Every year, Seokjin would donate his wealth to small foundations, like schools in the countryside, orphanages, children’s hospitals. He liked to believe he should share happiness and good fortune among people. Keeping them all to himself would sound useless. But this year, as he was about to pick an undeveloped hospital, his mind was changed by none other than his girlfriend, who insisted to donate in a place he'd never done before.

He didn't know there were a few retirement homes in the country that could really use some financial help for better treatment. Apparently, Yoon Min had known about this and she insisted donating to a retirement home instead of other institutes for once. So that's what he decided to do. He found out there was one in Seoul that was dangerously broke so he chose to visit there. And she wanted to tag along so the couple took a visit to an unlikely place with a view to help older people.

As they visited there, they found themeselves volunteering for a day's service. It was actually Yoon Min's will to stay there and help older people for some time. She found interest and great joy in helping people. And though he didn’t want to, he had to stay there and help as otherwise, he might look heartless. But as he spent some hours there, he was beginning to help out more from his heart. The poor conditions of the senior people broke his heart, unable to think how much pain they go through every day due to their old age. They looked so helpless and in invisible pain; there was no way he could stand there and watch them like that.

While he was pitying the elder people, she was complete opposite of him. She was rather cheerful and friendly with everyone. Within a few hours, everyone in the old age home started to admire her personality. Seokjin couldn’t help but admit he was proud of her true self. He knew she too was pitying the elder people but unlike him, she excellently hid her sorrows and put up a bright smile for them.

An old woman, around 70, suddenly pointed at Yoon Min which made him turn his gaze towards her. He had no idea what this old woman was blabbering about since the past hour. One thing he learned here was old people talked a lot. Like you wouldn’t realize when they shifted to another topic. He was listening to her stories about her past and family at the beginning quite attentively, but when she didn’t stop talking at all; he pretended to listen to her but secretly he focused on watching his girlfriend at a distance.

“That young woman there...is she the one you love?”

Seokjin blinked once before nodding his head. Was it that obvious? He was only looking at her.

“Does she know about your feelings?” The old woman asked curiously.

He replied with a soft smile, “Yes, Halmoni (Grandma). We are dating.”

“Then why do you look at her like that, dear?” Her question caught him off-guard. She smiled weakly before adding, “Why do you look at her as if you want her more?”

It was a matter of surprise how this old woman seemed to feel his problems easily. He let out a long exhale and looked down at his feet. “I-I...have been easily betrayed by someone I tried to love. I saw a million dreams, but they meant nothing to her. Now I'm scared to dream again.” He paused for a second. “I'm scared if she...would turn out to be someone whom I fear.”

The old woman didn’t answer straightaway. She took her time and attempted to sit on her bed. Seokjin noticed that and immediately helped her to sit on her bed properly, even put a pillow behind her back. Then he sat on a chair near to the bed. She coughed for some time and started saying,

“You cannot judge someone based on another person's character. Everyone is different.”

He argued, “Yes, I know. She's so precious and wonderful that I want her to be mine forever. I want to be responsible for her, I want to be her guardian, I want to protect her, I want the world to know she belongs to me. But--”

The old woman stared at him intently.

“I'm afraid of the f-future. I fear she will be just like my ex and leave me. I'm afraid we won't last forever.” His voice shook when he said that.

When he was done, the old woman smiled warmly which made him look at her curiously.

“Oh, my boy...I was just like you when I was young.” She cleared her throat. “I remember I was scared when my lover proposed to me on a fine day. He said he wanted to marry me because he saw forever in my eyes. Everything was beautiful, except me. I was so scared that I didn’t reply to him and walked away then.”

Seokjin clutched his eyebrows together, the eagerness to know growing inside him.

“Do you know why I walked away then?”

He shook his head.

“Because I was scared...of our future. Just like you.” The old woman smiled. “I didn’t know if I would be able to keep him happy, provide him what he wanted, have a family with him, even love him till the end. I was scared to be committed.”

After hearing her, he pouted slightly and lowered his gaze.

She had a faint sad smile on her face, “You see, dear...you shouldn’t concern about the future. You shouldn’t be sick worrying what's gonna happen, what might happen, what if everything doesn’t work like you think. All you need to worry is about your present, this moment.” She glanced at him. “If you want her, don't stop yourself. Don't be scared like me.”

“Look at me. I was married to a stranger and our kids left me here. Today, I regret my fear of that day, when I was a coward and walked away. If I held onto him, I wouldn’t be here today, right?”

Seokjin blinked a few times, realizing the great value behind the old woman's words. Fear; a feeling that cannot be stopped. A feeling that can change your heart and your mind. Because of fear for the future, this old woman lost her golden gift. Because of fear for the future, he was being hesitant towards Yoon Min.

If he started believing in his present more, could he have what he wanted?

Seokjin was standing outside in the porch, watching the snow falling slowly. He was silent but deep down, his head was too occupied with the current problem he was facing.

He heard footsteps behind. Before he could turn around, a pair of arms wrapped around his torso from the side. He looked at her and automatically smiled, every sorrow suddenly vanishing into thin air.

“What's up?” Yoon Min giggled, excitement singing in her voice.

Not replying, he instead put his arm around her shoulders, she gladly accepted the side-hug and rested her head on his chest.

"You know, a while back, I was feeding an old man. He told me his grandchildren forced him to sign all the wealth to them and abandoned him here. I feel so sad.” She pouted.

Seokjin didn’t say anything regarding that. He quietly watched the snow falling.

It didn’t take her long to figure out something was wrong. “Are you thinking something?” She asked carefully.

He came back to his senses and shook his head quickly, “No! No, I was just--” He didn’t even finish.

Yoon Min knew something was wrong with him. But she didn’t want to force him to explain everything here. He was the type to let out his emotions to her whenever he wanted. So she had full trust on him and thought about something to cheer him up.

“Should we go out tonight? It's 31st December.”

He glanced at her blankly. Oh right, it was the last day of the year. People were gonna celebrate new year's eve tonight.

“Yeah, s-sure.”

“Great!” She exclaimed, grinning widely.

--------------

The Lotte Tower Fireworks Festival is one of the largest fireworks displays in the world. The Lotte Tower holds these elaborate fireworks displays every year. It was Yoon Min's idea to visit the tower to celebrate New Year's Eve with Seokjin.

While there was still time, the couple walked inside the Lotte World where various malls and shops were present, ate street foods, also took a look at a few things in the shopping area. Seokjin wasn't very excited like her as he seemed much down most of the time. She had asked him several times about the matter but he didn’t answer her once. He told her not to worry but how couldn’t she after seeing him trying to think?

And finally, when it was 11:55 p.m. they gathered at the spectator stands with a huge crowd. He hated crowded places. He wanted to book a seat in the skyline, but his dear girlfriend wanted to see the fireworks from close. She had been ranting about the fireworks all day, stuffs about how the firework show broke records and all. Seeing her excitement, it was hard to let down her request.

Over a hundred people gathered there to watch the show. There were families, children, friends, couples. All wanted to have a grand last night of the year together with their loved ones. However, there was a young couple standing a few distance away, from whom Seokjin couldn’t take off his eyes. They were so cute and lovely, married at a young age. They seemed proud of themselves and their rings shone under the various colorful lights. For a moment, he dreamt his and Yoon Min's hands wearing rings. Would they look beautiful?

“I'm so excited!” Yoon Min's tiny voice broke his neverending thoughts as he glanced at her then. Without any hesitation, he suddenly asked her,

“Yoon Min-ah...” His call made her look at him. “Suppose, we get to know we'll have to face dangerous moments if we stay together. Moments where we'll doubt our feelings and regret for choosing each other.”

The way he was talking blackened the other slowly. He wasn’t supposed to be like this in a good moment like this.

“W-would you still choose me?”

Yoon Min licked her lower lip, finally understanding what her boyfriend was bothered about since the morning. He was uncertain of their future. He was scared to walk forward with her. She couldn’t blame him; he had suffered in a toxic relationship and now he thought he wasn’t capable to be in love with anyone. He was afraid if she would leave him like Jisoo did.

Sighing, she raised her hand and cupped one of his cheeks before answering, “Even if we're to die tomorrow, I would still choose to be with you.”

Seokjin's stared into her eyes deeply while she added, “What will happen in the future doesn’t matter if we truly love one another. What matters is how we want us to be in our future, and how we work together to build it. If somehow we know we're gonna have an unstable relation in our coming days, we are not gonna be scared. We will try to make every moment worthwhile and perfect. So that in the future, we would take a minute to look back at our past...and see how long we've come. And decide to continue no matter what. Okay, love?”

Though he didn’t answer, she guessed he understood her words and took it to his heart. It's important they talk about things like this often to make sure no misunderstandings rise between them.

“Oh my God, it's time--” She suddenly said to cheer him up and looked at the tower where within a minute will be shown the countdown.

Love.

Seokjin wanted to hear that from her always. Even though they were sure of each others' feelings, they never really confessed the magical three words. When she showed her prettiest smile a while ago and told him those valuable words, he was falling for her again. Falling for her soul, falling for their fate, falling for a future with her.

He knew that she was his forever. And he knew that with certainty. He knew that when he first saw her kneeling in front of him and staring at his wound with the most sorrowful eyes. The moment he saw her, a part of him walked out of his body and wrapped itself around her. And there it still remained.

10!

There is always that one person you'll come across; when you meet them for the first time, you'll know it's them.

9!

You'll know because they're all that makes sense, they're all you think of, they're that one reality you've been waking up every day to grasp. They're the one.

8!

You're comfortable with them, as if you've known them your whole life. You don't need to be someone else in front of them. You're you, the self of yours you love.

7!

That one person of Seokjin's life was Yoon Min.

6!

He wanted a lasting forever with her. He wanted a family with her. He wanted her as his in every way.

5!

He wasn’t scared anymore. The envisioned future he was afraid to face will have her presence everyday. And he was ready to risk it for her.

4!

He wanted to be her handsome husband. And he wanted her to be his precious wife.

3!

It's a finality that slipped into place, a glowing radiant dream as blissfull as every unforgettable love story of history.

2!

A finality that he craved and dreamt.

1!

Forever with Yoon Min...forever living happily.

And when the countdown's end took the minute hand straight to 12, along with everyone else, Yoon Min wanted to yell out Happy New Year. But she was frozen when she felt hands on her shoulders and was turned around to face his eyes, only to be faced an awaiting question.

“Yoon Min, marry me.”

Her eyes were wide and earnest, lungs tightened, body frozen, heart refused to beat for a moment; and then it started to beat so fast in rhythm, she didn’t know it would beat so fast. For a few moments, she forgot there were hundreds of people around them, cheering for the beginning of their new year. The clock struck midnight and all cheered as loud as they could, various fireworks shot in the night sky, creating an eye-catching scenery.

All her life, she's been searching for a meaning. A meaning behind her wretched life. A meaning behind why she was born, why she was here in the world. A meaning to fill the voids of her heart and seek the answers of her unanswered thoughts.

It seemed like she finally found her meaning in this moment.

Seok Jin. Her meaning, her life, her forever.

Her eyes burned, breath stilled as tears started to well up dangerously. A relieved sigh escaped from her mouth as she voiced out,

“Why not...”

And then, she found herself breaking into sobs and walked closer to him. He didn’t need to be told; he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the ground, eyes spilling joyful tears at her response. While she cried like a worm in his tight embrace.

Forever started with a longing hug and some tears.

“Why're you crying...” Yoon Min wailed, eyes shut when she was the one balling out her eyes.

“I was supposed to get a ring, that's why.” Seokjin replied with a weak chuckle as his voice was wet in his own tears.

“No...thank you. Thank you for not getting on your knees and bringing out a ring. Thank you for keeping it perfect.” She said before pulling away and cupped his face in her palms. “You're perfect, Seokjin. You're always perfect. Thank you for accepting me.”

His lips curved wide, eyes stinging fiercely as he closed his eyes in peace when her head rested against his, breathing softly, tears with endless joy, endless promise, endless love.

What more desired feeling is there for two lovers when they are together and love each other in silent unspeakable memories.