He has blonde hair. It hands over his shadowed face in long sunshine-colored tendrils. What is he feeling? Is he alright? A typical passer-by would notice the gloom surrounding him. She didn't. She with long dark hair, dressed in pastel colored clothing, whistling a lively tune. She is not one who shipers or wonders, she doesn't even notice him with his head down, shaking and dripping with tears. She would have just walked by, her life would have continued as usual, and she would continue whistling. But it was not her that noticed him, but he who noticed her. In a rush of movement that stirred the peaceful, lazy morning with a silence-shattering "Wait!" he grabbed her.

Pigeons fluttered into the air, revealing him with his arms around the stranger. She prys him off with wide eyes and stars into his teary ones, filled with sadness and clouded with regret. How could she tell him to leave?

How?

----

"Yah Lee Byung Hun!" Mi yun calls up the stairs. L Joe slumps down the steps rubbing his tired eyes. 

"Goodmorning," he whispers in broken English with a drowsy smile. 

"Goodmorning," Mi yun smiles back, "I made you breakfast."

"Lucky me." L joe hugs her from behind and sets his head on her shoulder. "I missed you." 

"I saw you mnutes ago," Mi yun laughs, setting her hands on top of his. Her heart warms from the feeling of his breath on her neck. "You can't possibly miss me."

L Joe's lips brush her neck, "Oh, but I did," he whispers. 

"Nope!" Mi yun ducks under him and drags him to the table. "Eating is more important." 

L Joe sighs, offers a nod and starts eating. Mi yun glances over his shoulder with a worried expression before jogging up the stairs to get dressed. When she comes back down, she stops mid way. L Joe sits with his head in his hands, the food barely eaten. Why are you like this? Mi yun wonders for the thousandth time. He was like this the day she met him, and everyday after that. How many times, she wonders, has she wiped his tears? It's like he's drowning in the dark. She can hear him gurgle and call for help, but she can't see why. She can't help. 

Instead she does what she can. Mi yun picks up the food and puts it in the fridge, it closes with a dull ka-chak. L Joe hasn't moved at all. He stares emotionlessly at the floor, with no reaction to her movement or the sounds she makes. It's as if she's not even there. Without saying anything, she kneels on the ground beside his chair. At this angle, she can see his eyes. As always they are distant, lost in a time before she came. 

"Byung hun-ah," she whispers. Shreds of light begin to find their way back into his lifeless eyes, and his pupils find her. Mi yun smiles weakly and presses herself into him, engulfing him in a sweet embrace. She wonders if he's already too far gone, or perhaps he's already drowned, and he died long ago. His heart is still beating, but is there a consienceness? Is he somewhere in this shell of a human being? Or, like she sometimes thought on the worst days, is he just a moving corpse?

"Mi yun-ah," L joe smiles and puts his arms around her. She does love him, she really does. She loves him like she has never loved anything before in her life. She refuses to believe he is a burden. She tells herself he needs her, and she gives herself to him in such a way. That is how they have lived. 

She pulls away and stands up. "Is Chunji oppa coming over today?" Mi yun walks back to the kitchen and starts cleaning up. L Joe stands and pushes his chair in, "He should be." 

"Is he?" Mi Yun asks again. 

"Oh, Mi yun-ah?" L Joe walks over to the counter she's cleaning. "I have to go somewhere today."

"Where?"

"It's not important."

Mi yun nods and smiles faintly. She has allowed him his fair share of secrets, and sacrificed her curiousity at his expense. She will shrug it off and tell herself it doesn't matter, because she loves him. That is what love is. 

---

L Joe comes down the stairs in a clean black suit, holding a bouquet of baby breath flowers in his hand. 

"Pretty," Mi yun flicks her head at the flowers.

L Joe smiles back, "Do you like them?"

"Baby breaths aren't my favorite, but they're a close third. Right next to tulips, then azaleas."

L Joe nods and smiles. "I'll get you some next time."

"You don't have to. I'm happy with you alone." 

He kisses me gently. His lips are soft and sweet and loving  He smiles once more weakly before leaving. Today must be something special, and she wishes she knew what. 

----

[Someone's POV]

How long ago was it? A year? Two? Time passes slower and faster at the same time these days. It could have been a day, it could have been a decade. I remember ack then the days passed like...well, days. It wasn't fast or slow. It was just time doing what it does. We were so young when we first met, in high school. He really did look good in that uniform. How could he think I didn't notice him watching me from the window? I thought he just liked the garden at first. I watered the baby breath flowers diligently and everyday, and everyday he would watch. He's coming to me today, I can feel it. I smile faintly. My favorite flowers. The suit he wore on our date on my birthday. He's always been considerate, hasn't he? How are you? I ask him in my mind, it's been a while. I missed you. 

----

[Regular POV]

Mi yun purses her lips. School . The words on the text books have started to morph together after 3 hours of intense studying. She's already in college, so why isn't she smart yet? With a groan she slams the book on the desk and stands up. She glances at the clock. It's getting late already. Now that it's autumn, it gets dark earlier. Like an over protective mother she worries if he can find his way home. 

As if on que, she hears the door unlock and clack as he opens it. 

"Welcome home!"

She's caught off guard when L Joe slams his lips into hers. He kisses her with a hunger so strong she can feel it. She closes her eyes and gives in to the thirst. He tightens his fist around her hair. It hurts a little, but she doesn't care. Mi yun kisses him back just as furiously. He tugs at her clothes and she lets him, because she wants him just as badly. Suddenly he breaks off and backs away. Something is wrong. 

"Byung Hun?" she steps towards him and he raises his head. Tears fall uncontrollably from his eyes. "You...what's wrong?" Mi yun tries to close the distance between them but he shakes his head. 

"I can't." He bites his lip then looks up at her, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He sobs. Mi yun sinks to her knees in silence. She's not strong enough to stand. What torments him like this? What ghost haunts all his waking hours?

L Joe raises his eyes to look at her. Why does he have to look...so...weak? A handsome face like his should be smiling. His heart shouldn't be so crippled, he shouldn't be this damaged. It's not fair. L Joe swallows, I hear him gulp down his pain. He shuts his eyes tightly, and then opens them. When he sees her, familiarity and longing fills them, and more tears fall. But who he's seeing now isn't Mi yun. She knows he isn't looking at her. 

"Rina-yah..." He whispers, the words come out broken and cracked like shattered glass. 

"Who's Rina?" Mi yun says. He shakes his head and puts his face in his hands. "Who is she?" Mi yun asks again, her voice firm.

"Fine." Mi yun wipes her eyes before tears fall. She raises herself off of the floor, and dusts off her skirt. "You never tell me anything anyway." Her eyes turn cold, and she glares at him. "I was right. I can't save you. You're already gone."

Mi yun goes to their room to pack her things, fully prepared to leave, butbefore reaching the dresser, she falls short and collapses. Can't he see she's hurting too? What about me? she thinks. 

That night two people cried themselves to sleep on the floor. 

----

Morning rays pour down through the window. Mi yun opens her eyes and sits up. She didn't even make it to the bed. She slept where she fell. She stands up, her back aching from sleeping on the floor. As quietly as she can she gets dressed and heads downstairs. L Joe is no where to be found. A part of Mi yun sighs with relief. She's not sure if she could face him yet, or if she'd want to. 

"I'll be back," Mi yun whispers to the empty house before leaving. 

"Rina.." Mi yun thinks out loud. The name striking some familiarity. Kim Rina? Lee Rina? Who is she? Mi yun is deep in thought walking down the street. 

"Mi yun-ah!" She hears a familiar voice. It's Chunji on his way to her house. He waves and runs over. 

"Chunji oppa.." Mi Yun wonders if it's okay to ask this. "Who is Rina?"

L Joe and Chunji go way back. The two of them were friends in high school. Chunji averts his eyes. How could he say it?

"Um..she went to high school with us. I don't remember her well," Chunji lies. "I think her name was Park Rina." 

"Thanks. That's all I needed to know." Mi yun pats him on the back and takes off down the street.

"Wait!" Chunji calls after her, "Where are you going?"

----

Mi yun slows as she nears the internet cafe a block away. She inserts her coins into the box and the computer starts up. 

"Park Rina...Park Rina..." Mi yun scrolls down the search posts when something catches her eye. 

Park Ri Na, 20 year dies in car accident

She clicks on the article. 

Teenage Model Park Ri Na Dies in Car Accident

aspiring model Park Ri Na died yesterday during a car accident on the highway involving a cab and a semi truck. The semitruck swerved and hit the cab with  Park Rina inside. She was declared dead on site. The cab driver survived with a few major wounds, and the semi truck driver survived with very few minor wounds. 

The article is from a year ago. "She's so pretty...." Mi yun thinks out loud. Mi yun looks at the girl on the screen on more time, then looks at herself. The clothes they're wearing are similar. L Joe bought this dress for Mi yun. Even Mi yun's haircut and face looks like the dead girls. Mi yun checks the date the article was posted. May 7th. "May 7th..." Mi yun says, "When was that?"

She delves into her memories. On May 7th of last year...oh yes, she went shopping. It was a hot day, and the sun was warmer than ever. She was walking through the park just because she felt like it, when someone grabbed her. L Joe grabbed her. Tears ran down his youthful face and she loved him right away. But it all makes sense now. Why he was crying, why everything went wrong from that moment. Mi yun closes the browser and pushes her chair away from the computer. It was Rina. She died the day before. He was delusional, he mistook them for each other. 

A bell rings when the cafe door opens. Chunji steps inside and spots Mi yun at the computer. "I chased you all the way down here, what are you doing?"
"Where is she now?" Mi yun looks up at a flustered Chunji. 

"Rina? Um..well.."

"I know you know. Just tell me."

Chunji sighs and nods slowly. "Fine...you deserve to know."

----

[Someone's POV]

I hear my name and it wakes me up. Who's talking about me? Chunji? I see him in my memories. A boy with a bright smile. But someone else is talking too, who is it? I adjust myself and look down. It's that girl. The one who follows L Joe around. My replacement. An image flashes in my mind. I hear the radio playing in the cab, one of my favorite songs. It was a warm day, sometime in May, I think. I never suspected it would be my last. When the semi came around the corner, my heart stopped. The driver tried to avoid it, but instead the car swung around, and my side of the car slid towards the semi hurdling towards us. That's the last thing I saw. That was the end.

----

[Regular POV]

The drive to the cemetary is long and quiet. Chunji doesn't dare speak, and I'm not quite in the mood either. The driver stops and the two of us get out. It's beautiful. Graves line rolling hills. A breeze sways the trees and the grass. Chunji motions for Mi yun to go, and she starts up the stone steps. He follows behind. 

Chunji puts his hand on her arm when we reach the right row. Mi yuns steps out and walks down until she sees Rina's name. A clean gray tombstone reading "Park Rina, beloved daughter, friend, and lover. 1993-2013." On the grave are fresh flowers, baby breaths. The same ones that L Joe had yesterday. He was bringing them to her. 

"Can you leave us alone for a minute?" she asks Chunji. He nods and steps away, walking back down the stairs. Mi yun sits down on the grass beside her. 

"Rina, huh?" Mi yun says, staring at the sky. "You have quite the view." She pets the grass with her hand. "I'm jealous. Even if you aren't here and I am, he still loves you and not me, right? I was just a weak replacement. I was just another you. I don't know if I can do this. I'm babying him, I'm stopping him from getting over you by being you. It's unfair to both of us...right?" the wind tousles Mi yun's hair. "I'm sorry I came empty handed. I know it's rude of me. It's just...I think this might be it for me. I can't possibly win against you. How can I compete with someone who's already dead?"

4 YEARS LATER

She sits with her chin up, soaking in the sun. She looks happy, I wonder who she is. A typical passerby would notice the sunshine surrounding her. He didn't. He had enough sunshine of his own, his blonde hair glinting in the light, whistling an old song from 6 years ago. His life would have continued as usual, he would have just walked by, not even noticed her, if she hadn't noticed him. A smile spread across her pretty face and she stood up from the park bench. "Wait," she called to him, and walked over. He turned around and saw her. Slowly, a familiar smile spread across his lips. The two strangers stood smiling at each other, lost in memories. But their silence was not truly silence, for in their thoughts they said "I missed you."

-----

THE END!

So yeah...I felt like writing a one shot and just gave it a go. It's super short and choppy and I'm sure some parts didn't make sense. For those of you who still havent figured it out, [Someone's POV] is actually Rina's point of view from heaven. I just thought adding that might make it more interesting..

Thanks for reading! If you liked this (or even if you didn't) please check out my other fan fics that are seriously waaay better!