Warning: the following chapter is NOT in your POV and contains twists. Please read carefully to avoid confusion.

(nine)

The next day, I found out from the doctor.

Donghae had a month left if he didn’t take the operation.

Author’s pov

That evening, a girl dressed in somewhat untidy clothes worn underneath a scarf went from house to house begging and pleading.

“Please! It’s just for 30 minutes! Please switch off the lights at 12 tomorrow. I beg you!” she bowed 90 degrees in front of one such house, her hair filled with snow and twigs and her face pale and wan.

“What? Impossible! Wasn’t it your idea to illuminate this village?! You traitor!” the owner screamed and slammed the door in her face.

It didn’t stop the girl from asking every other house. Still she went, pulling her legs out from calf-deep snow to trudge up the roads and streets in the village; to ask everyone to switch their lights off for a mere half hour.

The people were enraged. Some threw salt because the girl was so persistent. But still, that didn’t stop her.

“Please! It’s fine if it’s just for 30 minutes!” she bowed deeply once again in front of another house.

“Fool! How are we supposed to do business if we switch the electricity off?!” a man boomed.

“Please…” her voice cracked in the howling wind. There was going to be a blizzard, but the girl was oblivious to it.

Still, walking from house to house, her hands blackened and dirty and frostbitten.

“Look, that high school girl’s here again.” a woman whispered to her husband.

“Again?!” her husband exclaimed

“Nae. Apparently she’s been to all the downtown districts without sleep or rest!”

“No way!”

“I feel sorry for her but…”

For a boy standing a few feet away, watching the commotion, his face cringed. He just couldn’t watch this girl do this anymore.

Eunhyuk's pov

Damnit. This was unbearable.

“JIN HEE!” I shouted, running in front of her.

“E-Eunhyuk?” she said, her voice croaked. Why the hell did she have to do something like this? For that guy??

“I don’t see the point.” I muttered and pulled her to an alley.

I didn’t know why I was so worked up. I had Shwi Sul now, but…

I’m a really sick guy aren’t I? I knew how Jin Hee had felt at that time. And I was so selfish to believe that she’d still feel about me that way even now. That she'd still like me.

But I guess… someone else took her heart.

Someone who wouldn’t be able to return her feelings, now at least.

“Let me go. I haven’t finished.” she said, struggling to get her hands out of my grip.

“No. you listen to me Jin Hee. Why’re you doing something like this?”

“…”

 

”Answer me.”

“Because… I want to see him smile.” she cracked a weak smile.

“Why?? He doesn't even like you!!”

“EUNHYUK, LOVE ISN'T ALWAYS ABOUT GIVING BACK!!” she said, fresh tears flowing from her face.

… So she did love him. Way more than I thought she did.

That was enough.

Donghae's POV

“Ugh…” I’d woken up late. . And this hospital bed . It kinda… stinks.

I nearly sat up, when I felt a weight tug at my bed covers on my left. I turned.

Jin Hee was sleeping there, her head on the bed, her arms stretched underneath.

“Babo.” I laughed and her hair. Strangely, it felt wet.

Then I saw her hands.

Frostbitten and chipped.

Next night – Christmas Eve – 11:50pm

The girl was seen again, bowing her head in front of many houses. To no avail. The people were just as rude as before.

Glancing at her watch, she ran over to the railing beside the hillside, from where the illuminations were supposed to begin, and from where people could see it.

It struck 12.

She waited for a few minutes, then dropped down on her knees. Hot tears started to pour out on her cheeks.

“So it was of no use… I couldn’t… do this. I'm sorry Donghae...” she sobbed.

All of a sudden, she saw the floor reflecting light. When she looked up, she saw a hundred thousand stars flying by. Star illuminations.

“What…” she stood up, dropping in surprise when she saw the wordings in between the stars:

We pray that Jin Hee’s wish comes true

By all of us in the village of fallen stars.

“All right!!!” people clapped and cheered back inside the village.

“Okay, put the lights out!” Eunhyuk shouted.

Poof.

And then, Poof. All the lights went out.

“What the… what just happened…” Jin Hee stared and fell to her knees again. She started to laugh weakly.

“All the lights are out!” Donghae exclaimed, staring at the village in front of him from the hospital windows.

“Donghae!” Jin Hee cried, appearing from the doorway. “Come to the roof! It’s amazing!”

Both of them rushed upstairs to the roof, scrambling and bumping into each other in their frenzy to get there.

Once they opened the door, they couldn’t say anything. The beauty was beyond words.

“Woah…” Donghae and Jin Hee breathed.

“Isn’t it cool?” Jin Hee said, small pricks of tears threatening to come out.

“It’s so… amazing…” Donghae said, a small tear visible on the corner of his eye.

If anyone wants to see the starry night as how Jin Hee (you) and Donghae saw it, then click

HERE

[And nope. Donghae in this story isn't on a wheelchair. ^^]

Author's Note

(Okay so...we're almost coming to the end of the story.

There will be two or one more chapters, this isn't the end.

so...yeah. Hope ya'll like it so far ^^

Thanks :P)