Jiho accepted his boyfriend's proposal. However, they had to wait a long time for the wedding date, which is why another two years passed before the beautiful day came.

"See? You're doing much better. " Blonde said with a smile looking at her son.

Woman was teaching Ben how to dance. Now she knew how her husband must've felt when he was teaching her how to dance.

"Mm, you're a good teacher, mom. " Boy said with a nice smile.

It was the fourteenth of November, the anniversary of Jikyo's death. Jiho and Trent's wedding was supposed to take place in March. Liliana knew that this time would pass very quickly.

In the afternoon, woman went with her son to her husband's grave and laid fresh flowers, sunflowers.

"I drew you, appa. " Ben said and held the drawing up. "Do you like it? Mom helped me a bit. "

"But you did most of it yourself. " Lily patted boy on the head.

"Mm. " He nodded. "And you know what, dad?! " He exclaimed cheerfully. "Mommy taught me to dance! I'll know everything by the time we go to uncle Jiho and uncle Trent's wedding. " He smiled, and then became very sad. "You're watching over us, aren't you?"

Wilkinson hugged him and looked sadly at her husband's name.

"Dad always watches over us." She whispered to son and kissed his head. "We're doing fine, Jikyo." She smiled faintly. "It'll be fine, nae salang. " She nodded, and after a moment brought a nice smile back to her face. "Let's go to Andre, he said he's got something special for you."

"Aye. " Ben smiled at his parent, then sadly looked at his dad's grave and waved goodbye to him as they left.

They reached the bistro, and there Andre served the young man a hot meal while Jade talked to Liliana.

"Our boy is growing up fast. " Jade said with a smile to which Wilkinson nodded. "How are you feeling, sunshine?" She took her friend's hand. "It's been almost four years... "

"Mm..." She nodded sadly. "Sometimes I think it all goes by too fast. " She said and sighed heavily. "Before I know it, our son will be an adult. " She glanced at her son, who was talking to Andre. "Jade..."

After a long moment, she looked at the older woman again.

"Listen..." She corrected herself in the chair. "If... If something ever happened to me..." Woman began and didn't let Jade get a word out. "Will you take care of Bennie? Together with Andre..." She glanced at her other friend, who had surreptitiously heard what the women were talking about.

"But sweetheart. " Jade shook her head. "What would happen to you? You'll be fine. You'll raise your son, and we'll only help you. " She said. "Nothing bad will happen again. This bad luck is over. "

Lily smiled sadly.

"I just want to be sure. " She said after a moment. "Please promise me you'll take care of him." She looked at her companion.

Dubois sighed softly and took the blonde's hand.

"I promise. " She said. "But nothing will happen to you."

"Nobody lives forever, Jade. " Wilkinson replied and finished her juice.

"But you are not destined to die like this. "

"Like what? " She glanced at her companion. "Jikyo didn't deserve what happened to him either. " She said, then shook herself a bit and got to her feet. "I'm going to work. " She walked over to her son and kissed his head. "I love you, my little treasure. "

"I love you too, mommy. " He replied with a charming smile.

Liliana got to work, changed into her outfit, and after a short while she heard someone calling her.

"Liliana Wilkinson, to me immediately! " James called, and blonde shook her head and went to the doctor's office.

"You don't have to make a scene out of this, you know? " She sat across from his desk.

"Now I should yell at you properly." Marshall said, showing her the test results. "You were supposed to take care of yourself." He sighed.

"Is it that bad? " She looked at the documents in surprise.

"You're highly anemic, Lily. " Doctor said. "The rest of your results aren't great either." He looked at her. "What did I tell you?"

"Eh, James. " She shook her head, put down the documents and looked at her companion. "Just give me the right medication."

"It won't help if you continue to neglect your health. " He entered her words. "You take on too much, Lily. " He said. "You're tired, you should get some rest. I'll give you a sick leave."

"No. " Woman interjected. "No, please. " She shook her head. "I'm going to take better care of myself, just please..."

"You said that last time too. " Marshall sighed.

"I have to keep working. " Wilkinson said. "I need money to have something to live for my son and myself. "

"But a moment of rest will help you regain your strength. Nothing will happen if you rest for a few days. "

Liliana looked at him pleadingly.

"Please. "

"Lily, I have to take care of my patients. " Doctor said firmly.

"But I'm not just your patient. I also work with you. " She shrugged. "Please. Let it be a small, friendly favor. "

"You'll destroy yourself." He said worriedly. "I can't agree to that, you know it."

Woman sighed.

"I'm giving you sick leave and that's it." He reached for the relevant papers. "It'll do you good, you'll see."

~*~

"She said that? " Jiho asked worried when Andre told him about their conversation.

"I'm telling you, laddie. Ay? " Dubois said. "It's starting to worry me even more."

"Maybe it doesn't mean anything yet. " Trent interjected, adjusting Jiho's tie, the men were trying on their wedding suits. "Lily just wants to be sure. " He said, glancing at Andre.

"Maybe she just wanted to reassure herself that she wasn't alone with all this." Song said.

"Her words still disturbed me. " The elder shook his head. "She's differrent. "

"She's been like this for a long time, Andre. " Jiho glanced at him over his shoulder. "Since Jikyo died, she has changed beyond recognition. Her words should no longer surprise you. " He sighed. "I'm worried about her too, but if we start panicking again, it'll only make her more nervous."

"Jiho's right. " Trent supported his beloved.

"I don't know, I really don't know. " Dubois waved his hand. "Let this damn bad luck end." He shook his head.

~*~

Finally, after such a long wait, the day has come. Wedding reception.

Jiho and Trent were dressed in elegant white suits and were just finishing their wedding vows.

"Until death do us part." Trent finished with a smile that his lover returned.

"Until death do us part. " In Liliana's head appeared the image of Jikyo, who said these words to her. It was their last conversation before the accident.

Lily was very happy with the happiness of her friends, but seeing the whole ceremony, she wanted to cry. It all reminded her of her husband. Woman struggled with herself, and as people stood up and cheered loudly, the woman wiped the tears from her cheeks and joined them.

Jiho was finally happy. He had someone he could always rely on. Someone who will be with him until the end.

A year ago, Jiho's father died in prison. Admittedly, this news neither saddened Liliana nor pleased her. When she found out about this, she didn't know how to react. He took Jikyo from her, but no matter what she did, nothing would bring her husband back. It was hard, but she had to accept it.

She was with Jiho in difficult times. Song knew it was hard for her to keep up appearances during his father's funeral, but the man was very grateful for her support and even just being there. It meant a lot to him and helped him.

"We have another surprise for the young couple! " Andre called with a big smile on his face. "A special song for a special couple, performed by a special person! " He called. "Lily Wilkinson! "

The blonde approached her friend on stage, then nodded and smiled at her friends.

"I'm not good at public speaking. " She admitted. "So I'll just say..." She looked at the wedding couple. "I hope you'll have many good things in your life. Be happy and always love each other as much as you do now. All the best, my dears. " She smiled at them then reached for her violin that she got from Jikyo and played Jiho's favorite song.

"A Thousand Years."

The young couple was very moved by the concert itself, and not only by them. Everyone present had tears in their eyes hearing this melody.

Jiho held Trent's arm and looked at him with a smile every now and then. Trent tied his hair up in a small bun for today's ceremony. They both looked great.

Liliana continued playing the song, her thoughts focused on Jikyo. She saw images from the past. She saw the moment they met for the first time. She saw Jikyo asking her to be his wife. She saw his charming smile and even heard his laugh in her head. She saw her husband smiling before her, just as she had played at the Founders' Ball. Jikyo listened to her with great attention and always smiled warmly at her.

It wasn't just the audience who cried during this short performance. Lily shed a few tears as well, they didn't stop her from playing, she could easily continue.

In that brief moment, she let herself be carried away by the music. As if the whole performance was supposed to express everything she felt. Her pain, longing, despair, suffering. She felt as if through the music she could tell her whole story, her whole life. All good and bad times. All the sorrows and joys, all the tears and laughter.

She didn't realize how much she enjoyed playing the violin. She missed it and only recently realized it.

Jikyo knew her better than Liliana knew herself.

At that moment, she also understood the words of one of the instructors, who in the book told how to play the violin. He also described all his emotions and feelings there.

Love is like a violin. The music may stop now and then, but the strings remain forever.*

It made more sense to Liliana now. She didn't understand it before, now she does.

The soul is like a violin string: it makes music only when it is stretched.**

Yes, after all this time, everything started to make much more sense.

When Liliana finished playing, people started applauding loudly for her and wiping tears of emotion. Wilkinson herself took a moment to come to her senses.

Ben ran to his mother and hugged her tightly.

"It was beautiful, mom! " He called, hugging her. "I love you! "

Lily smiled warmly at the boy.

"I love you too, sweetheart. " She kissed him on the head. "I love you too..." She took a deep breath to control her emotions.

"Lily. " Jiho approached his friend with a smile on his face. "Thank you. " He cried and hugged the blonde. She was a little surprised, but woman immediately returned the gesture.

"Well. " Trent interjected, hiding that he was wiping away tears. "Yeah, Jiho's right. " He nodded. "It was beautiful. " He said then sighed. "Eh, all right, come here. " He approached and hugged Wilkinson, which amused her, but the blonde returned the gesture. "Thank you. " He whispered to her and smiled pleasantly.

Andre and Jade also approached their friend and congratulated her on her performance.

"Jikyo would be so proud of you. " Andre cried and he also hugged Liliana. "I'm very proud of you too, our sunshine." He said, wiping away tears, but new ones appeared in his eyes, so he decided to stop resisting them. "Good job, my dear."

"Thank you..." Liliana whispered softly.

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* Words by June Masters Bacher.

** Words by Neal A. Maxwell.

Apart from this chapter, there is only one left and the epilogue. 

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