Although it was a long time, it does worth priceless for us or at least for me.

Jiyeon’s POV

“Jiyeon-uh I am so sorry for making you worry for the past months” said L while sitting on a bunch next to me, facing a small lake in a park.  

“No, you don’t need to. Actually it was my fault.” I Bow down my head in disappointment. If I wasn’t late on that day when we had a plan to meet in the café, I wouldn’t have been into that accident and you wouldn’t be in coma for 8 or 9 months.” 

“Don’t say like that.” His soft hand clutches my right hand. “It’s not your fault; it just our faith which decided to turn out like that.  And you know what? On that day when IU called me and told about your accident, I seriously thought it was a joke. As you know, that day was an April fool’s Day. Later when I found out that was true, I was so worried and drove so fast to the hospital.”       

I lift my head up, facing him “Oh yeah tell me what happened to you?” I enquire.

He smiles “I am not even sure though. My mind was so blank that time, all I knew was to get to hospital as quick as possible.”

“Yeah you did, that’s why you got such an accident like this, huh!”   “Anyway I am fine now” he again smiles brightly, then glances at my unmoveable leg and worriedly ask “what did the doctor say about your legs?”    “They said it will take time to get back to normal. I will have to do leg exercise usually?”

“So you can’t move at all?”    “Yeah I can, but just the toes. It’s funny right?” I snicker sarcastically.

“Jiyeon-uh-”

“Siting on this wheelchair whole day is actually tiring, boring and …and embarrassing” My voice has sounded serious.

“Jiyeon-uh” his other hand clutches my left hand tightly. “I know how you feel. But don’t worry, look! We have come this far; there is no way that we should give up. I know it will take time. Yeah so what? I am next to you and I will always be. So what are you worrying about? We will try together and we will achieve it.” He nods with a big smile on his face. “Trust me you can do it.”

His cheer encourages me to try my best. I do trust him and I am sure I can do it as he says.

And then, I try … try so hard … eventually I achieve it thanks to mom and dad, L, friends, doctors and my surroundings. Supports form them were the key for my success. Although it’s a long time, I did it. My legs can now carry me and go wherever I want. The fact it wasn’t only what I have achieved during the past years, I’m now graduated in Art and design major while L on the other hand has also graduated in electrical engineering.

As time passes we are not child or teenage anymore. We all become adult who can walk our life by ourselves. Everyone has individual ambition and we are all functioning for that in our everyday routines. We hardly ever meet each other outside except form a proper meeting on important days like birthday, yet some of them even can’t make it since they are in foreign countries. (E.g. Suzy is studying in UK and Sunggyu is working in Japan.)

That day when I close my art gallery earlier than normal as I feel tired; I ring L but no answer, ‘seems like he is busy’ I mumble to myself.  Alone I walk to the car park where my car is rested. It is a winter evening; the sunshine has gone and darkness begins to fill. The weather is quite chilling.

Suddenly I can feel something tightening around my body; quite a familiar sense though. Then a warm breathe fly into my ear “How are you madam?” a voice whisper. I finally realise, it is a back hug and of course I know the owner of this voice. “How dare you don’t answer my call?” I challenge. “Hey how do you know it’s me?” L releases the hug and turn in front of me. “Of course I know this sense and voice very well, Honey” He narrows his eyebrows “Nahh, I wanted to shock you and it’s never work.”

“By the way why do you close the gallery early?”     “I feel so tired today.”

“Chill out baby it’s Friday night.”  “I know. But I walked a long way to meet a portraitist today.” I reply. “Come on let’s go. I will make you feel relax.”

“Where?” I inquire unknowingly.  “Somewhere you really like. Give me your car key” I handed my car key to him and in a minute he starts to drive. After we’ve passes the familiar roads, streets, houses and shops, he stops in front of a big tall building.

After making a small sigh and a sarcastic smile, I speak up “Is that the place I really like?”

He grins and blinks his eyes as if he is right. “Come on baby I know you like my apartment so much. Let’s go up” all I can do now is following him quietly. Actually in some way he is right though, whenever I feel tired or so I would go to his house and take some rest whether he is there or not.  Since he lives there alone it’s completely quiet and I would even love to do some of my works in there.

He opens the door. As I step inside nice smell comes into my nose. “Did you light up candles?”

“Yeah, your favourite fragrance candle before I went out.”     I scan my eyes through the entire room “How come it’s so clean unlike usual?”     “You like it right? I just did that for you.” His grins got wider. Truly his room has never clean as much as it is now. “Take a seat” he says while bringing me a glass of water. “Awnnn, your leg must be so tired.” He sits down next to me, snatch my legs and place over his thighs, making me lean back to the handle of sofa.

“What are you doing?” I ask in shock.     “Let me give you massage.”      “No you don’t need to.” I snatch out my feet but he grabs it so tightly. “Stay still.” That’s all he said and continues to massages my legs gently with his soft hands.

Gazing him silently massaging my leg, my mind says I like it. I smile satisfyingly. “How come you can massage so well? Have you ever done it to any other women?”  

“Yep I did.” He replies.           I pout angrily. “Who?” 

“My mum.” he smiles. “I used to massage my mum when I was young.”   It’s fine as long as his mum only.     Why does he so nice to me today? I can feel something weird.

A moment later… “I am fine now, L” I claim. He stops massaging “Okay, you must be hungry now. I will make you food.” Then he walks to the open-plan kitchen and start to make food for me.

“Do you want me to help?”  I offer.   

“No, it’s fine just stay there.”  Waiting for him on the sofa, my eyes become very heavy and I slowly fall asleep.

I am not sure how long it was and now L wakes me up by gently poking my shoulder. “Jiyeon-uh! Jiyeon! Jiyeon … wake up. It’s ready to eat.”   I open my eyes and apologise sleepily “sorry L, I didn’t know how I fell asleep”   “Don’t worry, it’s fine. Let’s go eat.” He grabs my hand and walk towards the table.”  

Everything has lain out perfectly, nicely decorated several dishes with 2 glasses of red wine at the two corners, the dim room with only a few candles are lighting up and even music is going on gently from the speaker in the living room. 

“L!” I utter, as I fully wake up from half-awake after seeing all those preparation done by him. “Did you do all these by yourself?” I ask in disbelieve. “Who else could do this then?” he raise his eyebrow playfully.

“May be - ” my mouth just stop without finishing the sentence as the sound coming from the speaker fly into my ear. “L!” I shriek with my widening eyes. “Stop that song NOW!”  

“Why? That’s my favourite song.” he laughs teasingly. It’s no other song but ‘Loving You’ and I wouldn’t be that shriek out if it is not the one that is sung by me with those trembling voice.

At the same time the song also brings back the past where I sung this song on the farewell party concert in high school and late comer L played the guitar.

“How’s that can be listenable? Can’t you hear all those trembling voice?”    “So what? I still like it though.”   “Anyway it’s all because of you. I though you’re not gonna come on that day and when I finally see you…. And … aish … it’s became like this.” 

“I know baby. It’s my entire fault.” He pinches my cheek lightly. I sit down on a chair and start to consume the dinner deliciously.

“L! Why are you so good to me today?”       “What do you mean? I am always good to you.”

“I know, but I just feel like you are treating me in some special way today.”  “In what way?”

“I don’t know how to say but I have this special feeling”

“Actually there is a reason behind this.”      “SEE! I knew it. What is it?”    “Uhmm … there is something I want from you.”         “From me? What? What do you want?”   “You have to give me after I say it.”

“Well, it depends on what you want? ... okay quick! just tell me what do you want?”

He looks deep into my eyes and become serious “YOU!” it’s all I heard from him. “What? What did you say?” I have to ensure what I just heard. “I said YOU!” he emphasizes the ‘you’ and it just make me burst out laughing.  “L!!! You are so funny?”   “No. Don’t laugh? I am serious.” He says in a quiet tone.

“Okay sorry I won’t laugh. But how come you’re suddenly saying you want me when I am already giving ME to you?” I raise my eyebrow, waiting for the answer.

“What I am saying now is … I want you for my entire life. Will you be able to give me?”   

“Huh!” is all come out of my mouth. Suddenly the front door opens; IU, Woohyun, Sunggyu, Donghae and Yoona come in wearing pale yellow T-shirt and with black colour words printed on. Then they stand in line … the words on their shirt says …

IU (WILL)   Woohyun (YOU)   Sunggyu (MARRY)   Donghae (HIM)    YOONA (?) they all smiling brightly. L take off his long sleeves stripe shirt and underneath it is the same pale yellow t-shirt and the printed words say … ‘Will you marry me?’ 

 My eyes widen as I realise that he is actually proposing me. My mind stop processing and I’m frozen in siting position with my half-opening mouth. 

Then L hands me a phone. The screen showing text message from Suzy and the massage says:

‘Yes?     Or           No?’

I glance at L. He is anticipating for my answer. I didn’t say anything but just type in the word ‘Yes’ and send the message to Suzy who is in America currently. And I put down the phone on the table and start to eat the food deliciously. L picks up the phone; they all gather around L and try to read the massage curiously.

“Jiyeon-uh” his voice with full of satisfaction.

“Yes?”

“Will you marry me?” his face is very close to mine.

“Yes!”

“Jinja(really)?” getting closer.

“Yes!!!!”

And all I feel suddenly is a soft kiss with full of passion touch my warm cheek.

BONUS ^^