✓ IF YOU STAY | HEESEUNG

10 - Falling Like The Stars

Rose kept silent as Heeseung pushed her wheelchair on the road back home. The exhibition was over and the day was coming to an end. 

"Your exhibition was successful... congratulations." He spoke, breaking the silence that lasted for a while. "I loved the paintings."

"Thank you." She smiled to herself. "I didn't think you'd actually come... but I'm happy you did."

"Well, I thought about it for a while. I was convinced that my presence would ruin your day and I didn't want that to happen, but then I realized I was wrong. You asked me to come, after all."

"Yes." The road back home wasn't very crowded, but Rose could recognize some people here and there who greeted her and looked at Heeseung in confusion and surprise.

"Who is this young man?" An old lady asked as she walked to Rose. 

"He's a friend. He recently opened his boutique next to Mr. Kim's café." Rose said, her smile soft and sweet. Would it be unfair if Heeseung told her about how he didn't like her calling him just a friend? It indeed would. 

"Ah, that's him." The woman's eyes brightened. "I heard he makes clothes?"

"Yes, right." She chuckled. Word traveled around town so fast, and everyone knew everyone. It was nice in a way, but sometimes people were too noisy for her liking. "His dresses are gorgeous."

"If only I was still young and beautiful, I would have worn your clothes." She said and Heeseung shook his head.

"You might not be young, but you're very beautiful." He said and smiled, feeling a little embarrassed. His words managed to bring out a shy smile from the old woman before she let out a chuckle and looked back at Rose.

"And he's a gentleman too." Rose just smiled and nodded at the woman, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Tell your grandmother I said hello."

"I will. Have a good night." And with that, Heeseung pushed Rose's wheelchair once again as he looked at the town and at everyone getting ready to leave for their homes. "Are you getting used to this town?"

"Somehow, yes." His reply held some nostalgia and longing. "Though I miss everything back home."

"Why did you come here?" Her question made him tense as he brushed off his nervousness with half a smile. "Harin said she met you back in Seoul."

"I met her when she went to Seoul for work, one of her friends introduced us to each other and we've been friends since." He muttered, recalling his memories with all his friends. 

"Ah, I see." She turned around to look at him. "You don't-"

"I ran away." He interrupted her, his eyes glistening as he smiled at her. And she just stared at him with slightly widened eyes while he stopped pushing her wheelchair. "But you know what, sometimes running away doesn't change anything."

Rose felt her stomach drop. She realized she didn't know anything about him and his life. She barely knew his name and what he does for a living, the rest was unknown and hidden. 

"Heeseung..."

"That's why I'm scared. I want to be with you, Rose, but I don't want to hurt you. I know I will, at some point, because I'm... it's just... I don't know-" He shook his head as he tried to find the right words and sighed heavily when he couldn't.

"I think it would be alright to be hurt by you." Rose's words made him stop and look back at her with slightly widened eyes. "You're my soulmate, after all."

She wasn't smiling, but her eyes told him that she was willing to take whatever risk there was to be with him. She waited for him for her whole life and he ran away the moment he saw her, but there they were by each other's sides. The universe could be toying with them but what worse could happen?

"I don't -" He tried to speak but she shook her head and rested her hand on his.

"You don't have to tell me anything, Heeseung. Just know that I'll love you no matter what and I'll wait for you because you're the one who turned my black-and-white world into a beautifully colored one. Because you're my soulmate and no matter what happens, we're meant for each other."

Heeseung's eyes softened but he didn't say anything, he just took off his jacket and put it on her. "It's cold."

Then the two of them fell into silence as they made their way back to Rose's house, where her grandmother was waiting for them.

"Grandma," Rose called when she saw her at the door, waving at the two of them. 

"Hello, my dear," Her grandmother smiled, making her way toward the two of them. "Come in, you must be cold. You too, young man."

"Oh, I'll just-"

"I'll make you dinner. You've been helping Rose so much, it's the least I can do to thank you." She smiled softly, resting her hand on his shoulder to let him know that it was okay. 

"Then..." He started, looking at Rose who just nodded at him. "I guess I'll stay for dinner."

The three of them made their way inside the house as the grandmother pushed Rose's wheelchair inside. It was his first time in his soulmate's house and he couldn't help but be curious about it.

He looked around and at the pictures hung on the wall, some of a couple, of Rose and of her grandmother. He smiled, staring at one picture in caught his attention. It was of Rose and her mother, he figured.

"She's pretty, right?" She muttered, reaching to his side. "I knew she was beautiful when I was young, but now that I can see colors, she's even more beautiful."

"Yes." Heeseung's eyes were filled with softness and bitterness all at once as he nodded, staring at the photo with a soft smile. "Your father must have been so in love with her."

"I know, right?" So in love that he decided to go after her when she died. 

His eyes softened as he looked back at her, feeling his heart ache. She had so much love to give to her soulmate yet he was just heartsick and blue. He saw the single tear that fell down her cheek before she quickly wiped it off, acting as if nothing had happened.

It hit him hard. Her parents left her and that was a deep wound that pained her enough, he didn't want to hurt her anymore.

"Heeseung," She called his name again when he didn't respond. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," He frowned, slightly smiling afterward. "I'm always okay."

Rose wasn't expecting that reply, but she brushed it off and hesitantly nodded, "Okay? Do you want to see the paintings in my room? There are a few I didn't show yet."

"Yes, of course." And the two of them were inside her room as he looked around and at the books organized on her shelves. It seemed she liked reading a lot. She also had many painting materials and unfinished paintings placed in different places around the room.

But what caught his attention the most was that one painting of him when they were at Harin's wedding. He slowly approached it, tracing the paper with the tip of his fingers before he looked at Rose who was already staring at him.

"Do you like it?" She asked, her voice soft and delicate, sending him to a world of fairytales. He had never felt appreciated or loved the way he felt right then. The fact that she drew him when he wasn't even aware of it made him feel worth it. 

It made him feel whole.

"Yes, I... I love it." The words came out of his lips without him realizing it and he just ran his fingers through his hair before he looked back at her in confusion. "Rose, you... you're so..."

"What's wrong?" She looked worried but he shook his head and smiled, almost like a fool. 

"It's just..." He started, letting out a heavy sigh as he gave up on fighting his own feelings. "I know I said I can't love you, but the truth is... I don't think I can stop myself from falling in love with you."