our delicate string | 최범규

21: all my love is gone.

[ 💐 ]

day seven.

HER WORST NIGHTMARE had finally arrived. it was her last day. her entire figure had become transparent with no way of hiding it anymore. she truly looked like a ghost and nothing could save her.

but the only thing that stayed was the glowing red string on her transparent figure that connected to the boy. it hadn't changed in shade, it was still glowing. maybe it would save her. maybe.

the clock struck 11:45 pm as the couple sat on the beach. this was Aera's last wish—to spend her last moments with the boy at her favorite place. even if it was raining. Beomgyu's hand held the umbrella above their heads. he didn't know why she wanted this moment so badly, but she did.

and he would agree.

they were silent. they had moments left, yet they didn't know what to do. they had spent all day together, painting and going to museums that Aera wanted to go to. but what do they do knowing they only have minutes remaining together?

"what do we do, Beomgyu?" she muttered, looking up at the puffy eyed boy. he had been sobbing endlessly, there was nothing they could do. he spent days trying to find a solution to keep her alive.

he hadn't had a restful sleep ever since he found out. nothing would be the same when she's gone. a part of him would disappear, his heart would fade.

"we spend these last minutes together." he looked her in the eyes. he loved her eyes, in fact it was one of the first things that caught his attention. she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. even though she had become transparent, he could still see her dark brown eyes, her raven hair,

her golden smile. the smile that broke him. that smile would give him hope to keep going when he was upset. that smile made him fall for her.

he began to regret every time he was upset with her—knowing he could have spent that time with her. he made himself cry regretting if he made her sad even for a second.

"i love you." he looked down at her as a tear landed on her cheek. "i don't think i'll ever stop."

he leaned in, placing his lips on top of her. their tears landed on each other as they shared one last kiss. usually, Aera could feel his lips curl into a smile—though that wasn't the case this time. he leaned deeper into it, as if he were trying to savor her until he pulled back.

"i love you too." she solemnly said.

they looked up at the sky above them. the stars were shining brightly as they looked at the stars that didn't align for them. Aera began to point to every constellation in the sky. Beomgyu smiled, watching her genuinely smile for the first time in so long. for the first time, she was excited about something.

she was happy.

until Beomgyu looked down at his hand. his eyebrows ruffled, catching Aera's attention.

"what's wrong?" she asked, looking down.

"t-the string...it's fading." he choked, watching the string slowly lose its red color and turn grey.

"so am i." she cried, it was now a minute until midnight.

"no." Beomgyu shook his head, sobbing. he dropped the umbrella, feeling an overhead of heavy rain fall onto him. he grabbed her hand, trying to hold onto her as she began to slowly disappear into mist, starting from her toes.

no matter how much he prepared for this moment, no matter how aware he had been that this would happen, it still felt like a dagger was stabbed into his chest. he couldn't differentiate between his tears and the rain— it was as if the universe was crying with him, guilty that this was happening to them.

"NO!" he screamed, holding tight to her as he watched her upper half stay, slowly disappearing. "no!" he sobbed, holding onto her shoulder. "d-don't go!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, holding onto her as if he could make her stay. "you have to stay! don't go!" he cried, holding onto her.

"i love you so much, Beomgyu." she cried. "please don't forget me." she sobbed as she was disappearing completely from her neck. she was turning into air until Beomgyu felt her tear fall to his hand. "i cant stay." she cried, until

she was gone.

he watched the last bit of the red string fade away until it was completely gone.

there he was, alone on the beach drenched in tears and raindrops.

"NO!" he sobbed, leaning to the ground. his tears hit the sand as he cried his entire heart out. his chest began to burn with heartache as he sobbed. he would never get her back. she was gone, for all of eternity. he watched her disappear and he couldn't say anything except plead for her not to go, knowing she had no control over that.

"AERA!" he cried, hoping that calling her name would bring her back. his red string on his hand was gone and so was a strong piece of him. he sobbed, the rain crying alongside him. "why did you have to go?!" he screamed, sobbing.

the love of his life had left him and there was nothing he could do.