Hello there. You look a bit lost. Like you’ve never been here before. Oh! But there’s nothing to be afraid of. Let me assist you. I am Kim Namjoon and you are? Ah such a pretty name, come let’s go inside. A lovely dress you have on there, here have a seat. It appears that you have travelled a long way. Shall we get you some tea to shrug off the tiredness? With less milk? Will do. I see you’re looking at the sky. It is a beautiful, a perfect breezy day, no? ah yes! It is much better than rain, but why the sullen expression? There is nothing to worry about here. Ah look your tea is ready. Delicious isn’t it. Just the way you like it? Good. You remind me of a girl I knew once. The way your brown irises wander through this place but try to look beyond the façade, your fingers entangling because of nervousness. Brown hair tied up in a bun with the few strands sticking out to frame your face.
What was that? Why do I speak in the past tense? Well that’s a distasteful story that we’ll leave for another time. It seems you are very distracted. Are you looking for somebody perhaps? I see you are waiting for your fiancé. It is evident you like him a lot. There is a glow in your eyes as you speak of him. Well that’s a beautiful picture and you make a lovely couple. So what brings you here today? OH! A destination wedding seems perfect for you two. The mountainside is beautiful but the lake is what makes this place. It is quite exquisite.
Seems you are done with your tea. Would you like some more? Or perhaps you want to have a sneak peek at the wedding location? Yes. Let’s go then. It’s a bit of a climb, but you should…. oh is it time already? You’ve seen the accident. You want to go help? Look more closely, what do you see? Let me help by placing my hand on your forehead. Does it bring back memories?
‘What time are we meeting?’ Jin asks.
‘I’ll be there by four’, I say struggling to put on my earrings while balancing the phone and the push back of the earring in my hands because I’m already about half an hour late. We’re going to look at the lake location for our wedding and I know Jin’s going to love it. He loves the countryside so much and to add to the landscape a boathouse to be married in, oh I’m just so excited.
‘okay! I’ll see you there…..bye.’
‘Bye’ I cut the call and slide on my tan flats. It’s a wonderful sunny day so I’ve decided to wear my favourite blue midi dress with white seagulls on it. Jin gifted it to me for our third anniversary. I take a look at my scooter, it seems to be in good shape and I can make it all the way without going to the gas station.
‘Bye mom. Jin and I will be back for dinner’ I wave her goodbye and start the two-wheeler.
After encountering an hour of traffic in the city, it’s finally the beautiful countryside. With the less polluted wind blowing in my hair and the lush green trees painted over a perfectly clear blue sky I feel myself relaxing for the first time in days.
I’ve been quite stressed with the whole wedding thing and I’m sure Jin is too, even though he doesn’t show it at all. Sometimes I feel like mom loves him more, thanks to his marvelous cooking skills and killer good looks. I was the one that proposed because I was sure we were ready to settle. He’s the perfect man, we both make good money and I honestly can’t live without him. I remember how he’d reacted. I sat on one knee in front of him with a ring in my hand and said ‘ I know this should be the other way around but I can’t wait any longer.’ He was shocked out of his wits at first, but then about a minute later he was tearing up, he bent over to my ear and said ‘me neither.’ I yelped and grabbed his hand to put the ring on and pulled him close with the same arm to hug him as tight as I could. That’s when I started crying. What’s imagined to be a perfect fluff moment turned out to be a sob story that gave everybody else a big laugh.
Where was I supposed to go now? Ah right. It’s the first left that leads up to the scary u pin curves.
Oh I see a tiny restaurant on top….
Blackout
That’s the car that hit you. It was instant death. There was no way you could be saved. I know you must be shocked. I’ve come to take you to the afterlife. I am your reaper.
You are worried about Jin. Come let’s go to where he is now. Here, grab my hand. You see him there? You can speak with him if you want to. It’ll be like a dream, or you could walk away with me. Okay you can have five minutes.
‘Jin? …Jin. I’m here. Please don’t cry. I’m okay. I really am. It didn’t hurt. Don’t be stuck on me forever. Meet someone else and love them with all your heart. That’s what’s important. That’s what you do best, promise me you won’t be alone. I love you Kim Seokjin. Goodbye now.’
“I do.”
