Shinhye was at the Park Publishing Company that afternoon, she was happily reading an article printed for one of the fashion magazines when her cellphone rang.

“Hello, good afternoon”, Shinhye greeted.

“Hello, Park Shinhye, this is Seo Joo Hyun; I’m Yonghwa’s childhood friend…we met last time at the university”, Joo Hyun introduced herself.

“Yeah, I remember you. How are you, Joo Hyun? By the way, how did you know my number?” Shinhye friendlily asked.

“I got it from Yonghwa”, Joo Hyun lied. The truth she got Shinhye’s number from someone whom she bribed inside the publishing company.

“Ah…okay…if you don’t mind me asking; why did you call me today?” Shinhye asked curiously.

“I want to meet up with you to…to discuss something”, Joo Hyun replied.

“Okay, let’s meet at the French Restaurant near the park at Han River around 5:00 pm”, Shinhye agreed.

“Thank you, Shinhye”, Joo Hyun said as she ended the call.

Joo Hyun looked at the passel of pictures she had. Those were the pictures of her and Yonghwa….the ones taken by her and Siwon. Anyone who would look at those would have the same conclusion in mind…that she and Yonghwa were in a relationship. She just hoped that Shinhye would conclude the same.

“I’m sorry, Shinhye but it has to be this way. I want Yonghwa so much and what I want I always get”, Joo Hyun evilly smiled as her eyes focused on the pictures on her table.

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So Min was at the library that afternoon. She was busy working on sorting out the labels to be placed on the new books when an elderly woman entered the library.

“Good afternoon, ma’am, may I help you?” So Min politely asked.

“Are you, Ms. Jung So Min?” the elderly woman asked in her formal tones.

“Yes, ma’am”, So Min politely answered.

“My employer, Mrs. Kim Jung Soo would want to meet with you at 5:00 pm this afternoon. A car will come here to pick you up”, the elderly woman said.

“Mrs. Kim Jung Soo…is that Mr. Kim Hyun Joong’s mother?” So Min confirmed.

“Yes. I’ll be on my way now. You’ll know everything this afternoon”, the elderly woman vaguely replied.

The elderly woman left the library leaving So Min wondering as to why she was summoned by Hyun Joong’s mother.

“Who’s that?” Bom asked.

“An attendant of Mrs. Kim”, So Min answered.

“Really? Does she have a stiff neck or something?” Bom irritably asked.

“What?” So Min asked.

“Look…she was so looking down on us her neck’s like that of a crane and the way she scanned the library…it’s as if she was assessing the value of everything in here including us. She’s more upstart than Hyun Joong and Hyun Joong’s the CEO of a big broadcasting company. I hope Mrs. Kim’s not like her or it will be hell for you”, Bom annoyingly said.

“I hope so too…Hyun Joong and his cousins Yonghwa and Yonghwa’s girlfriend, Shinnye are very nice and down to earth”, So Min said as she smiled at Bom.

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At 5:00 pm, Shinhye left the Park Publishing to meet Joo Hyun. She arrived at the French restaurant and she saw Joo Hyun drinking red wine while sitting on the table near the window overlooking the Han River.

“Joo Hyun, “ Shinhye called softly as she smiled friendlily.

“Shinhye”, Joo Hyun also smiled.

The two placed their orders. As they were eating, Shinhye decided to ask Joo Hyun.

“You wanted to see me…do you have something you want to say?” Shinhye asked as she was sipping her wine.

“Shinhye, do you love Yonghwa?” Joo Hyun asked.

“Yes…I love him so much. He is my heart…my life”, Shinhye replied with her most beautiful smile.

“Do you believe that he loves you too?” Joo Hyun asked again looking at Shinhye intently.

“Yes, I believe that Yonghwa loves me. I’ve known him for such a long time. We’ve love each other for such a long time and Yonghwa would not lie to me about something as important as his feelings”, Shinhye answered confidently.

“But you’re to marry Cho Kyuhyun according to what I’ve heard?” Joo Hyun asked before she sipped her wine.

Shinhye felt uncomfortable with the way Joo Hyun was interrogating her. “Look, Joo Hyun, I know you’re his friend and I know that you’re concern about him but rest assured that I love him and he loves me and we’re going to fight for this love no matter what. I’ll never be anybody’s wife but Yonghwa not Kyuhyun nor anybody else only Yonghwa’s”, Shinhye vehemently said.

“Really…if I tell you that I and Yonghwa are into a relationship what would you do?” Joo Hyun challenged.

“What?” Shinhye incredulously asked.

“I and Yonghwa are in a relationship. We’re more than friends, Shinhye”, Joo Hyun looked at her intently…brave at her lie.

“No…I won’t believe you. Is this some kind of a joke, Joo Hyun? Because if it was you’re idea of a joke it’s not funny at all!” Shinhye angrily said as she grabbed her pursed and started to stand up from her chair.

“You don’t believe me? Go on be a fool for him but I hope that you wake up from you fantasy soon and realize that Yonghwa is just fooling around with you”, Joo Hyun shrugged her shoulder nonchalantly as she looked at Shinhye without flinching.

“I won’t believe your words over Yonghwa so please unless you can show me something other than you’re words don’t expect me to believe you over Yonghwa”, Shinhye said through her teeth in anger at Joo Hyun as she pulled some bills from her wallet left it on the table and stormed out of the French restaurant leaving Joo Hyun smiling evilly to herself.

“It’s just a start, Shinhye”, Joo Hyun said to herself as she continued to sipped her wine.

From the distance…outside the restaurant, Siwon saw everything. He felt a mixture of wonder at her persistence and anger at her vulgarity in wrecking a perfectly good relationship of Yonghwa and Shinhye.

“Joo Hyun, why do you have to be such a brat?” Siwon said as he continued to watch her finish her wine.

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While Shinhye had a bad encounter with Joo Hyun, So Min also experienced the same with Hyun Joong’s mother. So Min was brought by the chauffer of Mrs. Kim to a Japanese restaurant.

“Good evening, ma’am. I’m…”So Min started to introduce herself.

“I know who you are. Take a sit”, Mrs. Kim said in her most aristocratic tone.

So Min sat down on the chair indicated by Mrs. Kim and they faced each other on the table.

“I’d be frank, Ms. Jung, it has come to my attention that you are dating my son, Hyun Joong. Is it true?” Mrs. Kim asked as she focused her gaze to So Min.

“We go out together, ma’am”, So Min replied.

“Really? Are you his girlfriend?” Mrs. Kim continued.

“No, ma’am, we’re just friends”, So Min replied.

“Really? Why don’t I believe you?” Mrs. Kim commented sarcastically.

“Ma’am, I and Hyun Joong are just friends”, So Min said.

“If what you’re saying is true then I’m perfectly fine with that. I don’t like you to be with my son. My son Hyun Joong is the CEO of a huge broadcasting company and he is fit to be with someone who comes from the same world as him. She deserves an heiress. I know that you know what I mean and I also know that you love my son. You might not say it but I can feel it as a woman that you have feelings for my son. So please for your sake and his sake don’t ever come close with my son”, Mrs. Kim icily said.

“I know that I’m not wealthy or an heiress but you’re right, Mrs. Kim, I love your son. I love your son very much. Won’t you let me love your son?” So Min said her eyes were filled with tears as she heard the painful words spoken by Mrs. Kim.

“Stay away from my son, Ms. Jung. I don’t want you coming near him or speaking with him. I don’t like you…I don’t like someone like you hanging around with my son. You’re not going to be good for him. He needs an heiress or someone from a powerful family to help him enrich our family’s wealth and influence more not someone like you”, Mrs. Kim sternly said as she looked at So Min as though measuring her worth and found her lacking.

“Mrs. Kim, please allow me just to be friends with him. I promise I won’t be a burden to him”, So Min almost pleaded.

“No, if you continue to see him…he won’t see anyone but you and he won’t have any relation with anyone unless it’s you. So I demand for you to be the one to put your distance from him”, Mrs. Kim bluntly said as she stood and without even a word of farewell left So Min.

So Min went out of the restaurant. As she walked to the nearest bus stop, she was crying silently. At first, Kyuhyun left her because she was not of his world…she was not an heiress…then with Hyun Joong, it was not Hyun Joong who refused her but his mother. She could say her concern with Hyun Joong but she would not want to get between him and his mother. She was not also confident if Hyun Joong would take her side than his mother’s.

“So Min, why do you have to fall in love with him? Your heart does not recognize him before but now why does he have to be the only one your heart knows?” So Min sadly said and she cried more while riding the bus home.

From the distance, Kyuhyun followed So Min. He saw what happened at the restaurant. He might not be there to hear the conversation between So Min and Mrs. Kim but he knew that it had to be bad because So Min was already crying even before she went out of the restaurant.