Hyun Joong was left standing in the hallway crying. So Min, who saw everything watched the helpless Hyun Joong and felt guilty and sad. She hugged Hyun Joong and comforted him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry for being selfish, I was just overcome by my emotions. I didn’t mean. I know this is all my fault. I’m so sorry< I’ll marry you, I’ll marry you, please stop crying.” Hyun Joong was sobbing uncontrollably while hugging So Min close.

After 48 hours the doctors announced that Mr. Kim was out of danger. So Min and Hyun Joong went back to work, with Mr. Jung providing them with the necessary guidance. Mr. Kim’s condition was kept a secret from the media.

A month later, after his Dad was discharged from the hospital, the two families agreed to announce their engagement in a Press Conference. They played up the fact that they’ve been dating since high school and wisely kept out the details of their separation. They emphasized that it was a marriage borne out of love, it just so happened that the two families have also been thinking about merging their companies so they decided to coincide the celebration of the business partnership on the same month as their wedding.

The business community especially their competitors, were caught by surprise at their announcement. Once the merger is finalized they will be bigger than any chaebol in Korea. Since they announced their engagement their relationship has somewhat turned for the better. Hyun Joong sleeps at So Min’s place, most of the time.

After protesting several times, So Min became resigned to the fact that there was no way she can get rid of him, so she just let him stay at her place. After a while she got used to his presence. But despite Hyun Joong’s periodic affectionate outbursts that have resulted in their sleeping together a few times, they still haven’t had a decent conversation about their relationship and their future. They always end up getting irritated with each other whenever anyone of them tries to get the other into a serious conversation.

Hyun Joong and So Min were at a hotel to have dinner with their parents. So Min went ahead while Hyun Joong said hi to an acquaintance he saw at the lobby. While making her way to the restaurant she saw a familiar figure. “Oppa?” So Min ran to hug the man. “Oppa, you’re back! When did you arrive?” “So Min, oh my, good to see you here. I was planning to look for you! Man, you are so pretty! How are you?” The man hugged So Min’s waist tight. They were hugging each other as they continued talking. It was obvious they missed each other so much.

“Excuse me, sorry to break up your little party but I’d like to have my fiancé back now,” Hyun Joong curtly interrupted them. The two immediately let go of each other, but they were still gazing at each other lovingly which infuriated Hyun Joong. “Hyun Joong, I’d like you to meet George Lee, we were classmates at the seminar I attended in New York a year ago. George, this is Hyun Joong,” So Min introduced the two guys, slyly omitting that he is her fiancée.

But the fact did not go unnoticed by Hyun Joong. He eyed George sternly before nodding to acknowledge his presence. “We have to go now Honey, our parents are waiting,” Hyun Joong dragged So Min by the waist as she motioned to George that she’ll be calling him. “Why did you have to be so rude?” So Min muttered, but he just ignored her. The way he looked it was clear to her that that was not the end of it.

True enough, he ignored her throughout dinner. He did not speak a word to her. He spent the night talking to their dads about business. “So when are you planning to talk to me again,” she asked him while they were on their way home. Hyun Joong just pretended to be deaf and proceeded to drive in silence.

As soon as they got to their floor, Hyun Joong made his way to his unit, leaving the baffled So Min alone in her pad. She was seething. ‘FINE. If you don’t want to talk to me then don’t,’ she thought. On the other hand, Hyun Joong was so mad, he couldn’t take out the picture of So Min and George hugging from his mind.

He took a shower and changed and proceeded to lie down on his bed but sleep won’t come to him. He got so used to sleeping beside So Min that he’s now having difficulty sleeping alone on his bed. He stood up and made his way to So Min's place. He calmly walked to her bedroom and proceeded to lie down on her bed. So Min was sitting in front of her mirror, putting on moisturizer while silently observing Him.

She silently smiled knowing he had a hard time trying to sleep by himself. She made her way to the other side of the bed. As soon as she lay down he grabbed her and hugged her tight without saying anything. So Min tried to loosen his embrace but he wouldn't budge. "Stop struggling, let's just go to sleep," he said then kissed her neck before trying to sleep again. So Min could only sigh in resignation but deep inside she was happy that he's sleeping in her room. They have become so dependent on each other emotionally and physically, they just don't want to admit it.

#####

It was the night before their wedding and So Min and Hyun Joong have just finished meeting with their wedding planner just to make sure everything will run smoothly. They have been busy preparing for the wedding that they haven't found the time to talk about them. So Min just spent two days at a spa with her friends to relax and pamper herself with some beauty treatments.

She was radiant when Hyun Joong picked her up from the spa for the meeting. Now that it's over So Min was planning to go home and have her beauty rest and calm her nerves. But Hyun Joong had other plans. Instead of driving home he took her to a place that held a lot of painful memories for both of them.

"What are we doing here? Why did you bring me here?" So Min asked, her heart suddenly beating fast as she recognized the restaurant where they broke up. "I'll tell you when we're inside," Hyun Joong replied as he guided her inside the restaurant. They were led to a private function room, the same room where they saw the worst in each other two years ago. So Min eyed Hyun Joong dreadfully.

Being in this place is just too painful and scary for her. She doesn't know what he's up to. "Take a seat, don't be scared, let's just go through this, okay?" Hyun Joong said as he gently held her and gave her a light peck on the forehead. While waiting for their food Hyun Joong started speaking. "This place is full of bad memories for us. I brought you here because I want us to finish everything that took place here. I want us to forgive each other and forget all the painful things from our past. By this time tomorrow we will be married, you will be my wife and I will be your husband. I intend to remain married to you until the day I die. I want the two of us to have a happy marriage, a happy family. There's no other way to do that but to start with a clean slate," Hyun Joong softly explained as he held her hands.

So Min was shaking by the time he finished speaking. She was speechless and could only cry as Hyun Joong held her close to his chest. Before they left the restaurant they talked about everything that happened between them in the last two years and how they really felt about each other. They both admitted their 'sins' against each other like how they used other people just to get revenge.

Listening to these things was painful for both of them, however, they have no choice but to learn to accept and forgive each other because they have already agreed to spend a lifetime together. They ended the night with a vow to do their best to make their marriage succeed. It was almost midnight when they left the restaurant They went home and, for the last time, went their separate ways--she went to sleep at her place while Hyung Joong slept at his place.

It was their last chance to get rid of their demons individually. It was already 9am when So Min was awakened by her mother's frantic surprise at seeing her still sleeping soundly. "So Min, wake up, you're getting married in 4 hours and you're still sleeping!" So Min opened her eyes and started to sit up but it took her several seconds before she realized what was happening.

Her mother, seeing her face clearly for the first time since she got up panicked when she saw her face. Her eyes are so puffy from lack of sleep. It was almost 4am when she fell asleep. She had a mild nervous attack, it wasn't the dreaded kind that she was used to, she was probably just getting cold feet, a condition that even normal brides experience days before their weddings. She texted Hyun Joong that she can't sleep and then he texted back. Pretty soon they were exchanging messages just like they used to do before their break-up. It felt good and it gave both a sort of assurance that things were really back to normal between them. They've always found the exercise more romantic than talking on the phone. Maybe it was because they're always together and talk face to face all the time.They enjoyed it so much that before they realized it, it was already around 4am!

It was Hyun Joong's Mom's turn to freak out at the other side of the penthouse. He was still snoring softly when his Mom arrived. "Ya! It's your wedding and you are still asleep! Wake up, you brat!" "I'm awake! Have you seen So Min?" "She's still there," his Mom said while pointing towards So Min's unit. Still in his pajamas, Hyun Joong proceeded to So Min's place. Upon seeing him, So Min's Mom scolded him. "You brats, it's your wedding and the two of you did not even care to sleep early, what were you guys doing?!" "We were not doing anything, what can we possibly do?" Hyun Joong said with a naughty smile that earned him a painful whack in the arm.

"Where's your daughter? I need to make sure she won't run away." "So Min, Honey, where are you? It's our wedding today, don't go running away!" He was shouting like a crazy guy, annoying both their Moms, when So Min stepped out from the bathroom, wearing only her bathrobe and rubbing her hair dry with a towel. "Oh, Honey, you're here, you did not run away!" Hyun Joong happily said as he carried So Min off the ground and swirled her before hugging her tight and kissing her.

So Min laughed playfully at Hyun Joong's crazy antics. He always get this crazy whenever he is excited and happy. Hyun Joong was so happy he forgot their Moms and some staff were in the room with them.

Needless to say, the wedding went on smoothly and happily. But unlike in fairy tales, they did not live happily ever after. Nope. They had to live through life's ups and downs, happiness and sorrows, successes and failures, triumphs and disappointments--but they weathered everything together.

And that's what matters most.