25th December 2013, 2 pm

It's been 2 months since then... She had been visiting Kwill almost every other day despite her busy work schedule.  It's finally. Christmas and she made it a point to visit him on that particular day.

"Merry Christmas, Hyungsoo!" She wished him excitedly beside his bed, clutching his left hand. Kwill's in coma, although now in stable condition. It was really unfortunate of him to lose his ability to walk. Ga-in, knowing him really well, was positive he will take the news in his stride when he wakes up and will work doubly hard to regain his footing.

"Bought your gifts over the weekend." She told him as she took out the box of folded scarves. "Just in case you wake up in the winter. It's cold. All your scarves are already worn out." She sighed. "Hyungsoo-ah... wake up soon... okay? In a few days, it'll be our first anniversary since the day we were reunited. Your birthday is in less than a week's time as well."

She gazed at the face of the patient. Covered in a mask, half of his face was blocked from her sight but she could still see the pale skin and lifeless look on his face. She wanted to think really positively about his recovery but not when the way he's looking isn't helping but dampening her optimistic mindset.

"I'll be here with you, I promise. I'll guide you to your recovery so quickly wake up before I change my mind" She gave a light threat jokingly to the sleeping Kwill, as if to make the atmosphere lighter to cover up the negativity emitted by his sickly appearance. She started giving him massages on his arms and legs to aid blood circulation given his immobile state with much affection for her friend.

"Gain-ah!" A voice was heard from the ward's entrance.

"Oh! Seulong-ah. You're here!" She got out of her seat to get a chair for the visitor.

"Thanks!" He gladly sat on the foldable chair. "I passed by so I thought I'd visit him." As much as he was concerned about her husband, that wasn't the main reason as to why he came.

"Ah! Son Ga-in, did you read JeA's message she sent not long ago? She said you didn't give her your reply yet." He tried to ask as casually as he could. "Of course you didn't, babo! You didn't reply ASAP and that's why I'm here... Thanks!" He thought, miffed that he had to drive for nearly an hour just to convey her message, knowing she would be visiting Kwill on a special day like Christmas. He tried calling her but she just wouldn't pick up.

"She did?!" She dug deep into her handbag but her phone was nowhere to be found. "Ah... I guess it's at home... Is it anything important?"

"Of course it is. Why did you think I'm talking about this now? Chet..." He suddenly snapped, giving her a momentary shock. Ga-in stared at Seulong, feeling accused and indignant. What did I do to incur the wrath of Babo Ong?

"Fine! What did unnie say?"

"Well... JeA called up the others for a Christmas dinner tonight at a hotel room she booked at guess where? The W Hotel! She needed the numbers urgently so she needed your replies in order to confirm the servings of food." He lied with no loopholes.

She would have said yes with no hesitation but she wondered if Kwon would turn up as well. Seulong could sense her hesitation and knew exactly the reason. "Don't worry. Kwonnie isn't coming since he needed to do OT today."

"Okay then." Seulong was relieved. The first part of the plan he and JeA worked out well. A good start meant that half the race is won.

...

"Remember! The W Hotel, level 18, room 1816! 6pm! Don't be late!" He got up after a while. "I'll go for now. Have to fetch Queen JeA now."

As he stepped out of the ward, he smirked in satisfaction, whipping out his phone and dialed his girlfriend.

"She believed it! She calls me babo but she's more stupid! My acting wasn't even passable! How's it at your side? He said okay? Asa!" He punched the air in victory. "Those two... can't win us!"

...

It's a dinner at one of the fanciest hotels in Seoul so Ga-in made an extra effort to dress up, not wanting to embarrass herself for dressing casually. After all, Jea's going to treat them over dinner that night so she had to look respectful at the very least. With a key she took from the counter, she entered the room, expecting someone else in the room.

"Am I too early?" She mumbled as she looked at her watch. It was 5.55pm. Five minutes earlier but it's odd how everyone else decided to arrive on time. "At least JeA unnie and Seulong should be here by now."

Dazzled, she explored the huge room, amazed by the size and classy expensive furniture it contained. The decorations... the hotel deserved its reputation. A strong lavender scent entered her nostrils, pleasing the senses. The scenery outside the full height glass window was lovely, being able to see the city lights and beautiful skyline in about an hour or two. She walked further into the room, now entering the bedroom.

Rose petals were seen strewn onto the velvety sheets of the king sized bed. Not just there... It paved a passage from where she is now to the bed. Scented candles were lit, giving off the strong scent she smelt as soon as she stepped into the air-conditioned room. The curtains of the bedroom were down, making the place look dimmer and cosier than the dining/living area. It was needless to say what the decorations hinted at. She cringed at the thought. "Unnie~ Did they book this room rather than go to a proper restaurant so they get to do what they want here after we leave? Eww~"

Meanwhile, the sound of the scanning key card disrupted her thoughts. Expecting anyone else but Kwon, she leisurely walked out to check on the person. However, what she saw made her dumbfounded. The astonished her stood right there in her tracks, not knowing how to react.

"K...kwon-ah..." She managed to only mutter.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, equally oblivious of the Love Bridge's plan.

"Seulong said you..."

"JeA noona said you weren't coming because you had OT."

At this moment, it finally dawned on the two what was happening exactly.

"Aish! Those busybodies..." He awkwardly groaned for show as he saw Ga-in's uncomfortable expression. A side of him was pleased and in fact, elated now that he finally got an appropriate chance.

"If it's like that, I guess I'll go back now."  She turned for the door but Kwon grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Let's call hyung first to check." He told her, not wanting to let this rare chance go this easily.

They rang the couple up but none picked up the call. "Try calling the others." He suggested to her.

"Oh! It got through!" He can't help but sound excited about that and yet, disappointed as well, knowing if Narsha and the rest are coming, they would have no time to be alone together.

"Unnie, are you coming for the Christmas dinner tonight?" One prayed hard she wasn't so she had an excuse to go, not wanting to be near Kwon due to the uneasiness she still had with him. The other wished the same but for the hopes of getting their own privacy.

"Gainnie! Good luck! JeA told us all about her plans! Have a nice night! It's expensive so don't waste it and have a good time with Kwonnie! Will be waiting for your good news after today! " With that, she hung up.

Disappointment hit the man hard. This occasion is such a rarity, the moment he had been waiting for in slightly more than half a year. Now the only thing in his mind is finding a way how to prevent her from leaving.

"Erm..." Mumbling only that while he tried hard to find a reason why she should stay.

"I'll get going then," She told him and quickly made her way to the door. Kwon, just gaped at her, his panicky self unable to do anything. She swung the door open and the hotel staff happened to be outside as well, pushing a trolley filled with food.

"Stay for dinner... You don't want them to go to waste, do you?"

...

There she was... eating her three course meal with the person she most didn't expect to eat with since the incident. Every scoop she ate, she awaited more and more apprehensively for Kwon's next words. She knew he will definitely say something she didn't wish to hear about but as time went, she was bewildered as to why he hadn't spoke up yet, especially when his apparent desperation for her to stay couldn't escape her tiny eyes.

Meanwhile, Kwon couldn't bring what he had been hiding from her out of his mouth. After all, it was meant to be a secret hidden from her. He was clearly hesitant. He wanted very much to reveal it as he desired but one thing hindered him.

It was the marriage between Kwill and his beloved. Will she divorce Kwill upon learning the truth? That what he said during the breakup was entirely made up and that he still loved her and that's why he lied... for her sake. The divorce cannot happen now or anytime soon, especially when the recent accident Kwill had put the couple on high profile again. Their divorce would put a bad name to the two. Ga-in will be risked calling a trying to get close to Kwill for her own career benefits and then use the marriage to protect both her reputation and the company's image evident from the short lived marriage. As for Kwill, his image will be ruined as a celebrity, ruining his career.

"I'm thinking too much!" He thought. "She can't divorce him with Kwill still in coma. Honestly, he won't be waking up anytime soon... I can't even guarantee that she will do such a silly thing, knowing the consequences. Even if she doesn't care for herself, she cares for Kwill a lot I know for sure." Rationalising his thoughts, he made the decision to reveal the truth.

"Gain-ah..." He began by calling her name. She looked at him expectantly, knowing more or less what he's wanting to say.

"Promise me you'll hear until the end. Don't storm on me." He requested first, making her further anticipating his next words. She gave a nod. "Just what do you want to tell me?"

He looked at her straight into her focused eyes and breathed deeply. Unknowingly to him, she breathed equally hard as well in anxiety.

"Remember? About 8 months ago?" He started. Ga-in knew very well what happened 8 months ago without much calculation.

"I'm sorry for bringing back the past." He apologised, noticing the look on her face changed into something more servere. "You do remember what I said to you, right?" He asked rhetorically.

"How can I even forget?"

"I'm telling you now. What I said wasn't the truth." What he said was unexpected as she was expecting him to ask her forgiveness instead. "I still love you."

"You lied to me? Because of me?" She asked, perfectly understanding why since she suspected that he was lying so as to make her give up on him and marry Kwill, putting Kwon behind, for her sake. However, her doubting him ended by the way he said those hurtful words. So real and hurtful she believed him.

"I don't have to explain much. It's the exact reason you're thinking about." A part of her was overjoyed that her feelings for him is actually reciprocated. He still loved her. She's really happy. However, her happiness wasn't blithe that she'll forgive him just like that.

"Kwon-ah... Thank you very much... for loving me and doing all of these for my sake." His eyes lit up.

"You'll forgive me?!" He knew it. She will forgive him. All he did was for her sake. There was no way she would be angry at him for loving and caring for her.

"I'm sorry. I can't." That elated moment only lasted a while, ending really quickly with that rejection. "Some words can't be taken back this easily. What's done is done."

"Is it your marriage with Kwill? I can wait. I don't mind the wait!" He begged.

She shook her head. "It's not just that. Do you even know actually know why?" She asked, hoping his answer would change her mind.

"Are you angry at me for saying those hurtful words to you? Well I..." He tried to reason but was abruptly interrupted by her.

"No... You don't know... You don't understand me... That's why..." She muttered out.

"What do I not understand?" His words made her frustration grow. He just couldn't understand her.

"I don't need you to save my career. I just need you and your love for me. I've lived most of my life as an orphan... without a kin... without love and just when I experienced the feeling of being in love with you... just when I thought I can get love and happiness from you, you took that away from me... in the name of saving my career." Her tears was on the brim of falling after letting it all out.

"Gain-ah..." He knew nothing he can say will be acceptable to her. She's right.

"I'm sorry." That was all he could say. In a fit after seeing him unable to refute her, she left.

"Ah!" Another couple let out a scream as the door swung open, hitting them from the outside.

"Ga-in..." JeA laughed awkwardly to cover up their spying act. Not bothered by the two, she ran away from the room, leaving the Love Bridges and Kwon there.

.........................................................................................................................................................................

2340 words! Really long chapter although it doesn't feel long when I'm writing this LOL. Maybe because too dramatic that's why it feels fast rather than dull and long... At least to me^^

SPOILER:

Narsha and Changmin's wedding (figure it yourself) AC interactions... Can't wait^^

Please comment~ Just wish to get some encouragement from readers^^