DISCLAIMER:

I don't know if the story on Facebook is real or fake, but please be noted that the vague plot of this story (guy has a mistress, wife had cancer, the 'requirements' for the divorce) does not belong to me- it isn't me who came up with it). However, I do own the memories and others...

WAIT I DON'T OWN KWON JIYONG, DARA PARK and SOHEE. Jirin is mine though.

YAY! Okay, on with the storeh.

 

---

 

[3rd Person's POV]

 

My head's spinning...

 

"Ugh," Dara groaned as her eyes blinked open slowly, trying to get up . Suddenly, something hit into her from the front and she collapsed back down onto the sofness she was lying on. A duvet? Blinking hard, her vision refocused. Chaerin? 

 

"Chaerin?" She said softly as if testing out her voice. It was hoarse and scratchy, and felt dry

 

"Dara," The woman sobbed as she clutched onto Dara's shirt. "I thought you were gone!"

 

Gone? Dara stilled for a moment. That's right... I thought I was going to die... So I asked Jirin... "Jirin! How is he?" She winced as she remembered her son crying when she cried as well, talking to her, asking her to stay awake. It must have been traumatic for such a young child to see his mother like that. Dara winced and felt a bit guilty for putting her son through that kind of situatoin.

 

"Seungri is taking care of him," Chaerin sniffled as she settled herself next to Dara. "What happened to you?"

 

"I... I..." Her head swam as the memories of what happened came flooding back. It gave her a splitting headache, and her body swayed a bit. "I had a fight with Jiyong." I can hear perfectly alright again... And my vision is fine as well...

 

"Again? What's new this time?" Her friend's voice was tinged with concern, and Dara sighed.

 

"He was being a jealous jerk, since he caught Jae picking me up for work in the morning. And we had this huge argument about it not being fair that I can't touch another guy while he can ," Dara cringed at the crude word, "another woman."

 

"Jeez," The woman rolled her eyes. "He's totally not making sense."

 

"I know right..."

 

"It's totally unfair for you," Chaerin nodded determined, "You shouldn't give in to him!"

 

"I've always been letting it go, so our fights didn't escalate it to this much. But this time... I just exploded," Dara shook her head in regret. "I shouldn't have done that. Our fight wouldn't have been so bad then..."

 

"No," her friend interjected firmly. "In this marriage, you've always been the docile, obedient wife. Sometimes, you have to stand up for yourself."

 

"Still..."

 

"Anyway, what happened with you?"

 

"Me?" Dara frowned. "Well, I was just crying a lot after he left... Actually, when he started shouting, my ears felt like they were blocked. I couldn't really hear."

 

"And?" Chaerin prompted, bringing her knees to her chest, curling up on the bed.

 

"When I opened my eyes after a long while, I just, just couldn't see. Everything was blurry and grey. And I felt so weak, I couldn't hear either. Everything felt so dark and far away." Shivering, Dara hugged herself. Chaerin wrapped her arms around Dara and held her close. 

 

"It's going to be okay," She soothed, patting Dara's back.

 

But they both knew in their hearts that it wouldn't...

 

"Where's Jiyong? That , just left you like that?"

 

"I don't think he'll back so soon," Dara admitted and looked down at her hands when Chaerin released her from the embrace. "But he'll be back by morning, you know, the agreement."

 

The young doctor scoffed, "I for one, think it is a ridiculous idea. There's no way he'll fall for you again anyw-"

 

"It's not that Chaerin, I'm not trying to tear him away from the other woman. I just... want to make sure I have a place in his heart even when I'm gone..." Dara whispered sadly. Chaerin's eyes glimmered with unshed tears and they sat in silence, thinking about the future.

 

"Don't say that, Dara," Chaerin rasped unsteadily, "don't say that, please. You'll always be here."

 

"One cannot fabricate lies, Chaerin, you know that." The reply was soft-spoken and it sent a tremour to Chaerin's heart.

 

"But you should've just gone for the op!" Chaerin cried out.

 

Exasperated, Dara tried to reason and shook her friend. "You know I can't if I want it to be a secret!"

 

They glared at each other, and Chaerin felt something welling inside of her- rage.

 

"No! You just want to be stubborn a-and stupid!" Chaerin screamed as tears began to fall. "You don't know how special you are to everyone! You don't know how we'll feel! Especially me!"

 

"You don't understand!" Dara shouted back, "you don't know the pain of your husband of I-don't-know how many years cheat on you! Knowing that he's having with someone else right under your nose, having a great time with another woman!"

 

"You don't know the burden!" Chaerin threw back fiercely, and wiped away her tears. "You don't know the burden! Of being one of the few that know your best friend is dying! And you can't tell your soul, but keep it bottled inside yourself as you wait for each dreaded day to pass, wondering when it willl finally be your time!"

 

Both women panted as they screamed at each other, in denial. Dara stopped first, shock etched on her face when she realised what they were doing. "Oh god," she trembled and collapsed back down on the bed.

 

"Oh god," she murmured and hid her face in both hands, shoulders shaking as she cried. 

 

Chaerin paused and watched, horrified. What were we doing? How could I... 

 

"Dara, oh god, I," Chaerin sat down next to Dara, dumbfounded. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know, and..."

 

"It's okay... I'm just... Not being me..." Dara said back between sobs. "I'm just so, so frustrating and-"

 

"No, it's me," Chaerin sighed. "I knew you were fragile but I still egged you on. It's my fault."

 

Dara smiled through her tears. "We're a pretty pair, aren't we?"

 

"Tell me about it," Her friend grumbled back, and they smiled.

 

"Still... You should've gone for the op," Chaerin repeated again, more gently this time.

 

"I just... I just want to take whatever days God gives me, and I'm not going to ask for more." Tears slipped down, and they burned- in her heart. "If it is what God is willing to give me, it is what I shall take."

 

*** ***

 

"Will you be fine?" Chaerin peered at Dara when they stood at the door. Chaerin and Seungri were leaving, and Jirin was still asleep, so Dara felt the need to see them out. "Yea, I will."

 

"Remember to call me if these sort of stuff happen again, D. other than your check-ups now and then, I do want to know about other times as well." Both of them stared at each other as Chaerin continued. "Your sight will be deteriorating soon, and your hearing will worsen a bit, but not as bad as your sight... A-and you won't be able to move either, so... Anyway, its a bit unpredictable. Tell me when you need help okay?"

 

"I will," Dara sniffed as she patted Chaerin's outstretched hand. 

 

"Always?"

 

"Always," she promised.

 

"Good luck Dara," Seungri said and patted her head, only to earn a glare. "Looks like he's back. And he isn't a very pretty sight at the mo."

 

"Alright," Dara smiled, "Go off you two, before the dragon comes home."

 

"Tch. Bye!"

 

Seungri rolled his eyes at his girlfriend as she stuck her head out and waved frantically.

 

"What!" Chaerin said, miffed. "Not sure when things'll ever be the same again."

 

"You'll have to cherish it, yea?"

 

"Yea..."

 

"But you have me," Seungri promised. "I'll never leave you."

 

"Yea?" Chaerin snuck a glance at him.

 

He grinned back, "Yea."

 

*** ***

 

Still fuming mad, Jiyong clambered out of his car, a bit unsteady on his feet as he swayed violently. He had the worst hangover and his head pounded, spinning round and round. That's what you get for downing so many bloody glasses, Jiyong scowled. In his blurry state of mind, he saw a woman and a man stepping out of his home, vaguely remembering them as Dara's friends. What the hell are they doing here? He snorted.

 

She probably called them to comfort her.

 

When they finally drove off, he emerged from the bushes and strode to the door as confidently as he could- while drunk.

 

"What have you been doing?" Dara wrinkled her nose at the strong stench of alcohol that came from him.

 

"Drinking," he mumbled back and pushed past her.

 

"You know you've got a weak tolerance with alcohol," Sighing, Dara followed behind him.

 

"Yea, yea, whatever." Jiyong struggled out of his jacket and tossed it on a nearby chair, his tie following not long after.

 

Dara rolled her eyes and turned Jiyong to face her, poking him in the chest angrily. "Where did you go? What did you do? You can't ignore me forever, you know," she added when he turned his face away from her.

 

"Look," Jiyong slurred back angrily. The woman winced as his breath washed over hers. They were standing so close to each other, yet it was anything but romantic. She felt like gagging from his alcohol-induced breath. "Can you stop ing about everything? You're so annoying, you know that?"

 

Dara's mouth dropped open. "Wha-?"

 

"You're always so naggy, and mature, you really make me feel like ," he continued, but his eyes were distant. He's drunk, Dara reminded herself, trying to stop her twitching palm from doing what it really wanted- to slug him in his face.

 

"You're so, so, so, un-y. It's like you're some kind of grandmother."

 

That's it.

 

Gritting her teeth, she cocked her arm back, fist clenched tightly. 

 

Lights out.

 

*** ***

 

What the happened? 

 

Jiyong groaned as he sat up. His memories were fuzzy, and he couldn't remember anything after drinking his heart out. It was like trying to reach for something that kept backing away. His head still hurt badly, and he could practically feel it pulsing. One of his cheeks ached, as if someone had thrown him a punch. When he was upright, he felt the blanket slide down his chest. Where's my shirt? 

 

Running a hand down his face, he got off the bed and stared down incredulously. Where're my pants? He was only dressed in his boxers, and he felt a bit worried.

 

Did he become so drunk that he stumbled into some random girl's house and did it?

 

Or did Sohee just lent him her spare room at her apartment?

 

Wait a minute... He turned around slowly and took in his surroundings. The familiar scent of Dara's perfume hit his nose, and the homey furniture and walls comforted him somewhat. He was at home after all.

 

But where was Dara?

 

Searching through his mind, he remembered leaving the house after having a fight with her, and went to Sohee's house. He had stumbled in, and tried to tug off her clothes. Wincing, he mentally whacked himself. Sohee had pushed him off her, and shouted at him to snap out of it. When he calmed down, she made him sit on the sofa, and he asked for alcohol. To drown in it. Then he fell asleep after drinking a gazillion bottles, and when morning came, Sohee threw him out the house.

 

She was rather cold towards him, but it could've been his imagination.

 

And then when he reached home... He remembered talking to Dara, but he couldn't remember what. Something about her being y and... un-y. Wait, is that even a word? He cringed. He must've sounded rude, and mean. Ouch.

 

As his gaze fell on the bedside table, he saw a few pills, a cup of tea and a note.

 

'Jiyong, I have left to go and buy some groceries. Today's my day off, so I'll reach home early. Take the pills and get some more sleep. I'll be back soon.

 

Yours, Dara.'

 

'Yours'? She used to sign off with 'Love', but he supposed he didn't deserve it from her anymore. He felt a strange pang in his heart at that thought and shrugged. Popping the pills in his mouth, he swallowed them down with the tea and fell back onto the bed, feeling decidedly better.

 

Now for some sleep...

 

*** ***

 

Opening the door quietly, Dara slipped in before shutting it just as gently. As she walked deeper into the house, Jiyong's gentle snoring became more apparent and she chuckled. It wasn't loud or anything, just soft, and rhythmic. She remembered teasing him about it, on the morning after they slept with each other for the first time.

 

Not sleep sleep. Just on the bed, you know.

 

He didn't take the news very well when she added her thoughts of his snoring being feminine, and had pushed her back onto the bed, tickling her sides until she begged for mercy. She smiled wistfully at that happy memory. It will have to go into the note... And the recording...

 

Or maybe not...

 

When she entered their bedroom, she saw Jiyong lying on his side, breathing slowly, his chest falling and rising rhythmically. The sight of him calmed her, and she felt tears gathering in her eyes.

 

Grabbing hold of the blanket which was thrown to the side, she placed it over him and tucked him in. She sat down next to him, and leaned against the bed, her head next to Jiyong's.

 

"I'm sorry, Jiyong," she whispered softly. "I'm sorry for everything."

 

"It must've been boring for you huh, to stay with an ahjumma like me," rolling her eyes at his previous of words, she ran her hand through his hair slowly. His fine hair slipped between her fingers, soft and silky. "You were drunk, and I forgive you..."

 

"I just want you to know..." One lone tear slipped down. "I just want you to know... That I'll always love you... No matter what. You've always been my only love."

 

"I'm sorry for arguing with you just now... I hope you won't hold it against me," She closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against his hand which was dangling off the bed. "I seem to be arguing with everyone these days... Even Chaerin, can you believe that?" Laughing bitterly, Dara ducked her head down. "I wish you were the Jiyong I fell in love with... The one who was still in love with me."

 

"Not that I don't love you now, of course," she amended. "I'm sure somewhere in your heart, you still love me, and I'm going to hold onto it as tightly as I can."

 

When he stirred a bit under her hand, she froze. "I know it must've been hard for you, but... We had happy times, right? Our moments together weren't all boring and drab, were they?"

 

"I love you," she wiped away the liquid trickling down and took a deep breath.

 

"I'm sorry. For everything."

 

"I love you. I love you so much, you probably how much. But it's useless to tell you now I guess, since you're asleep. I'll tell you someday," Dara promised and patted his handsome fringe down gently. "It's okay if you've moved on," she said even as her heart twinged painfully. "You used to say that I have a lovely voice, right? I'll sing something for you."

 

"I have died, everyday, waiting for you," Her voice belted out the notes perfectly, but he couldn't hear her. A sad smile adorned her pretty features yet again.

 

"Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years... I'll love you for a thousand more...

 

And all along, I believed I could find you.

 

Time has brought our hearts to meet.

 

I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more..."

 

Sighing, she stood up and pressed a soft kiss to Jiyong's forehead and left their bedroom, sending him one more glance before shutting the door.

 

I'll love you forever,

 

For thousand years.

 

And even more.

 

---

 

xoxo.

 

 

Like a garden in the spring

Life is full of wonderful things.

Our eyes met and from the start

Love was planted in our hearts.