“Wait a second my dear cousin, are you telling me that the girl who barged in like a mad person was THAT Kim Yong Sun ?!”

“Most likely Hee yeon ah, I wasn’t there to see her, but given how Byulyi unnie is reacting, it can only be her.”

“I can’t believe she had the gut to show up there ?! Heeyeon unnie, I told you a fansign in Seoul was a bad idea...”

“I’m sorry girls ! I should have been more cautious...if I had knew it was her, I would have her out quicker !”

“Byulyi unnie, whatever she told you, don’t believe a word okay ?”

“Unnie…are you even listening ?”

“Ye…yeah, I am.”

No, I wasn’t.

How could I, after what happened a few hours ago ?

What were the odds ? There are more than 10 millions of people in Seoul, more than a hundred of art galleries, yet she was right there, right in front of my eyes.

“Something was different with her…she changed somehow.” I said out loud, much to myself.

“Unnie ! Don’t fall for her trap again !” said Whee In, almost pleading me.

As this particular few minutes of the fan event repeated like a broken record in my head, I heard Whee In and Hyejin talking about Yongsun unnie to Heeyeon. At night, they all gathered in the hotel room I shared with Heeyeon after hearing about what happened that day. The four of us were sitting on the ground, almost in a circle in the small room. It was a modest hotel, given the fact that a fansign tour around South Korea was a first for my company. Heeyeon was my manager, and she fitted perfectly for the role. Whee In and Hyejin were able to meet us in Seoul, as the art gallery where the event took place was the same place were Whee In was exhibiting some of her finest masterpieces.

“Wait, Shinhwa corp’s CEO ?? WAIT ! Hyojin unnie told me she received a weird call the other day, she thought it was some crazy fangirl trying to squeeze information about the Seoul fansign !”

“Well..your sister was wrong apparently..I can’t believe this girl call your workplace though ??”

I never expected my book to make quite a buzz, but it became so popular that Ahn Hyojin, Heeyeon’s older sister and CEO of Banana Culture edition took this opportunity to make this tour of fansign. I was against it at first, but after talking with her, we agreed on only 10 different fansigns around the country. Of course, Seoul was a mandatory stop, and the one I was expecting the most.

“…So yeah, in the end, she totally took advantage of Byulyi, and I’m going to rip off her head if I ever see her one day.”

“Wow, this girl is a bad sign..Byulyi, these youngster are right, don’t fall for her trap.” Said Heeyeon, cutting me from my thought. Whee In and Hyejin must have told her the past I shared with Yongsun unnie. Well…I never really told them everything, because I never dared to speak about her openly for the last 2 years.

They made up their own mind about Yongsun unnie, and maybe I never disagree with them because I tried to forget about her.

But Seeing her, flesh and bones, right in front of my eyes destroyed every small actions I took to live a life free of Yongsun. Our meeting was too abrupt and too quick, I didn’t know how to act, instead I completely shut down. By the look on her face, it wasn’t something she planned either. At first she seemed so surprised to see me, it was as if she tried to look randomly in that art gallery and was just very lucky.

“What is this envelope anyways ? Heeyeon unnie said she almost runaway after she gave it to you.”

“I..I don’t know, I haven’t opened it yet.”

“Then don’t open it at all ! “ said Whee in, defensively.

A part of me wanted to listen to her, yet another wanted to know what was inside. Why would she went through so much struggle to find me and just give me this envelope ?

“You know what, give me this thing, I’m gonna throw it away” said Hyejin, aiming for the brown crafted envelope from the ground, in the middle of our not so perfect circle.

“W..wait Hyejin ah !” I said, taking the envelope before she did.

“Unnie..if it is a way for her to have power over you again I swear..”

“Hyejin is right Byulyi, that girl isn’t worth the pain you’re willingly to endure.”

As I tore the envelope open, I hear my friends trying to convince me otherwise. I knew they were just worried about me, but the mystery was just killing me.

Inside the envelope was a very thick report and a separate letter. I briefly look at all the pages, almost 30 of them without reading them fully but one caught my attention.

“What the heck ?” I said out loud, getting the attention of my friends.

The document was…my wedding certificate ? Why was it in here ? By the look of it, it was the original, a paper I only saw once before, during my so called wedding. Memories from the time my father first told me about my marriage with Eric Mun suddenly flashed through my mind, making feel sick and angry.  What should be the most romantic act between lovers was my worst nightmare, as I remember how it was forced onto me. They planned every details, from the cake to the gifts for the guests, the camera angles because they wanted to film it and shoved it in the world’s face, even the words I had to speak were dictated to me. When I signed this document, it had felt like I was signing my death sentence and what was even more cruel, even more sadistic was the fake happiness and smile I had to play.

So how this damned sheet of paper fall in the hands of Kim Yong Sun ?

Looking closely, I realized all the document had a common thread : my “relationship” with Eric Mun.

As I started thinking was going on, I felt cold sweat on my back and my heart beating faster. From my wedding certification to bank transaction from my father to Eric, just why did Yongsun unnie gave me these document ?

“Unnie, what is this ?” asked Whee In, concerned by my sudden nervous state.

All the papers fell from my hand as I take a look at the letter from the beginning. What I thought would be words from Yongsun unnie turned to be a formal letter from Choi & associate, the famous law firm.

“Byulyi ssi,

As requested by my employer, Miss Kim, my team and I gathered all the available evidence proving that your wedding with Mr Mun was indeed forced. It shall remain your decision to take action to legally cancel it and be sure Choi & associate will stay at your disposal for the whole procedure.”

It was when my voice quivered I realized I read the letter out loud and when droplet of water fell on my hand that I realized the situation.

“Wait what ?”

“Oh my god…”

“Unnie..hey unnie are you okay ??”

I heard my friends calling me, but I stayed mute and read the letter from the lawyer again.

“She..she just freed me.” I said between sobs, still not believing the letter.

Although it was there in black and white on this sheet of paper, it felt so unreal that I need a few seconds to fully understand the actual meaning.

“She put them in jail” I began, absolutely sure of that fact.

“She did that and now she is giving me a way to finally get totally free from this nightmare.”

I said, a little louder. With my blurry eyes, I looked at the astonished faces of my friends. The three of them gathered closer to me as they saw my state, and remained muted as they also understand the situation.

“I thought me being married to Eric would remain a scar I would have to keep hidden, since I was and still remain sure he would never agree to divorce...but she did find a way for me to get out of his claws…Girls…she gave me a way to heal.”

I finished, before my emotion took the best of me. I burst in tears finding Whee In’s shoulder to support me. I no longer had to hide, to be afraid of anything. With this paper, I could finally live my life the way I wanted, as it was cutting the last bond I had with a life I never asked. It was like the milestone I had around my neck suddenly disappeared, I felt lighter like the world was finally showing me everything it had to offer.

“God dammit, girls, it’s over !” I exclaimed, a bright smile forming on my lips in between my tears of joy. As they were all in range, I enveloped them in a massive and tight hug, releasing all my emotions at once. I cried and laughed. I shivered from excitement and felt free of any burden. My emotion were messy but one thing was sure, I never felt so happy and relieved.

“It’s over” I repeated once again, loving the sound of these words.

When I broke our embrace, Heeyeon and Hyejin took the pile of paper to take a better look while Whee In wrapped her arm around my shoulder and buried her head on the crook of my neck, obviously as touched as I was. Out of the three of them, she had personally witness what was the kind of life I had, she even was a victim of it.

“Unnie” she said, weeping on my neck.

“Wheeny..she, she saved me.” I said as I brushed her left shoulder.

After a few more minutes, I was able to partially recover from the break down. This was when I notice a business card attached to the lawyer’s letter. I took it and noticed it was Yongsun unnie’s card. Behind it, she scribbled a phone number. I guessed it was her number of her personal phone, and not the formal one printed on the card. There weren’t words in addition, but the message was pretty clear: She wanted me to call her. Or rather, she anticipated the fact I’d want to talk to her after discovering the papers. Well hell yes, I had the urge to call her.

I took my phone, wipe my hand moisten by nervousness and dialed her number and I swear, I felt like the tone went on forever before she picked up the call.

The youngster noticed my action but stayed silent, obviously anticipating as much as I did.

“Hello”

God, her voice.

I missed the sound of her voice so much.

A simple hello from her paralyzed me, and I felt tears falling again. I couldn’t utter a word, my uncontrolled sobs were my only answer.

“Byulyi ?”

She said, as if she could see me. By instinct, I nodded at my phone. I know it was silly, but at that time I couldn’t do something else.

“Byul ah.” She said, her voice soft and reassuring.

“Let’s meet Byul ah, I owed you years of explanation.”

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“ Unnie, just scream if you need help okay ? “

“Yeah, I won’t mind to punch her if she tries something.”

“Wow hey okay Ahn Hye Jin, we won’t punch anybody today you hear me ?”

I said to my friend, quite anxious knowing how she could actually turned her words into actions.

After the unexpected turn of events from the night before, I gave the location of a coffee shop to Yongsun unnie, there was an urgent need for a talk, just the both of us. We were in the same coffee shop where I met Whee In and Hwasa 2 years ago, as it feel like a safe place. My three friends insisted on coming with me, cancelling their shopping plan before the four of us headed back to Jeonju the same afternoon.

“Is this girl trustable at least ? I mean she crashed the fan event yesterday.” asked Heeyeon, the most doubtful of them all. I could sense a bit of jealousy in her tone and I could understand it, as the shadow of Yongsun unnie ruined any chance for us to be more than friends.

“I..I have to give her a chance Heeyeon. With what she did for me...it’s the least I can do.”

“Uhm, whatever, but she had to know she made an enemy out of Hyojin.” She said, eager to have the last word.

I knew she was right about this part though, Hyojin unnie was mad when she learnt about what happened during the fansign. Miss Kim, you got to worry about yourself.

They took a table a few meters behind mine, after I made them understand I needed to stay alone with Yongsun unnie. They agreed reluctantly to give me space for this. I loved my friend to the bones, but I had to do this on my own, even though I could feel their stares on my back.

I just had time to order a delicious latte and briefly organize my thought when I heard the doorbell’s sound. I lifted my head, and saw her at the entrance of the coffee shop.

Kim Yong Sun.

She was here, really.

Just like yesterday, my brain shut down just by seeing her silhouette.

I guessed she spotted me, because she was walking toward my table. I knew it was in my head, but everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

She was stunning, and even more chic than before. She cut her hair until her shoulder, and it gave her a vibe different than when we first met. The ambitious and arrogant girl I left 2 years ago was gone; the new Kim Yong Sun was now a fine woman rocking the suits, fierce, elegant and even more attractive.

Truth to be told, even if the girls told me not to, even if I knew I shouldn’t, I was still amazed by her. I had yet to know her true motive, but this woman stood against all odds to become what she was.

If it wasn’t for her, I was sure I would still be in that mansion, living an imposed life.

« H..Hello Byulyi. »

She said, as she took a sit in front of me.

“Hi, unnie” I replied so softly, I wondered if she heard me.

I dared looking into her almond eyes and just like during my fan event, I felt like time had stopped. She was the only person that matter, and it was like everybody else in the coffee shop disappeared, that the two of us remained, finally reunited.

People usually find silence awkward, embarrassing, but at that moment, we were sharing so much through our stares, our longings, our regrets and as for me, my feelings.

As much as I try to bury them, I was still in love with Kim Yong Sun.

The girl who saved me 2 years ago, the girls who gave me justice, the girl who didn’t give up on me, who allow me to be free.

My broken angel, Kim Yong Sun.

She did so much for me, what could I do to even repair her a bit ?

“Miss, would you like something to drink ?”

The waiter voice brought me back to earth and broke the spell. He was asking Yongsun unnie, who was looking as perturbed as me.

“Y..Yes, a coffee please.” She briefly said, obviously embarrassed. Looked like she realized what happened just a few seconds prior.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward after this, thank you very much, Mr waiter.

“So..a book huh ?”

She asked, trying to play the cool girl. But I was sure I saw her blushing. Her hands were on the table, she was nervously fidgeting her fingers. A timid Kim Yong Sun, it was one of a kind sight.

“Yes, a book.” I said, shy as well.

My eyes kept onlooking back and forth from her face to her hands. Meanwhile, she was barely looking at me.

“Are..are you okay unnie ?”

“Y..Yes ! I mean, yes. To be honest, even if I always dreamt about seeing you again, I never thought about what I should do afterward.”

She confessed, briefly looking in my eyes.

“How have you been ?”

I asked first.

“Good. I’ve been busy you know…with the company and everything.”

“I saw it, I saw all of it…unnie ?”

“Yeah ?”

“What is it all about ? The company, that envelope, Eric..I feel like I have all the pieces, yet I don’t know how to finish the puzzle. It is really confusing…Please, tell me what’s going on.”

I asked, no, begged her. I had enough of being kept in the dark. This woman rejected me once, and then showed up 2 years later, with papers to cancel my wedding. On top of that, she took down my jailers along the way.

“I guess I owe you a lot of explication.” She said, turning serious.

“This company, Shinhwa corp, it is my father’s work.”

“About this, I saw the new last year, when...when they went to jail. Why you never told me ?”

“Because at that time, I was an idiot. Byulyi, when we first met I was just a fool blinded by hate.”

She started, her hands showing how agitated she was. My right hand slid to reach hers, to hold it, to make her understand she could trust me. It worked, as I heard her taking a deep breath, responding to my touch as she held my hand in return.

“When I was a child, my father killed himself. I was only nine, I didn’t know he had a depression, as he was hiding it from me. I…I was the one finding him that morning, in the back yard of our house, I was looking for him, he promised to play with me that day, to take me to an amusement park, but then, I find him with a gun in his hand and…And he was dead.

 With my mother, we had to move from our place. At that time, I was too young to realize it, but we had debt, and my mother had pressure from some local gangs. They would find our place and bang at our doors in the middle of the night, they would threaten her or her friends, go to her workplace and intimidate her bosses. Because of this, she had to change jobs very often, and sometime she had to take several shift a day if we wanted to live with the minimal needs. We had to move several time in fact, because neighbors would feel unsafe around us and pushed us away, and at school, they would forbid their kids to play with me. We were the outcast and had to cope with it, because we were too afraid of being found by the people threatening us.”

I froze at her confession. She was an orphan, and all this year I imagined her as the heiress of a filthly-rich family. This girl’s past was nothing like I imagined it…it was a nightmare, she had to live like a runaway all her life.

“I learn more about what happened when I was 18. It was when my mother passed away. Twomonths after I entered university with a scholarship, she told me how sick she was for years. She kept it from me until the last moment, because she wanted me to focus on my study, she wanted me to have a diploma, to build my future… When I clean up our small rented apartment, as I was living in a dormitory near my college, I found out what really happened to my family.

It was Eric Mun who was behind my father’s suicide. He pushed him to commit it, took his company by force, make him have debt…he ruined his life. At that time, he was just a random employee, lusting after power, he did everything he could to steal my father’s company.  I also learned that in right hand, Junjin was behind my mother’s situation, it was him who pushed all this gangs against her, who push several of her bosses to fire her, only because she rejected his advances. ”

Oh my goodness..her past left me speechless. Because of people like my father, like my husband she had to grow up without her father, with fear for herself and her mother. I felt tear threatening to fall imagining how her life was. No children should have to endure what she had. Distress and anguish were part of her for so long, it has left scars I was sure nothing could heal.

“After knowing the truth, all I wanted was to avenge them. It was the only goal I had. We could have a normal life, if these raptors, those monsters greedy of money never found out about my father’s company.”

“Unnie..”

I said, words weren’t strong enough to tell her how I felt, hearing her story. She had gone through so much, fight her demons all alone. Her words made me felt guilty. All this time I misjudged her, when all she needed was an ally, I thought she was like the other people around me, greedy for power.

“I’m sorry unnie, so sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry about anything Byulyi, you have nothing to do with the fate of my family.”

“I could have helped you, you should have told me.”

I continued, feeling bad. I could understand why she never told me about her past, she became used to never trust people but another part of me was a bit disappointed at her lack of trust to me. I could have gather information too, if she had asked. But in the end, I somehow felt useless, because I couldn’t help the woman I loved.

Instinctively, my thumb gently the back of her hand. She went through so much, no wonder she had difficulty to open up to people. She was even more broken than I first thought, and as I listened her story, the need to heal her became urgent for me. She needed to know the world wasn’t all ugly, I had to show her she could trust people, she could believe in me.

“Byulyi…back in the day I wouldn’t have let you do anything. Like I told you, I was a fool. I thought I could beat him on my own, and I was so focus on this task that I couldn’t see you…the real you, the amazing Byulyi. I could only see Eric’s wife and objectify you. I am so sorry, I was the worst, I was so stupid and blind enough to not see you.”

“Unnie..” I said in a whisper, anticipating the sudden change of subject.

“When..when you confessed to me, I knew I had feeling for you, but I thought I could manage them, suppress them. I was fooling myself, every day I spent after you left were awful. I realized it too late, how much you meant to me, how I grew dependent of you, how your presence made my quest, my stay in this mansion bearable. You were my source of strength, my light in the dark. With you, I could feel human again, but I was too stubborn to acknowledge. I..I am in love with you Byulyi.”

She confessed, tightening the hold she had on my hand. Her piercing eyes directly looking mine, her overflowing passion enthralled me. I couldn’t move, I didn’t dare too as she was telling me everything I dreamt to hear from her. I wasn’t alone in this, even if it took 2 years for her to admit it.

“I love you, this is why stopping your husband became even more urgent, why when I found evidence against your father, I didn’t hesitate to stop him either. I love you, this is why just stopping them wasn’t enough, I had to set you free, like I knew you wanted. The last time I saw the , he told me he wouldn’t hesitate to use you again and I couldn’t bear it, so when I took over the company, I looked everywhere to gather the proof you saw in the envelope, and I searched for the best lawyers to help you with the procedure. You deserve a happy life, far away from the thing you had to grow up with, and helping you to achieve this life was the least I can do for you. I love you, but I don’t think I deserve to be with you, because I was just like the men I stopped, I used you and I won’t ever forgive myself for what I did.”

“Unnie..I love you too, I still do. When I left to Jeonju, my friends told me to move on, that you weren’t worth the pain. I tried to, but in the end, your face would come to me at night, my heart would still ache for you. I just can’t help myself.”

“Byul ah” she said, and the tenderness in her voice made me shiver.

“I never told your these words right ? Back in the day, I also thought of you as my strength. You, I mean the thing we had, was the first thing I decided on my own. Your attitude inspired me, I think at that time I envied you for a bit. I saw you as a successful girl, having an important job at a young age, carefree with a strong character, free to do whatever you want, to date whoever you want. Being with you was refreshing, because I wasn’t the heiress Moon, or the wife of Eric Mun..I was just me. I knew you weren’t serious with the thing we had, but I didn’t wanted for it to stop either, I would have turn insane if it wasn’t for you, you opened my eyes unnie. I can let go of my past, move forward, and it is because of you.”

“I..I don’t know if I can do this, loving you..I am too afraid to hurt you again, I don’t think-“

“NO !”

I abruptly yelled. Before I realized it, I was on my feet, hands slamming the table, looking at her with angry eyes. I knew what she was trying to do, but the mere thought of losing her again made me jump on my feet.

I look around and everybody in the coffee shop was staring at me. Suddenly conscious of my action, I bowed to excuse myself and took sat once again.

“Byulyi ?” she called me, concerned.

“Don’t run away from me again unnie.” I said, distressed.

“I won’t let you do that, nothing is holding you back now unnie, it’s time to live your life, to live it fully.”

“I…I don’t want you to think I expected something in return of these papers Byulyi, I just want you to be free, to do whatever you want.”

“Unnie, I want you to be part of my life, I always wanted it. I understand everything you just told me, I understand you feel guilty about our past but god dammit, I am giving you another chance, if we love each other there is no logical reason to grow apart. Let’s take it slow, learn to know each other once more but don’t you dare to leave me alone once again.”

My hands took hers tightly, and I was determined to never let them go again. In the midst of all the drama and journey happening the last 2 years, I forgot how the feeling of her skin could calm me, how addictive her almond eyes were. This woman meant the world to me, and I was ready to take all the needed time to build something with her.

“Let me help you unnie, let me prove you there is good things in this world, you said I deserve a happy life, but so do you. Let me help you to move on from all the horrible events you had to face, let me be with you to honor the memories of your parents, let me love you like you should be loved.”

There was nothing but silence for a few minutes. Just like when she arrived, we closed ourselves from the world, in our own bubble, where time no longer exist, where the world was just a mere buzzing sound.

“You live in Jeonju tho”

She said, after a while, a small and teasing smile emerging on her lips.

“For god sake, who care about the distance !”

“I do, I mean..I need to know how you ended up there, how you ended up writing a book, if you favorite ice cream’s flavor is still vanilla.”

“Unnie..” I whispered, taken aback.

“I also need to know your new favorite TV show, and if you are willing to create a chart of the best teobokki place of Seoul with me. There is so many thing I want to do with you Byulyi, so the distance count here”

She said, half joking. Like she couldn’t help it, one of her hand went to my cheek, and I felt a spark of electricity when she did. She felt it too, obviously.

“And, I need to formally introduce you to my friend. Be careful, they bite.”

I said, entering her little game. Like magnet, my hand followed the same path, to reach the one she had on my cheek, like they couldn’t stay apart.

“I think I already saw one of them right ?”

She said, mentioning the trio of silly people behind us. They were trying to play it cool, but I was sure they spent the whole time trying to hear what we were saying.

“They are just very protective of me, but I’m sure they will love you really quick. You’re a charmer, Kim Yong Sun.”

“Only for you, Byulyi.”

She said with a wink, making me blush almost immediately. 

I would have loved to keep on talking with her, but the harsh reality came to take me away from her. As much as I hate it, I had to leave her for the day, as our train to Jeonju would leave soon enough. She asked me to stay, and I’d have loved to stay with her, but I was still in the middle of my promotional tour for my book. As Whee In, Hwasa and Hani left their table and passed in front of us, not without throwing menacing glares at Yongsun unnie, I also stood up to follow them. She mimicked me, our hands locked together until the last moment.

“I’ll see you soon right ?”

She asked, already missing me.

“Of course” I told her, a reassuring smile on my face.

Bidding good bye, after this meeting full of heartfelt confession felt awkward. I didn’t know if I should hug her or just said casual. But being in a public place, I went to a shy whispered good bye, translating my true emotion through my eyes and my hand tightening one last time around hers.

However, As I started to take steps toward my friends I felt her taking my hand once more. I turned around and face her, surprised.

“What is it unnie-“

I couldn’t finish my question as she threw her arms around my neck, enveloping me in a tight hug. I could hear her erratic breathing, right in front of my ear and instinctively, I put my arms around her waist, reciprocating her embrace.

“Call me every day ok ? me either, I don’t want to lose you again.”

She whispered into my ear, throwing away her cool girl image. In the end, she was as needy as me.

“I’m a busy girl, but I’ll try” I said, to ease up the mood.

“Woman, don’t play with me.” She said, frustrated.

“I love you Byulyi” she quickly added, and her next move got me frozen on my feet. She kissed my temple, lingering on it as long as she could. Being this close to her again felt amazing and for a moment all I wanted was to throw everything else aside and just stay with her.

“Now go, Moonstar.” She said, breaking our embrace.

I left the coffee shop with a smile on my face that never left me since then, finally looking forward the future.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Finally, the last chapter is online :)))

I hope you all like it ^^

But since I'm a er for fluff and happy ending, a small epilogue is on its way (the last time I said that, it turned to a 5 chapters fic but I swear, it will only be an epilogue here !)