"If I say yes...will you stay?"

Those words danced inside Ji Eun's mind as she looked at the never-ending cape of black decorated by stars. She never thought that this will be hard to go back to where she came from; she opened herself up to people in this world easily which caused the occurence of the boulders of sadness inside her. Ji Eun took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. Her mind was in complete jeopardy and right at that moment, Ji Eun realized that there was an incoherent void inside her heart. She wondered if this just occured right now or maybe it had been there before the flower even bloomed. She doesn't have an idea or any hints about it but all she could ever say about herself is that she's afraid...and sad.

"A lot of stars are out," she murmured to herself.

Yet as she stared at it, she felt as if they weren't twinkling at all, instead, they were crying.

And right after the latter knew it, Ji Eun found herself crying as her dainty right hand helplessly clutched her desperate heart.

I never thought farewell could be this hard.

~:~

There were only five days left for Ji Eun and she had to admit that the void inside her heart became worse.

It was during the afternoon when Soo Ri called Suzy, Chanyeol, and Ji Eun to gather at the living room. Suzy was reluctant at her mother's unexpected command yet she obeyed and settled herself on the couch. The young girl was completely unaware of what's happening while Ji Eun tried to act as if nothing's wrong although she was dying inside. The three women waited for Chanyeol for hours. They even thought that he wouldn't show up but he did.

This was the time Ji Eun was able to see him again ever since their so-called date. And Ji Eun had to admit that the moment Chanyeol stepped inside, she somehow felt her soul lifted from its sad trance, maybe because she missed him so much.

Ji Eun wanted to run and give him a warm welcome like what she always does but ever since what happened, she cannot find the courage anymore. It's as if she was responsible for the boy's unreadable face when he entered the door.

"Hey," He timidly greeted Soo Ri with a raspy deep voice as he settled himself beside Suzy.

Soo Ri isn't naive to not notice the boy's gloomy aura and even though she wanted to ask if anything's wrong, she sighed and gave him a warm smile, wondering if he already knew what the meeting was all about.

Ji Eun was across Chanyeol and somehow, she was waiting for him to look at her but he didn't which made her feel as if she's a stranger. And that caused her heart to clench in a suffocating way.

"So," Suzy said, wondering why everyone is quiet. "What's with the gathering, mom?"

Clearing , Soo Ri gently placed her hands on her lap. "Well, I have an announcement for you and Chanyeol."

"An announcement?" Suzy wrinkled her brow and looked at her brother yet he stayed still.

"Yes, well, as you can see, you know well the purpose of Ji Eun in this world and I believe I already told you that her stay here is just temporary."

Hearing her mother's discussion, Suzy felt her heart tightened. "You did say that."

Soo Ri tried to smile at her daughter yet she suddenly found it hard to say the right words when she noticed the unreadable expressions basked on their faces. "Now, this would be too surprising for all of us but the time has come for Ji Eun to go back in her world."

"What?" Suzy widened her eyes and looked at Ji Eun who bit her lip. "W-when?"

"I only have five days left." Ji Eun whispered as she felt her lips tremble.

Chanyeol clenched his jaws right after her statement while Suzy tried to take a deep breath.

"Ji Eun," Suzy said, "you can still come back, right?"

"I...I don't know if there ever be a way again for me to come back."

"B-but.."

"Suzy," Soo Ri said, "we do not know how their world works. Our only purpose is to guide her."

Complete silence followed her statement. The once bouyant room was now blanketed by sadness.

Not one of them said any thing, only sniffs from Suzy and Ji Eun who were trying to contain theirselves.

And then after a while, Soo Ri broke the quietness. "I shouldn't say this but I want you to know an important thing about her departure."

"W-well," Soo Ri started, "when Ji Eun finally leaves, our memory of hers will be taken out.

"What?!" Suzy exclaimed, her eyes were already b with tears.

Ji Eun, on the other hand, felt herself shrinking into an abyss of the unknown. She cannot even comprehend what the elder had just said!

Amidst, the shock of the two, Chanyeol stared at the ground, trying hard to contain himself. What in the world did Soo Ri just said? Chanyeol has to admit that he was still trying to heal himself then this another news will come up out of nowhere, saying that they will forget Ji Eun as if she never existed at all?

"What do you mean?" Chanyeol finally spoke.

"By the time Ji Eun disappears, every bit and piece of her in our minds will slowly fade whether we like it or not." Soo Ri explained as she felt her heart carried a burden.

"That's preposterous!" Ji Eun suddenly exclaimed, tears were already flowing from her eyes. "All those days that we've spent together will be erased just like that?! That's unfair!"

"No, that's never going to happen!" Suzy cried, completely astounded of her mom's announcement.

"I'm sorry, Suzy." Soo Ri whispered. She has to admit that she also found it hard to accept the truth because to her, she already treated Ji Eun as her own daughter and the thought of her leaving for good breaks her heart.

"So I'll go back in Fantasia, knowing every moment of our bond yet you will forget me..." Ji Eun uttered, pain was evident on her tone.

What happened after their discussion was a blur, Suzy and Ji Eun were crying while Soo Ri, on the other hand, was trying so hard to contain herself.

Not wanting to hear any heartbreaking news again, Chanyeol stood up which caught the attention of the three women.

"Where are you going?" Suzy asked between her sobs.

The boy went out of the door without leaving any reply yet no one ran after him because they all knew that it truly was a devastating news.

Ji Eun stared at the door that was now closed which caused her to cry even more, because Chanyeol never looked at her nor said anything to her during that time.

He acted as if the string of their bond never existed.

~:~

Chanyeol walked on the road as if he was a wandering nomad. He was supposed to wait for a bus yet he kept on walking, not even minding that it will be a long way home. His thoughts were too jeopardized to care how long the road is because he knew that it won't even lessen the pain in his heart.

"Every bit and pieces of Ji Eun in our minds will slowly fade away."

"We will forget her."

"Forget her, huh?" Chanyeol muttered under his breath. "As in forget her complete existence? Well that's just stupid."

After aimlessly kicking a pebble, Chanyeol stopped. "I mean, that's just impossible. That's never going to happen. It's ridiculous. It's...it's..."

He stared at the empty road ahead of him and told himself that it's like the current condition of his heart--hollow.

Before his melancholy could eat him up, Chanyeol rubbed his face out of frustration. "Okay then, it's easy. I'll let go. I'll just have to throw away every memory since the first day I met her. Mom told me that we'll forget her anyway, might as well start forgetting her now."

Chanyeol took a deep breath after those words and continued to walk. He tried to empty his mind yet every step that he takes lead him back to the times when he was with Ji Eun to the very light of her soul.

He remembered how her eyes turn into two crescent moons whenever she laughs.

He remembered how she tucks some strands of her hair behind her ear.

He remembered how she bites her lower lip whenever she's hurt.

He remembered how she draws circles on the ground with her foot whenever she's waiting.

He remembered her unusual words whenever she's shocked or surprised.

He remembered how her beautiful soul glows through her eyes whenever he looks at her.

He remembered every thing about her even the silly and simple details yet he didn't mind because everything about Ji Eun is beautiful to him.

Then Chanyeol suddenly stopped and looked at the sky above him, whispering to himself, "Darn it...How could I forget her? How could I ever forget such a beautiful being?"

As his words travelled around the empty road, Chanyeol clutched his chest, wondering if he will ever learn the art of letting go.

Greetings!

It has been a long while, and I'm really sorry for not being able to update. I'm really sorry. Still, thank you for your neverending support in this fanfic of mine. Have a blessed day.

FindingSunshine 2015|04|11