Note from Author : My apologies to Gary's father. This story is not meant to be a curse. Is just a STORY. God bless all good men with good health and happiness.

Months go by, Gary and Ji Hyo continue to live their own lives.

Gary focus on doing his music and running his business, at the same time grooming new faces for the hip hop industry in Korea. His works for his own album or for other artists are always topping the charts bringing him good income and endless number of songs invitations. But none of his works win him any awards.

“Gary, your songs…the themes are too dark. Work on songs that are positive and sweet, judges prefer these kind of songs.” Gil and Tiger JK advised Gary.

“I can’t…..” Gary mumbled.

Gary took good care of both his parents and his wife (in name), Min Jung. But he never touch Min Jung or share the same room with her even after marrying for months. He just treats Min Jung as his ‘flat mate’.

Ji Hyo’s movies and drama continue to hit the box office after her breakup with Gary. But soon she announced that she is leaving the entertainment scene due to health issues. But it was rumored that Ji Hyo actually got a fiancé, a Mr Big who is an American Born Chinese. A high flying banker in Wall streets and from a well to do family. The reason for her to leave is because she is pregnant and will be marrying Mr Big soon.

Gary breakdown upon the release of the news. He did not cry nor did he confide his sorrows to his buddies instead he overdosed himself with hard liquor and was send to the hospital.  His buddies like Gil, Sam and the RM family worried about him, staying by his side whenever they have time to spare.

Gary lived like a corpse for the first few months after Ji Hyo left with Mr Big, communicating only with people who work with him. Locking himself in his studio or his guest room at home (he seldom go home anyway). It was then Min Jung started to understand that regardless how hard she tried, she can’t replace that woman in Gary’s heart.

To ‘release’ the both of them, Min Jung filed for a divorce, voiding the marriage. This stirred up lots of news in the media. Min Jung soon found her own love and happiness. 7 months after her divorce with Gary. She married a producer in the KBS TV station. Though so, she still check on Gary every now and then, as a friend.

Gary’s father health worsen a year later.

“Hee Gun, I am so sorry. Appa is really sorry. I forced you to marry Min Jung. I caused my children so much miseries and pain. I am glad that Min Jung now found her own happiness. Hee Gun ar…how about you? You still thinking about Ji Hyo?” Gary’s father would weep at times.

Gary just shook his head to indicate that he had never blame his father. But his heart would twitched and felt bitter whenever he heard Ji Hyo’s name. News about Ji Hyo were rare. Gary sometimes would surf the social media to check on Ji Hyo but there aren’t much news about Ji Hyo’s recent lives.

Gary’s father passed on during the winter of year 2019.

The winter night was cold for Gary. Gary was at the casket, arranging the flowers on the altar of his father’s. Gary’s sister send their mother home for a rest. The hall is quiet with only Gary. Gil and Ha Ha who came to help were dozing away at the corner of the hall.

As dawn approached, Kwang Soo came with breakfast.

“Hyung, go to the resting room to eat. I will help to take care things if any guest comes.” Kwang Soo said. There is a small room for rest at the back of the casket hall. The men moved to the room for their breakfast.

“Noona…come…come in now. They went in already.” Kwang Soo rushed to the entrance of the casket hall once the guys retreat into the resting room.

Ji Hyo came in with a young boy sleeping in her arms.

“Sweet heart...…wake up.” Ji Hyo patted the little boy’s back softly.

The little boy rubbed his eyes and yawn.

“Shh…..quiet….don’t wake up the uncles. They are sleeping.” Kwang Soo quickly use his big hands to cover the mouth of the child.

“Come….bow to your grandpa.” Ji Hyo pushed the boy gently forward to the altar.

Upon seeing a strange environment, white candles and flowers and a stranger's photo staring at him, the little boy started crying.

“Omma….I am scare…” The little boy cling to Ji Hyo’s long skirt and refused to let go.

“Shh……Shhh....good boy good boy.”Kwang Soo started to panic, trying to keep the cries down.

Gary who was drinking his coffee in the rest room heard a child’s cry.

“Did you hear anything?” Gary asked Gil and Ha Ha.

“What?” Ha Ha asked.

“A kid crying.” Gary replied.

“Hyung, don’t scare me.” Ha Ha and Gil looked at each other.

Gary stood up and walked to the hall.

“Kwang Soo….what is happening?” Gary saw the back of a woman bending down. There were cries of a child coming behind this woman.

“Gary Hyung!” Kwang Soo looked like he had seen a ghost.

“Nothing, nothing.” Kwang Soo tried to push the woman to the exit of the hall. The woman picked up a child from the floor and hug him into her chest while her face was covered by her long hair.

“Kwang Soo, is this a prank? Show some respects, is the wake of my Appa.” Gary started to get angry.

“No no, no prank. Hyung, I am sorry.” Kwang Soo kept bowing and apologizing

“Wait….”Gary felt that this woman standing with her back facing Gary looked familiar. The scent, the perfume from this woman, Gary was sure that he had this very same fragrance in the drawer of his wardrobe.

Gary quicken his pace and pull the woman by her elbow so that he can see her face to face.

As he touched the elbow of this woman, he felt warm and suddenly there was tears gathering in his eyes.

“What is wrong with me?” Gary asking himself.

Gary’s mouth went agape when he saw Ji Hyo standing in front of him, in the midst of his father’s wake, at the casket hall of his father’s wake and with a boy in her arms.

Kwang Soo quickly block Gary by standing in front of Ji Hyo.

“Yah! Lee Kwang Soo, get lost!” Gary pushed Kwang Soo out of his view. By then, Ji Hyo was already running towards the exit of the hall.

“Ji Hyo…Ji Hyo…where are you going?” Gary leaped forward to stop Ji Hyo from leaving.

“Omma…OMMA…I am scare.” The boy in Ji Hyo’s arms cried and screamed.

Ji Hyo couldn’t move further since the child was crying and struggling in her arms. She stopped to put the child down, wiping the tears from his face. It was then, Gary had a good look at the child.

Single eye lids but eyes big like Ji Hyo’s. His nose resembles that of Ji Hyo’s also, and his mouth looks a bit like Gary’s. Same hair style like Gary’s. Somehow, this little boy reminded Gary of someone. Someone from his childhood memories, someone very close to him but he couldn't remember who is that.

“Who…who…is this boy?” Gary asked. The little boy looked at Gary with his eyes wide open, tears continue to roll down from his big and innocent eyes.

“Come here, kid.” Gary waved his hand. The little boy stumbled his way to Gary. Seems like he is not scared of Gary at all. 

“Why are you crying?” Gary asked. Gary clean the tear stains on his face with his thumb.

“Omma asked me to bow at that man.” The little boy pointed at the altar where Gary’s father’s photo was instated.

“I never seen him before. I am scare.” The little boy answered with a timid voice.

“Shall we bow together? You are a boy, should not be scared. This man, he loves children and is a very very kind person.” Gary held the little hands of the boy and led him to the front of the Altar. Both the man and the boy took a deep bow.

“Hwan Gun, let’s go.” Ji Hyo followed behind Gary. She also paid her respects to Gary’s father.

“Ji Hyo, Thank you for coming.” Gary bowed.

“Gary Ssi….no worries. My deepest condolence. Gary Ssi….please….please…be strong.“ Ji Hyo replied. Looking at Gary’s eye bags and his unshaved face, Ji Hyo felt soreness in her heart.

“Omma…so he is Grandpa?” Hwan Gun suddenly asked.

“No...Not...." Ji Hyo immediately covered Hwan Gun’s mouth and carry him to move towards the exit.

“Grandpa? GRANDPA?” For a moment, Gary thought his ears pranked on him. He went into a daze, his legs rooted to the ground.

“Hyung, the kid says grandpa. I heard that also.” Ha Ha who by now is standing next to Gary, reminded Gary what he heard minutes later.

"I thought the 3 of you looked similar to each other, especially you and the boy. That little boy reminded me of the childhood you." Gil who witness what happened, chipped in.

"3 of you? Which you?" Gary still in a dazed. 

"You, the boy and your appa." Gil pointed at the photo of Gary's father, at Gary and at the exit where Ji Hyo and the boy left.

“What….Wait…Ji Hyo.” Suddenly Gary seems to understand something, he ran after Ji Hyo.

It was too late. Ji Hyo and Hwan Gun boarded a black BMW and left.