Seo Hyun is washing her face when Yeong Won emerges. She gasps as she sees him sitting on the other side of the bathroom countertop.

            “You startled me!” she says.

            “You should be used to it by now.” ne says.

            “A human could not get used to a spirit appearing and disappearing without any warning. You can cause a heart attack like that.” She says.

Yeong Won just smile.

            “Since you are Time yourself….I wonder how you spend your time? I mean, where do you go when I’m not seeing you? What do you do?” she asks.

            “Well, I make sure that things happen according to time.I regulate time for sunrise, sunset, seasons, hours of the day…humans will freak out if a day will have more than 24 hours you know.” Ne jokes making Seo Hyun smile.

            “Events should happen according to the schedule and I see to it that they will be followed or else Destiny will nag me.”

            “Destiny?”

            “Yes. That one exists too and every spirit knows each other. It just so happened that I often work with Destiny. That one is a real pain in the . Very demanding and perfectionist. My ears are hurting with that fellow’s constant demands.” Ne utters in a complaining tone.

            “You spirits are funny.” Seo Hyun comments. She could imagine that scenario.

            “If I get some free time from my duty, I go around….just to observe humans. That way, I get to know about them and their lives.”

            “That is like being an audience to a never-ending movie.” She says.

            “Well you can think of it as a very interesting movie for me. I’ve seen trillions and trillions of human lives. Some are really sad, some are full of adventures, but there are humans who live a comedic life.” Yeong Won smiles to nemself thinking of those humans with hilarious way of dealing with life. “But I’m a VERY busy spirit. You probably think that since I’m Time, then I got all the time. But no…I am the BUSIEST one among all the spirits.”

            “A…alright…” she says with a shrug.

Seo Hyun grabs her toothbrush while the other hand is holding the toothpaste. She flicks the lid open with her thumb.

            “This gift you gave me….I suddenly feel like asking why three weeks?” she asks while squeezing out some toothpaste.

            “It’s because you’re bound to die after that.”

She turns to Yeong Won. Nir eyes are now somber. Spirits like nem could not lie so ne has to tell her honestly the answer to her question.

            “In the schedule…Death will come for you after twenty one days. I decided to give you all the remaining time that I can give.” Ne says.

Even though spirits don’t have emotions, Seo Hyun can say that Yeong Won is being sympathetic and sorry towards her. She might be happy with the recent things she’s experiencing that hearing her death surprises her but what can she do? It’s just a borrowed time….her real time is almost up. She’s an old woman waiting for death before this.

            “That can’t be helped…” she just says before she brushes her teeth.

Yeong Won stares at her. Ne knows how death sounds like for any human however; ne could only do this much for her.

_________________________________________________________________

It’s Home Economics time. The girls are busy baking small cakes as their practical lesson for the day while boys are taking up Industrial Tech in a separate room on first floor. 

            “Wow! It looks really cute!” Yumi compliments her.

           “How will I make mine that cute?!” Ji Ah pouts while looking at the cake she’s making.

Seo Hyun and Yumi stare at Ji Ah’s cake. The shape is distorted and with excess toppings. She obviously has no idea what she’s doing.

            “Is this a fruit cake or a candied cake?” Seo Hyun asks modestly so Ji Ah won’t be offended.

            “At first I want only fruits for my toppings but later on I find the candy toppings attractive so….”

            “Yah! Can you call this poor thing a cake? You ruined it.” Yumi says.

            “Why? Just because it looks like this doesn’t mean that it’s no longer a cake. What about you? Your cake’s design is so ordinary.” Ji Ah says back to Yumi.

Seo Hyun shakes her head lightly and continues to decorate hers. She’s getting used to Yumi and Ji Ah’s small bickering. They’re just like that but it’s not really serious.

            “Yonghwa sshi will like that for sure.”

            “H-huh?” she turns to Ji Ah.

            “Today’s his birthday and you’re planning to give that to him, right?” Yumi says.

She just smiles a bit. She first thought to buy a present for Yonghwa but when the teacher told them last week that they’d bake cakes today, she decided to just have that as a gift for Yonghwa’s birthday.

_________________________________________________________________

Break Time.

            “Hey Seo Hyun!”

They see their classmate Bae Suzy and her friends in the hallway.

            “What is it?” she asks.

            “I have a question and I want to hear the answer directly from you.”

She never approached her like this before so Seo Hyun really wonders.

            “Are you dating Jung Yonghwa?” Suzy asks.

Seo Hyun blinks.

            “Huh?” she has taken aback by Suzy’s question.

            “Are you two dating or not?” she repeats.

            “No…We’re not in that kind of relationship.” She answers.

Suzy smiles.

            “Good. Then I have nothing to worry about then…”

            “Why are you asking if they’re dating?” Yumi asks.

The entire class knows that Bae Suzy has a big crush on Yonghwa. But Yumi is sensing that Suzy has a purpose on asking Seo Hyun.

            “I plan to confess to him but of course I don’t want to step to anybody so I have to set things first.” She turns to her. “Isn’t that right, Seo Hyun sshi?”

            “Y..yes.”

Suzy smiles again.

            “Wish me luck girls.” She says and she walks away with her friends.

            “That y Suzy!” Yumi utters.

            “Don’t worry…I’m sure Yonghwa sshi is smart enough not to be snared by her.” Ji Ah seconded.

            “What are you saying? Yonghwa and I are just friends. Girls like Bae Suzy are free to like him.”

They walk towards their room but they stop by the door upon noticing the serious atmosphere inside. It is quiet and everyone’s eyes are on Yonghwa and Suzy. Yonghwa is on his seat. Suzy stops in front of his desk and puts down her cake there. He looks up at her.

            “Jung Yonghwa, I want you to be my boyfriend.” Suzy declares with confidence.

Seo Hyun swallows hard.

Yonghwa stands.

            “Follow me.” He says.

Suzy follows him. They exited through the other door.

            “W-what’s that?” Yumi utters looking at the two walking away.

            “Hyunie…” Ji Ah says worriedly.

Seo Hyun enters the room. She quietly sits and put the cake box in the drawer under her desk.   She knows that their classmates are now looking at her. Just like Yumi and Ji Ah said before, they all think that Yonghwa is dating her. She takes her lunchbox and force a smile.

            “Let’s eat lunch.” She says.

_________________________________________________________________

            “Let’s date…” Suzy says.

Yonghwa just looks at her. He’s thinking of how he will tell her his answer without offending her. She confessed to him in the classroom but Yonghwa doesn’t want to embarrass her in front of their classmates so he asked her to go out of the room with him.

              “Bae Suzy sshi…”

            “I like you.” She cuts him off. “I like you so much and I think you suit to be my boyfriend. That’s why I think we should be a couple.”

Yonghwa thinks that Suzy is fearless in telling her feelings. He breathes in before speaking.

            “I’m not seeing us that way. I’m sorry but I have to say no.” he bows at her a bit before going.

Suzy clench her fist tightly. Tears fall from her eyes. She’s Bae Suzy. Most boys at school look at her as the most beautiful girl at school. The girls envy her because she’s Ms. Perfect. She’s the one being confessed to not the one confessing but she didn’t care because she really had her eyes set for Yonghwa yet he rejected her just like that. Both her feelings and pride are hurt. She wipes her tears and take a few breathes before going back to the classroom.

_________________________________________________________________

After class, Seo Hyun goes to the library to return the books she borrowed. Yumi and Ji Ah attend cram school twice a week and since they have a schedule for it today, they left first.  As Seo Hyun walks towards the gate, she sees Yonghwa standing by the school gate.

            “At least he waited….” She whispers.

They weren’t able to talk with each other for the whole day. It was so busy and Yonghwa didn’t eat lunch with them.

            “Alright, I’ll let you have your cake.” She says. She planned not to give it to him since he didn’t talk to her the whole day but change her mind seeing that he waited for her so that they could go home together.

Seo Hyun takes a few steps forward but Yonghwa suddenly moves and grabs a girl’s arm. It’s Bae Suzy….Holding her by the arm, the two leaves. Seo Hyun was speechless for a moment.

She walks home alone. She recalls what happened during lunch time.

            “Suzy!”

Everybody in the class including Seo Hyun looks at Suzy who just came in. Yonghwa didn’t go back with her.

            “What happened?” Suzy’s friend asks her.

           “What was Jung Yonghwa’s reply? Are you an official couple now?” asks the other girl.

Suzy smiles.

            “We both decided to just take things slowly before we officially become a couple.” She says.

            “You mean like exclusively dating?” asks the other girl.

Suzy nods.

            “Hm. For the moment, we’ll get to know each other more but…” she turns to where Seo Hyun is. “It’s just a formality because Yonghwa will soon be my boyfriend and that’s for sure.” She adds while looking at Seo Hyun’s eyes as if she’s telling it to her directly.

            “You heard that? Jung Yonghwa is now taken by none other than the campus goddess, Suzy!” Suzy’s friend says to other girls at the door. They are from other class who has a crush with Yonghwa too. Probably they heard about Bae Suzy’s confession to Yonghwa and wanted to know if he says yes to her.

            “So Jung Yonghwa is no exemption. He’s also smitten by Suzy’s beauty.” One of her classmates says.

            “But I thought he’s dating Seo Hyun?” one of them says while looking at her.

            “I guess not…” says the other.

Seo Hyun pretended that she didn’t hear that. When her eyes glance over Suzy’s direction, she sees her smirking at her.

            “Kids nowadays are strange. They’re still in high school yet they’re already thinking about love when they’re supposed to focus on studying. That girl is shameless…how could she confess to a man? Men should be the one doing the courtship not women…” Seo Hyun mutters to herself.

            “And that Jung Yonghwa! He deserves a scolding!” she says feeling annoyed.

Realizing the situation, she sighs.

            “It’s not my business whether they date or not. After all, Yonghwa and I are just friends.”

            “But you’re jealous….” Yeong Won says as ne appears beside her.

            “Why would I be jealous?” Seo Hyun asks nem.

            “Why would you?” Ne asks back at her. “Listen to your heart. What does it say?”

            “I…What are you trying to say?” Seo Hyun asks with her furrowed brows.

            “You know exactly what I’m saying. You may try to fool yourself but not a spirit like me…I can see to your thoughts clearly like a transparent wall.”

Seo Hyun realized that there is no use in denying. She left out a sigh.

            “I have him in my heart that’s true but what can I do? We’re not meant for each other.” She admits as tears fill her eyes. “I’m sixty seven…he’s just nineteen…My life will soon reach its end while his is just starting.It’s useless to even think about it.” Her chest is aching because of jealousy and sadness brought by reality. It’s painful for her that she couldn’t hold on to that new love she found.

            “Why humans like to complicate things?”

Seo Hyun turns to Yeong Won.

            “Love is love…Whether you smile or cry in the end…still, isn’t that love? Just because people can’t be together doesn’t mean it’s not worth to try.”

            “What’s the use of telling him if I can’t stay?” Seo Hyun says.

            “Life is like this by nature. There was this couple…they got married but not long after the wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness. It is against the wife’s will to leave her husband alone but she has to go because that’s the farthest she could go…that’s the end of her lifeline.”

            “What a sad story…I can’t imagine how miserable it is for the husband.” She utters.

            “No. Everyone might think that their love had a tragic end but it is not like that…at least in the eyes of the husband.”

Seo Hyun turns to Yeong Won.

            “She died and that’s an unfortunate thing but the husband didn’t turn into a miserable soul. She might not be there physically but the fact that she left him with memories, brings smile to his face as he live each day.He thinks that living a short but meaningful life with her is great than to have it the other way around. He’s thankful that despite the short years together, they didn’t end up like other couples who separated because of unhappy marriage.”

Yeong Won stops from walking and smile at her.

            “You see, in love it’s not always about how long you can stay together but how you use the amount of time together. Being able to smile just as you look back to the memories is also happiness and having that memory to treasure in your mind and heart is also love.” Ne says while looking her straight in the eyes.

Seo Hyun could not say a word.

_________________________________________________________________

Seo Hyun arrives home but she goes to Yonghwa’s apartment building instead.

She presses the doorbell a couple of times but no one’s home. She should know better that Yonghwa won’t possibly home when she saw him leaving with Bae Suzy. Surely they went on a date since they agreed to get to know each other just like what Suzy said.

She sighs and decided to put down the cake and the lunch box by the door. However, she changed her mind and took the lunch box back since she thinks that it’s no longer good to eat. She got a stick on paper from her bag and write ‘Happy Birthday’ which she sticks on top of the cake box and leave.