Chapter 9

The boys bowed slightly and greeted Ji Eun's parents as they arrived at the cemetery. 

And they were surprised upon seeing someone they hadn't expected. 
Ji Eun was tagging along closely behind them, looking weary from the loss of sleep. 

She managed a weak smile as she saw Jungmin, Hyun Joong and Hyung Jun, 
whom she had gotten to know after getting together with Kyu Jong.

"Kyu Jong ah…"

The old lady motioned to Kyu Jong who was still hesitating whether or not to 
approach Ji Eun, and he moved forward to hold on to her as they made their way 
in. He was glad she didn't shake him off the way she did last night, but she stopped 
suddenly just as they were nearing the grave.

"I think I'll… just wait outside"

It suddenly struck her that she wasn't ready to face him yet. 
And she didn't want to break down in front of everyone.
Kyu Jong followed as she made her way out and stood beside her 
while waiting for the rest.

"Are you sure you're not going in?"

Her mother asked after they exited the cemetery.

Kyu Jong soon returned with a bouquet of flowers he bought from a nearby stall 
and led her towards the entrance once again after handing them to Ji Eun. 
He knew she was yearning to see Young Saeng deep inside but needed some 
time alone with him, without the eyes of others on her.

She knelt down after placing the flowers on the tombstone and stared blankly 
at the photo in front of her.
The smiling face that seemed so foreign but yet so familiar at the same time.

Flashback
"Yah, don’t you want to know how I look like?”

“Small eyes, sharp nose, thin lips, chubby cheeks and dimples…”

---

"Oppa, have you been stuffing yourself? You're getting chubbier"

"Wae? What's wrong with being chubby?"

"Nothing? I like you the way you are"

"Yah Lee Ji Eun, didn't I tell you not to pinch me that hard again?"

End of Flashback

"Is this how we have to meet again after all this while, Saeng oppa?"

Those tears she had been holding back fell as she ran her fingers down his face, 
the face on the tombstone that she had finally seen for the first time.
She never thought that they would meet again this way.

"Didn't we agree to go through everything together? 
You promised to be the first person I'd see again… why did it have to be you? 
Why am I the only one who didn't know?! 
I never got to see you before you left, I never got a chance to say goodbye…
Why did you have to do this to me?"

Kyu Jong returned after leaving her alone for about an hour or so and could do 
nothing but hug her as she continued crying in his arms, feeling helpless for being 
unable to ease the agony she was going through.

"Was he in a lot of pain?"

Ji Eun asked after sitting in the car in silence for the past twenty minutes.

There was so much she wanted to know. 

When did he find out about his condition, whether there was anyone by his 
side when he received his treatment, and how did he spend his final days…

"A little I guess, but he was really strong...."

"When did he find out?"

"Remember the day I picked you up? He fainted on the way to the washroom…"

"…"

"He had been experiencing frequent headaches but didn't think much of it then. 
They did a scan and found the tumour"

"And the subsequent times?"

"He'd call me when he felt unwell. He was beginning to get frequent seizures"

Flashback
"Oppa, are you hiding something from me?"

"Wae? Aniyo it's just… my dad's health is deteriorating and the workload's 
getting heavier"

"Is he fine?"

"De, I'll be handling more of his work for the time being. 
Miane, I won't be able to spend time with you…"

"It's ok, just make sure you take care of yourself too and don't get push 
yourself too hard"

"Arasso"

End of Flashback

"The other girl never existed... he never got married, right?"

"Ji Eun ah, miane. Hyung wanted you to give up on him completely"