Section 2.7: Never to interfere with her relationship with her fiancée Lee Dongwook

“I’m marrying Dongwook out of my fear of being alone. I lost almost everything and I didn’t want to lose him as well. I kept telling myself that I needed him and without him I would be nothing…”

Bom stopped talking for a moment as memories of her hang gliding entered her mind.

In that moment she tasted freedom.

She soared into the limitless sky, free from restrictions.

She was on top of the world, invincible.

There was nothing that can stop her.

Top empowered her.

He was always there for her.

He protected her.

He understood her.

He made her feel happy.

Without him, she would be nothing.

Dara and Chaerin looked at each other with worried glances but they were not surprised.

“I really wanted to marry him and live the easy life. I wanted to do this for my parents.”

“You’re still blaming yourself? It’s not your fault.” Dara asked.

“I never got the chance to apologise to them! I didn’t mean the hurtful words I said to them. I just wanted freedom. If I didn’t argue with them I would been at my house that night. Maybe I could’ve saved them. Maybe I could’ve died. But at least they were happy knowing that their daughter was respectful and filial. I really wanted to apologise but it was too late.”

“Your parents love you so much and they are probably regretting everything. Trust me, they will forgive you. They just want you to be happy.” Chaerin reassured her.

“Bom, stop punishing yourself! It’s not your fault, you also deserve to be happy.”

“I honestly thought I could go through this…until I met Top.”

Bom broke down into tears.

“I just can’t see my life without Top,”

***

Dara and Chaerin walked out of the change rooms and bumped into Jiyong and Top who waited anxiously outside. Top noticed Chaerin had the wedding dress wrapped up neatly.

“Is she okay?” Top asked.

“She’s okay. She just needs some alone time." Chaerin answered before they left to return the dress to the front counter. Jiyong followed Chaerin and Dara.

“What happened?” He asked them.

“She’s breaking off the engagement because she’s in love with Top,” Dara summarised the situation.

Jiyong’s jaw fell down to the floor.

“How could this happen? I mean she doesn’t even know what he looks like,”

“Yah! Love has no boundaries.” Dara replied back.

“She never really loved Dongwook too,” Chaerin added.

“Well that was obvious,” Dara sighed.

“I spoke to Top earlier and he told me he has no feelings for Bom. He is obliged to the contract.” Jiyong informed them.

“Did he really mean it? Do you think he was just hiding his feelings? Was he in denial?” Dara bombarded Jiyong with questions.

“I don’t know.”

“Yah Jiyong you’re really useless!” Dara blurted.

“What do we do? We caused this mess,” Chaerin sighed.

“I’m just worried for her. What if it is really one sided?” Dara expressed her concerns.

“Wait a second, where’s Top?” Chaerin glanced over the empty couch area.

“He better not be with Bom! We told him she needed alone time…” Chaerin gulped.

“Yah Jiyong! Go and make sure Bom doesn’t do anything stupid!” Dara ordered Jiyong.

***

Bom only had her jumper to put back on. She liked the way how her clothes fit nicely onto to her. It was loose just the way she liked it. Sure, the wedding dress made her look beautiful but she felt so constricted inside the beautiful gown. Suddenly, she heard rustlings from the outside.

“Chaerin? Dara? You guys are back already?” She asked.

“No it’s Top,”

Bom shut .

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“I don’t know. I’m just really confused now.” She muffled while trying to calm her jumpy heartbeats. With his deep voice alone gave her a mini heart attack.

“Don’t marry Dongwook.” Top said out of the blue.

She could tell her was being genuine.

Before Bom could ask for his reason Jiyong stormed inside.

“Top!” Jiyong called for him.

“There you are Top!” Jiyong found him.

“I need your opinion on some ties. Come with me.”

“No. I can’t leave Bom alone unguarded.” Top persisted.

Bom’s heart tried to jump out of her chest.

He made her feel giddly like a teenager's first experience of love.

***

They sat down in one of their favourite Italian restaurant. Top felt out of place since one meal was triple the amount he normally pays. He gazed around like a tourist, gaining a new perspective of Bom’s lavish life.

“Let’s go wash our hands,” Dara told the girls.

The three girls walked off to the bathroom where they could talk in private.

“Bom, I know this might hurt but according to Jiyong… Top has no feelings for you,” Chaerin started off the cold conversation. The information was no surprise to Bom yet her heart was trying to drag itself out of the pits.

“I know it’s one sided, right from the beginning. He never fails to mention he’s on a contract but that’s okay. I can’t change how I feel about him but one thing for certain is that I do not want to get married to Dongwook,”

“You can’t keep him forever. What are you going to do when the contract ends?” Chaerin asked her.

“I’ll manage, don’t worry too much guys,” Bom tried to calm he