With every swing of the pendulum and every second that ticks away, he takes away a bit of her life from her.

In the small shadowy room at the top of the clock tower, there was Yesung reclining on a chair, twirling a pocket watch in his finger as he watched the grains of sand of the hourglass trickled to the end of the container changing its hue from pink to blue.  “The process has started,” he muttered.

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“Kyuhyun-shi, wait!” Seohyun called as she chased him running into the tall glass building. She hardly fixed herself when Kyuhyun immediately suggested that they go to their company at once thinking that he might have steal the moment to see his fiancée, Victoria. “I only have 100 days left to see her and fulfill the promises I have left so we should spare no time,” Kyuhyun reasoned out.  So with her partially combed hair and her ordinary clothes of blouse and skirt, they went to the high-end business district of Seoul.

Not fitting in because of her clothes, Seohyun stopped on her tracks and just decided to stay outside. There was an open café on the street across the building and Seohyun went to it. She sat down on one of the chairs and from afar she glanced at the words printed on the automatic sliding glass door.

Cho Enterprises Corporation

It was one of the top companies in Seoul venturing in various areas such as hotels, restaurants, resorts, and department stores. Looking around her and thinking about her short acquaintance with Victoria, she realized how he is so blessed with all these things that an ordinary person could only dream of. Wealth, love, and a beautiful life; all of these are just within the reach of his fingertips but because of her selfishness, she stole them away from him like a thief in the night. She looked back at their conversation at her home. She was once again weighed down by her guilt, suffocating her heart. She did not know how she would be able to stay by his side and look into his eyes like she has nothing to do in his tragic demise.

“So I will be the Host that will help you do your unfinished goals here in Earth? Are you sure you are not here for revenge?”

Kyuhyun chuckled before giving an answer.

“You stated in your wish that you are willing to give part of your time to me, so that’s why I was able to get out of my spirit status and have the chance to live again. I have to thank you for that.”

“You are such a good person, Kyuhyun. I’ll promise to help you in every way possible in your goal,” Seohyun muttered under her breath.

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Just then, Kyuhyun appeared out of the building with his face reflecting gloom. Seohyun spotted him and she stood up from her seat and waved her hand to call his attention. Kyuhyun noticed it and he crossed the road and walked over to her. Seohyun pulled a chair for him to sit and then they sit together in front of the table.

“Have you seen her?” Seohyun asked although she probably knew the answer for that.

Kyuhyun sadly shook his head. “They say she filed for indefinite leave. She is currently on vacation.”

“You did not catch her, that’s sad,” Seohyun answered. “How about you try to go to her place? But wait, will someone recognize you? That will be really confusing because to them you’re already dead.”

“No one will be able to recognize me aside from Victoria,” Kyuhyun replied, a hint if sadness in his voice. “That is one of the conditions.”  He glanced at the building and recalled how no one recognized him, how no one greeted him like before.

“Good morning, Director Cho.”

“How is your day, Director?”

“Nice to see you, Director Cho.”

All those greetings, they are now just inside his head. His life now was so much different from before. He did not know if he was ever going to be ready to let it all go and face his final repose. But he knew he have to learn how and he has to get used to it soon. Thinking of his premature departure was hurting him more and more. He wondered how his family was doing right now. Are they still mourning? Do they have the hard time moving on in the same way that he was also having difficulty moving on over his own death? He missed them so much he wanted to see them even for once.

“Seohyun-shi, can you accompany me somewhere?” Kyuhyun asked.

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The taxi pulled over and then they were standing in front of a big Asian contemporary house. From the gate made of iron bars, one could see a clear view of the porch in front of the house. There was a woman about in her sixties, but it did not show much in her face, the beauty that she had since her youth still showed even in her aged years.

“Who is she?” Seohyun asked Kyuhyun who was staring intently at the woman.

“My mother,” Kyuhyun answered.

Together with his mother were two other persons Kyuhyun recognized to be Sooyoung and Ryeowook, his secretary and assistant respectively. They came to hand her his stuff from his office. He caught a glance of a blue jewelry box, a gift that he was supposed to give to his mother both as a gift of apology and a belated present for her birthday. He was so busy with his wedding preparations and business that he forgot to attend his mom’s birthday. He wanted to give it to her personally and he even planned to perform a bit of aegyo to make her laugh. His aegyo is always irresistible to his mom. His heart was broken even more when he saw his mother became tearful at the sight of his gift.  His father arrived and claimed his sobbing mother to an embrace.

Even though they are standing quite a distance from them, he could still make out their conversation, their recollections of his time when he was still with them.  No one knew how much he wanted to go and say to them that he is still here… that he is just standing right outside their home. Oh God, how he wished he could embrace them right at that moment.

If only he could go up to them, he would want to hug them tight. However in the back of his mind, Yesung’s voice echoed, “You can’t introduce yourself.” Unknowingly, a tear fell from his eye down to his cheeks.

Seohyun was just watching from the side. She has experienced watching someone laments over the death of a loved one but now it just felt weird that she was now witnessing a supposedly dead person crying over his loved ones that he left.

“Mom… Dad… Kyuhyunie is here…” he muttered, his lips quivering. “I am here… just right here…” A hand on his shoulder made him turn around.

“Shall we go now?” Seohyun asked. She smiled to him hoping it could bring a bit of comfort to him. Kyuhyun nodded and for one last time he glanced back at his parents. “I hope you’ll be fine soon… I wish for things to get better for you.”

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Silence ensued between them as they sat side by side inside the bus. Kyuhyun was staring blankly at the sceneries that they have passed by. He was still in his deep thoughts of what happened earlier. Can he really let go of all these things?

“Have you ever got the feeling that the things that you have always loved are just right in front of you but you cannot even approach them?” Kyuhyun suddenly uttered, surprising also himself. He could not believe he just said his thoughts out loud.

Seohyun, who has been stealing glances at him ever since they rode the bus, was also startled when he broke the silence. She quickly faced him but immediately averted her gaze when he glanced at her. She lowered her head and muttered something as she fiddled on her skirt.

“I’m sorry…” Seohyun said.

“Why are you apologizing?” Kyuhyun asked.

“You should not be in this situation.” Seohyun answered. “It’s my entire fault.”

“I have never ever thought of blaming someone else for my death so you don’t have to think of it that way.” Kyuhyun replied.

“I should be the one who is dead, not you.” Seohyun said finally facing him.

“Don’t say that.” Kyuhyun said, placing his hand over hers. He faced her, looking straight at her eyes. “Everyone has their own end. It’s just that mine is unexpectedly a little… earlier.” He falters at the last word. “Before that time comes, I believe every individual deserves to live. That is why I saved you. But despite all these, I am still lucky to have this chance to return and be able to spend an extra time to the special girl in my life. I did not even have the time to say how much I love you to her and I am really thankful for having this time.”

“What else do you want to do when you meet her? What are you going to do with your time?”

“I want to fulfill our plans even in that just limited time. I want to create memories that will be worth cherishing. I want to talk with her, stare at her beautiful face for the rest of time that I’m here…” Kyuhyun answered.

“She is so fortunate to have a guy like you…” Seohyun smiled at him. “But… “ Seohyun did not know if she should continue but nevertheless, she decided to still say it. “But she is so unfortunate to lose you too…”

“I guess that is how the heavens planned it.” Kyuhyun said simply. With a sigh, he leaned back to his seat and went back to his musings as he stared out of the window.

Looking at his side profile, Seohyun asked herself. “Why did I not meet someone like you before?”