Jong kook slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the brightness of the unfamiliar place. Disoriented, he wondered where he was. He remembered the lake in the forest. He decided to follow Eun Hye but he can’t remember jumping. Am I in heaven? A boy wearing an impossibly white robe was staring at him, his face not telling anything. A woman in similar flowing white robes played the harp beautifully. The melody painted beautiful pictures of a woman and a child in his mind, they were calling him.

Yeobo!

Appa!

Tears raced down his face before he realized it. He remembered everything now as a feeling of dread washed over him. Is this the end?

 

“Jade?” he said to the time god who only continued to watch him with an unreadable expression. He realized he was lying down on someone’s lap. Scrambling to his feet, he shyly apologized to the woman who looked like an angel. He thought of movies where heaven looked like a vast sea of clouds but the place he woke up at was different. It was very much like an Earthly garden but its beauty couldn’t be justified by mere human words. Did he die? Had the old man killed him? Millions of questions flooded his mind but the most painful of all was... would I ever see them again?

 

“Jong kook-ah, you finally woke up. Come and sit here. Don’t worry about your memories, it happens when you’re near the gates of heaven.” He did as he was told without a fuss as he let his eyes comb the place. “Why am I here? Is this really heaven?” He waited for Jade to say something, his hands anxiously tapping the sides of his seat. Jade took his sweet time torturing him before simply pointing at his chest. Jong kook automatically grasped the hourglass finding it shattered, probably by the bullet fired at him. A look of terror passed his face. He didn’t even want to think about what it could mean. “We are in the outskirts of heaven where souls who can’t let go of memories and their humanities wander around.” Jong kook’s pulse quickened, he wished it were just a dream.

 

“Jong kook-ah, did you mean every word you said back there? The love thing, are you sure it was you and not the words you think future Jong kook would have said?” Jong kook bowed his head as he slowly nodded. He remembered saying those words. It was true, if it wasn’t then nothing was real anymore.  “I mean them. What happens now Jade?”

“What would you want to happen Jong kook-ah?”

“I want to go back to my family. There’s still a lot that I haven’t done… Hyo Jong, Ji hyo, what will happen to them?”

“It’s a nice place right?” Jade stood up and walked around with Jong kook tailing behind him. “Do you want to stay here Jong kook-ah?” Without hesitation, he said, “No.”

“Then will you tell her everything? Are you brave enough to do what he didn’t do? Will you not let the laws set by man hinder you two again?”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Jade threw Jong kook another hourglass, the sand was past the half-mark. “Jong kook-ah, I am telling you this to remind you how humans complicate everything.” Jade waved and Jong kook saw people laughing. They looked joyous and young. They were as beautiful as the paradise before him. “Look at them Jong kook, the reason this place is beautiful is because of them. Their smiles and happiness makes this place glow. They created love and peace thus, they coexist in perfect harmony. They have no hatred, no anger and other ill feelings. And it’s simply because they let themselves be happy. Those who were wronged forgave. Those who did wrong asked forgiveness. Those with regrets, let go. Those who couldn’t bear to cleanse their human complications suffer down below. Heaven is simple but Earth is complicated. Society, family, friends, even yourself… Everything is a possible obstacle only if you let them. That’s what humans don’t know – Earth is heaven but they make it hell.”

 

Jade turned to him as the people disappeared. He touched the hourglass on his neck as if programming it or something. “You have uncovered the past, now you have to face reality. It could be rougher or smoother, depending on how you handle it.” Jade motioned to him to get closer. “Ah and there’s another thing, one of my favorite saying – the truth will set you free.”  Jong kook felt the weight of Jade’s words. He had the exact same dilemma before going to Shi Yoon and confronting him about the old man. Part of him had said it was because of the mission. That she couldn’t know he was from the future. The truth was, he couldn’t tell her because he didn’t want her hurt but in the end, he only made it more painful. “Jong kook-ah, remember that  important things are felt. When you are troubled and can’t decide, remember to use your heart. It’s a wonderful gift to human beings, so use it well.”

“Why are you saying all this?”

“Tsk, tsk, you still don’t get it… Why complicate everything? I’m just helping and you’re simply over thinking. Are you ready to go back?” He nodded and before he could say a word, Jade placed a finger on his forehead and pushed him. “Yaaaah!” he saw the time god toss something that he caught effortlessly. It was his phone. He closed his eyes shut as he felt the rush of the wind. He was literally falling from the heavens.

 

Jade waved at him until the time god couldn’t see him anymore. When he turned to go back inside the heavens, a beautiful woman approached him. He playfully greeted her and he even gave her a wink. “Oh, there you are beautiful… are you bored?” The woman shook her head. “No, but I am worried.”

“Oh, worried! That’s a complication we need to remove before you can enter–”

“Do you think he can do this?” Jade only laughed and winked at her. “Trust him, he might be stubborn but he’ll get things done. It’ll be interesting from now on.”

 

------------------------------

 

For the second time, Jong kook once again opened his eyes. He blinked rapidly, his body was very stiff. He tried to speak but nothing came out of his throat. The white room was empty, until he felt the low rise and fall of someone’s breathing beside him. She was there, her head tucked in her arms, her hand holding his.  He tried to move his body but he was numb. He tried to make a sound but he failed. In a corner Jade appeared. Jong kook followed him with his eyes. Jade went to a small table and pressed a buzzer.

 

Ji hyo was startled at the shrill sound. She looked dazed, but she became fully alert as her gaze caught Jong kook’s. He tried to smile at her but she started crying without a word. They just stayed like that, their eyes never leaving each other. She didn’t speak, no questions were asked. There were no blames. She tightened her grip on his hand as if not wanting to let go. Relief, happiness, love, Jong kook had never seen such emotions look so beautiful in someone’s eyes. For a while, there was silence and a myriad of messages exchanged, all by looking at each other.

 

I have something to tell you… Ji hyo-yah…

 

It can wait… It’s not important at the moment…

 

But you need to know…

 

I am thankful that you are here Jong kook-ah… please don’t leave me again.

 

I am thankful that you are still here… even if I am the one who caused you so much pain…

 

Shi Yoon entered the room, looking a little bit rumpled. He has Hyo Jong with him and the poor little angel ran to her father’s bed crying. “Ji hyo noona, I’m sorry but she threatened me.” Jong kook willed himself to hold his family in his arms. He looked at Shi Yoon with gratitude, and the younger one nodded.

 

I am home.

 

------------------------------

 

Jong kook was finally discharged from the hospital. Shi Yoon personally fetched them. “Shi Yoon-ah, thank you very much for all your help.”

“It’s fine noona… You don’t have to worry about anything. Just make sure this hyung won’t do anything stupid again.” They all fell silent. The old man had killed himself after shooting Jong kook. Luckily, for Jong kook the hourglass had lessened the impact of the bullet and it didn’t penetrate deeply. He touched his chest. He can almost feel the thin scar there. Ji hyo placed her hand over his and looked at him tenderly. Jong kook intertwined her hand in his, soothing away her worries.

 

Jong kook didn’t notice the drive was taking too long. “Where are we going Shi Yoon-ah?” Ji hyo sounded alarmed. After all the things that happened, she was beginning to worry about everything. “Wait, don’t worry okay? It’s a surprise and a gift at the same time.” She didn’t push and Jong kook trusted Shi Yoon. A few minutes later, they all stood in front of the airport.

 

“Noona. Hyung…have fun,” he gave them the tickets and it’s bound to Jeju Islands. “But where is Hyo Jong?” Ji hyo asked. “Noona, I have everything under control. Your omma heard that hyung was sick so she took Hyo Jong for a vacation at your hometown.”

“But the house, our baggage…”

“The ajumma packed them all. Now go and treat this as your second honeymoon. I already asked the doctor if hyung could travel. She also said you two can already engage in –” Shi Yoon said in his usual straight manner that felt like he was giving a report rather than talking. “Yah, what are you saying… aw!” Jong kook groaned as the younger man a bag at him. “Take care of noona, hyung. See you in a week! And oh, Hyo Jong said she wants a baby brother.”

 

Jong kook can’t believe Shi Yoon planned all of this for them. They silently walked inside the terminal and Jong kook managed to not look like an idiot as they passed by modern technology. It’s a good thing to happen Jong kook-ah, you can tell her there. For days he had created scenarios on his head on how to tell her but he still couldn’t decide. He knows he shouldn’t complicate it but it was easier said than done. “Ji hyo-yah…” She smiled at him. He expected the hurt to be evident on her eyes but they weren’t even there. She leaned on him and he inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. The sun was already setting down creating a beautiful picture in front of them. She never let go of his hand.

 

------------------------------

 

Bong dal greeted them as soon as they stepped out of the airport. Ji hyo smiled at him warmly and Jong kook was glad to see another familiar face. He inhaled the fresh air and smiled. Now he has a vague idea of why Jade said Earth could be heaven too.

 

Bong dal drove them without asking for the direction. “Shi Yoon is a really thoughtful man. Whoever he marries is a lucky girl.” Ji hyo said to which Jong kook scoffed.  “Thoughtfulness? He is obsessed and boring. I bet he even has a printed schedule for us.” As if on cue, Bong dal chuckled and Jong kook noticed a card on the dashboard. He reached for it and sure enough, it was a schedule for them complete with the time and everything. It was even more detailed than a school trip itinerary. Ji hyo laughed and Jong kook couldn’t help but stare at her. It was rare to hear that beautiful sound. Her laughter brought another meaning to the word music.

 

“Bong dal-ssi, we are allowed to go where we want right?” The driver nodded with a grin. Jong kook whispered to him, to which the other  nodded in agreement. “Where are we going yeobo?” He only smiled at her.

 

------------------------------

 

“This is where I was supposed to shoot my music video for Han Namja… we already had everything. The leads, the scripts… but it was cancelled.” Jong kook held her hand. He was grateful that there were few people on the place. “What happened back then?”

“No one trusted me to make it through. They all thought I was going to fail and head home.” He hummed the song silently. With Ji hyo’s hand in his, they walked in the park, following the path with the beautiful landscape. The moon was brightly shining. The street lamps flickered. Cherry blossoms lined the park, its petals showering the grounds. It was beautiful. People had begun to thin out, they were almost alone. He closed his eyes and stopped walking. He let out the song from deep inside him.

 

It must've been a long time. Long enough for these words to become colorless. 
Even if I just see your eyes, I know everything,
Like your friend, like your shadow. 

We must've been together always. When you're having hard time and you are sad, 
even when you're lonely. Holding onto separation a bit longer, 
Even when I'm hurting to wipe away your tears... 
 

There's a man. Who loves you so much. 
There's a man. Who can't even say I love you. 
By your side I put my hand out and 
at a path were you can always reach me 
I, who cherishes you more than myself, am with you. 

To make you laugh, I think of only that and 
When and where ever you are I'm watching you and missing you. 
And who worries of only you, 

 

“That was beautiful. I love your voice… I can listen to it forever.”  They sat on a bench, their bodies touching, warming each other. “I was supposed to film it here. Walking with a lady on this park while the cherry blossoms showered us. I guess the reason it didn’t happen was because I am meant to walk here with you today.” Ji hyo looked at him with tears in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and stared at the moonlight. “I want to tell you everything Ji hyo-yah –”

“I know but not yet. I want to enjoy this with you. What’s next?” Jong kook raised his brows. Ji hyo stood up and offered her hand to him. “Let’s shoot our first MV… I want to hear your voice again.” Jong kook smiled in thanks but he pulled her gently back to him. She landed on his lap but she didn’t make an effort to protest. He rested his head on her shoulders and sighed. “Is this part of the script yeobo?” He only nuzzled her neck as his arms surrounded her. He hummed his song, singing softly in her ears as their bodies slowly rocked.

 

Jong kook slowly let her go. “Can you ride my back and pretend that you hurt your ankle?”

“Isn’t that too clichéd?”

“8 years ago it wasn’t… it was on the script.” Ji hyo nodded and hopped on his back, her chin rested on his neck. Now she got her revenge as she returned the nuzzling back to him. They walked liked that in the moonlight, the song unheard but played in their minds. Jong kook can feel her heart racing as fast as his own. He can feel all of her pressed to him, she is warm, soft… so loveable. Now he knows why it is complicated. He had admitted his feelings to himself, but how can he live with the lie about his true identity? How can he say those words to her without feeling guilty?

 

They reached the end of the path. The circular open space looked as if the heavens especially lighted the place. They climbed up the steps and reached the top. A beautiful garden greeted them. She hugged him tight, thankful that he was there with her. “I thought I lost you Jong kook-ah.”

“Me too… I am sorry. I –”

“Not yet… the MV is not yet done.” he remembers the last part of the script well. It was so apt that he wanted to chuckle.

 

For the thousand time I swallow and again for the thousand time I try to set everything straight.

I want to tell you

I think I am going insane but,

I want to embrace you all at once but…

 

There’s a girl, who doesn’t know I’m like this,

Who receives love but doesn’t even know it’s love

Leaving you, who is as foolish as I and sad,

At this moment tears come but I am happy…

 

He cupped her face resting his forehead against hers. Their breaths mingled, dancing with each other. He closed his eyes, enjoying their closeness. He wants more but he is afraid. He fought the tears that threatened to fall. “It’s okay Jong kook-ah…” Her voice brought him back and he backed away. He didn’t deserve this. Why was she not mad at him? Why? She should be angry and hurt. She should be leaving him but he only felt that her love had grown.

 

Her arms surrounded him from behind. He turned around and faced her. “Do you know the ending of the script?" she looked up to him. Her eyes confused with his sudden coldness. "In the end Ji hyo-yah, the lead guy and woman in the MV…" he gently pushed away her hands,

"they broke up so they can’t hurt each other anymore.”

Thanks for reading.