A/N: Hi guys! Just wanted you to know that this fic is not dead yet :’) I apologise for my slow updates but I’ll try as much as I can to update at least once a month, and hopefully finish this fic by the end of the year. Thank you for reading and for all the comments! All of you make my day~ Have a blessed week!

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~At So Eun’s parent’s house~

The rumours have circulated on some online portals, but luckily, have yet to be reported on major news channels. Ha Neul and his manager wanted to meet So Eun for an urgent meeting to resolve the situation. Thankfully her parents were on duty at the hospital.

“Okay so, I’m pretty sure you’ve seen the headlines. We came today to seek your opinions and come up with the best solution to wrap up this issue,” the manager explained.

“So Eun-ah, I really apologise that something like this happened. I should have been more careful,” Ha Neul sounded despondent.

So Eun spoke, as she scrolled to read the article that was flashed on her laptop. “It’s not your fault Ha Neul. I should have been more careful too, knowing you’re a celebrity.”

“For now, I have two suggestions. First, we can conclude that you two are just friends. But I’ve monitored the online responses and it seems that there are many fans who support your relationship. This dating news also makes Ha Neul seem more down to earth. So, secondly, we can publicly announce that you’re a couple – and you and Ha Neul can gain popularity in your individual fields of skiing and acting. I feel the second option is better because it benefits the both of you. How about that?” advised the manager.

So Eun remained quiet. She could never consider the second option, especially with what’s going on between her and Soo Hyuk. Both the men she treasures will end up hurt. However, Manager-oppa seems to be pushing for the second option. Would it really be a good boost for Ha Neul’s popularity?

“Hyung, as far as I can see, the first option is better. I don’t want to use this as a publicity stunt, and I especially don’t want to hurt So Eun. At the most, she’ll have to endure her name being mentioned whenever I’m interviewed. After a few months, I’m sure the news will die down and the media will not disturb her anymore,” Ha Neul reasoned.

So Eun could detect the slight tone of disappointment in his response. She thought long and hard.

The manager spoke up again. “Are you sure about this? This is a good time to raise your popularity, Ha Neul, especially with your movie set to be released in two months. Besides, you two are close and look good together, and I’m sure So Eun wouldn’t mind having more supporters at her competitions. Right?”

She sighed. “Oppa, can you give me and Ha Neul some space to discuss? Privately.”

The manager stood up and headed for the kitchen, leaving the two to talk.

“Ha Neul-ah, I have something to tell you,” she started.

“For some reason, I don’t like the sound of this,” he joked.

“Sorry that I didn’t tell you earlier, but I’m seeing someone at the moment,” she revealed.

He pulled his eyebrows in a tight knit. “Wait, what? I don’t understand.”

“I’m in a relationship.”

“You’re kidding,” he sniggered.

“I’m serious.”

“With who?! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” he sounded cross.

“I met him when I went to Canada and we started to grow fond of each other. Remember the guy on the plane I told you about?”

Ha Neul took a sip of water to calm himself. “You’re telling me, you fell in love with this guy you met a few months ago and now you’re in a relationship?! So, our conversations over the phone about you not meeting anyone was a lie? How could you do this if you consider me your best friend?! I knew you shouldn’t have gone to Canada by yourself!” he snapped.

Manager-nim’s head popped out from the corner to check if everything was okay.

A wave of guilt washed over the brown-eyed girl. Ha Neul was right. She should have been truthful from the start so things would not have gotten this complicated. Since they were 10, the two of them have been sharing their deepest secrets, so it was no surprise that Ha Neul felt betrayed.

“I know you’re mad that I’m seeing someone, Ha Neul. I’m really sorry.”

“I’m not mad about you dating. What I’m mad about is that you didn’t even tell me a hoot about this or introduce him to me. Not even his name. Am I not worth anything to you?” he sneered.

“Of course, you are! You mean so much to me. You’re my best friend, and I don’t want to lose you. I was having a hard time sorting out my feelings but I was really going to arrange for the three of us to meet soon,” she replied sincerely.

So Eun tried to briefly explain about what happened between her and Soo Hyuk in Canada and how they managed to get together just a few days ago. As she clarified the story, Ha Neul kept a dull look on his face. The pain of disappointment and rejection was growing in his heart. I can’t believe I lost the girl I loved for 10 years to someone who has only known her for less than 3 months. God, help me through this, he prayed silently.

After listening to her confession, Ha Neul’s expression softened. “I just hope he’ll make you happy.”

A small smile formed on her lips. “Thank you, Ha Neul.”

Ha Neul nodded. “No, I’m sorry for putting you in a difficult spot. So, we’re sticking to option one right? Now I guess I have the answer to my question for that night.” His voice became softer.

So Eun fell silent. The guilt pangs made it difficult for her to lift her head to face him but she slowly raised her head and mouthed a barely audible “sorry” in his direction. She instinctively reached for the blue velvet box and placed it in his hands but he pushed it back towards her.

“Well, if you’re going to reject me, then at least keep my gift. It’s the only way to hide my embarrassment and keep my pride as your friend,” Ha Neul laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

The manager overheard their conversation from the kitchen and shook his head at their conclusion.

*******

A few days later, Starlight Entertainment announced at a press conference that Dizpatch had published unverified news and that Ha Neul was not dating anyone. The lady in the picture was only his close friend. As expected, loud chaos erupted from amongst the journalists after hearing the company’s unsatisfactory statement. Hands were raised from different corners of the room.

“But the photos were very intimate! We want to hear from the actor himself!”

“Yes! What about the candles in the park? We need an explanation for that.”

“Kang Ha Neul-sshi, please respond to our questions.”

There was an endless string of questions. The company representative looked over at Ha Neul and signalled to him to give his response.

“Good evening to all. Thank you for taking the time to be here today and I apologise for having inconvenienced everyone. To clear the speculations, I’d like to clarify that So Eun and I have been friends since young because we went to the same school. Thus, it is natural that we are close. The candles were for a special event to celebrate her victory at a recent skiing competition, nothing more. I hope you’ll dismiss the rumours and continue to support me and So Eun individually.”

Ha Neul went on to entertain a couple of other questions before the company representative stepped in to wrap up the conference. As the actor made his way backstage, he wiped the beads of perspiration trailing down his neck. It was a relief that the rumours were starting to clear up, but there was a heavy feeling that surrounded him. He knew he needed more time to accept that So Eun now has another man in her life.

*******

“So Eun, I’m outside your house. Are you ready?” Soo Hyuk spoke in his mobile phone, as he wound down the window of the driver seat. He looked up at her bedroom window and smiled when he saw that the lights from her room were still switched on.

“Mmhmm. I’ll be out in a minute,” So Eun replied as she swiped the lip cream on her lips. It was going to be her first date with him, as an official couple.

Minutes later, she approached his convertible wearing an elegant, knee-length navy blue dress with a pair of silver stilettos. She got onto the passenger seat, and he carefully buckled the seatbelt for her.

“You look stunning, as always,” he voiced while looking deep into her eyes.

“You too,” she smiled, reaching her hands out to straighten his twisted collar. He was wearing a plain white dress shirt and black pants yet it suited him just right.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” he quipped as he sped off.

Soon, bright lights and colourful tents came into view. There was a music festival at the Seoul Central Park and a live concert was going on, featuring indie bands and other skilled musicians. Soo Hyuk and So Eun walked hand in hand towards the mini amphitheatre where a musician was playing his rearranged version of Yiruma’s piano pieces. They found an empty spot where they sat and enjoyed the sweet melody dancing upon their ears. It was still a chilly winter evening, but the alluring tunes evoked a warm atmosphere that seemed like it was welcoming the arrival of spring. Soo Hyuk watched the girl beside him as she focused on the pianist on the stage.

“Ahh, so cool, isn’t he?” she gushed.

Soo Hyuk just nodded. Music aside, his dainty fingers were a delightful performance by themselves. He wrapped a small blanket around her when he felt the winds getting stronger. She smiled and leaned in against his shoulder. The sweet piano performance was followed by a violin quartet who showcased their talents by playing popular K-pop songs on their strings while dancing at the same time. The couple stayed to watch the different performances for another hour.

“This is so nice. Thank you, Soo Hyuk.”

He laughed. “Anything to make my girlfriend happy.”

So Eun blushed when she heard him use the word “girlfriend” because she still had not gotten used to it.

He continued teasing her. “But what if someone spots you with me? Your face was all over the news portals just last week. Oh no, your fanboys are going to be so mad at me!”

She smacked his arm. “Hey! I’m not the celebrity. Ha Neul’s the popular one. Rather than my fanboys, I’m more worried about his fangirls coming after me with rotten eggs.”

“Well, it’s not every day that a pretty skier appears on the news winning a gold medal AND being close friends with a rising actor. Pretty sure you gained a steady line of fans there. But they wouldn’t dare come at you with eggs. You’re so feisty. They’d better not mess with you,” he joked.

She gave him a mock scowl and laughed afterwards. “In any case, I wouldn’t mind if anyone catches me on a date if it’s with you…” A sly grin appeared on her lips, “…because your cold death stare is enough to make anyone run away.”

“YAH, you!” he playfully called before pulling her into an embrace. “At least you didn’t run away from me,” he whispered.

“If I did I would have missed out on the warmth that resides under your cold hard shell. I wouldn’t want to miss that for the world,” she smiled as they broke away from each other’s arms. “And of course, not forgetting your amazing cooking skills,” she added.

“Talking about that, I’m hungry. Let’s go have dinner.”

They arrived at a familiar restaurant which appeared to be closed. The usual orange lights that lit the entrance were turned off and the place looked dark. No sign of any customers either.

“Soo Hyuk, I think this place is closed. There’s no noise coming from inside. How unfortunate, because the food here was so good. I came here with my parents once.” Unconsciously, her lips made a slight pout.

“I know.”

“Wait, how did you...oh my God don’t tell me…”

He chuckled. “Yes So Eun, this is my restaurant. And it’s closed on Mondays.” He jiggled the keys in front of her. “But today, the restaurant is specially opened for one customer, because the chef has to do some boyfriend duty,” he winked.

He gently pulled her by the wrist into the kitchen and made her sit on a stool opposite the countertop. The chef instructed her to stay in her seat while he prepared their dinner but So Eun insisted that she helped.

“Let me take care of the dessert, at least?” she pleaded.

“Fine. You’re so persistent, you know,” he grinned as he continued chopping the garlic and chilli.

He quietly observed her as she looked through the pantry for the ingredients she needed. Her nimble hands gathered some cream, yoghurt, sugar and strawberries that she found in the fridge. The electric mixer in the restaurant kitchen was rather different from the one she had, but she tried to make it work without disturbing Soo Hyuk who seemed to be engrossed in his cooking. After pouring the cream into the bowl, she started the mixer but realised that the speed was too high when some of the cream splashed onto her chin and the sleeve of her dress.

A loud shriek came from her side of the kitchen. Soo Hyuk rushed over in concern and could not help but to laugh at her situation.

“I told you to sit quietly,” he said as he wiped her chin and dress with a napkin. He grabbed a clean apron and tied it for her. “Alright, now your pretty dress won’t get dirty. And if you need help, just ask me alright?”

Half an hour later, both their dinner and dessert were ready. Soo Hyuk had whipped up two plates of creamy smoked salmon pasta with a side of mashed potatoes on grilled asparagus, while So Eun left her strawberry crème brulee to chill to be eaten later.

“Let’s dig in!” the hungry couple cried in unison. Their conversation continued over their meal.

“So, you’ve met my parents?” So Eun asked in embarrassment.

“Well kind of. They gave compliments to my cooking.” He smiled remembering their encounter.

“Ah, eottoke. This is so embarrassing. Did they say anything funny?”

“Of course not, they’re cute. They asked me to come to the hospital if I needed anything. Does that mean I get a discount?” he quirked.

“You wish!” she laughed. “You’re the one who met them but why am I the one who’s nervous?”

“Don’t worry, I think your mum likes me,” he beamed.

“It’d be strange if she didn’t like a handsome face like yours,” she quipped. “I wonder what your parents will think of me…” she casually blurted out.

Hearing her words, Soo Hyuk froze. A sharp ache emerged from the back of his head. His fork dropped on the floor with a clink as he winced in pain. The loud sound startled his girlfriend and she gasped when she saw his wounded expression. His hands gripped the edge of the tablecloth firmly, and she knew he was trying his best to fight the pain.

This…this thing. It’s coming back, she thought. She went over to his side and kept her hand on his back.

“Breathe Soo Hyuk, take deep breaths.”

He followed her voice, and inhaled deeply. As he let the air out, a picture of his late mother’s agonized expression came to mind. She was sobbing over the lifeless, blood-covered bodies of his father and brother, occasionally screaming their names in between her sobs. Watching her suffering made his eyes water. Slowly, her body floated to their side and she embraced the bodies in each of her arms. As she looked up, her eyes looked straight into his grey orbs. “Come join us, Soo Hyuk.” She extended her hand and pulled on his arm, pleading him to join them in the other world. “You can come now, we’re all here,” she whispered, her hand still tugging his.

“No, I can’t. Let me go! Please……” he whimpered, battling the voices in his head.

So Eun witnessed his tears falling. It was painful that she knew nothing of his suffering. But she wanted him to know that she would always be there for him. She wrapped her hands around his waist and placed his head against her shoulder.

“You’ll be fine, you’ll be fine. Give it time to pass. It’s okay to be broken. Humans need time to be fixed again.”

Soo Hyuk remained quiet, the tears running down his face silently. His body lay still against hers. After calming himself down, he leaned back against his seat. His grey eyes looked up, searching for hers. In his soft voice, almost like a whisper, he began to narrate the whole traumatic accident that happened to him. He couldn’t bear to keep it from her any longer. This girl deserved a bigger space in his life. As she listened to his vulnerable tone, So Eun tried hard to fight back her tears. But the tears automatically fell when he spoke about the accident which led to his mother’s suicide and now, he’s struggling to fight against PTSD after sustaining a traumatic brain injury. Every now and then, he gets panic attacks when he relives the traumatic episodes or when stressful events occur.

“But I need to be strong, for my the sake of my grandfather. I can’t bear to see him hurt again,” he explained as he let out a sigh.

So Eun squeezed his palm and nodded.

He continued, “And I want to be strong, for your sake too.”

“You’re doing your best. I can see that. I want you to know that I’ll be with you every step of the way,” she reassured him, gazing deep into his eyes.

“But I’m warning you first, it’s not going to be easy.” A small smile appeared on his lips.

“From the first time I met you, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.” So Eun smiled back. “Okay for now, let’s go wash our faces and I’ll serve my dessert. Didn’t think I would cry so much on my first date,” she jested, trying to cheer him up.

Soo Hyuk chuckled. As she stood up, he gave her a light hug from the back, before placing a peck on her rosy cheeks. “Thank you, Eun-ah.” Her cheeks turned redder than they already were.

*******

Sneak peek for next chapter: A meeting with Ha Neul maybe?