It was not easy on him. Minho cannot stop thinking of what happened today. Someone almost lost her life and it was a close call. If he was not around he cannot imagine what should happen to her. Would she alive, would she be able to be saved?

He cannot stop thanking God for whatever reason he was placed there at the right time and the right place.

Then he recalls the flashback of the event as he goes to the balcony and looks down to the pool.

READY one two three…!!!

MINHO hesitates but then he goes for it. He presses YOONA’S jaw lightly and shapes for his easy access to blow inside.

The lips touch lips and he exhales inside to his maximum providing enough air to help her catch hers. He blows thrice and no reaction while SANG YOON STILL tries compressing her chest. MINHO gets so nervous and his cold sweat drops from his temple. He is afraid if the girl cannot be saved.

Then he goes again, this time he got reaction from her who is starting to cough and vomits salt water.

“YOONA SSI, are you okay? What a relief” SANG YOON inquires after her enthusiastically, happy that she is fine.

MINHO who just had a nervous breakdown and is bathing sweat on the other side is just silent. He releases a big sigh and then leaves. SANG YOON looks at his back confusedly but too busy to calm YOONA to ask him where he goes.

YOONA cannot see him as she still is suffocated and feels hard enough to breathe.

“What just happened?” that is the only thing she can come up with. She is still blank, no idea what just happens to her. After awhile, she remembers her terrible experience inside the water.

“I will take you to the hotel first, YOORI help me”

YOORI just nods. She is embarrassed for she is the cause of the accident but her jealousy defeats all and she hates the idea of helping YOONA. She thinks it will be better if she dies instead.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

YOONA is still clueless about the details. She has no idea how she was saved and who. She is relieved that she can be spared yet can only conclude that the credits should be given to the kind SANG YOON and there is no need to question anything at all. HE MUST BE THE ONE who saved her and she should thank him for she owes him her life.

“I was almost fainted. How could you be so careless my dear sister?” asked the concerned elder sister.

“I was just too excited to meet water. I am sorry to worry you”

“Thank God, SANG YOON SSI was there to save you”

YOONA smiles to her sister. She knows well how happy her sister to find out more good in SANG YOON. Her admiration and affection are increasing day by day. And she is glad that she falls in love with a right person.

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“It happened so fast, but you did great”

“I was just happened to be there. I am glad she is fine”

“I know it must give you quite a blow. I am sorry for forcing you to do what you might not want to do”

“No, it was nothing. I am fine with it. I do not regret it”

“What?”

“Not that I want it. But it is important that she is saved on time and it is good we act fast. If you were not there I have no idea what to do”

SANG YOON nods repeatedly agreeing to everything he said.

“YOONA SSI came to my room and thanked me, I guess she does not know that you are the one who…”

“Please do not tell her. I would respect you if you can keep it a secret” he cuts his words fast.

To MINHO it was actually really quite a blow. The event leaves him unexpected impact. But he never wants her to know; he sees it as embarrassing and wants to forget it himself.

Not that he is simpleton in general, but as far as woman is concerned, he lacks experience. In fact, it was his first. He never makes any relationship with girls like all guys do today. And in his age, he only befriended few women which can be counted with fingers. He does not exploit the advantage of having good look, money and power that all he has while girls are running behind him all the time.

And though, he cannot call it a kiss, it is the first time he locks lips with a woman in his life thus he can refer it as his first kiss. He is not so romantic, maybe because he never sees himself in that way or he is yet to find the potential in him. But he is just simply unable to erase the memory that keeps popping amidst everything he does.  It is too strong for him to forget and then he will touch his lips and his heart starts fluttering and his cheeks are blushing. He remembers how it feels and how soft, a girl lips can be which is very new to him then he will get Goosebumps.

“Forget it MINHO YA, forget it, ASAP!” cried him as he slaps his own face.

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Such an effect on MINHO, he tries his best to avoid YOONA. He hates how he acts and feels unlike his usual self. And that girl should not change him that is how he believes. He is afraid that he draws suspicions for treating her differently thus keeping a distance whenever they gather for lunches or dinners.

He will not utter a word and leaves when there is nothing else to do. And it was easy because YOONA never make attempt to talk to him as well. She will look through him and does not really care of his existence which he notices.

YOORI is not without suspicion. She understands the cold vibe between these two but cannot guess what the reasons behind it. What she witnessed is an indirect kiss that leaves her jealous till date. No one really talks about it, and she knows that YOONA is clueless yet she will not bother to tell her anyway.

“You are busy with your phone, who are you texting so?” Asks YOORI tries to get his attention.

“My sister, she is busy with her campus thing” answered MINHO.

“Oh, SULLI, how I long to see her" add her.

“I really admire her for things she achieves in such a very young age” said SANG YOON joining the conversation.

“She is always been talented and very stunning young girl. She is amazing. You must meet her YOONA SSI, she makes any woman envy of her accomplishments and perfection” praised YOORI excessively.

“I believe so” respond YOONA short.

“Though she is my sister, I must confess I rarely see any woman can achieve better than her”

“She is just perfect like you MINHO SSI” now, she openly compliments the brother.

“Perfect. Indeed, do you believe that you are, sir?” YOONA suddenly butts in. she is quite annoyed not to say anything. how this proud man can be considered perfect.

“That is impossible for anyone. But I must tell you that it has been my efforts to avoid mistakes, idiocy and carelessness of mind or weaknesses of conduct and character”

“Like arrogance or maybe vanity or perhaps pride. What do you think of them?” teases her with sarcasm.

“I don’t know why you ask me these questions. But I am against vanity and arrogance. But pride can be justified when you have a real reason to support it. And I am not perfect since I have my own faults. So do not blame me for what others say about me” answered him perfectly aware of the insinuation.

“Hmm, arrogance can be the result of pride and I see it as sign of failing of character. Yet I appreciate anyone’s opinion on this sir including yours. So forgive me, if I sound a bit rude for asking you such question”

YOONA and MINHO is fully engaged in a debate as they sharply look at each other and argue (though some people may see them to have a quarrel over nothing) and ignore the others who can only listen to them and it makes YOORI feels uneasy again.

“Stop it. Can we have any other topic to talk about?” tries her to disengage them.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

SO YEON comes out from her room and joins the dinner for the very first time since she falls ill.

“I am glad that you finally join us. How I miss your company” said YOORI trying to show hospitality but to YOONA, it sounds so insincere like she always does. If she misses the company of SO YEON, she should come to her room at least once to see her condition which she did not do.

“Thank you. I am sorry for letting everyone concern about my health” said her smiling gently and she will sneakily look at SANG YOON who cannot look at any other person but her.

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“Thank you for coming with us. And I am sorry you could not have fun as we promised” said YOORI who tries to show her utmost civility towards her friend, SO YEON and her sister before they part ways.

“I am the one to apologize for I cannot accompany you as I should. I hope you are not angry with me”

“No, YOONA SSI makes a good substitute when you were sick so I should thank her as well”

“Please do not mention it, I have fun myself” YOONA wonders why she did not apologize for what she did when they were swimming together. But she holds it inside that she does not want to create animosity with her considering her sister is attached to her brother. So she tries her best to be nice though she finds faking herself is the toughest feat.

SO YEON turns to SANG YOON who is smiling but looking a bit gloomy for he has to say a farewell to the beautiful girl.

“I hope there will be another opportunity. I regret you cannot really enjoy the vacation”

“Please do not regret anything because I am very happy to join your party though it’s a shame that I should fall sick”

“Take care. Well meet again soon, I hope”

“Thank you. I hope so”

In the meantime, YOONA has to face LEE MINHO who is there to send them away as well.

“I have not been able to thank you for all your kindness. I am sorry if I have said and done anything that are unpleasant to you” said her trying to be warm and sincere giving her smile since she thinks she might not have the opportunity to meet him again which she does not really feel sorry about.

MINHO looks hesitant but then only smiles a bit and said “ne” and soon after that leaves to his own car.

YOONA cannot believe her effort is paid reluctantly and coldly thus gets so upset again. She bites her lip and glares at his back.

“What a jerk” grumbles her?

On the contrary, little she knows that the man flutters and trembles to see her smile to him after awhile.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

MR. JUNG cannot be happier to see his two favorite daughters finally back home. How he misses their company after days passing among the other silly ones.

But after dinner, he makes a surprising announcement about a coming of a certain guest that he claims to be his distanced relative who he himself never meets before in his life.

“His name is KWANG SOO AND I expect him to come tomorrow my dear”

“Who is he father?”

“Actually he is the son of my oldest brother with the second wife. They have been away for years and I have not heard of their news until he calls me. He said he makes quite a good fortune and wish to look for his relatives for he is pretty much alone in this city. I hope none of you will object his coming. He might stay here for several days as he proposes and I cannot refuse him”

“But we are home of girls father?”

“You all can treat him like a brother, after all?” joked him.

He only looks at YOONA and then smiles.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

No one expects him to come so soon. He exactly appears at the door today as he promised with more luggage than one would imagine.

Everyone never expects him to be so tall. When we mean tall, he is unusually tall. His height can be compared to a giraffe.  He has a nervous look about him and restlessness as there is at least one part of his body that keeps moving uneasily. His expression is even funnier as he tries to so hard to show his awkward smile while his acts are all clumsy. He is not at all handsome and his humpback is not the least attractive.

He joined the family dinner after spending some time with MR. JUNG in the living room.

“I hope my coming does not bother any of my lovely cousins” said him shyly, again with his awkward and peculiar smile and strange way of staring to each one of them.

“Not at all, KWANG SOO SSI, my daughters are well-brought up children, so you must not concern for such thing” assures MRS. JUNG

“I heard you make a good living?” asked MR. JUNG starting a friendly conversation.

“Quite right sir, I have been fortunate to live on my own and be able to succeed in my young age which is surely a rare thing” boast him perfectly proud but no one seems ready to pretend to show amazement.

“And what are you doing for a living?” inquire MRS. JUNG.

“ma’am, you must have heard of the LEE Fashion. I have worked as a manager in one of the biggest branches in the country”

“It’s the late MR. LEE’S big company, isn’t it?”

“Yes but I work in one under MRS. BAN HYO JUNG, his sister, one of the most prominent shareholders and she is particularly very fond of me as she finds me very hardworking and since I am a model employee, she gives me a lot of  preference. In fact, I stay and connect closely to her house and family for she always contact me for many matters. I get quite a big amount of salary since I am on different league compared to others. And she promised me a good future in the company and is very ready to promote me” again he boasts.

Yet no one gives good response apart from the interested mother who thinks of a good prospect in him.

“Well, that is very great indeed KWANG SOO SSI” praised the mother.

He cannot hide his happiness to finally hear a-pat-on the-back words and looks very satisfied that everyone is aware of his worth. Then he will look at SO YEON several times and flirts then smile to her who does not know what to decide whether to act nicely or indifferent as she does not want to give him a sign of neither encouragement nor discourtesy.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“MRS. JUNG, excuse me for saying this, but I hope you will be very kind as to hear my proposal?”

“What is it, KWANG SOO SSI?”

“Now, that I make quite a good living, comfortable home and a decent fortune, you know that I should need a wife for myself and I have to tell you that your first daughter really captures my attention”

“Oh, I will be very happy if you can marry one of them, and SO YEON, she is indeed the most beautiful and the sweetest one but I am very sorry to tell you that she will be soon engaged as now she is attached to a man already”

“Oh, really…” mutters him looking very disappointed

“But, look at my second daughter, YOONA, who is also very beautiful and quite equal in age will make a really great alternative I believe” offers her enthusiastically.

KWANG SOO finds her among others and when he never really pays attention to her before, now that he sees her very carefully, he finds her as agreeable as SO YEON.

“INDEED, she is very pretty, I must tell you that you are completely right, ma’am, she makes a very great alternative” giggles him happily.

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