READER'S CHOICE

The End - Happy Ever After

Shim Hye-won stared at the bright lights of the hospital corridor as she was wheeled into the room where they will be preparing her for surgery. 

I wish I were looking at the night sky instead, she thought sadly. Thankfully, Jin Ah promised to wish on all the stars that night to make sure that she would get out of the operation safely.

Closing her eyes, she conjured up the skies that she and Jin Ah often stared at. 

Hi Stars! It's my operation today and I'm hoping to get out of this so that I can wish on the real night sky again. I'm a little scared... I hope I get better because I don't want the family to be sad, so I will do my best to make my heart heal. When I do... I hope to live a long and happy life. I hope to fall in love with a good person who will stay by my side for the rest of my life, until our skin gets old and wrinkly. And babies.... I really want to have my own babies. 

If I need to join the stars early, I won't complain... but can I watch over Jin Ah every so often? I love my cousin very much and wouldn't want her to feel alone.

Thank you, stars. Thank you, heaven. I have to go now... Hopefully, I will have future in this Earth to look forward to.

*

The cousins were lying on the picnic blanket, staring up at the sky, waiting for the meteor shower to start. 

"I'm feeling sleepy, Hyung," one of the boys whined.

"Yah," Ji-Sung rolled his eyes at his younger cousin, who he treated as a brother since his parents hadn't given him a brother, in spite of his constant wishes in every holiday that came around. "You gotta help me make a wish for a brother."

"But I'm your brother!" Ji-ho complained. "Don't you love me, Hyung?"

Ji-Sung sighed. Staring at his cousin, who was three years younger than he was, he comforted, "Well, you are a great little brother even if your eomma is Auntie Hye-won and not my eomma."

"Thank you, Hyung!" Ji-ho hugged Ji-Sung's arm and looked up at the sky. "Do wishes really come true, Hyung?"

"Yes, Eomma says so," Ji-Sung replied confidently. "So let's wish okay? Twins for my Eomma and a healthy baby coming soon for Auntie Hye-won."

Yoon Jin Ah stared at her son conversing with Hye-won's son, a scene that reminded her of their youth spent very similarly. "Look at our boys," she commented happily.

Hye-won, heavily pregnant with her second child, rubbed her belly as she watched her Ji-ho hang onto Ji-Sung's every word, much like she did to Jin Ah when they were younger. "They have the sweetest and kindest hearts," Hye-won sighed, gazing at the young children lovingly. "I'm so glad they have great fathers to look up to."

"YAH! I have a kind heart," Jin Ah protested, making a face at Hye-won.

"Yes, if you're not busy kissing Jin Woo Oppa," Hye-won said, sticking her tongue out at Jin Ah.

Narrowing her eyes, Jin Ah shot back, "That's rich coming from someone who got pregnant immediately after her first son."

Hye-won beamed. Rubbing her belly again, she said, "Well, you know that Gookie and I didn't want to wait long to have kids and we wanted them close together."