Part 4

Episode 91: The Life She Built

Years had passed since Kyungsoo stood at the river, whispering Lan’s name into the wind.

Now, she stood in her garden, watching her children play. The sun cast golden light over their laughter, and Jisung sat beside her, reading a book.

She never thought she would find peace like this.

There were days she still missed Lan. Some memories crept in unexpectedly—his voice, his laughter, the way he called her name.

But missing him didn’t hurt the way it used to.

Now, it felt like warmth. Like a love that had never left, only settled in a different place inside her heart.

Jisung reached for her hand, squeezing it gently.

“Thinking about him?” he asked softly.

Kyungsoo nodded. “Always.”

Jisung smiled, not with jealousy, but understanding. “Then I hope he’s watching over us.”

Kyungsoo closed her eyes. He is.

Episode 92: A Letter She Wrote to Her Past Self

One night, Kyungsoo sat at her desk, staring at a blank piece of paper.

She had written letters to Lan before, but tonight, she wanted to write to someone else—herself.

She picked up the pen and began.

"Dear Kyungsoo,"

"I know you think you’ll never love again. I know you believe the pain will never fade. But I promise you—it does. Not because you forget, but because you learn to carry love differently."

"One day, you’ll smile without guilt. You’ll dance without sadness. And you’ll find love again—not to replace what was lost, but to continue the story."

"You will be happy. You will live."

"And Lan will always be proud of you."

She folded the letter and placed it in her journal.

It wasn’t just a message to her past self.

It was a reminder for the future.

Episode 93: The Anniversary That Felt Different

Every year, Kyungsoo visited the river on the anniversary of Lan’s passing.

But this time, she wasn’t alone.

Jisung walked beside her, holding her hand. Lani, now old enough to understand, followed closely, curiosity in his eyes.

“Mom, is this where you used to come to talk to him?” Lani asked.

Kyungsoo nodded. “Yes.”

“Do you still talk to him?”

She smiled. “All the time.”

Lani looked at the water, then back at her. “Do you think he knows we’re here?”

Jisung placed a hand on Lani’s shoulder. “I think he knows everything important to your mom. And that means he knows you, too.”

Kyungsoo felt her heart swell.

Because it was true.

Lan had never left.

He had just become part of the life she built.

Episode 94: The Moment She Let Herself Cry Again

One evening, as Kyungsoo was going through old boxes, she found something she hadn’t seen in years—Lan’s old jacket.

The fabric was worn, but it still smelled like him.

She sat down, holding it close, and for the first time in years, she let herself cry.

Not from pain.

But because grief, even when healed, never truly disappears.

Jisung found her like that, silent tears running down her face.

He didn’t say anything.

He just sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Because he knew.

And that was enough.

Episode 95: The Dream That Finally Set Her Free

That night, Kyungsoo had a dream.

She was standing at the river again, but this time, Lan was there.

He looked the same—young, full of life, his eyes as warm as ever.

But there was something different about him.

He wasn’t sad.

He wasn’t longing.

He was smiling.

“Kyungsoo,” he said softly.

She stepped closer. “Lan…”

“You don’t have to keep waiting for me,” he told her. “You’ve done so well. You’ve lived so beautifully.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I never wanted to forget you.”

He shook his head. “You never did. And you never will.”

She reached for his hand, but before she could touch him, he took a step back.

“It’s time,” he whispered.

“For what?”

Lan smiled. “For you to stop waiting.”

Kyungsoo woke up with a deep breath, the lingering feeling of his presence still in her heart.

For years, she had been waiting for something.

But now, she realized—

She didn’t have to wait anymore.

She was already living.

Final Episode: The Love That Stayed

Years had passed.

Kyungsoo stood in the garden of her home, watching the golden hues of the setting sun. Jisung sat beside her, their fingers intertwined like they always had been.

Lani and his younger siblings were playing nearby, their laughter filling the air.

She had lived.

She had loved.

She had kept her promise—to herself, to Jisung, and to Lan.

But tonight, as the wind whispered through the trees, she felt something familiar.

A presence she hadn’t felt in a long time.

A warmth that wrapped around her like an embrace.

Kyungsoo closed her eyes, her heart calm and full.

"I never forgot you."

And in the rustling of the leaves, in the quiet of the evening, she swore she heard a voice—

"I never left."

A single tear slipped down her cheek, not from sadness, but from peace.