Jae Kyung was bored with the TV programmes and kept on changing the channel every few minutes. She had fever and headache in the morning, so had to take the day off from work. Now, after her dinner was over, she checked her temperature, which was normal, but the headache was still there.

“What crap is going on in all the channels? There’s nothing to watch. Maybe I should just head to the bed now,” she whined and finally switched the TV off.

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

“Who could be coming here so late at night?” she spoke to herself and peeped through the eyehole.

She saw Woo Bin, looking a bit impatient, as he pressed the doorbell again.

“What’s your problem, Woo Bin? Why are you so keen in waking up the whole neighbourhood at this hour?” she rebuked him after opening the door.

He walked in her living room with a slight stagger. It did not take long for Jae Kyung to realise that he was quite inebriated. She stepped back and let him make his way.

Woo Bin stood by a cozy bean bag lying on the floor for few seconds, before slumping on it. He lay flat on his back, his head half dangling from the raised back of the bean bag.

“Do you have some liquor at your home? Anything will do. That bloody bartender refused to serve me any more drinks. At my own bar! Can you imagine, at my own club?” he exclaimed with a slur.

Jae Kyung crossed her arms above her chest.

“I think you have employed a very wise bartender,” she commented.

“I will fire him tomorrow, first thing in the morning. But I need something to drink now. Please, Jae Kyung-ah,” he pleaded, opening up his palm to her.

“Go home. Get your drink there,” she retorted and turned back.

“I do not want to go to the Song Mansion tonight. Just for tonight, I want to live, I want to breathe,” he spoke softly.

She turned back to face him immediately and stared at him with big eyes, unable to reply at once.

“Today was a very special day in my life. Ga Eul rejected me, because I am just a friend to her, nothing more. And I rejected a ‘billion dollars plastic beauty’ whom my father on me. What a fantastic life I am living, isn’t it?” he spit out, staring at the ceiling above.

Jae Kyung could not utter anything for few moments, as the truth seeped in her head.

“Ji Hoo and Yi Jung found their love, at last, and here I am, still as miserable as ever. I cannot spoil their happiness, can I?” he mumbled as his eyes glistened with tears.

She stepped closer to him, kneeling down beside his seat. A dull ache started growing at the pit of her heart. She slowly raised her arm and rested it on his shoulder.

“I am sorry, Woo Bin,” she mumbled, as tears started welling up her eyes.

Woo Bin turned his head to face her. His bloodshot eyes were so full of raw pain that Jae Kyung could not bear anymore. She covered to muffle her gasps.

“Don’t cry for me, and my pitiful existence, Jae Kyung-ah. I have been raised in this damned gold-plated life from birth. I have been taught ever since how to throttle my heart’s desires, and measure everything in life in terms of deals and profits. So will I do, from the moment the sun rises tomorrow morning. I will expand the Song Industries like never before. I will marry a chaebol girl and drag both of us through a life-long loveless marriage. I will make my parents proud of their high achieving son. But just for tonight, I want to be Woo Bin, only Woo Bin, and shed tears at my own pathetic life. Will you help me with that, my friend?” he pleaded.

A gasp escaped from Jae Kyung’s mouth hearing his plea. She immediately pulled him in an embrace, and Woo Bin hugged her back tightly. Soon his tears soaked her neck as he could not speak anymore, but weep.

Jae Kyung had never seen him so vulnerable, and she knew this was the only moment of weakness he would allow himself, before donning back the façade of the shrewd construction tycoon. She did not know much about his life before this, and her heart shattered to see him go through this excruciating pain. He thought of her as the confidante with whom he could share his grief, and that was all that mattered to her. She knew her position was the same in his life, as was his in Ga Eul’s life, but it did not matter to her anymore. If she could provide him a moment of bliss by getting rid of all his pent-up tears, it would be enough for her to keep as a beautiful memory in her heart.

Woo Bin had slid down the bean bag on to the floor. Jae Kyung realised that it was a very uncomfortable position for him. She slowly pulled him to the couch and made him sit. He seemed too disoriented to sit straight, so, he leaned on her shoulders and grabbed her hand.

“Why did I fall for Ga Eul, when she never gave me any indication like that? She asked me this, you know? And I had no answer to give her back. How would I know why I fell for her?” he asked while playing with her fingers.

Jae Kyung could feel her headache becoming more intense because of this sudden emotional burst, but she ignored it and tried to console Woo Bin.

“Life can be this difficult sometimes