s n o w b l e s s i n g

Euri continued to pull Deric until they reached the bus stop. The bench where they used to sit down on was now covered in rust.

Euri sat down and patted the seat next to her, "Hurry! Sit down."

"How nostalgic…" Deric touched the rusted seat before sitting next to Euri.

Euri tried to reenact the memory of their first conversation, "So... what's your dream?"

Euri, however, did not expect Deric to not play along, "My dream… is for time to stop at this moment."

Euri's heart skipped a beat. Her vision became blurry as her tears threatened to fall. She clenched her fists and lowered her head. She hopes that Deric wouldn't notice. She had hopes for him, "…My dream… My dream is for your time to start moving forward…"

"What?" Deric wasn't able to hear clearly as she was murmuring.

Euri lifted her head as she looked across the street, "Do you believe in destiny, Deric?"

Deric shook his head, "I don't."

Euri stood up with her back towards Deric, "You don't!? Then... how can you be so sure that the guy across the street wont be your bestfriend next week? Or that woman you crossed paths with, would meet you again tomorrow? Are all these only just coincidences?"

Deric stood beside her, "…or the woman that sat next to you at the bus stop... be someone you'll love for the rest of your life?... maybe, I do believe a little."

Euri continued to look forward as she asked straightforwardly, "Do you like me?"

Deric nodded without hesitation, "I love you… but you already rejected me."

"…I did?... I'm sorry…" Euri held his hand.

Euri and Deric laughed as the sun continued to set.

Days later, they drove to the province. Wherever you look, land was everywhere. Houses were surrounded by nature. The car can't enter any further, so they had to walk.

After taking a turn, Deric pointed to a yellow house, "That must be it."

At that moment, an elderly couple exited the house. Euri recognized them as her parents right away, "Look! aren't that them?" She ran excitedly, "Mama! Papa!"

When Euri was about to hug them, her eyes widened in horror. She went pass through them. Her heart thumped quickly, thoughts rushing through her mind. Euri blanked out as she turned around and run away.

The elderly couple didn't seem to see her as they smiled when they noticed Deric, "Oh my, little Fredi. It's been a while."

Deric shook their hands but his eyes never left Euri, "Ah yes… excuse me for a minute. I forgot something in the car. I'll catch up to you inside."

"Alright." The couple did not stop him since they noticed his distress.

Deric ran after Euri. He looked around for her, until he noticed someone crouched down next to the car. Deric patted Euri's head, "I'm sorry…"

Euri was hugging her knees with her head lowered, "You've been saying that a lot… I've already suspected as much… from Sebastian and Eun's reactions. I kept denying the possibility until it finally proved itself... and now, I don't know anymore."

Deric remained silent. He wanted to do everything to comfort her, but he felt that at this moment, what she needed the most is for someone to stay by her side.

Euri cried silently with Deric beside her. When she finally calmed down a little, she raised her head, "I want to see them. I want to be with my parents."

Looking at the house, it was warm and comfy. It has that homely smell that she used to smell when she was still a child.

Euri looked at the two most important people in her life as she thought, "My father, he looks thinner. He has wrinkles too. I hope he doesn't smoke as much as before and takes care of himself. My mother, she has white hairs now. Her cooking looks the same. Her eyes still crinkles when she smile. They look happy... Do they still remember me? Why can't they see me? I'm right here."

Deric noticed Euri's eyes turned moist again, so he tried to start a conversation, "I wanted to see Euri's albums. Do you still have them?"

Euri's mother started to look around the shelves, "We wanted to leave all her memories behind and go on with our lives, but we can't just seem to let go of her pictures. It's the only thing that reminds us that she existed."

"Do you still miss her?" Deric asked.

Euri's father choked on his words a little, "Everyday."

Euri's mother then place the photo albums on the table, "Let's end it here before we all start crying."

Deric smiled and thought, "Do you hear that Euri? You're still with them."

After they ate, Deric remained in the living room going through the albums. Euri approached her mother in the kitchen washing the dishes, "Mama… You still do the housework. You're old now, you should take care of yourself more. Hire a maid to do it instead... I'm sure you're being frugal with Eun's money, aren't you? Don't worry about him! Go spend his money! I'm sure he wont mind."

Euri giggled, "He truly grew up to be the man we envisioned him to be. He even has a girlfriend now… It feels like it was only a while ago when I poked those chubby cheeks, taught him to walk and talk… Eun's a big boy now. He doesn't need his big sister to protect him anymore… I just hope he'll protect you in my place. I love you, Mom."

Euri motioned to hug her mother then went out to find her father. When she disappeared, her mother's hand slipped and the plate fell, "Euri?"

Euri skipped around outside the house. She noticed her father leaning against the back door while smoking. She leaned next to him, "Found you! I knew you were hiding to smoke, Dad. You're too old to be this naughty. Mom will surely scold you again… *sigh* You've become thin, Dad. Be more health conscious. Don't worry Mom and Eun… This scrawny old man… I can't believe you used to carry Eun and I on your back. It looked so wide before… Thank you for raising me, Dad. I love you."

Euri's father suddenly felt that the cigarettes today seemed a little disgusting, so he threw it on the ground and went back inside.

Deric noticed Euri enter the living room, "Where have you been?"

Euri sat next to him and flipped through the albums, "I went to talk with my parents."

"And how did it go?" Deric asked.

Euri sighed, "It's alright… they looked happy… but I feel a little selfish... I can't help but wish that they'll be more sad without me."

Deric smiled gently, "It's normal to think like that. And they ARE sad! They love you. They probably wanted to be happy because maybe, if you see them happy, you'll be happy too."

"Hmm…Thank you… I want to know… How did I die?" Euri rested her head on Deric's shoulders.

"…drowned in the lake." Deric said simply.

Euri looked at him, "Which lake? I want to go there."

Deric nodded his head, "I'll bring you there after we spend a little more time with your family, okay?"

A few days later, Deric brought Euri to a secluded forest. In the heart of the forest, lies a frozen lake. The lake reflected the moon. Euri was familiar with the place, "This was where I first opened my eyes."

Euri kneeled beside the frozen lake. She could see herself. She reached out and touched her reflection. Upon contact, memories started flowing into her mind. Tears fell from her eyes, "You lied to me… I didn't drown."

"I'm sorry… I…" Deric wanted to approach her.

Euri became angry and shouted, "That again!? Don't you know how to say anything besides 'I'm sorry'?... I remembered. I remember everything now."

Deric can't stop his bursting emotions as his tears also began to fall, "I can't help but say 'I'm sorry'... as it was the words I was not able to say to you back then... It's all my fault."

--------------FLASHBACK---------------

It was the winter vacation of their last year in highschool. The whole class got together for a Christmas party.

Deric decided that today is the day he confess to Euri. He worked hard in his part time job to purchase tickets to Hawaii. He plans to go there to celebrate becoming a couple. Deric saw Euri in the corner sipping her drink. He started to walk towards her when he saw Sophia sit next to Euri.

Sophia haven't talked to Euri since their falling out. Sophia has always felt guilty but was too ashamed to make up with her. She figured that since it was almost Christmas, she should at least try, "How have you been?"

"I'm fine. You?" Euri offered her a drink.

Sophia shook her head and became teary, "Not great… Euri, I've been a bad friend. I was a coward… I abandoned you. I'm so sorry."

Euri hugged her, "You tried to help me Soph… you endured it too. I wont say I was not angry, but I understood. You were hurt as well… Don't worry... I forgive you."

Sophia returned her hug and whispered, "Thank you, Euri… Also... Everyone didn't know that Frederic was unaware of the bullying. It was pretty obvious after all. We thought that he was still angry because you cheated on him when you ditched him."

"We aren't going out, though…" Euri confusedly pulled back.

Sophia was shocked, "No way! Everyone knows how close you guys are… You are totally going out."

"We're not. Come on, Soph. Look at him! He is perfect. Compared to a plain jane like me… We can only be friends." Euri denied strongly.

"Poor Deric… Anyway, I'll go get us some food." Sophia shook her head sympathetically then stood up.

When Deric saw Sophia leave, he went near Euri, "Euri, can I talk to you?"

"Yeah. Sure…" Euri felt a little awkward looking at Deric after that conversation with Sophia.

Deric tilted his head towards the door, "Alone. Outside."

They went to the playground, a short walk away from the karaoke bar.

Euri sat on the swing and looked nervously at Deric, "Am I in trouble? You look so serious. We even had to go outside."

"It's just that… I… I got us tickets for Hawaii." Deric pulled out the tickets from his pocket and fiddled with it.

Euri stopped swinging, "What? You paid for mine too?"

Deric extended his hand, hoping Euri would accept the tickets, "Yeah… That… I want to go to Hawaii with you… as lovers."

"Lovers? Deric… you're a good friend… I just don't know if I'm ready to cross the friends line just yet… I really… I'm sorry." Euri lowered her eyes, only looking at the tickets.

Deric laughed unnaturally as he stuffed the tickets into Euri's hand, "Haha of course. I'm not exactly boyfriend material after all. It seems like I wasted your time. I hope we can remain friends and still go to Hawaii... If you're uncomfortable, we can invite Sophia as well... I feel a little dizzy from the drinks. I wont escort you home. I'm going home!"

Deric did not wait for her response as he ran off. He did not even look back.

Euri stood up abruptly, but she was not able to catch up to him, "Deric!"

-------------FLASHBACK END------------