Song recommendation: Shayne Ward - No Promises

Chapter 11

There are too many times when Soojung wants to give up in her life. When her grandmother fell sick, her grandmother's request to marry Seungcheol, she had to leave Mijoo forcefully, finally married Seungcheol. On the day of her wedding, part of Soojung had dead but Seungcheol made up to her. He treated her well and Soojung soon accepted that her fate was with Seungcheol, not Mijoo. But when she began to love Seungcheol, the husband took his last breath on her lap, and that happened to be the day that Seungcheol wanted to confess his love for her.

But now is not the time for Soojung to give up. Not when she sees her precious little sisters, the only family members she has left, Myungeun and Jiae in their downs. Not when she knows Jiyeon has finally found her long lost girlfriend, Sujeong and of course not when Mijoo has appeared in front of her, begging for her love and comes back to her.

Apparantly Soojung has lied when she said she hated Mijoo. No one has ever known what she feels truthfully inside. When Seungcheol told her to look for Mijoo and love her again, Soojung did as she was told. But she gave up half way because she suddenly felt too ashamed to face Mijoo again. When Jisoo and Jiae planned their encounter, no one ever understood that how much she wanted to embrace Mijoo, kiss her and tell her how much she missed and loved the latter. But Soojung was hesitated.

She felt even more hesitated when she knew Mijoo had someone waiting for her, and that person coincidentally lived with the same name as Soojung. And that forced Soojung to retreat from reaching Mijoo's love again.

Soojung isn't too sure what she should do next. But even so, she's still happy to have the people she loves are by her side now; Jiae, Myungeun and even Jisoo has now lived under the same roof as them. It's all because her step mother had casted her out. When asking about her father, Jisoo's answer has always been the same. "Father doesn't even care. He loves that witch more than anything." Soojung is upset at Jisoo's father but then again, nothing will ever beat the betrayel and disappoinment that Jisoo feels. 

"How about Yein? Are you really going to leave her behind?" asked Soojung, a day after Jisoo came into the house with drenched body. And Jisoo sheded a tear before her. "Yein is too young. She's too dumb to realize. Like how I was before!" Soojung's heart cried silently for Jisoo and Myungeun. After all, Yein will have to marry someone soon, that is not her choice. Soojung knows how it feel to be in the situation, but she believes this is worse than her case. 

Something has been bothering Soojung regarding Jisoo's father. He clearly saw everything (that is bad) what his wife had done to his daughter Jisoo and step daughter Yein but he did nothing to stop her. What's worse he actually supported the wicked Jisoo's step mother. And Soojung wants to actually belive that Jisoo's father actually has been living under his wife's spell. Not that Soojung accuses (somehow she does actually) but it's more like her hunch, as someone matured and reads a lot of books.

Not only Soojung but Mijoo actully had once agreed with her.

"Mijoo, don't you think something is off with Jisoo's father?" Soojung asked while she was cuddling closer to Mijoo. The younger questionally hummed in return. "I mean, the way he acted. He looked so stiff, so...robotic in everything he did. It's like he almost read script everything that he said." Mijoo was still confused as what Soojung was meant to deliver. Sometimes Soojung wondered how someone as dumb as Mijoo (that couldn't even solve a simple math equation) could take accounting major. But she guessed fate always knew how to play the game and did a trick. She sighed at last and eventually had to come clean for her remarks. "I think he was spelled," said Soojung.

Frowning and gasping, Mijoo looked at her older girlfriend. "Spelled? You mean he's a wizard?" Soojung wanted to laugh at her silly girlfriend but suppressed herself since it was quite a serious topic, at least to Soojung. "No silly. I mean I think he's bewitched, by his wife, Jisoo's step mother," whispered Soojung.

Clink. Clink. Clink. It was like everything that was puzzled in Mijoo's mind had been finally solved now and a light of bulb appeared through her head. "Now that you said, I just noticed it too. Maybe you're not wrong at all. I agree with you. I think I have to talk to Jisoo about it," said Mijoo and kissed her girlfriend's forehead. "My smartie girlfriend!" Mijoo was so proud. Soojung was loving this.

"But wait. Does it actually mean Jisoo's step mother is a real witch, like in the movie Harry Potter? Hermione?" Soojung at the end actually ended up burst out laughing. Mijoo was so comical, like it didn't feel too real. Soojung placed both of her hands on Mijoo's shoulder and knelt on the same level eye to eye with Mijoo. "This is why I love you, silly!" And Soojung kissed her.

The slight memory from her mind aches Soojung's heart. She loves Mijoo too much and how the hell that she manages to push her away like a trash? Soojung feels so worthless and doesn't deserve Mijoo. She places her hand right to her chest, where her aching heart is. 

"I'm such a fool. Forgive me, Mijoo!"

Soojung cries to herself.

*

It's rare for the restaurant to be so free during lunch time, but for today is an exception. And it gives time for Soojung to relax from hectic day. The cooks are also leisure than they used to and that of course includes Jiae. But this particular person never fails to come during lunch. And yes it is Jisoo. Obviously she comes for Jiae. And because of the free time (due to lack of customers during lunch time) Jiae gets to lag off and sees Jisoo, accompanies her while the younger is eating lunch. Soojung feels like a proud mother to see happy Jiae, but part of her heart also in pain for Myungeun. It's clear to her now that Yein is really not going to see Myungeun anymore and it's all because Myungeun is forced to leave college in request of Yein's mother. So apparantly Myungeun is no longer a college student and now a full time worker of Kei Restaurant. Of course Soojung is really mad to know that Yein's mother requested the college to drop out Myungeun (when the younger girl is really smart and has a lot of potential) just because she doesn't want Myungeun to see Yein anymore. But she doesn't have the power to go againts her. 

Sitting with Myungeun at her table, then another customer comes in through door and Soojung abruptly stands up in courtesy, ready to give a greeting. But Soojung's stunned to see a long-haired guy to greet her instead. 

Yoon Junghan, Seungcheol's past boyfriend before he married her. And besides Junghan is another slim guy and about the same height. 

"Junghan..." The angel like guy flashes a sincere smile. Seungcheol had told Soojung a lot of stories about Junghan and even shared how much he cherished and loved the other guy. Until their wedding day, Junghan didn't even attend and they heard that he took a sudden leave to the States and they of course knew why. But that wasn't the last time they heard from him. The last time Soojung met him was the day of Seungcheol's funeral. And Soojung saw him cried over his ex-lover's death.

"Noona..."

Soojung and Junghan settle down together with the man that Junghan comes with in a table. Junghan introduces the another guy's name as Jisoo or his English name Joshua. Junghan met him when he was in the States and studied there. And Junghan even declares that the both of them are now currently in a romantic relationship. Soojung congratulates and is really glad for him.

"Actually, I'm here because I have something to tell you. More like a will from deceased Seungcheol to deliver to you." Soojung is honestly surprised that Junghan is here for her because Seungcheol entrusted him for something that Soojung isn't aware about. Junghan takes out something from his bag and reveals itself is a square velvet box. Upon just seeing the velvet box, Soojung can guess any possible contains that is in it. And her heart is utterly aching at the thought of deceased Seungcheol willed something for her.

Junghan continues after the brief silence. "Actually, he met me a few days before his death. We met and eventually came clean to me about what he reall felt towards you. He was too late to realize his actual feelings, when he already loved you as much before your marriage. If you want to know, Seungcheol had always admired you and told me everything about when we dated. Then when he told me you guys were getting married, I knew right then that I had no chance for him because of I knew deep in his heart he actually felt something more special towards you more than just an older sister."

Junghan's story eventually makes Soojung cries. Lee Soojung who hardly shows her true feelings, whatsmore to people that she barely knows has cried before Junghan and his current boyfriend, Joshua. Joshua kindly offers her his napkin and she gladly accepts his kind gesture. By the look of him, Soojung knows he's a fine man and Junghan is lucky to have him. 

Junghan hands over the velvet box to Soojung and he later hands her another item from Seungcheol for her, an envelope. "Before he died, he told me he wanted to give you this but couldn't hand it personally. He was so coward. It's like he actually knew that the time for him to return to where he belong to had come." Soojung retrieves the items from Junghan with shaky hands and teary eyes. Seungcheol was too good for her. It tortures Soojung's heart even more. "And he wanted you to find your happiness. He really hoped that you can go back to your ex-lover, find her and love her again. He knew that lover of yours was your source of happiness. And he said that he really wanted to see you be happy with your lover again even if it gives him actual pain for seeing someone he loved with someone else."

That's the last thing Junghan said before they part ways. What Junghan told her was also the same thing like what Seungcheol told her to do before he took his last breath. Seungcheol really wanted to see her be happy with Mijoo.

After Junghan and Joshua leave then Soojung finally opens the velvet box to see what's inside and it eventually contains a diamond ring. Soojung weeps again and kisses the ring. She then opens the envelope and a letter greets her