"Did you sleep well?" Ari asked Nicole who sat up from her mattress cushion as she placed both of her hands onto the side of her forehead, "I'll leave you alone as I get your morning bath ready." Ari then left quietly leaving Nicole alone.

"What I want and what I need..." she directed the words to herself as she placed both of her arms in front of her now, "though we were both kids then, those words meant the world to me." She took in a deep breath as she slowly pulled herself up and made her way towards the bath house across from her chamber.

Yongguk step out of his chamber and felt the morning wind brushing against his face, he inhale the morning air.  Today seemed different, he no longer felt happy but rather exasperated towards his feelings.  He was angry at how Nicole had went off on him, he was angry at how he couldn't just man up and confess to her that night when the two sat under the willow tree...he was angry at himself, but he knew deep down what was bothering him and he knew deep down he wasn't angry but heartbroken that Nicole had gone on a match making date.  Was he a bit too late? 

"Young master," his servant bowed before him, "is there something that's bothering you today?"

"This morning seems a bit colder," Yongguk snapped out of his thoughts, "Hyun-ah..." his deep voice seemed softer than usual, "I had a dream yesterday, I'll like to share it with you."

"You know I'll always listen to you," Hyun smiled as he stood behind Yongguk with his head low.

"There was an eclipse but no moon...is that possible?" Yongguk lightly smiled, "But dreams are weird like that...I saw smoke coming from the mountain side, I remember running and running as fast as I could, but no matter how fast I ran the slower I become, I cried and I cried but there was no tears. I drop to my knees on that dirt road, I cursed at the stars and at the sky...I asked the heavens why...but I had no question..." Yongguk let out a deep sigh as he placed both of his hands behind his back walking towards the courtyard, "Something didn't feel right..." he then concluded his dream.

"Is something wrong?" Ari asked Nicole who stopped in front of her fathers study room.

"Anio..." Nicole flatly replied as she then kept walking towards the living space where her mother was setting up the table for breakfast, "Umma," Nicole quickly made her way towards her mother as she grabbed the food out of her mothers hand and placed them onto the table, "did you sleep well?" Nicole smiled at her mother who returned the smile.

"Your brother is coming home today." She replied, "I was too happy and couldn't fall asleep all night yesterday."

"Daehyun is coming home today?" Nicole smile became brighter now, "Appa already left to the dock?"

"I refuse!" Himchan vociferated at his father, "Appa..." Himchan tried to catch his breath, "Though I like her I refuse to use force to make her my wife!"

"It's not called using force, it's call taking her here for one night and not letting her go, that's the only way we can assure ourselves that she'll become your wife!" His father yelled back displeased with Himchan's answer.

"That's consider kidnapping..." Himchan calmly replied, "The only way I'm getting her as my wife is if I win over her heart..."

"Which you failed to do so," his father fought back, "there's not time for your so call game of love, there's been a rumor going around that the Bang family is planning on asking for her hand soon."

"And your point is?"

"My point is that their son and Nicole have a close relationship and there families are known to get a long very well...I can assure you if they were to ask for her hand she would be handed to them..." Sir Kim grabbed for his tea, "If you truly adore her and wish that she becomes your wife aren't you a bit bitter towards the Bang family?"

"Rumors are just rumors..." Himchan stated as he stood up from his cushion, "if I can't win her over now, what's the point of trying to win over her heart if she does become my wife? She'll never truly love me...I'm sorry appa." Himchan then walked out of the room.

"Appa," Daehyun called out toward his father as he stepped off the boat, "Appa!" Daehyun hugged his father tightly, as he then slowly pulled away, "How have you been?  How's Umma? How's my sister doing?" He smiled as the servants took his bags for him and they began walking towards the carriage.

"I'm fine, your umma is fine, your sister is fine." Sir Jung smiled as he put his left hand behind Daehyun's back, "How's my son?"

"I've been good..." He smiled as they reached the carriage, "Appa...can we go somewhere first before we head home?"

"I thought you'll want to go visit her, I got everything set up already." Sir Jung smiled at his son, "Let's go."

"Do you think he's okay now?" Nicole asked her mother who was still sewing the last piece of her cloth.

"Who?" She asked not paying attention towards Nicole.

"About what happened to sister in law, YungHee..." She lowered her head apologetically, "It must've been hard on him."

Daehyun stepped out of the carriage as his father followed behind with the servants bring out the wine and fruits.  He made his way toward the tombstone in front of him as he slowly brushed away the fallen leafs that piled around the tombstone.  His eyes began to filled up with tears as he turned around and grabbed for the fruits, placing them down and started to slowly pour the wine around the tombstone.

"She left us to early," Madam Jung put down her needle as she felt her tears running down her face, "he must've been in a lot of pain and maybe still is now." Nicole stared at her mother who seemed so sadden.

Daehyun then placed the empty bottle of wine beside the fruits as he now kneel before the tombstone. He bowed down and the tears slowly began to fall one by one. He glided his hands over the tombstone with Hwang YungHee and Jung Hana as the name carved into it.

"Your brother blamed himself so much after the death of his wife, it was much harder since he lost two people that day..." Madam Jung wiped away her tears, "not being able to ever see the person you love anymore and never ever getting to hold your own child in your hand is the most heartbreaking thing anyone could ever go through...my poor YungHee and my poor grandchild Hana left this world to early."

"YungHee-ah," Daehyun's voice began to shake as he spoke her name for the first time in such a long time, "are you doing well?" he brushed away the fallen leafs, "Are you and my little girl Hana living well?" His tears raced down as his voice choked up, "I'm such a pathetic husband who couldn't protect you and our baby...please forgive me who stands in front of you today.  Please forgive me for leaving, please forgive me who was unable to cope with his loss, I traveled far hoping this aching pain wouldn't follow but the further I went away the closer it pierced through me..." he let out a soft cried unable to hold back his tears any longer, "I'm so sorry!!" As he hugged onto the tombstone, Sir Jung and the servants pulled Daehyun back who then cried in his fathers arms.

"Daehyun-ah..." Sir Jung wrapped his arms around Daehyun who seemed like a child again, "my dear son..." the tears uncontrollably ran down his face as he closed his eyes.

"Appa...why must the heavens be so cruel?" Daehyun cried, "I didn't even get to say goodbye to the one person I had love so much, I didn't even get to hold my own child in my arms for the first time...appa....so tell me..." his words began to falter, "how is a man like me suppose to live?"

"Umma..." Nicole lifted her head up, "don't cry anymore."

Daehyun and Sir Jung enter the gate door of their resident.  Nicole and Madam Jung quickly stepped outside as the greeted the two man of the household. Madam Jung quickly stood before her son who's eyes seemed red and swollen as she placed both of her hands onto the side of his face, her tears ran down coldly for she knew he had gone and visited his late wife and daughter. She buried her head into his chest as he stared at the dirt ground trying to hold back his tears to which were already falling.

"My son is finally home," Madam Jung cried, "my son is finally home." She held tightly onto Daehyun who stood frozen.

"Take his belongings into his room," Sir Jung wiped away his tears as he told the servants his commands.

Nicole stared at her brother who she had never seen cried ever before since they were kids shedding tears now in front of her broke her heart.  Whenever he scraped his knees or arms he never let a word out, when he got hit by his father for answering the wrong question or refusing to read he never let one tear fall, but to see his eyes red and swollen with tears racing down his cheeks made her realize how much love can hurt someone. Her eyes burned as the tears ran down coldly.

After dinner Nicole and Daehyun sat outside in the courtyard staring up towards the sky, something the two used to do when they were little kids.  Daehyun and Nicole were closed since they were the only two, they had turned to each other during hard times, but after the death of his wife he became a quiet and reserved.  He never went to Nicole and talked about his feelings.  Then he left on his trips now he was back after being gone for two years.

"You've take care of Appa and Umma well." Daehyun smiled, "I'm sorry I left you such a big burden..." he apologized.

"Anio," Nicole replied, "I didn't do much...oppa must've been hurting a lot."

"Nicole..." Daehyun looked at his sister, "Appa, told me about your situation...do you truly love Bang Yongguk hyung?" Nicole was thrown off by Daehyun's question.

"Oppa..."

"In the world called love, you can't always wait on the guy to confess first..." Daehyun smiled, "We both grew up with Yongguk, if anyone it's me who truly knows Yongguk's feelings."

"What are you talking about?" Nicole was confused.

"Though I've been gone for such a long time, just coming home I can sense love in the air." He laughed as he turned his attention up towards the sky, "I would've thought my little sister would've been married by now..."

"Are you saying that Yongguk..."

"Has the same feelings as you too." Daehyun let out a small sigh, "Isn't it obvious? You two would always play house together when we were kids, remember what he said to you? Jung Nicole Yong-Joo, though your name sounds weird, when we grow up I promise you I'll protect you forever...and you asked him how and he said, because it's you, who I want to spend the rest of my life with, because it's you, who I want as my wife." Daehyun turned too look at Nicole.

"We were both kids then, we didn't know what we were talking about." Nicole finally answered Daehyun..."I'm just like a sister to him...he said that to Ji Eun the other day up at the hilltop"

"You're a fool," Daehyun grunted now impatient, "learn how to love someone because of their actions, not by their words."

"What do you mean?"

"You've given up on him because of what he had said..." Daehyun advise Nicole, "if you truly loved him, all the things he has already done for you should've spoke louder than those words." A smile appeared on Nicole's face as Daehyun stood up, "It's getting late now, sleep well."

"Thank you oppa.." Nicole stood up after him.

"Remember," He placed both of his hand onto Nicole's shoulders, "love someone by their action not by their words and remember it's okay to make the first move." With that Daehyung made his way into his chamber.

"I promise you I'll protect you forever, because it's you, who I want to spend the rest of my life with, because it's you, who I want as my wife...though we were both kids then, those words still means the world to me." Nicole smiled as she then made her way towards her chamber.

"Sir, the Young miss it outside." Hyun informed Yongguk who was still into his studies.

"What? Who's the young miss?" Yongguk questioned.

"The Jung Nicole Yong-Joo...she would like to have a few words with you." Hyun smiled as he lowered his head.

Yongguk made his way out of his study room and across the courtyard to find Nicole standing near the gate by herself with her back towards him. He smiled as he stood up straight and walked towards her, "What made you come all the way here?" He asked her who quickly turned around.

"I came to meet my friend...have you seen him?" Nicole question Yongguk, "I haven't seen him for awhile now, I really miss him...if you do can you please pass this message onto him for me?"

"Nicole..." Yongguk was surprised by her words, "your Yongguk is right here in front of you..."

"Can you tell him, I truly loved him...that I hope he is happier now...that I'm sorry." Nicole lowered her head as she turned away.

"Nicole," Yongguk tried to go after her but his feet wouldn't budge, "NICOLE!!!" He yelled out.

"NICOLE!" Yongguk quickly sat up from his mattress cushion, "It was just a dream...it was just a dream..." he panted for air, the morning light was already creeping through the cracks of Yongguk's bedroom chamber as he got up and washed up.

Nicole was wondering outside the Bang resident in the early morning.  She took in a deep breath as she was about to knock on the gate door it suddenly opened. Her eyes widen as she saw Yongguk standing before her.  She quickly turned around as her face flushed a bright red in embarrassment.

"Oh...is that Jung Nicole Yong-Joo I see?" Yongguk let out a small laugh, "Why are you here so early in the morning?" Nicole then turned around and bowed before him.

"Good morning," she said, "I...I was just passing by and thought I'll come visit..."

"You were passing by at such an early hour, you must've been out all night?" He laughed.

Just do it, Just do it! Nicole's mind screamed at her, she looked at Yongguk then back at the dirt ground.  She felt stupid for being at his house at such an early hour and after what happened between them.  JUST DO IT! Her thought yelled out one last time.

"Yongguk...it's just...I missed my friend..." She slowly let those words out of .

"What?" His smile slowly went away...

"I...I missed you..." Nicole stared straight into his eyes.

"Nicole...." he felt his heart beating faster.

"Fine, it's because I love you!" Nicole finally blurted out the words she had wanted to say, "The reason why I'm here at such an early hour is because I LOVE YOU!"

"Nicole..."

"I'm sorry for everything, but it was just..."

"Babo," Yongguk inched closer towards Nicole, cutting her off "I love you too." His gummy smile appeared as he now stared at Nicole in the eyes.

"Huh?" Nicole was slowly breathing now.

"Don't apologize..." Yongguk said, "I was planning to come to your house but it seems as though you've already beaten me..." he laughed.

"I'm pathetic aren't I?" Nicole lowered her head.

 "Because it's you...so no, you're not pathetic..." He assured her as he lifted her chin up.