The surrounding of the dining room was very gloomy.  Shim Hye Jin could not believe her ears of what she had just heard from her very own son’s lips.

“Eomma… I have been thinking about this thoroughly…” Min Ho said calmly as he knew he had the support from his father earlier on. “I am planning to live on my own and Min Ha is coming with me.” He said. “I hope you will bless us and let us have our own life.” Min Ho held his daughter’s hand tightly. Min Ha, as if understood how nervous her father was to face her very strong headed grandmother also clenched on his father’s hand.

Shim Hye Jin remained quiet as she was lost at words. She wanted so much to scream at Min Ho, to stop him and to make him just stay but she knew better than to make him feel pressured since he was on his recovery route.  She gulped loudly and tried hard to held in her anger. In her mind, she somewhat blamed Shin Hye for no apparent reason. She knew her son’s drive to move out was so he could find his wife who had been missing for almost four years now.

Lee Sung Ki cleared his throat to respond to his son since his wife was shutting , “That’s a good step son. Maybe it can be very helpful.” He said calmly. Shin Hye Jin couldn’t believe of what she heard from her husband’s mouth. She narrowed her eyes at him showing her little disapproval but her husband just shook it off. Before her husband continued his support, she thought of cutting in trying to find essential information which might help her for her future steps.

“So, son, where do you plan to stay?” She tried to maintain her cool. Her husband knew better that she was probably planning on something but he just smiled knowingly at his son whom smiled back at him.

“Just be careful of choosing the place. Don’t make it too obvious to your mom that you need a space from her.” His father told him as he sipped his drink.

Min Ho inhaled in and replied, “Arassoyo… I don’t understand why she displayed such animosity towards… Min Ha’s Eomma…Was she really that bad?”

His father put down the cup and turned his chair around so that he could stare as outside his window with a very deep thought displaying in his mind. “I can tell you but I rather you meet her and find her yourself.”

“How?” Min Ho asked in desperation.

“I told you to find out where Yu Bi is…” He reminded Min Ho. Min Ho hanged his head down feeling a tad frustrated that he would have to work hard to find the truth about his divorce. Min Ho turned around and was about to leave his father’s study room, “Son…  I would suggest hiring your cousin, Kwang Soo as your secretary. He can be very helpful.”

“Min Ho… Have you decided where you and Min Ha are going to stay?” Shim Hye Jin asked again.

Min Ho looked at his mother and smiled, “We are still looking into it. I want Min Ha to find the place which she felt comfortable to stay in.” Min ho looked at Min Ha who gave him a supporting smile.

“Hmm…” His mother replied somewhat suspicious of what her son might have had in plans.

“Don’t worry about it too much. Take your time. You should find a place that you feel comfortable to stay in.” His father chimed in.

“Kere… Take your time to find a suitable place. Please bear in mind, that place should also be ready for your wife-to-be to enter.” His mother stood up and smiled coldly at him. She saw the fear in his eyes every time she mentioned about marriage. Min ho had been trying to avoid the discussion about marriage since he had gotten better.

“I will take that into consideration whenever I feel ready about it.” He answered back. Shim Hye Jin was surprised that her son answered her back. He was never like that before until that time when he voiced out his wish to marry that cursed girl.

Eight years back…

“Eomma! I don’t care! It is her who has filled my heart. Not Eun Hye!” Min Ho threw a fit.

His mother had placed an engagement ring in the middle of the coffee table of their living room.

“Who? That girl?” His mother screamed. “She has no significance in that family. Thank goodness Jin Hee Kyung would even take the audacity to take care of her. If I were Hee Kyung I would have sent her faraway. Poor Hee Kyung! She had to suffer that her husband decided to announce that woman! What a cursed one as well and got into an accident.” She huffed with so much hatred. “Good thing she died!” She huffed some more feeling satisfied that Shin Hye’s mother death seemed to be well-deserved.

“Eomma!” Min Ho protested his mother.

“Tesso! Think about it! It’s far better to marry the real daughter than God knows what!” She said nonchalantly and went into her room.

“Argh!!!!” Min Ho was short fused. He hit the top of the glass table.

*Crash*

His father ran out of his study room and saw Min Ho in his anger which he had never portrayed before holding his other arm which was bleeding with cuts from the broken glass table.

“Min Ho-yah!” His father screamed out loud.

Min Ho was still holding his anger and he probably didn’t feel the pain he had at that moment as his head was filled with hatred for what his mother had said.

***************

“Waegeresso?” Lee Sung Ki asked his wife as he entered their room.

“Waegeresso yo Oppa?” Shim Hye Jin asked him back as she just stared into her reflection.

“You should not trigger him that much. You…” Sung Ki had not finished what he wanted to say.

“That’s why I didn’t push it Oppa. Please stop bantering me about this subject! My head hurts as it is now.” She held her head and looked for her aspirin and took two of the tablets. She stood up and walked to their bed and pretended to sleep. She expected him to leave her alone or gave a snarky comment regarding her behavior but she felt him laid next to her. She then felt him touched her arm and sighed heavily.

“You were never like this. I miss my Shim Hye Jin…” He said softly and then she could feel him rolled out of the bed and walked out of the room as he softly shut their door.

Lee Sung Ki walked slowly into his study room and found his son staring outside the window with a sorrowful look.

“Your mom, is not feeling well…” HE tried to explain to his son regarding his mother’s behavior.

“It’s alright Oboji. I sort of predicted it.” Min Ho answered weakly.

“I hope she will slowly change her mind and heart. I think everything lies in Eun Hye’s mother.” Sung Ki tried to predict.

“Eo? Why?” Min Ho asked curiously.

“Oh… I meant pushing forward your marriage with Eun Hye.” His father gave him a bitter smile.

“Oh…” His face was crestfallen. “I am not bothered by that. I am not going to force myself at the moment. I need to ensure Min Ha is ready to accept her.” Min Ho reasoned.

“Kere… You are very right. She needs to be comfortable with whoever will become her future step-mother. I think as for now, she is quite traumatized with Eomma in a way.” Min Ho had observed his daughter.

“I can understand. I don’t know why your mother would even turn into someone like this. Nevertheless, I still love her. By the way, when are you meeting Kwang Soo? He had just returned from US recently. His father requested him to be trained under you.” Sung Ki asked his son.

“I will be meeting him tomorrow.” Min Ho confirmed with him. “I will be going to Jeju Island next Friday to meet Yu Bi.”

“Did you find out where Yu Bi have been staying?” He asked Min Ho.

“I called her two days back. She told me where she was. I will be meeting her there.” Min Ho told his father.

“I will have some packagings for her. I hope she is doing well there with her guardian there.” His father said.

“Who is she staying with Oboji?” Min Ho asked curiously.

“You will find out yourself. I have yet to get to know her as well. Your mother is the one who arrange their meeting.” His father explained. “By the way, while you are there, I need you to attend a meeting with our clientele there. I am going to set up a trial office there, I hope you would like to take the lead.” His father offered.

Min Ho smiled. He seemed to like the idea as it would mean she would be away from his mother and this would mean a good opportunity for Min Ha.  “I will think about it oboji…” He answered.

His father brought out a business file and it forward to his son. “Study it so that you can prepare yourself.”

“Agessemida Oboji,” He bowed to his father and walked out of the room.

*************

Min Ho waved at Min Ha who was very happy being dropped at her best friend’s place. Min Ho gave her a flying kiss. Min Ha returned his flying kiss amorously and then waved him eagerly as she hugged