CHAPTER ONE

Sooyeon

The sky was blue; light blue painted over the horizon. Fluffy clouds hanging, wind blowing— chilly and breezy yet calming.

This kind of day is just perfect.

Perfect, he would think.

Perfect for a picnic. Or biking at the recreational park a short distance away from their house. Or laying in their little tent at the balcony. Or huddling together on the sofa. Or making out on the hood of the car in the garage. Or just spending lazy time in bed all day.

Yeah, Jang Suk Han would definitely think this day is perfect.

Except that he's gone, no longer here to enjoy all of that with her.

And she's here, in this funeral hall, mourning for him.

She throws her gaze to all corner there is in the funeral hall. Her bottom lip trembles, every breaths she inhale shake, her eyes wide to avoid the tears she, so hard trying to keep from escaping the dam.

Her mother-in-law hugs her side, before she launches herself on the oakwood floor, howling out a scream — one that sound just like a giant's stomach rumbling. But then, father-in-law silences her screams with his suit-clad shoulder.

She stands still, frozen.

As the memories hit her like a bulldozer, a lone tear escapes, before others follow suit in an unbroken river. She turns herself, facing the wall. She has promised herself to save the crying for later, when no one is watching. But, she breaks it. Her shoulders quiver and she wishes she has the power to make them stop.

To make the tears stop. To make the pain stop.

Go Jinhee steps forward, bending her body in a perfect 90° bow twice in front of the deceased before she saunters over to the crying Sooyeon.

She rubs comforting circles on her shoulders, "You have to be strong, he wouldn't like to see you like this, " she offers. "I know I won't understand how you feel, because I'm not the one who lost my loved one, but I know it hurts."

Sooyeon doesn't respond but she knows, deep down, that Jinhee's right. Suk Han wouldn't like seeing her in this condition—tearful and miserable.

She turns her body around. "Okay." Wiping at her eyes, she instructs the maid to prepare all the food to serve the people.

***

"May God channel you strength to go on this life, Jang Sooyeon." they say, as they tip their drinks down their throat.

Her heart clenches, remembering one of the annual dinner the police station organized that she and Suk Han both attended. They were doing the same thing, only the words that being said was different; "May God bless you both beautiful children that would grant you happiness in life and hereafte