Song inserted in this chap: Love Is Like That by Kei, Lovelyz. (credit to owner)

Three days has passed since Park Shin Hye discharged from the hospital and was brought back forcefully to Min Ho’s apartment. In her 23 years of life, this is the first time she felt herself being treated like a queen. Except for losing all her freedom and being tied up with a bell like a few year old kid, she has nothing to complain about Min Ho and can’t deny how well she was taken care by him. Whenever he heard the sound of her bell, even a very slight movement, he will rushed into her room to make sure she was okay and fulfil all her request. Sometimes she even wonders did he sit outside her room and waited for her bell to ring? If not, how could he reach her room so fast every time she moved her broken leg?

Other than that, besides her medication time, breakfast, lunch and dinner, he is also responsible of washing her hair now. Although she felt extremely awkward and embarrass with this intimate gesture between them, but with her leg still covered with the cast, she can’t reject him and still need his help. She is used to have her hair washed every day and it seemed like he will continue to follow her into the bathroom until she can do it herself.  

As usual, on the fourth night after they finished with their dinner, without asking for her permission, Min Ho naturally scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the living room. Gently putting her down to sit on the couch and the TV, he then looked back at her and smiled.

“Stay here and watch TV for a while. I’ll go in to wash the dishes first and will help you to wash your hair later. Don’t move around and wait for me here, arasso?”

Shin Hye bit her lip and faced to the front without replying him. She just gave him a soft nod. She doesn’t like the way he treated her like a kid… but at the same time, her heart also felt a strange feeling that make her trying hard to suppress a smile that was threatening to curl onto her lips.

Min Ho grinned, smiled at her cute expression. And just when he wanted to walk away, a sudden ringing sound of phone filled the room. Both of them were startled by the sound and turned to the phone on the coffee table at the same time. It was Min Ho’s phone and Bo Young’s name was flashing on the screen.

There was a few seconds of silence between them before Min Ho cleared his throat awkwardly and grabbed the phone up. He stole a brief glance at Shin Hye and quickly turned around to make his way to the kitchen.

“Yoboseyo…”

Shin Hye sank her teeth deeper into her lower lip as she slowly turned her head and stared at the kitchen, where Min Ho just stepped in. Although it was soft but she could still hear his voice talking to the phone. Without realizing it, both her hands were balled into tight fists and her mood has suddenly turned sour the moment she saw Bo Young’s name on his phone. She felt her heart ached at the way he talked so gently to her and curiosity is eating her up.

A few more seconds has passed and Min Ho was still talking on the phone. Taking a deep breath, Shin Hye couldn’t control herself anymore. She reached out to take the crutches that were leaning against the wall beside where she was sitting and carefully pulled herself up from the couch.

With the help of the crutches, Shin Hye slowly walked to the kitchen very softly. But no matter how soft she walks, it still couldn’t stop the bell from moving and it rang softly at the same time. She thought Min Ho would come out from the kitchen before she could reach there when he heard the bell, but he didn’t. He was so focus on the phone call and didn’t even hear the bell.

Shin Hye stood silently outside the kitchen and leaned her back against her wall. She doesn’t mean to eavesdrop because she thought he would definitely hear the bell when she started to walk. But since all his concentration was put on his little girlfriend, he can’t blame her for eavesdropping.

“I remember.”

Min Ho’s voice echoed into her ear, but although she was standing right outside the kitchen, his voice was too soft and she couldn’t hear very clearly.

“I’ll let abeoji know… the annual ball is… don’t worry… the engagement is…”

Engagement?

Shin Hye’s eyes grew wide as she pressed her ear against the wall, trying to hear what he was talking about. The sentence was very blur and she could only hear few words. What annual ball? What engagement?

“Okay, I’ll come back when I’m free. I… you take care… bye.”

When Shin Hye heard the word ‘bye’, she got panic and quickly starts moving her leg, wanted to walk back to the living room. But she was too nervous and her cast was too big, it hit the leg of the dining table and she stripped over the dining chair with the crutches dropped to the floor. She shut her eyes close, waiting for the pain to come when she lost her balance.

Just when she thought she will break her other leg as well, a pair of strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist and pulled her back to a standing position. She felt her soft body was now tightly pressed against a hard chest as she slowly opened her eyes. A soft gasp escaped her lips the moment she met Min Ho’s dark gaze. His eyes were clouded with the mixture of worries and anger.

Still with his arms around her, Min Ho glared into her eyes. “What are you doing here?” He asked in a displeased tone. “I remember asking you not to move around and wait for me in the living room.” He paused again and narrowed his gaze. “Wae? Eavesdropping?”

Shin Hye held his eyes embarrassedly as she continued to bite her lip. “W-What eavesdropping? I… I was just thirsty and… and want to get some water.” She stuttered at first but later glaring back at him and raised her voice slightly. “There is a bell on my leg. How can you not know if I really trying to eavesdrop? You are the one who is too concentrate talking to your girlfriend and didn’t hear me coming.” It was Shin Hye’s turn to narrow her eyes at him. “Wae? Talking secret?”

“You…” Min Ho held his tongue and for a moment he doesn’t know what to say. When he saw Bo Young called him just now, the only thing that appeared in his mind was the engagement that he promised her. He was afraid that Shin Hye would find out about it and quickly hide himself in the kitchen. Shin Hye was right. He was too focus on talking to Bo Young just now and didn’t realized that she was standing there. After he ended the call, he almost jumped in fear when he heard the sound of someone falling down.

When did she standing outside the kitchen? Did she hear the whole conversation he had with Bo Young? Did she hear about the… engagement?

Shin Hye continued to look at him, studied and trying to understand the strange expression on his face. Is that a guilty conscience that she saw in his eyes? He looks like he is hiding something from her and he is very worried that she will find out. Does it have anything to do with Park Bo Young? And… did she hear wrongly about the word… ‘engagement’?

After a long moment of deafening silence, Min Ho looked away first and inhaled a deep breath. Gently pulling his arms away from her, he leaned down and took the crutches up before placing it against the dining table.

“You shouldn’t stand for long. Let me bring you back to the living room.” He said as he leaned over, wanting to carry her.

But before he could do so, Shin Hye was faster and quickly avoided his arms. She took the crutches beside her and looked up at his confused expression. “I’m tired. I’ll go back to my bedroom to rest. You… you should continue to wash the dishes.”

“But…” Min Ho wanted to protest but Shin Hye already walked away from him on the crutches before he could even finish his sentence. A deep and long sigh slowly escaped his lips as he watched her hobbling to her bedroom on the crutches.

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After placing the crutches at the bedside, Shin Hye sat down on her bed and looked at her injured leg mindlessly. All the calmness that she regained in these three days has now completely vanished again after what she heard in the kitchen just now. Although she couldn’t hear very clearly and wasn’t sure what they were talking about, but there is this bad feeling at the bottom of her stomach that make her feel uncomfortable.

Letting out a deep and exaggerated sigh, she forced herself not to think about it anymore. She had already decided to leave and doesn’t want to have anything to do with them… or him anymore. No matter what they were talking on the phone just now, it has nothing to do with her. She should not be affected by him anymore.

Shin Hye looked up at the clock and it was only 8pm now. Her next medication time is at 9pm and Min Ho is still washing the dishes. She still has at least an hour before he will come in to disturb her. Since she has nothing to do and to prevent her mind to think about them again, she decided to take a nap. She carefully lied down on the bed and buried herself beneath the comforter comfortably before closing her eyes and let her clouded mind slowly drifted off to slumber land.

Knock… knock…

The time slowly ticking away, and Shin Hye’s eyes fluttered open when a soft knocking sound suddenly filled the quiet bedroom. After blinking her eyes for several times to restore her blurry vision and completely wake up from her sleepy mind, she carefully pulled herself up and leaned her back against the headboard. Taking a quick glance at the clock, she was surprised to see the time. It was almost 12midnight now. She has sleep for four hours already. But how come Min Ho didn’t come in to wake her up? This is very strange. He wouldn’t allow her to skip her medication.

Knock… knock…

Shin Hye turned to the door when the knocking sound was once again echoed into her ear.

“Shin Hye, can I come in?”

Min Ho? Shin Hye’s brows creased in confusion upon hearing his voice. Since when he will ask her permission to come into her room? From the day she came back from the hospital, whenever he heard her bell, although he would knock the door but he will just come in straight without waiting for her permission. This is… weird.

“Come in.” She answered as she cleared .

The door opened and Min Ho stepped into the room the next second. He smiled at her before he closed the door and slowly walked towards her. Gently taking a seat on the bed beside her, he looked up and gazed into her eyes like he has something to say to her. But as Shin Hye waited and waited, nothing came out from his mouth and they just stared at each other for a very long moment.

After what seems like forever, Shin Hye couldn’t stand the awkward tension anymore. She took a deep breath and continued to look at him. “Why didn’t you wake me up just now?” She finally broke the deafening silence. “Have you forgotten that I have to take my medicine at 9pm?”

There was another brief silence before Min Ho cleared his throat and nodded. “I… I came in after I washed the dishes but… I saw you sleeping. You looked tired and doesn’t want to wake you up. I thought to let you rest for a while. I was doing some work in the study room and… I forgot the time.” He pursed his lips and looked at her. “I’m sorry.”

Shin Hye held his gaze and narrowed her gaze. Something is wrong with him. “You… look very weird tonight.” She pondered for a moment before she asked. “Does it have anything to do with the phone call just now?”

Min Ho didn’t say anything and just stared at her. But for Shin Hye, his silence is already an obvious answer for her question. She was right. He is hiding something from her and looking at his expression now, he has made a decision to tell her.

“What’s wrong?” She asked cautiously.

Min Ho averted his gaze as he pressed his lips into a thin line. It took another moment before he finally spoke. “In these few days, I… I thought about what you said in the hospital.” He inhaled deeply and looked back at her with a guilty gaze. “I think I understand why you want to move out and doesn’t want to see us again. Staying here with me… it might be too stressful for you. And at the same time… it has become a burden to me too.”

Shin Hy’s brows furrowed, lips twisting in confusion. Her head tilted slightly to the side as she felt her heart raced tremendously fast in her chest. “What… what are you trying to say?”

“I think… it was my fault. It was a mistake since the day I brought you here.” Taking another deep breath, Min Ho continued to explain. “I can understand what abeoji did to you in the past is unforgivable. I shouldn’t be so confident that I could help abeoji to change your mind and make you forgive him.” He paused and looked into her eyes guiltily. “I promise abeoji that I’ll find you. No matter how, I’ll try my very best to take care of you… because… you are my sister.”

Shin Hye sank her teeth into her lower lip. When she felt her hands started to tremble, she quickly clenched her palms into tight fists and buried them under the comforter. For an instant, she felt her heart went numb and froze at the same time.

“But I was wrong.” Min Ho’s voice filled the room again. “I thought everything I did for you will slowly soften your stubborn heart… but I was wrong. It didn’t change anything and things are getting out of control.” He paused again and stared at her with a deep sigh. “I know what you did.”

Confusion etched across Shin Hye’s face as she waited for him to continue.

“You try to attract my attention and make me fall in love with you. You create misunderstanding between Bo Young and me. When we slowly drift apart, you will have a chance to step into our relationship.” Min Ho said as his eyes darkened. “When she came to the apartment that day, you provoke her anger and lure her to slap you. You make me misunderstood her, make us fight, and slowly come in between us.” He smirked inwardly. “You hate us and you want to avenge us. And I’m the best person for you to use in order to make your plan successful. You are using me to hurt Bo Young like how her mother hurt your mother. Am I right?”

He knows. He knows her plan all this while. Shin Hye got panicked and shook her head fiercely. “No…” She denied. She doesn’t want him to misunderstand her. She hates the way he is staring at her now. The gentleness and kindness in his eyes, all those were all gone and were now replaced with disappointment and hatred. She doesn’t want him to hate her. “I… I mean… yes, I might thought about that before but I didn’t…”

“You don’t need to explain.” Min Ho cut her off and chuckled softly. “No matter what is the reason, it doesn’t affect anything. In fact, it won’t change anything.” He said as his voice turned cold. His eyes slowly moved down to her injured leg and continued with a sarcastic chuckle. “I started to wonder… is the accident was one of your plan too?”

“No!” Shin Hye widened her eyes, frightened with what he said. He was right about the revenge plan but she has already gave up and decided to leave him. That was the reason why she wanted to move out. How can he accuse her for the accident? What is happening? He was still okay during the dinner just now. Why did his behaviour suddenly change?

Park Bo Young.

Shin Hye recalled the phone call in the kitchen just now. Did Bo Young say anything to him? With her eyes still fixed at him, she reached out to hold his hand “Oppa… did… did Park Bo Young say anything to you?”

Min Ho kept quiet and just stared at her with his cold gaze.

“Please don’t listen to her. I didn’t…” Shin Hye said in a pleading tone but her sentence was cut off again when the door suddenly burst open. Her eyes grew wide when she saw Bo Young came inside.

“P-Park Bo Young?” What is she doing here? When did she come here? Did Min Ho bring her here when she was asleep?

Bo Young slowly walked towards the bed as a wide smile was spread across her face. Her eyes travelled from Shin Hye’s face down to her broken leg and a soft chuckle escaped her lips. “Park Shin Hye, do you think by breaking your leg could change anything?”

“Why are you here?” Shin Hye asked as she moved her gaze from Bo Young back to Min Ho. “What is she doing here?”

Bo Young smirked as she leaned down and pulled Min Ho’s hand away from Shin Hye. “This is my boyfriend’s house. Why can’t I be here? I’m the one who should ask what you are doing in my boyfriend’s house.”

Min Ho slowly got up from the bed and stood beside Bo Young. With his hand wrapped around Bo Young’s shoulder, he looked at Shin Hye again with a cold expression. “You might think you are smart but I’m not a man that you can easily fooled.” He paused and smirked. “I can’t deny that you are very attractive… but… I don’t feel anything for you.” He tightened his arm around Bo Young, bringing her closer to him. “I already have a girlfriend that I love very much. No matter what you do, my heart will only love her.” He smiled as he turned to Bo Young and pressed his lips against her temple.

Bo Young continued to stare at Shin Hye and her lips were curled onto a victorious smile. “Park Shin Hye, I really feel pity for you. Your mother was a loser and now… you are a loser too.” She said and laughed evilly.

Pain keep stabbing into Shin Hye’s heart and no matter how hard she tried to breathe, she couldn’t get the sufficient air into her suffocating lungs. She felt breathless, lifeless. She shook her head uncontrollably as tears could no longer be restrained, it started to blur her vision and slowly rolled down her cheeks. The tears that escaped her eyes felt like some kind of acid that burns her skin. Each of it contained a little pieces of her heart.

“Oppa…” She finally found her voice back as her eyes looking at Min Ho. “This is not true.” She sobbed and bit her lip. “This can’t be true.” This is not him. The Lee Min Ho that she knows is not this kind of heartless man. He won’t treat her like this. He is not her father, he is not Park Doo Jun.

Bo Young let out another smirk before turning to Min Ho. “Oppa, don’t waste time with her anymore. You don’t have the obligation to take care of her. Appa wouldn’t care about her. Nobody will care about a loser’s daughter.”

Min Ho held her eyes as a smile slowly spread across his handsome face. He nodded. “You are right. Nobody will care about her.” He then turned back to Shin Hye and smiled coldly. “I’ll let you stay for tonight. When I come back tomorrow, I don’t want to see you here anymore. If you want, you can call Moon Jun Won to bring you away.” He paused and looked deeply into her eyes. “I don’t care!”

I don’t care!

Shin Hye shook her head vigorously as she tried to get up from her bed. “Oppa… don’t leave me.” She cried. When she saw both of them sneered at her and ready to leave the room, she got more panic.

Ding… ding… ding… ding…

The sound of the bell keep ringing whenever Shin Hye tried to move her leg. “Oppa… please don’t go…”

Ding… ding… ding… ding…

Without even taking another glance at her, Min Ho and Bo Young turned around and left the room heartlessly.

Shin Hye tried her best to pull herself up, but no matter how hard she tried she still couldn’t bring herself to stand get down from the bed. Sharp pain started coursing through her entire leg but she ignored and continued to move it.

Ding… ding… ding… ding…

“Oppa…” She closed her eyes and let her tears flowed down her cheeks freely. “Oppa…”

Ding… ding… ding… ding…

Pain continued to surge through her veins, not only in her injured leg but her entire body, especially her heart. Why? Why is every man the same? Why must they be so heartless? Why must it be so painful to fall in love? Why? Why? Why?

She couldn’t breathe. She felt suffocated by the pain in her heart. She couldn’t hold it any longer. And slowly, she brought her hand up to her lips and sank her teeth into the flesh of her hand. A sharp, stingy pain on her hand instantly triggered her senses and numbed the aching pain in her heart. She keep biting and biting as her eyes tightly closed together. It will go away, she told herself. It always does.

“Shin Hye!”

Who?

“Shin Hye! Stop! Shin Hye! Wake up!”

Someone is calling my name.

“Shin Hye! I’m here… I’m here… stop! Please wake up! Shin Hye!”

Who is calling me?

“Shin Hye!”

Shin Hye slowly opened her eyes and as her vision slowly restored, her eyes met the gaze of the beautiful man who was sitting right beside her on the bed. His eyes were covered with fear; his expression was worried as his hand was grabbing hers. This face, this expression… it was totally different from the one she saw just now. The coldness on his face was all gone.

Min Ho.

It’s him. It’s really Min Ho. He didn’t leave. He came back. He didn’t leave with Park Bo Young.

“Shin Hye…” Min Ho’s grip around her hand slowly loosened as his thumb naturally caressing the fresh biting mark on her wrist. “Shin Hye… you…” His sentence was abruptly cut off when she suddenly pulled herself up forcefully and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was caught off guard by the hug and completely dumbfounded by her sudden action.

With her arms tightening around him, Shin Hye buried her face in the crook of his neck and closed her eyes once again. “Oppa…” She whispered as tears escaped her eyes.

There was a long moment of silence, as Min Ho just sat still, doesn’t know how to react. He was confused and don’t understand what is wrong with her. And after a while, when he finally calmed himself down and got back to his senses, he slowly brought his hand up and her back gently.

“I’m here.” He said as his other hand moved to the back of her head, pressing her more closely towards him. He wants her to feel his warmth, telling her that he is here, right here with her. “I’m here…”

Neither of them knows how much time has passed before Shin Hye slowly pulled away and looked up at him with her teary eyes. “You didn’t leave…”

Min Ho’s brows creased, confused with what she said. Leave? Leave where? He was in the apartment all the while.

After finished washing the dishes, he came in once and saw her sleeping. He doesn’t want to disturb her and thought of coming in again to wake her during the time when she needs to take her medicine. But when he passed by her room just now, he heard her bell ringing and also her soft crying sound. He was totally frightened to see her crying and biting her hand when he came in. Her eyes were still closed and tears covered her face.

He glanced down at her wrist, staring at the biting mark on her pale skin before turning to the window to check again. No, it’s not raining and no thunder. Why is she so scared and even biting herself again?

Looking back at her, he studied her face for a moment before he spoke. “Shin Hye… are you okay? What happened?” He asked as he brought his hand up to her face and gently wiped her tears away. “Why are you crying? Is your leg in pain?” He asked again and took a quick glance at her left leg worriedly.

“W-What?” Shin Hye blinked her eyes, looking at him in confusion. How can he still asked her what happened? He was the one who told her to leave a