The Final Engagement
Description
"Han Eul ah... I miss you..." Yong-Jae whispered as his breath became a fog in the cold winter air. "I hope you're doing well where you are..."
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"Yong-Jae...?" Han Eul poked him with her brittle finger. "Yong-Jae ah..."
Again, she poked him with her finger. He had fallen asleep right next to her hospital bed for the third night in a row. Han Eul watched as Yong-Jae awoke from his sleep. He rubbed his eyes and yawned ever so loudly. Yong-Jae looked at Han Eul and smiled.
"You're awake..." He said in his deep voice. "Good morning, Han Eul ah."
"Yong-Jae...?" Han Eul repeated. A question had been stuck in her head throughout the whole night. "Why do you like me?"
"Because you're beautiful." He said with a dorky smile. Han Eul whacked him with her pillow as he joked about it. "I was just kidding, Han Eul. I like you because you're my other half. No one could ever replace you, you know?"
She blushed as she heard the answer, but it wasn't the answer she was looking for. She wanted to hear that he loved her. Within the four years that they had been dating, their relationship didn't seem to get any more serious than how it was now. This year was filled with more emotion than the first three years.
"Han Eul ah`!" Yong-Jae said as he jumped ecstatically from his chair. "I want to take you somewhere."
"Where? You know that I can't leave the hospital." Han Eul crossed her arms and sighed. "If it's the garden again, I don't want to go. It's too cold."
"No, it's not the garden. I promise you!" Yong-Jae took her hand in his and caressed it slowly. "It's a place more important than that."
Han Eul thought about it for a minute. There were no appointments going on today, or at least, it seemed that way. She lifted her shaky hand up to her chin and it. "I guess so... But we can't be out for long. I might have an appointment soon."
"Yes!" Yong-Jae said happily as he danced around the room. "You won't regret it!"
"I feel like I am right now!" Han Eul joked. "Just kidding."
Quickly, she put on her booties as Yong-Jae put his big coat around her. He took her hand once more and held it tightly in his own. He smiled at her like she was his universe. There was absolutely nothing that could replace her.
The two of them held each other close as they took the elevator up to the roof top. Yong-Jae brushed her coarse hair as he gazed into her eyes. Han Eul looked into his eyes and buried her face into his chest. She didn't know when the last moment would be, so she felt that she had to spend every minute with him.
The elevator had finally reached the roof as Young-Jae let his hand run down her hair for the twelfth time. He had been counting every . The doors opened and a rush of cold air blew in. Yong-Jae led her out into the open area and looked up at the stars in the sky.
"You see every star in space?" Han Eul looked up into the sky as Yong-Jae pointed. "Each and every star represents how much I like you."
Usually, a smile would run across her face from something like that, but Han Eul didn't seem to find it as cute as she used to. Her eyebrows arched into a worried position above her eyes. When would he admit that he loved her? She could only wonder.
"And this ring..." Yong-Jae said as he took one out of his pocket. He bent down on one knee and held the ring in front of him. "Represents how much I love you, my beautiful Han Eul."
Her hands reached up to cover as her jaw dropped in happiness. Tears came out of her eyes as she sobbed away. At first, she wasn't sure what to say. If she said yes, she didn't know how long her life with him would last. If she said no, she wouldn't see him anymore.
"Yes, Yong-Jae. Yes..." She put out her hand and let Yong-Jae slip the ring onto her small, cold finger. "I never thought you would say those words."
"Well, surprises will come more often for you if you stay with me." Yong-Jae got up from his position and hugged Han Eul tightly. "For the rest of my life, through the tough times and the good times, I will love you eternally. These stars are witnesses to my promise."
Han Eul closed her eyes as she cried even more. Her heart began to race as Yong-Jae brushed his lips against hers. As they kissed, the snow that had fallen began to fall even more. The moment was so beautiful that Han Eul felt like she was frozen in time.
Suddenly, Yong-Jae could feel her falter. Han Eul was breathing harder and having trouble standing. Immediately, he pulled away from her and held her up in his arms. She was beginning to have cold stress. Quickly, Yong-Jae carried her on his back and ran toward the elevator. He couldn't believe this was happening!
"Come on!" He pressed the button ten times as Han Eul was gasping for air on his back. She could hardly breathe now. "Hurry!"
The elevator door opened slowly as Yong-Jae rushed inside. He closed the door and pressed for floor 4. As the elevator went down, Yong-Jae closed his eyes and prayed that God would not take his Han Eul away. He prayed as hard as he could.
A ding was heard as the door opened up to the fourth floor. In a flash, he ran out of the elevator and shouted for help. "Help her! Help! Someone!"
Doctors and nurses rushed to him to grab Han Eul away. As they rushed her into an emergency room, all Yong-Jae could do was watch as she disappeared from him. He stood, frozen as ice, as he watched her being taken away. The ring that was on her finger slipped off as the doctors turned the corner to another hallway.
Yong-Jae ran over and picked it up immediately. He gazed at it as tears fell from his eyes. Would this be the last time he ever saw her?
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Four weeks had only gone by after Yong-Jae proposed to Han Eul. The ring that was still in his pocket was cold to the touch. He took it out to look at it as he smiled. He was really going to miss that moment.
"I love you, Han Eul." Yong-Jae said with a sniffle. Carefully, he placed the ring on her gravestone. Alone, it sat, as the frost grew around it.
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