Three days had past, I’m gaining my strength back and almost fully recovered from the situation that I’d been through. With the help of my physician, T.O.P. and Donghae, I managed to get out from my bed and walked. My friends and of course, my boyfriend Yoochun, gave all their support to me. It wasn’t easy to get poisoned but I thanked God for saving me.

After two days, I was discharged and went back to Emily’s place where everyone was waiting for me. Yoochun was with me and when we arrived, they welcomed me with warm hugs and celebration. They prepared a small simple treat for me from getting discharged. It was good that I am with them and I saw how they loved me… so much. With all my gratitude would be for T.O.P. and Donghae for saving me from death that I expected that never happened.

“Are you feeling okay now?” T.O.P. asked as he sat beside me while Yoochun was getting my food.

I nodded and said, “Thank you T.O.P. for saving me. I thought it would be my end.” I chuckled.

“You’re crazy! I don’t want you to die because…” he suddenly stopped and stood up.

“Because what?” I curiously asked.

“Because… I don’t want these people cry.” He said.

Yoochun went back and smiled at us then he gave my food to me. T.O.P. pat Yoochun’s shoulder as he went to Emily and Donghae who were talking. Yoochun sat beside me and he took the plate and started to feed me.

“I can do it.” I said.

“I know you can but let me do this for you, okay?” he said.

Everyone was looking as Yoochun fed me and they were happy that I could see what’s in their mind. Their smiles were teasing me but I didn’t mind at all. I looked around while I chewed my food and then I saw T.O.P. took a phone call and headed outside. Erika came to us and broke the silence between me and Yoochun as she started to ask when would be our wedding. The food stuck in throat as soon I heard that topic and Yoochun gave me a glass of water.

“You’re too excited sweetie.” Siwon said.

“Of course I am. With their sweetness, who would have thought that…”

“Let them be.” Siwon interjected Erika.

Siwon pulled out Erika from us and they went back to the dining table then suddenly, T.O.P. stood up in front of us.

“Brother, can we talk?” T.O.P. asked.

T.O.P.’s eyes were serious and I felt that there was something that happened…maybe with the call that he answered. Yoochun stood up and said, “Finish your food, okay?” then they went outside. I wanted to go to them but Donghae stopped me and suggested not to stress myself as I just got out from the hospital. I looked out and they were seriously talking that there was something bad that happened. Not just a few moments, my phone rang and it was my mother calling. I answered the call with a smile but it doesn’t sounds well when my mother spoke.

She told me about her little business that was put on fire last night and everything were turned to ashes and nothing was left. I was shocked and my tears fell down to my cheeks then out of the blue, I stood up and ask Siwon to take me home... at my hometown. I rushed and ran outside together with Siwon and Erika then we went inside to his car and took off. Looking at the side mirror, I saw Yoochun and T.O.P. were following me but the car was fast enough and I didn’t tell Siwon to stop. It was heart aching when I left my boyfriend behind without leaving a word and I hope that he would understand.

We arrived at my hometown after two hours of driving as Siwon was driving fast as he could. We directly went to the city proper where my mother’s business was and I saw with my very eyes that it was burned down. I went out from the car as soon as we arrived and ran to my mother who was crying. She hugged me so tightly and crying so loud as that business was my father’s. That’s the only thing that father left us with good memories and it just burned down. I looked around the area and it was not only my mother’s business was burned, also that was beside to it. There was only one reason why it ended up like this and it was because of Yoochun’s father. No one would dare to burn the only source of income of the people living in this place but those who wanted me to get hurt.

“Let’s go home, mother.” I said. Mother was still crying and can’t calm down then Siwon and Erika helped me with my mother to the car and we let her in. I told Siwon to bring us home.

As we were near to my house, I saw Yoochun was standing outside. He really followed me from the city and waited. Siwon stopped the car in front of my house and I helped mother got out from the car. Erika and Siwon assisted her inside the house as I approached Yoochun.

“Kioko, I’m really…”

“Sorry?” I interjected. I saw in Yoochun’s face that he was guilty of what was happened to my mother’s business at the city proper. “I know that it was your father who did this to us.”

“Yes.” He answered. “And I wanted to help.”

“For now, there’s nothing you can do against a powerful man which you called your father.” I stated and went inside the house to check on my mother.

Mother had calmed down when Siwon gave her a glass of water while Erika said something encouragement. I reached out to my mother and said that it was okay and we can rebuild it. Mother hugged me as she calmed down. We assisted her inside her room to have a rest and headed back downstairs.

“I’ll stay with you Kioko.” Erika offered.

I smiled at her because in this time of my difficulties, I had a friend who was ready to help me. “I’m okay Erika and I don’t want you to miss your classes.” I said.

“Are you sure that you will be okay?” she asked.

“Honestly, I am not. But the guy outside won’t let me.” I answered.

Erika smiled and said, “Okay. We’re going back to the city.”

I thanked Siwon and Erika for helping me out and we went outside together as I sent them to their car and took off. Yoochun came to me and he was hesitant to say something so I broke it.

“I know you won’t leave me.” I said.

Yoochun took my hand and I saw his tears fell down. “I’m really sorry… for what my father did. I didn’t know that this would happen.”

“There’s nothing to apologize and it’s not you who did that. It was your father.” I said. I wanted to rant, to get mad but I can’t because Yoochun wasn’t the one to blame from what happened.

“Still, he was my father.” He said as he cried. “And I always remember that we swore that we won’t give up no matter how difficult and hard it is.”

It touched me but how far can I go from the promise that we made as what happened was the second bad event in my life. If there would be a first then there would be a second, third and so on. I can still hold on from what happened to me.

Yoochun stayed the whole night with us as my mother took a rest inside her room while I was in my room taking a nap. I went downstairs to check on him if he was okay or not and I saw him sitting on the couch, sleeping, so I went back upstairs, brought a pillow and I put it under his head. He didn’t notice that I put him a pillow then I went back to my room and slept.

Around 5am, I checked on my mother inside her room and still she was sound asleep. I went downstairs to check on Yoochun and I haven’t found him from where I left him last night then I heard cling-clang sound in the kitchen area. Yoochun was cooking when I went to the kitchen and he greeted me.

“You’re cooking?” I doubtly asked.

“Yes, I am.” He answered while he was busy cooking.

I came closer and saw the eggs, hotdogs, and toasted breads were overcooked then I gave out a big laugh.

“Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Laugh all you can.” He was annoyed.

“You really don’t know how to cook.”

“At least I tried.” He said.

I let him be and watched while he was frying the remaining eggs. He said that those were sunny-side-up eggs but as what I looked, it was more than burned. I wanted to laugh but I tried to not to. Yoochun was trying his best in cooking and I knew that he still felt sorry from what happened to us so that’s why he did the cooking. Yoochun finished the remaining eggs and I helped him served the foods. Mother came in and she saw the food was not that good but still she ate it.

“I know it was you who cooked the food, Yoochun.” Mother said.

“These are not perfect as yours.” He said.

Mother laughed and she told him that she could teach him to cook simple foods just like what we had on the table. We joined mother and Yoochun spoke, “Ma’am, I can help you.” Mother smiled at him and told him that she can handle her problems, if she can’t, then she would ask for help. Yoochun nodded and he continues to eat.

When we were done with our breakfast, I got a call from Sheryl. She told me that her father was fired from his job and it seems like that the source of it was mine. Yoochun’s father acted again and this time, he’s going to ruin my friends’ life. After I got a call from Sheryl, Erika called telling me that Siwon was fired from his job. I wanted to tell Yoochun but I know he would get mad and fight against his father until Donghae called Yoochun. He looked at me and put down his put on the table and started to get mad.

“Why you didn’t tell me?” He asked furiously.

I don’t want to answer but he kept on pushing me to confess and I did. “I got calls from my friends that Sheryl’s father got fired and so as Siwon.”

“I know it’s my father who did this.” He said.

“What happen?” Mother asked as she came to us.

“Nothing. Just a little secret.” I lied.

“Ma’am, I need to go.” Yoochun asked permission then he rushed to his car and I followed him.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“I’m going back home to face my father.” He said and he opened the driver’s door. I opened the front seat door and went inside. “What are you doing?” he asked madly.

“I’ll go with you.”

“No! Your mother needs you so you need to stay.” He said.

“No! I’m coming with you.”

“Please, Kioko. Let me handle this problem. I knew that it’s because of me, you and your friends’ life got ruin. So, please get out of the car and be with your mother.” He pleaded.

He was serious and his plea was granted as I went out from the car and looked at him while he drove away back to the city. I wanted to come but he won’t let me. I saw his car disappeared from afar and mother came to me, hugging me so tightly.

“Kioko, follow your heart. I am not blind that you love him. If the incident that happened to us then it’s not Yoochun’s fault. There are people who don’t understand so do your best to let them understand why you love Yoochun.”

Mother gave me an encouragement to fight as she said, I would follow my heart.