“I’ve marked the calendar for tomorrow, please don’t forget to pay visit to his grave. Or else, he’ll be visiting you instead.” mom reminded me.

     “You know I didn’t like visiting him, right? I’m still guilty for what happened to him. I would very much appreciate it if he’ll be the one to visit me instead.” I replied.

     Mom walked towards me then my back.

     “Stop blaming yourself again and again, it’s not healthy! I know how much you miss him but please forget about the incident. It’s been 4 years, he wouldn’t be happy seeing you like that.”

     “I know you’ll always say that. Forget him, how can I?” I looked away trying to hold on my tears.

      I rushed to my bedroom then looked at the calendar.

      October 23, it was the day he left me.

      It was my birthday; I invited Sungyeol oppa to have a lunch date with me. I would like to know if he remembered my special day.

     We entered the restaurant and searched for vacant seats. After the meal was served, we talked about lots of things but still, I’ve been waiting for that one thing…I was waiting for him to greet me.

     “Uhmm, oppa…do you remember what today is?” I pouted at him.

     He looked at me with his clueless face and replied, “Is there an occasion? Wait, is it a holiday? AISHHHH, I really can’t remember. Sorry.”

     He made an owl face to cheer me up and then noticed the frustration written all over my face. “What’s the matter? Have I said something wrong?”

     “N-no, it’s alright.” I got upset.

      After Sungyeol paid the bills for our meal, I stood instantly and walked hastily in disappointment.

     “YAHH- Is something wrong?” He asked while trying to catch my quick pace.

     Without a thought, I crossed the street to go to the other side and leave him.

      I didn’t notice that a car was rushing towards me.

      A BRIGHT LIGHT. FEAR. SORROW. PANIC.

      Everything happened in an instant.

     I thought that would be the end of me. But all of a sudden, Sungyeol pushed me and the next thing that I remembered was the scene which really broke my heart.

     “Happy birthday, I wanted to surprise you…I’m sorry baby.” He was trying to say those words with his last ounce of strength.

     Then finally, with his last breath; he smiled, then cupped my face and said, “I-I love you IU”. Then he closed his eyes.

     I was riding with him unconsciously laid in an ambulance.

     When we reached the hospital, all the health team gathered around him trying to revive his health.     

     “His heartbeat is irregular, prepare the defibrillator”, the doctor ordered.

     “CHARGING IN 3, 2, 1…EVERYBODY, CLEAR!” he exclaimed.

     He repeated that for almost 3 times, but then Sungyeol’s vital signs aren’t responding.

     Suddenly, a straight line was shown in the cardiac monitor.

     “Time of death, 2:03pm”, the nurse remarked.

     The doctor approached us and said, “We did our best but…he’s dead.”

     Tears run down into my face. I was so shocked with what happened.

     “This can’t be, are you leaving me? N-not yet! IT’S NOT FAIR! I DO NOT UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS!”, I was hysterically crying in front of the emergency door.

     When we were allowed to see him, I couldn’t dare touch him. It seems like he was peacefully sleeping. I was swallowed by the guilt of what happened.

     “It’s not your fault, I know he’ll do this for you even for a million times.”, Sungyeol oppa’s mom was trying to calm me down.

     I didn’t visit him since the day he was buried. I wanted his lively face to be forever sketched in my mind. I don’t want to remember that he was already gone. I just can’t accept the fact that it was my fault.

     Sungyeol’s mom would visit me once a month and ask how I am doing. Everybody tells me to forget him. They were convincing me to find someone else to love. But I just can’t leave him alone. I know it’s an obsession, but I won’t leave him till the day when I would leave this world with him.

     No matter where I look, where I go, what I’ll be doing, I would always remember his face. How can I ever live without you? It’s killing me inside.

     “I hope you can understand me, I can’t visit you again tomorrow because it will be my birthday and your death anniversary. Goodnight baby, I miss you so much”, I kissed our last picture together on my cell phone taken a day before the incident and fell asleep.

     It was 6 o’clock in the morning when I suddenly opened my eyes and woke up.

     I knew that nobody’s home that day except for me because my parents were away on a business trip; so I was really puzzled why the light in the living room was switched on.

     I quietly walked towards the room to see if there were intruders.

     To my surprise, I saw a man dressed in white with his brown hair lying on the sofa.

     “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? I’M GOING TO CALL THE POLICE IF YOU DON’T LEAVE IMMEDIATELY“ I yelled at him.

     Then, the man stood up and lazily woke from sleep.

     “YAHH- Why do you need to shout? Can’t you see I’m so tired from my travel just to get here? AISHHHH!”, he looked at me and pouted.

     He looks familiar, my eyes grew bigger.

     “S-Sungyeol oppa? A ghost?”

     I rubbed my eyes abruptly and blinked for several times. I slapped my face and muttered, “IS THIS A DREAM? BECAUSE I REALLY DON’T LIKE TO WAKE UP AGAIN.”

     “Oppa, is that really you? But you’re already dead!”, I was crying  desperately.

     He stood up and walked towards me. He hugged me, with his chin on my shoulder.

     “Don’t cry, oppa is here now. We’ll spend the whole day together.” He smiled at me and wiped my tears away.

     I touched his face, his body, his hair…he’s real! Omo!

     “I thought I’ll never see you again. You are so mean!” I pouted at him.

     He just replied with a sweet, innocent smile.

     “I thought you’ll pass out since you’re so afraid of ghosts haha. So, where’s my coffee? You used to offer me coffee before, right?” He began searching on the kitchen closets.

     “I’m not afraid if that ghost is as handsome as you, oppa!”

     “And also, ever since the day you left, I never drink any coffee. If you want, let’s go out and I’ll treat you for a delicious frapuccino!” I exclaimed.

     “YAHOOO!”, he cheered like a choding.

     So we went out and had frappucino and a slice of cake for breakfast.

     “So, what would you like to do next?”, Sungyeol asked.

     “Let’s go ride on a bicycle!” I excitedly said.

     We roamed around the park riding together on a single bicycle. At that moment, I really felt so happy.

     I never imagined that after 3 years of having depressing birthdays, finally I saw Sungyeol oppa again. I believe that this is my most precious birthday ever.

     “Oppa, how are you? Did you miss me? Are you not going to leave me anymore?” I asked him.   

     He brushed my hair with his fingers then my face and whispered.

     “I miss you the most. I’m fine, but you aren’t that’s why I went back to cheer you up on your birthday. I can’t assure you that I won’t be leaving again because I don’t belong in this world anymore. I want to check out if you can manage to live without me.”

     I faked a smile and tried my best to show him that I’ll be fine without him. But suddenly, my unwanted tears fell down once again and I hugged him tightly.

     “Please don’t say that. I want to see you again and again and again. I won’t be fine without you, you are my life. Without you, I won’t cheer up again. I won’t drink coffee again. I won’t celebrate my birthday again.”, I begged him.

     “But we don’t own our life, everything is just borrowed from HIM. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that you’ll be fine without me. I love you, and that will remain forever.” he cried silently then kissed me on my forehead.

     “Sorry, I’m just being emotional nowadays. I don’t want to ask when, how, why you are here. I’ll just happily spend this whole day with you.” I wiped my tears and smiled then grabbed his arms.

     We strolled around the amusement park, took several rides then we ended up buying banana flavoured ice cream. I fell in line while waiting for my turn to buy.

     When the vendor handed me the ice cream, I turned around to look for Sungyeol oppa. I tried to search for him everywhere, but I was in vain.

     The ice creams melted in their cones. “Where are you? Did you left me again? Is this all a fantasy?”

I knelt on the ground in disappointment and cried terribly.

     Suddenly, I saw a paper plane on the ground. When I was about to touch it, the wind blew and it flew away.

     I remembered Sungyeol loved making paper planes when he was still alive. I followed the paper plane and it led me to my house where I saw the unopened box delivered to me 4 years ago.

     I opened the gift and found an owl stuffed toy. It has a note inside the box saying:

PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE RIGHT EYE

     I pressed the button and I heard a recorded voice.

     “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY JIEUN! YOU WERE SURPRISED, RIGHT? UHMM- I’M AFRAID TO ASK THIS QUESTION…WILL YOU MARRY ME? HAHAHA. SORRY FOR MY SILLY QUESTION, YOU’RE STILL YOUNG. PLEASE DON’T GET MAD AT ME FOR NOT GREETING YOU. REMEMBER, I LOVE YOU ALWAYS!”

     Upon hearing this, I regret the moment when I hated him for not remembering my birthday.

     “You’re really the best oppa in the world! How can I forget you? I’ll never get mad at you.”

     Tears poured out from my swelling eyes, I shouted at the window, “OPPAAAAAAAAA!! I LOVE YOU! I’LL MISS YOU! PLEASE DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME, I’LL BE FINE. WE’LL SEE EACH OTHER SOMEDAY! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!”

     After a year, I visited oppa’s grave for the first time. I will never forget how much he meant to me. He wants me to be happy so I’ll grant his wish so that he’ll never worry anymore.

     Out of the blue, I saw the paper plane which I saw last year. It flew again, so I followed it wondering where it would lead me again.

     It stopped at a bench near a man wearing white shirt topped with a black cardigan. He was drinking coffee and when I came closer, I saw him making paper cranes instead of paper planes.

     He suddenly noticed that I was watching him and smiled with his charming dimples. He asked if I was also interested in making paper cranes and taught me how to do it.

     By the way, “I’m Kim Myungsoo. It’s nice to meet you.”

A/N: I noticed that I ended this story with the same ending I had with my previous fanfic, HELLO STRANGER. HAHAHA Mianhae! I thought of making this romantic story just because it reminded me of All Souls Day. Thank you to all who subscribed and read the story!  HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

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