despair made his heart ache.

“I was connected to you. I couldn’t go without you.”

;;;;;

“Leeteuk! Leeteuk! Answer me!” Taeyeon screamed helplessly. “Leeteuk!”

Taeyeon stopped in her steps and looked around. A glow to the right of the road caught her eye and she moved toward it. While she made her way to the trees she prayed and prayed that she was being led to Leeteuk and that he was ok. When she stepped off the road her heart shattered when she saw Leeteuk lying lifeless on the ground.

“Leeteuk! Oh my gosh! Leeteuk!” Taeyeon screamed running toward him at such speed that she almost tripped over her own feet.

Falling onto her knees she touched him to find that he was cold. His chest didn’t move and there was no sign of life within in.

“No, no. No. It can’t be. It’s not possible!” Taeyeon screamed feeling wrecking sobs come up .

She recalled plunging into the creek and dragging him up to the surface.

“Don’t die on me.” Taeyeon cried running her hand over his shirt and on his face into his hair. “Not when I already saved you once.”

The rain poured heavier.

“Don’t tell me a lie. We’re friends, aren’t we? Even if we don’t get along all the time I can still spare some time to listen to you.”

“Chingu?” Taeyeon repeated.

“Chingu, as in friend.” Leeteuk clarified.

The words rang in her ear.

She helplessly, uselessly put her hands together on his chest and pushed and pushed to get his heart moving--to come back to life. He didn’t budge.

“Yah…yah!!!” Taeyeon screeched. “Open your eyes!!! This isn’t funny!!”

A sob escaped her mother as she held his lips and blew some air into him then she pressed down and harder against his chest in desperate hope of reviving him. Leeteuk remained ice cold.  

“Don’t leave me…yah!!!” Taeyeon screamed again.

The rain fell against the leaves of the trees. Birds scattered the sky as the gray clouds covered the sky overhead. It was as if the world had been waiting for this moment, intending to have the worst weather during the worst moment. Taeyeon felt anger and desperation surge through her and yet…she didn’t know how to bring him back.

“No…Leeteuk!” Taeyeon screamed filled the woods then buried her face in his chest. “I’m sorry, so just come back to me.”

;;;;;

“You shouldn’t wait for a jerk like me,” Leeteuk told then met with her eyes that were as pure as a child’s. “There’s someone, a chingu, I can’t leave behind.”

Leeteuk stopped. Finally he understood. The way Shin Ae felt for him was in someway similar to how he felt for Taeyeon. That whatever she did, whatever hurtful words she said to him, however she felt, he still wanted her even more.

He looked at Shin Ae closely and knew what he had to do then. Her sullen eyes that had been crying for a long time had been so out of his reach. He’d forgotten her so therefore, he couldn’t hear her crying for him. Leeteuk knew he was in the wrong.

Smiling at her he pulled her close and gave her a hug.

“I’m sorry, forgive me.” Leeteuk sincerely apologized.

And she disappeared like thin air leaving a thin warmth behind. It trailed against his face before he felt drops of water land against his skin. First he heard crying, pleading, someone apologizing. Then he opened his eyes to find Taeyeon sitting beside him. Just like when he’d woken up to find her sitting beside him crying at the creek, this time it was still the same chingu crying beside him. He reached for her hand and watched as she became silent and glanced at him. A smile appeared on her face and she cried even more.

“Chingu, my chingu.” Leeteuk held onto her hand tightly feeling the rain wash them both.

Epilogue:

Zhoumi turned out fine afterward. No one had stepped out of the mansion that evening to look for them. Instead Zhoumi woke up and told them the story of his possession. As they awaited for Leeteuk and Taeyeon’s return they each prayed silently. When the doors opened half an hour latee the couple entered the mansion with smiles on their faces.

No one knew of the affairs except for Taeyeon and Leeteuk.

Two weeks later his grandma and mother returned in the morning. During those two weeks they lived in the mansion as they would have any other home.

“Mom,” Leeteuk called with a sharp smile and headed down the steps giving her a tight hug full of comfort.

“What’s this?” his mother asked looking at him surprised. “Did something happen while we were gone?”

“Nothing happened. We drunk a lot and had lots of fights,” Junsu replied from behind with a wide smile.

“We enjoyed exploring the mansion,” Seungho added.

“And no one went up to the third floor,” Jang Hyuk told, “why do you guys have a third floor anyway?”

Leeteuk’s grandmother stared at them and laughed. “It’s good you enjoyed yourselves.”

“How was the surgery?” Taeyeon questioned. “I hope it all turned out well.”

“Yes, it came out well. Mom should have no more problems,” Leeteuk’s mother smiled. “Lets go in.”

“I just finished making breakfast,” Zhoumi told.

“You just followed my directions,” Gyuri told.

Two days later they returned to Seoul. But this time as they returned Leeteuk gave Siwon the key to the van in exchange for Siwon’s small car. Before leaving they stopped by Changmin’s house.

Dark came out barking at them welcoming them while his tail wagged in the air joyfully, his black hair glistening under the summer sunlight drawing to a close. Changmin came running out from the shed with a smile and glanced at Leeteuk before moving his gaze over to Taeyeon.

“I guess you’re leaving?” he asked.

“Yes, we are,” Taeyeon replied then held out her hand. “Thank you, for this. I hope I see you again.”

They smiled at each other. A smile full of happiness and regret.  

Changmin opened his palm out and she placed the good luck charm in his hand. He couldn’t help but feel a bit sad. He used a smile to cover it up, however.

“I hope things go well.” Changmin told. “And,” he turned to Leeteuk holding out his hand, “do come again.”

Leeteuk stared at his hand then shook it with a smile, “I will, chingu.”

As Changmin watched them drive off his mother stepped out from the shed.

“So, what do you think?” Changmin asked turning back to look at the old woman. “I think I can be just as happy in the future.”

They drove along a small road calmly pass tall cattails and sunflowers. There was an overflowing warmth that day. It felt just like the heat been adjusted to make them relax under the heavy sun that was high in the sky and glared back at them as they tried to look out the window.

“Are you sure you have the right place?” Taeyeon questioned.

“It should be here,” Leeteuk parked the car and stepped out.

Taeyeon got out as Leeteuk grabbed some flowers from the back. They met at the front of  the car with hands outstretched to the other. With a smile Taeyeon clutched his hand tightly and they walked across the flat land with the wind gently blowing against them. Near a small hill top a tombstone sat alone.

“No wonder she’d been lonely,” Leeteuk said, “whenever I saw her she was always wearing the same white dress. I know why now.”

Taeyeon listened.

“When she died, when the boat blew up she’d been wearing a white dress that day. The white dress was her favorite.” Leeteuk paused. “If I forget to make a trip here make sure to knock me in the head.”

Taeyeon laughed and gripped his hand, “I sure will.”

When they walked away Leeteuk was sure he’d heard her laughing behind them. And her laughter was full of joy. It was something to tell him that she would pass on, eventually.

Everyone returned to school and this time--kept in touch. Gyuri and Junsu started a relationship, Zhoumi, Jang Hyuk, and Seungho became as close as the musketeers and they all joined up with Shindong and Amber, who had left the mansion earlier.

Three months later Leeteuk and Taeyeon got married, and six months later became parents to a healthy young girl.

***Thank you everyone for staying with me all this while!!! I'm going to miss you guys. Truthfully when this story kicked off I wasn't so confident about it because I started lagging in updates and with ideas. But I'd get notifications once in a while asking for further updates and that kept a flame alive in me somewhere =DDD You're one reason why I was able to complete this story! And don't worry, this isn't the last fanfic I'll be writing!! =DD If you're ever bored, check out my other stories, I have one in progress right now =D

***Thank you so much for the long lasting support!! I appreciate it so much! I love you all <3 :))