Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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I submitted this one shot as an entry to the challenge (Valentine's Day – Musical Love Themes) at simplylove. I picked Time with A Thousand Years as the song. Hope you like it!
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WHEN SHE SAID YES
I met her at my best friend's exclusive party. I knew just by looking at her that she's not the type to mess with. Not the type to get serious with. Because she's the type to love a person unconditionally.
Definitely not my type.
But that first time I saw her, I felt different somehow. I stood up to shake hands with her.
"Nice to meet you." She said.
I didn't know what I said. I didn't even know if I greeted her properly. I can't remember. I could only remember how her eyes were shining so beautifully that I got so lost into it and I felt my heart skipping a beat. I could only remember how soft her hands were and how they fit perfectly with mine.
I met her again and again because my best friend, Gu Jun Pyo, kept pursuing her best friend, Geum Jan Di. I never thought my best friend could love Jan Di like that. He was crazy for her.
I wondered whether I could love a person like that.
I acted so different towards her that I felt surprised myself.
When I saw her crying because of her jerk of a boyfriend, I got so mad, I even helped her get revenge. When Jun Pyo told me how Jan Di couldn't meet him because it was her birthday, I bought her cakes and flowers even though I didn't need to.
And let me tell you a secret.
That 'fake' date for our best friends to get together again? I never felt that it was fake. I treated it like a real date.
The date was Song Woo Bin's idea so it was supposed to be him. But I volunteered instead. And don't ask me why. Because I don't know either. I only said, "since we already did a 'fake' date, right?" but if I am honest with myself, I also felt like it wasn't the reason I volunteered.
I saw her trying. After the 'fake' dates, I saw her trying to get close to me. I knew but why do I keep pushing her away?
Why am I so afraid?
I got unreasonably mad at her when she accidentally found out about my family. About my father, So Hyun Sub, who every time he cheated on my mom, my mom would attempt suicide. And I'm the one who fixes it. Every single time.
But she's right there. By my side. Gently taking me into her arms while I cried. Whispering soothing words and gently stroking my hair. It was the first time I broke down in front of a girl. My best friends had never even seen me cry when we reached high school.
I didn't know when the first time I felt incomplete without her. Maybe it was when she had to go home to Busan because she had to attend her sister's wedding.
The crazy things Jun Pyo did for Jan Di?
I suddenly realized I was doing it too when I went after her.
I love Chu Ga Eul.
I felt that I have loved her from the start. I love her even more and more each day.
Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave
How can I love when I'm afraid
To fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt
Suddenly goes away somehow
So the day before her sister's wedding, we were sitting by the beach, watching the waves and feeling the cool evening breeze. I watched how her long hair swayed with the breeze like how the wind softly blow away autumn leaves.
She jokingly told me, "So weddings… It makes me want to tell you 'I like you' again, So Yi Jung."
"Well, it makes me want to tell you I love you." I told her as I looked at her seriously.
She was caught off guard. I could see the surprise and confusion in her eyes. I was about to explain to her why I came. The reason why I went after her.
But then, I was caught off guard when she laughed.
"Please don't say things like that. I might believe it." She turned to look away.
"You should since it's true."
I wasn't looking at her when she hit me. I turned to look at her, and she was already standing up. And she was angry.
"I said don't joke around, So Yi Jung!"
"I wasn't joking around Ga Eul! Why do you think I'm here? You were gone for a week and looking at your picture was the only thing keeping me sane!"
I saw tears forming in her eyes. Watched as tears ran down her cheeks. And I thought she was still the most beautiful girl I see.
I stood up and took her in my arms.
"It's true. I do love you. And I'm sorry if I realized it just now." I could feel her arms snake around me and I smiled. I felt complete.
One step closer
The next days, weeks, and months after that were the happiest I've been.
But I was with her one night.
I didn't know how it happened exactly. All I remember is some guys were trying to harass her when I came to pick her up from work. I ran to her and blindly punched the guys. Then it was too late when I realized I was outnumbered. I was down in a minute but I didn't care. All I could think of is Ga Eul. Is she safe? Did she run? She should have. I didn't want her to get hurt.
I could remember the pain in my right hand when one of the guys stepped on it. But it was more painful for me when I didn't know what was happening with Ga Eul and I couldn't do anything about it. I could hear her shouting but I didn't know what she was saying. I blacked out. Ga Eul, I'm sorry if I couldn't protect you that night.
I was in the hospital when I woke up. Ga Eul was sleeping on the chair beside my bed. She was okay. She looked so tired. It was the first time I watched her sleep and it felt great. I suddenly thought that I wanted to wake up every day, every morning watching her chest rise and fall, hearing her soft breath beside my ears and tucking the lose strands of her hair behind her ear.
They told me that Woo Bin happened to be around the area when it happened. He immediately ran to us when he heard Ga Eul screaming for help. I thanked the heavens for that timing. Or else, I couldn't have lived through it when I find out that Ga Eul got hurt because I couldn't protect her properly.
I have died every day
waiting for you
Darlin' don't be afraid
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more
We honestly thought everything was going to be okay after that. That my hand was going to be okay. But we thought wrong. The doctors found out that my hand has been severely injured that it might not function as it once was.
My hand is everything to my career. How can I make those beautiful vases? Those masterpieces? I've been doing pottery ever since I can remember. It's a huge part of my life. What am I going to do?
Ga Eul told me everything would be okay. That she's going to help me.
But I felt that I should be on my own in this journey.
I asked my mentor for advises. What should I do? Where do I go from here? He suggested that I go to him. To train again with him.
My mentor was in Sweden at the time.
Of course I didn't want to leave Ga Eul. I would never want to leave her.
But I felt like I had to. I needed this, for myself, for my future.
I told her all about Sweden. Her eyes were shining when I was telling her about it.
"Finally! That's fine Yi Jung. Go! I've always loved what you make. They express your emotions, your deep thoughts. It's how you express yourself. I honestly think that we can't do anything about your hand anymore. I see some hope now!" Her smile was so genuine. She was happy for me.
"Ga Eul. It's for four years." I dropped the bomb just like that and the reaction was instant. She frowned.
"Wh-what?"
"Four years. Sweden."
"O-oh!" She was stuttering. I know Ga Eul when she's keeping herself from crying.
There was silence. I could feel the heavy atmosphere. I was waiting for her to speak up. To tell me not to go.
But of course, it's Ga Eul. She puts others first before herself.
"Yi Jung. Go. You need this." She had regained her composure and there was this determination in her eyes.
"Ga Eul—"
"Don't say anything anymore, So Yi Jung. You need this. If you don't go because of me, if there's someone who could help you and the only hindrance was me… well, you think I'd like that? I love you Yi Jung. Promise me. Please do this. For yourself. Don't think about me."
"I promise. The first person I'll find when I come back…is you."
I left for Sweden two weeks after that.
Time stands still
beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything
Take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath,
Every hour has come to this
Ga Eul and I kept in touch for the first year of my time in Sweden. But the next year came and I've been busy. The phone calls became less. The emails, I sometimes forget to respond. I received snail mails from her but I never got to open them because whenever I get home, I was too tired to even eat. I didn't even notice when Ga Eul stopped contacting me.
I worked so hard, day and night, because I knew that if I became better earlier than the expected four years, I can go back home. I can go and see her again. Her picture, her smile, was the only thing that keeps me going.
Jun Pyo, Ji Hoo and Woo Bin visited me in my third year. They told me what's been happening while I was gone. Jun Pyo was the most talkative. He was telling me about Jan Di in her last years of medical school.
That was great and all but I needed to find out about her.
"What about Ga Eul?"
They abruptly stopped talking. Woo Bin cleared his throat while Jun Pyo seemed to feel like eating was the most interesting to do at the moment. Ji Hoo just stared at the ceiling.
"That's why you're here, isn't it? What's happened to her?" I suddenly became nervous.
"Why haven't you been responding to her?" Woo Bin shoots back.
"I worked all day and all night. I could hardly squeeze in meals. And whenever I did get a break, I spend those times sleeping. I know it's wrong but I thought that maybe if I did read her mails, it might break all my resolve and I'd come home right there and then."
"Yi Jung. She's getting married."
"She's…. she's… What?"
"It wasn't her fault. It was arranged." Woo Bin informed me gently. "She thought it was over between you two when you stopped responding. Since she can't answer her mother straight if she still has a boyfriend, her mother told her to just marry her childhood friend, who's in love with her since high school, by the way."
"And she agreed?"
"Believe me, Yi Jung. She didn't want to."
"Then, why—?"
"She said she didn't know if you'd respond if she told you that. She didn't know if you still cared. She asked me for help. Told me the situation. Asked me if I can pretend to be her boyfriend. But her mother saw through it all. So now, her mother talked to the guy's parents. They arranged a wedding. Two weeks from now."
"What?"
One step closer
The three of them stayed in Sweden for another three days before they went back home. What I did? I played with clay.
All my emotions came pouring in. The pain I'm feeling at the moment. I expressed it all. I worked all night on that lump of clay. I stayed in my personal studio for four whole days. The sunlight was brightly peeking through my window when I finished.
"Are you alright?" My mentor asked me as soon as he saw the vase.
I shook my head no. Of course I wasn't.
"Yi Jung. This is a work of art! It's masterpiece! I could feel… I could feel love and pain."
I didn't know what to say. I guess, the vase says it all.
He stared at me. I saw his eyes full of curiosity and concern.
"You can go now. Go home. Go back to Seoul."
"What?"
"So Yi Jung. With this masterpiece you made, you think I still have doubts whether you're doing okay? You're okay. Invite me to your comeback exhibit."
I have died every day
Waiting for you
Darlin' don't be afraid
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more
And all along I believed
I would find you
Time has brought
Your heart to me
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more
Busan. Of course I went straight to Busan.
I found her sitting by the beach where I first said I love you.
It made my heart skip a beat again like the first time I met her. Like every time I'm with her.
I forgot everything as I walked to her. All I could think about is how much I miss her. How much I miss her smile. Her laugh. Her shining doe eyes.
I was a few feet away from her when I called out her name.
"Chu Ga Eul!"
She turned around. Her expression changed from surprise, to disbelief, to happiness, to sadness, to frustration.
"Remember when I told you, you're the first person I'll find when I come back?"
"So where's your luggage?" Inappropriate questions. One of the things I love about her.
"In the car."
She stared at me. "I'm getting married."
"So I've heard."
"You stopped calling."
"I'm sorry."
"Why have you stopped calling?"
"Because I might break my promise."
"What promise?"
"My promise to work hard to get better."
"How—?"
"I might get crazy when I hear your voice. Leave Sweden when I'm not 'better' yet."
I was caught off guard. Again. When she stood up and hit me.
"You're stupid." She said it like it's the most intelligent thing to say in moments like that.
"I know."
"What should we do now?"
"Well, do you love him?" And when I asked this question, I swear I was nervous as hell.
"What if I answer yes?" My heart was beating so fast when I heard this reply.
"Then, I'll make you love me again until you finally do."
"Then you'll leave me again?"
"No. Then I'll ask you to marry me."
She stopped and stared at me. I waited with bated breath.
"Is that a proposal?"
"Yes." Slowly, I knelt in front of her and pulled the blue velvet box from my pocket. I opened the box, revealing a white gold pink diamond ring. "Will you please marry me, Ga Eul?"
I was wrong when I thought that the happiest I've been was when we first kissed. I was wrong when I thought that the happiest I've been was when I first heard her say, 'I love you.'
This is the happiest I've been.
The happiest I've been was when she said yes.
I didn't believe in forever. But today, as I'm watching her walk down the aisle, I know that Chu Ga Eul and I…
We will be together forever.
One step closer
One step closer
I have died every day
Waiting for you
Darlin' don't be afraid,
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more
And all along I believed
I would find you
Time has brought
Your heart to me
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more