𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 - 𝐡𝐲𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐧

十二

"Why did you never tell me this was your grave?"

Hyejoo looked up with tears in her eyes. "So she told you," she whispered. "I wasn't ready to leave yet. I thought, if you believed I was alive, I could too. And I felt alive! I really did." She sniffled. "I felt so human. I convinced myself I wasn't dead. I even touched you... but it took so much energy for me to do it. I could hardly handle it after. I couldn't even muster the energy to make you see me."

I had so many questions. I was baffled. She had been dead all this time? I couldn't wrap my head around it. I had touched her, kissed her. How could she have been a ghost? She felt so alive, made me feel so alive... but she wasn't.

"But that's not your name on the headstone," I mumbled.

She sighed. "It's a nickname from my family. Where do you think the 'Hye' in 'Olivia Hye' comes from? Hyejoo." She was silent for several minutes before she finally asked, "What did my family say? Did they forgive me? Do they still love me?"

I nodded. "Your family loves you so much. Your dad and sister joined your mom and I talking. They wanted to hear everything you'd said and done after you died. I... left out a few things. But I told them how much you regretted what happened. And that you still love them, and that you're grateful for everything they've done for you."

"You took such good care of me," Hyejoo said, gesturing at her grave. The flowers were in full bloom, and her headstone shone beautifully. "I never thought my name on that headstone was pretty, but you made it beautiful. My death was ugly, believe me, and it hurt. But you treated me with kindness without even knowing me; you knew I was a thief and an addict, and you treated me like I'm someone you love dearly."

"That's because you are," I told her.

She smiled once more and stepped closer. She kissed me gently on the cheek and whispered, "I love you, too, Chaewon. Please don't forget me."

"I could never forget you."