Chapter 3

Seohyun woke up extra early and fixed herself right away. She still has two hours before she needs to open the clinic. 

The wind is blowing calmly and the smell of spring is everywhere already. She drives herself to her destination first thing in the morning and she gets two baskets of white roses that she kept in her compartment.

As she walks, memories enveloped her mind. Some were good, some were bad. But most of them were happy ones. Then she stops and smiled after looking down, reading the names.

“Omma, Appa, annyeong.” She greeted the graves and placed the baskets of white roses on it. 

Seohyun takes out the falling leaves on the graves and cleaned it. It’s her parents’ death anniversary. They died when Seohyun was 21 on a car accident. The insurance she got for them were more than enough to continue her dentistry and everyday living. She's been so thankful to them but she's still missing them so badly for seven years already.

She smiled as she picked up two long stems of white tulips that are placed on each of the two graves. 

“It seemed like someone visited you ahead of me.” She talked to the graves and placed back the tulips on them. 

Seohyun grabbed her phone on her bag and dialed it immediately. 

“Mmm?” Answered the person on the other line who still sounds sleepy. It’s still very early. 

 

”Thanks... For the tulips.” Seohyun said. 

Yonghwa struggled to open his eyes and he chuckled, knowing Seohyun already saw the tulips.

“When did you put it here?” She asked.

“Last night... After I drop by your house...it was dawn already so, I thought of visiting them.” Yonghwa answered. 

Seohyun just smiled. “Thanks.”

“No problem. I miss them as much as you do. You know I haven’t spent time with them in a while before they died.” Yonghwa commented. "You want to drop by this afternoon again?"

“Definitely. After my last appointment at the clinic. Oh no, after my appointment with Tiffany.”

“Okay. I’ll see you later.” 

“Okay bye. Go back to sleep now. See you.”

Then they hang the phone up. 

Seohyun has always been independent. She can do things on her own without anyone’s help. But good thing even when her parents died, her friends never left her side. When she hang the phone up, she received messages simultaneously from her five other friends.

Messages of encouragement and comfort, like ‘Don’t cry’, or ‘Are you at the cemetery already? Make sure to put your most beautiful smile for them..' They all know that she's visiting her parents' graves today. She replies to all messages one by one.

All she can feel is gratefulness. 

“Don’t worry about me anymore Appa, Omma... I am doing very well.” She said. "My friends never leave me." She then mumbled stories about them, like how they're doing in their work, their upcoming plans. She tells her parents' graves random news she wants to tell them had they been alive.

Suddenly, a follow up text from Jungshin came. 

“Don’t forget your checklist Seohyun-ah.. :)” Jungshin reminded her in a text.

Seohyun’s parents have listed their dreams for her when she celebrated her eighteenth birthday. When they died, Seohyun vowed herself that she will fulfill all her parents' dreams for her as she placed the list on a candle box beside the grave.

The list was long. Some of them were simple dreams like, Seohyun being able to cook or to drive; some were big like graduating with honors and be successful dentist. She smiled while re-reading the list and felt happy that she accomplished a lot of them already.

But the 28th on the list grabbed her attention. All numbers 27 and up have checks already and are fulfilled. 

28. Get married to the man you love.

Seohyun chuckled reading the one written on the 28th. But her chuckle was filled with mixed emotions. 

“Ottoke Omma, Appa?” She asked softly, holding the checklist. “Will I really be able to fulfill this?” 

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“You’re late!” Tiffany pouted when Seohyun entered the shop, panting and was obviously in a rush.

“I’m so sorry, Fany. My last patient was really hard-headed.” Seohyun apologized. "Stop pouting now because I'm here anyway." She locked her arm on her friend's.

Hyoyeon was already inside the fitting room. They can hear her voice as she talks to the designer from the outside. She wants to adjust her dress on the hip part.

“You’re next Seohyunnie...” Hyoyeon called out from the dressing room. 

Seohyun immediately went in and changed inside. 

“How are you?” Hyoyeon asked as she and Tiffany sit on the couch, waiting for Seohyun to dress up. 

“I’m good.” Seohyun replied while she’s changing inside the dressing room. “Every year is getting better.” She answered.

She knows her friends are talking about her visit at her parents’ grave. 

“That’s good.” Tiffany butted in. “It’s really hard to move on. Well, at least you’re still doing your best to be the daughter they want you to be although they are not physically present anymore. 

“Yeah.” Hyoyeon agreed. “You’ve been fulfilling their dreams for you. I’m sure they’re happy because their dreams are your dreams too. They surely are proud of you, Seohyun-ah."

Seohyun went out of the dressing room. “Well, apparently, I’m stuck with the 28th though.” She said.

Her friends immediately helped her adjust the gown on her. They were on a bridal shop. Seohyun and Hyoyeon are scheduled to fit their gowns for Tiffany's upcoming wedding next week. They went to the bridal shop for final touches. 

Seohyun faced the mirror and her friends followed her as they look and adjust the sky blue gown on Seohyun. 

“Stuck with 28th on the list?” Tiffany said as she pulls down the sleeve a little of the off-shoulder gown, "The 'getting married with the one you love' part?"

Seohyun nodded. 

Hyoyeon pulls half of Seohyun’s hair up and placed some in front of Seohyun’s right chest. “You will get married someday, Seohyunnie.." She comforts while doing the best hair-do for Seohyun.

“Right. You’re beautiful inside and out, Seohyun-ah.. You just need to open your heart and your eyes sometimes." Tiffany said.

They all face the mirror now. Tiffany and Hyoyeon were behind Seohyun and the three girls look at one another through the mirror's reflection.

“You’re getting married next week Tiffany.” Seohyun started. “6 months after that, Hyoyeon is next. And last Friday at the restaurant, I heard Jonghyun that he's planning on proposing to Seungyeon. I'm sure the rest will follow and you will all get married sooner or later."

And then Seohyun chuckled after what she said and turned around to face the two. 

“I’m totally fine with it. Don’t get me wrong.. I don’t feel lonely at all.” Seohyun continued when the two didn’t respond but just looked at her with pity. "But believe it or not, I'm really fine. I'm happy with my life. I mean...if it weren't on my parents' dreams for me, I could really just be contented with my life right now."

Tiffany raised her eyebrow, "No. You will get married. You will!" She then backhugged Seohyun, "The right guy will come at the right time, Seohyun-ah..."

And the three hugged to end their drama. Girls. That’s just how they are when they’re together. And after a minute, they’re back worrying about the gowns.

It took another hour of discussion with the designer before they agreed on the changes on the gowns. 

“When are the boys coming, by the way?” Seohyun asked.

“They are scheduled tomorrow. I think I’ll have to check them too.” Tiffany answered as the three walked out, going