"You go on and be happy, I don't want to send you off as you cry; let me send you off as you smile." He wiped the tears off Nicole's pale face as she grabbed his hands, "If only I had made you my wife we both wouldn't be here saying our farewells. You wouldn't be leaving me to be in the arms of another man." Yongguk's tears tumbled slowly down his cheeks as he removed his hands away from Nicole's face while she stared at him unable to say a word, "I stare at you who is so beautiful and lovely; I pray to the heavens that he'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 he'll treasure you for who you are not for who he wants you to become." Nicole leaned her head onto his right shoulder as the two sat under the willow tree up in the hilltop as they watched the moon shimmering over the river that stretched out in front of them.

Yongguk felt both of Nicole's hands wrapping around his right arm as she adjusted her head on his shoulder. He knew she didn't want to leave him when morning rises but, they had no other choice. He then rested his head onto hers as she closed her eyes, in a couple of hours she would be in the arms of another man other than him he knew this well. 

"I think it's time that you return home." He said, as she slowly removed her head from his shoulder and taking her hands off his arm, "I'll walk you since it's late." 

The two stood up; the wind started to blow as the blue willow leafs fell like rain onto Yongguk and Nicole.  Her hanbok dress sway with the wind as her braided hair did the same. Yongguk watched Nicole who stared at the fallen  leafs while it brushed passed the two of them.

"I wish the sun wouldn't rise." She finally spoke, "Though I know it will, I wished it was you who was coming to ask for my hand." She stared at him as she gave him a weak smile then walking down the steps of the grassy hill as he followed behind her.

He watched her whose back was towards him, when morning comes and she leaves him, he'll be doing the same thing. Watching her back turned to him as she leaves for her new life without him. When they reached the front gates of the Jung's Resident Nicole turned back and bowed before heading inside. YongGuk quickly grabbed for Nicole's right hand which startled her.

"Is something wrong?" Nicole calmly asked as she stared at him who slowly loosened his grip on her hand as he searched his sleeve and pulled out the jaded hairpin Old Lee had given him a few months back.

"It's for you," Yongguk smiled at her while he slowly grabbed for her hand once again placing the hairpin at the palm of her hand, "please take it," his tears became visible, "since I'm unable to give you my heart...this is all that I can give to you." He pulled his hands away as his tears overflowed down his cheeks.

"Yong...Yongguk-ah," Nicole clenched tightly onto the hairpin, "please don't cry..." she walked towards him as she used her left hand to wipe away his tears, he grabbed onto her hand, "Do you believe in fate?" She questioned him as her eyes began to tear up.

"Of course..." he stared at her with his watery eyes still holding onto her hand that was the left side of his face.

"Then maybe this is why things are ending up like this..." her voice was low yet calm as she pulled away from him, "I know your love and I know it well, you know my heart and you know it well...the wind that keeps passing on by is exactly like the time we can't go back to...when the sunrises my love will bid farewell..." Nicole stared deeply into his eyes "when the sunrises and I leave this life behind...I leave my heart with you." She forced a smile on her face for Yongguk, "because only with you I'll truly find my happiness...because only with you I'm truly home..." she held up her pinky as she grabbed for his hands and intertwined both of their pinkies together, "promise me you'll take my heart with you...when the sunrises?" Her tears ran down her face.

"I promise..." he then gritted his teeths together so that his lips wouldn't quivered, "your heart is forever mines, Jung Nicole Yong-Joo."

"Thank You." Nicole smiled at him before heading inside.

Yongguk watched as the gates slowly closed on him. He then looked up towards the night sky as the clouds slowly moved away from the moon. Nicole stood behind the gates as she covered with both of her hands so that her cry wouldn't be audible. Ari stood as she watched Nicole's tears fall freely. Nicole sunk down to the cement floors as the tears kept on falling. Yongguk stared back at the closed gate as he then walked home in the silence of the night.

"Miss Nicole," Ari quickly ran towards Nicole's side as she tried to pull Nicole back on her feet, "please get up. Please don't cry anymore." Ari felt her tears forming, "My poor Yong-Joo," she then held Nicole in her chest, "you're a brave and strong hearted girl..."

"Ari..." Nicole let out a quiet cried, "the way he looked at me with such sorrow in his eyes...how do you start a new life with someone when you haven't finished with another?" Nicole wrapped her arms tightly around her servants waist, "How do you you learn to love another man, when you haven't gotten the chance to fully love the one person you want to the most?"

"Shhhhh," Ari Nicole's hair, "let's get you into your sleep wear now shall we? Morning will be calling soon..."

"Ari," Nicole firmly controlled her shaking voice, "if you were me what would you do?"

"I'm not you so I wouldn't know what to do." Ari sadly replied back as she pulled Nicole back onto her two feet, "The best thing is that you rest up for what fate has handed to you."

The morning air pierced tightly onto Sir Jung's face. Everyone in the Jung's residence were rushing preparing for the wedding taking place that day. He took in the air as he stared up towards the sky.

Nicole sat still on top of her cotton mattress in her red wonsam bridal hanbok. Madam Jung enter Nicole's bedroom chamber as she made her way towards her daughter who sat silently with her eyes fixed onto the floor. Madam Jung placed the hwagwan the last piece of accessory on top of Nicole's head as she then sat across from her daughter.

"Do not shed any tears for today should be a day filled with happiness," Madam Jung stated coldly as she gathered all the materials around Nicole and placing them back into Nicole's wooden box, not wanting to be so softhearted though it killed her deep inside but it was her way of not showing her tears first.

"Umma..." Nicole softly whispered her mothers name, "can I please, if I may speak the words I have held inside my heart?" Nicole slowly lifted up her head as she held back the tears.

"What is it?" Madam Jung could no longer hold in her sadness as she set aside the box, "What is it the my Yong Joo wants to say?" She felt her tears tumbled down, "I'm a horrible mother aren't I?" As she grabbed Nicole into her arms while Nicole's back, "I thought maybe if acted coldly you would want to leave, maybe you'll be able to leave without sadness, but the more I act as if I'm not hurt I'm hurting more. Because your heart belongs to Yongguk I can't send you off...my poor child."

"Anyi..." Nicole controlled her tears as she closed her eyes and buried her face in her mother's arms, "it wasn't meant to be, that's just how it is umma..." she held tightly onto her mothers waist, "it feels weird, unable to hug or touch him now...umma, I promised myself I wouldn't cry because I'm a girl I'll endure it all, because I'm a girl I'm not suppose to show any emotion when it comes to love...but why does it hurt so much?"

"Yong Joo-ah..." Madam Jung slowly pulled away as Nicole pulled her back.

"Anyi," Nicole's voice began to soften as her voice became whispers now, "I want to hold onto umma longer...I want to feel umma's embrace before those doors opens...I want to rest in umma's arms before the sun sets, I want to feel umma's warmth before the moon rises."

The gong ring for the arrival of the groom. Nicole then shut her eyes tighter wishing it had been a bad nightmare but the longer she held onto her mother the closer the gongs ringed.

"It's time...everyone is waiting outside. I must leave first Ari would come and fetch for you when you are needed." Madam Jung pulled away as she left Nicole alone in her chamber.

Nicole reached for her wooden box that her mother set aside, she opened the box and inside there was the jaded hairpin Yongguk had given to her the other night. She grabbed it and examined it carefully. She placed it back into the box as she now waited silently.

"Thinking everything would've worked out for me, truth be told everything came crashing down, those walls came crashing down on me...little did I know it wasn't him..." she cried silently to herself, "someday everything will be forgotten then why worry about it now?  Yesterdays nor today's tears washed away the pain, it just reminded me of what I couldn't get a hold of.  Today I must get over you, you're only a friend now, just a friend.  I have all these bittersweet feelings bottled up deep inside of me but who can I tell?" Nicole let out a long and deep sigh as she closed her eyes.

Himchan enter the Jung's residence as Sir Yoo held onto the wild goose in his hands standing two steps ahead of Himchan.

"Nicole-ah...it's time." Ari enter Nicole's chamber.

"It's time?" Nicole swallowed her tears as Ari slowly helped Nicole up, "Ari...thank you...thank you for everything."

Yongguk sat silently inside his bedroom chamber. His parents had left to celebrate with the Jung's. He couldn't, he couldn't send Nicole off, it was just to cruel. He rested his head on his hand with his elbow on the table in front of him for support.

Nicole and Himchan bowed before Sir and Madam Jung. Towards one another and then towards the guest that were present. Nicole searched the crowd for Yongguk who she couldn't find.

Yongguk closed his eyes as the tears ran down his face. He clenched his fist tightly at the thought of Nicole no longer being by his side.

"Why must heaven be so cruel?" he cried silently as those words slipped out of his mouth.

On the third day of the wedding as Nicole's belongings were ready to be send off, one last party was held. It had been a long three days of celebrating and now was the time Nicole left to start her new life. Himchan and Nicole bowed before everyone.  Himchan held out a cup of soju as he drank it down. In the crowd Yongguk appeared.

"I'm sorry I was unable to come and give you two my blessing earlier.." Nicole quickly looked up from the sound of his voice she knew it was Yongguk.

"Yongguk-ah..." Nicole whispered underneath her breath as Himchan slowly turned to look at Nicole.

"I hope you two a long lasting marriage," he held out his cup of soju as he bowed and then drinking it down in one gulp, "I wish you two eternity..." Himchan then realized he and Yongguk had met once, on the day he had returned from him his trip. Yongguk was the one that had bumped into him.

"Thank you." Himchan heard Nicole speaking first, "Thank you for coming and blessing us..."

Yongguk stared at Nicole with sadness in his eyes as he bowed then turning away. Nicole watched his back that was turned towards her. She wanted to run after him but knew she couldn't. Himchan cleared his throat as he watched Yongguk walking out of the gates making a left turn. 

After everything was arranged Nicole set off to her knew home and her knew life. Himchan already inside of his palanquin, before Nicole enter her palanquin she turned around and there standing a few feet away from her was Yongguk. Unable to hold back her tears she let them free fall slowly one by one. She held up her right pinky towards him then finally entering the palanquin that would take her to the Kim's family. Yongguk watched as they carried the palanquin with Nicole inside away from him. He felt his two feet slowly moving towards her.

"Nicole-ah," he whispered her name, "Nicole-ah..."

"Yongguk," Daehyun grabbed onto Yongguk's right arm, "let her go..."

"Nicole-ah!!" his deep voice roared in pain as he slump onto his knees on the dirt ground, "Nicole-ah!!"

Inside the palanquin Nicole could hear his cry. She closed her eyes as the tears ran down her pale face. Unable to do anything she sat silently as she cried away her sadness and broken heart.

"Let her go..." Daehyun repeated softly as Yongguk clenched onto the dirt ground with his tears visible.

"I can't..." Yongguk protested back, "I can't..."

"You said you can't but you just did..." Daehyun pulled back.

Ji Eun and the rest of the guests stared at Yongguk who then slammed the dirt ground with his fist.  She walked towards him as she bended down grabbing for his hands.  Yongguk stared up towards Ji Eun who forced a smile on her face, she was hurting seeing him this way, Daehyun stood their unable to say anything more to Yongguk, he knew how it felt like to have the one person you loved most leave you behind, but yet he couldn't comfort Yongguk.

"Do you think Nicole would've wanted you to act this way on a day that she leaves her old life behind?" Ji Eun asked him as she slowly and lightly removed the dirt off his right hand, "Do you think that she's smiling happily right now as she's being carried away to start her new life with someone she does not love as much as you? Please think about all these things before you go and hurt yourself..." Ji Eun took in a deep breath trying to hide her tears..."Your heart will slowly learn how to adjust, your heart will slowly learn how to not yearn...your heart will learn to love someone knew...right?"

"Anyi..." Yongguk pulled away from her as he slowly stood up from where he was, "the only person who'll ever have my heart in this lifetime and the next lifetime will only be Nicole..." He felt his tears storming down once again, "because to me there's no one else but her..."

"Yongguk..." Ji Eun frowned as she tried to grab onto his hands which he pushed away.

"I'm sorry for causing such trouble." He turned to face everyone that was present there, he bowed with his head low, "Please forgive me for my selfishness...I let my emotion get the best of me..." He slowly stood up straight still his eyes were locked onto the ground..."I'll be leaving now..."

Yongguk walked away slowly as the sun was already beginning to set in the far distant. Ji Eun stared at him who walked away so sad, Daehyun placed his right hand onto her shoulders as he watched Yongguk walk away.  The Autumn wind pressed itself softly onto Yongguk's face as he walked passed the market and through the small road that would lead him home...he was dreaming...he must've been dreaming...he thought to himself.

When Nicole and Himchan reached his resident another party was already set up to welcome the new groom and bride. Nicole was escorted to Himchan's chamber as he was escorted to drink the night away with his relatives. As Nicole sat inside the chamber alone she could hear the chattering going on outside. She felt her heart beating faster and faster. The two nights he had spend at her place was with her sleeping two mattresses away from him. She understood he had no meaning of taking advantage of her but tonight he was going to be drunk what was she going to do when he puts himself onto her? The thought of this scared her. Lady night would be calling soon. Outside darkness was already approaching as she heard the laughters slowly fading away and began to hear footsteps slowly approaching. She took in a deep breath as she heard the doors slowly opening.

"Aisshh..." she heard Himchan's drunken self, "take off her clothes?" he asked himself confused as he shut the door behind him shut. He made his way into his chamber as he saw Nicole sitting still, "Did you know you look so beautiful?" his eyes half opened and closed as he inched closer to her.

"You're drunk..." she said as she stood up, "maybe you should sleep." she stated as she made her way towards him helping him towards their cotton mattress.

"Anyi...I still want to chat with you." He said as he let Nicole lead him toward the mattress, he then quickly lied down onto the mattress as he pulled Nicole towards him which startled her, the two were now face to face a couple cm's away.

Nicole could smell the strong aroma of the soju on his clothing and through his breath. As she pulled away from him he quickly grabbed onto her waist not letting her escape. She who was now on top of him and feeling highly uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry..." as his eyes began to slowly shut, "but I promise..." he let out a heavy sigh, "I'll be a good husband...I'm sorry..." with that Himchan fell asleep.

Nicole then pulled away from his grip that had loosen on her waist. She sat beside him as she covered him up.  She stared at him who wasn't Yongguk...there beside him was where she must spend the rest of the night and the rest of her life. Nicole stood up as she walked towards the candle light that was still burning brightly, she lightly blew it out as she sat at the corner of the chamber curled up in a ball. When she wakes up she was hoping to be back home in her chamber with Ari coming to wake her up, with her mother and father and Daehyun already in the living space waiting for her to eat breakfast with them and when she went to visit the hilltop there Yongguk would already be waiting for her. But she knew that only when she closed her eyes she will see all these things. She buried her face into her knees, without knowing she had fallen asleep.

Yongguk lied on his cotton mattress on the dark. He replayed the memories of him and Nicole inside his mind. He replayed the moment when they first met when they were younger when he had first heard her name and thought to himself what a weird girl to be name Nicole, to their days together up in the hilltop wishing upon stars, talking to one another freely to when she had confessed him that she had love him, to when she left him that evening. After all these years he never thought he'll lose her. He closed his eyes. She was probably sleeping in his arms, the thought of that made him angry yet sad.

"After all of this, how do you expect me to let you go?" he asked himself, "my Jung Nicole Yong Joo, am I that bad of a person that's why you decided to leave me behind? Today as you left to your knew life, I took your heart with me...yet it hurts because though I have your heart your unable to love me like how you use to....how am I suppose to live a life like this? Tell me this is a dream tell me please this was all a lie...tell me when I wake you'll be sleeping by my side instead..."