Chapter 2: It hurts 

The car drive was silent, he kept staring at the moon from the window and she didn't want to bother him with her questions. 5 minutes later, they were at her house. She got in, turned the lights on and motionned him to follow her. She headed for her room and came back with some towels an a pyjama. 

_Here! Go take a hot shower to relax while I make us dinner.

He stared at her for a while like she was some kind of an alien, then took the pile of towels and clothes.

_First door on the left. Make yourself at home. 

Her warm and welcoming smile surprised him. It's been a while since anyone treated him like a human being. At home and at the company with his friends and employees, everyone treated him like he was a fragile vase that could break at any moment, but her, this beautiful starnger who just saved his life-even though he didn't want her to- was nice enough to regard him as a human. For the first time in a very long time, he was at peace.

She went to the kitchen after she made sure he knew his way around the appartement and started to making dinner. Normally, she would make herself an omlette or order some food from the restaurant across the street, but now she had a guest and she had to make some real delicious food. "No problem, she thought, I'm an excellent cook. I'm just lazy" She smiled at her own thoughts and got to work. 10 minutes later or so, dinner was ready and she was setting the table. Right about that time the handsome starnger as she called him came out of the shower. 

_Here you are! I began to think that you drowned in my shower or something. 

He flashed her a smile, brighter and prettier than the one he gave her at the cliff, and siad:

_Thank you. For everything. 

_You're welcome. Now sit down and eat. I need your honest opinion about my cooking skills.

She served him a bowl of hot chiken soup and a plate of spaghetti with shrimps. He hesitated a bit, then took the spoon and started with the soup.

_I'm Park Mi Jin by the way.

_Nice to meet you. I'm Lee Chang Sun.

The name sounded familiar to her,where did she hear it before? Suddenly, it clicked:

_Lee Chang Sun??? AKA Lee Joon, the heir of LS companies? you're that Lee Chang Sun???

_In the flash. His voice was filled with bitterness and she felt sorry for bringing up a tensed subject.

_Nice to meet you Lee Joon ssi. how are you feeling now?

_I'm better, thanks to you and your delicious soup.

_Ow! thank you. That's really sweet.

_May I ask you something?

_Of course. 

_This pyjama I'm wearing, is it your byfriend's?

She chukled, clearly amused by the turn this conversation took and said:

_Why would you assume I have a boyfriend? 

_Because I don't see a ring on your finger, so I assumed that you're not married.

Her laughter took him by surprise, making him wonder what was so amusing about what he just said, he gave her a puzzeled look and she immediatly stopped laughing:

_So you're telling me that in the middle of this intense situation with the cliff and all, you were looking for a ring on my finger? She started laughing again and said: you're one piece of work Lee Joon ssi. And to answer your question, no, it's not my boyfriend's pyjama, it's my dads. He always forgets his stuff when he comes to visit me from Busan.

_So you're alone in Seoul? For what?

_I'm a student at Seoul's national universty. Psychology departement.

_Impressive. You must be really smart.

_I don't like to brag, but I'm pretty good. 

He smiled and didn't know what else to say so he went back to his dish, but Mi Jin, as persistant as she was, wasn't about to let this conversation end, so she started bomobarding him with her questions. 

_Lee Joon ssi, back at the cliff, you kept saying "I cant't live without her". May I ask who were you talking about?

Her question brought up memories he was batteling so hard against  and thoughts he was so desperate to forget. His eyes started filling up with bitter tears again and his heart sank. What would he say? How would he answer her? That He lost the only woman he had ever loved? that, depsite what everyone else says, he was the reason she was dead? That he killed his girlfriend? 

_It's allright to talk about her you know.she broke the silence that was filled with tension. She sensed his sadness and bitterness, but she had to know what was going on with him so she could help.

_It's not that easy! he whispered, I can't let it out and it's killing me.

_You'll feel better when you do it. 

Moments of silence went by, while he tried to gather what was left of his strength to tell his story. And finally he started talking:

_2 years ago I met a girl in a café shop, I took her order by mistake and when she realized it she came ever so gently to tell me. She was nice and beautiful and we started talking for hours. It was easy talking to her and I felt like the whole world just froze leaving us in that shop chatting about everything and nothing. We started meeting, going out on dates and we fell for each other. Life was great and i've never felt as happy as I was by her side. 4 monthes ago, I finally had the courage to propose, and she accepted, saying that she loved me and she couldn't see her life without me. But when my mother heard about the engagement, she became furious. She never liked Rea Jin, and when she found out about the engagement she called for her and offered her a huge amount of money to leave me. Rea Jin was so hurt that she stormed out of my house right about when I was pulling in. I called for her but she wouldn't stop! I chased after her but she kept running and running and running untill.. He was breathing heavily and fighting against his tears to continute talking but his rage and pain took over him, and he started screaming 

_I couldn't catch her in time, the car was too fast and Rea Jin was too devastated to notice the speeding driver. I was helpless and completely useless. If I got to her on time, If I didn't run after her, then maybe she wouldn't have died in my arms, she wouldn't have left me in this miserable world all by myself!!! I KILLED HER. 

He was a mess, sobbing and screaming like a hopless child, trying to shake the memory of that painful day out of his mind. "Her blood, he remembered, there was blood everywhere, on my hands, on my lap, on my clothes and on her face. I saw the light turn off of her eyes as she let out a tear, I could see death getting his grip around her and I saw my world vanish. I had nothing to live for,I have nothing to live for. 

She was listening carefully to every word he said, she felt his pain crushing her chest and his tears made her heart ache, feeling daggers piercing into it. He was a reck, so vulnerable and so helpless that she couldn't resist hugging him. She had always believed that holding someone tight could take away his pain, or at least ease it for a bit and for that she held this starnger in her hands patting his back for an attempt to calm him down. 

_It's allright, calm down Lee Joon ssi. it's gonna be okey.

Somehow, those simple commun words made him feel better, even though he have heard them for so many times he got really tired of them, but coming from this girl, they made a difference.

_Thank you. For everything. I should go, it's getting late.

_Forget it, you're staying over. You can't drive in this condition and neither can I. I'll make the arrangments and drive you home tommorow morning.

_But....

_No buts, do as I say.