Mina's POV~

"Uh, n-nothing," I said and stuffed the paper under her shirt as my heart raced. I turned around and forced a smile. "So, was it ghost down there?"

He snickered and shook his head, "No. Something is wrong with the refrigerator and so it was making a weird noise. I've gotta call the repairman first thing in the morning."

"Jeez, it would've been more fun if there really were a ghost," I scoffed and carefully went over to the couch so that the paper wouldn't slip out. "So, now that you've got help, what are you going to do from now on?"

He went back to his seat and looked at his screen with a smile. 

"Continue on with where I left off, but money is still needed. That's not a big problem though, I'll manage," he said and I saw how hopeful he looked. "As long as I have you then I'll be fine."

There was a painful feeling in my chest and I looked away, secretly pulling out the paper from my shirt. I looked at it and back to Baekhyun as he was focused on his work again. 

He's exhausted, but he doesn't let his tiredness slow him down. He's hungry and only relies on a bowl of ramen and water. He's even lost weight. 

He's stressed, but he doesn't show it because he doesn't want to trouble those around him. He's cried because he felt hopeless.

Even though he's up all night and tired...he doesn't forget to tell me goodnight and to check up on me. He's just like my father....

I stared at Baekhyun and he turned his head to me. He gave a quick smile before turning back to the screen and I frowned, feeling my eyes tear up. I quickly looked away and clenched onto the paper. 

Why haven't I noticed it until now?

I looked over to my side and saw the box. I opened the lid and the photos appeared before me. Appa's smiling at me...it's like he's really smiling at me. Would Appa be smiling at me now? 

A lump formed in my throat and I ran my fingers over the photos. 

I didn't noticed Baekhyun's struggles because I was blinded by my weaknesses; blinded by my selfishness. I should've listened to Joohyun sooner.

I sighed and wondered, I gave appa hope...so I can give Baekhyun hope too. 

I have to make things right, I can't kneel down to my mother anymore. I...I have to move on. But how do I do that? How do I prove to her that I won't live in fear anymore? No...how do I prove to myself that I'll be okay? 

I looked at the photos again and I brushed my fingers over my father's smile. This smile...will I forget it? 

"Mina," Baekhyun's voice entered my thoughts and I straightened up, looking at him. "Why don't you sleep? It's already past midnight."

"What about you?" I asked and he smiled. 

"There's only one couch," he softly snickered. "I'll be fine."

I sighed and nodded. I needed sleep because I knew...I knew once morning comes, it'd be a long day for me. 

I placed the contact informations in my box and closed it, holding it to my chest. I laid down and closed my eyes, but it was hard to fall asleep. 

I tightened my arms around the box and felt my tears breaking through my closed eyes again. I couldn't cry now because Baekhyun would hear me. I didn't want to bother him, so I held in my cry. This was going to be the last time I saw the photos of my father. I quietly sniffled and went into a fetus position, tightly holding onto my memories.

Eventually, I fell asleep and morning came. I woke up with the room bright and empty; Baekhyun was gone. I felt my eyes puffy and I felt even more tired. 

The box was still in my arms and I sighed. I opened it and everything was still in it, including the paper with all the names and numbers. 

I had to see Mrs. Kim today and bring that paper to her so she could take Baekhyun down and stop threatening me. But last night I made my decision to let it all go for the sake of Baekhyun's. 

I stood up and walked to the door just as it opened. Baekhyun walked in and looked at me for a moment before he looked away. There was something different about the way he looked at me...he didn't even say good morning, instead he walked right passed me like I wasn't there. 

"Baekhyun?" I whispered his name, worried something had happened. He didn't say anything and sat down at his desk. "Baek-"

"I'm busy right now. Please leave," he said, almost angry. Did something happen while I was asleep?

I opened my mouth to say something, but my phone started to vibrate. I looked and it was Mrs. Kim calling. I looked up to Baekhyun, but he didn't acknowledge my existence. 

"Don't work too hard," I whispered and walked away without picking up her call. I knew she was only calling to ask me if I was coming by the house yet. 

I got in a taxi and headed to her house with the box firmly in my hands. I opened the box and again, there was that same smile that put me at ease. I smiled back and ran my thumb over Appa's face. 

"Forgive me for all the things I've done," I quietly said. "I won't run away anymore...I'll make you happy and proud."

I picked up a photo kissed it. 

"I won't ever forget you," I said and placed the photo back in the box, closing it. I looked up and asked the driver, "Do you by chance have a piece of paper and pen with you?"

3rd Person POV~

Baekhyun sat by his desk, confused. Last night, he heard Mina crying in her sleep and so he went to check up on her. He held her hand to calm her down and as she was steadily breathing, he saw the box in her hand. He looked at Mina to see that she was peacefully sleeping and quietly grabbed the box out from her hand. 

He opened it, slowly, and saw the photos of her and her father. His heart clenched at the photos knowing how much they must've meant to her. He saw her tiny hanbok and her old best friend, which is now a teared up teddy bear. 

He picked up a photo of Mr. Lee and gently smiled, "She looks just like you, sir."

He ran his fingers over Mr. Lee's face and whispered, "She really misses you...."

He sighed and set the photo down when he saw a folded piece of paper. He furrowed his brows and took the paper in his hand, opening it. 

His heart stopped and his eyes widened once he laid eyes on the writings on it. It was the list of all the people who were willing to help him. 

"W-Why does she have this?" he whispered and his hands were shaking. "What is she doing with this?"

He didn't know what to feel...betrayal, disappointment, anger....

Mina moved in her sleep and he quickly folded the paper back up, putting everything back into the box. He placed it back into her arms and he backed away from her, like she was someone different. 

In the present time, in his office, he ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, "What the hell is she planning to do with that information?"

He didn't know what to think of it and continously sighed. 

In the home of Mrs. Kim, she was patiently waiting for Mina in her office. There was a knock at her door and soon enough walked in Mina. The woman smiled and stood up from her desk. 

"I'm so glad you're here, I've been waiting all morning," she grinned with welcoming arms, not to Mina, but the piece of paper Mina had in her hands. "Now let me see what you've found."

Mina moved her hand behind her back so that Mrs. Kim wouldn't be able to grab it just yet. The woman was flustered and glared at Mina. 

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked and Mina returned the glare. 

"Before I give this to you, let me ask you something," Mina said. "Don't you ever stop to think how stupid all of this is? How crazy you've become all because of money and power?"

Mrs. Kim scoffed and crossed her arms. "You're seriously asking me that?"

Mina kept her glare strong and Mrs. Kim snickered, "What I'm doing isn't stupid and having money and power is the only way one would be able to survive in this world. Now give me that paper."

Mina frowned and slowly removed her hand behind her back, handing over the paper. Mrs. Kim quickly grabbed it with happy wide eyes and struggled to open it properly because she was too excited. 

"Don't get too excited," Mina smirked and Mrs. Kim finally opened it fully to see what was written on it. 

" off... off?!?" Mrs. Kim screamed as that was what was written on the piece of paper. "Are you kidding me right now? I'm not in the mood to be playing your games!"

"And I'm not in the mood to play yours," Mina growled. "I'm going to say this for the last time...don't get in Baekhyun's way and I mean it. You don't know how happy he was when he first started planning this project and how excited it got him. I don't want you to get in his way of happiness."

Mrs. Kim was in disbelief. 

"How dare you betray me," she muttered. "And to think I was going to let you go after you gave me the good stuff."

Mina smirked, "I'd rather betray you than him. I don't want to hurt him-"

"But you hate him!"

"That doesn't matter because I can't stand the feeling of guilt! Whether I hate him or not, I hate the feeling of hurting him more!" Mina shouted and breathed heavily with her eyes burning with tears. "I don't want Baekhyun to stop smiling because of me. I don't want Baekhyun to give up because of me."

"He doesn't love you, so why do you care about his happiness? Why protect someone who's only using you?" Mrs. Kim scoffed in disgust. Mina swallowed hard and tried hard to hold back the tears; she tried hard to stay calm. 

"Whether Baekhyun loves me or not, it doesn't matter to me. What matters is that he stays happy just like appa," she sniffled. "And Baekhyun isn't the one using me...you are."

Mrs. Kim clenched her fists and intensely glared at her. 

"All the sufferings I've had all this was because of you," Mina said with her tears slipping out. "I'm not going to be scared of you anymore. I'm not going to be some toy you can control when you want anymore. And you...you're not going to get in Baekhyun's way."

"Well aren't you just so good at pushing my buttons," Mrs. Kim muttered then snickered. "You say you're not scared of me anymore? You say you're no longer under my control? What a joke! What are you going to do once I take that box from you and burn everything in it?"

Mina felt her heart clench and she held the box close to her. That sight made Mrs. Kim smile. 

"See, you're scared-"

"No, I'm not," Mina cut her off and swallowed hard. "These photos, you won't be the one burning them. These memories, you won't be able to erase them."

"What are you blabbing on about? Mrs. Kim scoffed and Mina pulled out a lighter from her pocket. She looked her mother with a sad, yet serious expression. 

"What I'm saying is that I'm going to be the one to burn them," she said and Mrs. Kim was in disbelief. Mina sniffled and held back her cry as she freely let the tears fall. "This whole time I've been living my life as if I were under water, suffocating. As if I was dragged to the bottom of the sea with a rope holding me down in the darkness."

Mina cried and swallowed hard. 

"No matter how far I stretched my arms out for help, I didn't get anywhere because the rope was holding me down. I desperately tried to break away but I couldn't," she cried and clicked the lighter with a small fire at the top of the lighter. "But I'm not going to keep on suffering...I'm going to cut that rope and finally be able to breath; to break away from the darkness...from the loneliness."

She placed the box on a nearby table and took out a photo of her father, holding it above the fire. Mrs. Kim watched on, amused. 

"As if you'd burn your father's photos, those are the only memories you have left of him," she smirked and Mina shook her head. 

"No, Mrs. Kim...my memories of him are in my heart," she said and burned the photo. "Because I have him in my heart, I won't ever forget him. His smile, his laugh, his touch and his love...I won't ever forget them. But, of course, you won't be able to understand because you don't have him in your heart."

Mrs. Kim felt her heart stop for a second and she swallowed hard, clenching her jaw. 

Mina burned one photo after another as she only had her eyes on her mother. 

"Without these, you can't scare me anymore," she said. "Without these...you won't be able to remember the man who loved you."

Mrs. Kim widened her eyes and felt a painful jab to her chest; her eyes burned with tears. 

Mina burned everything in that box, leaving the ashes to fall and pile up on the ground. She breathed heavily and set the lighter on the table. 

"Don't ruin someone else's happiness to get yours," Mina whispered and wiped her tears, stepped away. "I am going to support Baekhyun no matter what and if you dare lay a finger on him or get in his way...I will snap your neck."

Mina gave one last look before turning away and Mrs. Kim ran to her, grabbing onto her arm, pulling her to face Mrs. Kim. 

"Don't you walk away from me," Mrs. Kim said with crazy, wide eyes. She was flustered and didn't know what exactly to do. "If I can't threaten you with photos then I'll do it with money. That credit card you've been using, I'll cancel it. That car you've been using, I'll also take it away-"

"Go ahead," Mina said and kept her gaze firm. "I don't need your filthy money; I don't need a luxurious car."

Mrs. Kim breathed heavily and slowly released Mina's arm.

"Fine," Mrs. Kim smirked. "Guess I'll just have to burn down that hotel you're so in love with."

Mina felt her heart clench, but she smiled, "You're more than welcomed to do that as well. Besides, it's your lost, not mine."

Mina turned around and left the office room, leaving Mrs. Kim shouting and going crazy. 

"That ing, good for nothing!!" Mrs. Kim shouted. She looked at the empty box and grabbed it, throwing it across the room. "Fine! I'll do this myself! You and Baekhyun won't see the day of light!"

Mina stepped out of the house and inhaled, feeling her chest lighten up. She was able to properly breath and looked up at the clear, blue sky. 

"I did the right thing, right appa?" she asked, both relieved and worried. 

Baekhyun's POV~

I was able to contact all the men on the list and without thinking, I had asked whether or not Mina had contacted them beforehand. All of them gave me the same answer that no one by the name of Mina called them. I was relieved to hear that, but why did Mina have the list?

I took a little break and decided to heat up a bowl of noodles to relax myself. I stared at the microwave when there was a knock at my door. 

"Come in!" I called out and walked in Secretary Moon. "Oh, I thought you were heading home?"

He smiled, gently, and said, "I thought I'd keep you company for awhile."

"You'll only get in my way," I teased with a snicker and he chuckled. "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable."

He nodded and the microwave beeped, telling me my dinner was ready. Secretary Moon saw and sighed, "You're eating ramen again?"

I smiled and nodded, "Its the most convenient meal at the moment."

"That's not good, Baekhyun-ssi. You should have a proper meal if you want to continue working during the night," he said, concerned. 

"I'll be able to start eating properly since I've gotten everything I need," I said and took out my ramen. "Would you like one?"

"No, thank you," he kindly rejected and there was another knock at my door. It's already passed office hours, can't people just leave me to eat in peace?

"Come in," I called out, once again, and walked in my receptionist. 

"Uhm, a woman by the name, Mina, is here to see you," she said and I almost dropped my ramen at the name. 

"Mina? Why is she here?" I asked and she shrugged. I was still confused about the situation with the list and didn't really want to see Mina at the moment so I told her, "I'm busy. Tell her that if she wants to talk or see me then she'll have to wait until I go home-"

"Yeah, that's not happening," I heard Mina's voice and she walked in with a pair of sunglasses on and her hands full. 

"Yah, don't just walk in on your own. That's rude," I said and looked away without feeling curious about the list. 

"Don't worry, I'll leave once I drop these off," she said and I glanced over at her to see her placing containers of food on the table by the couch. She looked at Secretary Moon and said, "There's enough food here for you too."

"Oh, thank you," he said with a bow and she looked at me. 

"Eat a proper meal once in awhile and don't work too hard," she said and walked away just like that. It was quiet in the office. 

"Wow, she's kind of cool," Secretary Moon broke the silence with amusement and I rolled my eyes. "Shouldn't you go after her though? I mean, she did come all the way over her to see you."

I snorted, "As if. She's not that type of person to see me on her own will."

He snickered and shook his head. 

"So what you're saying is that there's usually a reason for her to come see you?" he questioned and I never thought of it that way. Was there a reason why she came and delivered food?

I thought about it for a good minute or two and decided to go after her. There must've been a reason why she came!

I ran out the building and she was obviously gone, but I didn't give up. I ran in the direction of our way home and there she was with Bacon. I ran up to them and grabbed Mina's wrist, pulling her to me. 

"Why...why did you come?" I asked, breathless. I couldn't tell what kind of expression she was giving with  her glasses on. 

"Can I not come visit?" she asked and I shook my head. 

"You wouldn't just come and see me," I stated and she sighed. 

"And what if I did?" she asked and I raised an eyebrow. 

"Well, that'd be a miracle!" I chuckled and finally caught my breath. "Be honest with me...something's up, huh? There's a reason why you came to see me and a reason why you're wearing sunglasses."

She turned her head away and I was able to catch a glimpse of her eyes; they were red. 

"I don't think this is the place to really talk," she quietly said and looked up at me. "I'll wait for you at home."

She pulled my hand away and walked on with Bacon happily following behind. I watched her leave and I couldn't help but worry about what she wanted to talk about. 

I returned to the office and had dinner with Secretary Moon. I finished up my report as quickly as possible and made my way home after a few hours. 

Sure enough, Mina was watching TV with Bacon in her lap. She was quick to put on her sunglasses once she noticed I was home. 

"You don't have to hide it, I already know what's under those shades," I sighed and loosened my tie. She bit her bottom lip and slowly removed her glasses, revealing her red eyes. Not a surprise right there. 

"What happened to you?" I asked and kneeled in front of her. She looked at me and was at the verge of tears. "Geez, Mina, don't cr-"

Out of nowhere she hugged me and I was in shock. My heart raced and I knew something was wrong. 

"Baekhyun, I'm so sorry," she whispered and I frowned. "I did something terrible."

I wrapped my arms around her and patted her back. 

"Tell me, what is it that you've done?" I asked and she dug her face against my neck. "Mina?"

"I...I printed a copy of the list," she said, hesitantly and I felt my heart break. "She told me to do it...."

"Don't tell me, it was your mother?" I asked, already knowing the answer. She nodded. "Did you give it to her?"

She pulled away and sniffled. She reached into her pockets and took out a folded piece of paper. 

"I couldn't give it to her," she said and unraveled the paper, showing me the list I had seen that night. I was relieved to see it, but why did Mrs. Kim want it?

"Mina," I quietly said her name. "Care to explain to me what's happened behind my back?"

She swallowed hard and eventually, she slowly began telling me everything from beginning to end. Throughout her story, she cried and persistently told me how sorry she was. 

Now I know why she didn't support me; now I know why she was so cold towards me. It was all because of her mother's threats. I couldn't be mad at her though, no matter how much betrayal I felt, I couldn't be mad. 

She burned her father's photos for her sake as well as mine. I would've never thought she'd do something like that, burning photos of the man she admired. 

"Baekhyun, whatever happens, don't give up," she hiccuped after crying so much. "You have to succeed."

I smiled and cupped her face. 

"You don't have to worry about me, Mina," I said and kissed her forehead. "I won't let Mrs. Kim win and I surely won't let you down."

She nodded and hugged me, tightly. 

"And Mina...?" I whispered to have her hum in response. "I've missed you."

She didn't say anything else, but holding each other like was enough for me. The only problem now was...what was Mrs. Kim going to plot now?