Drunk

Devoted Love
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Tik tok… tik tok… tik tok…

One second… two seconds… three seconds…

Park Shin Hye closed her eyes very tightly, forcing herself to ignore the unfamiliar scent that was creeping its way into her senses. The feeling of the foreign and warm lips against hers was… uncomfortable. Although the scent doesn’t make her feel unpleasant but she definitely doesn’t like it either.   

All the loud music, flickering lights and scent of alcohol have suddenly faded in all her senses, and what surrounding her now was the tension and awkward atmosphere. Even with her eyes tightly closed, she could still feel the sharp and burning stares daggered at her and Jun Won from the two people who were sitting together with them at the same table.

She held her breath; the coldness pricked at her skin and all she could hear was Jun Won’s breathing; yet she dared not move. And just when she felt a slight movement from his lips, without thinking twice, she quickly pulled away from him before he could respond or deepen the kiss.

The moment her eyes fluttered open, another pair of eyes was looking at her with an intense gaze. That gaze was clouded with confusion and she could also see the hope and expectant in it. She knows her impulsive action has created another misunderstanding.

“W-Wow…” Hee Sun stared at them in disbelief as was parted into a small ‘O’. But when she heard a sharp and heavy breath coming from the man sitting beside her, she quickly averted her gaze and looked at Min Ho, who was now chugging down the whole bottle of beer. His face was flushed, as his eyes were blood shot, clearly caused by an anger emotion. She then took another glance at Shin Hye, trying to understand what is she thinking for pulling a stunt like this. In her opinion, she don’t think Shin Hye have any special feelings for Jun Won. It looks more like a pissing behaviour from her just now. Was she trying to test Min Ho’s reaction with the kiss?

Taking a very deep inhale of breath, Min Ho tried not to slam the empty bottle on the table. He didn’t know it would be this hard to witness something like this with his own eye. He knows it’s the best choice for Shin Hye to be with Jun Won but he could still feel the stingy pinch in his heart, thinking back of the scene when Shin Hye kissed Jun Won just now. What was she thinking of kissing a guy in a public? What was Jun Won thinking of not pushing a girl who suddenly kiss him away? And… what was himself thinking of… pushing her to his friend when it pained his heart so badly?

Still with his eyes looking at Shin Hye, Jun Won his lips briefly, feeling her lingering scent on him. A small smile uncontrollably curled up onto his lips, still surprised and didn’t thought she would kiss him here and now. Although it was just a light touch, it was already enough to make his heart flutter in delight.

Shin Hye slowly tore her gaze away from him as she turned back to the front to grab the bottle and took a huge sip of her beer. She took a quick glance at Min Ho when she tilted her chin up and his dangerous, annoyed, irritated expression was evident on his face. Her heart skipped a beat looking at him like this but at the same time it makes her feel happy too. His annoyance of the whole thing was the best indication of his jealousy. He can deny his feeling and continue to use Park Bo Young and Jun Won to avoid the reality but how long can his true heart stand all this?

“So… how do you feel?” Jun Won finally found his voice back and asked in a smile. There is only Shin Hye that could capture his eyes now and he couldn’t bother or even notice the displeased Min Ho and curious Hee Sun in front of them.

How do you feel?

Shin Hye dared not to look at Jun Won and tightened her grip around the bottle nervously. She was just using him, using the kiss to provoke Min Ho. The kiss doesn’t mean anything and to be frank, she didn’t feel anything either. From the very beginning, for revenge or not, her feeling for Jun Won has never changed. She respect and admire his attitude towards his work, but other than that… he is just a man, a man that doesn’t attract any of her attention.

When the answer that Jun Won anticipated doesn’t come as expected, the smile on his face slowly faded. Her expression was not what he thought he would get after the kiss. She was the one who took the initiative and now… she looked like she doesn’t care at all. And this angered him.

Putting his bottle down after he took the last sip, he turned to Shin Hye and grasped her hand at the same time. He saw the surprise gaze in her eyes. “I think we need to talk in private.”

And without waiting for her to reply or protest, he pulled her up together with him as he turned to look at Min Ho and Hee Sun. “Sorry, noona. Please excuse us. We need to leave now.”

He then tightened his grip around Shin Hye’s wrist and wanted to leave. But as he passed by where Min Ho was sitting, he called after him and his voice stopped Jun Won.

“Where are you bringing her?” Min Ho’s voice sounded raspy and deep.

Shin Hye glanced briefly at Min Ho before looking away. Her heartbeat raced as the tension between them increased tremendously.

Exhaling a deep and sharp breath, Jun Won forced a smile as he stared down at Min Ho. “I don’t think we need to report our whereabouts to you, right?” He paused and smirked. “Or should I ask… in what position you are for asking this question?”

Min Ho turned to him and met his challenging gaze. The two men glared at each other for a long moment and whoever around them could clearly feel the tension between the two has turned intense. Hee Sun knows exactly what are those pissing glares meant and she is ready to lunge forward to stop them if they happen to attack each other.

“Jun Won oppa…” Shin Hye held his arm, drawing his attention back to her. Yes, she want revenge, she want to use Min Ho to hurt Bo Young, but she never intend to make Jun Won and him to fight because of her. She knows how precious their friendship mean for each other.

Taking another deep breath, Jun Won tried to calm himself before pulling his gaze away from Min Ho and turned to Shin Hye.

“Let’s go.” Shin Hye said again when their eyes met. “Send me home.” She needs to stop them before too late.

Jun Won nodded, his face slowly softened.

Shin Hye let out a soft sigh of relief as she slowly looked at Min Ho, his bloodshot eyes fixed at her. She held his gaze for a moment, hesitant at first, but eventually gave in. “I’ll call you when I reach home.”

Min Ho inhaled a sharp breath, didn’t say anything and turned away. Jun Won was right. He is not in any position to be concerned about anything related to her. He is just a brother in name.

“Kaja.” Jun Won shook her hand softly, wanting to bring her away from Min Ho as soon as possible. He is not happy when she told him that she would call him later.

Taking one lingering stare at Min Ho, she then shifted her gaze to Hee Sun and gave her an apologetic smile before leaving the pub with Jun Won.

After they left, Min Ho reached out to grab another bottle of beer from the pail and took a big sip. Hee Sun widened her eyes to see him chugged half the bottle down in one breath. Staying with him in the orphanage for so long, she knows him well and he is not a heavy drinker. He barely touches alcohol unless he is not in a good mood. Looking at the amount he drank tonight, he must be very unhappy.

“Alcohol can only numb your mind for a short while. It won’t help you to solve anything.” Hee Sun said as she took the bottle off from him and placed it on the table.

Min Ho bit his bottom lip and didn’t look at her, worried that she would see something through his eyes. “I don’t understand what you are talking about.” He breathed deeply. “I’m fine.”

Hee Sun chuckled and shook her head. “Fine? Lee Min Ho, you are not some kind of super hero, okay? You don’t have the responsibility to put everything on your shoulder. You have the right to choose what you want and what you like. Don’t live for other people just because you want to pay them back for everything they gave you.”

“It’s not like that.” He rubbed his forehead and exhaled a long breath. “Without them… I won’t be at where I am now. What Park Doo Jun gave me are not only education, wealth, power or status.” He paused and looked into Hee Sun’s eyes. “He gave me a home. It is something that an orphan like us would always dream to have.”

Hee Sun held his gaze and nodded her head softly. “I understand.” This was how she felt when she first met her late husband too. “But… if he really treated you as a family, if he really love you as his own son, he would want you to be happy instead of controlling your life.”

“He didn’t control my life.” Min Ho disagreed. “He never forced me to do anything against my will.”

“Then what about Park Bo Young?” Hee Sun asked.

Min Ho suddenly became speechless as he averted his gaze and drank his beer again.

“Park Bo Young is a responsibility that he threw to you.” Hee Sun continued.

“He didn’t force me to be with her.” Min Ho looked back at her. “I… I’m the one who wants to be with her willingly.”

“Why?” He Sun asked again, pushing him further.

“Because…” Min Ho clenched his jaw. “Because…”

“Because of what?”

“Because… I… I like her.” He forced the three words out through a heavy breath. He never thought it would be so hard to utter the three words.

“Like her?” Hee Sun smirked. “You can like anybody. You like me, you like my staff at the counter there and I’m sure you like your secretary too. But do you necessarily be with someone just because you like her? No, right?” Hee Sun glowered at him. “You like her because she is Park Doo Jun’s daughter. You like her because she is your sister. You like her because she is your family. But out of all the reasons, there is none that could convince yourself that you want to be with her because of love.” She paused again and stared deeply into his eyes. “Lee Min Ho, you don’t love her.”

I don’t love her?    

Min Ho turned away to avoid her gaze again. He doesn’t want to argue with what she said or in fact, he doesn’t know what to say at all. Does he love her? He doesn’t know. In fact… he doesn’t even know what is love. He always thought love is… when you don’t dislike a person, when you care for a person, when you don’t feel uncomfortable being with a person, when you want that person to be happy. Those are what he thought love was all about.

But when he met Shin Hye again after so many years, when he spent so much time with her in these two months… his perception towards love seemed has change. He likes her, he cares for her, he felt very comfortable being with her and he obviously wants her to be happy. But besides that… there is something else, something more, something that he couldn’t explain. That emotion, that feeling make his heart swell, flutter and… pain. He never felt like this before, not when he was with Bo Young.

When Hee Sun saw him in his deep thought and just continued to drink his beer, she knows what she said was true. “I don’t know what exactly happen between four of you, but as a bystander… I can see the way you treated Shin Hye is very different. The way you look at her, the way you talk to her… everything is so different.” She stopped and exhaled a deep breath. “I understand what you think. Bo Young is your girlfriend and you want to keep your promise. And on another hand, Jun Won is your best friend. I can also see how much he likes Shin Hye. But… as your friend, as your noona… I would hope that you would at least fight for your own happiness for once. Being selfish is not a sin if you didn’t do anything wrong. Life is yours… and you have the right to live it the way you want.”

Min Ho pressed his lips into a thin line, looking back at Hee Sun once again. Selfishness is not a sin? Really? He can really be selfish and fight for his happiness? He… he is not sure.

A deep and breathy sigh slowly escaped his lips as he took the beer bottle up and finished the whole thing.
 

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Jun Won brought Shin Hye home and stopped the car in front of her apartment. Shin Hye’s thoughts were in turmoil on the silent drive home. The awkward atmosphere was suffocating and neither of them says anything during the whole journey. She felt a silent relief when they finally arrived the apartment.

Carefully unfastened the seatbelt, she slowly turned to Jun Won and let out a small smile. “Thank you for giving me a lift. It’s late now. You should go back to rest. I’ll see you next Monday.” And just when her hand touched the handle, Jun Won reached out to hold her arm before she could open the door.

“We need to talk.” Jun Won’s voice filled the silence. “I’m not going to let you go unless we make things clear tonight.”

Shin Hye inhaled a deep breath before pulling her hand away from the handle and slowly turned back to him. “What do you want to talk?” Her eyes met his, waiting for him to speak.

“What are we now?” Jun Won asked after a moment of silence.

Shin Hye raised her brows. “What do you mean?”

Jun Won smirked. “I told you I have feelings for you. I’m obviously pursuing you since I confessed. I was waiting for your answer and...” He paused and held her gaze firmly. “… you kissed me.” He smiled again. “Can I assume the kiss is your answer?”

Pabo, Park Shin Hye. This is what will happen when you act without using your brain.

Shin Hye suddenly feel like slapping herself hard across her face for being so stupid. Yes, the kiss might trigger Min Ho’s jealousy but she also forgot that it would also create a misunderstanding and gave Jun Won a false hope. She admit that revenge is very important for her but at the same time she doesn’t want to hurt innocent people either.

Taking another deep breath, Shin Hye replied calmly. “Nothing changed.” She said. “You are still my boss and I’m still your staff.”

Jun Won squinted his eyes at her and chuckled after a short moment. “Nothing changed?” He shook his head and laughed at himself. “Why do I feel like I’ve just being used?”

Shin Hye looked away, feeling guilty.

“You said feeling is very important in a relationship. You said you need to feel it yourself. And then… you kissed me.” Jun Won said, still looking at her, trying to analyse everything that happened in the pub just now. “After that… you were quiet, embarrassed and keep staring at Min Ho. Although he didn’t say anything but it was very obvious that he wasn’t pleased with the kiss. His annoyance and the death glare he gave me…” He paused, as his eyes slowly grew wider, as if something just came into his mind. He parted his lips slightly and looked at her with his eyes narrowed. “Are you using me to make Min Ho jealous?”

Shin Hye closed her eyes briefly as the last sentence echoed into her ear. Yes, she was just using him to make Min Ho jealous. It’s not difficult for a smart man like him to figure it out. But no matter how many times he said he likes her, he is still Min Ho’s best friend. Although the guilt is eating her up, she still couldn’t admit to him that she is using him to make Min Ho jealous and using Min Ho to hurt Park Bo Young.

“It’s late now. You should go.” Shin Hye said and quickly opened the door, exited the car before Jun Won could protest. She chose to ignore his question.

But before she could even reach the guard house of the apartment, Jun Won already jumped out from his car and chased after her. He reached out to grasp her arm and pulled her around to face him. “I’m not done yet. Do you think I’ll just let you go after being used by you?”

Shin Hye struggled, trying to free herself from his grip but his strength was too strong for her. She knows it’s useless to struggle. She stopped moving and glared up at him. “Then what do you want to do to me? Force me to accept you? Threaten me with my job?” She paused and breathed very deeply to calm herself down. “I apologize for my impulsive act just now. It was a mistake. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I… I’m sorry if I’ve hurt your feeling, but I don’t feel anything for you.”

There was a long silence as their eyes locked at each other. Jun Won felt a stingy pain in his chest, feeling hurt by what she said. He thought there was a hope when she kissed him just now. But it turns out to be a mistake, a joke.

Slowly loosened his grip around her hand, he took a step backward, lengthened a safe distance between them. He doesn’t want to lose control and lunge himself to her.

“I just want to know one thing.” He said as his eyes looking deeply into hers. “Do you like Min Ho?”

Shin Hye gasped softly at the question, both her hands clenched in tight fists. She tried hard to stay calm but the nervous expression on her face was evident.

The answer was obvious and Jun Won couldn’t help but gaped at her. “How can you like Min Ho? You know he has Park Bo Young and she is your sister. How can you like your sister’s boyfriend?”

The moment Park Bo Young’s name crept into her ear, the guilt she has earlier was now totally replaced by anger. She looked up at him with a sharp glare. “I don’t have a sister. Park Bo Young is not my sister.” Her voice raised and almost shouting. “And why can’t I like him? As long as he is not married, he still has the right to choose. He can still…” She suddenly paused and smirked inwardly. “I’m wrong. Even if they are married, he can still change his mind and choose again. Isn’t this a right that men always thought they have? You married a woman you thought you love and as time passed, when you found someone else that you think is better and have a change of heart, you will choose again. You won’t care how badly you have hurt your wife. Your selfishness will blind everything. This is man.” She laughed. “So what if he has Park Bo Young now? His heart might still change for me.”

Jun Won froze in place, totally stunned by what she just said. “You… you are not only using me. You are trying to make Min Ho jealous because… you want to use him to hurt your family. You hate your father because he abandoned her for Park Bo Young’s mother. You want the same thing happen to Park Bo Young.” He in a deep breath, couldn’t believe the fact he just realized. After the incident that Park Bo Young bumped into them at the restaurant last week, he just thought Shin Hye wanted to embarrass her sister and pissed her off. He never thought she would want to take Min Ho away from her.

Shin Hye smirked again as she looked at him. “That’s just your guess. I didn’t say anything.”

“You are insane.” Jun Won scolded her, his voice was still shock and angry.

He is right. She must be insane for talking about all this with him now. “I apologize once again for the kiss just now. It was my fault and it doesn’t mean anything. Whatever you think, I can only tell you that all this has nothing to do with Min Ho oppa. Don’t fight with him because of me. It’s not worth it.” She paused and continued to look at him. “I have to go in now. Drive safely.”

When she turned around and started to walk towards the entrance, Jun Won’s voice was heard again and his words stopped her from walking away.

“You will not succeed.” Jun Won said behind her. “I’ve known Min Ho for a long time. I know what kind of person he is. He will not break his promise. He will marry Park Bo Young. This is a fact that you will not be able to change.”

A small smirk slowly curled up on Shin Hye’s lips as she laughed silently at herself. Looking at the way Min Ho avoided her for the past five days, Jun Won might be right. Min Ho is not the kind of man who will make a promise that he couldn’t keep. No matter how unwilling he is, because of responsibility, because of gratefulness, he will still choose to marry Park Bo Young.

But she will not give up either. Although she is not sure the feeling she has for him is real or just for the sake of revenge, she will also not let him to avoid his true feeling.

“I’ll not give up.” Jun Won said again. “You might not like me now… but because that person is you… I’m willing to wait. You worth every single ounce of love I have.”

Is his confession touching? Of course it’s touching. In her 23 years of life, he is the first man who makes her feel precious and needed. She knows Jun Won is a good man. He was right that their personalities are very similar and compatible. But sadly… the feeling wasn’t mutual. She is very clear that their relationship could only go as far as friendship.

Taking a deep breath, Shin Hye resumed her steps without turning around, leaving the disappointed Jun Won watching her from behind.

 

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Two hours has passed since Shin Hye came back and the clock has struck 1am when she looked up from the book she was reading. A soft and breathy sigh slowly escaped her lips as she shifted her gaze to her phone on the bed. Putting the book on the bedside table, she gently held her phone up and stared at it for a long moment.

This phone… Min Ho gave it to her when she first moved in to his apartment. At that time, her pride was hurt and felt offended when he gave her this phone. She promised herself that she would return it back to him once she found a job and buy a new one. It has been a month since she started work and she already got her first salary three days ago. She has enough money to get a new phone and return this back to him. But now, her heart felt heavy to give it back to him. This was the first thing he gave her and she doesn’t know why it means so much to her. It’s like a gift… a precious gift given by him.

Before she left Back Alley just now, she promised to call him when she arrived home. She kept her word and has been calling him since an hour ago. The phone was ringing but no one answer. It makes her worried with him not answering his phone. Is he angry? Or… is he still trying to avoid her?

Park Shin Hye, stop thinking and go to sleep. You have already crossed the safety line between both of you and did more than what you supposed to do.

She scolded herself silently before exhaling a deep sigh. She chased the thought away from her clouded mind, forcing herself not to think, not to care, not to bother. Pulling herself up from the bed and wanted to turn off the light, the sound of the doorbell suddenly filled the silence.

Ding dong…

Who?

Shin Hye froze in place for a second before she opened the door and walked out from her room. It was midnight already and she wonders who will come here so late at night? Could it be… him?

When she reached at the door, she took a glance at the door monitor and her eyes widened the moment she saw the people showing on the screen. Without wasting anymore time, she quickly opened the door and her eyes grew even wider now to see the drunken Min Ho being held by Hee Sun and another guy at both sides. She recognized the guy. He is one of the staff that works for Hee Sun in her pub.

“What happened to him?” Shin Hye asked, her voice was slightly shaky. Her gaze was focussed at Min Ho and his eyes were tightly closed. His cheeks were covered in deep flush and she could clearly smell the strong scent of alcohol on him. She has never seen him like this before.

“He is drunk.” Hee Sun replied in a heavy breathing. Min Ho’s weight is obviously too heavy for her even though her staff is taking most of the weight on him. “He drank a lot after Jun Won and you left. It’s very late now and I don’t think his family will be happy if I send him back to his house with him looking like this.” She paused and let out a deep sigh. “Here is the only place I could think off. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not. This is his apartment anyway.” Shin Hye said, her eyes still looking at Min Ho with a worried gaze. “Come in and let’s bring him to his room.” She quickly stepped aside and let them to enter after realizing how heavy it must be for them to carry him all the way up here.

After closing the door, Shin Hye showed them the way to Min Ho’s room. Hee Sun inhaled a deep intake of breath after throwing Min Ho to his bed before she turned to her staff. “Wait for me outside. I’ll come out in a short while.”

“Yes, noona.” The guy nodded, giving Shin Hye a polite smile before he left the room.

Shin Hye came out from the bathroom with a wet towel and sat down on the bed, gently wiping Min Ho’s face. His eyes were still closed, his lips parted and mumbled in a soft whisper, so soft that she couldn’t hear what he said.

Hee Sun stared at Min Ho for a brief second before averted her gaze to Shin Hye and let out an exaggerated sigh. “I’ve never seen him drinking this much before. I lost count on how many bottles he had after you left. He didn’t drink this much even when our halmeoni passed away last time.”

Halmeoni? Shin Hye looked up at Hee Sun in a confusion gaze. “He has a grandmother? I thought… both of you are… orphan.”

“Not a biological grandmother.” Hee Sun said with a sad smile. “She was an old halmeoni who take care of all the kids in our orphanage. She especially likes Min Ho compared to others. And Min Ho loves her like his own grandmother. He was only 20 when halmeoni passed away. That night was the first time I saw him drink and got drunk. And tonight was the second time.”

Shin Hye didn’t say anything and turned her attention back

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rifdha_azmi #1
Chapter 13: Hope you will update these stories again.
stoneflower #2
Please update this story, please. Thank you!
romantic-lover16 #3
Chapter 13: Please continue this story….🙏🙏🙏🙏
dreamcatcher27 #4
Chapter 13: Authornim please continue this story'
vienna19 #5
Chapter 13: Authornim i hope you r fine n healthy, very please update your ongoing story dont left us hanging like this 😭😭😭
bgaspar23 #6
Author-nim please comeback! Waiting for your update it's been a long time please 😭😭😭
Esraasaied #7
Chapter 13: Authornim please update 😭😭😭
dreamcatcher27 #8
Chapter 1: I have reread this story, and I still cry whenever I read this.. I hope you Will continue this story and make happy ending for our minshin..
czpiee #9
Chapter 13: Please comeback authomnim..
I miss you
bgaspar23 #10
Chapter 13: Authornim please update almost every day I check it! Please comeback.