It’s been a week since the incident happened and Chaerin hasn’t regained her conscious. She was in the state of comatose, the doctors say. It’s been also a week since Dara started to visit the chapel every day and pray for Chaerin’s fast recovery. It became her habit. Even right after she returned to her duty in the hospital, she never missed a single moment to pray for her.

It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon that day. Dara took her break from taking rounds at the children’s ward. She stayed to the nurses’ station for a few minutes to rest and then proceeded to the hospital chapel.

This time, Dara was not alone. She quickly recognized that person sitting on a wheelchair even from afar.  Tears slipped away from her eyes. She’s happy. She looked at the huge crucifix in the center of the chapel and thanked God.

Dara wiped her tears and walked her way to Chaerin.  She hugged her as soon as she got close to her. “Thank you. Thank you for being alive.” And there, Dara burst out her tears and sobbed.

Chaerin Dara’s hair gently and chuckled. “You know bad girls can’t be killed that fast.”  

Dara pulled away from her just enough to see her face. Chaerin’s still a bit pale, but she’s smiling. She’s smiling, and she doesn’t know what to do on how to keep Chaerin’s smile after doing the thing that will hurt Chaerin and make her hate her forever. Dara exhaled and looked at her in the eyes.

“What? Why are you staring at me like that?” Chaerin already sensed that there’s something wrong with the look that Dara’s giving her.

“Chaerin-ah. I… I can’t make you risk your life for me again. I don’t want to see you hurting anymore. I love you and there’s no doubt in that. I just want to keep you safe.”  Dara wanted to take back those words but she can’t. It was already there and she needs to do it, for the sake of Chaerin.

Smile faded away from Chaerin’s face. She shook her head from what she had just heard. It can’t be real, right? She waited for Dara to take back her words but she didn’t. Tears fell from Chaerin’s eyes as she speaks, “Do you know that you’re already hurting me with what you’re saying to me right now? Sirrheo. I don’t want you to leave me, not anymore. I promise you we’ll fight and live together Dara-yah.” Chaerin held Dara’s hand and waiting for her to agree but she didn’t.

“Even if we meet, let’s not greet each other. Even if we cry, pretend we don’t know each other. I’m setting you free Chaerin-ah.” Dara kissed her forehead and freed her hand from Chaerin’s grasp after.

“Andwae. Jebal, andwaeyo. Dara-yah.” Chaerin began to cry hard but Dara already walked away from her. “If you leave me here, you won’t get to talk to me again. Dara-yah. Jebal.”

Chaerin’s words didn’t stop Dara from walking. She left crying.

---

One year later.

Winter is coming as the cold breeze of air surrounded the atmosphere. Snowflakes are starting to fall everywhere. Chaerin was outside the building’s terrace. She was carrying a very light yet chic make-up which makes her look more elegant, and she was wearing an HBA shirt and jumper which does not suit very well on the weather. Chaerin’s eyes were focused on the view in Hongdae. Her body was there but right now, she was in deep thought to notice that it is snowing and it is getting colder.

Chaerin will never forget how dreadful and sorrowful those things that have occurred from the past year. It was just like yesterday when she felt relieved when Dongwook was finally captured and when she thought she could go back to Dara and live happily with her. But it was also just like yesterday when Dara ended everything that is between them and set her free.

Chaerin was pulled out on her reverie when someone wrapped her body in a thick fur coat. There she finally grasped of what is happening to her surrounding and noticed that her hands were already shaking due to cold. The coat was a big comfort in lessening the cold that her body absorbed. Chaerin didn’t mind on knowing who offered the coat to her yet the person grabbed her hand which made her turn around and face that person. It was Jiyong. He held her hand and breathed there to lessen her coldness then he brought out a pair of gloves in his side pockets and wore it into Chaerin’s hand.

“There. I hope it helped.” Jiyong smiled at her with real concern.

“I wasn’t feeling cold, but thanks though.” Chaerin feigned her ignorance from getting frosty as she denied Jiyong’s statement. Then she wore her thick fur coat properly.

“Then why are you shivering if you’re not feeling cold? It’s warm inside. Besides, I don’t want you to get sick. Kajja.”  He wrapped his arm to Chaerin’s shoulder as they went back inside the building.

Jiyong led her to the coffee shop inside the building. He ordered two coffee Americanos and waited until their order was delivered to their table. Jiyong pushed lightly the coffee cup to Chaerin and smiled. “It’s your favorite coffee. I know you much like it when it’s cold but at least drink some to keep your body warm.” He reached for his own cup of coffee and drank. Chaerin smiled at him and grabbed the cup to her hand and took a sip.

A few minutes later, Chaerin’s body did feel a little warmer when she continuously drank her coffee and finished it. She snatched the tissue paper in the box and wiped the sides of in case there are smears of coffee left in her face. Jiyong finished his coffee after a while and his lips. He looked at the watch on his wrist and checked the time then looked at Chaerin. He stood up and walked towards her direction. “I have something for you in the studio. Let’s go?”  He offered his hand and Chaerin grasped it as she stood up and nodded. The two of them left the coffee shop and went to the recording studio where Jiyong prepared something.

As they arrive inside the studio, Jiyong assisted Chaerin to sit down comfortably on the couch. She smiled at him for his manliness and then visualizes the entire recording studio. It’s been a while since she entered in a recording studio. She and Jiyong used to hang out in their university’s recording studio five years ago. She used to compose and write songs when she feels unstable and whenever there are ideas coming to her mind.

A white guitar caught Chaerin’s attention. It reminded her of Dara who doesn’t get tired of strumming the strings of her guitar until she’s out of song or whenever she doesn’t reach the F key. Chaerin shook her head from the memories coming back to her mind and grabbed instead the guitar and took her seat in a stool beside her. She placed it to her lap in a playing position and started to strum the guitar. Chaerin began to play the song ‘The Scientist’ by Coldplay, an international band.

“Come up to meet you. Tell you I’m sorry. You don’t know how lovely you are~” Jiyong sang to her the first line of the song. He waited for her to carry on the next line of the song but she just smiled and continued playing. Jiyong started to sing again when it reached the chorus, “Nobody said it was easy. Oh it such a same for us to part. Nobody said it was easy. No one ever said it would be this hard ~”

“Oh take me back to the start.~” Chaerin finally sang the last line of the chorus and ended the song. She returned the guitar to its place after playing and sat on the couch where Jiyong was sitting and asked him. “So, why are we here again Jingyo-ah?”

Jiyong grasped the three sheets of paper from the small table beside him and handed it to Chaerin. Chaerin took it from him and saw that it was two musical sheets and a song. She exchanged looks with Jiyong and the sheets that she was holding like she’s asking him on what she has to do with those. Jiyong pursed his pressed his lips together and said, “I have a favor to ask you Hunchae. Actually I’m doing a song with your guy friends…”

“…And? What does it have to do with me?” Chaerin slightly furrowed her eyebrows in not getting his point.

“Lee Seunghyun-ssi… Seungri-ga, he asked me to ask you to do the arrangements of the song. You don’t have to do it Chae. I know you’re busy with ChaeHyuk and everything and…” Jiyong told her with his eyes closed as if he was ready to be hit or nagged by Chaerin but instead he found her reading out loud the lyrics.

“Geunyeoga tteonagayo. Naneun amugeotdo halsu eopseoyo… Sarangi tteonagayo. Naneun babochoreom meonghani seoitneyo. If you, If you. Ajik neomu neujji anhatdamyeon. Uri dasi doragal suneun eopsulkka. If you, If you. Neodo nawa gati himdeuldamyeon. Uri jogeum swipge gal suneun eopsulkka. Isseul ttae jalhal geol geuraesseo.”

She is leaving and I can’t do anything. Love is leaving; like a fool, I’m blankly standing here. If you, if it’s not late, can’t we get back together? If you, if you’re struggling like I am, can’t we make things a little easier? I should’ve treated you better when I had you. The lyrics of the song struck Chaerin. It perfectly fits on her state. She bit her lip trying to hold the tears staring to form in her eyes.

Realizing the effect of the lyrics to Chaerin, Jiyong immediately came closer to her and embraced her sideways. He put her head to his shoulder and combed her hair lightly. “Mianhamnida.” He can’t think of saying other words to her except for it.

After a couple of an hour, Chaerin finally felt sober. She took a glimpse of Jiyong and noticed that he was already sleeping. She sincerely appreciated how manly Jiyong is. How she wish that she never recover her memories and continue to love him just like how it used to be but she thinks that she can’t. Being careful not to startle Jiyong’s sleep, Chaerin removed his arm to her shoulders gently and stood up. She stared once again at Jiyong’s handsome face and dragged his feet up to the couch so he can sleep comfortably.

Chaerin walked out of the studio meekly so she won’t wake him up. As she made her walk outside the room, she took the lift three floors up to the roof garden. The moment she goes out to the elevator, she walked two meters before reaching the door to the roof garden. It was cold when she opened the door and she was aware of it. Good thing Jiyong brought her a fur coat and gloves earlier, and another good thing is that she’s wearing a scarf and earmuffs now.

Chaerin fearlessly walked out on the cold and looked intently at the view in front of her. She really liked high places where she could see anything from up. She liked being on places like this to be at ease.

A moment later, Chaerin recognized someone’s shadow beside her “I thought you would be on the roof deck. Thank goodness you’re here at the roof garden. You love high places, don’t you?” as she looked to her side, it was Youngdon wearing a long coat and scarf into his neck.

“Oh. Wasseo? Jiyong’s on the studio room. If you want to see him…”

“Aniyo. I came here to see you. I just came to say goodbye.” Youngdon looked sincerely in her eyes and smiled sincerely.

“Are you leaving? Eodi? When are you coming back?” Chaerin asked him with concern as if she’d done something that offended his feelings.

“I’m not leaving. I just came to say goodbye to my one year and a half one-sided love with you. I can see how affected you are when it involves Sandara-ssi or Jiyong. I can’t compete with those people who were already in your heart.” Youngdon admitted to her coolly.

“Youngdon… what are you saying? We’re getting married soon and I’m willing to do it. You’re such a good man and…” he