Nine months has past...

All of them live with their usual routine except Hongbin has already graduated and get a job. 

In that Friday afternoon, Minyoung just sits at the corner of the library and try to finish her homework before went home. Hyojung went date with her boyfriend and she doesn't want to spoil her cousin's lovey-dovey moment.

She finally manages to finish her homework and put the book inside her bag. She then takes out her personal notebook to writes her deep thought on it.

Nine months...

She looks at the window and stares at the sky.

Time sure went fast, Taekwoon oppa...

It feels like you just gone yesterday...

Minyoung still can feel how empty inside of her eventhough Hongbin and Hyojung tried to cheer her up by spending their time with her and do a lot of fun things for these past few months. To be honest, she is really happy for what they did for her but she still feel missing. She still imagines that Taekwoon is still here, watching her.

Oppa...

If you see me now, you must be feeling upset...

She knows that what she did is completely opposite of what Taekwoon want but she couldn't help it. Her heart still mourns for him. The more she think about it, she feel want cry right now. She closes her eyes and she could feel a single tear from her eyelid.

I'm sorry, oppa...

----------------------------------------

At home, night...

Minyoung just sit on the sofa and watching some show on television. She did nothing but that since she reached at her home. Her mother just called her said that she had to stay at the office as there are a lot of works that have to be done before the deadline.

Well, it just me and TV...

If Hongbin oppa or Hyojung are here...

Suddenly, the sound of doorbell ringing shocks her.

What a perfect timing!

She went to the door and answers it.

"Hongbin oppa?"

"Yeah. It's me."

She open the door and let him went into the house.

"That's really coincident. I just thought about you or Hyojung will come here."

"Well, I'm already used to it. Even if I'm work right now, I will come here to visit you. Speaking of Hyojung, where is she?"

"Maybe she still with her boyfriend, I guess."

"Ah... With that Wonshik guy? She's sure spent a lot of time by sticking to him like glue."

Minyoung laugh at Hongbin's joke. "It couldn't help. She really likes him so much, so does Wonshik oppa. Just let them both."

Hongbin nod his head, agreeing with her.

"I don't know but seeing them together reminds me of how Taekwoon oppa and I used to date before. We really couldn't take off our eyes toward each other."

Hongbin look at Minyoung, seeing how sorrow the smile of her.

"I can see you still mourn for him. It's already nine months, right?"

Minyoung nod her head. 

"It's alright. Take your time. It's not easy for us to coorperate our life without the person that we love. Even me, myself who lost my lover 3 years ago still mourning her until now."

Minyoung look at Hongbin, straighten up her seat. "Now I remember. Taekwoon oppa used to tell me that you once had a lover named Youngji, right?"

"Ne."

"She died 3 years ago because of leukemia?"

"Yeah. That's true."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

Hongbin look at Minyoung toward her eyes.

"I guess you didn't know about this." 

Hongbin straighten his seat, in comfortable position. "Do you know that the way you stay at Taekwoon hyung's side until his last breath was the same as what I did for her?"

" You...also at her side until her last breath?"

"Ne."

Hongbin low down his head, close his eyes and open them. "I would never forget that day."

3 years ago...

The day is really bright but not too warm for the children to playing around freely. The garden of the hospital filled with a lot of children and adult playing together.

"Look at them. All of them are so happy." 

Hongbin look at the same direction as Youngji as he pushed her wheelchair. 

"Yeah. They are."

The view of the whole families together sure gives them some healing. They can see a girl in patient clothes chasing another girl in pink dress happily. They are possibly sibling or friends. There's also a middle age man with bandage on his head playing a ball with his son. Also an old woman sat on the wheelchair, smiling and cheering when she seeing her grandchildren plays together with their parents.

The people's views about hospital as a cold place is completely wrong. Sometimes, there is hospital that required some facilities for the patients be able to spend their time with their family.

Youngji look at all of them with smile on her face. "They live such a long life. Having family and play with them. While I was just sitting here, waiting for my day to come."

Hongbin stunned by her word. "What you say like that? Please stop say something like that! If you say anything again about you are going to die, I'm gonna lock your mouth by kiss you!"

Youngji giggle at Hongbin's funny little 'threat'. "However, gomawo, oppa." For a moment, Youngji stay quite before says something.

"I'm sorry for troubling you to come here and visit me. You must be very busy right now since you had already become a college student. You must be feeling tired right now. Don't force yourself too much. You can take a break at home. You don't have to visit me everyday. You must take care of yourself too."

Hongbin blink his eyes a few times before he locked the wheelchair to make it unmoved and went to Youngji's front. He kneeling in front of her and grab her both hands. "If it is for you, I'm willing to stay here overnight if I have to."

Youngji look at Hongbin deeply into his dark brown eyes. One of her hand tries to reach to his face, softly touching his cheek. She put a gentle smile on her face, looking at her lover affectionately.

Hongbin grab Youngji's other hand, circling his thumb at the back of her hand. They look at each other eyes for a long time until suddenly, Youngji let out some cough. She put her palm onto , covering her cough.

"Youngji-ah, are you alright?" Hongbin become more worry seeing Youngji coughing so badly. When she uncover , he can see her palm has some blood on it. Hongbin become panic when he sees her blood-stained palm. "Oh my God, Youngji-ah! You cough some blood!"

At ICU...

Hongbin cover his face with his hands. What he saw just now is really horrifying him. Youngji's pale face when she endured her pain. Her cough. Her palm with some blood on it. He knew she is dying now but what he saw is too much for him. He couldn't imagine how much pain that she has to endure for him. Seeing Youngji's condition right now, he thinks that she will...will... No! He doesn't want to say that word! He didn't dare to say it! 

Youngji-ah...

Then, a doctor came out from the room. Hongbin immediately get up from his seat, facing the doctor. "Doctor, how is she?! Is she alright?!"

The doctor let out his sigh. "It looks like she is in critical right now. Her body is unable to fight anymore. I don't think she can live much longer."

Hongbin could his heart in much painful right now. The pain is too strong that he has to grab his chest tightly. He feel couldn't breathe right now. The doctor who sees him grabs his shoulders, calming him. He brings him to the corridor seat and let Hongbin let out his tears.

Both of them sit next to each other as the doctor consol him. "I've become a doctor for almost 30 years. I had seen a lot of people dying before my eyes. There are people who died with their family or lover at their side. There are also people died alone on their deathbed without any people come to see them. Some of them died in happiness, wishing people around them for happiness. Some of them voice out their regret before they gone. As for Youngji, she is such a lonely girl. She grew up in an orphanage with the children that also orphans just like her. She never thought she will dying at this tender age. It gave her such s huge shock. Even Sister Kim, who is like a mother to her not be able to make her feeling better." Then, the doctor look at him. "Until she met you." Hongbin look at the doctor with his blood shot eyes from crying. "Me?"

"Yes. It's you. Ever since you came here, she always told me about you. How you always make her feel happy again. Make her feel alive again and forget about her disease for a moment. Make her always smile and laugh. Right now, the person that have right to be with her at this moment...is you." 

Hongbin blink his eyes, try to understand the words that the doctor meant. "What I'm going to say is...stay at her side. For her last moment."

Hongbin finally get what the doctor try to say to him and nod his head. "I understand. I will be at her side no matter what. I really love her so much, doctor. Eventhough I just met her about 5 months, but I can feel that she is really meant a lot to me. These 5 months with her are really precious to me."

The doctor give him a fatherly smile, touching his shoulder. "Well, you can go in there now." He points to the door. "She is waiting for you." Hongbin nod his head and get up from his seat. He wipes his tears and went to open the door.

The moment when the door open in front of him, he can see Youngji lay comfortably on the bed with her eyes completely close. He sits next to her, grab her hand on the side of the bed.

"Youngji-ah..."

Youngji slowly open her eyes and see Hongbin at her side. "Oppa..."

Her low voice shows how weak she is now. But, despite that, she still able to smile at him.

"I'm sorry. You must be scared when you saw what happened  to me just now."

"It's okay. You're sick right now. Just get some rest, okay?"

Youngji nod her head.

Hongbin look at her. Her face is getting paler than before. Her hands which use to be warm become cold. He grabs it with both his hands, hoping it will warm again.

"Who would've thought the we used to be strangers when we met for the first time? You just came to me, ask me if I'm alright. And we end up telling each other stories."

Hongbin put the smile on his face toward Youngji. "Who would've thought...the girl that I used to feel awkward to ask, now became the most important person in my life?" Hongbin fix her hair so it wouldn't disturb her face. Youngji look at the ceiling and say something in low, husky voice.

"I never met or knew my parents. All I could do just hoping that someday I will search them when I'm capable to do it. I even pray to God hoping that they will come to me and embrace me just like any other parents would do for their children. But, it looks like it didn't come true. When I was told that I'm having leukemia, I was totally depressed. All I could do when stay here is crying and crying, give up everything, waiting for my death." Then, Youngji's eyes look at Hongbin. "Then, you were appeared. You said that my life maybe short, but that doesn't mean that I couldn't cherish every last moment I have. When you said that, I'm finally realised how selfish I am. It's all thanks to you. I'm finally can rest peacefully right now."

Suddenly, Hongbin put his lips on Youngji's and kissing her gently while close his eyes. At first, she is stunned by Hongbin's sudden kiss. Then, she closes her eyes and kiss him back. 

When their lips parted, Hongbin look at her, "I told you I'm gonna kiss you if you say anything about die again." Youngji just smile at him. "I'm the one who should be thankful to you." He put his hand on Youngji's cheek and caress it gently.

"You showed me how short our life can be. And because of that, we must live to the fullest and sharing what we have. I'm living with parents' love , having a good time with my siblings, making friends and have fun with them, do a lot of things that I want to do. I guess that's what makes me ignore all of the insignificant things. But, you're the one who change me. Unlike me, you live such a hard, cruel life. Seeing you like that make me want to cheer you up by sharing my happiness with you. You finally talk with me, laugh with me, cry with me."

Hongbin pulled out Youngji's hand from the blanket and put it next to his face. "I'm telling the truth. There's nothing better than this. Seeing you smile and become lively, it makes me much happier. More than anything."

Youngji look at Hongbin's eyes. She could feel his sincerity each of his words. Her tears drop from her eyes. She grab Hongbin's hand tightly. She moves her lips with all her might, saying the word that she want to say to him so badly. 

"Saranghae..."

The moment Hongbin hear those word, his tears start to flow from his eyes. 

"Nado saranghae..."

Youngji smile at him for the last time. Her eyes slowly close and finally her heartbeat stop.

Hongbin look at Youngji's face, completely cold and soulless. Still grabbing her hand, he let out his cry louder than before, mourning at his lover.

Evanescene - My Immortal