Jiyong woke up to heavy knocking on his bedroom door. When he finally managed to stagger to the door and opened it, he was met with a crying Maya. 

His grogginess disappeared immediately as concern took over for the woman before him.

"What happened?" he implored as he opened the door further to let her in. 

"My mom.. she had a heart attack early today morning. I need to go home," she cried.

"Ok..ok.. you go get ready. I will make flight arrangements," Jiyong took control of the situation. 

Maya walked out of the room with a dazed look on her face. Her Mother had been a role model to her in many things. Maya knew that her Father had a lot of affairs with other woman. But her Mom endured all that with dignity befitting her position. Never once had she heard her Mom complain about anything. Come what may, she handled it logically and professionally, without letting her emotions get in the way. That was the same way she handled her only Daughter as well.

 Though the airport was not crowded, the fans not knowing about the sudden travel plan of their famous idol, a few people did gather around the couple as they walked through the immigration. Jiyong made sure to always have Maya near him. He never let go of her shoulders as he guided her through all the formalities and into the airplane. 

Maya sat in a stunned state. She had not shed a drop of tear since she heard the news. Jiyong wished she would just pour her heart out and cry once instead of keeping it all inside. 

Upon landing in Singapore, the couple was immediately rushed to the hospital where her Mom was on an life supper system. Jiyong was surprised to see that her dad was nowhere to be around. 

Jiyong waited outside the room where Maya s Mother was admitted. Coming out of her Mother s room, for the first time Maya broke down. Jiyong hugged the woman to his chest as he led her to the sitting area. As she cried her eyes out, Jiyong rubbed her back and arms soothingly. 

During the next three hours that the coupe spent waiting for her Mother to regain consciousness, Maya alternatively cried and slept on Jiyong s shoulders and chest.

Finally, with the doctor s assistance, Maya and Jiyong  were allowed to see mother. Unable to open her eyes properly, the old but beautiful woman took a couple of minutes to focus on her Daughter and Son in law. 

But before she said anything to Maya, she fixed her gaze on Jiyong as she uttered three words.

"I trust you."

Though Jiyong could clearly understand what his Mother inlaw had stated, the medical assistant on the other side of the bed once again confirmed what Maya s Mother said to him.

The sick woman then turned her gaze to her only child. Tears poured out of her eyes even as she smiled at her child. 

"I always loved you," she softly whispered and closed her eyes as grimaced in pain. 

She once again struggled to open her eyes  as she muttered, "Don't.. don't.." but she seemed to have run out of breath as she panted heavily.

The Doctors and Nurses ushered them out of the room quickly as they attended to their patient. 

"No. Wait! I never got to tell her that I love her too. Please.. please.." Maya wailed as she tried to push back into the room. 

Forcefully evacuated out of the room, one again Maya found solace in the arms of Jiyong.

Maya s Mother passed away within a few minutes of meeting her daughter. Her Father finally made an appearance in the hospital to take care of the final formalities involved. 

Jiyong cancelled all his schedules for the next week and stayed with Maya in Singapore for the funeral. 

At the funeral too, the father and Daughter maintained a distance from each other as they received condolences from people. At the will reading after the funeral, Maya learnt that all her Mother s worldly possessions had been left for her. When the Father and Daughter were finally alone, once the Lawyers left, her Father at last turned his attention to her.

The first thing he said was, "Just because you have enough money now to live your posh lifestyle, don't think of breaking up your marriage. Kpop culture is at an all time high now and this is the right time to capture the market. Stay with him like a good girl! I will let you know when I no longer need you. You can then return to your Jason oppa." 

Maya stood like a stone statue as she watched her Father walk away. 

Standing at the entrance of the door, her husband heard every single word that was ordered to her.

That night at dinner, Jiyong watched worriedly as Maya drowned glass after glass of wine as she attended the few remaining guests of the funeral. 

At last when he finally returned to the guest room to retire for the night, he found his wife looking through old photo albums. 

She looked up at him and gave him a goofy smile and said, "Come .. sit. Help me find something."

Worried about her sudden happy attitude, he sat down next to her and enquired, "Find what, Maya?" 

She giggled as she replied, "Me , of course! I want to find the Maya who had a lot of self respect. The Maya who hated being told what to do. The Maya before my  brother died."

"You had a brother?" That came as a news to Jiyong.

"Oh.. you didn't know??" Giggled the very drunk Maya.

"Of course nobody ever talk about the prodigal Son anymore! You should probably know this, though, being my husband and all.. I killed him! No! Really!! He died saving me! He was such an excellent swimmer but he drowned trying to save me!!" she let out a high pitched laugh.

Jiyong looked st the troubled girl infront him. He always felt that his life was lonely and he justified all his acts because of that. But here before him was his Wife, carrying around a burden much heavier than his own!

"I am really sorry, Maya," he whispered as he felt his throat block with emotions.

"What are you sorry for Jiyong Shi? Marrying me? You should be!! I am sure you heard what my Father said to me today. I am just a thing, Jiyong Shi. To be bartered with! If you find something you want, please feel free to exchange it for me!" Maya blabbered smiling as she staggered to the closet.

She casually ped her dress and stepped out of it with just her underwear on as she started rummaging through the closet for something more comfortable.

"You should leave, Jiyong Shi. I am sure you are repulsed by my behaviour. For god sake , even I am repulsed by myself, " she continued as she tried for the nth time to pull on an oversized Tshirt over her head.

The last words of Maya s Mother to Jiyong echoed in his mind. She had said she trusted him. He hadn't understood then what she had trusted him with. But now he did! 

He strode forward and took the tshirt form Maya s hand. But just before he lifted it to put it over her head, he found Maya s eyes staring intently at him. 

Slowly but surely, Maya moved her head slowly to bring her lips in contact with her Husband s.