- 3 years later - 

The cameras flashed, and Yerin put on her brightest smile as she faced them, holding her newly published book. 

As she'd hoped, it had become a bestseller. At first, the process was slow. She got an agent but ended up getting rejected from multiple companies. Each rejection had threatened to tear apart her heart, but she stayed strong. She'd held hope. 

It was a book she'd needed to publish, because those were characters she needed to introduce to the world. 

After months upon months of rejection, she'd finally landed a deal with a company. And that's when she started editing. She had countless drafts and had to change a lot of parts of the story. 

But there was one thing she never changed. 

Sometimes, people asked her why. Friends, family, her agent... they all wondered. Why was it so hard for her to change anything that had to do with Hyunjae? And why wouldn't she change that one tiny detail she'd added three years ago? 

When asked, she'd just smile sadly, and tell them that it was a detail close to her heart. She'd change anything except his main overarching storyline. She'd change anything except that tiny detail, the one she hoped would bring him to her. 

Even after all these years, she had that hope. 

Even after all these years, her heart still ached. She still cried for him. Sometimes she'd imagine him by her side. She'd imagine what it would be like to introduce him to parts of her world. She'd imagine how proud he would have been when she got the publishing deal, how he'd pull her into his arms and tell her that he always knew she could do it. 

When she'd first returned, she'd got to writing. After she'd calmed down, after she'd cried for hours, and after all that was left was a throbbing headache and the sharp pain of her heart... she sat down to write. 

She wrote a story that would never be published. She wrote a story that she'd never share with anyone. She wrote a story that she read to herself every day, parts at a time. 

She wrote her story. 

Because she wouldn't let herself forget. She poured her heart onto the pages of her journal. She desperately tried to capture every feeling, every tear and every smile and every laugh that she'd had with him. 

Just as she prayed he wouldn't forget her, she didn't let herself forget. 

Even though it hurt. Even though reading it made her cry, every time. The happy moments and the sad ones, they all hurt. It hurt to remember. But it would hurt worse to forget. 

She wrote down her hopes and dreams too. She wrote down the dates she wanted to go on, the places she wanted to take him. 

Apparently, she hadn't been gone for even a day. No one in her world had noticed. It was as though time had stopped for them. Time stopped and allowed them to fall in love.

And even though they were torn apart, she tried to be grateful. She read her writing with a grateful heart. Because that was what Hyunjae would want her to do, wasn't it? 

Every time someone asked her who her favorite character was, the answer was the same. 

It was Hyunjae, of course it was. 

It would always be him. 

As she took pictures, she felt tears well up in her eyes, and the familiar ache of her heart was there in full force. 

She wished that he could be here with her. He would have been so proud. 

I did it, Hyunjae, she thought, glancing down at the book in her hand. Tears spilled out of her eyes, and the pictures stopped. 

And the cover is beautiful too. You told me mine would be prettier than those other books in the bookstore, and you were right. It's gorgeous.

She heard reporters asking questions, and she used one hand to wipe her tears as she looked up. 

They were asking why she was crying. If only they knew. If she told them the truth, would they even believe her? She could hardly believe it herself. Some days, she almost thought it was a dream. But her journal entries were too vivid to be a dream. Her heart hurt too much for it not to be real. 

"My apologies," she said, faking a laugh. It sounded real, even to her. She'd become quite the actress over the years. 

Not to those closest to her though. They could all tell that she'd changed. They knew that something was wrong. But she hadn't told them. She couldn't bring herself to do it. Hyunjae was a secret she was going to guard closely. Even if... No. Even when he arrived, the details of their romance were something she wanted to stay a secret. Something special between the two of them. 

"I'm just really emotional," she said, accepting a napkin from one of the staff members. She patted under her eyes, trying to wipe away her tears, and still appear composed. "All of my dreams have come true, you know?" 

All except one. 

"And having just finished my first fansign... I'm really happy," she said, smiling at everyone. The cameras, the reporters, they'd never know her secret. "I'm really grateful to all my family, friends, and fans, who have gotten me to this point in my life. That's why I'm crying." 

I'm really grateful to you, Hyunjae. 

The reporters all seemed happy with that response, and the pictures continued. Someone else started to ask questions, but Yerin was distracted by a noise at the front of the bookstore. 

"Sir, you can't go that way! The book signing is finished, you were supposed to reserve tickets in advance!" 

She briefly wondered if it could be a crazy fan. Honestly, she didn't think she'd have any of those. She took a small step back, wondering if she was in danger. 

The man came into view. 

Yerin felt the book fall out of her hand. It fell to the floor with a loud thump, and she felt the eyes of everyone on her. On her, and the man standing only a few hundred feet away. The closest they'd been to each other in years. 

He hadn't crossed into the book signing space. It was blocked off. He could get through, but he stayed outside, staring at her. 

Everyone stayed still. 

"Isn't it Saturday?" he finally said. "I believe you owe me a picnic date." 

Yerin let out a choked sob, running towards him. Hyunjae rushed forward too, into the signing space. She threw herself into his arms, and he spun her around as they hugged. She could feel his body shaking with sobs too. 

"Do you remember me?" he whispered into her hair, placing her back down on the floor. He didn't move his arms from around her, and she held onto him tight. She would never let him go again. 

"How could I ever forget you?" she cried, sinking to her knees. He sank down with her. In the background, she heard the clicking of cameras, and she briefly wondered what type of news articles would go out about her. 

But she couldn't even care. She was too happy, too in awe, to worry about what anyone else might think of this moment. 

It was the moment she'd been waiting for, for years. 

"You're here," she cried, touching his face, which was wet with tears. "You're really here." 

"I'm here," he whispered. "I told you that I wouldn't give up on you," he said, pulling her closer to him. Their faces were mere centimeters apart. "I love you." 

"I love you," she whispered back, leaning forward and kissing him. 

- the end -