„Alright kids, that's enough for today! Put your work over there, careful that you won't damage it!"
So Yi Jeong wiped his hands clean with a smile on his face and watched over the children, all about 7 years old, loud and happy.
He was teaching pottery and loved his job with all his heart.
With being completely aware that he would never have children of his own, being surrounded by kids all day and passing on his passion fulfilled him enough.
Slowly, the parents arrived to pick up their kids and the place turned quiet.
He heard a silent sob, and turned around, finding one of his kids on the ground, her work next to her and completely ruined.
„Ji Soo.. are you okay? What happened?" he asked softly and knelt down next to her.
„It's all broken.." she sobbed desperately, thick tears rolling down her chubby cheeks and it almost broke Yi Jeong's heart.
„It's not ruined at all! It just needs a little maintenance! How about you wipe away those tears and wash your hands and I fix it for you until next week, hm?" he smiled and the little girl slowly calmed down. He patted her head lightly and pointed to the door. „Look who's there, your mom! I will cover up for you and you surprise her next week, okay?" he whispered the last bit and winked.
The girl nodded and jumped up, running into her mom's arms. Yi Jeong greeted and she smiled at him.
The moms loved him, but not as much as the guy behind Ji Soo's mother did. Yi Jeong didn't just have a perfect job, he also had the perfect boyfriend. Song Woo Bin smiled at him, his eyes shining. Yi Jeong returned the smile.
„You're a bit early!"
„It's okay. I love watching you fixing things." Woo Bin leaned in the door frame, his hands tucked in the pockets of his light beige trench coat.
Yi Jeong laughed and picked up the damaged, unidentifiable clay animal. He only needed a few minutes to make it look like something again, without giving away that an adult was involved in the process.
„Come in. Help me clean up." he ordered a little bit more harshly, but Woo Bin knew how to take his boyfriend.
Yi Jeong had the kindest heart and Woo Bin loved the moments right after work the most, when he was still all soft and adorable.
They both met at school, they were only 10 years old but once they became friends, they stuck to each other like glue.
The way from best friends to lovers happened quite naturally, though it took them a good while. Now they were in their mid twenties and lived together for about two years.
Woo Bin was a writer and Yi Jeong an artist who also worked as a teacher.
Their parents were accepting and though they weren't exactly openly celebrating their relationship, it wasn't a secret either.
All together, there was nothing to complain about.
Yi Jeong wanted to greet his partner with a kiss, but a stranger behind him made him stop and pass him instead.
„Hello, can I help you?" he asked and the woman, who was about to leave, turned around slowly.
She looked at him with an insecure smile. „Hello.."
„There are no more classes today, are you looking for someone?" he smiled and made a gesture for the woman to come in.
She was extremely beautiful, probably in her late thirtees and avoided to look him into the eyes.
„I came to ask if there are free spots in your class. Me and my husband are thinking about sending our son here. We are trying to find out what he likes." she smiled and Yi Jeong returned the smile.
„I'm sure we can squeeze him in. Just send him over for a free lesson. You can join him if you want and decide later if this is the right thing for him. Here's our schedule for different age groups." Yi Jeong handed over a pamphlet and the woman took it with a smile and nodded. She turned around and left in a hurry.
„That was weird.." Woo Bin said, looking after her.
„Maybe she saw us together and got uncomfortable. That happens sometimes. I won't get broke if she decides not to come back." Yi Jeong smiled and gave Woo Bin a peck on the cheek. „Let's go home. I just want to snuggle up and watch drama for the rest of the day."
„Can we order pizza?"
„Sure!"
The young couple headed home, not having the slightest idea that their peaceful days had started to be at high risk in this very moment.
-
„It's him... You were right.." Ji Ah said quietly. Yi Yeon was standing in front of his window, his eyes looking at nothing in particular.
He sighed and saw his wife coming closer through the reflection of the glass.
„I couldn't smell him when I met him as a child.. why can I smell him now? How is this possible?"
Ji Ah could feel the pain her soul mate felt in this moment and hugged him from behind. She pressed her cheek against his back and closed her eyes. „What can we do?"
„We all agreed to protect him with not interfering with his life in any way.. But I feel like something's about to happen.. I couldn't stay human.. What if he can't either.." Yi Yeon took a deep breath, „How did he look? Is he a jerk again or.."
„He's teaching children pottery." Ji Ah interrupted with a gentle smile, „He seemed very kind and there was a guy with him. I'm not sure about their relationship, but they seemed very close.."
„So he really found a purpose, hm?" Yi Yeon smiled, „And he's not alone.. that is good."
„Let's just keep an eye on him for now, okay? I thought about maybe sending Yong Gi to his class.."
„Hmh.. Let's think about that.."
„Yi Yeon.. Would it be so bad to have him back? I know you miss him."
Yi Yeon turned around and looked at Ji Ah. She was still so beautiful and barely aged at all. Like a spell kept her from aging too fast and leave too soon.
He smiled but then sighed again.
„Do you really want him to remember everything? What was done to him.. what he did.. Of course I want him back but it is a selfish wish. If I break, Yu Ri, Shin Ju, Su ho.. they will all follow.. He was their family too. But he has a new life now, a happy and carefree one. You said he looked happy, right? Please say it again.."
Ji Ah laughed and caressed her Gumiho's cheek. He looked so stressed and she loved him so much.
„I watched him for a while.. The children seem to like him a lot. He looks like he loves his job and I never saw him look at someone like he looked at that handsome guy who came to pick him up. His name is So Yi Jeong now.. Maybe you can look him up, but first.. I knew you would be upset, so I brought ice-cream!" Ji Ah held up a plastic bag with a smug smile and Yi Yeon's face brightened up.
„Yi Jeong, hm? It sounds not so different.. I like that.." he grinned and grabbed the bag.
-
Yi Jeong was standing on his little balcony, smoking a cigarette.
It was a bad habit he tried to get rid of for some time now and he was proud that he only smoked after work now, so that the children won't smell it.
He looked over the city and breathed in the chilly air. Suddenly, he shivered and looked up.
Woo Bin was getting some snacks from the kitchen when Yi Jeong suddenly stormed in, all excited.
„Woo Bin-ah!! Come! You have to see that!!!" he grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him along.
While Yi Jeong was super excited, Woo Bin was a bit confused. „Snow? It's early September..."
He opened his hand and watched a snowflake melting in his palm.
„I know! Can we take a walk? I love snow!! Please?"
Woo Bin looked at his boyfriend, who suddenly seemed to be not older than 5. He raised an eyebrow, but then he had to laugh.
„Sure, let's go."
They picked the warmest clothes available from the closet, their winter coats were still in a box, stored away to save space.
Outside, the snow got even thicker and felt more real and surreal at the same time.
Yi Jeong tucked his arm into Woo Bin's and stayed close by his side, while they were walking.
It was too warm for the snow to remain on the pavement but that wasn't tainting Yi Jeong's excitement.
„It's so beautiful! Can it be winter already?"
Woo Bin looked at his boyfriend and for a moment, it felt even unreal, that he was blessed to be with someone like him.
„You're beautiful. And I'm cold.." he pouted and got a sweet kiss instead of a reply.
Even now, he felt Yi Jeong smile and gently pushed him away just to look at him.
„Have you always been this excited about snow? I know you like winter, but.."
„I don't know.. I just feel so happy right now. My life is so rich, because of my kids but mostly because of you.. And now this.. I just.."
Without warning, Yi Jeong was hit by an unexpected darkness, rushing over him and he dropped on his knees so fast, Woo Bin couldn't react fast enough to catch him.
Yi Jeong grabbed his chest because his heart was suddenly aching so badly. He just stared into a void for a while, then he started gasping for air, mixed with uncontrolled sobbing.
Pain was written all over his face and Woo Bin was in a state of shock for a moment because those weren't happy tears and he had no idea what caused this so suddenly and it scared him to death because he had never seen his friend like this.
He knelt down next to Yi Jeong and grabbed his shoulders with shaky hands.
„Baby... what's wrong.. hey.." he whispered, but Yi Jeong didn't react.
„I'm calling an ambulance.." he mumbled to himself and searched for his mobile phone, but that was in his other coat.
„Damn.. Come on.. get up, please.. let's go home.." he helped Yi Jeong up and supported him all the way back to their apartment.
Inside, he placed him on the couch, wrapped him into a blanket and just held him tight.
Woo Bin knew Yi Jeong better than he knew himself.. Something like this had never happened before.
Usually, he was the emotional one in their relationship and in this moment, he had only one explanation that would make at least some sense.
„Yi Jeong? Are you trying to break up with me?" his voice broke, his throat tightened and he pulled him closer.
Woo Bin got no answer and couldn't hold back his tears any longer. He started sobbing along and buried his face in Yi Jeong's damp hair.
„Please say something.."
-
„This is weird.." Yi Yeon said dryly, while he was enjoying his favorite choco-mint ice cream.
„Hm?" Ji Ah looked up and to the window, when Yi Yeon pointed to it with his spoon. „It's snowing. But it's September.."
Ji Ah stood up slowly and walked to the window until she was close enough to be able to look behind her own reflection.
She placed her hand on the cold glass and swallowed.
„Did you know..." she started but paused for a moment before she kept speaking.
„Know what?" Yi Yeon asked.
„It was snowing that day.."
„What day?"
„The day Yi Rang died.."