Months passed.

Years passed.

Who would have known that the boy in the hospital would become one of the big stars in the Korea?

Who would have known that his dream would really come true?

Who would have known that he would finally be free?

Luhan was out in the streets. “I’m on my way to buy a milktea. You want anythi-,” He was on the phone with his friend, Xiumin when had seen a girl with a familiar face passed by him. He stopped on his track and was silent for a while. “Hello? Luhan, are you okay?” Xiumin’s voice was heard.

Tears started to form in Luhan’s eyes. “I… I’ll call you back,” He turned around and searched the crowd, searching for that face.

“Irin…”

He started sprinting as his eyes searched and searched but he bumped into someone and they both fell to the ground as the result of the impact. When he helped the man up, with that man’s touch, he was filled with visions of her face and the voices he knew not of.

 “Please!” she pleaded much more.

“You know for a fact that we should not mess with what the boy’s fate has directed,” one voicesaid.

Irin cried even more. She could not accept it. “I beg of you. He cannot die yet. He still has his dreams that he has yet to fulfill,” she said.

“There are younger souls who had died,” another voice replied to her.

“Please! I am willing to give up anything. Everything. Just. Let. Him. Live,” Irin cried.

There were whispers.

“Irin,” a voice, mightier than others, said. The angel looked up to Him. “Luhan shall live longer to fulfill his dreams in exchange of your wings. You shall return and remain in earth without your wings. You have shown us your true desire and emotions. Therefore, you are now to live as a human and die as a human. Please go and spread goodness among my children,”

The last thing she saw was a blinding light. The moment she had opened her eyes, she was in a hospital. Unfamiliar faces surrounded her. Tears flowing down their cheeks. Signs of joy etched on their faces. They were the people who claimed themselves her family.

He was confused. Confused with all the voices he had heard. But all of these confusions made clear. He understood everything when a single memory had surfaced in his mind. He could remember that when he opened his eyes back at the hospital on that night, he knew to his self that he had seen Irin but there were wings on her back.

With a tear flowing down from his eye, he quickly asked the man who he had bumped into. “Where is she?!”

The man looked into his eyes, and in an instant he knew where he would find her.

Luhan gave a quick nod to the man as a sign of gratitude and began running, picking up his pace. The hope he had hidden in his heart was slowly coming out. Hope that one day he could see her again, that one day he could tell her what he needed to say. It is that hope that made him strive hard to be better. It is that hope that made him stronger in times of any adversary. It is that hope that he had cling on all throughout the past years. Because she taught him that hope is something that should never be forgotten. It should always be within us.

With a quick turn to his left, he skidded to a stop. Panting, his eyes had set on to who he had been looking for. She had a surprised look, to see him. This is it, he thought to himself. He walked towards her but his sight never left her.

“You…,” he breathed heavily. “You told me you would be by my side,” he said. Irin looked down, feeling the rush of guilt inside her.

“You come into my life, befriended me, made me feel better inside and then in one moment, you’re just gone?” his voice was loud now. “Y-You can’t do that!”

She remained silent. Luhan was slightly thankful because he still had a whole lot of things he wanted her to hear. Yes, he was furious. He intended to say this first. He needed her to know what he felt. When Irin was gone and when the days past, Luhan felt so alone. There was this emptiness inside of him and he knew the reason why.

“You taught me how to hope and how nothing can stop me if I worked hard for my dream. You taught me how I should look forward to every tomorrow,” he said, tears streaming down his face.

“You made me happier than I ever thought I could be,”  Irin looked up, and saw his face. She felt tears streaming down her face too.

“Luhan,” his name on her lips, he liked the sound of that. “I love you,” he suddenly said.

Irin was taken aback. This was the part he absolutely wanted her to hear, to know.

“I love you for that certain smile that cheers me when I’m blue. I love you for your faith in me. For the many thoughtful things you do so often without praise. I love you for all these things and for other million reasons. But most of all, for what I am whenever I am with you, I LOVE YOU. They are the only words I can say,” he let it all out. All those unsaid words were finally released.

He stared into her eyes, waiting for her to reply or just to say anything. When suddenly, he caught her small smile and it made him catch his breath. She was beautiful and he can’t deny that his heart was beating madly.

Irin stepped closer to Luhan, without a word. Her gaze met his.

 Badump. Badump.

Her hand went up to his face and he felt her gentle touch.

 Badump. Badump.

“I didn’t know why I cried that night,” She began to speak. Badump. Badump. “I didn’t know why I did all those things for you but then they all made sense. They all made clear. I loved you.” Tears fell down her face.

She smiled.

Badump. Badump.

“I still do,”

She leaned up and pressed her lips against his. It felt like time stopped and the world turned but only just for them. Luhan held her close and felt like he never wanted to let go. He had lost her once but he found her. And this time, he’s determined to never let go.