Shinhye was at the Park Publishing when a package came to her. It was a small square box wrapped neatly.

“What’s this?” Shinhye asked her secretary.

“I don’t know, Ms. Shinhye, the delivery just left that with me to be given to you”, the secretary simply replied.

“Okay, thank you”, Shinhye said as she started to unwrapped the box.

She opened the box and it contained pictures…pictures that shocked her to the core of her being. It was a picture of Yonghwa with Joo Hyun in a restaurant holding hands. She took the pictures out of the box and while her hands were trembling; she scanned them. The pictures of the two embracing…the pictures of the two in the bed together stripped of their clothes and doing heaven knew what.

“No…these aren’t true! No! Yonghwa can’t do this to me!” Shinhye said…she was not sure if she believed her words or she was trying to convince herself at the face of the pictures she had at the present.

“I and Yonghwa are in a relationship. We’re more than friends, Shinhye.” Joo Hyun’s words haunted her as she stared on the pictures scattered across the desk.

She did not want to believe those so she decided to confirm Joo Hyun’s visit to Jung Mansion. She dialed the mansion’s number and she heard the familiar voice of the butler.

“Hello, this is Park Shinhye; I just want to ask you if someone by the name of Seo Joo Hyun visited Yonghwa at the mansion?” Shinhye gave the date listed on the picture.

“Yes, Ms. Shinhye, Ms. Joo Hyun was there that time with Mr. Yonghwa…they had dinner together”, the butler confirmed.

“Did Ms. Seo leave immediately after dinner?” Shinhye asked.

“Actually, no Ms. Shinhye. Mr. Yonghwa was a bit dizzy because of the wine and Ms. Joo Hyun and I helped him to his room. Ms. Joo Hyun stayed there and went out already late”, the butler replied.

Shinhye felt as if the world was falling apart. It was one of those days when she was still in Incheon; one of those days when she and Yonghwa called each other…with him telling her that he missed her…that she had to hurry home…while he was cavorting with Joo Hyun with the looks of the pictures sent to her. So these were Joo Hyun’s evidences…maybe Joo Hyun pitied her and decided to come out with her relationship with Yonghwa.

“Damn you, Yonghwa, how could you do this to me?” Shinhye asked as bitter tears fell from her eyes. She decided to call Yonghwa.

“Hello, my love”, Yonghwa answered and his voice brought more tears to Shinhye’s eyes.

“Hello, Yonghwa, I’d just want to ask you something…was Joo Hyun at your family’s mansion when I was at Incheon?” Shinhye asked trying to be casual.

“Yeah…we had dinner”, Yonghwa replied.

“Did she go home immediately after the dinner?” Shinhye asked.

“No, she and my butler helped me to my room because I became quite dizzy because of the wine I drank. You should ask my butler more about her visit because I can’t quite remember doing anything with her”, Yonghwa said.

“Don’t worry, Yonghwa, I’ve already asked your butler about it. Can we meet around 5:00 pm today at the park near Han River?” Shinhye proposed.

“Yeah…sure…will I pick you up there?”Yonghwa asked.

“No, no need…I’ll go there myself”, Shinhye replied.

“Okay, see you there. I love you, baby”, Yonghwa said.

“I’ll see you there. I love you too”, Shinhye said. She was angry with him but she could not deny that she loved him still.

Shinhye slumped on her executive chair. She wanted to cry…to rave…to hit somebody particularly Joo Hyun but she controlled herself and decided to immerse herself to work for the remainder of the afternoon unless she would go mad with hatred and anger she was feeling inside.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Bom was nagging So Min that afternoon. Bom wanted to know what happened to So Min and Mrs. Kim’s encounter.

“How was it, So Min?” Bom curiously asked.

“What, Bom?” So Min asked back.

“What did you talk about with Hyun Joong’s mother?”Bom asked.

“Nothing”, So Min dismissively replied.

“Why don’t I believe you? You look as if somebody died and you would tell me nothing’s wrong. Do you think me that stupid?”Bom asked looking intently at So Min.

“His mother hates me…she wants me out of Hyun Joong’s life for good”, So Min replied forlornly.

“What? Why?” Bom asked.

“She wants Hyun Joong to marry for money and power and I don’t have any of the two so I’m not qualified”, So Min replied.

“That upstart b***h! How dare her belittle you like that?” Bom angrily said.

“Bom, she’s right anyway…rich heirs are for rich heiress isn’t that how the world goes. Cinderella doesn’t really exist”, So Min said.

“Are you just giving up like that? You love Hyun Joong and I know that he loves you too”, Bom said.

“No more, Bom, I’m tired already. Kyuhyun also visited m last night”, So Min said.

“What did that worm want from you?” Bom asked annoyed.

“He wants me to be his mistress”, So Min said.

“How evil could he still be? After dumping you…he’s now trying to win you with an indecent proposal”, Bom angrily said.

“I told him unless its marriage I won’t come back to him”, So Min said.

“You’re not serious, are you?” Bom could not believe what she heard.

“I don’t know, Bom, I might use Kyuhyun in order to get away from Hyun Joong”, So Min said.

“I don’t know about you, So Min, but your decision doesn’t make any sense to me. Dump a perfectly good man who loves you and you love back because his mother disapproved of you and take back a horrendous man who dumped you before because you want to escape the one you love. Give me a most complicated story…by heavens…what a life you have!” Bom said in exasperation as she walked to the history section of the library leaving So Min at the front desk.

“Hyun Joong, my darling, what am I to do?” So Min silently told herself.

Hi everyone!!! I'm sorry if I had been out for quite sometime. I was so busy with my thesis proposal in graduate studies as well as with my proposal defense. Luckily friends I passed!!! Anyways, I'm also sorry because I just came back to writing my story and here I am giving a hard time to our fave couples but don't worry friends...I believe just like our fave couple also believe that love conquers all. Please, stay tune for more tears, laughter, love and bittersweetness along the way. I missed you all so much...love you all.....