The music filled in the club and with its every beat the people dances into it. One of them is Chorong who is partying hard since she got there.  She drinks all the wine up and is very drunk. Her friends that also came to enjoy became worried of her. Chorong did not tell anything to them so even they are puzzled to what is happening.

                While she is enjoying the night, the Nam family is already getting crazy of looking for her. They even contacted the police for help but they told them to wait for 24 hours before reporting that she’s missing. So they have to do it on their own. Woohyun called his friend, Hoya while he contacted Eunji. All three of them went from town to town looking for her.

                Woohyun on the other hand is not only feeling anxious but rather scared. It is something he never felt before towards her. He suddenly felt that Chorong is too precious for him that needs to be taken care of. Good thing, after a long travel they found someone who noticed her. He led them to the club where she is and there finally they found the wasted girl dancing in the middle of the crowd. From his view he can see the boys taking advantage of her. Without thinking twice he quickly pushes his way to the crowd.

                “Yah! Get your hands off me!” Chorong pushes the random guy behind her but he reaches for her arm to pull her closer. However, she is able to break from him and the moment she turns around another guy catches her but now with the familiar voice that is comforting in her ears. “Don’t worry I’m here now.”

                Chorong moves to look at the face and there she saw Woohyun’s caring eyes. And even without in her right mind, she felt that she is safe in him. He moves to grab her hand to take her away from that suffocating place. However, a tall guy with a better built than him took her other hand. Woohyun stopped and look back at him.

                “She’s my date. Find another one.” Doojoon said firmly.

                With the loud music at the background Woohyun did not even hear any words he said. So he just bowed respectfully to him but still did not let go of Chorong. Hoya and Eunji also went over on his side to find out what is happening.  

                 Because of the loud music Woohyun answered with a shout. “Sorry! I need to take her home now! She doesn’t look good anymore!”   

                “Who are you?!” Slowly getting irritated, Doojoon replied. 

                The drunken Chorong meddles answering the question for Woohyun and then she started pointed at his face. “Hahaha! Who is he? He is the great Nam Woohyun! He acts all good but is just a coward boy!”

                “You know this guy?” Doojoon asked confuse and Woohyun continued with another question. “Is she drunk?”

                No one answered their questions and Chorong just continue to mock Woohyun. But then her attention was converted to Hoya and Eunji when she saw them.  “Aigoo! They are all here! Look at the very cool Hoya and the stalker, Eunji!”

                Being in an unfamiliar place after getting crazy looking for someone surely Eunji isn’t in the mood anymore. “Just stop this and come with us already.” Eunji shot her a glare but that did not stop Chorong’s mouth. 

                “Do you know her hobby? She always stalks the guy who will never ever like her and she also collects her friends! Oh gosh! So pitiful.” She ended her sentence flipping her hair and giving Eunji a hawk eyes.

                Eunji is already on the limit of it as she is also tired so she went out to breathe some fresh air and control herself from further trouble.

                “What now?! Go and leave me too!” Chorong jolted out from Woohyun’s grip.

                “Chorong-ssi. What happened? If you have problems tell me.”  

                Chorong shot him a glare and yanked out his hands. Despite of being put to shame, Woohyun did not move from his place and still tried to reach for her. But then Doojoon intervene and suddenly gave Woohyun a blow in his face that sent him on the ground. The music stopped and the people watch the sudden commotion in the club. Hoya quickly goes over his friend and saw that he has bleeding nose. He got angry and wanted to take revenge for his best friend, but Woohyun stands up and stopped him.

                “Don’t…“ He shook his head. So Hoya slowly lowered his guard.

                Proudly, Doojoon pointed the two while mocking them. “Huh, two scaredy cats!”

                Then someone from the crowd recognized Woohyun. Since he used to go in other towns during summer to spread God’s word, he also met quite few people there. The guy works in the club as maintenance, when they heard about the commotion he quickly went to check on it and was surprised to see Woohyun in a fight. But the guy still helped him and protected him from Doojoon.

                “How could you punch this guy? Do you know that he is from church?”

                Everyone whispered and take steps backward as if they did something wrong while Doojoon cannot speak right away after hearing it. He felt so ashamed and suddenly felt bad after learning where he is from.

                The random guy walks over to Woohyun and gave him a handkerchief for his nose. “Sir, what brought you here?”

                “I came here to fetch my friend but I guess she still want to enjoy.”

                His narrowed stare at her gets into her nerves so she quickly yells at him. “Yah! Woohyun-ah!” She pointed him while walking waggling and mumbling towards Woohyun then just seconds after that Chorong loses her consciousness and falling on him again. And without thinking twice even after a shameful scene Woohyun still carefully carried her on his back and went out from the smoky club.

                “Let me take her.” Hoya offered but Wooohyun quickly rejected and just asked him to take care of Eunji instead. So they agreed and parted ways to take the girls home safely.

                Hoya walks beside Eunji. There is only silence and he is not used to it. Being a perky girl she is, Hoya always wanted to see her smile. It is something that he thinks cute and can easily makes his lips curled into a smile as well. 

                “Eunji-ah…don’t mind what she said.”

                She stopped and looked back at him with her eyebrows pressed together. “It’s just that I thought I already found a real best friend. Yes, I do have so many friends but none of them really care for me.”

                “She’s drunk. Don’t mind her.”

                But her head still lowered and obviously still feeling down. “Am I bad?” She continues walking leaving him behind her.

                The question caught Hoya as he can feel how genuine and kind Eunji is. “No!” He replied practically shouting as he reaches for her shoulder to make her stop. Eunji on the other hand looked at it surprised. He takes a walk to finally say it on her face.  “Don’t think that. You have a pure heart. Actually…actually I’m grateful that you took care of me.”

                But his statement was more unexpected than what he did. “R-Really?” She asked wide eyed.

                He quickly answered back with a confident nod. “Of course! So never think of that again, okay?” With his honest encouragement her confidence is slowly getting back.

                To make her feel even better Hoya reaches for her arm to give her a pat but both got a shock when suddenly an electric current run down when their skin touched. They both looked at each other then quickly move away their glances while pretending that nothing happened. 

                On the other hand, seconds after getting out of the club, Chorong regained her consciousness.  Then again she started mumbling and nagging Woohyun.

                “Yah! Woohyun-ah! You should get down on your knees and apologize to me.” She knocked his head hard that they almost fell down.

                “Why? Am I really the cause of all these?” 

                “Deh!! And I really hate you! You! You…You…” There is a silence next to it and Woohyun thought she has fallen asleep again but then she started to sob. Anxiously, he asks her what really the problem is.

                “Tell me, what really happened? What did I do to make you cry and hurt like this?”

                “I followed you and… I heard what Hyomin said…but what really hurts me was when you did not even defend me! How could you call me your friend?!! You’re just like them!”

                “Chorong-ssi…” He said her name so sweetly then he continues.  “You should’ve stayed there and listen.

                “Why should I?””

                “I wish you have heard what I said.

                “Liar! Liar! Liar!”  She pushed him until she breaks herself from him. Woohyun quickly faces her worriedly as he tried to take a hold of her again.

                “Chorong-ssi… I’m not lying. I really did stand up for you.”

                Then to make her convince, he recited the exact words that he said to Hyomin. Though, the feelings are different but the sincerity of each word is still the same. Chorong did not give a glance, but just remained in her place still sobbing while listening to his speech. After finishing it with a verse, finally, Woohyun once see her eyes on him again with the tears already dried up in her face.

                “Did you really say that?” She said taking steps towards him as he answers it with a nod.

                When she’s already a few steps away from him, Woohyun got struck when she suddenly throw herself to him, giving him a hug. No woman except to his mother and grandmother has ever come that close to him. His heart starts beating faster and faster, and on its every beat, blood rushes on his already flushed face. However, his mind did not go blank because everything became crystal clear on him.

                “My heart…is it really? Really? Love?”

                He said the later one in a statement rather than a question. However, all went pass swiftly when she caught him unexpectedly again. With a strong grasp on his clothes Chorong then started throwing up on him. It only left him speechless and since he can no longer escape from her grip, Woohyun just pats her back while having a disgusted face of the bad smell.

                The sun rises up in Sangok-ri village. Warm smiles are seen on the faces of the Nam Family as they found and got Chorong back with them again. Though they are not sure of what she truly feels about them, both already accepted her as their grandchild from the moment she walks in their house. They love her so much that they really got worried of looking for her last night.

                To help Chorong from her headache, Mr. Nam prepared a tea and a biscuit for her. He knocked on the door and so she opened it then sat up with him.

                “How are you feeling now?” Mr. Nam asked in concern.

                Still feeling sorry about what happened she cannot barely speak or even look straight at him. “I’m…good. I already cause so much trouble in your family…if you want me out…its fine. I’ll be honest with my father and…tell him everything.”

                “We don’t want you out. By the way, drink this tea. It’ll be good for you.” He moved the teacup closer to her. “We also called the school so don’t worry about it.”

                “Mr. Nam…please, stop treating me this way. I will only feel bad if you keep on doing this. I will…never change. I will surely cause more trouble in the future! This is…who I am!” She said the later now looking at him.

                “Don’t look down on yourself. If it’s really you then…why don’t I see you happy?”

                The question hit her that she became speechless for a moment.  “(*silence) Ah…That… That I don’t know, why. But I know this is me and I have…no chance anymore.”

                Mr. Nam answered her with a smile; a smile like it’s telling her that he has something for her. Then he stands up and slide the door open showing the bright ray of sun with a view of a beautiful blue sky greeting her. “Why are you losing hope? Look! God hasn’t given up on you yet. He gave you another day to live, to hope and a chance to change.”

                Suddenly she’s on a brink of tears as she listens to Pastor Nam’s wonderful words while looking up at the wonderful sky ahead of her. Feeling tired on the way she is living, Chorong asks him helplessly on where she will start.

                “Tell me how…How can I do it? What should I do first?”

                “I can only be an instrument but what you need to do first is to repent and accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour.”

                Meanwhile, since Woohyun got in school, he cannot erase in his head of what he learned from Chorong last night right before she enters her room. He spent much of his time in the school library searching about the letters that came out from .  

                “ Aigoo! So heavy…what have you eaten?” He joked.

                “Yah! Yah!! Yah!!!” He screamed in his ears making it deaf for a second then she affectionately continues her sentence. “Thank you so so so much!” She said while having a grin, showing her puffy cheeks that always made lit his face. “I just hope that you’ll never change on how you look at me right now.”

                “What do you mean? Of course not. Why would I change?”

                “Never-fall-in-love-with-me.“ Her finger pointed as she said it playfully but firmly in each word.

                He bit his lips and looked away uncertain if he’s going to say it or not. “What if…  What if…I alr-ready am? B-BUT! I’m not saying I am. I-it’s just a possibility.”

                “ Why are you stuttering?! Are you drunk too?”

                “Fine, just forget it.”

                His childish tantrums are quite charming for her sometimes so she reached out her hand and stretch his cheeks. “Aigoo, why so cute, neh? But then again don’t ever love me because I’m going to die anyway! Hahahaha!”

                “That’s not funny. Even if you’re drunk, don’t joke around like that!”  

                “I’m not drunk! Ayt!….I was born with zzssCHD like my mother and… my life will not be long…”  She said it in slurry speech which he did not clearly understand but the acronyms CHD made a mark on his head.

*****

                After the prayer, Chorong never felt so free in her entire life. She literally felt the heaviness in her heart has gone like some kind of a cool wind blew it away. A wide smile can be seen in her face and as she goes to drink her daily medicine she also started humming. But while taking it, suddenly, flashes of memories about last night shot in her head. She stopped to collect herself. Though everything is not clear yet but Chorong can remember every word that she said particularly with her last words to Woohyun. The medicine bottle tumbled out of her hand as she thought of it.

                “No way, I…I told him I have… C-H-D.”