Merry Xmas, everyone. I hope you will like this little present.

--->> 9 months after Kyungsoo's death <<---

Chanyeol tightened his grip on Baekhyun's hand, pulling the other up the road. Both exhausted, hungry, and thirsty, but Baekhyun was especially mad. For some unknown reason, Chanyeol had insisted on climbing to the top of this dammed mountain. Now they both have been lost for half of the day and the sun is setting. They have drunken their last drop of water hours ago, and no single soul was in sight.

The thought of spending the night in the wood scared Baekhyun, and his legs shook even more. Just then, they saw an abandoned church. Right next to it was a gravestone that looked as old and as abandoned as the church. A cold chill ran through Baekhyun's neck. Who would build a church in the middle of nowhere? And who would bury a person here? Baekhyun hesitated to follow Chanyeol who was nothing but glad to find a place to stay over the night. Baekhyun grabbed on Chanyeol's sleeves, holding back his husband.

"Are you sure about going in there? This place is so odd."

"It's old, but it's better than sleeping outside." Chanyeol misheard odd for old.

"To be honest, I'd rather sleep outside. This place looks like it is..."

"...haunted," Baekhyun whispered the last part.

"Baekhyun, don't be silly."

Whined and against his own will, Baekhyun followed Chanyeol inside.

The air smelled like old wood and dust. The sun was setting low. The last sunlight shined through the broken glass window, making the last fractals left on the window appear as colourful patterns on the ground. It was magical how all the fear disappeared. Instead, Baekhyun felt peace.

Looked at Chanyeol, Baekhyun realised the other was already staring at him. Their eyes immediately locked, and their breathes synchronized. This moment was so perfect, and nothing could make it more beautiful... except for Chanyeol who took Baekhyun's hand and went down on one knee.

"This was not how I planned it to be," the taller one said and Baekhyun could feel his heart racing, "I wanted to do it in the sunset and on the top of the mountain. I wanted to tell you how much I love you and how thankful I am to you. I wanted this moment to be perfect because I know you deserved nothing less. I've checked the weather, the wind direction, the exact time of sunset. I thought I could or I should control all that, but maybe I was wrong. You come to my life was unplanned. Us falling in love was unplanned. And yet, that was the best thing that could happen to me... So..." Chanyeol took a deep breath.

"Byun Baekhyun, would you stay by my side until the day we die? Would you marry me?"

"Are you kidding me?" Baekhyun stuttered, trying to hold his tears.

"I'm not a believer, but even I wouldn't lie in a church." Chanyeol was dead serious.

"You cheesy stupid nerd, we're already married."

"That doesn't count. That time you didn't even say your real name."

"Park Chanyeol, I don't know what to do." Baekhyun wiped away his tears.

"You can give me an answer because my knee starts hurting here." Chanyeol joked and a smile brightened up Baekhyun's face.

"Yes," Baekhyun exclaimed, pulling up his giant.

"Yes, I will marry you." He repeated before their lips locked.

______________________

--->> Three years later... Somewhere in Italy <<---

He knew it was coming. Still, Baekhyun jumped as the cork shot into the air with a loud bang. Chanyeol let out a quiet chuckle, only to earn a hard punch on his upper arm.

"Don't laugh at me," Baekhyun pouted, and Chanyeol apologized, still having a smile on his face.

Chanyeol poured the champagne into a glass and handed it to Baekhyun, before pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

"Congratulations on your graduation and on the job offers. Those companies recognize a genius designer when they see one." Chanyeol said, raising the glass for a cheer.

"Thank you," replied Baekhyun, and they both took a sip of their drinks.

"I'm so glad you're no longer a student," Chanyeol told his lover, "now I can openly hold your hand and openly kiss you on the campus."

"What are you talking about?" Baekhyun tilted his head.

"You were never my professor. We weren't even in the same faculty," he added.

"Yeah, but I didn't want the other students to think badly of you for being in a relationship with a professor." Chanyeol patted the back of his head shyly.

"First of all, Professor Doctor Park Chanyeol," Baekhyun teased the taller, knowing Chanyeol hated it when people called him by his full title, "we are not 'in a relationship'. We've been married for almost two years already. Actually, we even got married twice. Get that in your head, you dummy."

Chanyeol laughed at his husband's faked anger. The memories of their wedding overwhelmed his mind with joy. Their "real" wedding took place at the beach in the Maldives where they had their first date. It was a private and small ceremony with no one else but their closest friends and family members. Baekhyun had tears in his eyes as the pastor called him by his real name and announced them to be married. Chanyeol still remembered how his hands were shaking as he kissed Baekhyun at sunset. He was so afraid it could be just a dream for he still couldn't believe how lucky he was to have that person by his side forever, as long as they both shall live.

"Second, are you telling me you're having naughty professor-student fantasies about us?" Baekhyun smirked.

"You've got me there," winked Chanyeol.

"Well, officially I'm still a student until midnight. We still got a few hours," Baekhyun said, slowly approached Chanyeol. The smirk remained on his lips. "Shall we fulfill your fantasy?"

"Professor~," Chanyeol's burned up as Baekhyun leaned over, whispering in his ear with the most seductive voice. Closed his eyes, Chanyeol breathed in until his lungs were filled with nothing else but Baekhyun's sweet scent.

Just as they were about to lock their lips, both phones wouldn't stop vibrating. Growled, they grabbed their phones, and at the same moment, they both gasped. Whatever was on the screens, it got their attention for minutes until their eyes left the displays. Staring at each other, they searched for confirmation by the other.

"Chanyeol," Baekhyun stuttered, "did you get the same Google alert?"

"I...," even Chanyeol was speechless for a moment. Synchronized, they rushed to the living room, turning on the television. As they switched to the Korean TV, the reporter was already talking about the breaking news.

"...Prepared by the biggest and longest undercover operation in the history of the police departments, a racier this huge has never happened. On the same day and almost at the same time, the police took down two of the biggest criminal syndicates in several cities.

Byun Sooman, the new Black Lotus' leader was injured during the fire exchange, but he was arrested alive. Three years ago, Sooman ordered the murder of the former leader who also was his brother and took over the syndicate. He was also suspected of murdering his nephew, Byun Baekhyun, who was found dead in the Han River.

The coordination of the operation was taken by Minister Park himself despite his presidential candidacy. After this success, there is no doubt, he is going to be the most promised candidate for this election.

According to the police department, the police worked with several informants from both syndicates. Especially, one of them was a high ranked member of the gang. It is unclear when the trial will take place, but there is no doubt this is going to be the biggest trial of the year."

The reporter announced, and both men held their breaths.

"Is it really over?" Chanyeol asked.

"Is it?" Baekhyun repeated, only to answer the question the next second.

"It is over, Chanyeol," he exclaimed, "it's over."

"I can't believe it's over," Chanyeol said with joy.

After a second of silence, Baekhyun replied, heading back to the kitchen, as Chanyeol followed him.

"I need another drink," Baekhyun said.

"Me too. Can I have one?" Chanyeol asked, and Baekhyun widened his eyes.

"Champagne?" He asked in disbelief. As Chanyeol nodded, he frowned even more.

"But you don't drink," Baekhyun stated, "I mean... I'm confused."

Shyly, Chanyeol chuckled. "I do now," he responded.

"What's going on?" Baekhyun narrowed his eyes. "When we first met, you did drink. Then suddenly you stopped and now out of nowhere you drink again?"

"Why?" Baekhyun asked, placing his fingers on his chin like he was a detective.

"Do you remember our first date?" Chanyeol asked. Immediately, a smirk appeared on Baekhyun's face.

"Of course, I do. I remember our first night too," winked Baekhyun.

"Well, I don't," Chanyeol admitted.

"Yeah, I remember that too," Baekhyun's voice changed as the memories came to his mind. Baekhyun crossed his arms, looking like he was about to scold Chanyeol again.

"Yeah," Chanyeol faked a smile, "and that's the reason."

"I don't get it," Baekhyun shook his head.

"Well, we had - as you said - a "wonderful first night", but I couldn't remember because I was drunk."

"Chanyeol, you're not telling me you haven't drunk the whole time because you're afraid of another hangover?" Baekhyun's smile faded right away as he noticed Chanyeol's seriousness.

"Really?" Baekhyun asked in disbelief.

"I knew you could disappear anytime" Chanyeol confessed. A wave of old guilt hit Baekhyun once again. Every time he thought about Chanyeol knowing his true identity the whole time, he couldn't help but feel bad.

"I'm sorry," Baekhyun sighed. No matter how often Chanyeol had told him not to apologize, his mind hadn't learned yet.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant... I knew our time could be limited, so I wasn't missing a second of it by being drunk... You know, just in case."

"Just in case I'd leave you?" Baekhyun questioned. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Baekhyun, you're not going to cry, are you?" Chanyeol asked, only to earn a punch in his belly.

"Do you expect me not to cry after saying something cheesy like that?" Baekhyun yelled, wiping away his tears while Chanyeol pulled him in for a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry," Chanyeol whispered, leaning his head against Baekhyun's.

"But it's all over now. We're free. And you're staying by my side, right? Forever, right?" He added.

"Drink your champagne," replied Baekhyun as he lifted his head, looking at the man in front of him.

"Is that a yes? I'll take that as a yes," Chanyeol smiled. This was the ending he had prayed for.

______________________

--->> Korea. Three years ago. Two days before Kyungsoo's death. <<---

"Are you crazy? No one survives a fall from that height," Kris disagreed.

"Wouldn't the water reduce the impact? They do that a lot in movies," Xiumin asked, putting down his energy drink.

"Those movies are wrong. Kris is right, the water would be hard like concrete when you fall from that height." Chanyeol replied.

"How about a parachute?" Lay suggested.

"No, the fall would take too much time. It's impossible to hold Jongin back for so long." Suho objected. The older sighed. They have been discussing an escape plan for almost two hours and he was losing his patience.

"We can use a small explosive charge," Kris said casually like it were a daily suggestion. As everyone looked at him puzzled, he started explaining.

"Just a small explosion to move the water. It'll feel like pudding when he falls into it. We just need to time the explosion very well. If it's too early, it won't work. If it's too late,..."

"...he'll be pudding." Kris finished the sentence after a short pause as if he wanted to be dramatic, not knowing the real drama was still to come.

"What's going on?" The door flung open and Baekhyun entered Chanyeol's laboratory.

"Are you guys talking about Kyungsoo?" Baekhyun narrowed his eyes. His hands clenched.

"Why did you leave me out? And is that your plan to save him?" Baekhyun yelled the word "save" with sarcasm.

"We wanted to tell you once we figured out a plan. Sorry?" Suho tried to calm Baekhyun down, unsuccessfully.

"Is that what you called a plan? Blow a bomb under his feet?"

"I know it sounds dangerous, but..."

"It sounds dangerous because it is," Baekhyun screamed the last part so loud, even Chanyeol startled for a second. He had never seen Baekhyun being so mad before.

"As I said, it's safe if we got the right timing. It's basically just a math problem." Kris argued.

"Yeah, just a math problem that's gonna get my brother killed if we get the wrong answer. Do you want to do it? Do you want to do the calculation?"

Kris silenced, so did the others until the silence became unbearable.

"I'll do it," Chanyeol suggested.

"Chanyeol... you're not."

"There is no other way."

"I don't care," Baekhyun shook his head and took a step back, "We'll figure out something else. You're all elite assassins or whatever. Think of a better solution."

Sighed, Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun's trembling hands, holding them so tight Baekhyun couldn't back away.

"You trust me, don't you?" He asked, locking their eyes.

"Of course, I do but this ... I can't risk that... I won't be able to handle it if my brother is dead and you're the one to blame." Baekhyun explained and in a split second he realised what he just said. Was he being selfish? What if this was Kyungsoo's only chance and he ruined it only because he didn't want to risk the comfortable life he was living in?

"I won't let that happen. Trust me. Let us help Kyungsoo." Chanyeol tried one more. Baekhyun could sense the tension. Chanyeol really meant it. Taking a deep breath, Baekhyun nodded. The smartest person he knew was helping his brother, he shouldn't feel this anxiety.

"I don't want to ruin the moment, but..." Lay raised his hand, "how do we hide the noise? It's likely impossible not to hear an explosion."

"I've thought of that already. We can distract Jongin with a car crash. Again, it's all about the timing." Kris said, looked at Suho, knowing it would be Suho to be in that car.

"That could work." Xiumin nodded.

"Unbelievable, we have a plan," Lay stated half-jokingly, earning a dangerous glance of the others.

"I would call it a plan if he jumps, but he is surely not insane enough to jump from a cliff." Chen objected.

"We need to tell him the plan," Chanyeol murmured before turning to Baekhyun, "didn't he call you?"

"Yes, but he called from a burned phone that has been deactivated since then. He said he'll send someone though." Baekhyun answered.

"He'll send someone?" Chanyeol repeated and by that everyone looked at Suho, expecting an explanation.

"It's not me," the older exclaimed, shaking his head.

...

"That boy, what did he mean when he said he'd send someone. Who's that someone?" Suho wondered. What other "someone" did Kyungsoo had on his side?

That night Junmyeon couldn't sleep either, as if he knew someone was about to knock on his door.

"Kyungsoo sent me," the man in front of him stated casually.

"I can't believe it," said Suho under his breath although he wanted to scream out loud.

"Namjoon," he added.

"Am I hallucinating? You're on his side? Don't you hate him?" Suho questioned after offering the unexpected guest a seat.

"I do but that motherfucker can be very convincing..."

"..by being right," Namjoon added, rolling his eyes as if he couldn't believe he said it himself.

"About what?" Suho asked, still standing, not letting his guard down.

"About Jongin's weakness. As long as he's around, Jongin is vulnerable. He needs to disappear... for good."

Namjoon's voice gave Suho a chill running down his back.

"And why didn't you make him disappear? For good?" Suho emphasised the last part. He knew very well, if Namjoon chose to get rid of Kyungsoo, it wouldn't be his first kill. The older wondered what made this cold-blooded loner cooperate with strangers to help someone he hated. Namjoon only answered with a shrug. Yet, after a sip of his coffee, Suho figured it out.

"Oh, you're afraid of Kim Jongin," Suho stated, and Namjoon rolled his eyes.

"Do you know what Kim Jongin will do when he realises his lover died?" The guard asked and it took Suho a moment to answer.

"I don't know, he might run amok, but who knows for sure what's going to happen?"

"Exactly, who knows?" Namjoon replied. A smirk appeared on Suho's face. The older leaned back in his seat.

"I see. You wanted a backup plan just in case things go off course."

"It's much easier to raise the dead when... you know the dead are not really dead."

Suho nodded in agreement. Jongin wasn't a person you wanted to mess with.

After a while, Suho decided he could trust Namjoon, at least as long as they both wanted the same thing. The detective informed the other man about the message they had for Kyungsoo. He even made Namjoon repeated it two times, just to make sure the guard wouldn't forget anything.

"You do know Jongin won't accept his death until he sees a body, right?" Namjoon said after listening to the plan.

"I know. I took care of that already."

"How?" Namjoon had to admit he was amused by the older. Maybe he had underestimated Suho the whole time.

"I have a body that would pass as him," Suho explained.

"When did you...?"

"Just know that I did," the detective interrupted the other. No, he hadn't killed anyone, but stealing a corpse wasn't that legal either. Then again, he was trying to save his friend's life. Moreover, the dead one was once a gang member, a rapist. Suho didn't feel sorry much for that man.

"Was it his idea? You wouldn't have been so far-seeing."

"Well, that boy does know Kim Jongin very well and he tends to overthink everything he does."

"Damnit, I hate that jerk." Namjoon blurted out his thoughts.

"And still... you're here."

"And still... I'm here." Namjoon admitted.

______________________

Back in the present-day, while Junmyeon was watching the same news as Chanyeol and Baekhyun, a young woman in a police uniform knocked on his door.

"Chief, the welcome ceremony for the new recruits is about to start," she said, holding the door open like she wasn't about to leave without him.

"I'm coming," Suho replied, but a simple gesture with his hand told her to leave. Bowed, the young woman stepped back and closed the door. Junmyeon could hear the crowd outside getting louder and louder. Nevertheless, he grabbed his phone, typing in a short text message.

"Ok," he then exclaimed and took a deep breath, "the academy chief shouldn't be late."

With that energy, Junmyeon walked through the door and welcomed all those young people to their new stage of life.

...

At the same time but miles away, at the other end of the world, a phone vibrated. Looked at the display the man breathed out in relief. Despite being in the mountains, for the first time, he felt like he was able to breathe freely.

"They're all behind bars. Thank you for your cooperation. You're free now."

"Free," he repeated the word he couldn't believe to be true. He was free now. Free. Only if he could have Kyungsoo by his side, the world would be perfect.

But the world wasn't perfect.

.

.

.

"Dr. Soo's office? It's down the road, next to the garden with the scary dog," the little boy's voice repeated in his mind as Jongin rushed to the only doctor's office in town. But his legs seemed to become heavier with every step.

Oh, what would he do to see Kyungsoo's face again? Yet, a part of him doubted that he was ready.

Jongin noticed immediately he had arrived at the praxis as he passed by a garden and a golden retriever barked at him.

"I don't have time to play with you," he told the dog whose tail was wagging. As if the golden retriever understood Jongin, it whined immediately. Sighed, Jongin stopped at the fence.

"You are not the best watchdog, are you?" Jongin teased, petting the dog under the chin. Again, the dog barked at him, and Jongin laughed.

"Ok, my bad. You're a good boy," he apologized.

"I would like to play with you, but I need to find that Doctor Soo, do you hear me?" Jongin was ready to leave as the dog began to growl and bark at him. Confused, Jongin turned around and found an old woman approaching him.

"If you're looking for the doctor, he has left," she said.

"I take it back. You're a good watchdog," Jongin told the golden retriever before walking to the woman.

"Do you know Doctor Soo?" He asked.

"Yes, I do. Everyone knows him. He is the only doctor in this small town. Are you a friend of him? His dog seems to like you."

"That's his dog?" Jongin pointed at the retriever in surprise.

"It is. Usually, it doesn't like strangers. It must remember you." The woman told Jongin.

"That's impossible. I have never met him," Jongin stated.

"The dog?" She asked.

"Yes, the dog," Jongin clarified.

"So, are you a friend?"

Jongin hesitated for he wasn't sure how to answer her question. He didn't even know if that Doctor Soo was his Kyungsoo.

"Do you know where he is?" Jongin asked back.

"There is a full moon today, so he will surely be at the bridge."

"The bridge? The Devil's Bridge?" Jongin asked confusingly.

"Yes, but in this town, we call it the lovers' bridge," the woman said, "the legend says once a year when the last full moon of autumn shines, whoever crosses the bridge will be able to see their loved one from the other side. Once a year, the dead and the living are allowed to meet again, as long as the moon shines on the bridge."

"I've heard about that legend. But it's said there is another tale about a pact with the Devil who agrees to build the bridge, but in return he wants the first soul to cross it. After the bridge was built overnight, the village headman outwitted the Devil by letting an animal cross the bridge first."

"That's right, but they are not different tales. They both belong to the same legend. At some time, people stopped telling the story to its end. I guess it's hard to believe that the Devil isn't all bad."

"What did they skip? Tell me the whole story," Jongin pleaded, "please."

"Well, men are fools. They tend to overrate themselves when they are in charge. That's why they often ruin other's lives." The old woman said, and Jongin looked down. It was like she was talking about him as if she knew his past.

"The village headman thought he could outwit the Devil with a cheap trick, but the Devil was a powerful creature. Don't forget, Lucifer once was an archangel by God's side."

"So, what happened?"

"The Devil was outraged about the broken deal. He made an immense flood to wipe out the entire town. In the middle of the chaos, no one knew what to do. The people begged for mercy, but the water still rose. As they were about to lose their hope, the headman's daughter crossed the bridge, offering the Devil her soul. The water disappeared and the people in town were saved. The deal was done, the Devil took the headman's daughter and left a bridge that remains until today."

"But why is it called the lovers' bridge?" Jongin wondered.

"Patience," said the woman, raising her hand. Then, she continued.

"The headman's daughter was engaged. The fiancé begged the Devil to return her. He said wouldn't leave the bridge until she's back. He waited and waited without eating or drinking until he was about to die. That's when the Devil appeared. It allowed him to see her once a year."

"During the last full moon of autumn," Jongin realised.

"Yes," replied the woman.

"And did he?"

"What?"

"Did he come to the bridge every year? Until his last day?" Jongin asked and the woman chuckled.

"Young man, it's just a legend," she said before walking away.

"Wait," Jongin called after her, "the headman's daughter, was she dead?"

By that the woman stopped, turning her head to Jongin.

"What do you mean?" She asked back.

"You said the Devil took her, but does that mean she was dead?" Jongin wondered, "On the bridge, does he meet his real fiancée or just her soul?"

The old woman raised her eyebrows. She seemed to be amused by Jongin's questions.

"Gute Frage," she murmured before waving at him, taking her leave.

"Wait! What did you say?" Jongin shouted after her, but this time, she didn't turn back.

"If you want to meet the Doctor, you should hit the trail," she replied loudly. Just then Jongin realised, the sun had been set.

...

His lips parted as Jongin unknowingly whispered a "wow". The full moon was so bright that the stone bridge clearly reflected in the water. The bridge and its reflection formed a flawless circle, something so close to perfection in the middle of nature. The sounds of the river flowing, the smell of wood and wet mud in the air, the wind that brought a touch of coldness... something about this scene was beautiful, but also dark and mystical. Just now, Jongin understood what the old woman told him. This place is too beautiful to be called the devil's bridge.

Jongin followed the people to the bridge. Some of them looked like tourists for all they did was taking pictures. Yet, Jongin recognized the locals. They are well dressed. Some are even holding flowers. Some stared into the night as if they were searching for someone, while some had a smile on their faces as if they had already found it.

Jongin checked on every person on the bridge. None of them had a slight semblance of Kyungsoo. His eyes lightened up every time someone stepped on the bridge, just to be darkened by disappointment in the next second. But that was ok, the night was still young, and he was willing to wait.

The former leader didn't go mad. He wasn't really believing the legend the old woman told him. He wasn't expecting to see Kyungsoo. Still, a part of him wished for a miracle. He couldn't explain why he was really on the bridge, waiting. Still, there was something more than meeting that Doctor Soo. Jongin knew very well, even if that Doctor weren't supposed to be here, he would still be at this place tonight... on this bridge of lovers... under the last full moon of autumn.

"Tell daddy goodbye," Jongin heard the woman next to him said to her son.

"Goodbye, daddy. See you next year," the familiar voice of a little boy caught his attention. Jongin turned to his left and found Johnny, carefully laying a bouquet of flowers on the ground.

"Hey there, little one," he greeted.

"I'm not 'little one'. I'm Johnny." The boy replied, making Jongin apologize with a shy smile.

"Mister," Johnny beamed, "are you here to meet your dad too?"

"No, I'm here to meet my husband," Jongin answered with hesitation.

"I'm sorry for your loss," said the woman next to Johnny, apparently his mother.

"And I'm sorry for yours," replied Jongin. The woman nodded before bowing down to her son.

"It's getting late, Johnny. We should go home."

"Ok," answered the young boy, waving at Jongin, and then at the other side of the bridge.

"Goodbye, Mister. Goodbye, daddy."

Jongin watched Johnny and his mom disappearing in the night. He hadn't noticed the smile on his face as he waved back at that little boy. For a truly short moment, he was distracted, until he felt a tap on his shoulder, and someone called his name.

Immediately, he turned around. His face lightened up.

"Kyungsoo," he called. Yet, to his disappointment, the person in front of him wasn't the one he wanted to see.

"What the hell?" He said. His eyes widened.

"Hello, boss," the man greeted with a bow.

"Namjoon," Jongin stated. The legend might just become true, but what a joke. This wasn't the dead Jongin wanted to meet.

.

.

.

At the same second as Kyungsoo stepped on the bridge, Jongin had already spotted him. It was dark and Kyungsoo was still far away. His hair was a bit shorter and he seemed to lose some weight, but Jongin would always recognize the Kyungsoo's silhouette.

As his body moved on his own, reaching for Kyungsoo, parts of the conversation with Namjoon flashed back in his mind.

"Boss, he is smart... very smart. Maybe the smartest of all the people I have met. Did you think he didn't have an escape plan? Every little detail... Do you really think it's a coincidence that you're here? At this time of the year?"

...

"You have changed a lot."

"What about you, boss? Have you changed? If you're here to claim him yours, I can't..."

"Namjoon," Jongin's voice firmed, "I owe you one for protecting him all this time."

"He was still your weakest point. I did it to protect you."

"And for that, I am more than thankful."

"But," Jongin made it clear, "keep yourself out of this. It's between Kyungsoo and me."

"Boss, don't you understand? He left because he must figure out his feeling for you. He said if he ever comes back to you, it'll be his own will."

"And here he is, at a place he knew I would find. And he didn't remove his scar. Do you think I don't know what it means? Do you think I don't understand his feelings? I know him better than you do. Don't let it go to your head!"

"Of course, you do. But do you understand yours? Have you figured out what you want? Because he deserves more than someone who thinks of him as something you could own." Jongin clenched his teeth. Taking a deep breath, he replied.

"As I said this is between Kyungsoo and me. I don't owe you any explanation. There is only one thing I want you to know. I'm not here to win him back."

"You're not?" Namjoon doubted.

Jongin would have lied if he said he didn't want Kyungsoo back, but he had to admit that wasn't a decision for him to make. This time it was Kyungsoo's choice. Kyungsoo being alive was all he had been prayed for, and this was a miracle that was about to get real.

"There is just... something I need to tell him."

"That's all?"

"You wouldn't understand. When he left, he apologized for so many things, but I never got the same chance."

"A chance? To tell him you forgive him?"

"No, a chance to apologize."

.

.

.

Holding his breath, Jongin tried to slow down his heartbeats. There it was. His chance. How often had he even imagine their reunion? But this topped it all. They both, under the moonlight, on a stone bridge, embraced by nature, listening to the river under them and the wind around them... it was so beautiful, like in a fairy tale. Thus, Jongin feared Kyungsoo would disappear at sunrise.

Jongin noticed the exact moment as their eyes locked, the moment Kyungsoo saw him. The expression on Kyungsoo's face changed immediately. His eyes widened and his lips trembled. Then, Kyungsoo bit on his lower lip. Jongin remembered how the smaller always did that when he was nervous. Kyungsoo's eyes welled up with tears, even though he was smiling. The smaller rushed to Jongin and in that moment, everything was like in slow motion. Jongin had waited for three years, but these three seconds were unbearable.

As they reached each other, standing so close they could feel the other's warmth, and Kyungsoo raised his head to look at Jongin, the taller knew this wasn't an illusion. Still, Jongin hesitated to touch the person in front of him for he feared he might be wrong.

"Kyungsoo," he said, and a tear fell down the smaller's face. At that moment, Jongin hadn't realised it was the first time Kyungsoo heard him saying his real name.

"I'm so s..." Jongin hadn't finished the sentence as Kyungsoo locked their lips. Jongin froze for a split second before he closed his eyes and kissed back. He was about to ask the Kyungsoo for forgiveness, but now, he had already got his answer. It was nicely strange how in the middle of a forest, in a faraway country, on a bridge he had never seen before, Jongin was aware of something, something he had never been so sure about.

Finally, he was home.

I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. 2020 was bad enough, I think we all can handle a happy ending.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting. I really appreciate you guys. *Sending kisses*

As mentioned in the foreword, this story is dedicated to Jonghyun who I miss so dearly. (And yes, some of you found the "code". It was in the title of the chapters. And if you count the hearts of the following chapters, there will be 27 ♡ for 27 chapters.

OK, now I guess it's time to say goodbye. I will miss you so much. Please, take care. Stay healthy, stay safe.