The feel of the wind blowing on them is very comforting as they sit back to back on one corner of the crowded rooftop of their company building. She felt him reach for her hand which she gladly offered him. This is the first time he asked her to meet up at the rooftop. He usually prefers the back of the building since it is more secure and more private accordingly.

 

It has been three weeks since that last encounter at the back of the building right after his comeback. She was so happy, almost ecstatic by just feeling the warmth of his back on hers and the hold of his hand on hers. She can also feel his relaxed exhale of air.

 

“I hope time freezes right at this moment,” he whispered, closing his eyes, squeezing her hand.

A lovely smile painted her lips, “Can you live like this forever?” she asks.

“Even more than forever,” he whispered back, making her heart skip a beat.

 

“If we haven’t been in into this world, you know, started off as normal people, it would have been perfect,” she said after a while.

“But if we both haven’t accepted the offer we wouldn’t have met by then,” he replied.

“Yeah, I know. But the feeling of being free of these things, this fame and fans and shows and just live as normal as possible; go out on dates freely, hold hand in hand in public, and be sweet and mushy without any care of those people around. It would have been very perfect,” she sighs, feeling a pang of sadness even though he is with her.

He gave her a sideways glance, “You wish of those too?” he asked.

“Of course, you do?” she moved to get up and look at him.

 

He let out a light laugh, turning and pulling her close to hug her. She felt him tighten the hug, almost making it hard to breathe.

“Is there something wrong?” she asked, returning the hug. She felt him shake his head.

“Kris, don’t lie to me. I know you are keeping something,” she tried to sound like threatening him, but it sounded more like she is distracted and concerned.

 

He parted, cupping her face, “I am fine, I just … “he looked at her straight in the eyes, letting out a breathy, “I just love you so much.” Then he leaned to let his forehead touch hers.

The constriction on her chest from that confession made it hard to breathe. Something is really off.

“Kris, you are scaring me,” she moves to cup his face, their foreheads still touching.

“There’s no need to be scared babe. Can’t I have the right to tell you that I love you?” he gave her his trademark gummy smile. Seeing his smiling face, she can’t fight the urge not to smile back that soon she is laughing with him.

~~~~~~

“You have been so dramatic ever since you came back,” she said as they both move to get near the railings, looking down at the city up there.

“Because missing you was and will drive me crazy,” he grinned back at her.

She reached for her phone plugging her earphone before giving him the other one.

“Are you letting me listen on one of those songs you downloaded again?” he smiled at her.

“Yes, I found this on the internet as I was searching for something related to perfect world,” she replied and pressed play.

 

The melody starts to play as she moves to wind her arms on his, leaning on it. It was very nice, very soothing and very sentimental as well. He was able to catch few phrases which were like daggers stabbing him in the chest.

 

And if you are feeling out of place, I’ll be your friendly face

 

Fly with me, stay with me … in a perfect world, we’ll be as free

 

In a perfect world, we can be as free as with what we want to be, and nothing’s gonna break our love apart

 

A paradise for me and you

 

While listening to it, he did not notice the tears falling down his eyes. He did not even felt her remove her arms on his. He just felt her fingers wiping the tears from his face.

 

“What’s wrong?” she looked even more worried while wiping those tears.

He let out a shaky laugh, wiping his tears, “I just remembered something, don’t mind me.”

“See? You have been a drama king ever since you returned. I miss the old you,” she pouted.

“I am sorry for spoiling the mood,” he grinned back, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

 

When he parted, she looked up at him with twinkling eyes, “So, you mentioned about flying, on your album ‘Miracle in December’?”

“Yeah, why are you asking?” he looked at her.

“Let’s fly together,” she reached for his hand and looks up the vast blue sky.

The squeeze on his chest made him blink back the tears that threaten to fall again as he watch her spread her arms, close her eyes and lifts her head up to the sky, the wind softly blowing her hair.

 

~~~~~~

She skipped on her steps as she paves the way to the back of the building. Hyoyeon follows her close.

“Watch your steps Soo, you might trip yourself,” Hyoyeon reminded her as the taller one stops to grin at her then resumes on her steps.

Some staffs greeted them but Sooyoung was too happy to even care of greeting back, leaving the task on the blonde one behind her.

When they are on the dead end, Hyoyeon stopped and motioned her to get out and meet him.

It’s not like Sooyoung haven’t met him for months, in fact, their last meet-up was two days ago. Somehow, Hyoyeon became scared of falling in love. The thought of seeing herself skipping on her steps while on her way to meet whoever the guy caused the goose bumps on her arms as she watch Sooyoung close the door behind her.

 

~~~~~~

Sooyoung saw him sitting on the old bench near the door, his head bowed down. She sat beside him, slipping her arms on his. “Oppa!” she greeted and it did not fail as a faint smile appears on his lips.

“You like being called oppa?” she teased as he leans to kiss her on the forehead.

She adjusted on her seat, “So what’s up? Is there something wrong?” she asked.

 

“You offered me the chance to fly with you right?” he asked instead, avoiding her eyes after a moment of silence.

“Yeah, why is that? Have you brought some wings?” she smiled, trying to bring in humor.

“No,” he sighed, looking down.

 “I guess we have to fly separately starting from now,” he added after a few moment of silence.

 

She blinked back at him, trying to absorb just what he had said. “What do you mean fly separately?” she asked after a while.

He was not able to respond right away, looking like he is battling over himself whether he would speak or not. In the end, he chose the former.

“I terminated my contract. I will be leaving for real,” he replied, almost whispering.

 

Her eyes widened as she felt herself falling right from the sky and the impact of the ground broke her apart. It’s like the world fell on her shoulders. Her eyes started to get blurry, her chest constricting as she felt that sensation of holding back the tears to sear through her.

 

“Kris, that is not funny,” her voice shook from much pain.

She saw him visibly tremble as he takes in some air, “I know, because I am not kidding,” he replied.

Tears finally fell down her face, her lips trembling as she tries to stand. He was quick to pull her arm.

 

“Let go,” she whispered, pulling her arm.

“Soo, don’t do this,” he begged.

“Should I be the one saying that?” she turned her head to look at him.

 “What would you want me to do? Rejoice? Prepare a farewell party for you? Send you to the airport?” she bitterly stated fresh tears start falling again from her eyes.

He was at a loss for words as he sees the pain in her eyes, tears finally giving way from his eyes as well. She pulled her arm.

“You are so selfish. You are just like them. You only think of what would be good for you, for yourself only. You don’t care about those people who care for you. You promised not to leave again, but what are you doing? Why? Why would you do this?” she asked, breathless from the pain she tries to suppress.

He avoided her eyes, “It’s complicated,” he said.

The silence that followed was filled with her labored breathing as she tries not to cry out loud.

 

She chuckles, “I guess it’s only me who dreams about those things. I guess it has always been just me from the start. I was carried away so much that …“she bit her lip so as not to bawl. She tried her best not to cry out loud, bottling up the intense emotion, letting it drip by drop even though it is already making her hard to speak and stop the tremble of her lips.

 

He was immediately on his feet, moving to hold her face, “No, no, don’t think like that. Babe, don’t think like that,” he wiped those tears away.

“No, that is just how it should have been. That is just how it would look like no matter what you say,” she removed his hands on her face, as she tries to step back and get to the door.

But he is quick to pull her again, hugging her from the back despite all her effort in freeing herself. When she gave in, he turned her around, hugging her oh so tight like his life depends on that gesture.

 

Her pained voice made him sob, “Don’t leave me again. Take me with you, please,” she begged.

“I would be very much willing to take you with me but I can’t. I am too powerless to bring you with me,” he replied.

 

They stayed like that till her eyes got dried of tears, her heart numb already from much pain. The warmth from his hug started to grow cold as well as she felt the blowing wind seep through her skin. He parted when he felt her so still.

 

“Look at me babe,” he coaxed her as she lifts her weary gaze towards his eyes.

“I will not say sorry because what I did is something unforgivable.” Then he just leaned down and plants that soft kiss on her lips. It was very brief but it holds much meaning for this last moment of them together.

 

He finally lets her go, not getting inside the door where she got in but on the side of the building where a stair is located that will lead you to the second floor’s emergency stair.  She was at a loss for words, feeling too weak to even breathe and too numb to even move as tears flowed freely drop by drop from her eyes.

 

Once he had closed the door, he slid down the adjacent wall, letting his large hands cover his face as he cries.

 

~~~~~~

 

“Was that the last time you really had been together?” he asks Sooyoung who is staring at her drink, sitting opposite him.

“Yeah, that was the last time,” she replied.

 

Kyung Ho let out a tired sigh. They had been going out for the last week already but then those conversations between them were very brief and mostly all about that incident. He let the silence reign over them as he sips on his drink while she just stares at hers.

 

Whispers and murmurs around their cubicle made her slightly flinch.

 

‘He is going solo as what I have read. It looks like he really will pursue his dreams to flourish by himself. ‘

‘Yeah, you are right. That company must have had issues regarding their talents. They just don’t let them bloom on other fields just on what they see that would profit them much.’

 

He looked at her, “Are you okay?” he asked.

She gave a faint smile, a tear spilling from her eyes, “He finally made it. He finally spread his wings and made his dream come true. To fly, freely,” she said more like to her own than to him.

“Do you still love him?” he asked again.

 

This is not the first time he asked her that, but he is hoping that today her reply would be different, but then like those moments, his heart ached when she replies.

 

“Very much,” she whispered.

 

He looked at her dazed state, looking so tired, so sad and so much in pain. He wants to reach and wipe those glistening tears but like those previous days, he chose not because it only hurts him all the more to touch those tears.

 

“I still love him,” she whispered again, searing a pain on his chest.