Song inserted in this chap: Love Takes Time by Mariah Carey (credit to owner)

Kim Woo Bin came out from the kitchen with an icepack in his hand, walking towards Min Ho who was sitting on the couch. He threw the icepack to his best friend as he sat in front of him.

Min Ho took the icepack and dabbed it against his bruised lips. His brows creased together when he felt the sting on his lips but he was glad he still feels the pain. He thought he couldn’t feel anything after what had happened in the police station just now.

“What is this mess all about?” Woo Bin asked with his eyes glaring at him. “You told me that you dated Park Shin Hye because you love her. Then you told me that you work for Park Min Sik because you don’t want to be a bodyguard for the rest of your life. Now you are telling everybody that you are a police undercover? You were lying all these while and used me to get close to Park Min Sik?”

Min Ho his bruised lips as he threw the icepack on the coffee table in front of him before looking up at Woo Bin. He inhaled deeply. “Yes. Everything was already planned including the accident that injured my leg. It was all lies.” His face hardened as pain crossed his eyes. “I was given a mission to get Park Min Sik’s money laundering evidence and arrest him. In order to get close to him, I have to try sneaking into his company and because you worked for him, it was easier for me to get in. But I didn’t know I was assigned to protect his daughter and not him.”

Woo Bin crossed his arms and looked straight at him. “Was it one of the plans too for dating Park Shin Hye so that you can gain trust from her father and get what you want?”

“No!” Min Ho growled at him. “Meeting her was not in the plan and falling in love with her was out of my control. No matter how much I wanted to arrest her father I wouldn’t use her to do that.” He said through his gritted teeth. He buried his face into his palms as he tried hard to control his emotion. “I really love her.” He whispered.

Woo Bin let out a deep sigh. “But at the same time you hurt her too. If you know it from the beginning that you will put her father into the prison, you shouldn’t have started a relationship with her. You are hurting her and yourself at the same time.” He looked away and pursed his lips. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m not a police and I wouldn’t understand. But if you really love her so much, you should have made a choice. Give her up or give your mission up. You should have let him go. No matter what her father did, he is still her father.”

Min Ho looked up at his best friend as his eyes reddened. Woo Bin wasn’t sure it was because of pain or anger.

“Let him go? Do you have any idea what had he done all these while? Dragon Corporation is one of the top construction companies in South Korea. All the houses built under his company were a dream for so many people in the country. But do you know what was the truth that lies behind all these projects? Park Min Sik was using all his projects to do money laundering activities for all the illegal investors all over the country. The dirty money that he laundered for them were all from drugs trafficking.” He exhaled sharply as he bit his lip hard, not bothering the pain that caused by the bruise. “Do you still remember how my parents died?”

Woo Bin looked at him in confusion. That hurtful expression on Min Ho’s face make his heart felt uneasy. Of course he remembered how his parents died but he didn’t know it has something to do with Park Min Sik.

“The apartment that collapsed 17 years ago was built by Dragon Corporation. He doesn’t care what kind of cheap materials they used to build the apartment because his main goal was not that apartment. He just wanted to use that project to clean his dirty money. Even all the materials was out of safety standard and doesn’t meet the requirement, he still managed to corrupt the government authorities to approve the project.” Min Ho said painfully as tears started to well in his eyes.

“My parents were so happy that they finally get to buy a house that belongs to them. I still remembered their smiles, their laughter when we first moved in. But just only 6 months after we moved in, the apartment collapsed and killed 197 of lives including my parents.” Min Ho swallowed hard as he tried to catch his breath. “And do you know what Park Min Sik said to me? He told me that to be successful, there must be sacrifices. Because of his greediness and selfishness, 197 lives were taken just in a blink of an eye. Their lives were the sacrifices he was talking about.” He looked deep into Woo Bin’s eyes. “Do you still think I should let him go?”

Woo Bin was totally stunned with what Min Ho just said. He never thought there was such a big secret behind his parent’s death. He looked down as his heart felt pain for his best friend too.

Min Ho took a deep breath. “I’m a police officer. My duties and responsibilities are to prevent and detect the crime to maintain the law and public order. No matter who that person is, I have to arrest them if they didn’t follow the law.” He turned back to Woo Bin. “Park Min Sik has to be responsible with everything he has done. I’m not guilty or regret with what I have done.” He bit his lip again. “The only thing that makes me felt guilty was I have to drag Shin Hye into all these. It was my fault that she was hurt. It was all my faults.”

Woo Bin looked up at him again with a sympathy gaze. “Try to talk to her and explain everything to her. She will understand. She was hurting because she loves you very much. She was shocked with all the truth that revealed in a sudden. Give her some time and I’m sure she will understand.”

Min Ho brought his hand to his chest and held tightly onto the whistle pendant. He has no confidence that Shin Hye will forgive him. Her painful expression in the police station just now shattered his heart into pieces. Her tears, her trembling body, her shaking voice and she kept pleading him to tell her that he was just joking. All of it was like a sharp knife cutting his flesh piece by piece. He knows he shouldn’t disturb her now and should let her have some time to cool herself down.

He leaned his back against the couch as he closed his eyes tight.

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“Do you want to eat anything? I will ask the maid to cook some porridge for you.” Han Ki Ae said as she sat on the bed beside Shin Hye, looking at her.

Shin Hye shook her head. “I’m not hungry.” She said softly. “How’s appa?” She asked.

“He will be detained in the police station for them to question him. The lawyer already there with him and we still don’t know how is the progress. The charges that the police pressed on him were quite serious. They have a lot of evidence in their hands.” She held Shin Hye’s hand and squeezed at it softly. “No matter what happen, you have to stay strong. If anything happen to sajang-nim, you will need to help him to take care of the company and the house.” Han Ki Ae said.

Shin Hye sighed sadly. “Take care of the company and the house? What can I do to help him? I’m blind and don’t know anything. I’m just an idiot and useless person that caused all these to happen.”

“But you still have Yoo Chun-sshi to help you. You can trust him.” Han Ki Ae said as an evil smile flashed on her face. She knows this is the best opportunity to push Yoo Chun to her when she was at her most vulnerable moment now. 

Shin Hye held her head low as she sighed. “Whatever it is, just let Yoo Chun oppa to handle it. He is appa’s adopted son anyway. He has the right to take over the company if anything happen to appa.” She closed her eyes tightly as she bit her lip. “I’m very tired. Can you leave me alone?” She said softly.

Han Ki Ae pulled her hand away from her and her gazed was daggered at her. She put on a fake smile before she said. “Okay. You rest for a while. I won’t let anybody to disturb you.” She said as she stood up and walked out of Shin Hye’s room.

Shin Hye exhaled deeply when she heard the door was closed. She slowly moved her hand to her chest and pressed on the whistle pendant. Tears started to roll down her cheeks again. Everything that happened last night, everything that Min Ho told her last night, everything of it kept replaying in her mind uncontrollably. She finally understands why he was so scared that she will leave him. Everything was already planned. He wants her to promise him that she will forgive him no matter what he did. Everything was a lie. The first time they met in her brother’s cemetery, the first time when he held her tight in the beach, the first time he saved her life because of the bomb, the first time they talked in the garden, the first time he hug her and told her that he care for her, the first time they danced in the charity ball, they first time he kissed her, the first time he confessed his love and the first time he make love to her, everything was a lie. He was only using her to get near to her father and everything was a plan. She was just a bait he used to capture her father.

She wanted to believe everything he ever said to her was true. She wanted to believe him that he really do love her and he wasn’t using her but even if it’s true, it still doesn’t change the fact that he lied and send her father to the prison. It still hurt her so badly that she couldn’t even feel her own heartbeat or breathing now. She felt numb all over and suffocated. She clenched her hands into fist as loud cries started to escape her lips. She laid herself down on the bed, wrapped herself into a ball, her knees pulled tight against her chest. Pains and hurts invaded her veins like burning fire. She cried and wailed, burrowing her head into her knees.

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Park Yoo Chun ran up the stairs heading to Shin Hye’s room when he came back from the police station. Before he could make it to her room, Han Ki Ae stopped him. She pulled him into his room.

“How’s everything? What did the police said? Will Park Min Sik be jailed this time?” Han Ki Ae asked expectantly.

Yoo Chun sighed before looking at her. “Yes. I don’t think he could run away this time. The evidence that Lee Min Ho handed to them was very strong and evident.” He chuckled. “I have to admit that I’m very impressed with him. He can even hack into Park Min Sik’s computer without that old fox realizing it. I’ve been working for him for the past 8 years but I can’t even get a single thing. He was so stupid to trust Lee Min Ho so much.”

Han Ki Ae scoffed in disgust. “He was not stupid. He thought of dragging Lee Min Ho into the boat with him will make him stay loyal to him. But he just never thought that Lee Min Ho is an undercover.”

“Compared to Lee Min Ho, why didn’t he trust me but him? All these while, he never ever let me to touch his illegal activities before. I just don’t understand why he hates me so much.” Park Yoo Chun said. Although it was not important that who put him to the jail but it would be more satisfying if he was the one who do it. He wants him to pay for what he has done to his father.

Han Ki Ae’s eyes darkened. “He doesn’t hate you. He just…” She paused and realized that something important almost slipped out from . She quickly got back to her senses and cleared . “Anyway, we still have to thanks Lee Min Ho for helping us to complete part of the mission.” She smiled as she looked at Yoo Chun. “The next thing you need to do is to make sure Park Shin Hye trusted you and gives you the whole company. She is blind and useless. She won’t be able to handle the company. And you will be the best person to step out and lend her a hand.”

Yoo Chun’s face hardened as he looked at Han Ki Ae with a sharp gaze. “She is not useless. She is just unlucky to be Park Min Sik’s daughter and become a victim in all these mess. Please don’t drag her into this anymore. She was already hurt enough after what Lee Min Ho has done to her.”

Han Ki Ae took a step closer to him and daggered her gaze at him. “I don’t care how you feel for her and how much you love her but you have to remember. Her father was the one who killed your father. You have all the right to take everything from him. As long as Park Shin Hye didn’t create any problem in our plan, I will still let her live in this house and make sure she is well taken care. If she dares to get in my way, I will not let her off too.” She smiled again. “If you want your precious Shin Hye to be safe, you better make sure the next CEO for Dragon Corporation to be you.”

Yoo Chun sighed deeply after Han Ki Ae stepped out of his room.

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Shin Hye doesn’t know how long she has been crying and how long it has passed. She was still laying on the bed lifelessly when someone knocked on the door.

“Shin Hye, it’s me, Yoo Chun oppa. Can I come in?” Yoo Chun asked from outside the room.

She sighed as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. She closed her eyes when she felt herself spinning as her head was throbbing so badly. “Come in.” She said through a hoarse voice.

Yoo Chun frowned when he saw her pale face. He closed the door behind him before he walked towards the bed and sat beside her. He reached out for her tear-stained cheeks and caressed it gently. It broke his heart looking at her like this.

“I heard the maid said you didn’t eat anything for your lunch today. It’s already 8pm now. You should eat something. Let me bring some porridge for you, okay?” He asked softly.

Shin Hye shook her head. “I have no appetite.” She turned her head slightly at him. “How’s appa?” She asked.

“It’s not too positive. He still needs to be detained in the police station. They have very valid and strong evidence against your father. I think it will be quite troublesome this time.” He paused as he studied her face. “Lee Min Ho had hacked into your father’s computer and also has all the records of his money laundering activities. It was undeniable that he has been planning this for a long time.”

He looked down at her hand and grasped at it tightly in his when he saw her eyes reddened. “Don’t think about him anymore. Don’t torture yourself because of a person like him. He doesn’t worth your tears. Everything he done was only for his mission as an undercover. He gets near to you and makes you fall in love with him just because he needs to find an opportunity to get close to your father. Everything was a lie. His sweet talk, his love, everything that he told you before, it was all in his plan.”

Tears started welling up in her eyes again as it slowly poured out like raindrops.

Yoo Chun inhaled deeply before he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Shin Hye buried her face in his shoulder as her body convulsed with sobs. She cried painfully as her hand clenched tightly onto his shirt. “I love him very much. Why did he do this to me? He said he love me too. He promised that he won’t lie to me. But why?” She swallowed hard as more tears rolled down her cheeks. “Oppa, my heart is so painful that I could barely breathe. My whole world was like just collapsed and my head was hurting so much.” She said as she continued to cry.

Yoo Chun tightened his arms around her and kissed her hair softly. He wanted her to know that his heart was hurting very badly too looking at her like this. “Cry it all out. I’ll be here with you. No matter what happen, you s