When a male and a female are able to respect each other and accept their differences then that’s when their love has a chance to grow and last.

3^rd August 2022

Somewhere, someone is looking for exactly what you have to offer.

Sehun folded the letter and place it gently back into the drawer at his desk where he had produced countless pieces of music. He walked out to the aroma garden as he watched the sun slowly disappear into the horizon. Have you been well? He mentally asked her. It’s been almost a year since she left, but his habit of re-reading the letter whenever he misses her did not change. Neither did his habit of talking to her mentally changed; Have you seen it? I’ve debuted as a solo artist with an album with tracks I’ve composed myself. You will be proud of me right?

For a year, there wasn’t a day he doesn’t miss her. Since the moment Luhan delivered the letter to him and Kai, he knew what her decision was without even needing to know the content. For she was someone so kind, so beautiful, she would never pick either of them and hurt the other. But all she left him was a sentence, thinking she could set him free when he’s already jailed mentally and emotionally.

He regretted it, he deeply regretted it. That night when he locked himself up in the room, he had actually made up his mind. He wanted to start anew with her, he wanted to erase all their unhappiness between them and be together again. He was more than willing to forget everything she had done if she’s willing to give him another chance to love her, and even if she’s unwilling to, he would still forget about it and continue loving her. Because there was no way he would stop loving her just like that. Neither will he give her up to the other man, not when he had left her to mend her broken heart herself. He wasn’t Kai who would surrender without even attempting to fight for it.

But he was too late. When he thought he had the time the next day to tell her how much he still loves her despite everything, she left. No matter how hard Kai and him looked for her, finding all the familiar places they used to spend their time together, she was nowhere to be found. She had disappeared into thin air overnight, just like how she had entered his life suddenly.

If she ever comes back, Sehun told himself, he would definitely tell her how much he still loves her, how much he misses her in the past 365 days and how much he wanted her to stay. For he knows how he has to say it before he runs out of time, and he has to say it before it’s too late. He will tell her how he exactly feels because he knows, waiting is a mistake.

A big mistake.

-

“Welcome on board, this is Captain An speaking. We will be cruising at 33,000ft….”

The familiar announcement that the lady heard made her close her eyes weakly. Why is it that everytime she takes the plane, her heart would be this heavy? Even after a year, her heart was still as heavy as the time she left Seoul. She remembered vividly, the first time she heard that announcement, her life revolved around Kai. In her eyes there was only Kai, on her skin lingered Kai’s warmth and in her heart engraved his name. And the second time she heard that announcement, her life was turned upside down because she ruined it with her own hands. But that time in her mind there were 2 figures, Kai and Sehun.

The lady then recalled what Hyera Unnie told her when she went to visit her after hiding at Jeju Island for almost a year. She poured out the heartbreaking love story she had experienced to the older, hiding no truths nor decorate it with nice words to mask her sins. There wasn’t a need to since it wouldn’t change the fact that she had hurt the two of them, including herself.

“Aleyah, the damage Kai caused was permanent; there would always be scars. But even the angriest scar fades over time until it becomes difficult to see them written on the skin at all, and the only thing that remained was the memory of how painful it had all been.”

“He may still love you, he probably does. He probably still thinks about you all the time. But that isn’t what matters. What matters is what he’s doing about it, and what he’s doing about it now is nothing. And since he’s doing nothing, you most certainly shouldn’t do anything. You need someone who goes out of their way to make it obvious that they want you in their life.”

“Find someone who traces the line in your hands just to feel close to you, and someone who believes the ocean is trapped in your eyes. Find someone who loves the bones in your body and skin that you live in. Find someone who will help you love yourself.”

“And if you had already found that someone who makes you smile, who checks up on you often to see if you’re okay, who watches out for you and wants the best for you. Who most importantly love and respects you. Don’t let them go. People like this are hard to find.”

It was true that after a year, her wound had slowly healed and become a permanent scar. She doesn’t cry anymore because it no longer hurts as much and surprisingly she doesn’t miss Kai anymore too. But there was still a part of her that was empty and unhappy.

Because she used to think she could spend a day without his smile, without telling him things and hearing his voice back. Then, that day arrived and it became surprisingly difficult. But the next was harder. And she knew with a sinking feeling it was going to be around and she wasn’t going to be okay for a very long time.

Missing him isn’t an occasion or an event. It doesn’t happen once. It happens over and over again. She misses him everytime she watches the sunsets; when she goes to bed at night wishing she could tell him about her day and in the morning, when she wakes and reaches for the empty space across the sheets, she begin to miss him all over again.

All and all, she misses Sehun’s presence in her life.

In short span of 6 months, the blonde male sewed up her fragmented heart using his own hands. With each stich, he had embedded his own trace in her; making her miss him more than ever when he was no longer by her side. Days without him became bland, and boring especially when she knows he would no longer surprise her anymore.

Hyera’s words sent the lady on this flight, back to Seoul with that same heavy heart. A year ago, Kai and Sehun were the best she ever had at different time of her life. But they had become her best memory now, for there was no way she could go back there. If she could, she would choose to relive the moments Sehun and her shared.

Aleyah wanted to go back then and tell Sehun she loves him. She loved Kai but she loves him. Thinking back, she had never reciprocated his I love you despite his assurance everyday and it made her wrench in guilt and regret. So this time, she trust her own feet. She believes that her feet will take her to where her heart is.

And when the familiar doors unlocked the moment she punched in the numbers representing their birthdates, waves of nostalgia filled her. He had yet to change the password, was he still waiting for her return? Nervously, the lady stepped into the place she used to call it home and to her surprise, nothing changed. The password unlocking the front doors were the same, the same few colourful tulips were still swaying to the cool Autumn breeze like they always had in her favourite garden and even the portrait that symbolizes their love was still hanging at the same place.

But, there was something that was different, something that stood out that signified the change. Beside the portrait, was a framed picture of her that was almost poster-size. And that was what she liked about photographs, they were proof that once, even if just for a heartbeat, everything was perfect. Because it was her standing in that garden when she first entered their house, it was when he had already grew roots around her ribcage and sprouted flowers in her heart. Just that she had failed to realize it, till now. Underneath that photo, it had a row of words written in English, I will wait for you because honestly I don’t want anyone else.

The picture made her nose turned sour instantly. Despite all that she had done, he still loves her, and was waiting for her return.

Her feet slowly led her deeper in the familiar house. Her nails dug into her own palms as she search for his familiar figure. And when she reached their favourite spot in their house, she found him.

There he was wearing a thin cardigan over his tee, standing by their aroma garden watching the sun set alone. Just watching him like this sent tears blurring her vision, how many days had he spent watching the sunset like this when they had promised to do watch it together? And when he should have his arms wrapped around her waist, he was holding onto the wooden fence around the balcony instead. Through that glass door, she stood there watching him, unsure if she should take a step further. For she had once hurt him in the worst way one could ever imagine when she had no intention to, what right does she have to demand him to come back to her?

What is truly yours will eventually be yours, and what is not, no matter how hard you try, will never be. When two people are meant for each other, no time is too long, no distance is too far and no one can ever tear them apart. Because right before the last ray of sun disappear from the Earth, Aleyah pulled open the glass door and let herself rest on his back with tears wetting his wet cardigan. The bargaining chip she had was that him still waiting for her, still loving her. It was her right and it would forever be only hers.

“A….Aleyah….” Sehun turned around to see the lady who had occupied every small part of his mind and heart, the one he had been dying to see. But was he dreaming like he always had? His hand trembled as he reached out to touch her cheeks slowly, hoping that she would not disappear again.

“Sehun.” She snuggled her cheeks into his palms, his warmth made her cried even harder, unable to speak another word other than calling his name.

“Aleyah.” He gasped, an astonished smile forming his face as he pulled the lady in his embrace and locked her in it. She was real, she had came back. And now that she had, he would not let her go again, not in this life. Pressing her into his body as tight as possible, Sehun’s eyes glistened with tears. That moment, no more words were needed, their actions told each other everything they had been dying to say to one another.

Because they had forgiven, missed and will love one another from now onwards.

******

If you guys haven’t realize, I updated 2 chapters at one go. Meaning, I’ve provided an alternate ending! The next chapter is KaiXAleyah’s ending.

I guess many of you will hate me for not giving a proper ending. But I personally think that fluffy doesn’t mean it’s a good ending. Sometimes it’s good to just let things hang there so there would be room for imagination. (:

So for SehunXAleyah lovers, this is for you. Because I can’t bear to let Sehun suffer and let Aleyah go with Kai. He’s too awesome to be abandoned. And truthfully, I really can’t decide who she should end up with so somewhere along the story I’ve already planned for an alternate ending.

This marks the end of my hardwork, Stranger’s Love. The first fanfic that I put in a lot of effort to write. Will do my proper thanking the tomorrow or the day after together with behind the scenes to this story. P.S: That includes certain scenes that I’ve cut away, playlists for the respective character, character breakdown and etc, so stay tuned if you are interested.

And maybe I will post a bonus chapter in the future. Maybe.