Two people don’t have to be together right now, in a month or in a year. If those meant to be, then they will be together somehow at some time in life.

3^rd August 2023

Don’t let yourself not feel, you’re worth so much more than walking around numb. I promise from the bottom of my heart, you are.

Kai sighed as he folded the letter the lady left him with. In fact, it was the only thing she left him with because when she left, everything else that belonged to her disappeared as well. Her store was dark and empty just like how he had experienced when she went to Jeju Island, she was gone without a trace this time. Her departure pushed him further into the sorrow he had been living. She thought her letter would make him feel better but no, it doesn’t work like this. To Kai, once he has feelings for someone, it will always be there. He may not like them anymore, but he would still care. Just like Solbi; he still cares for her even though he doesn’t love her anymore. But for Aleyah, he had never stopped loving her since the day he kissed her at the Pont-Marie. Instead, he loves her more and more each day that he wonders if it’s even possible to love someone so much.

And her departure had also taught him something else, it hurts only when he starts pretending that it doesn’t. So he stopped feigning and face the misery she caused him by no longer avoiding it. He admitted to his feelings through his tears but what really made him make up his mind on something were Kyungsoo’s words.

“I’m pretty sure when we fall in love, we don’t realize it. We just like that person, and eventually we start defending them, and get jealous if they talk to another person. We always want to be with them because they make our crappy lives worth living for a few hours a day. They take our pain away; make us laugh, make us mad, make us sad and embarrassed. But no matter what they make us feel, we always go back for more. Because that’s just how love is.”

“And Kai, Johnny Depp once said, if you ever fall in love with two people at the same time, choose the second one, because if you really loved the first one you wouldn’t have fallen for the second.”

And so he began his journey of memory; roaming through the cities of Europe Aleyah and him had once walked, hoping that wherever she would be, she would be able to feel that he still loves her with every ounce of his being.

“Excuse me Sir, you were looking for me?” The boss walked out of his deli towards him.

“Yes. I was wondering if you could help me something?” Kai replied him with his fluent English that he learnt during her absence to be a step closer to her, “I would like to have this polaroid that you keep in your deli.”

The man in his forties took his phone and looked closely, it was a picture of a lady and a man standing in front of the Grand Canel. The man had his hands on her waist and they were looking into each other’s eyes. His lips curled up immediately, he remembers this photo even it was taken quite some time ago. Because he could tell how much they love one another when he took this polaroid for them. “Ahh… you are the man in the photo.”

“Yes I am.” Kai smiled but the sadness behind his dazzling smile was prominent.

“I’m afraid you are a step too late sir.”

“What do you mean?”

“The lady had already taken the photo.”

“The.. lady?” Kai widened his eyes immediately, “The lady in the picture?”

“Yes.”

“Just?” He turned his head and looked around frantically, in hope that he would see the familiar figure along the Grand Canel.

“No sir,” The older man shook his head. “It was almost a year ago.”

“By any chance do you know if she’s living around here?” Kai asked urgently, hands grabbing the older man’s. She had disappeared without a trace 2 years ago, and now that he finally had a clue, he couldn’t help but to feel excited.

“I’m sorry but I’m not sure.”

Almost a year ago, Kai repeated the man’s words for the umpteenth time in his head as he continued his journey by the Grand Canel in Venice with his heavy footsteps alone. So she came and they had once again missed one another. If only he came here right after she left, then they would meet each other. Why was it that they are always missing each other due to wrong timing? Since the start they were soulmates who met each other at the wrong time and he couldn’t love her back the right way. Now that he could, they had missed one another due to fate.

How he wished he had a second chance to meet her again for the first time.

Because this time, they could be the right person for each other, at the right time.

-

Aleyah sat inside her shop, by a counter as stare emptily at her laptop. She didn’t realize it, but the days came along one after another, and then two years were gone. Everything she used to have with the man she loves was gone, and she was gone too. Because what Kyungsoo said was true, sometimes relationship may have ended, but that doesn’t mean that feelings did. His words woke her up entirely. Making her realize that it wasn’t that she didn’t think of Kai, it’s because she avoided getting reminded of him. She avoided in every way possible Avoiding the roads they always take to go home, avoiding the places he whispered I love you, avoiding her own feelings by convincing herself she could love Sehun instead.

At that point of time, what she didn’t realize was love isn’t about convincing one’s mind on who should one love. Because if she had got over him, she wouldn’t have to avoid staying in her room, her own house and shift in with Sehun. Now she knows she had tried, she had tried to fall in love with Sehun’s perfection and even flaws. Learn to love his eyesmile, his small scar by his right cheek and even his bedhair. And at some point of time, she even thought she had truly accepted him. But Kyungsoo tore down the wall she built around her memories she had with Kai, releasing all the love, happiness and sorrow that she thought had disappeared. Proving to her in the harsh way that she was deceiving herself, deceiving Sehun that their love could work out perfectly.

So she left. Because she knew she couldn’t be with Kai and neither could she be together with Sehun. She would rather suffer alone than to have the blonde male tortured; for she would never be able to reciprocate his love. Not in this life.

It wasn’t easy for her to settle down in Holland; a country that spoke a totally different tongue. But what else could be more difficult when she had already lost the love of her life? The only comfort she managed to seek in this meaningless notion was the fact that she was surrounded by her favourite flower; for Holland was famous for producing the most beautiful tulips in this world. She had always dreamed about coming here but never had it occur to her that she would be here to hide from Kai. She knows him well to guess he would search for her in Jeju Island or even Europe.

2 years, she hadn’t heard from him. Or rather, she prevented herself from hearing from him again. The lady had learnt to live without turning in to his radioshow before so now she could too. Yes she missed him but it wasn’t the staged Kai that she loves, it was the Kai that loves her that she loves. If it wasn’t the tabloid magazine that a customer left in her store a few months ago, she wouldn’t get to know the only piece of information she had of him in 2 years; Solbi and him had divorced.

Aleyah snapped out of her thoughts the moment she heard the bells attached to the entrance door jingled. She closed her laptop swiftly as she turned to the entrance.

 “Welcome.” Her hands froze in midair. She couldn’t tear her eyes from the person at the door as electric currents surge through her body like it always had. But this time it was so nostalgic that her stomach churned in queasiness because they were strangers who knew each other very well.

There he was standing by the door, with his eyes looking straight into hers, and that moment, she knew she could not run away anymore.

Because no matter where she hides, Kai would always have a way to get to her. Always.

*******

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

Kai and Aleyah truly deserve one another. For they have given up so much just to be with each other. As much as they had cheated, they did it out of pure love. And loving one another is all that matters in a relationship isn’t it?

Wells, 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, playlist 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.