eternity ‣ k.sn

018

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MIYOUNG

Miyoung felt her body weakening by every day that passes. Her hands were shaking which she found difficult to stop. She barely left the room after her trip with Sunoo and everyone from behind the door was worried for her well-being. 

She found strands of white hair growing from her roots. She could only conclude that her body has now reached the age of 45. If she could grow five years in a span of three days, would she even make it to December? Or in worst case scenario, would she make it until next week? 

Somehow the anxiety she had always felt was slowly getting replaced by acceptance, only because she knew there was no way her rapid aging would stop. The moment the curse left her body, time caught up with her. Time is after all everyone's worst enemy. She needed to tell Sunoo right away the truth, the truth why Min Jae died in the first place. 

All of this started because of her selfish wish. Only because she wanted to live. 

She grabbed her phone and contacted his number but he was unreachable. It was understandable since he was probably busy and what she had to say was better said face to face. But the next following days, Miyoung couldn't bring herself to tell him let alone talk to him. Chaerin would check on her on a daily basis and sometimes she would comfort her in a way a mother would.

It broke Chaerin seeing the woman she used to adore as a child, slowly drift from her reality as death takes a step closer to her every day. 

"Miyoung, I think you should stay in bed for the day. You're getting so weak now." Haeun advises her as she tucks the other in bed. Everyone was present in her room, even Chaerin's husband who she barely talked to. "You can barely walk on your own." 

"My body has always been weak from the start." Miyoung smiled at them. "Can you please leave me and Haeun alone? I need to speak to her about something." Chaerin nods and pulled her husband out of the room, closing the door behind her. "Haeun, how long do you think I'll live?" 

"Long enough, Miyoung. Just hold on." Haeun says in a hopeful voice. "We can still spend the Christmas together. I'll even invite Sunoo with us!"

She wanted to talk to him. It has been a week since she started ignoring him, she wanted him to be there before her final words. How could she possibly leave him without telling him the truth? She then thought of a plan. "Haeun, can you contact Sunoo? Tell him to meet me in the park." Miyoung said, standing up even though her body didn't want to. 

"H-Huh?! Miyoung you're too weak to even walk, I can't let you go there." Haeun held her arm, trying to stop her. "I know you want to talk to him but you're way too weak to go alone. Let me accompany you! Don't worry, I'll watch you from afar." 

Passing by Chaerin, Haeun explained to her everything. Borrowing her parents' car, the two drove off to the park. It was only at that moment did Miyoung really understand what old people meant when they said the world when we're young and the world when we're old are two different things. When you're young, everything in this world is new for you which makes you want to explore it. When we're older, we look at the world in a more relaxed way for their adventure is almost finished. They try to take in because no one can really tell whether it would be their last time staring at it. 

Haeun assisted Miyoung and helped her sit in the bench in front of the tree. It has always been this place. That tree has witnessed their love story, that tree watched both Min Jae and Yeona reunite. They planned to finish their story but now the chances were way too small. 

Someone sat beside her and she immediately knew who it was. "Miyoung! I was so worried about you! I rushed immediately here when Haeun called." 

"How did you recognize me? I don't think I look the same from when we last met." She asked, wondering how he recognized her despite looking 20 years older from when they last met.