POV HYESUNG

11.07.2016

« To Taehakie.

I know you're the only one I can send this to. I feel I have to tell someone some things, and I can't send this footage to the production team.

I've met someone here. A man called Choongjae. He...hah… I can't tell you how much I look up to him. He's so young, and yet he run this ranch all y himself and even makes tome for his daughter ! I've been for a week now, but I love them so much I can't...

I kind of want to know this man and his daughter better but I'm afraid I'll attach myself too much… (sigh). Anyway, I still have to record something for the show, so I'll send this to you later...maybe ? »

[…]

« Hyesung-oppa ! »

The day after, Hyesung was trying to bath Eli when Sehee appeared. The girl was wearing a beautiful red dresse and a bow in her hair. At first, Hyesung had been at lost when he realised Choongjae was the one who did Sehee's hair everyday.

While struggling with the overexcited dog splashing around in the water, Hyesung tried to warn the girl.

« Sehee-ah ! Where is your father ?! Ah ! Don't come near, I don't want your beautiful dress to be dirtied up ! Hmpf ! »

The dog used his momentary loss of concentration to collide with him, dragging him to the floor and pouring gross water all over him.

As the young man struggled to get up, Sehee was laughing her head off.

« Oppa ! What happened to you ? »

She ran up to him, he didn't even have the heart to be angry, he only laughed.

« Don't laugh at me, or i'll splash you ! »

« Aaaaaaaaah noooooo ! »

As they played, Hyesung snatched a towel to dry his hair off.

« Let's go feed the horses, Sehee, what do you think ? Then we'll go look for your father ! »

She nodded cutely, but as they made their way to the boxes, they heard booming voice coming from the house.

« I said you could not come here again ! What are you doing ?! »

A cold woman's voice could be heard.

« Think about it, Choongjae, you can't manage the ranch and Sehee. She's way too young and she needs a mother. »

Freezed in his steps, Hyesung felt immediatly bad for eavesdropping.

« Let's go play with the dog a little, Seehee-ah ! »

Whatever Hyesung did was not effective as the voices grew louder.

« I'm Sehee's dad ! You've no right to come here to make a scene ! »

« Look at you ! Meddling with some man to maintain the ranch ! You're losing money, your father won't be able to save you this time. »

Hyesung knew the ranch had an hard time, but he didn't realize it was that bad.

The front door slammed open as some rich-looking ahjumma got out of the house, followed by a very angry Choongjae.

« Just go ! I don't want you near my daughter anymore ! »

« You won't be able to go on like this for a long time. Only we can offer Sehee what she deserves. It's not the end, rest assured about this. »

Horrified, Hyesung saw the woman retreating to her car as Choongjae fidgeted angrily.

« What...was that … ? »

Choongjae finally saw him and the expression Hyesung saw in his eyes made his heart ache.

Shaking himself out of his daze, he turned around to look for Sehee but…

« Where is she… ? Sehee ah ! »

« Did you let her see us ?! »

He felt the anger in Choongjae's voice strike him like thunder.

« I didn't know ! »

He felt panic rise up in his chest as he realized the girl could be anywhere in the property.

« Nevermind, let's search for her ! »

Choongjae was gone in a flash, and Hyesung had to leave all alone as rain began to trickle down on their head, thunder rumbling in the distance.

[…]

Hyesung was drenched in water and had been searching for Sehee for almost an hour when he arrived at the boxes. He knew Sehee favorite horse was there and he could feel it would be the place she could go when sad. Because that's what she was, right ? She saw her father and her grandmother fighting… It could be schocking for a girl of her age.

« Sehee yah ! »

The thunder was now so loud that the horses were becoming agitated, stomping in their box. If she was there, Hyesung had to reach the girl, now !

« Kyaaah ! »

Just as he worried over Sehee, he heard screaming for one of the boxes. He hurried along, before reaching the alarmed horse who was kicking. The little girl was pressed against the box's door when he opened it and pulled her out of the way.

The kick which could have killed Sehee landed on his chest, knocking the air out of his lung. He landed on the ground, hitting his head on the stone pavement.

An intense pain in his leg almost got him to loose his mind.

He fainted, not before hearing someone scream his name.

[…]

When he opened his eyes, Hyesung was laying in bed. He knew that what could have been a dream was not, because his head was throbbing furiously : his cheek was burning, and he was not going to even mention his leg.

There was hushed voices all around him as he opened his eyes.

« How could you let him get hurt like that ?! » It was Eric's voice, and he seemed very pissed.

« Calm down, Eric, it's not his fault. The horse was out of control. » Minwoo's voice.

« I'm sorry….I don't have anything to say for myself...I…. »

« You better be sorry or else… ! »

He didn't want to hear anymore arguing.

« Stop it, Eric, you're making my head hurt. »

« Hyesung-shii, how are you feeling ? »

Someone he didn't know was here : a middle aged man with king eyes was sitting beside his bed. Dongwan was fidgeting at the side, while Sun Ho was rocking a sleeping Sehee in his arms. Choongjae and Eric were looking like the only thing presenting them from hitting on each other was Minwoo standing in the middle.

« What happened… ? »

« You saved Sehee from the horse, but he knocked you out and almost trampled you. You hit your head. It could have been very serious if Junjin hadn't held it back. »

The men finally seemed to settle down a little.

« You do not seem to have suffered any head injury, but your led… It was pretty badly hurt. I had to get you casted. You have to be careful and not use it for a few weeks. »

« But… I can't ! Work ? »

« Please, don't worry about it, Hyesung. You've got to be careful. »

The man huffed. His legs was definitively hurting.

« It's a relief it was not broken too badly, you'll have to get physiotherapy after a month, but if you're careful, you'll have no problem to recover. »

« Ok, I understand... »

« Then I guess I'll go back to town. Give me a call if you have any questions. »

They all agreed and the doctor left.

« I'll go take Sehee to bed, Hyung. » Andy said softly.

« Are you going to be okay ? » asked Dongwan.

« Yeah, don't worry. »

Minwoo hugged him firmly before exiting the room with the town's head. Eric seemed to be still in a very bad mood. Hyesung rolled his eyes.

« Don't you have to go back to the restaurant ? »

« I can stay. »

« I'm a big boy, I'll be just fine, don't worry. »

Eric glanced at Choongjae who still couldn't look at him.

« ...ok. But if there is anything, just give me a call. »

He kissed Hyesung's head, earning himself a glare, and let Hyesung and Choongjae alone in the room.

Suddenly very selfconscious, the man couldn't tell anything.

« Did you carry me all the way here… ? »

He couldn't help but blush when the younger man nodded a little.

« Sorry... »

« why are you apologizing ? » 

The singer nimbled on his lip. « Because I seem to bring only disaster here... »

« What are you telling ? You've done nothing but help me since you've arrived : even if you were not used to farm work, you did all of this without complaining. »

Choongjae hesitated before sitting beside the bed.

« I should be the one saying sorry for lashing out at you earlier. »

« It's okay...It's your daughter, I can understand that. »

« It is, and still you showed no hesitation risking your life for her...I'm very thankful. »

« It may have been only a little more than a week, I do like her a lot. »

They fell silent for a while, listening to the rain trickling outside.

« It was my mother-in-law... »

« you don''t have to tell me ... »

« Please. »

The young man didn't protest. He waited for the man to continue.

« Sehee's mother and me were very young when we had her. We even had to marry, as having a baby before marriage is really not acceptable here. I did love her but...It was hard. Hse was not ready to be a mother, and I had to look for the ranch.

We were fighting all the time, and I'm ashamed to say we let Sehee see this way too many time. She really dislike fighting and I think that why she ran away. »

He took a breath and added.

« Anyway, one night I came back here and Se Young was gone. She sent me the divorce papers a week later from America, where I think she still live. Her parents didn't approve of me, of course, so they accepted the divorce immediatly but...while Seyoung had given me the full parental responsability of Sehee, her parents didn't accept that and they still want me to give Sehee up to them to this day. »

« Every week, it's the same thing. They come there constantly and my daugther doesn't understand why her grandparents want her away from me, so I try to preserve her as much as I can...Today...I wasn't able to protect her, and you either. »

Hyesung, feeling touched and sad, took the man's hand in his, squeezing it a little.

« You don't have to protect me. »

Choongjae didn't seem to agree with that statement, but he covered his had with his, and began its back with his tumb, slowly.

The tenderness in his expression made Hyesung's heart flutter in his chest.

« I'll help you. I'll try to help you as much as I can with this. I promise. »