A/N: *Sigh* I know, I’m such a slowpoke. But I made a double update this time. Yay, chapters 15 and 16 are up! Enjoy! :)

So Eun and her team mates were back at the training ground for their intensive cardio workouts in preparation for their next competition. Coach Kang had invited the Korean ski team to participate in the Ski Tri-Cup in Vancouver which will be hosted by his ski club next month. The Tri-Cup is an invitational friendly competition between three countries and this year, Coach Kang wanted the Korean and Swiss team to join in. Coach Han had gladly accepted the invitation not just because they were good friends, but he wanted to observe how his old buddy conducted his training sessions on the Canadian grounds.

The whole gym had been booked for the team and there were various instructors facilitating the athletes to ensure that their training regimes have been personalised to maximise their strengths and improve on their weaknesses.

“Okay, up, 2, 3, 4 and down. One more time. Up, 2, 3, 4 and down,” the instructor repeated as So Eun lifted the barbells.

She repeated the routine until she had reached 15 reps. As soon as she placed the barbells back on the racks, she released a long sigh. Her right arm was already starting to tremble from the rigorous exercise. The instructor came closer to check on her.

“So Eun, your right arm seems to be swollen. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah, it’s been a bit painful since the last competition in Gwangju, but I must have overexerted myself in these two weeks,” she groaned.

“Look, I understand this competition’s important for you, but it’s no use training so hard if you’re going to injure yourself. You should rest your arms for now and focus on other areas. I’ll go get the first aid kit and inform Coach Han about this,” he said in a stern voice.

He returned with an ice pack and wrapped it around So Eun’s swollen arm with a bandage. “That’s the end of your training for today, missy. Just stay here and get some rest for now. I’ve arranged for some physiotherapy sessions for you in the next couple of days.”

So Eun nodded in dismay as she observed the other athletes training hard. Come on, So Eun. You must recover quickly, you are stronger than you think you are, she mentally encouraged herself.

*******

“How have you been, Soo Hyuk? You haven’t been here in a while,” the therapist asked her client.

“Good, I guess?” he answered, tapping his fingers on the armrest.

“Are you still having flashbacks of that incident?”

“Yes. They don’t seem to be going away. Why is that?” The tapping of his fingers became more rapid.

The therapist frowned. “I reckon it’s because the incident is so closely related to you. It will take some time, Soo Hyuk.”

A sigh escaped his lips. “But it’s been 7 years! I don’t know if I can still hold on any longer. What if I give in the next time I see my mum’s expression haunting me? When she tells me to go to her, what if I can’t say ‘no’ to her anymore?!” he snapped.

“Soo Hyuk, relax. Take a deep breath. Remember, these are all illusions – your mind is playing games with you. You are stronger than this,” she assured him.

The sound of his heavy breathing echoed in the quiet room. “You have no idea how many times I’ve suppressed the thought of taking my own life to reunite with my family.” He leaned his head back against the armchair and continued, “But I know I can’t. Not when I still have Grandpa…and now, I have her too.” He looked away to wipe the tear from the corner of his eyes.

The therapist smiled and patted his arm. “You’re doing great, Soo Hyuk. May I know who is this ‘her’ you’re talking about?”

“She’s an amazing girl who supports me. My girlfriend, So Eun.” A smiled stretched on his lips when he thought of her.

“That’s great, Soo Hyuk! I’m glad your support system is growing. I haven’t seen you smile like this during our sessions before.” She stood up and reached for the medical file on her desk. “I’ve just gotten your latest medical reports, but I’m afraid I have some news to share with you.”

“Bad news?”

The therapist’s expression stiffened. “It depends on how you cope. But your brain imaging tests show that you may have problems with your memory and executive functioning. Have you had any problems with concentration or remembering things recently?”

Soo Hyuk fell silent for a while as he tried to recall. “I haven’t been able to concentrate on reading for more than 10 minutes. I get a bad headache afterwards. Oh, and now that you mentioned it, I keep mixing up the dates for important appointments. Yesterday I had already gone out for a meeting with my investor, but I forgot that he had called to cancel the meeting the day before.”

The therapist looked concerned. “Hmm, I can’t conclude that this is due to the brain injury you had during the accident. It could also be a result of stress or PTSD, so I suggest that you keep notes of your appointments from now onwards. Also, try to take a break from work every 15 minutes to help with the concentration. Try not to worry too much, as your emotional stability is important in keeping a healthy heart and mind. I’ll prescribe you some pills to help with the headaches.”

“I understand, Doctor. Thank you for your time.” Soo Hyuk left the clinic with a heavy heart.

*******

The suave chef dropped by his restaurant to check on his staff before leaving to fetch his girlfriend from the stadium. As the athletes streamed out, Soo Hyuk spotted the petite girl walking towards his car. A white bandage was wrapped around her forearm.

“Eun-ah, what happened?”

“My arm’s a little swollen. I just need to rest it for a while. It’ll be fine.”

Soo Hyuk reached out to her bandaged arm. “Aigoo.” His eyes looked over at her in concern.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” she reassured him. “Now, let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“Soo Hyuk, did you forget? We’re meeting Ha Neul for dinner tonight.”

Soo Hyuk lightly hit his head when he recalled what the therapist said. “Ha Neul? Oh, right. Let’s go then.”

When they reached the parking lot of the café, So Eun noticed her partner still in a daze. She placed her hand on his arm. “Are you nervous?”

He shook his head.

“Don’t worry, he’s nice. Anyway, Ha Neul called to say he’ll be late because they’ve just finished shooting for today. He said we should order first.”

“Sure.”

The two of them walked in silence towards the café. So Eun slipped her hand in his and was startled at how cold his skin felt against hers. There was an air of unease that was giving her the chills. As they settled down, she ordered two cups of cappuccino to warm them down.

“Are you okay?” she started.

“Yeah,” he answered monotonously.

She knew there was something bothering him. “If you’re not comfortable with meeting him, we can cancel the dinner,” she suggested.

Soo Hyuk took a deep breath. “No, he’s not the problem. I am.”

“What do you mean?”

“The therapist said I may have problems with my memory. And she’s right, I’m starting to forget things,” he explained. “I’m worried, Eun-ah.”

So Eun leaned closer to him.

His voice became shaky. “I’m worried that I might forget important things. That includes my memories with you.”

She squeezed his hand. “I’m here to help. If you forget things, then I’ll help you to remember.”

“I’m sorry that I’m so weak…”

“What are you talking about? You’re one of the strongest persons I know, and you inspire me every day. If it were me, I might not have held on for this long. I’m grateful that you let me into your life. I choose to love you, just like how you choose to love me. We’ll get through this together,” she reassured him.

Hearing her response, his heart softened. A smile grew on his lips. The waiter arrived with the cappuccino, along with two bowls of salad as an appetiser while waiting for Ha Neul to arrive. Soo Hyuk chuckled to himself as he observed So Eun awkwardly using the spoon with her left hand to feed herself. She was trying her best not to move her bandaged right arm. He gathered bite-sized pieces of the croutons and salad on his spoon and directed them towards her.

“Ahhh,” he said as he motioned for her to open .

She shyly obliged. “I can still feed myself, you know.”

“I know. But I want to do it for you. Besides, you look so awkward with your left hand,” he .

She nudged him after hearing his comment, but waited in anticipation for his next serving. He fed her a large spoonful and the sauce smeared all over her lips.

“YAH SOO HYUK!” she exclaimed.

He laughed at her reaction and took a napkin to wipe the corners of her lips. Ha Neul stepped into the café just as they were having their intimate moment. He faked a cough to announce his arrival. Soo Hyuk immediately stood up.

“Ah, Annyeonghasaeyo. I’m Lee Soo Hyuk. Nice to meet you.” He extended his hand for a handshake.

Ha Neul returned the handshake firmly. “Ne, Annyeonghasaeyo. I’m Kang Ha Neul.”

Silence befell them after the initial introductions. The auburn-haired girl tried to save the situation.

“How was your shoot?”

“It went well. Thankfully the weather was good today. We started filming since early morning.”

“You must be starving then. I’ve ordered your favourite roasted duck.”

“Really? That’s exactly what I wanted to eat. As always, you know me best,” he grinned.

Soo Hyuk felt a hint of jealousy at their close friendship but he dismissed those thoughts. He quietly sipped on his cappuccino. Ha Neul could feel the tension growing between them but he was more concerned about his best friend’s bandaged arm. When he entered the café earlier, he had seen Soo Hyuk - who was still a total stranger to him - feeding her. Although he knew it was partly because of her arm, he still felt his gut curl up.

“Eun-ah, what happened? Does it hurt?” Ha Neul’s voice became tender as he reached his hand out to pat her arm.

“No, of course it doesn’t. I wrapped it up for fun.” She lifted her bandaged arm with her left hand and rolled her eyes.

Soo Hyuk stifled a laugh at his girlfriend’s sassy attitude but nudged her shoulder for being mean when Ha Neul was genuinely concerned. He turned towards her and gave a scowl. “So Eun, he’s being serious.”

“Relax, I know. I just wanted to lighten the mood,” she laughed. “I’m fine, Ha Neul. It’s just a little swollen. Coach tied the bandage so I wouldn’t move it around so much.”

Ha Neul raised an eyebrow. “He should have tied you to a chair then,” he joked.

“Oi, Ha Neul!”

He smiled. It was this bubbly side of her that he fell for, and till today, he can’t help but to still fall for her. Ha Neul, get a grip of yourself. She has someone else now.

“So, um, you’re a chef?” Ha Neul asked the man seated opposite him even though he already knew. As he studied his features, he could understand why So Eun was attracted to him. Even from a man’s perspective, Soo Hyuk was handsome. But that doesn’t mean I approve of you yet.

“Yes I am. I have two restaurants in Seoul.”

“Ah, impressive. What kind of cuisine do you specialise in?”

“Mostly Korean and Chinese. That’s why I opened a Korean-Chinese fusion restaurant. I feel like the ingredients and cooking methods used in both cuisines complement each other nicely.” He went on to elaborate about his restaurants while So Eun watched him in awe.

During their conversation, the waiter appeared with their three dishes. Soo Hyuk had ordered fish and chips while So Eun got a plate of honey soy grilled salmon and of course, roasted duck slice for Ha Neul. The mouth-watering aroma of the food enticed their palate and made them forget about the tense mood. Soo Hyuk was pleased to see that the dishes were all beautifully plated and served. However, he caught on a slight stench coming from one of the dishes – like something had gone bad. What is this smell?

He was sure that it wasn’t coming from his side of the table. The fish and chips had no fishy smell at all. Soo Hyuk took So Eun’s plate and began to cut the grilled salmon into bite-sized pieces, at the same time checking to see if the unpleasant smell came from her dish. But the salmon had passed his ‘smelling’ test. It must be the roasted duck then. Now, this is awkward. How should I tell him? he thought.

Ha Neul was all ready to dig in when he heard a deep voice calling his name.

“Ha Neul-sshi, wait! You can’t eat that!”

He was startled by the sudden interruption. “Huh, what?”

“Can you pass your plate to me for a while?”

His eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. He shot a weird glare at Soo Hyuk. “Why? Did you get the wrong order?”

So Eun became confused too. “What’s wrong? That’s the dish I ordered for him.” The two of them stared at Soo Hyuk, wide-eyed.

“I think your food has turned bad. I can detect a slight rancid smell coming from the duck meat,” he cautiously explained.

“It can’t be. I always have roasted duck here and I don’t smell anything different from this one,” Ha Neul argued.

So Eun was sceptical as well, but still reached for Ha Neul’s dish to examine it. She could not tell that it had gone bad either. As she brought the plate closer, Soo Hyuk could already confirm his judgement and went on to call the waiter.

“Could you bring this back to the kitchen and tell the chef that the duck meat has gone bad? This is not fit to be served. I request this order to be replaced, right now.”

The waiter was taken aback by his words but still complied. Ha Neul gave a glare to the man in front of him.

“I know you’re a chef, Soo Hyuk-sshi, but I think you’re being too cocky. Just because you serve food in a restaurant, doesn’t mean you can pass such comments to food served at a café like this. You didn’t even taste it yet. This is ridiculous!” Ha Neul sneered. What a snob, he thought.

“I don’t mean to put down the food, but if the food has turned bad, I ought to inform the chef so that he doesn’t serve the same thing to other customers,” Soo Hyuk defended himself. His eyes shifted towards his dish as he quietly ate his food to avoid the questioning glares from the actor. So Eun was left frozen in her seat, unsure whose side to take.

Minutes later, the cook rushed out from the kitchen and bowed apologetically to the trio. “I deeply apologise for my oversight on the duck dish. You were right, the duck meat has gone bad yet no one in the kitchen noticed. We were lucky that you didn’t consume it yet and that we haven’t served it to any other customer. Because of this mistake, we will serve a complimentary replacement dish on the house,” she suggested.

Soo Hyuk nodded in understanding and continued eating in silence while Ha Neul sat back in disbelief. A rush of heat went up to his ears. He was embarrassed about his mistake but did not want to seem petty. After gathering his thoughts, he spoke.

“Soo Hyuk-sshi, I’m sorry for my harsh words earlier. I think the fatigue and hunger after a long day was getting to me,” he apologised. He was starting to accept that although this man seemed a little cold, he was indeed a good match for his best friend. Aish, it hurts my ego that you’re so perfect and it makes it worse that you even took away the woman I’ve loved for the longest time. And yet, I can’t bring myself to hate you. He tightened his fist as he held himself back from letting out a scream.

“It’s okay, I understand. I apologise for making you uncomfortable. I may have crossed the line without realising.”

Another awkward silence filled the table.

Ha Neul swallowed his pride. In a meek voice, he spoke. “So um, can I call you hyung?”

Soo Hyuk was startled at the unexpected request, but he gave a sharp nod while trying to hide a smile. “Sure.”

*******

-on the phone-

“Hyuk-ah! Have you forgotten about me?” Grandpa Lee’s cheerful voice echoed through the receiver.

“Of course not, Grandpa. How have you been?”

“I’m good but I’ve been coughing a bit, lately. Must be the weather. Ahh, I miss my one and only grandson...”

“Aww Grandpa. I wanted to fly back to Canada next week, but I still have a couple of things to settle over here.”

Grandpa Lee laughed. “Or maybe there’s someone there who’s making you stay,” he teased.

“GRANDPA!” Soo Hyuk laughed.

“Anyway, I called to say that I’m flying to Korea this weekend. Haven’t visited my home country in nearly five months.”

“Really? When’s your flight? I’ll fetch you from the airport when you arrive! Tell Secretary Park that you’ll be staying with me, so he doesn’t have to prepare your accommodation.”

“Okay, I’ll ask him to give you my flight details later.”

Soo Hyuk heard loud coughs from the other side and frowned.

“Take care Grandpa, your cough sounds bad. I’ll whip up your favourite seaweed soup when you get here, okay? It’ll help to soothe the throat. Love you!”

“Sounds great. Thank you, son, I love you more.”