Chapter 1: [P.romise]

“Choi Min Hwan, you are such a pig! Return me my ice-cream!” I yelled as I chased after Min Hwan. He had greedily taken my ice cream and began it, grinning naughtily, while I ran after him, panting hard.

“Lee Eun Jae! This ice cream is super delicious!” Min Hwan laughed out heartily.

“Idiot! How could you?” I was acting furious as Min Hwan had finished the ice-cream all by himself.

To others, our acts would seem childish. However, to us, such acts were enjoyable and entertaining. We loved teasing and mocking each other. Afterall, in this way, our love affair would be more exciting.

Upon reaching my apartment, Min Hwan casually lay on the giant sofa bed, in the living room. I pounced on him, wanting to exact my revenge. Little did I expect that I was in for a special treat from Choi Min Hwan, my dearest boyfriend, who was also my younger brother’s best friend.

“Yah!” I was going to chide him off but Min Hwan acted faster. He placed his soft lips on mine.

“Right,” I mumbled to myself in disbelief, “he is using the same old trick to appease me and I am still falling for it.”

I returned his kiss as I could not help it.

Choi Min Hwan was the best boyfriend a female could ever get.

With his attractive adorable looks, and a brilliant and dazzling smile, he had won over the hearts of many females. In addition, he was smart, full of knowledge and at the same time cheeky and creative, he would always have ideas about almost everything. He was unpredictable and mysterious, you could never know what mischief he was planning, but all these characteristics just made him more alluring and lovable.

Jae Jin had been the one who introduced us to each other. Jae Jin had been studying in Japan since he received a scholarship and Min Hwan was his best friend there. I was living in Seoul alone, since our parents had passed away in an eventful plane crash, a few years ago.

Initially, I had a very good impression of Min Hwan and was drawn to him, with his eloquence and manners.

Then, Jae Jin started creating opportunities for Min Hwan and I. Apparently, Min Hwan had felt the same attraction towards me as well.

Soon, we began going out. We started off as an ordinary love struck couple, who became inseparable. Min Hwan even decided to complete his scholarship programme in Japan earlier so that he could move back to Seoul.

He wanted to stay by my side.

Min Hwan really returned to Seoul and moved in with me. His parents were informed of his choice but they did not give much care to him since their minds were focused on making business deals everywhere in the world.

“Eun Jae!” He called out my name lovingly as he wrapped his strong arms around my waist and placed his head on my shoulder. I could feel his warm breath near my neck.

“Yes?”

“So what is the good news?” He asked and I gave a look of bewilderment.

“You wanted to eat your ice cream, which is your habit of preparation before you will burst out telling me a piece of good news, jumping foolishly in joy.” With a lopsided grin on his face, Min Hwan teased me.

He really knew my behaviour clearly and sometimes I really hated him for speaking what was on my mind. He never seemed to miss out any body language hints that I sent to him, deliberately or unintentionally.

Once, I was devastated at the sight of a poor puppy which had been run over by a car. Its lifeless carcass was on the road, but, no one gave it a second look. In fact, I saw one of the pedestrian who was crossing the road gave it a kick and then a disgusted look. I hurried over and buried the puppy under the soil in the park nearby.

When I returned home, Min Hwan was already preparing dinner. Though I thought my face was expressionless, Min Hwan knew something was wrong. He immediately put down everything he was doing and carrying, rushing to tend to me and my emotions.

“Hey, baby, what’s wrong?” He had asked so gently, his voice full with concern, and love.

Looking straight into his eyes, I could not control my tears, and I buried my head in his embrace and started wailing uncontrollably. He patted my back with rhythm and remained silent, but he kept his well-built arms around my waist tightly.

“Silly girl,” was all he commented. When I asked him later about how he deciphered that I was in an unpleasant mood, he winked and replied casually, “I just know it. I am part of you and you are part of me. You can’t hide anything from me!” We ended up playing catching that day.

Another time, I was overjoyed when I noticed that I had managed to design a product for a client, and they were going to use it. I had been working as a designer for two years. The product was from a world-known company. I could imagine thousands and even millions of people carrying the product with my design all around the world. I felt so accomplished. I bought an ice-cream and was it in delight at home, waiting for Min Hwan to return home after his school.

When he opened the door, and saw me the ice-cream, like “an eager puppy”, as he commented. He threw his schoolbag on the floor and hugged me, with such beautiful dazzling eyes full of love and anticipation boring into my plain black eyes, prompting me, “What is the treat for me today since you are so cheery?”

My smile broadened at these wonderful flashbacks.

Min Hwan had always been here for me, by my side, be it rain or shine, or happy times or sad times. He was here, with me, always without fail.

From encouragement to consolation, from hugging to kissing, all his actions and words were so memorable to me. His love for me was detectable and so overwhelming.

I was more than blissful and fortunate to have him.

“I have just been promoted and I think we should celebrate!” I knew that I had surprised him as his hands slid off and he turned to face me directly. His eyes were gleaming with surprise and delight.

“Cool! Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” He gave me a noisy kiss as a reward.

I chuckled and smacked his forehead gently, “I wanted to finish my ice-cream and then tell you the good news. However, you snatched it from me. I wonder if this is a bad premonition. Maybe I should not accept the promotion…” I pondered seriously, until Min Hwan’s loud chortles interrupted me.

“Silly girl! Don’t be so superstitious, like an old woman! Come on!” He began tickling me and I held up my hands in resignation.

I really regretted accepting the promotion. After I was promoted, my workload increased so much that my time with Min Hwan was greatly reduced.

Nonetheless, he still messaged me from time to time and he always brought me my dinner punctually.

With a big grin on his face, which never failed to brighten my day, he would hold up a packet of delicious food and knocked on my office. “Dinner delivery, please pay me, with your lovely lips!”

Then, one evening, I waited. Min Hwan was late, which was really unusual. I thought to myself that maybe he had some matters to tend to in school, and was held up. Moments later, I heard piercing sirens of an ambulance. I looked down through my glass windows from my office but could only notice a mob of people crowding.

My right eyebrow twitched.

“Lost then found…” I heard my handphone ring.

This could not be true.

However, as I let my handphone slid away from my sweating palm, and stared at the commotion below my office again. I knew it was true.

Min Hwan had died, trying to deliver me, my stupid dinner.

The days after Min Hwan’s death were a blur to me. I could not remember how I lived through it, but I could sense Min Hwan’s presence, staying with me.

I had managed to avoid a flowerpot crashing on my head, slipping on a banana skin and banging into people and even lampposts after his death.

I was practically a walking zombie, but yet, I survived with no accidents and mishaps.

This was miraculous.

All these were actually Min Hwan’s protection.

I could feel a light push when I was walking on the pavement then. I moved to the right because of the push, then, as I turned to the left for a second, wondering what was wrong with the wind or me, a flowerpot broke into pieces on the ground next to where I was standing, with a loud crash.

“Min Hwan, I am sorry for choosing to die. However, I really need to see you, to feel you and to touch you again. Will you forgive me?” I thought as I gave myself a shot of the euthanasia I managed to get my hands on.

As I slowly fell into the abyss of darkness, I could hear the wind chimes fluttering and ringing rapidly. I knew Min Hwan was objecting to what I was doing, but, it was too late.

When I opened my eyes again, I was surrounded by white light. Then, I saw him.

My dearest boyfriend, Choi Min Hwan.

His eyes were filled with sorrow and he had no smile on. I ran to hug him but he remained stationary.

“Why did you do that? You should not …” I stopped Min Hwan from speaking further as I placed my lips on his. I wanted him to know that we were really inseparable and I wanted him desperately to know how I feel. Life without him was beyond unbearable and agonizing. It was like losing everything.

“Silly girl!” was all he commented again after the kiss.

The two of us held hands and stayed together ever since then.

When Jae Jin stepped into my room to collect my belongings, we watched him together. Min Hwan communicated with Jae Jin through the wind chimes as well.

“Jae Jin will be fine.” I thought out loud as I turned to face Min Hwan’s smiling face.

“He will be fine, silly girl! We have to go now,” Min Hwan announced with such serenity in his voice.

“Let’s go then!” I left with Min Hwan, following the white light, to wherever it would lead to.

As long as we were together, as long as we stayed by each other, nothing would ever bother me.

Min Hwan had kept his promise to me, staying by my side, even after death …

-

tada.

 

th1rd3ye/crunch