"Hello?" 

Jongin's hands felt clammy as he answered. Jinri was still gazing out the window at the pretty moon and the cherry blossoms. She smiled as she remembered the day he asked her out, all nervous and inexperienced. He was so sweet and considerate, everything that she could ever ask for. 

And Jinri knew that this phone call would determine whether or not she would be saying goodbye. 

"Okay. Thank you." Jongin pushed the end call button and turned back to Jinri with a smile, "So what do you want to do tomorrow? It's Saturday and it's going to be sunny, so-" 

Jinri shook her head. 

"It's okay." 

"What?" 

"You don't need to pretend." 

"What are you talking about?" 

"I'm gone... aren't I?"

Jongin froze as Jinri gently went to his side. She wanted so badly for Jongin to tell her that she made it, that they could really be together. 

If only Jongin was better at lying. 

Jinri could tell with one look that Jongin's smile was fake.

Knowing Jongin, he would've immediately rushed to the hospital to see her in the flesh, but he didn't. 

He was trying to deny the fact that she was gone. 

He was trying to cherish the last little bit of time they would ever spend with each other. 

Of course, that evidence alone probably wouldn't have been able to convince her through and through, but she could feel it. In truth, she didn't know how it all worked. Would she have immediately went back to her body after the phone call, had she made it? Or would she have went back slowly; a gradual transition. 

It didn't matter at all. 

Jinri knew she was dying; her soul was slipping away. It was a sure and dreadful feeling. 

"N-no. You're not going to die. We were going to-" Jongin was crying, his body shaking.

"My time's up, Jongin. Look at me." 

Jongin looked up at to see Jinri's body shimmering and becoming more transparent. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and trailing off like stardust, but she was smiling. 

The moon was full and a light wind was whistling through the trees. Jongin could see the white cherry blossoms through her body.

It was both a beautiful and devastating sight. 

"Can you grant me one last wish?" 

Jongin choked out a hot sob, but nodded.

"I want my ashes spread over the sea. That way, I can still fulfill our promise." 

Jongin bit his lip. He wanted to scream. They were supposed to go together after Jinri returned to her body. 

It wasn't supposed to end this way. 

He wanted to hold her hand, hug her and kiss her. 

Things that he would never be able to do anymore. 

Jongin sniffled and nodded. 

"And before I go, I want to say a proper goodbye." Jinri looked directly into his eyes and took a deep breath. 

"I want to say thank you for everything you did for me. Love seemed so stupied to me, but you changed that. Thank you for spending time with me, putting up with me, protecting me, and loving me.

And honestly, I wanted to be in your future. I wanted to finish highschool with you, go to university with you and someday get married and have kids, but I can't anymore. It makes me jealous to think that I'd be giving you up to someone else, but I still want you to be happy. I want you to fall in love again and I still want you to have a beautiful future, but I'm not... going to be the one giving it to you. I just want you to be happy, Jongin.

My last selfish request is that I don't want you to forget me. I don't want your memory of me to be sad. I want to be a happy memory; one that you can look back on and smile, not cry. Promise me this." 

Jongin listened to her and swallowed, coming to the realization that he would never be able to hear her sweet, soft voice ever again. 

"Promise me, Jongin." 

"Okay. Promise." 

"Thank you."

"I love you." he said clearly as he wiped his eyes. He wanted to convey his feelings and send her off happily. 

"I love you too." 

Before Jinri left, she wanted to try something. 

When she and Jongin spent the night researching on OBE and astral projections, she came across a tidbit that Jongin had seemingly missed.

In order to physically touch him, she would have to desire to do so with all her heart and soul. 

Jinri could feel herself slipping away and her body was slowly rising up off the ground against her will. Jongin was looking up at her with glassy eyes, but he wasn't crying. He smiled his beautiful smile as a parting memory. The smile that she so dearly loved to see. 

Jinri, overcome by emotion, using the last bit of life left in her, swooped down and kissed him. She could feel his warm lips and Jongin spared no time and kissed her back, hugging her close.

It was bittersweet; a goodbye. 

Jinri had always thought that no matter how far apart they grew, they would always come back together, but she knew this was the end. 

She was dying. 

Jinri had heard lots of theories on how death would feel. Some said one would see a bright white light and others said that their lives would flash before their eyes. She did feel regret for all the things she would be missing: going to the beach with Jongin, graduating, getting a job, getting married, having kids and so much more. 

But Jinri was still grateful for all the things she had experienced in her life. She had wonderful parents who showered her with love, two older brothers who spoiled her and protected her, and an adorable baby brother who allowed her to experience what motherhood might have felt like. She made friends who would've lasted for a lifetime: Soojung, Sunyoung, Amber and Song Qian were what made her look foward to going to school each day. She also loved all of Jongin's crazy friends, who turned out to be so much more than just a bunch of loud hooligans. 

But most of all, she was thankful that she got to experience love. Jongin proved to be the most significant person in her life who had given her a chance to experience a relationship with someone she so dearly loved and cared about. She got to experience the nervousness and awkwardness, but also the joys, talks, and intimacy of a first love.

Jinri was glad Jongin was her first and ultimately, her last love in this life. 

And she was sure, had she lived on, that Jongin would be the only person she woulk ever think about being with.

Jinri thanked God that she was given such a precious opportunity to live and meet all these amazing and beautiful people.

Now that she was dying, she was thinking about small things she never noticed before. 

The beautiful face of the moon coupled with the stars against the velvet night sky. 

The large trees that provided shade on a hot day. 

The smell of the air after the rain. 

Jinri shut those thoughts out, her mind back on Jongin.

She would have eons of time to look on the wonders of the earth later.

But this was her final kiss with the man she loved.

Jongin kissed her slowly, never wanting to forget how she felt in his arms.

Time felt like it had stopped in favor of them.

Jongin wanted to tell her how much he loved her, how much he would miss her and just how much she meant to him, but he didn't want to part his lips from hers. 

When he opened his eyes, she was gone. 

***

"Jongin." 

Sehun found his best friend slumped over the railing of the boat. Everyone else was inside, avoiding the glaring sunshine and heat. 

It was two weeks after graduation. 

Three weeks after Jinri had left.

He remembered what Mr.Choi told him when he reached the hospital. 

Jinri woke up moments before she died. 

She passed on with a smile on her face.

***

When Jongin managed to stop crying after Jinri left, he hurried to the hospital as fast as he could. Jinri's mother was hysterical, sobbing in her husband's arms. Her two older brothers were facing the floor, their faces concealed, but were shaking with violent tremors of grief. 

"Why is mama crying?" Sanyi tugged on his mother's pant leg. 

It was Jinwoo who picked up his youngest brother and brought him out of the room. 

Sunyoung was crying into the phone, talking to Amber. Soojung was slumped against the wall, covering her face with her hands with muffled sobs coming through the cracks of her fingers. Song Qian sat beside Soojung, slumped in the same position with tears running from her hollow eyes as she stared into space. Minho was standing outside with his family. Jongin had always treated Minho as a petty rival for Jinri's affections, but he could tell that Minho truly loved her like he did, despite how badly he showed it.

Sehun had come in and placed a hand on Jongin's shoulder. 

"She's... really gone?" Sehun asked shakily. 

Jongin hadn't seen Sehun cry since elementary school, but tears were rolling down his cheeks as he went to comfort Soojung. 

So many people had loved Jinri.

And now she was gone. 

It was a scene of tragedy, grief and sorrow. 

Time of death: Friday, June 28th, 2015 at 7:43 PM

This exact moment was when Jongin's entire world shattered..

***

It hadn't taken a lot to convince Jinri's parents to spread her ashes at sea. In fact, they were quite accepting of the idea. 

"Jinri was always such a free-spirited girl. I suppose she would've been content with such an arrangement." Mrs. Choi had said with a melancholic smile.

Jongin couldn't disagree.

***

So that's why they were gathered on this ship for Jinri's funeral on a hot August day. 

"You okay?" Sehun stood beside Jongin with his hands in his pockets. 

"I've been better." J