The Time When Our Path Someday Cross Again

Chapter 6

Along the walk from the subway station, Ryu Sunjae noticed how wonderful the weather was that day. The rain that poured heavily a few days back had seemed to washed out the scorching heat of summer, marking the early autumn that almost began. He checked the weather forecast when he got ready this morning, and thankfully, it is said that it'd be sunny all day.

Sol had been discharged from the hospital around two weeks ago. After spending the previous weeks with her in the hospital, he got used to be able to see her any time he wanted to. So this particular two weeks after her discharge had been going so painfully slow for him. Then, he somehow managed (with the help from Hyunsoo), to text Sol, reminded her for a date in casual clothes they've promised to each other, that night in the hospital's rooftop. A date as Ryu Sunjae and Im Sol, not as patient and her doctor.

"Im Sol-ssi!" As the elevator doors opened, Sol's beautiful figure came into view. Sunjae didn't bother to hide his excitement; he grinned widely and waved enthusiastically.

Its either Sol is too pretty or he just missed her that much, Sunjae's heart was about to burst. It could be both. She wore a white flowery dress and white cardigan, her hair was half-tied, her legs were covered by a soft yellow blanket. Yeoksi, Sunjae thought. My beautiful Sol-ie.

"You look pretty," Sunjae said, his eyes lingering on hers, can't resist himself from smiling.

Sol lifted her eyebrows. She smiled mischievously, then she put both of her hand, cupping her plump and blushing cheek. "Really?"

Sunjae collected his composure, he gave her an awkward 'ha-ha', tried to look nonchalant while his heart was actually about to burst.

Gosh, she definitely will be the death of me.

Sunjae quickly moved, grabbing the handle of her wheelchair. He felt a gradual blush crept in both of his ears, and of course, he didn't want Sol to catch that. The day was still so young and it was too early for any embarrassment.

Carefully, he pushed and turned the wheelchair towards the entrance door of the apartment building. When wheelchair that had just touched the pavement of the pedestrian, he was drawn to the blue sky, the refreshing early autumn breeze, and the comforting personal scent of the woman in front of him like a puzzle piece falling perfectly into place. The day he had been longing for years had actually began.

It brought him back the memory that had been kept inside his mind for a long time. She still leaving trace of her own personal scent wherever she goes. Perhaps its her shampoo, or perhaps its her perfume. The scent that always makes him flutter whenever he followed her steps to the bus stop. And even now, her scent, though she might have changed her shampoo, or her perfume, still makes him flutter. And he was still in the same place, adoring her secretly from behind.

He wished Sol would know how long does it take, waiting for this day to finally happen. The day that his teenage self could only dream of.

What's was something so scary for the 19 years old Sunjae for asking a girl out? He wasn't too shabby himself (at least his father said so) and she was living just in front of his house. He had numerous chances when they walked together to school or when he could have borrowed DVDs from her family's rental store. All it would have taken was a simple 'Hi, Im Sol. I'm Ryu Sunjae. I live just across the street. Let's be friends.'

And look at the price he must pay for his little 'secret admirer' game he played back then. Fifteen years of longing, an endless guilt, and consistent nightmares.

His life, though busy, was so empty without her. Sometimes, no, many times, he wondered how she lived after all these years. He worried if she still trapped in her despair, just like the last time he saw her. He prayed that everything would go easy on her, for her to be surrounded only with kind and nice people, for her days to be always to be filled with the good ones. Even at times when he couldn't be there with her.