Unforgettable You {Extraordinary You Sequel!}

epilogue: II

"You wanna know something?" Dohwa asks Dano. The two of them stroll, side-by-side, under the coolness of autumn, the sun beaming between the clouds. It's the walk from one wing of the university to the next.

"Do you want to tell me something?" Dano counters smartly.

"I like Juda better in this story," he looks like he means it. His mouth twists coyly and his eyes gleam. He seems to be blushing as he stares down at the path in front of him. "Do you remember what she was like in Secret?"

"You mean, sweet and pretty and perfect?"

"Yeah, that."

"Yeah," Dano pauses for a moment, puzzled. She frowns. "Wait... I didn't hear you correctly, did I? Did you say you like her better in this story? You like her better like this? Emo and judgemental and rude? You prefer this to Secret?"

"Yeah, Dano. I do," he confirms coolly. He even wears a proud grin.

"Really?"

"Yeah! What, why?" He laughs. "I mean, you didn't really think that character was real, did you? The whole sweet-perfect facade. No, that's not Juda."

"What do you mean?"

"The way she was, that was just an act. That was her character. As soon as she found her ego, I could tell she was different," his voice hazes with thought. A nostalgic look enters his eyes. "She was more like the way her character is now, in Forgotten Winter. Even before her character stencil became all reckless and rude, she was... already there."

"You're crazy," Dano stares at him. "You say that like it's a good thing!"

"I'm telling you, Tiny, she was cool. She was way cooler in the shadow than she was in the stage... and I just like her."

Silence follows as this registers. Dano looks up at her friend as they walk. Lee Dohwa is staring up at the sun, his expression warming more with every passing second.

"I'm glad I found my ego," he says.

"Of course you are."

"And I'm glad you helped me, Dano... Eun Dano, thank you," he stops in his tracks and turns to face her. She stops as well. She meets his gaze. He's smiling like an angel. "If you hadn't pestered me and bugged me so much with your confusing words, I would never have found my ego! And without my ego, I would never have remembered Juda. So really, I guess I'm in your debt, Tiny."

"Don't make me cry," Dano orders, raising a fierce finger at him. But she can hardly stifle the emotion in her eyes. "Lee Dohwa, you have always been my friend and always will be, so shut up with all this sentimental talk!"

Dohwa breaks into a fake sob, "Dano, I'll never forget you. I'll always be in your debt, and as long as you remember me, we'll never be apart!"

"I said stop it!"

KRRCHK.

"Eun Dano."

Dano's eyes snap open. Mentally, she gasps. Her character turns slowly to meet Baek Gyeong's gaze...

Gyeong.

•••

"I'm sorry I have to do this," Gyeong's words are heavy and laden with heartache. He stares at Dano, mournful. "I don't know when I'll see you again."

"D-Don't... don't think about that," Dano replies quietly, but her eyes well with tears. She feels the pain as if she's really her character. "You can always visit the university... no?"

"I would have to visit Seoul first."

"...o-oh."

"Dano," Gyeong grabs her hand and threads his fingers through hers. She looks up and their eyes meet. He says, "I'm sorry about... everything... everything I did that caused you pain this semester—"

"Don't t-talk about that!"

"I promise... whatever I did, however I did it— I never meant to hurt you," his eyes are large and brim with intensity. "I'm so sorry that I did."

Gyeong's words strike Dano to her core, like a pound of rock-hard sand. Images, memories, flash before her eyes.

Every time Gyeong yelled at her. Every time he said something brusque and belittling, or left her hanging. And when he drove that steel blade square through her heart—

Dano's eyes blur with tears. They are real, from the bottom of her shadow heart.

"Gyeong-ah..." she stammers, and he pulls her towards him. They embrace, his arms wrapping securely around her in a finalising gesture.

WWHHS.

Dano tightens her hold on him, folding her sweatered arms firmer around his torso. She buries her face into his cushioned shoulder. Time passes. The stage is long-gone and neither of them break away from each other.

"I love you," Dano whispers.

"I love you, Eun Dano," he says. "I'm sorry I have to do this. I'm so sorry about everything—"

"I forgive you for everything."

A single tear rolls a wet trail down her nose to the top of her lip. She wipes it off on the shoulder of Gyeong's hoodie, then gasps a laugh. He laughs too, even though maybe, he doesn't know what they're laughing about. She laughs again, until she feels like sobbing. And even though kissing Haru was different than kissing Gyeong—even though she doesn't love Gyeong the way he thinks—it doesn't change anything between them, right now. No... right now, they're safe. Right now, no one is hurrying them or writing their lines.

They are lost in a moment of remorse, apology and grace.