A Piece of Eternity

TWENTY

 “Within a few hours, you will be on your way to cross to the other side…..Maybe you still have things you want to do before that…” ne says but Seo Hyun only stares back at nem.

            “Nothing….There’s nothing left for me to do here….I’m ready to go.” she says after.

            “Are you certain about that?” ne asks her but she knows exactly why ne is asking her that. “Don’t you want to see him for one last time?” ne follows up.

She just shook her head a bit.

            “You’re doing it again.”

Seo Hyun looks at nem with questioning eyes.

            “You’re making another decision that will give you something to regret later.” Ne secretly sighs. Seo Hyun made a lot of decisions in the past that gave her regrets and she’s bound to do it again.

                “I’m a spirit and I would never be able to feel what you humans feel but I know this for sure. I walked the earth for a very long time and I’ve seen billions and billions of people and this is one of the things I learned from watching human’s lives. Once a person’s time is up…all he got in his hand is regret….different kinds of regret.” Yeong Won looks her in the eyes. “Not everyone has given the same chance as what you have now. Seo Hyun, save yourself from having even the smallest regret….”

Loneliness spreads her.

            “I wasn’t able to protect his heart….instead, I was the one who broke it.  That’s why, even if I’m dying to see his face at this very moment….even if my heart feels like it’s going to explode and the sadness is driving me crazy…..I won’t dare show my face to him again.  I’ll disappear quickly so he won’t be hurt anymore….” She says with pain in her voice.

Seo Hyun bites her lip because she’s feeling pain again in her stomach. Being aware of it, Yeong Won offers a hand.

            “Hold my hand.” Ne says. Seo Hyun does what ne says thinking that Yeong Won is offering her a support but suddenly the place surrounding them shifted. Seo Hyun looks around and realized that they’re now in Yonghwa’s house.

            “What did you do? Let’s go back! I told you, I can’t do this!” she grabs nir arm.

            “You want to see him before you leave but he can’t see you….this is it.” Yeong Won tries to distract her from pain.

            “W-what do you mean?”

            “Don’t worry….no mortal can see you at this very moment.” Ne answers.

Yeong Won focuses nir eyes to something and Seo Hyun follows it.

            “Yong…” she utters.

Yonghwa is lying on the couch while empty beer cans are scattered on the floor. It looks like he had drunk himself to sleep.  Seo Hyun slowly walks towards Yonghwa. She sits on her knees and look at him. He obviously had it rough recently because of her revelation. Seo Hyun could keep herself from stroking his face with her hand. Her heart is aching seeing him like this. She spent some time staring quietly at him.

            “I know you think he’s not for me…so do I.” she utters afterwards to Yeong Won. “But even if we’re not meant to be….still, whenever I look in his eyes, I feel like…we are right for each other. Like he’s that thing I’ve been waiting for all along……..When I’m with him, being happy is as easy as breathing.” Tears roll down her pale face.