{If you want to have the surreal feelings while reading, you can play EXO's Miracles In December. I can't guarantee that you'll cry, but it's worth the try}

♦

Yeon and Chanyeol first met when they were in their last year of high school. The funny thing was, they’ve been in the same school for almost 4 years but have never met each other before. Both of them had become close friends and from friendship, they’ve grown fond of each other over the years.

“Yeon-ah… I don’t know how to say this…urrr…you know… I kind of…ummm…I like you.” Chanyeol was lost in his own words. He couldn’t think straight and stuttered a lot during confession. Yeon gave him an innocent smile, pretending to not know what Chanyeol really meant.

“Of course you like me. That’s why we’re friends.” She replied him and had left Chanyeol dumfounded. He thought she knew what he was talking about. Yeon was never clueless when someone told her something.

“How should I say this??????????” Chanyeol scratched his head that wasn’t even itchy. Yeon smiled widely, showing off her dimples, at Chanyeol’s ultimate cuteness.

“You know, actually, Yeon, I like you more than friends do.” He confessed properly this time. Yeon’s smile was still plastered oh her face, causing Chanyeol to blush.

“Channie, you only like me? I love you, Channie, more than friends do.” Yeon confessed later with her dashing smile that melt Chanyeol’s heart.

“Yeon, really?” Chanyeol immediately pulled Yeon closer to him for a hug. Before, a hug meant friendship but that day, the hug felt different, somehow.

♦

“Oppa! Look here!” Yeon ordered like a boss. Once Chanyeol had turned to face her, she pulled him closer and planted a soft kiss on his lips. Chanyeol was stunned by her action, but it wasn’t that long when he let the manlier side of him to conquer. He pulled her into his embrace and he went for a rough, passionate kiss with her.

“I. love. You.” Chanyeol said in between their kisses. Yeon pulled away from the kiss and took a deep breath.

“Me too.” She replied, while still gasping for air.

“Phew, let’s do this again.” Chanyeol said with a mischievous smile curved up on his lips. Yeon knew what he had in mind so she decided to distract him off.

“No. I don’t want to. It’ll lead to something else. I have a better plan.”

“Like?” Chanyeol asked in annoyance.

“We were kissing in less than a minute ago, and now you’re annoyed with me?” Yeon crossed her arms and went out of the room. ‘Dang it’ Chanyeol muttered under his breath. He followed her from behind to the living room.

“Alright, my love. What do you want to do today?” He tried to cheer her up with her so-called romantic nickname. Yeon smiled in satisfaction when her plan worked. She knew Chanyeol would give in and listened to her instead. Yeon told him that she wanted to go out and have fun. Chanyeol felt obliged to do so but he went out with her anyway.

“Rock, paper, scissor!” They both compete in front of an ice cream stall. Chanyeol won the childish game and Yeon has to pay and follow his orders.

“AHA! YOU PAY!” Chanyeol shot at her right after that. Yeon cursed in a low volume but it was loud enough for Chanyeol to hear it.

“I heard that. If you curse again, I’ll ask you to do difficult duties.” He warned like a kid. Yeon nodded slowly, but her face obviously showed that she was very pissed at him.

♦

The next year, they decided to enter the same university so that they can have enough time to be together. At least, that was their original plan. Of course, they wouldn’t want to sacrifice their own dreams and pick the same course just for the sake of their relationship. Chanyeol chose Medicine course while Yeon took Arts course. At first, they managed to divide their time and spent their breakfast, brunch and lunch together. Time was manageable for their early years. But as soon as they enter the fourth year of their study, they hardly had any time together. Chanyeol was the busier one. Yeon understood him, so she didn’t bother to ask him to spend more time on her. She would call him at night, asking his conditions. The normal conversations were usually “How’s life?” or “Are you okay?” or “Take care”. They were less fluff and “I love you” conversation.  She knew that his study was very important for him to achieve his ambition. She kept her feelings and tried to concentrate on her arts. Once, she told Chanyeol to come to the Arts’ Exhibition and Chanyeol wasn’t there to see her drawing of him with his very own eyes. She was saddened by his absentee but she kept it at heart. She moved on and was able to excel well in the course that she took. Yeon was accepted as the Arts’ Club President and not just that, she was given the opportunity to conduct a drama team.

“Channie-yah, please come to the auditorium this Friday, at 1 p. m. sharp, okay? I have something to show you.” Yeon called him that one night.

“Okay.”

“Promise?” 

“Yeah.”

“You busy tonight?” Yeon asked again, because his answers are short and simple. He was probably busy tonight, she thought. Sadly, that’s what she thought every night. He was never free anymore.

“Yeah, I have an assignment to complete.”

“Oppa, do you love me?” Yeon asked suddenly. She missed him, too much, that it hurts her feelings. She missed how they declare their love on the phone, even though it was cheesy.

“What?” Chanyeol asked in disbelief.

“Nothing. Just come this Friday. It’s important.” She ended the phone call quickly.

♦

Yeon managed to control her sadness when the person she loves wasn’t there to watch her perform. Yeon was able to say all her lines without stuttering and did not say things that she wasn’t suppose to say. Her eyes literally scanned the whole auditorium but there’s still no sign of him. Chanyeol’s absence sent thousands of daggers to her weak heart.

“Yeon-sshi, that was so good!” Baekhyun, Chanyeol’s buddy, complimented her and gave her a light pat on her shoulder. Maybe he happens to be here. Yeon thought. She was surprised that he was there and not her boyfriend.

“Thank you. I was nervous the whole time. I thought that I can’t do it without him here.” She managed to say. Baekhyun understood her and felt pity.

“He must’ve been busy. I’ll tell him how awesome you were on stage. I have to go now.” He comforted Yeon and left.

♦

“Yeon can draw so well. Yah, you should have seen it with your own eyes. You look so dashing in her drawing. And you should have seen her act.” Baekhyun left a little hint on his statement. He took his books out from his bag and began doing his work.

“I’m always dashing and handsome. Isn’t it obvious?” Chanyeol blankly said without noticing anything at first.

“Wait. What act? Since when did she join the drama team?” Chanyeol was curious and clueless.

“It took you so long to realise. (Sigh) Four months ago. You don’t remember? I was there when she told you.” Baekhyun tried to recall. Chanyeol gasp because he suddenly remembered and quickly went out of the library.

♦

Four years had passed and Yeon’s favourite place was still the same - underneath the shady tree near the school football field. Chanyeol approached her slowly, with a box of chocolate in his hand. He tried to approach her from behind, slowly taking light steps so that Yeon can’t hear him.

“Oppa, hi.” Yeon stated blankly. Chanyeol sighed because he failed to shock her.

“Hi. How do you know it was me?”

“My heart knows it.” She said without turning to look at him. Her eyes were red and tears were still flowing down her reddened cheeks. Chanyeol went in front of her and wiped her tears away. He cupped her face and slowly, he pressed his lips onto hers.

“I’m sorry.” That was all he managed to say. He held her hands and the both of them sat there, not saying much.

“Wanna cuddle?” Chanyeol asked out of the blue. Yeon shook her head aggressively, disagreeing because they were still in the university compound.

“Then let’s go to my house. We could cuddle all day. All night, if you wish. I’m neglecting my works today, just for you.” Chanyeol suggested again. Yeon replied him with a wide smile. They went to Chanyeol’s home together, and they did cuddle till night. Just cuddling, not more than that.

Little did they know, that was the last time for them to cuddle together.

Yeon was admitted to the hospital due to brain cancer. She was still in the early stage, but her mom had suggested for her to stay in the hospital so that medical treatment could be done quickly if anything happens. A year passed by in the hospital and it was tiring for Yeon. She was filled with boredom and sadness. Everyday, she would see families crying and mourning over the dead bodies of their loved ones. She felt pity for them. But what hurts her heart more was that Chanyeol who couldn’t visit her even on weekends. Throughout that whole year, Chanyeol had only visited her five times. Out of 365 days in a year, he could only spend 5 days to be with her. But she couldn’t blame him too. He was preparing to graduate. It’s his last year and she wants to see him successful before she leaves this world.

♦

Winter has always been Yeon’s favourite season. She loves the snow, the fashion and Christmas. She had never imagined that she was going to breathe her last during her favourite season.

“At least, I’m going to die during my favourite season.” She thought. She was sad to leave the world, to leave her family, to leave her bucket list and to leave Chanyeol. Chanyeol. She didn’t tell him about her condition that’s worsening every single day. She put on a smile when he visited her the other day.

“How are you?” Chanyeol asked. He grabbed her hand and caressed it softly.

“Fine.” She answered with a weak voice.

“Hey, you’re still pretty even though you’re wearing that ugly costume.” Chanyeol joked to make her smile.

“I am. You’re gonna miss this pretty face of mine.” She said in a low voice.

“Don’t say that.”

“I was joking too.” She lied and gave him her lovely dimple-smile.

♦

“Mom, don’t tell Chanyeol I’m dying. He should know only when I’m gone.” Yeon said in a teary voice. The doctor that was in charge of her told her that she have less time left – 2 days.

“He should know.” Her mom replied in a more teary voice. Yeon caressed her mom’s ageing hands and slowly kissed every inch of skin on her mom’s hand.

“He’s busy. Just tell him to be successful in the future, and I will always be there, right next to him when he needs me. I will always be there for you too, mom, when you need me by your side…. Mom, don’t cry. I’m happy to go. I will leave all this pain and be healthy up there.” Yeon tried calming her mom. She put on a large smile and told her mom she’ll be fine. Of course, as a mother, she would never want to see her daughter dying.

Two days later, Yeon passed away peacefully. A serene smile was plastered on her beautiful face, as if telling those she loved that she will be fine.

♦

“Yeon, how could you do this to me…” Chanyeol cried. He was crying like a little kid, like a kid who lost his money. By then, Chanyeol had realised how much he had hurt her feelings. He was too serious in his studies that he hardly had time for the both of them to be together. He was too ignorant about Yeon and her studies, her feelings, everything about her. He should have care more.  Now that she’s gone, it was too late for him to apologise.

Suddenly, he felt a hand caressing his face. The touch was familiar. It was Yeon’s. Yeon was smiling in front of him, and was wiping away his tears.

“I love you.” She whispered in a ghost-like voice. Her touch was surreal that Chanyeol wanted to grab her hands.

“I love you too.” Chanyeol whispered back. Yeon smiled again, and that was it. Chanyeol couldn’t see her anymore.

“COMEBACK!” Chanyeol screamed to the empty space. He shouted and shouted but still, Yeon was not there.

“Remember, I will always love you. You can’t see me, but I am always here with you.” Chanyeol heard her whisper. He closed his eyes tightly and hoped for miracles to happen in December because December was Yeon’s favourite month, and the month when she died.

~THE END~

[ A/ N ] How was it? Was it worth the wait? Please tell me anything about the story because I hope it’s good and worth the wait. I hope you don’t mind my bad grammar, because I didn’t ask anyone to edit it and add super flowery, sugary language in it. Any stories that you thought was similar to this, I just wanted to say that I did not plagiarise from any stories J Thank you to all the readers. I’m happy you’re here to read my hardwork.