Your Smile Was All I Needed
There were things she had to do now she had got her memory back.
The first thing she did was to visit the Goblin’s house. The grim reaper shook his head, who would be so excited to meet a grim reaper, but he couldn’t hide his smile. Eun Tak’s age was already 29. Just like the grim reaper had told her, Eun Tak had met a grim reaper at 9, 19, and 29.
Sunny had always been close to her, but now Eun Tak had her memories back, she couldn’t imagine a life without her. She wanted to see Sunny again, but she was always so busy, it was hard to even greet each other in the morning.
Eun Tak met her psychologist last. There would be no need for her to visit her anymore. She was grateful for all she had done for her the past few years and she wanted to say her last goodbyes. The doctor was confused at her sudden brightness, but Eun Tak just replied that she had remembered how to be happy again.
Every moment couldn’t be as happy as before. The scar from 9 years was still too painful for both of them. Around midnight, Eun Tak woke up screaming from a nightmare. Cold sweat was covering her back and she was alone. She clicked the lighter twice and blew out the flame in one blow. After covering her head with the blanket, she quickly counted to herself.
One, two, three, four…
The Goblin appeared in her room with wide eyes. His face was full of sleep, but the tear marks on Eun Tak’s face woke him up straight away. Before he could ask what was going on, she hugged him tightly, and he patted her shoulder lightly with quick reflexes.
“I was scared. I was scared that it might all be a dream. That I was still in that dream.”
The Goblin’s comforting hand eased Eun Tak’s sobs. The scar time had left stung painfully. He tried to smile sweetly; he hoped that she would be able to trust him and calm down. The
“Come to me before the count of three next time, alright? Don’t go anywhere without me.”
“Alright.”
“Liar.”
Her words made him sad.
“I’m sorry.”
Back then that was the only thing he could do and the guilt of it killed him inside. Her uneven gasps started to become more stabilised. The girl’s forehead creased every time he moved in the slightest. She was in a light sleep. If something like that ever happened again, he was never going to leave her behind, even if that meant the country’s defeat.
*
Early in the morning, the Goblin left Eun Tak’s house and watched the door of her next-door for a long time. He had heard that Sunny lived there. Shin knew that Sunny wouldn’t recognize him, but he couldn’t help but stare at that door, wishing it would open.
“Brother?”
A sharp, familiar voice called him from behind. The Goblin turned his head in surprise and looked at his sister.
“Why are you in front of Producer Ji’s house, while looking at my house? Are you that guy from the restaurant? “
The woman looked at the Goblin up and down with a strong glance. Restaurant? What restaurant. The Goblin then realised that the person Eun Tak had been calling in Canada, Quebec was Sunny. He smiled at the weird fate that intertwined them all, when Sunny suddenly took a step closer towards him. Her future filled his mind.
Sunlight shone brightly into the café, and Sunny was wearing fancy but elegant clothes. In front of her sat a nicely dressed grim reaper. The bright smile on Sunny’s face made the Goblin smile again in relief.
“So you will go through that road again. Your smile was all I needed.”
“Who smiled? Am I smiling right now?”
“And your personality seems to have not changed at all. You may not be smiling now, but you will be smiling in the end.”
Her brother’s words were as annoying as ever. What end? What smile? But the man who had been standing outside her next door neighbours house, wearing pyjamas, had already left. Sunny smiled with relief too.
“Make my part-timer happy, brother. Your ugly sister will be happy. Really.”
She went back into her house. There were things she had to finish off.
*
Sunny unwrapped the arms around her waist.
“What’s happening? Are you bragging to me about your holiday with a foreign greeting?”
“I missed you, Sunny. You weren’t at the shop and you weren’t at home. Where in the world were you?”
“I’m moving.”
Eun Tak’s eyes widened in surprise. Moving houses was a shock to her, but moving shops shocked her even more. Sunny had always told her that she had a new-house-phobia and didn’t want to move houses. She gave Sunny a bottle of maple syrup she had gotten from Canada as a souvenir. The bottle had been in her bag for a few days already, just in case she met Sunny by chance.
“Did you find the things you had lost?”
“I found everything. All of it. You wouldn’t believe how much I found. I found so many things including a boyfriend. A boyfriend from Quebec. If this isn’t destiny, what is?”
Sunny had guessed that Eun Tak had gotten her memory back when she saw her brother in front of her part-timer’s house, but the fact still surprised her. She was glad. She wanted them both to be happy.
“That destiny, is he handsome?”
“Totally stunning. Big, clear eyes, and used to work for the country.”
“He must be quite stubborn.”
“Yes, he is. Wait, what?”
Eun Tak asked with her eyes but Sunny just smiled. She quickly asked about the restaurant in Quebec, and Eun Tak forgot about everything and rambled on about her love.
“I’ll introduce you to him soon. I really want you to meet him.”
“Forget that, I already met him as he was coming out of your house. You’re on your own.”
Sunny looked a bit depressed, and only she seemed to be all excited. Watching Sunny look out the window reminded her of the past times.
“Why are you staring at me?”
“I was just remembering old times.”
“Yeah, you’re on your own for that too.” There was a slight pause. “Stay well.”
“You say that as if we’ll never see each other again.”
There was a clear disappointment in Eun Tak’s voice, and Sunny laughed at her cuteness. Eun Tak waved goodbye, saying that she had prior engagements, and Sunny was left alone again in the silent chicken shop.
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