CH 164

Yiyoung put on a hat and looked at the buses arriving with all the visitors. Muyeol was on his way, visiting the same locations that Yiyoung had visited on her way to Hallstatt. According to the time Yiyoung had spent at each place to take the pictures, he should be arriving today.

“I hope he’ll arrive by today,” Yiyoung muttered to herself.

It was freezing. Winter in Europe was a lot colder than in Seoul, just like Muyeol had warned her. It was snowing endlessly. Just a week ago, a house in the village had even collapsed due to the snowstorm. The snow from the storm had piled up on the ground, now reaching Yiyoung’s thigh. She occasionally joined the residents in the village to clean the snow.

Yiyoung was blowing warm air on her gloved hands when Hilda, who was out walking her dog, called out to her, “Yoon, you’re out again today!”

Though Yiyoung had known that Muyeol was supposed to arrive today, she had been waiting outside yesterday and the day before, too. Well, she’d gone out and waited for him ever since he had called her.

Yiyoung smiled. “Hi, Hilda! I have a good feeling today.”

“Your husband is finally coming today. Oh, you must be so happy. Are you really going to get married at the church?”

“Yeah, I will. As soon as I saw the church, it became my dream.”

“Are you going to invite us?”

“Of course. I will invite you all.”

“I hope your day turns out fabulous.”

Yiyoung grinned as she flashed Hilda a victory sign. “Thank you.”

After staying there for over four weeks, Yiyoung had become pretty close to the residents of the village. Her career as a doctor helped her make new friends; they shared food with her, and Yiyoung provided them with what she could as a doctor in return. They’d bonded through mutual help.

Yiyoung turned back to the parking lot. “Oh my… I’m so excited.”

She’d been waiting for the video recording of Muyeol becoming the CEO, but the video that was sent to her had nothing to do with his inauguration.

Instead, it was a video of Muyeol speaking as he untied his tie. “I’m going to depart right now. It’s okay if you don’t have a wedding dress. You’re going to be the most beautiful bride in the world. But if you still need it, tell me. I’ll prepare it.”

‘Oh my gosh! What is this man doing? He’s coming all the way here while skipping the inauguration ceremony?’ she had thought as she watched the video.

“I realized that the most important thing in my life is you. The sky that I look at with you, the sunset, the light, the wind… I’m sorry, Yoon Yiyoung. You’ll be stuck with me in your next life as well. What I couldn’t do for you in this life, I’ll fulfill it all in your next life.”

Yiyoung didn’t remember how many times she’d played the video, bawling her eyes out as it played. The pictures that Muyeol sent her on his way made her cry as well. He’d probably been embarrassed to take the pictures, but he still posed as if Yiyoung was next to him, completing the pictures by graphically editing Yiyoung into each picture.

Yiyoung truly felt as if she’d been there with him in each place. It really looked as if she’d been there with him.

Soon, Muyeol would come and meet her.

* * *

Muyeol noticed Yiyoung the moment he entered the parking lot. Her figure was outfitted in a long padded coat and a hat, but it was definitely Yiyoung. He was confident in his ability to recognize her, even when she was drowning in a bunch of clothes.

As he parked his car, Yiyoung kept staring at the buses driving in. Perhaps she thought that he’d chosen a tour package just like she had. Muyeol exited the car and made a beeline for her.

A tour guide explained to the visitors, “This is Hallstatt, a famous place in Austria. The weather is really beautiful today. It’s not easy to witness such good weather here. As travelers, we’re lucky.”

A horde of people followed the tour guide like little ducklings.

“I’ll give you all an hour of free time,” announced the tour guide, “Please feel free to look around. Let’s meet here after an hour. We’ll move to a restaurant after that.”

The crowd would leave after they were done sightseeing. Muyeol’s face brightened all of a sudden, the wide grin gracing his face revealing his perfectly aligned teeth.

After the crowd passed by, Yiyoung’s eyes landed on Muyeol. Seeing her made him feel like he had arrived at the final destination. After crossing the dark tunnel, the final destination awaited him.

With every step he took, they became wider. He walked at first, and then started running. Yiyoung ran toward him as well. He opened his arms wide and lifted her high in the air. Yiyoung smiled and hugged Muyeol tightly, her tears smearing on his face as the two embraced each other. His eyes were moist, too, but he didn’t care about how he looked. He was more worried that Yiyoung’s tears would freeze in the weather.

Muyeol gently wiped the tears off her face and confessed, “I almost went crazy from missing you so much.”

Yiyoung responded with a deep kiss.

It was the moment when the beauty of life was completed.