Hospital (Han Ae Jung’s Room)…

Park Shin Hye gently opened the door and walked into her mother’s room after she came back from refilling some hot water into the thermos flask. Her mother was still unconscious when she arrived here at 8.30am just now. She asked her father and Miss Kim to go back and take a rest before they come again in the afternoon.

She walked towards the bed very softly, trying not to wake her mother up and placed the thermos flask on the bedside table. And just then, she saw her mother moved her hand and her eyes slowly opened. She sat down on the chair beside the bed and held her mother’s hand.

“Eomma…”

Han Ae Jung turned her head slightly to the side, to where the voice came from. She blinked her eyes several times and when her vision was completely restored, her lips slowly curled up into a weak smile.

“Shin Hye…”

“Eomma…” Shin Hye gave her hand a gentle squeeze as her body leaned forward. “Are you okay? Do you feel unwell anywhere?” She asked worriedly.

Han Ae Jung shook her head softly. “I’m fine. Just feel a bit tired.” She said as she glanced around the room. “Where is your father? He was here when I came in last night.”

“I asked him go back to rest. He has been here for the whole night. Miss Kim will come back in the afternoon.” Shin Hye replied.

“What’s the time now?” Han Ae Jung asked, looking slightly confused.

Shin Hye glanced down at her watch before looking up at her mother again. “Almost 10.30 in the morning. The doctor gave you a new medicine to stop the haemoglobin in your blood cells from continuing to drop. It’s normal that you feel tired.” She paused and smiled. “The doctor just came and he said your condition is stable. The new medicine looks good on you.”

Han Ae Jung nodded and looked at her daughter quietly. Her face looked pale, maybe paler than her, the dark circles under her eyes were a good indication that she hadn’t slept last night.  

Inhaling a soft breath, Han Ae Jung tried to pull herself up as Shin Hye quickly stood up and placed the pillow behind her back for her to lean on. She stared at her daughter after she was in a sitting position on the bed with her back leaning against the pillow, as Shin Hye sat back on the chair.

“Are you okay?” Han Ae Jung asked.

Shin Hye looked at her mother with a surprise gaze. “Of course I’m okay.”

“But you look… troubled. You are quite… detached.” Han Ae Jung said.

Shin Hye looked down to avoid her mother’s gaze. “I-I’m just worried about you.”

Han Ae Jung took another soft breath before holding her hand and gently caressing her knuckles. “You never changed a tiny bit even after you have become someone’s wife now.” She smiled. “Whenever there is something troubling you or you are lying, you would not dare to look me in the eye.”

Shin Hye bit her lip and breathed in deeply. She could never hide a thing from her mother.

“I know you are worried about me but this is not the first time eomma was sent into the hospital in the middle of the night. It happened almost every month when we were in Busan. Everyone has already got used to it. I’m sure this is not the only thing that cause you to look the way you are now.” Han Ae Jung paused and tightened her grip around her hand. “Tell eomma… what happened?”

Shin Hye slowly tilted her head up and looked at her mother. “Eomma… after being together with appa for so many years, have you ever felt insecure or have doubts about appa?”

Han Ae Jung let out a warm smile and nodded. “Of course. When two people together, there are always insecure, doubts and arguments. When I was young… just like you now, when your appa came home late or I smelled some strange perfume scent on him, I’ll start to suspect whether he has affair with women outside. My health is so bad that I couldn’t fulfil my responsibility as a wife to your father. I was scared that one day, he would get tired of me and look for another woman.”

“But he didn’t.” Shin Hye said with a smile. She can see how much her father loves her mother. His love for her was one of the things that keep her mother strong until now.

Han Ae Jung smiled again. “We are all human. We have emotions, we have feelings, we have weaknesses. But no matter how bad we fight, how bad we doubts each other… at the end of the day, it still come back to the one word… trust. You chose to love him and decided to put your future in his hand. Then you have to learn to trust him too.”

Shin Hye bit her lip again, harder this time. “Hyun Jun’s mother came back.”

“What?” Han Ae Jung widened her eyes in shock. “W-What do you mean his mother came back? I thought… she passed away.”

Shin Hye shook her head. “She didn’t. Something happened in the past and she left oppa and Hyun Jun. But she doesn’t want anyone to know about it and make oppa promised her that he will let everyone know that she was dead. Even Hyun Jun doesn’t know about it.” She paused and sighed deeply. “She re-married but two months ago, her daughter passed away because of leukemia. She was devastated and… sick. She… needs help.”

There was a moment of silence before Han Ae Jung found her voice and spoke again. “And you are worried that Min Ho’s heart will be wavered?”

“To be frank, I don’t know what I’m worried about.” Shin Hye looked at her mother and sighed softly. “They had a history that means a lot to Min Ho oppa. He loves her a lot and even after so many years have passed, he still loves her. I know he loves me too but…”

“But they have Hyun Jun that link them together and you felt like an extra in the family.” Han Ae Jung completes the sentence for her.

Shin Hye held her gaze for a moment before she nodded. “I felt insecure… I felt threatened. I think… she came back because she wants back what she gave up in the past.” 

“Did you tell Min Ho about all this?” Han Ae Jung asked.

Shin Hye nodded. “I did. I don’t want to lie and pretend that I’m okay. He said… he understands and he won’t let anything affect our relationship. He wants me to trust him that his heart is firm and will not change even if she came back.”

“But you don’t trust him?” Han Ae Jung asked again.

A deep sigh escaped Shin Hye’s lips as her head shook softly. “I don’t know. With her condition like this, he can’t leave her alone because she is like a family to him. She is Hyun Jun’s mother. I can’t be so selfish and take away the chance of Hyun Jun to meet his mother.” She paused and bit her lower lip. “As a wife, I felt uncomfortable with her coming back and felt extremely jealous when my husband still care for her so much. But as Park Shin Hye, the real and rational me… I felt pity for her and I wanted to help her too. I know how bad it could crash a woman for loosing a child. And if bringing Hyun Jun back to her could help her, I know I should try. But… I felt torn… between the selfish me and the rational me. I wanted to be selfish for once and don’t allow them to meet. But I don’t know my heart could ever forgive myself if anything happen to her.”

Han Ae Jung let out a long breathy sigh before looking at her daughter again. “Eomma is luckier than you because I don’t need to face such a problem with your appa. I don’t know what I should advise you because whatever I said, it might affect your decision and affect your relationship with Min Ho. But as a mother, I understand my daughter.” She paused and reached out to caress Shin Hye’s face. “She is a kind-hearted person and always think about others before herself. People might think she is stupid and weak. But eomma thinks otherwise. She is not stupid. She is just doing what she think its right and I’m very proud of her.”

Tears started to pool in Shin Hye’s eyes and it was clouded with thick emotions. Her mother always understands what she thinks in her mind.

Han Ae Jung let out a warm smile. “Follow your heart and do what you think is right. You don’t need to worry that you will lose anything. If it’s belongs to you, no matter what you do, it will still be yours.”

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Hospital (Cafeteria)…

Kim Soo Hyun shifted uncomfortably in his chair, trying not to look at the person he doesn’t want to see the most. When he came back to the hospital again this morning, he was relieved that everyone in Se Yeon’s room was gone and she was deeply in sleep. At least when she is not conscious, he can sit there quietly, watching her, taking care of her. He thought he could avoid seeing anyone of them by sneaking away before Se Yeon wakes up but he never thought Min Ho was already waiting for him at the lobby. He insisted that they need to talk and was dragged to the cafeteria with him.

“I know you don’t like to see me but to be honest with you, I’m not happy to see you either.” Min Ho was the first one who broke the awkward silence.

Soo Hyun chuckled sarcastically as his eyes met his. “Then let’s skip the formalities and get straight to the point. What do you want from me?”

Min Ho took a deep breath. “I went to see Se Yeon’s doctor just now. He said her condition is not good. Her depression is getting serious and she is starting to hurt herself.”

“I know.” Soo Hyun said, not surprise with what he said. “But what do you expect me to do? I can’t do anything. I’m the last person she want to see now.”

“Even so you still have to stay by her side and be there for her.” Min Ho raised his voice, frustrated by him. “We know what will happen to her if we let this to continue.” He paused and inhaled sharply. “She tried to kill herself six years ago and you were the one who heal her. And this time… you have to do the same.”

Soo Hyun stared into Min Ho’s eyes as his fists were clenched tightly under the table. “The one that she need this time is not me.” He paused and gritted his teeth. “It’s you. She needs you.”

Min Ho held his sharp gaze for a long moment before a long sigh escaped his lips. “From the day you decided to steal my wife and make her chose you… you should already know that this relationship is very complicated. You knew we were together since the first day you met her. You knew we have Hyun Jun. But you were the one who wants to love her and promised to take care of her for the rest of her life. Nobody force you to do so.”

He leaned forward and glared at Soo Hyun. “You can’t blame her for hating you. Everything would not be like this if you think rationally and throw away your stupid pride. Your daughter died because of you meaningless ego. If you let her to call me, even though I couldn’t be sure that I could save her but at least we try. That was a life that you took away from her. And now… you should be the one who fix it.”

“The one who can fix this is you… not me.” Soo Hyun said stubbornly. His eyes were bloodshot, and Min Ho wasn’t sure it was because he is angry or he is sad because of the death of his daughter.

“Yoon Hee is my daughter too. Do you think I don’t feel anything when she left us?” He said as he swallowed hard. “For the past six years being together with her, whenever we face any problem, the first person she think off and want to see was always you. Don’t you get it? You are always in her heart no matter what happened. She chose to leave you not because she doesn’t love you anymore. It was because of your father. She felt pressure and she couldn’t cope to be a mother at that young age. She chose to avoid and ran away from all the problems.” He paused and pointed at himself. “And I’m the best place for her to hide at that time. Now that she already grew up, she finally realized that she made a wrong choice. The person she always love is you.”

Min Ho’s eyes softened and let out a long, helpless sigh. Was it true that Se Yeon still love him or… she is just trying to find another place to hide when she face another problem now? He doesn’t want to make any judgement because the most important thing for now is to help Se Yeon.

Taking a deep breath, Min Ho spoke again. “I don’t know how much you know about my feelings towards Se Yeon. My love for her has never stop for one second even after she left. It took me a very long way and long time to move on from the past. And that person who brings me out from all the misery… is the one that I love and care now.” He paused and pursed his lips. He will never forget how Shin Hye melt his frozen heart and make him love again. “I know your company is facing a lot of problems. I can help you and buy you times to settle everything while I take care of Se Yeon for you. If you really love her as much as you claimed, you should go to settle all your and come back to fight for her. I can take care of her for now… as a family… but my heart… it has already belongs to another woman.”

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Hospital (Han Ae Jung’s room)…     

“Eomma… are you tired? Do you want to sleep for a while?” Shin Hye asked after the nurse went out. “The medicine you took just now will make you drowsy.”

Han Ae Jun nodded. “Yes, I think I should sleep for a while before your father come tonight. He will be worried to see me like this.”

Shin Hye smiled as she helped her to lie down on the bed. And just then, someone knocked the door and came into the room. It was Min Ho.

“Annyeonghaseyo, eomeoni.” Min Ho greeted Han Ae Jung as he walked towards the bed and stopped beside Shin Hye. He glanced at her before looking back at her mother. “How are you feeling? I talked to Doctor Jang just now and he said the new medicine is responding positively on you.”

Han Ae Jung nodded as she let out a warm smile. “Yes, I feel so much better. He said if the haemoglobin level maintained, I could discharge tomorrow.”

“It’s good to hear that.” Min Ho said again but his attention was not fully on Han Ae Jung. His eyes were busy glancing at Shin Hye, who was looking away from him. Han Ae Jung noticed his anxiousness and she knows she have to give them some privacy.

“Shin Hye-ah…” Han Ae Jung looked at her daughter.

“Yes, eomma…” Shin Hye walked to her.

“I’m very tired and need to sleep now. You haven’t taken your lunch yet. Since Min Ho is here, you should go to the cafeteria to grab something to eat.” She said.

Shin Hye pursed her lips, totally understand that her mother is trying to give them a chance to talk. Heaving a deep sigh, she leaned over and pulled the blanket up to cover her mother’s body. “You have some rest and I’ll come back in a short while.”

“Okay.” Han Ae Jung smiled.

“Take care, eomeoni.” Min Ho said, giving her a thankful smile.

After they left the room, they stood at the corridor, facing at each other. After a long moment of silence, Min Ho couldn’t hold any longer and spoke first. “What do you want to eat? If you don’t like the food in the hospital, we can go out to…”

“I’m not hungry.” Shin Hye cut him off. “I ate something before I came here. I’m still full.”

Another silence set in and after a while, it was Shin Hye’s turn to speak first. “What time did you came to the hospital? I didn’t know… you are here.”

Min Ho cleared his throat and looked at her. “I was here for about an hour already. I went to see Doctor Jang to check on your mother and then… I went to see Se Yeon’s doctor as well.”

Shin Hye nodded softly. “How is she?”

“The doctor gave her something to sleep. Her body is very weak and need to rest.” Min Ho replied.

Shin Hye nodded again. “About… about Se Yeon wanted to see Hyun Jun…” She paused and looked at him. “… today might be too rush for him to see her. Maybe we should wait for another few days until Se Yeon feel better and get herself prepared before we bring Hyun Jun here.”

Min Ho widened his eyes, unable to believe with what he heard. “Y-You mean… you allow Hyun Jun to meet Se Yeon?”

Shin Hye sighed deeply and glared at him. “Do I look like a stepmother who will imprison the stepson from seeing his mother?”

A small smirk slowly curled up his lips. He grasped her hand and held it tightly. “Of course not. You are the most kind-hearted and beautiful stepmother I’ve ever seen.”

“Don’t try to use your sweet talk to make me surrender. I’m still angry with you for lying to me last night.” She pouted her lips as her eyes were still glaring at him.

Min Ho’s smile widened as he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her to him. Although she was glaring at him but he knows he was forgiven. “It was my fault last night. I should be honest to you.” He paused and buried his nose into her hair, inhaled in her sweet scent. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.” He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Forgive me, okay?”

Shin Hye let out another sigh before she slowly nodded her head. In fact, she has already forgiven him the moment he told her about his past story with Se Yeon. How can she be angry with him for long when her heart felt so pain for what he has gone through?

“I still need to be here until Miss Kim come in the afternoon. But I already told Hyun Jun and ahjuhma will take care of him.” Shin Hye said.

Min Ho nodded. “You don’t need to worry about him. He is not a kid anymore. He know how to take care of himself when we are not around.” He said as he glanced down at his watch.

“Are you rushing?” Shin Hye asked.

He looked up at her again, hesitated at first but still decided to ask her. “I have a meeting in the afternoon. I need to go back before 3pm. But before that I’ll go to see Se Yeon again.” He paused and looked at her with a wary gaze. “Do you… want to come along with me?”

Shin Hye was slightly shocked with what he asked. “You mean… I go to see Se Yeon with you? But…”

“I want to introduce you to her.” Min Ho cut her off. He wants to use his action to prove that what he said earlier was not a lie.

“But… I thought you said her emotional state is not stable. Are you sure she is okay… to see me?” Shin Hye asked cautiously.

Min Ho shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. But she already know that I’m married and sooner or later, both of you will still have to meet.” He held her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. “I told you that I want to help her… and I hope we could help her together.”

Shin Hye held his gaze as she slowly smiled and nodded.

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Hospital (Se Yeon’s room)…  

Se Yeon held the blanket very tightly as her eyes were busy glancing around the hospital room nervously. She was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up against her chest. She remembered Min Ho was still here when the nurse came in and inject something into her IV tube. It was not a dream. She can feel his warmth, feel his arms wrapping tightly around her. But where is he now? Did he run away and leave her alone? He promised her that he would not leave her alone. Where is he?

Just when she wanted to cry for his name, she heard footsteps outside the room and her gaze immediately fixed at the door. When it was opened, her lips instantly curled up into a wide smile. It was Min Ho. He didn’t leave her. He is still here.

“Min Ho oppa…” She called out anxiously and wanted to jump down the bed. But before she could do so, Min Ho already rushed to her and held her arms, stopping her from coming down of the bed.

“Don’t come down. You are still on drip.” Min Ho said, standing beside her bed.

Se Yeon nodded and sat down on the bed obediently with her eyes never leaving him. “Oppa… I… I thought you ran away and leave me alone. I was so scared when I didn’t see you just now.” She said as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and pressed her face against his abdome