“I didn’t mean to leave you Mina,”
answered Ji Won, his voice shaking. “I
couldn’t take my dad anymore. My grandpa
had given me his inheritance and I planned on
taking you and Sung Hoon with me. I didn’t
tell you about it because I was afraid you wouldn’t
leave your family for me. When I came to your
house to get you, my uncle’s men were
there waiting for me and chased me to the docks.
I escaped but I wanted to go back but couldn’t.
I could have put your life in danger. This isn’t
the first time I’ve cried Mina. I cried
when I knew I was going to be separated from
you.”
Despite the pain, I managed to smile. Ji Won
didn’t want to leave me, I thought. “Look
Ji Wonee, I’m wearing the dress I always
wanted to wear if we had gotten married.”
Ji Won looked at me. “You’re beautiful
Mina,” he said to me. “If everything
would have gone as planned, we could have been
married here in Korea.”
One thing was still bothering me. I think I
managed to hold onto my life this long because
of this question. “Ji Wonee, do you love
me? I mean romantically, and not as your dongsang.”
Ji Won looked down at Mina. She was beautiful.
His heart ached when he saw how pale she was.
He realized she never did know that he had loved
her all along. “Yes, Mina,” he told
her. “I loved you since the first day
we met. I loved you then and I had never stopped
loving you.” He bent down to kiss her.
My heart was deepened to a warm bliss. Ji Won
said he loved me, I told myself as I felt him
kiss me. Then a cold realization washed over
me but I didn’t really care. I always
thought that I was hurt when I didn’t
receive Ji Won’s love. Instead, I found
out my pain came from when I didn’t give
Ji Won enough love. I haven’t told Ji
Won I loved him yet.
“Ji Won,” I said to him as he looked
down at me. “Thank you for making my dream
come true by saying that you love me. I know
you’re lying and just saying it to repay
me but you didn’t have to. I did it all
because I—I—“
I was losing my voice. Not now, please, I prayed
as tears fell down my face. I need to tell him
before I go. I reached into my pocket and pulled
out the white marble stone Ji Won had given
to me when I was Min Sung. I pointed towards
the ocean to make Ji Won look. I threw the stone
with all my remaining strength. It skipped 3
times.
‘Perfect,’ I thought as I closed
my eyes for the last time.
As Ji Won listened to what Mina was saying,
he was stunned still. He couldn’t believe
his ears. She thought he was saying he loved
her as payment of what she had done for him.
More tears fell down his face as he shook his
head. Then when Mina pointed out to the ocean,
Ji Won saw her throw the stone he had given
her.
It skipped 3 times. I love you.
Ji Won smiled, knowing that Mina loved him too.
He had known that she had loved him all along
but she never told it to him either. “Mina,
you don’t understand. I do love you!”
he shouted. Then Ji Won looked down at her.
She had passed on.
“Mina?”
He shook her gently. Her body was still and
completely lifeless. “Mina!” he
screamed in pain. He held onto her tightly,
burying his face into her neck. He was crying
so loudly and painfully that both their bodies
shook.
Sung Hoon and the others finally made it to
where Ji Won and Mina was. They circled Ji Won,
who was bent over holding someone they couldn’t
see.
“Hyung,” said Sung Hoon as he put
his hand on Ji Won’s shoulder. “Are
you okay? Where’s Min Sung?”
Ji Won lifted his head up and Sung Hoon saw
who Ji Won was holding. He fell back into the
sand shocked.
“M…Mina?” he asked in disbelief.
“Mina?” the others repeated.
“Min Sung is Mina?” asked Ji Yong.
Ji Won nodded his head. “She dressed up
as a guy to join SechsKies to be with me.”
“You’re right, Mickey. Mina did
love Matthew hyung,” said Jae Duc quietly.
Sung Hoon got up and hugged both Ji Won’s
and Mina’s bodies tightly. “Why?”
he asked crying. Everyone remained silent. Ji
Won shook his head. He moved away from Sung
Hoon and turned to face all of them.
“SechsKies is my family. You guys are
all like my brothers. Please be my witness as
I make this promise to Mina.” They nodded
their heads sadly and listened.
“Mina,” Ji Won began. “When
you were alive, I was never able to tell you
that I loved you. Now that you’re gone,
you don’t believe I love you. Even though
I never showed you the kind of love you wanted
me to, it doesn’t mean I didn’t
love you with all I have.” Ji Won paused
and yanked off the ring around his necklace.
“With SechsKies here as my witnesses,
I, Eun Ji Won, take Nam Mina as my wife ‘til
eternity. I have nothing to give you Mina except
my heart, which belonged to you from the first
day we met.”
He kissed her lips as he slipped on the ring.
The others watched him in silence. They were
surprised when because of all the time Ji Won
had been their leader, he had never used his
real name Ji Won before. They knew he was serious.
When it was over, Ji Won lifted Mina up into
his arms as he stood up.
“As your leader, I have a final announcement
to make. I am quitting SechsKies.”
“What?” they all asked in disbelief.
“Hyung,” said Su Won. “Please
reconsider.”
Ji Won shook his head. “This is the second
time Mina left me. I really can’t go on
as your leader. The person I loved the most
is taken away from me too soon and she died
not knowing that I truly do love her.”
The others understood what Ji Won meant. Jae
Jin walked up to Ji Won. “What do you
plan to do then Matthew?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. I’ll
be somewhere where I’ll always be with Mina and constantly
remind her that I love her. And as for SechsKies, with all
the money and businesses we have, I don’t see any
reason why we have to commit any more crimes. We each have
enough money to spend for the rest of our lives already.”They
all nodded.
Ji Won placed a hand on Sung Hoon’s shoulder. “Sung
Hoon,” said Ji Won.
“Yes hyung?” asked Sung Hoon. “If you
do love Kyung Hee, tell her before it’s too late.”
Sung Hoon nodded. “I will.”
Ji Won looked at his 5 brothers for the last time. “This
final meeting of SechsKies is now adjourned. I wish you
all the best and hope you do find your true love because
I have. Good bye.”
Ji Won picked up Mina’s book and scribbled something
into it. When he was done, he placed it down back on the
rock. Then Ji Won lifted Mina’s body up into his arms
as he walked away.
“Hyung!” shouted Sung Hoon. “Where are
you going?”
Ji Won continued walking and didn’t answer him. The
5 Kies watched their leader walk towards the sunset carrying
his bride and disappeared. They picked up the book to see
what Ji Won had written. The last entry of Mina’s
story was,
“True love never has an ending.”
