" Tired as Hell " —;

(double update, go back one chapter :D)

There was pin-drop silence as the two tried to digest what they just heard. It was almost impossible that what they heard is true, they were sworn enemies and now they are in some kind of...engagement? This is absurd. "Mr Kim...I don't...know what you're talking about..." Woori began. "Ah, this must be some shocking news for you, i'll give you some time to adjust. You two will be engaged for 3 years and will get married right after Woori turns 21." the man said as he straightened his tie.

"Abbeoji...Woori is the girl that is in the arranged marriage you once said?" Sunggyu asked, beyond shocked. "Yes. Well son, I wanted to tell you the previous time but you didn't want to listen so you should have prepared for the shock." Mr Kim let out a sarcastic laugh. "You think this is a joke?" the younger one began softly. "You think this is a joke when my said to be fiancee attempted to murder me? Why are you putting two ices together? Doesn't that make it colder? And I don't want to spend my life with someone who can't warm me up." he continued.

"Ah, is that why you're in the hospital Sunggyu yah?" Mr Kim asked, earning a glare. He turned to the girl and gave her a thumbs up. "If you continue this, you might get rid of his obnoxious and bastard attitude, keep up the good work but...if I may ask, what happened to you?" he asked. But before Woori could even respond, Sunggyu spoke up; ever so brazen. "I hired men to her, but they got beaten up." he confessed. At this moment, Woori's breath hitched to what she just heard. She had enough.

Not caring whether Sunggyu's father was there, but she went over to him and punched down his chest, making him choke; hard. "With all due respect sir, I will never marry Kim ing Sunggyu. And if I do, I might as well get struck by lightning. DO YOU HEAR ME?!" she yelled before she stormed out of the ward. Mr Kim laughed as he went over to Sunggyu; who was still trying to catch his breath, before patting on his shoulder.

"This is why Nam Woori is the perfect wife for you. 3 in 1 wife package remember? Anyways—" the man smacked his son across the face. "How dare you actually use my money to hire men to her. That is the most shameless thing you have ever done, son. Do you even call yourself a man? Oh gosh, if only Sunhee didn't give birth to you, if only I didn't make that mistake of impregnating Sunhee with you, I wouldn't have that much of a headache right now. Do you know how much I regretted having you? Sunggyu ah. You were my biggest mistake." Mr Kim hissed dangerously.

"THEN WHY AM I STILL HERE?! YOU SHOULD'VE JUST KILLED ME OR THROW ME OFF TO SOME DESERTED ISLAND. IF I WAS SUCH A BIG MISTAKE TO YOU, THEN WHY DO YOU STILL KEEP ME HERE? WHY?!" Sunggyu yelled his heart out whilst the tears roll down his cheeks. "Have you heard of Hansel and Gretel? Why did the witch fed the children? Because she wanted to eat them. So ask yourself, why do I raise you? So that I can use you. After all, a son might come handy in times." the older one smirk.

"I wish...I just wish I wouldn't have a father like you...if that can't happen, I just wish that mum didn't die, so that I can run away with her...why are you being so cruel to me? Why can't you love me? If you made a mistake, why can't you just take it as an angel in disguise and just love me like a normal father?" Sunggyu asked, sobbing so hard. This was probably one of the rarest times when he actually cry like this. "Too bad, Sunggyu ah. The world is a cruel place, and your fate, was to fall in the cruelest part of all." his father said coldly before walking away.

"What am I doing with my life..." Woori asked herself as she walked back home, ignoring the stares, probably because she looked as if a typhoon just went past her. "Why is Kim Sunggyu so cruel to me till the very end? Even hiring men to me...I cannot believe...I just can't...why is my life in such a mess..." she didn't know she was actually crying until she felt the wet tears on her face with her fingers.

She really needed to hug someone right now. Anyone. So that for that moment, she can cry in someone's arms and pretend that they care about her. She just needs some support, actually, she needs all the support she can get because right now, she's on the verge of collapsing; mentally. "Woori ah..." the voice she missed so much appeared. She looked up from the ground and for the first time in her life, she was so happy to see Myungsoo. She quickly ran and jumped into his arms, sobbing as hard as she could.

"Woori ah! What's wrong? What happened?" Myungsoo asked, worried sick by the way she looked. He wanted to hug her back, to kiss her and tell her everything is alright, to love her, but now, he knew very well he couldn't, because Woori isn't his anymore. He wanted to pull her away because if he didn't, he would wrap his hands around her, never wanting to let go. "Woori..." he attempted it again. "Can we please just stay like this? I went through alot today..." Woori said.

After a full minute, Myungsoo forced himself to pull her away again. "Woori...I need to tell you something." Myungsoo began. "Can't it wait? I'm so tired...let's go inside..." Woori groaned a little. "Woori, we need to break up." he continued, and that woke Woori up. "What..." she thought for a moment, for the most possible reason that Myungsoo will break up with her. "You heard about the arranged marriage, the one with me and Sunggyu?" she spoke. "I'm not going to marry him Myungsoo ah...never."

Myungsoo shook his head as a response. "I don't give a about the marriage Myungsoo. I'm going to marry you, not him." Woori pleaded, but he shook his head once more. "You said we knew each other for 17 years, we did the same thing, we go to the same school, we hang out everyday and that you love me. Then why are you running away now? You said you love me Myungsoo ah. YOU SAID YOU LOVE ME." Woori screamed. "You...were too late." Myungsoo said softly, not wanting Woori to hear how badly his voice trembled.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Myungsoo shook his head again before turning around, making sure Woori didn't see the single lone tear that fell from his eye. "I'm sorry Woori ah, but this is the end...goodbye and take care." and with that, he left. He left Woori all alone right there in the front porch of her empty house.

Woori dropped onto the floor, wanting to give up on everything, all her tears are drained and now she is left with nothing, but the strange thing was, she got up again. Something forbidded her to give up, something deep down in her, this light of hope and desire wanted her to stay strong and just go through with life. " this , I don't need no man. I don't need no family." she cussed before she went into the house.

She immediately went upstairs to her room and packed her clothes and her important valuables. It was a quick pack because honestly, not much in the house was actually valuable and worth keeping for her. She ran her hand across her desk but stopped when she saw a picture of her and Myungsoo, smiling ever so happily. That was way before she met Kim Sunggyu. Even though they weren't in a relationship then, but in the picture, they surely looked as if they were crazily in love with each other. At least she was happy then.

She debated on whether to take the picture or not. She couldn't really bear not seeing Myungsoo's face and with that, she stuffed the picture in her bag. She grabbed a pen and a piece of paper before starting to write down a note but she paused. "Why would I write down a note? They wouldn't care less anyways. One less burden, right?" she crushed the piece of paper before throwing it on the floor.

"Goodbye..." Woori said for the last time before she walked away from the house with two bags in her hand. She didn't know where to go because she didn't have any other place to go but she just wanted to walk forever, she just wanted to escape this cruel place. She just wanted to start life anew, if that were to happen, she will swear upon her life that she wouldn't be a cold ever again.

It was late at night but fortunately, there was one bus left. Woori boarded the bus and sat down before immediately falling asleep. Her nap felt so short that the next thing she knew, the bus driver woke her up. "Miss, this is the last stop, you should get down." he said. Woori felt extremely tired but she had no choice but to get up. If it weren't for the kind bus driver, she would've fell because of her weak legs. "Are you okay miss? Do you need me to call a taxi?" the driver offered. "It's okay..." she declined before finally getting off the bus.

Woori looked around as the bus left. This unfamiliar place is probably really far from her house. She walked but as soon as a sharp pain attacked her ankle, she trudged. Right as she thought she was about to fall asleep whilst walking, her phone rang, waking a tiny part of her up. She took out her phone and looked at the caller ID. "Kim Sunggyu?" she mumbled, but she had no time to think because she had already out due to extreme fatigue, again.

"See, I told you that if you scored full marks for your number test, I would buy you ice cream, so quick take your favorite flavour." Jaemi urged. Seyeon quickly took the melon flavour. "Eyy, that's my favorite flavour too..." Jaemi pouted before her daughter handed over the melon ice cream. "I'm just joking Seyeon, you can have it. Umma will get the durian flavour." she laughed at how considerate her daughter is. Seyeon would definitely grow up to be a good woman.

"Remember that after you eat your ice cream, you must sleep when we get home okay? It is really late now." Jaemi nagged, earning a nod from the little girl. Right as they walked hand in hand, Seyeon pointed out something way in front. "Umma..." she said. "Seyeon let's just go..." Jaemi said, not wanting this to be a trick by the erts all around. "No...umma..." Seyeon brought Jaemi closer. Jaemi's doubt started to grow more and more as she approached the person lying on the ground. But it disappeared when she saw the familiar uniform.

"Eh? Isn't that my school's uniform?" Jaemi mumbled as she got closer again. She recognized that brown with light brown highlights hair. She squatted down beside the unconscious body, taking note of the two bags beside it. Jaemi pushed her hair away from her face and gasped. "Woori?! Nam Woori?!" Jaemi quickly shook the unconscious body hard. "Nam Woori! Wake up!" Jaemi wanted to scream for help but not at this timing. It's midnight, who would even be awake right now?

"I-I...should call the ambulance..." Jaemi took out her phone with trembling hands but stopped when she thought about it. It's 12 am and even the nearest hospital is so far away, how long will they take to get here? "Aish..." she muttered before putting her phone back and pushing her hand on Woori's forehead. "It's burning!" Jaemi gasped. She quickly threw her ice cream to one side and carried Woori on her back before carrying the two bags on one hand and the other, on Woori's hand. "C'mon Seyeon ah, let's go home." Jaemi said quickly.

"Aish...Nam Woori...what happened to you?"

Double update for today because I just wanted to continue the story. Well, this chapter is obviously more saddening and angsty than the previous chapter. Please do comment, not only comment on whether you liked this story but also on what you think about the chapters! Feedbacks are welcomed too as I want to improve my story for everyone to enjoy. Cheers.

-Mi Eun