When I Loved You

“You always say they’re like angels, and now you just want them to keep sleeping.”

“They’re angels, indeed. But they most resemble the angel when they’re asleep. In fact, they look even more beautiful than angels,” Yiyoung said in a laid-back manner.

Muyeol reached out to lightly ruffle her hair. Yiyoung laughed innocently before switching the radio on. “It’s boring. Let’s listen to some music on the way.”

“Okay.”

As she switched the channels, she paused and listened to one of the radio stations. The radio hosts were talking, and then Yiyoung heard a singing voice that was particularly out of the ordinary. While she listened closely, the hosts introduced a male quartet crossover band. But when after listening to their conversation with the hosts, the band didn’t sing, Yiyoung was disappointed.

“What a bummer. I wish they would sing…”

Not knowing who the band was, Yiyoung didn’t feel inspired to listen to them anymore. So she switched to other channels, but on every station, the hosts were just busy talking.

Yiyoung pouted, and then changed the channel again before abruptly pausing.

“—guardian angel of mine. Cantate caeli chorus angelorum…” It was a song by the male quartet crossover band.

Muyeol turned to pay attention as well. Yiyoung increased the volume as if she was enchanted by the song. The two exchanged a glance.

“Are they all men? Really?” she asked.

Muyeol shrugged, unsure. Yiyoung listened to their song again. It sounded like gospel music, even the lyrics seeming like they were gospel. The song was beautiful, four mean weaving beautiful harmonies together.

“So I hide beneath your wing…”

Yiyoung automatically turned to look at Muyeol, her guardian angel, and realized how she was staying under his wings. Then, she turned around to look at the two sleeping angels. “I love this song. I got goosebumps.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

The song ended quickly, but the sound lingered in Yiyoung’s mind. She looked up the band on her phone, and then bought it and saved it. “Wasn’t that song so good?”

“Yeah.”

“I just bought their song. Can we listen to it again?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

Yiyoung connected her phone to the bluetooth, and listened to the song ‘Angel’ over and over again. Every time she listened to it, her heart fluttered. For the first time, she learned that she could feel this way after listening to a song. The heavenly harmonies piled up in her heart, like they were the stairway to heaven.

Soon, they reached Madam Choi’s house. The kids had woken up half hour before they arrived, and were singing all the children’s songs.

When the car stopped, they yelled, “Grandma! Grandma!”

Madam Choi, who had been waiting for them outside, ran toward them with a big smile. “Welcome, my puppies!”

“Grandma, I’m not a puppy! I’m Cha Jiyoon!”

“I’m Joonho!”

“Yes, yes. My puppies.”

“I said, I’m not a puppy!” Jiyoon protested.

Muyeol laughed loudly before unbuckling the kids’ seat belts and letting them out of the car. Jiyoon and Joonho ran toward Madam Choi and threw themselves into her arms. Muyeol and Yiyoung followed them.

Madam Choi welcomed them with a bright smile. “It must have been quite a trip for you guys.”

“Happy birthday,” the two greeted.

Madam Choi nodded with her wrinkled face, her eyes shining with tears.

After a delicious dinner, Madam Choi went to her room with the two kids, saying that she wanted to open her gifts with them.

Muyeol and Yiyoung sat down at the deck, enjoying the breeze as they held each other’s hands.

“I feel so peaceful whenever I come here,” Yiyoung said, causing Muyeol to smile wordlessly.

Yiyoung lied down on her back, noticing the night sky of summer. “You should lie down like this, honey.”

After becoming parents to two children, there were only a limited number of places left for them to call each other’s name. They only called each other by their name in their bedroom, a secret place where they enjoyed total pleasure. Anywhere else, they referred to each other as ‘honey’.

Muyeol lied down next to her like she had suggested.

“How is it?” Yiyoung asked. “Does it feel like the stars are falling on you?”

She was right. The light from the stars in the night sky brightened the world.