"What are you doing here?!" Yongguk's deep tone woke Ji Eun up as he quickly stood up from his mattress, he then realized it wasn't his chamber.

"What's going on here?" Madam Song enter Ji Eun's room due to Yongguk's voice, she stared at him shock as he only had his undergarment on and Ji Eun sitting up on her mattress with her blanket covering her body.

"Umma," Ji Eun looked at her mother.

"Madam Song..." Yongguk's voice cracked, "I-I....I can assure you I did not do anything to your daughter..."

"Hwang!!" Madam Song called out to one of her servants that quickly rushed in, "go and tell the Bangs that we'll be arranging a wedding soon...NOW!!" she yelled upset as she slightly was looking over her shoulders.

"What did he do?!" Sir Bang stood up from his seat with both hands still on top of his desk.

"It was said he was got with only his undergarment on inside the Young Miss Song Ji Eun's bedroom chamber in the early morning of today," Hyun informed him, "they won't let him go unless he marries their daughter."

"Aish," Sir Bang grunted, "why does he do this to himself?"

"He's very much a man who needs comfort..." Hyun lowered his head, "Sir Bang I know it's not my place to speak freely of the Young sir but..." he stopped.

"Ani," Sir Bang calmed down as he sat back down, "you've been like a brother and father to him these past years, what does your heart hold back?"

"If you insist, I believe this wedding would actually benefit the Young Sir because then maybe he'll finally be able to let go of Nicole. There have been constant nights where he'll cry out her name asking her not to leave...he tells me every night before he closes his eyes how much he misses and yearns for her, seeing his once happy face always so sadden now has become too much to handle now...I believe the Song's daughter will be able to ease the pain away..."

"I see," Sir Bang nodded his head in agreement "maybe fate does have its own magic, this is probably for the best."

Nicole opened her tired eyes as the coldness slowly crawled onto her.  The pain in her stomach was itching its way back in as she slowly clenched onto the side of her stomach, she closed her eyes and thought about Yongguk who had came and visited her in her dream last night.  She had called out his name just to be unheard, maybe it had been a sign she no longer wander his mind, that gave her bittersweet feelings.

"It's time for your medicine," the towns nurse came in with a tray of her herbal medicine to clean the inside of her body, "are you feeling better today?" She sat beside Nicole who slowly opened her eyes.

"Much better," she weakly smiled as she tried to pull herself up.

"Don't force yourself," the towns nurse helped Nicole, "here..." she grabbed for the bowl of medicine and gave it to Nicole to drink, after she gulped down the medicine the towns nurse left.

Nicole pulled herself up now standing on both of her feet, her body felt weak but she pushed herself to take two steps forward, she felt her heart beat beating faster now, as she quickly fell back onto the ground, she buried her face into her arms as she silently sob alone.

"H...how did I get here?" Yongguk asked Ji Eun a bit annoyed yet hesitance, "and if I did do something to you, why didn't you stop me?" He now clenched onto his fist tightly, but she stayed quiet still.

Sir Bang entered Ji Eun's bedroom chamber as Yongguk spotted his father he quickly stood up as Ji Eun took her time and bowed towards him.

"The wedding will be held tomorrow but it will be taking place at out residence; Ji Eun-ah" he stated, "please take care of yourself until tomorrow, we'll send some of our trusted mens to come fetch for your belonging tonight; spend the rest of your day and night with your family you'll surely miss them, this is the resolution your parents and we have come to."

"Thank you," she showed a polite smile as she bowed towards her soon to be father in law.

"Yongguk-ah, hurry we have a lot to prepare for tomorrow." he bowed towards Ji Eun as he left first leaving the two in there.

"This isn't fair," Yongguk slowly turned to look at Ji Eun who kept her head down, "remember when I told you a while back, that I don't believe in marrying someone you don't love..." he turned his head away as he let a small laugh out of his mouth, "what have I done so wrong for heave to treat me like this?" He then walked out of her room leaving her there alone.

"Ahh," Daehyun smiled to see Himchan on the other end of the wall.

"Hello," Himchan bowed politely towards his brother in law who had came to visit out of the blue, "come inside, are you here to visit Nicole?"

"Ani, it was more I came to visit the both of you guys...I have some news." He smiled as he enter the Kim's residence.

Himchan led Daehyun into his and Nicole's bedroom chamber. When Daehyun enter Nicole was already asleep. He sat down beside his sister who did look so fragile just like how his mother had describe to him. Himchan who looked at Daehyun who seemed sadden to see Nicole as he lowered his head and sat a few inches away from him.

"Ah," Daehyun turned away from Nicole, "since she's still asleep I guess I'll let you know first..." Daehyun adjust his body to now which was facing Himchan, "tomorrow the Bang's son Yongguk is getting married to the Song's daughter Ji Eun, both of them are very close to Nicole and I'm sure they would like for the two of you to come.."

"Your sister is still rather weak, I don't think we'll be able to make it but please do send them our blessings," Himchan lowered his head.

"If she's unable to make it, I think you should go then..." Daehyun sigh with a smile on his face, "that's the lease you can do for her...right?"

"I'll be sure to attend then," Himchan replied with a heavy heart weighing on his shoulders.

"I'll see you there, if Nicole is well please bring her." Daehyun politely requested.

Himchan walked Daehyun out as Nicole slowly opened her eyes. She had heard everything that Daehyun had just told Himchan. She slowly sat up from her mattress still weak. She thought about Yongguk and Ji Eun who were to be wedded tomorrow. She smiled to herself, happy because he had finally found someone who made him happy she thought to herself not knowing the situation. Himchan re-enter the chamber surprised to find Nicole sitting up.

"Ah, you're up..." he made his way towards her taking a seat beside her, "Daehyun came by." He informed Nicole who already knew.

"Did he really?" she turned to face him with a smile..."What did he say?"

"About..." Himchan thought about it, "...about your health, he came by to ask me how your health was." he lied.

"Ah," Nicole turned away disappointed, "I really miss him, it's a shame I was still sleeping." she softly replied, "it's already night once again," she said, "tonight I don't feel tired at all..." her tired eyes yet told a different story.

"Get some rest," he smiled at her.

"Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to walk around the courtyard..." she lied back down closing her eyes shut.

"Goodnight..." he whispered as he watched her fall back to sleep.

In the early morning Yongguk was already up dressed nicely in his wedding suit.  Their wedding was to last three days, he wasn't happy.  This time he was getting married to someone he had not ask to be with, this is probably how Nicole must've felt inside the day she left.

"It's time," Hyun enter Yongguk's chamber, "everyone's outside, in a few minutes your bride will be here."

"Hyun...how do you start a new life with someone when you haven't finished with another? How do you you learn to love another woman, when you haven't gotten the chance to fully love the one person you want to the most?" little did he know these were the words Nicole had said the night he had given her the jaded hairpin.

"You learn by slowly living your life without them; now shall we go?"

Nicole for the first time finally step out of her and Himchan's bedroom chamber, the fresh air pressed tightly onto her face as she was slowly getting her strength back.

"Madam what are you doing out here?" One of the servant quickly ran towards her side.

"Ani, I'm fine. I really needed some fresh air." Nicole smiled, "Where's Himchan?"

"He...he" she stutter, "he went to visit a relative...." though Nicole knew her servant was lying.

"Ah," Nicole stared up towards the cloudy sky, "the first snow haven't fallen yet?" she asked.

"Weird isn't it?" Her servant than also stared up towards the sky.

"Very actually...even the rain have refused to fall..."

Yongguk who was greeted warmly by family, friends and relatives spotted Himchan in the crowd, his eyes wander around hoping to find Nicole yet she was nowhere in sight.  He turned away as he kept on walking.

Nicole who stood outside in the courtyard felt her heart slowly becoming heavier, the coldness grew thick as she stood in the cold. "Madam lets go inside," the afternoon was said to be extermely cold today." Nicole ignored the request as she stood still.

Yongguk watched as Ji Eun in her red wedding hanbok walk through the gates of their residence. In that moment everything seemed to move in slow motion, then it hit him, the first snow had now fallen.

Nicole felt a snow flake falling on the top of her head as she lifted her chin and stared up towards the sky that has finally felt her pain.

"The flowers bloom, the sun rises and sets, the leafs sheds its old memories, the sky has finally cried water and ice..." she whispered to herself, "the wind of this town, the silence that does not hear me must I keep walking in circles..." these were the words she had engraved into her heart as she walked away leaving her servant behind towards her chamber.

In the warm room she set down a piece of paper and grabbed the almost dried out ink and began to write away. She felt her tears coldly racing down her pale face as she leaned away from the piece of paper folding it neatly and grabbing for her wooden box.  As she lift open the top lid and removed a cloth there was the rest of the letters she had written for Yongguk starting from the first day when he had left her. She never had the chance to give it to him, though she knew it was wrong it was what her heart had told her to do.

On the third day of the marriage Yongguk and Ji Eun stood in front of the guests that had joined them from the past two days now. They bowed and held out their cup of soju. Everyone blessed the two as Himchan stepped out of the crowd to stand in front of Yongguk and Ji Eun.

"I'll like to congratulate the two of you," Himchan smiled as he held up his cup and shot down the soju in one gulp.

"Thank you," Yongguk and Ji Eun both bowed.

As Yongguk lifted up his head in the crowded courtyard in the back where the front gates were he spotted someone.  He stared out towards it and realized it was Nicole, she stood there with a weak smile on her face, she bowed towards him and even then he knew she had tears in her eyes. When she stood up straight once again she held out her hands as if she had a cup of soju in her hand and pretened to drink it. She then held out her pinky their sign when they wanted to meet up at the hilltop with that she turned and walked away.

"Nicole..." he whispered her name quietly to himself, "Nicole..." he wanted to go after her but knew well enough not to.

As night quickly came Ji Eun sat waiting for Yongguk to enter their chamber. A smile was on her face as she was still in her red hanbok wedding dress. The small candle light made the room dim yet warm.

Himchan enter the bedroom chamber with Nicole gone, as he quickly went back out searching for her, "Where is Madam," he asked one of the servant.

"She left alone without a word," the servant quickly replied scared now.

"What?!" Himchan yelled, "She's not well!! How could you guys just let her go anywhere she wants too!!"

"What's with the big commotion?" Madam Kim came from behind, Himchan then quickly bowed before his mother.

"It's just Nicole's not in her room," he replied.

"I was the one who let her go," Madam Kim informed him.

"Umma," he lifted his head up.

"She's been through enough, let her be..."

----------------------------------------------------------------------Flashback-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I know it's selfish of me, but may I please met with the Sir Bang tonight..." Nicole asked Madam Kim.

"You remind me of me," Madam Kim smiled warmly towards Nicole, "After tonight please let him go and learn to love only Himchan..." she asked.

"Ye," Nicole bowed before leaving the room."

----------------------------------------------------------------------End of Flashback----------------------------------------------------------------------

"She just went to visit her parents for comfort," Madam Kim lied to her son not wanting him to know the truth.

"Ah," Himchan turned back around into his chamber alone.

Yongguk reached the top of the hill as he spotted Nicole sitting alone staring far off into the distant.  He felt his heart crying a river as he made his way towards her whose back was still face towards him, he now felt his eyes become watery, after all he knew all the pain she had went through.

"Yongguk-ah," he heard her soft voice say his name which felt nice so nice..."don't shed anymore tears." Nicole stood up from where she was sitting slowly as she turned to face him who was now in front of her, "I'm sorry to have asked you to come meet me here..."

"Ani," he wiped away his tears, as much as he wanted to hug her he was now a married man and she was already a married woman.

"Here," she handed him all the letters she had ever written to him, "it's for you...I think the reason to why it was so hard to let you go was because of the unsaid things I kept away, in every letter is how I felt for you...starting from the time you left me to today...I can now send you away without any lingering attachment, I can now live my life without you..."

"Don't say that..." he pleaded, "it's always going to be you for me, no matter what." he said.

"I wish you nothing but the best..." she smiled, "you have a wife now...care for her like how you'll wish to had cared for me...I'll love my husband how I had wished to love you..."

"Nicole," she handed him the letters as she then pulled away.

"My heart sends you off again in that deep river," she turned to look at the river, "

"Nicole," he then remember his dream, this couldn't be happening no it couldn't...he thought to himself.

"Do you believe past lovers can find there way back to each other again in another lifetime?" she asked him now looking straight into his eyes.

"If they're meant to be together again...yes.." he knew why she was asking this question.

"Then maybe hopefully in our next lifetime we'll be together." She smiled, "I must say my farewell now...good luck to you." she bowed as she then brushed past him with the tears now overflowing her face. He did not dare to go after her for he knew if he did he wouldn't be able to let go. The snow had been falling yet her leaving him over and over again felt colder. He turned around with her already down by the main road.

When Yongguk came home and enter his chamber Ji Eun was already asleep.  He took out the letters Nicole had given to him, in the dark he read the letter she had written to him two days ago. 

Dear Yongguk,

As I sit here alone in my chamber I write to you the last letter that is filled up with my thoughts of you.  As I write away you're starting a new life. Did you hurt a lot, or were you too exhausted? Did I put you through a lot of difficulty? I never got the chance to say thank you for loving me and I’m sorry again, I’m insufficient but forgive me who parted ways with you first...looking back on our story of each other makes me cry, but now we are both in another love forgetting one another already, right? I blame this heart of mines for being so stubborn, but the words that I'm saying to you, keep them inside your heart. Before I knew it, the days have flown past, in this small room, I shall put a stop to time, time that still does not wait on anyone.  I send my blessing of a long life filled with happiness, like you once said, I hope and I pray to the heavens that she'll love you and care for you. Let there be no tears in your marriage, if so let them only be tears of happiness. I pray to the earth that she'll treasure you for who you are not for who she wants you to become. Why has life become so hard? Congratulation...

Yours Truly,

Jung Nicole Yong Joo

His eyes became blur from the tears in his eyes.  He felt her sincerity and pain.  Unable to finish the rest of the letter he put them away in his wooden box, but putting the letter he had finished reading inside his right sleeve as he lied down beside Ji Eun, he then closed his tired eyes. He did not dream of Nicole anymore, she did not come and visit in his sleep...that made his heart ache even more now.