● Afterword ●

348 9 13

by Martiepants_

by Martiepants_

Dear Reader,

We've reached the end of the book.

Thank you for coming along on this mad, funny, and aching little journey that's taken us across continents, through plenty of emotions, tears, and everything in between.

I wrote this book much like one writes something at 3 a.m. when they probably should have been sleeping -- like a fever dream -- because these characters and this story lived inside me. It's a story about loss, finding yourself, and being imperfectly human. And all those messy, tangled things somehow came together to make a love story feel real. I had to write it, and I'm so glad I got to see it come to life in these people -- Steven, JL, and Han.

(And if it wasn't already obvious, I love them all dearly and couldn't possibly choose a favorite child. Though -- between us -- this book may or may not have been a love letter to Steven: to his selfless, astonishing capacity for love, which grew far beyond possession and became something rooted in compassion and giving. But it is also, in many ways, a love letter to Han -- to how much he suffered, how low he was brought down, and how, in that agony, he bloomed. Transformed by sacrifice, boundless love, and acts of service. Han in these final chapters is a completely different person, and much more whole after allowing himself to fall apart for someone else. Truly, a rose in the flame.)

I'll also admit: I got an absolute kick out of hearing from readers who couldn't quite decide whether they were Team Steven or Team Han -- which, honestly, means I must have done something right, especially as this was my first attempt at writing a love triangle. I couldn't be more proud of that.

Another little secret: I enjoyed writing Shuaibo's character so much that I created an entire world for him. And I took great joy in "Chih En-isms" -- which, as anyone who knows him will tell you, is the art of never giving anything away... until you do.

I realize there are still love stories quietly lingering -- Shuaibo and Chih En, Woongki and Kyungho, and glimpses into how Han and JL are getting on. These may find their way into a few epilogues, which I'll likely post after the final chapter. This preserves the main story while allowing us to peek into their lives after everything has (mostly) settled.

Finally -- and this bit is important -- thank you to those who faithfully voted for every chapter. It may not always be obvious, but each vote helps tremendously in getting any Wattpad work seen and included in the algorithm. If you voted along the way, you truly helped give this story a chance, and for that, I'm forever grateful.

And if you've enjoyed this story, I'll be working on more in the future, so feel free to follow me here if you'd like to join me on whatever comes next.

With love,
Martiné