“Min Ho! Min Ho!”

Lee Min Ho was pacing back and forth worriedly in the waiting room, waiting for anyone to give him some news when he heard someone calling his name. He turned to the direction where the familiar voice came from and inhaled a deep breath when he saw Park Doo Jun rushing towards him together with Jang Ji Ae followed closely beside him.

“Min Ho… what happened? Why is Shin Hye in the hospital? You told me she was alright all this while. Why is she suddenly in the hospital? What happened to her?” Park Doo Jun asked as he grabbed his son’s arm anxiously. When he received Min Ho’s call at home just now, he almost passed out hearing the news.

“Oppa… calm down.” Jang Ji Ae gave him a gentle on his back, trying to soothe his startled husband. “How do you want Min Ho to explain if you keep asking him questions? Take a seat and let him slowly explain it to us, eo?”

Min Ho inhaled another deep breath as he nodded his head, agreed with what Jang Ji Ae said and gently helped his father to sit down on the chair. “Yes, abeoji. You have to calm down.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll calm down. Just quickly tell me what happened to my daughter.” Park Doo Jun asked again impatiently.

“She…” Min Ho pressed his lips tightly together, a pang of guilt stabbed in his chest. It was his fault. If he didn’t argue with her, forcing her not to move away, if he being more careful and didn’t let both of them stood at the roadside, all this will not happen. “… she was hit by a motorcycle…” He paused and held his breath when he saw Park Doo Jun and Jang Ji Ae widened their eyes in shocked. “… to save me.” He continued with his voice slightly shaking and etched with guilt. He couldn’t get the picture of her lying lifelessly in his arms with so much blood surrounding her out of his mind for even a second.

“W-What? H-Hit by a motorcycle?” Park Doo Jun inhaled sharply.

“Then how’s her condition now?” Jang Ji Ae asked.

Min Ho looked at them and shook his head. “I don’t know yet. She was still unconscious when we arrived here. Her leg was bleeding and she was taken straight to surgery. I’m still waiting for the doctor to come out.”

Jang Ji Ae turned to Park Doo Jun and let out a deep sigh. She gave his hand a soft squeeze, trying to make him feel better. “Don’t worry, oppa. I think… I mean… I’m sure Shin Hye will be alright.”

“Alright?” Park Doo Jun looked at his wife with an unkind gaze. “Didn’t you hear what he said? She was bleeding. How can it be alright? It must be…”

His sentence was cut off when they heard the operating room doors opened and the red lights above turned off. A doctor came out with a nurse followed behind him. Min Ho quickly rushed towards the doctor as Jang Ji Ae helped Park Doo Jun up and walked forwards too.

“Doctor…” Min Ho stopped in front of him with his eyes full of concern. “How is she?”

“Are you Park Shin Hye’s family?” The doctor asked.

Min Ho blanked for a second, doesn’t know what to answer. But before he could say the word ‘brother’, Park Doo Jun’s voice was heard from the back.

“I’m her father. How is my daughter?”

The doctor turned to Park Doo Jun, who was now standing beside Min Ho. “The patient was hit by a motorcycle and due to the great force of the accident, she had a tibia shaft fracture on her left leg. The tibia is the larger bone in our lower leg and the tibia shaft fracture occurs along the length of the bone, below the knee and above the ankle. The bone was displaced and out of alignment.”

“Is that very serious?” Min Ho cut in. “Will it affect her ability to walk in the future?” 

The doctor turned to him and let out a warm smile. “Don’t worry. The surgery was very successful and if the patient cooperate with us, follow our instructions during the recovery period, the bone is likely heal perfectly without any complication. But of course the patient have to follow the specific directions given by us.”

“But…” Min Ho looked unconvinced. “… she bleed a lot and her leg was covered with blood. She was even unconscious after the accident.”

“She was bleeding a lot because it was an open fracture. The broken bones break through the skin when it was struck by the moving motorcycle, the broken tibia protrude through a tear in the skin and other soft tissues. That was the reason why she was bleeding. But it was fortunate that it doesn’t damage the muscles and ligaments. If it does, they have a higher risk for complications and take a longer time to heal.” The doctor explained. “As for why she passed out… when sudden pain occurs, our blood pressure and heart rate can dramatically decrease, affecting the amount of blood flow to the brain. Fainting is the result of this stress on the body, chiefly the abrupt decrease of blood flow. And furthermore, we have done an x-ray for her head and everything appeared to be normal. Except for her fractured leg, everything is fine.”

“How long does it takes for her to return to daily activities and to be fully recovered?” Jang Ji Ae asked.

“Looking at her condition, it is not too severe. She will need to wear a cast for about four to five weeks. After that, she will need to do some simple physical therapy after the cast is removed. It won’t be too long. One or two months perhaps.” The doctor replied. “She is still unconscious from the anaesthesia and she should be awake in an hour or two. We will send her to the normal ward after you have done admission papers.” The doctor turned to the nurse and gave her some instructions.

A deep sigh of relief was heaved by all three of them at the same time after hearing the explanation from the doctor.

“Thank you, doctor.” Min Ho said gratefully.

After the doctor was gone, he asked Park Doo Jun and Jang Ji Ae to wait for him at the waiting room while he followed the nurse to settle the admission procedures.

Shin Hye was still unconscious after she was transferred to the normal ward. A cast was already put on her left leg as her eyes were tightly closed. Her face was extremely pale, looking bloodless.

Min Ho let out a deep sigh before slowly turning to his father. “Abeoji, since the doctor said it will take one or two hours before she wakes up, I think it would be better for you and eomeoni to go home first.”

“Why?” Park Doo Jun asked in displeased. “I want to wait until she wakes up.”

Min Ho looked at Jang Ji Ae, begging for her help quietly. The older woman instantly understood the meaning showed in his gaze when their eyes met.

“Oppa, I think we should listen to Min Ho.” Jang Ji Ae said as she took a quick glance at the unconscious Shin Hye. “You know how much Shin Hye doesn’t want to see us. You wouldn’t want her to be unhappy and angry right after she is awake, right? She is injured now and still very weak after the surgery. I think she needs a lot of rest and her emotion have to remain calm. We should just let Min Ho stay here and take care of her. He will let us know after she is conscious and keep us updated. Right, Min Ho?”

Min Ho nodded, looking thankful at Jang Ji Ae. She was right. That was what he wanted to say too. If Shin Hye saw Park Doo Jun and Jang Ji Ae here right after she is awake, he dares not to even imagine what will be her reaction. She hates them and will definitely pissed her off seeing them here.

Park Doo Jun looked at them before turning to the bed and gazed at his daughter. After a long moment, a long, breathy sigh escaped his lips. Of course he knows how much his daughter hates him. No matter what he do now, no matter how much he is worry about her or how much he cares for her now, it will not change her hatred she had on them. He should be grateful that she is still willing to let Min Ho to stay close to her and let him take care of her.

Slowly, he stood up from the chair and nodded his head. “Call me after she is awake.” He said, looking at Min Ho. “Fulfil all her needs and make sure she gets the best treatment. Take care of her and don’t let her stay alone. She will need someone to stay close to her with her leg like that now. Get a personal care assistant if she needs one. And…” He paused as his gaze shifted back to Shin Hye. “… I’ll come to see her… later.”

Later? When? Tomorrow? Does Shin Hye want to see him? Min Ho gazed at him and his chest tightened looking at the worries etching on his face. He felt sorry for him but at the same time he is worried of Shin Hye’s reaction if he comes again.

After letting out another deep sigh, Park Doo Jun turned to his wife. “Let’s go.”

Jang Ji Ae nodded and after taking one last glance at Shin Hye, she walked to the door and exited the room together with her husband.

After they have left, Min Ho exhaled a long breath before taking a seat beside the bed, his eyes fixed at Shin Hye’s sleeping face.

“Oppa, watch out!”

The memory of how Shin Hye pushed him away and ended up being hit by the motorcycle was still intact in his mind. It clenched his chest whenever he thought about it. If she didn’t push him away, the one who is lying down on the bed with a broken leg now is him… not her.

She saved him. She used her own life to save him.

Min Ho slowly leaned closer towards the bed and without realizing it, he lifted his hand up and gently reached out to caress her pale, bloodless face. The feeling of her freezing cold skin pained his heart and increased his worries further. He quickly pulled the blanket higher to cover her shoulders and just when he helped her to adjust the collar of her patient gown, something caught his eyes and froze all his movement instantly.

There is a small red mark between her neck and collarbone.

“Shin Hye… do you… do you love Jun Won?”

He inhaled a sharp breath and felt his heart skipped a beat. He heard his own voice ringing in his mind as pieces of broken memories started to float in his head. Last night… he was drunk and when he woke up, he was in his room, in his apartment.

“Do you… want me to love him?”

“No. I don’t want you to love him.”

Was that a dream or real? That was what Shin Hye told him when he woke up this morning. And then, she said she was just kidding. But… no, she is not. Everything she said was true. He did ask her about her feeling for Jun Won. He did ask her not to love Jun Won.

If all those are not a dream… then… what happened after that? He closed his eyes, forcing himself to recall what actually happened last night when he was drunk.

Min Ho’s eyes fluttered open as his breath turned heavy after a moment. He stared at Shin Hye, staring at the red mark on her flawless skin. Was it a dream? Why did a picture of him hovering on top of Shin Hye suddenly surfaced in his mind? He was kissing her, not the same way that he kissed her before but a deep and passionate kiss.

Another sharp breath exhaled through his lips, his eyes still daggered at her neck. He is not stupid. He knows the red mark on her neck is a kissing mark, a love bite. What did he do when he was drunk last night? Did he… kiss her forcefully, kiss her against her will? Did he… do something that humiliate her and cause her to move away so urgently this morning?

Just when his mind was still clouded with a lot of unanswered questions, he saw her brows furrowed, a soft whimper escaped her lips as her long eyelashes fluttered open softly.

“Shin Hye…” Min Ho moved nearer, concern evident on his face. “Are you okay? Shin Hye…”

Blinking her eyes several times, Shin Hye stared blankly at him for a few seconds before she glanced around the unfamiliar room, feeling blur and confused. Her head was spinning and she felt the room moving around her.

“W-Where… where am I?” She asked and found her voice hoarse and husky. is dry and scratchy. What happened to her?

Min Ho let out a deep and heavy sigh of relief the moment he heard her voice. “Thank god, you are awake.”

Awake? Shin Hye’s eyes turned to him and stared at him in confusion. “Where am I?” She asked as she tried to move.

“Arghhh…” But just when her body had a tiny movement, she winced in pain, feeling as if all her bones has been dismantled and re-joined again.  

Min Ho quickly stood up and held both her arms, keeping her still and not allowing her to move anymore. “Don’t move.” He said. “You just had a surgery. You will hurt yourself if you don’t stay still.” He paused and exhaled softly. “You are in the hospital now.”

“Hospital?” Shin Hye widened her eyes. How come she was suddenly in the hospital? She closed her eyes briefly, forcing herself to stay calm and slowly trying to recall what happened to her.

She wakes up this morning and went out to view some apartments with the property agent. Min Ho was in the apartment this morning because he was drunk last night. He insisted to go with her and he is not happy knowing that she wanted to move out. They were talking after they viewed the last apartment and… they were standing at the roadside. She saw a motorcycle heading very fast towards his direction and her natural reaction was to push him away.

She doesn’t remember much after that. What she could recall was something hit her with a great force, she fell down hard on the ground and something ran over her leg. She felt extremely painful and went unconscious.

Leg… leg… leg? Her leg…

Shin Hye held her breath as she tried to move again, trying to pull herself up this time to look at her leg. But just with a soft movement, she felt the pain again and it was almost unbearable.

“Careful.” Min Ho tightened his grip, forcing her to lie back down on the bed. “Can you understand what I said? You can’t move now. You just had a surgery an hour ago.” He raised his voice, angered and worried by her stubbornness.

“My leg…” Shin Hye looked at him, her eyes clouded with worries.

Min Ho heaved another exaggerated sigh. “You are fine, your leg is fine.” He assured her, trying to calm her down at the same time.

“But… but I can’t feel my left leg at all.”

“I know, I know. Stay still and I promise I’ll tell you everything in details, okay?” Min Ho said as he gave her arms a gentle , soothing her. When he saw her calmed down and stopped moving, he took a seat beside her bed and looked at her.

“You were hit by a motorcycle outside the apartment that we viewed earlier.” Min Ho began to explain. “Your left leg was broken because of the accident. Your tibia shaft was fractured. The bone was displaced and out of alignment. But it’s not too serious. You will just need to wear a cast for four to five weeks. Don’t worry. The doctor said as long as you follow their instructions, everything will be fine. It will be fully recovered by then. You can’t feel your leg now because of the anaesthetic.”

Shin Hye bit her lower lip as her eyes gazing at him, relieved by his explanation. After a short silence, she spoke again. “So… I’ll be a disabled for the next one month.”

“Yes… if only you listen to the doctor and do as you told.” Min Ho smiled but it slowly faded when his eyes glanced down at the cast that was covering her leg. Heaving a deep sigh, his gaze shifted back to Shin Hye as he reached out and held her hand.

“Why did you do that?” He asked, an obvious pain laced in his eyes.

“Do what?” Instead of answering his question, she asked him back.

“It was fortunate that you only broke your leg. If the motorcycle go the other way, you might have broken your neck.” Min Ho inhaled sharply, trying hard to keep himself calm. It scares him to hell just by thinking about it. “The motorcycle was heading towards my direction. The one who was supposed to be lying on the bed now is me. Why did you push me away and save me?” Without realizing it, his grip around her small hand has tightened.

Feeling the sudden pressure around her hand, Shin Hye got upset and tried to pull her hand away from him. But no matter how she tried to use her strength, she was too weak and couldn’t fight him at this moment.

She let out a helpless sigh and glared at him. “I don’t know.” She raised her voice too, shouting in frustration. “Maybe… I was out of my mind. Maybe… because you said you are my brother and I always take very good care of my family. Or maybe… I was trying to make you feel sorry for me and want to become your responsibility from now on.”

Or maybe… I just don’t want to see you getting hurt!

She hated to admit but it was true that her natural reaction was to save him at any cost when he was in danger.

“And why are you so angry when I’m the one who is injured now? My leg is broken, not yours.” What is wrong with him? Her leg was broken because of him. What right do he has to shout at her now? She should be the one who is shouting at him.

There was now a very intense deafening silence between them and neither says anything. No one knows how much time has passed before Min Ho surrendered and gave in first. He looked up at her with his gaze softened.    

“I’m sorry.” He apologized. “I…” He paused and clenched his jaw. “I’m not angry with you. I’m just… angry with myself for not able to protect you.” He said, his voice soft but loud enough for her to hear.

Shin Hye bit her lip again, her eyes still looking at him. The guilt on his face makes her feel uncomfortable. “I-I’m not a child. I can take care of myself and don’t need anybody to protect me. It was my choice to… to push you away and… save you out of my own free will. You don’t need to feel guilty.”

Another silence set in as both of them looked away and doesn’t know what to say. After what seems like forever, Shin Hye finally broke the awkward silence.

“I hope you didn’t tell ‘him’ that I’m here.” She said.

Min Ho turned back to her and instantly understood who is the ‘him’ she was referring to.

Park Doo Jun.

“I’m sorry.” He said in a cautious tone. “You were bleeding, you were unconscious and I don’t know how serious you were.” He paused and bit his bottom lip. “I have to inform him.”

Shin Hye looked at him as her eyes darkened almost immediately. “Life or death… it has nothing to do with him.”

“I know you hate him.” Min Ho inhaled deeply. “But… he is still your father. He is very worried about you.”

“I don’t care.” She snapped coldly. “Whatever it is, I don’t want to see him.” She stared deeply into his eyes and spoke again. “You promised me before that you will not let me see him without my approval. I hope you will keep your word because if you don’t… I’ll still keep mine. I’ll leave and you will never be able to find me again.”

Her last sentence was a threat, a threat that makes Min Ho’s heart quickened. That was her limit that no one can cross. It also means that this subject is not open for discussion and have to end instantly.

He continued to stare at her for a long moment before something crossed his mind and his eyes naturally moved down to her neck. He inhaled a deep breath. “You lied about last night, didn’t you?”

Shin Hye raised her brows, confused with the sudden change of subject. Last night? Lie? Lie about what?

“Everything you said in this morning…” He looked deeply into her eyes. “… it wasn’t a joke. It really happened. The conversation we had last night, it was real.” He paused again, breathing deeply when he saw the change of expression on her face. He is very sure now that he guessed correctly.

“Something happened but you didn’t tell me.” He slowly leaned closer to her as his hand tightened further around hers. “What did I do to you last night?”

A red blush slowly spread across Shin Hye’s face, making her complexion less pale. “I… we… nothing.” She stuttered as the scene of him kissing her last night replayed in her mind. “Nothing…”

“I saw…” Min Ho cut her off before she could complete her sentence. “… a red mark on your neck.”

Red mark? Shin Hye’s eyes slowly grew wide as her hand uncontrollably moved up to her neck. She saw the mark too when she took her shower this morning. He kissed her and left a mark there last night. A love bite.

“So it was true.” Min Ho spoke again when he saw the stunned reaction on her face. “I was drunk and you took care of me. I… pulled you and you fell down on the bed. I kissed you and…”

“It was not you.” Shin Hye quickly cut him off.

“What?” Min Ho creased his brows.

Shin Hye inhaled silently and held his gaze. “I said… it was not you.”

“How can it not be me?” Min Ho asked, slightly bewildered. “Although I couldn’t remember very clearly but I know I kissed you.”

“Yes, we did kissed.” Shin Hye admitted. “But last night… you are not the only man that I kissed. I kissed Jun Won oppa too.”

He could swear that he just heard the sound of his heart breaking in his chest. His mood suddenly turned sour and his breath hitched in his throat the moment he heard Jun Won’s name.

“How can you be so sure that the mark was from you and not from Jun Won oppa?” Shin Hye tried to mislead him. She had already decided to leave, leave his house, leave him. The unfamiliar feeling that was growing stronger and stronger by each passing day scares her. She has to go before everything get worse, before she get her heart broken.

“He sent me home last night. We stay in the car, we chat, we…”

“Enough!”

Shin Hye held her tongue immediately and keep quiet when Min Ho suddenly cut her off with his loud voice.  

Min Ho closed his eyes briefly, couldn’t stand any longer. He doesn’t want to listen or know what they did in the car last night. He just felt like his whole body was burning with fire in a sudden. He knows he has to go now before he lost his control completely. This woman always have the ability to make his calm personality turn wild.

Taking a very deep intake of breath, he slowly opened his eyes again and stood up at the same time. “You are awake now. I’ll get the doctor to check on you.”

And before waiting for her response, he quickly walked to the door and exited the room, leaving a puzzled Shin Hye lying on the bed.

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After closing the door behind him, Min Ho leaned his back against the wall and in a deep breath. He realized things are gett