"Hyori."

You ignored the call.  "...."

"Hyori."

You sat up slowly, checking the alarm clock. 2:30 am.

"Mama, wha--"

"I found you."

You froze.  What?

"What do you--"

"Come." 

You sat there on your bed, unsure of what to do.  What if it's a burglar?  They wouldn't know my name.  A murderer?  Wouldn't have been as obvious.  A kidnapper?  They would have attempted it while I was sleeping.

You rolled off the bed and grabbed a slip of paper from your desk.

"Come."

You wrote a little note to your mother.  If it was a kidnapper, the note may help somewhat.

"Hyori."

You grabbed a flashlight and crept out of the room.

"Come, Hyori.  Outside."

 

The night air chilled you to the bone.  You looked around at the trees surrounding you and your house.

"Come to the beach.  Come."

There's no one out here.  Fear began to creep over you.  It began to slither, over your heart.

Maybe you should have gone back.  Maybe you should have called for someone.  But you had to know.  You had to know what's happening.

You stepped towards the direction of the beach.

 

The ocean water lapped at your feet, cooling your toes.  Even in all this open space, there is no one to be seen.

The wind blew against your face, causing you to shiver intensely.  The voice blew with the wind.

"Come."

The wind blew, blew, towards the high cliff in the distance.  The one your mother forbid you to go to.

Your hand trembling slightly, you walked towards the cliff.  Shhft, shhft, shhft.

The sand you stepped upon soon turned to stone as you walked cautiously up the cliff.  Tap, tap, tap.

You looked over the cliff, the ocean gllimmering from the small moonlight it had.  It was beautiful.

"Hyori."

You turned in a full circle for the source of the voice.

"Wha-who are you?!  Show yourself!"

You saw something shine in the corner of your eye.

"My love.  Six years."

You turned the around. "What?"

You turned towards the edge of the cliff.  But someone was already standing there.

His eyes.  Such sad eyes.  The long blonde hair flying along with the ocean breeze just seems to add to the gloom.

He took a step towards you.

"Six years.  Six years of waiting.  But now, but now, it's over.  I found you, Hyori.  I found you."

You took a step back.  "You found me?  Who are you?"

He looked down.  

"You dare ask...who I am...?"

The beautiful figure glided over and caressed your cheek.  It was ice cold.

"You broke your part of the promise.  But you can fulfill it now."

He put both of his hands onto your face and leaned in closely.

"Come.  Come join me, my love.  Join me, into the depths of the ocean."

You eyes widened, and you attempted to push him away, but your hands went right through his chest.  A ghost?

"No.  No!  Please-"

He pulled you to the edge and embraced you completely, pulling you more to the edge.  Your toes crumbled the rock beneath you, sending the rocks into the ocean, hundreds of feet below.  You don't want to fall.  You don't want to die.

"No!!  Let go!!! NO--"

"HYORI!!"

Someone grabbed your shoulder and yanked you back.  You fell to the floor, scraping your hands.  The ghost had disappeared.  The person who yanked you back embraced you.  You embraced her back.

"Mama--"

"Hyori!  Hyori, I thought you were going to jump---"  your mother sobbed hard, grasping your back.  "Not again, I thought you've forgotten--"

"Forgotten?  Mama?"  

Your mom grabbed your shoulders and shook you.  "Dont come here again, okay?  That's why I've always told you--"

Your mom burst into tears and you embraced her.

"Mama, let's go home."

Your mother weakly nodded and helped you up.

You slowly walked back to your house.

A flicker of light appeared back at the cliff.  It wavered in your eyesight, as if watching you go.

~~

"Six years ago, you and your lover, Jiyong, attempted suicide."  Your mother sipped her tea.

When you had gotten to your house, your mother made some tea.  Neither of you could sleep now.

"Jiyong drowned, but you were saved."  your mother shivered at the thought of Jiyong's death.  "But you had banged your head on the cliffrock, and when you woke up, you forgot."

You gently set your cup down. "What do you mean, forgot?"

"You didn't remember the suicide.  You didn't remember Jiyong.  Any of it." she hesitates. "I-I thought it-it would be better off if you didn't remember something so painful, so I never told you."

You grabbed your teacup and chugged the hot tea down.  The tea burned in your throat as you slammed your cup down and attempted a smile.

"Ah, I'm tired.  I'm going to bed."  your expression softened.  "I don't blame you for what you did."

You ran out of the room, leaving your mom sitting there, her cup still wrapped in her hands.

You shut the door of your room and slid against it, sliding to the ground.  You buried your head in your knees.

"How could I have forgotten," you whispered. "such an important person?"

~~

"We wish to get married."  Kwon Jiyong stated, with you by his side.

The middle-aged man behind the desk sighed and shook his head.  "I'm sorry.  It is not of tradition or manner to marry someone not of rich ancestry."

Jiyong's hand held onto your hand more tightly.  He was nervous, anxiety swimming in his eyes.

"But father, I-"

"It is not healthy for my heir to marry such lowlife."  Jiyong's father interrupted, coldness expressed all over his face.

You winced.  Jiyong stares crazily at his father before returning the coldness.

"It's obvious you despise Hyori.  She is not lowlife.  You'll see what comes out of that."

Jiyong stormed out of the room, dragging you with him.

"Jiyong--" you stumbled as he turned a sharp corner and yanked open a door.  The rusty autumn wind blew in and out of your hair.

"Jiyong--" several flyaway leaves hit you in the face.

"Jiyong!"  you let go to his hand, forcing him to turn around and you kissed him, having to go on your toes.  You buried your head in his chest.  

"What are going to do?"  you whispered.

Jiyong wrapped his arms around you.

"We'll figure something out."  He patted your back.  "I won't forgive him for calling you lowlife.  You're not lowlife.  You, Hyori, are like a precious diamond to me.  I won't ever let you go."  He kissed your cheek.  "Ever."

 

You sat in an empty room with Jiyong, hugging a pillow.

"Jiyong, are you sure doing this will help?  Will it fix anything?"

He looked down.  "It will show them that.. nothing can break out bond together.  And we won't have to live without each other."

"I'm scared.  What if it doesn't work?"

"The most important thing is that we stay together." he held out his pinky finger and smiled.  "How about this.  We'll pinky swear.  We'll always stay together.  We'll live together.  And we'll die together."

You paused and looked up at him.  "I can't live without you, Jiyong."

His face softened.  "I can't live without you either."

You smiled sadly, and took his pinky, entwining it with yours.

~~

Your eyes fluttered open, and you encountered a pair of ghostly eyes staring right at you.

"Did the dream work?"

"Whoa--wahh!" You tried to scoot back but hit your head against the door.  Jiyong placed him arms near each side of your head and leaned in.

You gasped for breath, still startled. "Wh-what do you want?  Don't kill me..."

"Hyori,"  he whispered and kissed you.

You didn't feel any pressure on your lips.  Just a cold, icy sensation.

You tucked your head in.  "No, I don't think--"   you ducked to the side and tripped on your bed.  Jiyong bent down so he was face-level with you and gazed at you softly.

"I am not here to harm you.  No, not at all."  he lifted up his left hand in the moonlight shining from the small window.

"You see, you see this thread?"

You squinted, and you saw a small silver thread floating in the air, the end tied in an intricate knot on his smallest finger.  His pinky.

"We, Hyori, are connected." Jiyong continued.  "By this thread.  By that promise.  Look."

You looked down at your own hand and just barely saw the small sliver of thread tied on your finger, the thread as small and silver as a spider's thread.

"I believe," he whispered. "I believe I cannot leave the earth and ocean upon which I died, until the promise was fulfilled."

You hesitated.  "So... you're going to kill me?"

Jiyong slowly shook his head.  

"I have realized that is a cruel thing--- to kill you.  Even if your were to die, you may not want to stay with me." He blinks dramatically and looks at you.

"I need you to stay.  To stay with me."

"What will you do?"  you whispered, almost not wanting an answer.

Jiyong looked out the window, into the moon, shining brightly.

"Watch you.  Keep watch for you.  Until you die.  You shall die, and you will return to me.  For we are tied together.  Then the thread will disappear.  And we will both be free."

His expression melted into a soft, sad smile.  

"It is a great dream, to be free."

You looked away from him and at your hands.

To be free.  That is all he ever wanted.  To be free from this painful world of tragic memories.

You smiled gently.  "So all you wanted was to be free..."

Surprisingly, he shook his head.

"No.  Oh, no.  What I've always wanted..."  he held up the thread and spun it in his fingers.  

"I've always wanted to find you, Hyori.  To find you, to be with you, to embraced you.  For you to accept me."

He dropped the thread and shifted his dark, sad eyes towards you.

"Do you accept me?  As the ghost I am?"

It's a hard question to answer, so you just blushed and randomly nodded your head quickly.  What am I doing?!   You  thought.  This isn't a question to answer randomly about!

Jiyong looked away and back at the moon.

"Maybe.  Just maybe."

Maybe?  What does that mean?  You started to bring it up when Jiyong spoke.

"It is time for one to rest.  Three more hours left."

You looked at the alarm clock that had fallen to the floor when you tripped.  Indeed, it was still 4:00 in the morning.

You yawned and put the blankets over you.  You smiled and pointed at Jiyong.

"Now don't go killing me in my sleep."

Jiyong didn't laugh or smile.

"I have already said.  It is cruel of me to kill you."

You took a deep breath.  "Jiyong, what would you do after to became free?"

He looked at you.  At you, and into your eyes.

"I would remain with you.  Because that is truly, what I've always wanted."

~~

Jiyong has kept his word.  He has kept watch on you for over a week, gliding behind you by day, and sitting upon your bedside by night.  Your constant companion.  He seemed horrified at the fact that you were a nurse, who assisted in preventing people from dying.  But he still followed you to work.

"Op!  Lunch break!"  You popped your head up in the middle of writing paperwork.

"Sorry, Hyori, I have to finish this."  the woman next to you lifted up a pile of paper.

"S'okay, Chiyoung.  See you later," you packed up and walked away, an unseen Jiyong behind you.

"Who is that?"  Jiyong peered over your shoulder.

"Chiyoung.  She's my friend."  you smiled.  "I usually eat with her, but she's busy."

"I'm here."

"You wanna share my lunch with me, then?"  you looked up at him and smiled innocently.

"I cannot eat or drink."

"Exactly!"  You plopped down on a nearby bench and took a small lunch box out of our bag.

"Let's see, kimchi, rice, sausage, and... ha?!  That's it?!  Poo!"

You pouted and crammed kimchi in your mouth.

"You pack your own lunch?"  Jiyong blinked.

"No.  But I should.  Mama packs so little!"  you grinded your teeth.  "I get hungry too, you know!"

"I'm here!  Sorry---Hyori??  Hyori?  Are you talking to yourself?"

You stopped chewing and saw Chiyoung staring at you weirdly, her lunch in hand.

You blushed and swallowed your kimchi quickly.  "Uh, no.  I was thinking out loud.  You know my mom---packing so little."

Chiyoung visibly relaxed her shoulders. "Oh, I know right?!  My sister packs me such a small lunch!"

You held out your container.  "Share!"

So you and Chiyoung went off on a sharing spree, while Jiyong hovered a few feet away, inspection the tiny white flowers that shot out of the grass.  You just barely hear him whisper.  

"Maybe.  Just maybe."

 

"Ahh I'm full now, thanks to Chiyoung -- I owe her tomorrow." You stretched and patted your stomach.

"Where did Chiyoung go?"

"She went home home -- she has to go visit her cousins."

You realized something and whipped your head towards him.  "Wait-- are you interested in her?!  You asked so many questions about her!"

"No.  I want to know about the people you are close to."

"Oh really?  I'm not giving up on finding out."  You blinked twice.  "I need to pee before going back to work."

You started marching towards the bathroom.  Jiyong caught up to you.

"I'll go with you."

You blushed furiously and turned around, waving your hands crazily.  "Noooo!!  I do not want someone watching me pee!!!"

Jiyong frowned, his eyebrows furrowing inwards.

"But someone could harm you in there if I'm not there for you."

You stared at him blankly before doubling over in laughter.  "Wha--what is that, huh?!  It seems so funy when I-I imagine it in my head!  Y-you seriously saw really crazy things sometimes, you know!"  You waved the thought aside and walked in the bathroom.  Fortunately he didn't walk in on you.  That would be so embarrassing.

You walked out of the bathroom, relieved that he didn't walk in on you, when you saw Jiyong bent over a square of grss.

"Jiyong,"  you called out.  "I'm done!"

Jiyong looked over at you and continued fidgeting with something in his hands.  You walk over curiously, and Jiyong pulled out a flower, one of the small daisies that lingered around the grass.  The end of it was tied around the base of the petals, forming a ring.

You smiled.  "That's really cute, Jiyong.  I remember I used to make necklaces like that when I was little."

Jiyong didn't seem to have heard you .  He held out the ring and blew on it gently, as if blowing off dust.

The flower began to sparkle and frost, his breath freezing the ring.  The ice continued devouring the ring until it was completely covered in a beautiful silver white encasing.

Your eyes widened in shock and awe.  "Whoa Jiyong, that is so amazing!  It's beautiful!  Can all ghosts do that?"

Jiyong turned to you and held the silver ring out.

"We were going to be married,"  he whispered.  "When we were both alive."

He delicately slid the ring onto your left ring finger.

"This is what I give to you.  For I had destroyed the future we were going to have,"  he looked away from the ring to your eyes.  

"Together."  he bent his head down and kissed your hand.

You blushed, and bent down with him.  You took his hand that was holding your own.  "We both destroyed it."

"I brought up the idea of dying."

"I agreed with it."  You smiled.  "Love makes us do crazy things."

Jiyong used his free hand and dug it into his blonde hair.

"You don't know.  How painful the results are."

~~

"Jiyong, I'm done with my shower."  You slid the towel off your head as you walked into your room.

"...death you had forced upon them."  Jiyong read to himself and softly closed the book he was holding.  

"Interesting."

"What was that?  A book?"  You walked over to him.

Jiyong nodded. 

"Yes.  A poem book."  He slid the book back on the high shelf.

"I wonder who wrote it.  I quite like it."

You scratched your chin.  "When the day comes that I can reach that shelf, maybe I'll read it."

Jiyong didn't get the hint.

"Do you still have the ring?"

"Hah?  Oh- yeah!"  You lifted your left hand happily, the silver ring shining on your ring finger.  "I took it off when I showered, though.  It looks so fragile."

"It's completely covered in silver.  It won't break."

"Really?"  You looked at the ring, holding it up in the light.  "The appearance is misleading."

Jiyong sighed.

"They're always misleading.  Especially for me."

Jiyong turned to you, legs crossed.

"Hyori.  Would you ever die for me?"

The question shocked you.

"I- I- "  You stammered and bowed your head down.  "I don't know.  Maybe- maybe the person that would've have surely died for you had died along with my memories."  You lifted your head up and looked at him.  "Maybe it's because I don't quite remember."

You turned away.  "I'm sorry.  I can't give you a straight answer.  Goodnight."  You slid into your bed and closed your eyes.  But you didn't sleep.  Five minutes.  Ten minutes.  Twenty minutes.  Forty-five minutes.  

When Jiyong probably thought you were asleep, you felt him pet your hair, smoothing it out where it stuck out.

"Hyori.  One day..."

He combed your hair with his fingers.  It took all of your effort not to shiver with his icy hands skimming your neck.

"Maybe.  You would..."

His voice died off, his words collasping into a mix of sounds, as you fell asleep.

~~

You wrote on your clipboard as you walked past each room, patients lying down in most of them.

"Do you work everyday?"  Jiyong hovered behind you, looking inside the rooms.

"Um,  I have breaks on the weekends."  you answered.  "I'm a pretty high ranking nurse, so I can afford to take days off."

You peered inside another room, where a doctor attended to a girl with a sprained ankle.  The doctor looked up.

"Ah, Hyori.  I thought I'd be seeing you soon."  he wrote a note on a piece of paper and gave it to the girl, and said something quietly to her before she got up from her stool and left the room, barely dodging you with her ankle.  The doctor walked towards you.  He was a few years older than you, and had dark black-brown hair.  Chiyoung used to like him-- he is pretty good looking.

"Hi Jonghyun."  You smiled and waved.

He smiled.  "Are you busy?"

You took a moment to look at your clipboard before answering.  "I'm just checking which rooms are open."

"So you're not busy."  he crossed his hands to cover his arms and looks from side to side.  "It's cold.  Maybe they turned the AC on too high."

"I guess."  But you know it's not the AC.  Jiyong was gripping your shoulders tensely, the icy cold air emanating from him.  You wanted to tell him to stop, but Jonghyun was standing right there.  He'd notice.

"You want to go to the lounge?" he offered.  "It's always warm in there."

"Okay, then."  You put the clipboard on a nearby counter and followed him to the lounge.  Jiyong followed silently behind you, emitting the cold aura.

 

You sipped your coffee as Jonghyun sat down with you at the table.  The lounge was warmer then the hallway, but Jiyong was still giving off the cold air.

"My sister's birthday is tomorrow."  Jonghyun smiled.  "Remember Seodam?"

Your eyes widened slightly.  "Yeah!  I met her a month ago right?"

"Yeah.  I'm organizing a surprise party for her tomorrow.  At that beach near your house.  You want to come?"

You smiled.  "That'd be amazing!  Should I ask my mom if she wants to come too?"

"She'll probably come too.  She loves my and my family."  he winked.  "Go ahead and ask her anyway, though."

"Are you organizing it on your own?"

Jonghyun shrugged.  "Yeah.  Me, myself, and I.  I invited a lot of people though."

"I can come early tomorrow to help."

Jonghyun shook his head.  "No, it's okay.  I'm fin-"

"I'll help!"  you smiled.  "I want to!  I really like Seodam!"

Jonghyun stared at you for a moment before half smiling.  "Okay, then.  If you could come at... 7:30, that'd be great."

You beamed at him, and checked your watch.  "Oh!  I need to finish checking the rooms."  You got up and ran to the door, and stopped to turn around to bow to Jonghyun.

"Thank you!  I'll try my hardest!"

Jonghyun smiled back.  "Thank you."

You turned away and closed the door.

Right when the door closed shut with a *click*, you felt something tug on your wrist.

"Wha-"

Jiyong!  I forgot he was even there!  How could I?!

"Jiyong,  I'm--"

His grip on you was hard and icy.  Freezing cold.

He stopped you abruptly and put both his hands on your shoulders, shaking you.

"Who is that man, Hyori?  Who is he?"

You stared at him, stunned.  You've never seen him so agry before.  "J-Jonghyun.  My friend I've known my whole life.  The t-t-top doctor here.  In good terms with my family."

You recovered and stared intensely into Jiyong's dark, now angry, eyes.  "What's wrong with you, Jiyong?  I've never seen you so mad before."

"Stay away from him."

You stared back at him, angry as well.  "Wh-why?!  He's my friend.  My closest friend besides Chiyoung!  Why should I listen to you?!"

Jiyong seemed to be taking deep breaths before he answered you.  His hands tightened on your shoulders, making you wince.

"That man, Hyori--"  he broke off.

"That man was the one who saved you from dying."

~~

"W-what?"  you squinted your eyes in confusion.  "Jiyong--"

"He saved you."  he repeated.

"He hid you from death."

Jiyong finally tore his eyes away from the ground and at you.  He looked scared.  For the first time.

"When it is your time to die, he shall repeat the act, and this pain will become a cycle."  he began to tremble.  

"I will never, never be free.  Or have the promise release either of us."

You gulped.  "You want me to.. stay away from.. my closest friend.. because.. because..  you fear prevented death!?"

You pulled away from him.  "I can't do that.  I will die someday.  Why be so afraid if I will die eventually?"  You walked away briskly.  "I will not stay away from him.  I will not stay away from on of the most important people in my life-- for such a selfish reason."

You walked away, leaving Jiyong standing there, alone.

~~

You twisted the silver flower on your ring finger, nervous.

Jiyong hasn't come back yet.  You have no idea where he is.  You sat in your bed to sleep early for tomorrow's party, but Jiyong's not here.

You took notice of the book on the high shelf.  The one Jiyong was reading.  You began to tell yourself that you would somehow reach that shelf, and read that poem.

You looked around the room.  Your bed, a desk, a wooden chair, a night stand, and a closet.  You grabbed the chair and set it near the shelf.  You stood on top of it and reached for the poem book.  It was still well out of reach.  You hopped down from the chair and dug through your closet.  You needed something like an extended arm.  A hook, a pole of somewhat.  You found an umbrella in the rubble.  With the umbrella in hand, you acsended the chair once again and used the handle of the umbrella to pull the book out.  The book fell off and almost hit you as it banged on th chair and onto the floor.

You jumped down from the chair to retrieve the book.  There was no damage, but there was a crease at the corner of one of the pages.  Maybe  Jiyong had marked the page.

You turned to the creased page, and saw the title of the poem, on top of the paper, in bold letters:

Ghostly Remorse

You began to read.

Happy, calm endings are what you expect

Of love and forbidden affairs

But reader, beware

This ending for thee

May not always look as they seem

"Hyori?"

You quickly shut the book and hid it under the bed.

"Jiyong?"

"Yes."

Jiyong glided through the door without saying a word.

You started to speak.  "Jiyong, I'm sorry I-"

"Let's forget it."

"What?"

Jiyong put a hand on your shoulder, as if to say something, but he walked away.

"Did you change your mind?"  you attempted to ask him.

He didn't answer.

"Jiyong.."  you stopped your and just put yourself in bed silently.

"Goodnight," you whispered.

You closed your eyes and willed yourself to sleep, watching the blinking lights behind your eyelids.

"Goodnight.  I'm sorry."

~~

You finished buttoning your jacket and looked at yourself in the mirror.  Skinny jeans almost too big.  A plaid button-up jacket with a white tank top underneath.  Good enough.

You turned to the window.  "Jiyong?  You ready?"

"Yes."

Jiyong flied in from the window and landed softly beside you.

"He's already out there."

"That's good."  You turned to the door.  "You should just call him Jonghyun."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

You pretended not to hear him.  You walked to you mom's room and knocked at the door.

"Come in."  your mother's tired voice made it's way to the door.

You opened the door enough to poke your head in.

"I'm heading to the beach now.  Make sure to come to the party."

"I will.  See you later, Hyori."

"Kay,"

You slowly began to close the door.

"Hyori."

You stopped abruptly.  "Yes?"

"Stay away from that cliff."

"... ... ... I shall try to, mother."

You closed the door shut and left the house.  You stomped with meaningful steps to the beach.  When the trees began to clear, you saw more of the ocean and the sky, a morning gray.

Suddenly Jiyong came from behind and sweeped you off your feet, lifting you in the air.

"What- what are you-- Jiyong!"  you shook your head in disbelief.

He swiftly carried you to the beach.  Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Jonghyun out on the beach, setting up tables.  You began to imagine what Jonghyun would think when he saw you floating in mid-air.  Then Jiyong began to carry you once more-- to the cliff.

You began to panic.  "Jiyong-- don't--- STOP!!"  You flailed your arms everywhere.  Is he going to repeat what happened that one night?

The entire time Jiyong did'nt say a word.  Your flailing arms went right through his head.

As Jiyong began to ascend the cliff, you whipped your head desperately to Jonghyun.  But he was too busy chasing a flyaway table cloth to notice you.  Maybe Jonghyun won't save you this time.

You turned to Jiyong.  "I thought you said killing me was cruel!"

"It is a cruel thing.  But sometimes it has to be done anyway." You  were already half way up the cliff.

"If you are not willing to stay away from someone who'll prevent you from dying, will you even have the courage to die?  I realized that I may have to force you anyway."

"I told my mom I'd stay away from here!"  You attempted to shake yourself out of his grip.

"Promises sometimes have to be broken."

"Hyori!?"

You turned your head and saw Jonghyun staring at you in horror.  He had the flyaway table cloth in his hands and was standing somewhat close to the base of the cliff.

"Jonghyun!!!" You cried out and choked.

"Hyori!!!!"  Jonghyun dropped the cloth, letting the cloth fly away once again as he raced up the cliff.

"What are you doing!?  Not again!  I thought you--"

Jonghyun was already half way up the cliff.  You smiled through your tears.  He'll save you.  He'll save you.

"Begone."  JIyong whispered and pointed his left hand at Jonghyun. 

Jonghyun careened sharply to the right and toppled off the cliff, and into the water.  You didn't see him resurface.

"JONGHYUN!!" you screamed at the spot at which he landed.  "Jonghyun!!  No! No no no--"

He was a mere hundred feet or so above the water.  You were at two times that height-- what would happen to you?

"Jiyong--don't.  Please don't--"

"I do not think I have a choice."

You gulped.  "You-you said that promises sometimes have-- to be broken."  You began to cry.  "Maybe this will be broken too!  I don't want to die, Jiyong!  I don't want to die!!"

The rock crumbled beneath you as you lost your balance, and you plummeted to the ocean, Jiyong zooming out of sight.

The cold air rushed up against your face and blew your hair out in waves.  All you saw was a swirl of darkness and water.

You shut your eyes.

I'm sorry.  Mom.  I wanted to live for you.  I love you.

Jonghyun.  I'm sorry, it wasn't worth saving me.  I don't know what happened to your body, but it was all for nothing.

Tears squeezed out of your eyes and rapidly trickled to your forehead.

Goodbye.

 

Your head collided with the water with a huge splash, and the first thing you felt was an intense pain in your head, like a headache.  Then you felt a tingling sensation, like you were floating in the air.  Like you were weightless.  Maybe this was what it was like to die.  But you were afraid to attempt to open your eyes, afraid of what you would see.

"Very well."   A voice seemed to whisper in your head.

You suddenly felt an icy sensation overcome you-- like wind pushing against you, and you shivered slightly.

When the sensation stopped and you plopped onto something solid, you couldn't help it and you opened your eyes.

You were back on the edge of the cliff, you hands cool against the rock.

You blinked rapidly to make sure you weren't dreaming.

"Jiyong.."

"I was wrong."

You whipped your head around and saw JIyong hovering a few inches above the ground.

"I thought you had to die for the promise to be fulfilled."

He looked down, his long blonde hair covering his face.

"But it was to be fulfilled when you made a choice whether to live or die."  Jiyong smiled, as if holding something back.

"You want to live."

Jiyong hovered slowly to the edge, hovering in front of you, and over the water.  You stared desperately at him, speechless.

Jiyong looked up, and tears were shining in his eyes.  But he was still smiling, with nothing held back.

"Maybe I will have to die without you once again."

An invisible wind blew Jiyong's hair wildly to the side, clearly showing his tear shining face.

He held up his left little finger.  For the first time, you didn't see any sign of the thread.

"But if it is what you wish, I shall proceed."

He leaned towards you and kissed you lightly, but you lips were so numbe you couldn't feel it.  When he slowly pulled back, you managed to speak.

"I'll come back," you gasped, saying it quickly and desperately.

"No need."  Jiyong backed away from the cliff, and smiled.  A real smile.  Not the one drowning in sadness, but a real smile.

"I love you, Hyori.  Goodbye."

You scrambled over to the edge of the cliff and leaned over just in time to see Jiyong, once again, descend into the sea.

Jiyong.

You slowly extended a hand out to the ocean.

Jiyong.

Maybe you could save him again.

Jiyong.

If only he could just grab your hand.

You felt someone's arm embrace you softly from behind.

"Hyori."  Jonghyun tried to help you sit up, but you stayed put.  "Please don't.  You almost died... let's go... home."

This time, you let Jonghyun pull you up, but you kept your eyes on the ocean.

Jiyong.

~~

Your eyes blinked several times, and you slowly opened your eyes-- not wide, but enough to see.

Jonghyun was sleeping on your bedside, his head in his arms.  HIs breathing was peaceful--- he must have waited with you all night.

You slowly rolled off the bed, narrowly missing Jonghyun as you stepped over him and to the door.

Your eyes still half way open, you stumbled across the dark hallway, your socks muffling your loud steps.  You paused for a moment at your mother's door before walking towards the next door, not even bothering to put on your shoes.

It was a windless morning, the flog cloaking the trees in a misty veil.  The timy rocks jabbed at your feet and dirt covered your socks as you walked along the path.  Your walk became more brisk, and more hurried, until you broke out in a run.  The trees soon whipped out of sight and white sandy beaches took their place.  You socks were soon soaked in seawater as you raced along the water line, and your feet left marks as you began to quickly ascend the rock hill.  Your breath came out in ragged gasps, but you didn't stop until you reached the top, where the rock flattened out.

The sun had not yet risen yet, and the ocean remained dark and solemn.  You crouched the your knees and looked over the edge, not sure of what you were looking for.

The black water swished sickeningly back and forth, the water seeming bottomless.  You continued to look down, waiting.

The few minutes seemed like hours as the swaying water made you nauseus.  You leaned forward a few inches more, just to be sure.

He's not coming back.

You blinked and slowly shook your head, before realizing that that voice was you own, in you head.

He's not coming back.

You weakly glanced at your hand, and the silver thread that was there the day before was gone.  You vaguely felt something on your left hand and you fumbled for it, your fingers shaking, and a ring slid off your left ring finger.

The silver flower.

You grasped it with your right hand, holding it hard, as if you want to crush the delicate flower in you fingers.

You lips quivered slightly. "Jiy--"

You gasped and burst into tears, almost dropping the ring.  Sad, salty tears gushed down your face as you continued to look down at the ocean.

I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry.  I love you, Jiyong.  I'm sorry.

 

Happy, calm endings are what you expect

Of love and forbidden affairs

But reader, beware

This ending for thee

May not always look as the seem

 

A ghost and a girl

A history unfurled

A death of one but for two

 

An unspoken promise

So lovely and tragic

That one day

Determine their doom

 

No tears or goodbyes

Just sorrowful eyes

As horror had dawned down on thee

 

Nothing was heard

But ghostly remorse

As he descended

Into the sea

 

Farewell, goodbye, our love will not die

Those words you may whisper to them

But sadly, alas

These words will not last

For the death you had forced upon them

 

~End~