And just like that as one life came to an end, another was just beginning.

***

            My name is Oh Hana. I am turning three years old today.

Hana kicks her feet as she looks out the window from her car seat, her bunny stuffed animal held tight to her chest as Giyeon is in the driver’s seat watching the traffic while they make their way to the graveyard. It hasn’t been easy taking care of the child of her deceased niece, but they are both getting through it. Sometimes when Giyeon wakes up for her morning shower, she cries out and asks why her niece had to be taken at such a time. It definitely hasn’t been easy.

They pull into the cemetery where a few other cars are already parked along the side of the road next to Jisu’s grave. Standing next to her grave holding a small cake with three candles lite up is Nana, Jisu’s best friend. Myungsoo has accompanied her for Hana’s big third birthday. They have spent all of her birthdays at her mother’s grave.

A tall man in a white and blue plaid shirt makes his way to the passenger side backdoor and opens it. He greets Hana with a warm and gentle smile, one that makes her feel very safe, “Hello, princess. Are you ready to greet your mommy for your big third birthday?” Hana flashes the man a wide grin as he unhooks the clasps on her car seat and lifts her carefully from the car. “Yes, papa! Did you bring the flowers to put on mommy’s grave?” He gives her a nod and turns so Hana is looking at her grandparents, “They are in your granny’s arms. Do you want to go get them?” Hana hums enthusiastically in response. “Mhm!” The tall brunette man sets her gently to the ground and lets her run off to grab the flowers and greet her grandparents.

Giyeon steps out of the car and watches Hana run toward her sister-in-law and her brother. She walks to the passenger side where the man is now standing with arms wide open to greet her, to which Giyeon gladly accepts the offer and wraps her arms around him. She then whispers into his ear, “I don’t know if I would get through this without you here, Woohyun.” Woohyun gives the now sniffling woman a squeeze and speaks faintly in reply, “I would never miss one of her birthdays and I will always be here, Giyeon.” The two slowly part and Giyeon nods her head, “Jisu would be very happy that you’re still apart of her daughter’s life.” Woohyun purses his lips to keep his mouth from quivering as the name of his lost love comes out of the woman’s mouth, “That little girl is like my daughter too. I’m the only father she has known.”

After they pronounced Jisu as deceased in the hospital, Chanji couldn’t bear to be there anymore and left right away. He has never came back to see Hana and does not seem like he will ever try to know her. Woohyun is the only father Hana has known. He told Giyeon the day of Jisu’s funeral that he would help take care of her child. It’s because of Woohyun that Hana is able to deal with her mother’s death.

Hana runs back over to her papa and tugs at the hem of his shirt in order to grab his attention, “Daddy, granny gave me mommy’s flowers. Can we put them on her now?” Woohyun’s attention quickly turns to the young girl as Giyeon’s turns away so she could wipe her wet eyes. He bends to the height of the child and places a peck on her forehead before looking at her once more, “I think that’s a wonderful idea. I think auntie Nana has something special for you too.” He ruffles her hair which causes her to let out her high pitched, child-like giggle before she runs over to her aunt. “Nana! Nana!” She exclaims and Jinah bends down to wrap the arm of her free hand around the little girl “Hana! Happy third birthday, little princess!” Jinah gives the child a squeeze and pulls away to look at the flowers with a playfully, yet touched gasp, “Aren’t these just beautiful? Did you bring these for your mommy?” Hana nods and everyone else at the cemetery gathers around Jisu’s gravesite. Hana walks over to her mother’s headstone and places the flowers next to it. “Did you hear mama? I’m three years old today! Papa taught me how to tie my shoes before I went to auntie’s house. Do you want me to show you?” Little Hana waited as if she had got a reply and took a seat on the ground before untying her shoe. “First you have to make two bunny ears with each of the strings,” by this time everyone was staring down at Hana, but she had not noticed. They all had tear-filled eyes as they watched her tell her mother how Woohyun taught her to tie her shoes. Hana gets stuck on the part where she has to loop the ears and Woohyun kneels down to help her. “Then you have to loop this ear and that ear,” he explains after he had untied his own shoe for an example and Hana follows along with him.

After her shoe was tied she jumps up from the ground with the widest grin her tiny face can handle, “Did you see that mama! I tied my shoe! I did it again all by myself!” She stood there staring at the gravestone once again, her smile slowly fading from her face as she whispers, “Mama, I wish you could really be here. I want to share my cake with you. Auntie Nana had them make me Pororo.” The little girl’s voice cracked as tears fell from her eyes, across her cheeks. “I know it’s a small cake, but there would have been enough, mommy.” Hana was now sobbing which made the rest of the group sob along with her, besides Woohyun. He knew that the only way Hana would get through this day for the third year was if he stayed strong. He lifted the child into his arms and made her rest her head against his shoulder. He walked away with her to a nearby bench to let the other’s grieve. Hana sat there in his lap, crying like Woohyun had never seen her cry before. This year was worse than the others. As he began to rub her back to comfort her, Hana pulled back to look at him with a runny nose and now puffy eyes. “Daddy, do you think mommy seen me tie my shoe?” Woohyun forced himself to smile at her, but inside his heart felt like it was breaking, “Your mommy watches over you every single day, princess. I know she is so proud of you for tying your shoe all by yourself.” He pulls a tissue from his pocket and wipes Hana’s nose. “Is mommy going to be there when I start pre-school tomorrow?” Hana asks as Woohyun tosses the tissue in the trashcan next to the bench. “Yes, she will be there with you. She will always be with you.” He uses the sleeve of his shirt to wipe her tear-stained cheeks, “And I will be there with you if you want me to stay.” Hana nods and as if she wasn’t just crying she gives him a big smile and hugs his neck, “I think I’m ready to be three now.”

Woohyun takes Hana back to where everyone else is standing and gives Nana a smile, “She’s ready to be three now.” Everyone laughs at the statement and Nana counts them off before they sing the birthday song to Hana. She blows out her three birthday candles and makes her birthday wish, I wish to spend all my birthday’s here with mommy.

And as she had wished, each following year her birthdays were spent at her mother’s grave. Rain or shine she brought her mom some flowers and a cake and celebrated her birthday with her mommy along with her family.

***

Happy birthday, baby. Mommy loves you.

I know so many of you have been waiting on a new chapter for a long time! 
This may not be the outcome everyone wanted, but I hope you still enjoyed this story. 
I do apologize for making you wait so long, but with college and moving about five times it was difficult for me to find the time to sit down and write this final chapter.
I had always planned on ending this story in this way and I had the notes all written out for it. However, I did not follow my notes. My notes are somewhere in a box waiting to be found. 
Please do leave your comments and let me know what you think of the ending. Did it bring you to tears? I know I was almost crying while writting it. 
Thank you all for waiting and I hope you had a Merry Christmas! Also, have a safe and happy New Years! 
-Miranda♥
P.s Sorry in advance for any typos! I did proofread :c however, I'm not perfect!