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Nia was giddy that night.  Taehyung had sent her home at five pm sharp.  She didn’t dare ask questions.  She wasn’t even sure she wanted the answers.  Now she was sitting on the back porch with Yeontan sound asleep on her lap.  As she ran her hand through the puppy’s fur, she wondered what Taehyung was doing.  She hoped tonight went well, whatever it was that he was doing.

——————–

Taehyung returned late that night.  He slipped into the house and put his shoes and coat by the door before heading to the kitchen.  Surely, Nia was already asleep by now.  But where was Tan?  Taehyung poured himself a glass of water before going off to search for his dog.  Usually, she would greet him at the door, no matter what time he came home.  She wasn’t in her bed.  She wasn’t in his room.  She wasn’t in the living room.  Where could she be?

Taehyung found himself wandering out to the back porch.  Where he found Nia sound asleep in his chair, Yeontan in her lap.  Taehyung smiled.  He crossed the patio and sat down in the chair across from hers.  As he watched her sleep, he recognized that she didn’t look at day older from when they’d parted eight years ago.  In fact, her short hair made her look even younger than she had looked then.

A cold wind blew across the balcony, and Taehyung realized how cold it was getting out here.  It was getting later in the year, and the warm nights were gone.  He glanced up at the sky.  It was a clear night again, and stars were shining faintly in the sky.  He remembered jumping into his pool and staring up at that same sky just two months ago.  Now the thought of touching that water sounded freezing.

He turned back to Nia.  He should take her inside.  And Yeontan too.  They couldn’t sleep out here all night.  He stood up and scooped Yeontan up before taking her inside.  He set her in her tiny bed before returning to the balcony for Nia.  Picking her up was a bit harder.  She was heavier and slightly trapped by the arm rests of the chair.  He leaned down and scooped her up.  She was so light.  It nearly took him by surprise.  But then he remembered he exercised much more now than he had eight years ago, so that might’ve played into the equation somewhat.

Her carried her inside, trying his best to shut the door behind him.  Then he took her to her room and laid her down in the bed.  He tucked the covers in around her and smiled.  He remembered doing this once before.  But that had been a sadder time.

——————–

They’d been sitting on her back porch one night.  It had been a few weeks before she’d supposedly passed.  She’d leaned her head on his shoulder while they watched the stars.  And eventually, she’d fallen asleep.

He had watched her as she slept, mourning the fact that she only had a few more weeks left at most.  He refused to do it when she was awake.  He didn’t want her to feel bad for something that was out of her control.  But it hurt.  So bad.  He would miss her so much when she finally left him here.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and buried his face in her hair as tears streamed down his face.  The world was so cruel.  They’d spent nearly five years together, and now she was being torn away from him.  He’d wanted to marry her.  And start a family.  And grow old together.  But Nia would never see those days now.  He choked on a sob.

Then, not wanting to wake her, he picked her up and took her inside.  He tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead before heading home.  He’d sobbed his heart out on his walk home that night.  Wishing that the ring he’d spent an entire semester’s college tuition on would go to use.  That one day their little child would play with it as it rested on her finger.  But that day would never come.  And it broke him.

Now, as he stared down at her, he was so glad someone had given her a second chance.  Maybe his old dreams would once come true.  He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled.  The world was cruel, but sometimes, it offered a little bit of hope.