The dinner is beside a business matter between two families, also a chance to celebrate Jinah’s comeback home. Im Jinah smiles beautifully as always but Park Chorong already drained her energy to reply her sister’s warmth. Jinah notices her wounded lip and tries to dig information about it, but Chorong only shakes her head weakly. She only shows the excitement when Jinah finally introduces her boyfriend—Wu Yifan, super handsome Chinese rookie model—to the family. Chorong watches how Yifan treats her sister like a gentleman does, and somehow she wonders if that’s just an act. But seeing how radiant Jinah’s smile is, Chorong doubts they have the same relationship as Woohyun’s and hers.

She gets saddened with the fact suddenly. A tight smile or a grim face paints her face for the whole dinner, and the mothers ask her in concern. Chorong lies again, of course. She says nothing happened and it’s just because she’s a bit tired.

The maddening fact is, Nam Woohyun does nothing there to save her (or them). He stays silent even when his father asks him if their marriage facing a problem. In the end Chorong is the one who gives their curious eyes an answer, ‘no, we are fine’, because she can’t bear the concern look in Aunty Im’s stare.

“Chorong-ah, how about spend the night in our home?” The choice Jinah offers is really tempting and Chorong misses the word home more than anyone in that table.

“Ya, how can you ask her that, Im Jinah? Chorong already has husband.” Aunty Im scolds her daughter lightly.

“I just back to Korea today and I miss her, omma!” The super model pouts adorably and parents chuckle seeing her action.

“I,” Chorong glances at her left, her husband seems not care with whatever her answer is. “I miss you too, Jinah.” She forces a happier smile. Home. Home. Home. “I think I—“

“I’m sorry Jinah-ssi, but I don’t think I can let you take away my wife even for only a night.”

I hate him!

Chorong feels her body being forced to lean in closer to him as his right arm already embraces her shoulder. She can’t do anything except lowering her head and smiles shyly as the elders pretty much satisfied with the lovey dovey act. They still have a small smile hanging on their face till Chorong gets into Woohyun’s car later, when dinner comes to the end.

The tension is heavy in the car. Park Chorong won’t let out a single word and Nam Woohyun is back to his cold façade. The only different thing from previous home trip before is Woohyun quickly opens her door and drags her to the home, leaving the car in front of their house.

“What are you doing?!”

Chorong snarls and tries to free her arm. Woohyun only pulls out his grip when they finally in the bedroom, eyes look red beyond mad.

“Stay right there! Don’t you dare escaping like before!”

And with that rude comment, he’s gone in flash, leaving her alone once again as the sound of his car slowly fades away in the background. Chorong falls onto the bed, face first. She buries her muffled sob in a pillow, trying to let out her frustration that feels so unbearable tonight.

It has been fifteen minutes and her crying still hasn’t stopped. She feels tired. She is exhausted. She wants to quit. Seems like her last hope is vanished, so is her last soul.

The vibration of her phone is the one which makes her wake up and sheds away her tears. Chorong forces her body to function again as she looks at the caller id on the monitor. Im Jinah. No, she doesn’t wish it to be someone else, not really.

“Yes, Nana?!” Chorong answers rather harshly, she shuts her eyes tightly and her fingers pinch the top of her nose, somehow wishes this entire nightmare would be gone. She’s used to call her aunt’s daughter Nana as a nickname.

“Chorong-ah? Are you okay?” Jinah can’t hide her concerned tone, Chorong can sense it obviously.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” The said girl lets out a bitter chuckle, trying to suppress her comeback tears.

On the line, she can imagine her step sister sighs dramatically at her, eyes show nothing than pity. Park Chorong is pathetic after all.

“Don’t be like this, Chorong-ah. We’ve been sister for so long, I know when you’re not okay. Where are you now?”

I am at a strange place where it’s surrounded by cold walls, and heartbreaking silent. But it’s not like I can go out of this place, I was bounded to be here—trapped in here to pay my debt. Chorong cries inside.

“Home.”

Home. At the direct mention of that one word, she can’t help but to let out her sob loudly on the phone.

“Chorong-ah, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Jinah frantically tries her best to console the married woman. “What did Woohyun do to you? Are you hurt? I’ll come get you, okay? I’m sorry I forced you into this mess. I’ll talk to omma about your marriage with that Nam heir.”

Chorong keeps sobbing.

“Chorong-ah, I’m sorry.”

***

For the first time in his life, Nam Woohyun feels his head almost exploding from this strange feeling—so suffocating and almost makes him insane. He knows he’s mad, upset, furious or whatever you call it, but now is like there’s more than those angers. Something Woohyun can’t exactly describe, but truly disturbing.

It’s not his fault—no, it’s never my fault. Bitterly, he chugs down his drink in one gulp. No, it’s never my fault. He repeats the statement in his head like a mantra. To get his sanity back, to keep him from going all crazy without a certain source of what made him like that.

Is it because of her? Park Chorong? He scoffs, shaking his head mockingly. Definitely no. Why should her be? It’s obviously because of that f.ck.ng Howon who acted innocent, when—

Woohyun pours another glass and drinks it fast. His anger is rising up every time a certain scene keeps replaying inside his head.

“Man!” A hard pat lands on his shoulder but Woohyun ignores it. “You look awful!” He keeps his eyes on the glass he’s holding, and still ignores Seungyeol who takes a seat beside him.

“What has happened? Got your first fight with your wife?” Seungyeol laughs after asking Woohyun that question, feels like it’s some kind of joke.

Woohyun growls, he doesn’t understand but something stirs his emotion in a way he doesn’t like every time her existence is mentioned. It’s madness. Certainly.

“Well, then we’re best company to each other, aren’t we? Dongwoo ditched me and went together with Naeun, I tell you, those two are suspicious, and I don’t know both Hayoung and Howon has gone to.” Seungyeol blabbers even when the guy beside him doesn’t show any interest in whatever he says. But Woohyun’s ears get stung upon the name of Howon coming to his hearing. The grip on the glass is tightened.

“Where has he gone to?”

“Who? Dongwoo? That freak didn’t tell me, suddenly he and Naeun got on his car together and—“

“Howon. Where has he gone to?” Woohyun cuts Seungyeol off, slightly irritated.

“Oh. I don’t know, I mean I haven’t met him this week. Did you see him?”

Woohyun smirks, letting go of the glass. “No.”

“I guess.” Seungyeol replies casually, fails to grasp how strange his friend sounded. “Typical Lee Howon, a lone wolf.”

Lee Seungyeol can stop being nosy only when his drink finally comes. But the silence between them doesn’t last long as the chatterbox starts talking again seconds later.

“There he is!” Seungyeol exclaims when sees the guy that has been talked about appears from the front door, but then another figure follows behind him. “, man, why does he bring that chick?! She’s a toughie!”

Woohyun feigns ignorant, although through his peripheral vision he catch the glimpse of Howon with someone. Wait, Yoon Bomi? Is he crazy?!

“Yah, Nam Woohyun!”

Right, he must be crazy! Look at this Bomi shouts loudly like some kind of ajhumma who own the store shamelessly while Howon himself only watches her in amusement. Why does he have to drag her here by the way?

Woohyun doesn’t get to sort his thought out when suddenly a hard slap lands on his left cheek. Seungyeol exclaims whoa excitedly—that guy really is no help.

“That’s for hurting my unnie.” Bomi says calmly when Woohyun’s glare directly shoots toward her. And before he can give a proper respond, she has slapped him again—as hard as the first one. He can hear the satisfying laughter from Seungyeol and wonders if that tall is his true friend.

“What—“

“And that’s for hitting my boyfriend!”

“What?!”

Now both Woohyun and Seungyeol widen their eyes as their mouth form an o shape along with surprised gasp. They immediately avert their gaze to Howon, demanding an explanation.

Lee Howon only raises an eyebrow, his poker face doesn’t falter. “We’re official now.” He talks calmly while his hand reaches Bomi’s and lifts them together, as if some sort of proof.

“What.. how..? Why you two..?” Seungyeol loses his ability to speak full sentence, obviously doesn’t understand this weird situation. Like, really? Lee Howon and Yoon Bomi?! God must love surprises!

“What the hell are two implying?!” Woohyun has finally recovered from his shock (two slaps in round and this funny truth—really are not his favorite) and cynically lets out his irritation.

“Gosh, how slower can you be, Woohyun-ssi?!” Bomi speaks up again (and Woohyun has a strong feeling he’s gonna hate this girl too), scoffing. “Chorong unnie was hiding in my apartment at that time, if you care enough about her you would have noticed her suitcase there! But you now you choose to turn your hate toward Howon oppa?!”

Woohyun’s face turns pale. It’s not like I didn’t notice her big suitcase there, I just thought if Park Chorong didn’t try to cover it up well, then she still didn’t want to see me at that time. His mind makes a sad monologue while his tongue already feels numb and can’t utter a word. He darts his gaze toward Howon (there’s a little bruise in his jaw) and his friend nods in assurance.

Nam Woohyun gets up from his seat and strides toward the door in a rush, leaving the three watching him in silent.

“Whoa, stop there, new couple. How the hell did I have no idea about this?!” Lee Seungyeol breaks the still moment and makes both Howon and Bomi take attention toward him.

“You even called him oppa?!” He continues, cringing.

“Shut up, just shut up, Lee Seungyeol!” Suddenly Bomi’s face turns red although she tries to look tough as glaring at Seungyeol. Stomping off, she leaves the bar too.

“Yah, call me oppa too! Howon is same age as me, you know!” Seungyeol shouts before the figure of Bomi lost from his side.

“You wish.” Howon replies instead, giving him a slight punch on his shoulder before walking away too.

“Yah! You bastard! Yah! Don’t leave me hanging here! I still have no clue about what happened! Are you really calling yourself a friend?! Yah, Lee Howon!” And a list of profanities after that.