Six and half month later………………..

             The sun rises quick and set quickly. Just like that, the days goes by fast. The ground is no longer white and cold. The weather have been more welcoming with sun rising brightly every day and warm cool winds breeze through the field of grass.  Under the tree in the field of grass is a mom and her son picnicking. The son is place in the chair and securely buckle while the mother take out a plate, small knife, a couple napkins and fruits. A tall woman lightly strolls to them with bright smiles. She stop and take a sit on the blanket next to Yoona.

             “Well, look who I discovered here in the park having a picnic.” Said Sooyoung with a delighted smiles as she take a seat beside Taehyun.

             Yoona flashes smiles at her then pick up an apple and a knife.

             “Today is very beautiful. I love summer so much. Taehyun-ah, don’t you love summer?” Sooyoung said as she play with Taehyun.

             Taehyun playfully kicks a couple time with big smiles on his face.  

             “He’s so cute.” Sooyoung lightly pinches his chubby cheeks. “Why are you so cute? I really want to kidnap you away from your mom.”

             Taehyun giggles as he swing his hands in the airs—reaching his hands to her.

             Yoona smiles as she peels the red apple with a small knife. “Stop pinching his cheeks. You’re going to deflate his chubby cheeks.” She jokingly said. 

             “But he’s so cute!” Sooyoung pouted at Yoona for a bit then watches her carefully sliding the knife around the apple—peeling off the skin. Yoona smiles as she flash a quick glance at her then back at the apple.  Looking down at the white plate, it have one peel apple and pear sitting there waiting to be slices. She looks at Yoona again, seeing her calm yet worries face she knew Yoona was thinking about Taecyeon. “The days have gone by so fast; the sun rises high within minutes and set within seconds. It is almost seven months already, Yoona.” Through this sentences of Sooyoung, Yoona knew what she was saying and asking.

             “Time flies by so fast, summer is almost over.” Said Yoona. “Leaves is beginning to turn color as the weather change.”

             “When will he be back?” Sooyoung directly asked her. “Did Taecyeon contact you at all?”

             Yoona paused for a moment with her mind traveling in her own world. Ten second later, she looks at Sooyoung with hope and love. “No, but I will still wait for him.”

             Sooyoung nodded understandably as she play with Taehyun. “I see why many describe love is a forever.” Said Sooyoung smiling at Taehyun.

             “I believe he will return to me… he will return if he believes in our destiny.” Said Yoona with hopes.

             Sooyoung spend the rest of the day together with Yoona and Taehyun at the park, to the market, and then home. A day where Sooyoung is able to relax from her busy schedule and work.

* * * *

             The day have finally come, Yoona and other can leave their agony and worries behind as they wait patiently at the Incheon Airport. Anxiously waiting at the arrival gate, they all watches one after another embraces family and friends; it was a happy scene. Yoona, family, and friends focus their attention at the gate again and sees Seulong stepping out of the elevator with others in front and behind him. Yoona looks passed him then from right to left, she does not sees Taecyeon anywhere. Seulong walks to them. Hara happily runs to his arms and embraces him tightly.

             “I miss you.” Hara whispered.

             “I miss you too. I miss you so much.” Seulong happily replied.

             The embrace was shortly disrupted by Yoona who approaches with worries written all over her face.

             “Seulong oppa, where is Taecyeon oppa?” Yoona voice trembles as she enquires him.

             “He….” Seulong paused as he tried to find rights words to say to her without sadden her. “Mianhe Yoona.” Instead he apologized with grieves through his eyes.

             Yoona heart stop for a moment as her eyes fill with pain and disbelief.

             “What did you just said?” Yuri asked in disbelief as she looked at Seulong.

             “Taecyeon did not make it. The surgery and treatment fail. I’m sorry.” Said Seulong with his head bow in guilty.

             “It can’t be…. He promised me. He promised me he will come back.” Yoona gulp the pain and sorrow down as tears glide down her cheek.

             Seulong takes out an envelope from the pocket of his jacket and hand it to her. “This is from Taecyeon before the surgery. He want me to give it to you once I return.” He said.

             Yoona looks at the white envelop in Seulong’s hand—hesitate to accept it, afraid this letter will only hurt her more. However, her heart tells her to take—open the white envelop and read the letter.

             “Yoona,

             When you get letter, I’m probably no longer in this world….Mianhe. I can’t fulfill the last promise I’ve made to you…I really want to be with you more than anything in this world. If I could, I would exchange anything to be with you. However, fate is not on our side…. Kamsahamnida. Thank you for existing in my life. Thank you for showing me the world I once lost and hid. You opened the gate to my heart and occupied my heart. You show me love. You show the warmness of the world. Thank you for loving me……I know right now you’re in great pain, losing hope in this world…Please be strong. Though I am gone, my soul and spirit will always be by your side, protecting you and our child from a distant…. That is my wish… to watch you live the rest of your life happily and blissfully with our child… Let our memories imprinted inside our heart and lead it way to the light. Maybe one day we will meet again… it could be our next life… and when that day come, I will hold your hand and never let you. Saranghimnida Im Yoona. 

             —Taecyeon.”

             The tearful Yoona cried her heart out as she embrace the letter at her heart. It hurt a lot…so much that she can’t breathe anymore. The world she sees no longer in front of her. It all disappear as the letter imprinted itself inside of her.

             Mrs. Im walks up to her and embraces her tightly, softly and gently patting her back.

             “This can’t be real. It can’t be….Omma, it hurts.” Yoona said as she looks at her mom with tears in her eyes. “He promised me he will come back. He promised.”

              “I know. Let it out. Just let it all out.” She said with sadness. “I know you’re in a lot pain…pain of not being with the man you love…pain of no longer able to see him again in this world… but you can’t lose hope. You can’t give up this world. You still have a son that love you. Your son that need you, Yoona.”

             “I don’t want him…I don’t want to see him. I just want Taecyeon oppa… Omma, I just want to be with Taecyeon oppa.” Yoona cried in her mother arms.

             Seulong grit his teeth, grip his fists tightly as he watches Yoona drown in tears.

             “Taehyun is your and Taecyeon’s son. You can’t throw him away. Taecyeon would not want to see you like this. He would not want to abandon Taehyun.” Mrs. Im comforting speaks as she shed tears with Yoona.

             Mr. Ok closed his eyes, trapping his tears inside. “This can’t happen. They can’t just take my son away like this.”

             Taehyun begins to cry upon seeing his mother endless tears. He reaches his hand out for her, wishing her to hold him in his arm as he cries. Sooyoung pats his back lightly, hoping to lighten cheer him up but only to fail as the son wishes for his mother.

             “Yoona, Taehyun needs you. He want you to hold him.” Said Sooyoung.

             Yoona shook her head that rest on Mrs. Im left shoulder, refusing to hold her weeping son. 

             “Please don’t do this. Taehyun needs you. Taecyeon last wish is for you to live on happily and blissfully with Taehyun. ” Sooyoung continues.

             Yoona break the embrace, “I want to be alone.” Said she as she turn around and walks away.

             “Yoona.” Mrs. Im calls her.

             Yoona did not answer, nor stop. She continues walking toward the exit in tears with Taecyeon’s letter in her hand.

             “Just let her be. Maybe going place where there are memories of her and Taecyeon can heal her.” Said Seulong.

             The family and friends watches Yoona leave the airport on her own. She walks and walks to where ever her feet, mind, and heart takes her too. From the school to the classes Taecyeon and her to be in and had a time together, Yoona reminisce the memories again.

             For five hours, Yoona have gone to many places where Taecyeon have taken her or place where Taecyeon and her have been too. Their memories continues flow in her—diluting her, putting her in delusion. “Taecyeon oppa….”

             “Yoona, wake up.” A voice echo inside her head.

             Yoona shake her head a couple time, wakening up from the illusion and continues walking the lonely road. She finally made a final stop at the family theater. Walking down the aisle to the middle seat in the front row, she looks at the spot where Taecyeon first confessed his feeling for her. A weak smiles spread across her face as tears glide down her cheeks.

             “You promised me… you promised you will come back.” Yoona whispered as she bluntly stares at the floor cover with red carpet over it. “You lied….”

             Suddenly a big white cloth roll down from the ceiling. The light of the auditorium turns off with only one light shining at Yoona. A flashed shot straight to the white cloth, projecting images of her. Yoona shockingly looks around the place as a light of hope fire inside of her. There was no one. She could not spot a person in the auditorium except herself. She looks back at the white cloth and watches the projector play the images of her when she was a child up to the time she now, and then switch to pictures of Taecyeon, family, and friends.

             A clip of video play with Taecyeon sitting in a wheel chair, dress in hospital cloths, and dark navy with white strip beanie over his head. Yoona heart skip a beat upon seeing him well and bright in the video.

             “Say something to Yoona.” Seulong voice was heard in the back of the camera as he recorded Taecyeon.

             Taecyeon gulp before he open his mouth. “Yoona.” He paused as he tries to find the right words to say to her. “I miss you. I miss you and our unborn child.” He chuckles lightly before he continues again. “It’s almost 4 months now, I wonder how are you doing? Are you taking good care of yourself? Are you eating healthy? Don’t over work yourself. Rest more. I hope I can make it back to be with you in the delivery room. I hope make it back in time to be by your side, holding your hand as you give birth.” Taecyeon paused again. This time he face the screen with a sad look.

             “Taecyeon…” Seulong confusedly call him. “Are you okay?”

             “I’m fine. I just…I just miss her smiles so much. Every night I dream of her. Every night I think of her before I fall sleep. I miss her so much, Seulong.” Said Taecyeon.

             “You will come back soon. You will reunited with her again.”

             “I hope….” Taecyeon voice sadden—vulnerable.  

             The clip end and projector switch to another video. This time it is more uplifting and bright video of Yoona and Taehyun spending times together. It was Yoona’s happiest moment since the day Taecyeon left. A weak smile flash across her face as she watches her son smiles—laughing brightly. The screen suddenly pause at the drawing of a family—Taecyeon, her, and Taehyun. The tears flowing down her cheeks like a river as she stand and walks up to the stage. She reach up to touch Taecyeon face, but only to stop and see the clip change once again. Her eye widen as she read the words on the cloth, ‘Will you marry me?’

             Yoona is at lost. Everything in front of her seem to be an illusion she create herself in her dream. Could it be that she misses Taecyeon so much that she have create a dream to see him in front of her? Could it be that she is unconscious laying on bed in a room all by her herself? Everything here in front of her can’t possibly be done by her family and friend. The videos, pictures, and drawing.

             A tall man wearing a dark green-brown jacket slowly walks up to her with a rose in his hand.

             Yoona was speechless as she watches the man she love standing in front of her. A man she thought she will never see again is here in front of her.

             “Yoona.” He voice was soft as an angel as he smiles softly.

             Yoona could not get herself to open . She was shock and confused by everything she have seen, heard, and read of—she is speechless.

             “Is this a dream?” Yoona whispered as she looks at him. “Am I dreaming?”

             Taecyeon lift his right hand up to the tears on her right cheek and gently wipe it away. “It’s real. I’m here.” He replied.

“Real?” Yoona voice trembles as she closed her eyes tightly. “You’re alive…. You’re real.” The next second, she swing her hands at his chest, hitting him repeatedly as tears continues to glide down her cheeks. “You’re alive. You’re real, but you lied to me. You trick me. I was scared. I was afraid I would never see you again.”

Taecyeon immediately pull her into his embrace—tightly holding her in his arms. “I’m sorry I lied. I’m sorry I trick you.”

             “Are you testing me? Do you not know how painful it was to believe you were gone? I hate you. I hate you. I hate you Ok Taecyeon.” Yoona shouted against his chest as she resist him, wanting to hit him more.

             “No. No, I’m not. It was part of Seulong’s idea. I thought if I fake my death and give you the letter, you will be strong and move on, but I was wrong. I’m sorry.”

             “I can’t be strong without you. I can’t move on. I love you too much to let you go. I cannot erase you. I can’t accept any other men but you. I just want to be with you. I can’t live a day without you.” Yoona finally come to a stop and sob in his arms. “If I didn’t come here. If I didn’t walk away from our family, do you plan on hiding forever? Do you plan on leaving me forever?”

             “No. I won’t. I’m been following. I been watching you. There are times I want to run to you and embraces…wanting to tell you it was all fake.”

             “Why didn’t you?”

             “Because I want to wait… I want to wait for you to come here and ask you a question.”

             Taecyeon break the embrace, take out a small box from the pocket inside his jacket, and kneel on his right knee. He open the box and hold it up half way.

             “Marry me?” He asked her.

             The speechless Yoona shockingly look at Taecyeon. Family and friends walks out from the dark onto the light. She sees her mom, Mr. Ok, and her son was in front of her—looking at her.

             “I know you are mad at me right now. I know I’ve lied and you’ve probably never forgive me for it, but please let me take care of you from here on. My world is not complete without you. I breathe because of you. I live because of you. You make my world fill with love and happiness that I have once lost. I promise…from now on, I will never lied, trick, hide, and hurt you ever again. I promise to love you, care for you, and devote my entire life to protect and make you the happiest woman alive. Yoona, will you marry me?” Taecyeon nervously gulp as he looks into her eyes.

             Yoona weakly smiles through the tears. She lift her left hand and place it on top of the box lid. Taecyeon heart skip a beat as he sees her hand at the lid, a feeling that she will reject him for lying to her.

             “For punishment, I want you to stay by my side for the rest of your life.” Said Yoona as she move her left hand to the side. “Yes.” She answered.

             Taecyeon smiles in relief, takes out the ring, stand on his feet again, and slide in the ring into her marriage finger. He holds her hand up to his lip and kiss it lightly before he said, “I promise.”

             Yoona smiles as she look charmingly at Taecyeon. “I don’t ever want to feel this pain again. Promise me you will never let me shed tears like this.”

             “I promise.” He said before he pull her to him and crashes his lip on her. He tenderly and passionately kisses her lips as he wraps his arms around her.

             Yoona happily kisses him back with her arms secure around his neck. Everybody in the room claps and cheers loudly in the room as Taecyeon pick Yoona up and spin her around.

             “Saranghamnida.” He said in between the kiss.

             She smiles against the lips. “I love you Ok Taecyeon.”

The End.