It was already dark when I reached the hospital where HyeRin’s getting her pre-test. I’ve prepared myself to get up very early and got straight to meet her here, but a plan is just a plan. HyeMi has been bugging me from the morning, asking me to accompany her to try wedding dresses—a thing we both know was useless but we did anyway to avoid being questioned by her father.

After we tried our wedding outfit, the President invited us for a fancy lunch in Cheongdamdong to celebrate HyeMi’s future of being healthy—now they found HyeRin, all of their problem seems to vanish. But I don’t want to talk about what happened to me the whole day, I want to know what happened to HyeRin. I arrived at her ward to find a bodyguard—the one that sat with us in the limo ride from the airport—stand in front of the door. The man recognizes me and give me permission to enter immediately.

I slide the door and find HyeRin’s lying on her side facing away from the door. She doesn’t hear me coming because of the ear phone she has on the ears. I come closer and softly touch her shoulder.

She turns her body and lifts her face towards me. Her expression is something I can never forget. The bruises on her face that she got from the President’s fist shown clearly on both cheeks, her eyes are red and watery which I believe happen from crying. The shine in her eyes has gone completely and I feel like I’m staring at the empty shell.

“Oppa.” She whispers while lifting her body into a seating position.

“Oh my god, what happened to you?” I take my seat at the side of her bed and reach out to her face.

She neglects my touch by turning her face to opposite direction.

“HyeRin-a, are you angry with me? I know I’m late, I should’ve been here from the morning and be with you through the whole process. Something came up and I cannot..”

“Dweso.” She cuts my explanation. “It doesn’t matter anyway.”

“I’m sorry.”

She nods but still avoiding my gaze.

“Am I forgiven?”

She lifts both of her shoulders. “I don’t care about it.”

“Is something bothering you?” now that’s a stupid question.

“No.” she squints her eyebrows as if she’s thinking to say something to me, “Humor me, tell me about your day.”

“Will you tell me yours after?”

“We’ll see how bad your day was.” She gives out a weak forced smile.

“Should I be honest?”

She nods, “Even if it’s awkward, just tell me.”

“Okay.” I take a deep breath, “So my story begun with me waking up very early in order to meet you here. I swear I was up at five.”

“Continue. I’d like to know your reason why you’re not here.”

“Well, on my way here, HyeMi called and she said we—she and I—were supposed to go to our tailor to try on our wedding attire. She told me that the President and the first lady will come with her also to see how the fitting goes.” I study HyeRin’s face while telling my story, her expression doesn’t change.

“How was the suit? Did you look good in it? Please tell me it’s not white penguin suit, you’ll look ridiculous in it.”

“Apparently it was.”

She lets out a little laugh imagining me in the white suit.

“After that we went to a late family lunch and ends up shopping for the first lady before we call it a day.” I chose to end my story rather quick, I just don’t want her to feel left out with all the family outing we had earlier.

“Did you take any picture?”

“Ne?”

“When you’re in the suit.”

“No, it’s not something I plan to keep forever.”

“Are you seriously not going to give her a chance?” She asks curiously.

“Is it a test from you?”

“No, I just thought that both of you are involve in a very complicated relationship which was so hard to get out of.”

“If I consider getting back with her, what about you?”

“What about me?” she scoffs, “You don’t have to think about me, you just have to keep your promise. After I’m gone you can continue on loving her.” She finishes her sentence in a plain face.

“What do you mean you’re gone? I don’t like the way you’re