Shin Hye's manager was busy strategizing with his cards when she came through the front door.

"Annyeong haseyo?" she greeted everyone amiably though tired.

"Annyeong haseyo?" the other celebrities and managers greeted.

The poker was not a serious one, just a friendly game between people, but of course, betting was still there. She walked past by them when her manager called her, so she turned around.

"Ne?"

The manager threw his cards and instructed his friends to continue playing, as he had something important thing to discuss with her.

******

"How's your visit to your special patient?" he asked her.

"Same, Oppa," she told him matter-of-factly, showing not a sign of emotion. "He underwent debridement this morning."

The manager heaved a sigh and shook a finger.

"I know you know this very well, and this is for your image," Oppa said. "You are not allowed to fall in love and be in a relationship as of the moment. Geun Suk-ssi's relationship is enough."

Shin Hye knew that very well. The producers wanted her single so that they could pair her up with possible and eligible male love interests in dramas and CFs. When those teams would click, it would strike up some shippings and followings from around the globe. If she has a love interest in real life, the shippers might hate her real love and might bring her antis.

"I know that," she told him bluntly. "I know that very well."

"Good," Oppa said. "I allowed you to go on with your personal advocacy, but you should not fall in love with Yong Hwa."

Hurtful stings stirred in her heart.

"Geureohseumnida," she replied.

Her manager got back to playing poker and begging his companions to restart the game. Shin Hye felt her eyes getting heavy that she went inside her room to contemplate on things.

*********

Indeed, she had wanted to spend time with someone poor or sick and share her love. It would not be difficult if she loved on a platonic sense... But this one, with Yong Hwa... was different.

Because....

She had fallen for him...

"Eotteohke?" she thought as tears started to fall.

She did not regret knowing Yong Hwa or even making herself his slave. But being a celebrity who is not allowed to fall in love is difficult. But how come Lee Min Ho and Park Min Young were confirmed to be dating?

Eversince she met Yong Hwa during the press conference, she found him cute and adorable, with all his stuttering and sweating. But she forgot all about him due to her stress. And when Jung Shin gave her Yong Hwa's picture, she felt falling for the latter's boyish charms. It was when they met again that she had contemplated what she really felt for him. And because he was sweet and polite to her, she had seen herself giving in to him and being sweet to him.

But that was not all.

There was more to him than meets the eye. Behind the shy smile lay a soul who pitied himself. Behind that beautiful smile was a person who was weak. And for that weakness, he allowed a certain Shin Hye to encourage him and let him cry so he could move on. And behind the disability, in the most ironic way, lay a certain kindness and gentleness that allowed her to be weak and to cry on so she could move on.

With their weaknesses, they found comfort in each other to move on.

She found it hard to give up on him. But for her image, she will do that--for the meantime. She would forsake her feelings for him so he would be sheltered from the world. She would protect him by forgetting herself. 

However, she would not give up on him.

She vowed to stay by him....

For him, she would be...

His princess...

A friend...

A shoulder to cry on...

His savior....

She would fight for him....

~~~~