Chaerin shakes upon the sight of the unexpected visitor. On the other hand, Jiyong’s jaw tightens when he feels how her body trembles in his embrace. He gently runs his palm on her back to relax her and keep her feeling secured.

“D..Daddy?”

The man who causes her first heartbreak is now standing before her with his dark face. Chaerin never feel this small under his scrutinizing gaze. “Since when the hospital turns into a hotel for your private activity?!” he roars.

“D..Daddy no…We…We are just…”

“Since the time Chaerin feels she needed a real man in her life.” Jiyong bravely shots back.

“O..Oppa!” Chaerin looks at her boyfriend, completely terrified. However, Jiyong just hugs her again and shows the man in front of them that he’s not scared of who he is.

“Bastard.” The old man growls. “I need to talk with my daughter privately. Mind if you get out?”

“You won’t. I won’t let Chaerin be alone with you. I will die first before you can hurt her again.” He said with firm determination.

Chaerin looks at him in astonishment. She never thought that Jiyong will stand for her like this.

“Stop talking as if you are part of my family!” her father harshly said. “Get out of here!”

“And stop talking as if you love Chaerin as much as I do.” Jiyong shakes in rage. Chaerin doesn’t know who she will pacify first. Her daddy looks like he will declare a war against Jiyong while the latter looks like he will kill if the man persist what he wanted.

“You love Chaerin? Funny! That’s not what Seorin told me. She said—“

“Enough.” Chaerin suddenly in with her icy cold voice, something that Jiyong never heard from her before. The moment her father mentioned his other daughter, it sends Chaerin to another level of animosity and Jiyong knows it.

“You should know what your sister—“

“I SAID ENOUGH! GET OUT!!!” Chaerin screams, startling both men. “Go back to your favorite child! I’m so done with you! I don’t care if you love her or care for her more because now I know you will never do the same for me. Thank you for ruining my life! Now if you excuse us, you don’t have any business here. Anyone who isn’t related to the patient is not allowed in this area.”

“Are you telling me that you don’t need me anymore? I am your father, Lee Chaerin!” Lee Kyeosong growls in anger.

“I never had one…” Chaerin bitterly answered. Jiyong bites his lower lip upon hearing Chaerin’s painful words. He knows how badly she wanted to cry right now but keeps her fierce front just for the sake of saving her pride from someone who’s unworthy of her tears. He gently rubs her arm to calm her a bit and looks frostily to the man in front. He swear he saw his eyes went misty just by hearing his own daughter disowning him from her life.

“You will regret this.” Her father said.

“No, you will.” Chaerin’s tears fall out of control. “I did my share so I know I won’t regret anything. I have loved you as what a filial daughter should do but seems like you do not appreciate it. Now I can live my life how I always wanted it to be. Go now and seek for your favorite daughter. I hope both of you live happily now that I’m out of the picture.” She turns her back and walks towards her bed, as Jiyong assists her with dextrose. “Jiyong Oppa, please close the door after he leaves. I want to rest.”

Jiyong looks at the old man and pities him. Seems like the even the heartless Lee Kyeosong knows what he just lost when Chaerin decided to give up on him. “Sorry Sir, but could you please leave?”

The old man dejectedly accept defeat, but not without glancing at her back. Seeing that Chaerin will never take back her words, he leaves them alone.

“It hurts…” Chaerin mumbles after long deafening silence since her father left.

Jiyong holds her hand and kisses it. “You can only be hurt by someone you truly love.”

“Those people I love keeps on hurting me…”

Jiyong kisses her hand again. “What do you want me to do to take away all the pain?”

Instead of answering him, Chaerin asks for something. “Once I get discharge, promise me that we will have a chess battle.”

Jiyong chuckles, though his heart aches when she doesn’t respond to his question. “You are a chess master. There’s no way I can defeat you. Anyway, what’s the catch?”

Chaerin forcefully smiles at him. “I want to ask you something.” She sighs. “I want you to grant me a wish if I’m able to beat you. You can do the same if you will beat me though.”

“Seems like you badly wanted to win, huh?” he caresses her cheek. “Tell me. Maybe I can grant it now?”

“You will?”

“If I can…then I will.”

Chaerin hesitates for a moment before looking at him. “Oppa…”

“Hmmn?”

“If I wanted you to let me go… Will you?”

It’s been two weeks since Chaerin left the hospital. After the encounter with her father, she decided to talk with her mom about the situation and that she wanted to leave their house. To her surprise, the old woman supported her by choosing to move out of it as well and just settle in a two-storey apartment. She knows that it’s not an easy decision for her mother to make but seeing her determination pushes her to do better. Now, both of them are happily enjoying their bonding together. Their surroundings aren’t great as before but at least they are free…at least she is free.

Or is she?

“Aigoo, how come I haven’t seen Jiyong visit you? That boy is really charming and I can see that he loves you so much. You shouldn’t give him reasons to leave you or else, you’ll regret it.” Her mother suddenly rants while they are eating dinner.

Chaerin’s movement swiftly halts. She awkwardly smiles at her mother before changing the topic, which didn’t budge the latter. “This kimchi is delicious Mommy. Did you buy to another vendor?”

The old woman senses her daughter’s avoidance. “Whatever it is, fix it. I tell you Chaerin-ah, you will never ever find a man who will love you as much as Jiyong does. Even I never experienced being loved by a man like that. Don’t waste what you two have right now just because of your father and I’s fault.”

That’s enough to shut her up.

Chaerin sits at the patio of their new place and recalls the happenings in the hospital, probably the main reason why Jiyong never showed up anymore.

“If I wanted you to let me go… Will you?”

Jiyong’s face turns pale upon hearing her request. “Why? D..Did I do something wrong? Ch...Chaerin, don’t be like this. D...Don’t push me away please.”

“I can’t have you…” Her tears fall. “Before Daddy came, I was certain that I will do my best to be perfect for you. I will do my best to keep you. I must sure that I will be the perfect girl so I can deserve someone as high as you in my life. But…But after he proved to me that I can never be the right one, I realized, I shouldn’t be selfish and forced you to stay with me. Daddy can’t love Chaerin…even though she gave her all to be deserving. I will never be enough…”

“How many times do I have to repeat that I love you?! Tell me, when do you plan to forgive me for my mistake?! Do you have to hurt and push me over and over again? Chae, I know what I did is unfo