“Lie down.” Sung Yeol instructed.

After L laid down on the metal table, Sung Yeol pressed the remote button which immediately shut L down. Connecting complicated wires from L to his lap top, Sung Yeol activated the ‘reformatting’ programme.  After a few hours, all the necessary procedures were done and with a press of one button, all the memories would be gone. Every single memory L shared with Hye Ri would be permanently erased. Sung Yeol’s finger had been hovering over that particular button for some time and he was still hesitant to press it. Then, Sung Yeol’s phone rang, interrupting him.

“Yes, I understand. I will get L ready soon.” Sung Yeol replied before hanging up.

Looking at his best friend apologetically, Sung Yeol sighed. He placed his finger over the button once more and touched it lightly. With a little more pressure exerted at his fingertip, everything will be irreversible. At that point of time, he already knew clearly that L developed feelings for Hye Ri outside the command of a robot. He knew the fact well but he was going to erase all their memories cruelly. What kind of friend would he have been if he were to press down on that button? He slammed the table out of irritation and stood up. At the end of the day, he still couldn’t go against his own will to destroy his best friend and Hye Ri’s memories as ordered. Picking up his cell phone, Sung Yeol dialed his boss’s contact number nervously.

“Sung Yeol? Why are you calling again? I have sent the delivery man down already. Just make sure the memories are erased completely, without any trace left beind.” His boss said.

“I…I… am sorry, boss. I discovered some complications in the wiring and I can’t resolve it. I am sorry.” Sung Yeol said timidly.

“WHAT?! You kidding me?! You incompetent fool, why did I even hire you for if you can’t complete such a simple task?! Did I keep you under me to tell me ‘I am sorry’ ?!” His boss shouted into the receiver.

“I’m sorry.” Sung Yeol repeated, controlling his trembling voice.

“Get M ready right away! If you can’t even get this done, you are out. Understand?” He said in an obvious upset tone.

“Ye-“ Before Sung Yeol could answer, his boss hung up on him.

“Phews.” He muttered as he broke into a smile.

Walking past the lying L, Sung Yeol smacked him lightly.

“Thank me later, bro.” He said and chuckled.

Back In Hye Ri’s house…

“He left… for real.” Hye Ri mumbled to herself as she collapsed on her chair.

Another tear dripped out of her swollen eyes as she ran her fingers over the calendar. Those crossed dates, brought her back to the happy moments they spent together. From the first day when he was sent to her house, scaring the hell out of her to them holding hands for the first time. She recalled how she lost her first kiss to Myung Soo as a wake-up kiss and she could still see his jealous face when Woo Hyun was still around.

She was reminded of how Myung Soo would appear whenever she was scared and at a loss. He was the one who kills the dreadful cockroaches whenever she screams loudly at night. He was also the one who came to her rescue timely, saving her from the fangs of the poisonous snake when she was at Jeju Island. She reminisced the birthdays they spent together, both his and hers. Not forgetting the fun –filled zoo trip, more tears fell.

Slamming the calendar down on the table, she stood up and left the desk. She wanted to stop all those flashing memories from filling her mind, she has to forget. If she continued like this, she would never be able to move on without Myung Soo. Stepping into the living room, even more memories returned. She recalled how Myung Soo held her hand, teaching her how to dance patiently. She remembered the romantic dance they shared in the ball. She was reminded of how Myung Soo was always sitting there on that sofa, every night. However, she also realized that he would not be there, anymore.

Turning away from the living room with tears streaming down her cheeks, she was met with the dining table. There lied the unfinished breakfast, with bits of food scattered messily. Walking over, she sat down before the half-touched meal. It was the last breakfast Myung Soo made for her. Picking up the utensils, she continued eating. The omelette rice had turned cold and hard but she still continued putting it into .

She wanted to finish everything because she knew she would never have another chance to eat something whipped up by Myung Soo. Then, she choked on the rice slightly. Coughing, she spurt out some of the rice. Dropping the utensils which she gripped on tightly, she began crying. Burying her tear-stained face in her dirty hands, she cried more. Those tears flowed endlessly as if trying to reach Myung Soo. She missed him already.

“Why were you sent to me… when you have to leave in the end?” Hye Ri muttered as she cried harder.

Years later…

“Hey guys!” He said excitedly as he ran over.

“Welcome back to Korea!~” Hye Ri beamed with a smile on her face.

“I missed all of you.” Woo Hyun said as he hugged Hye Ri tightly.

“Like real.” Soo Yeon mumbled to herself as she rolled her eyes.

“You only missed Hye Ri.” Soo Yeon thought to herself.

Releasing Hye Ri, Woo Hyun looked around as if looking for someone else.

“Where’s rude boy?” He finally asked.

“We… we…broke up.” Hye Ri lied as she held back those tears.

“Aish, this guy.” Soo Yeon thought in her mind.

“Broke up? Why…What…I mean how did it happen?” Woo Hyun was shocked at the news.

“It just happened that way.” Hye Ri answered, trying to hide the sadness in her voice.

“Yah! Why are you so talkative when you just got off the flight?!” Soo Yeon scolded as she slapped Woo Hyun’s arm violently.

Woo Hyun got the signal and zipped his mouth right away.

“Let’s go already.” Soo Yeon said with a bright smile, trying to lighten the mood.

“How long will you be staying?” Hye Ri asked, trying to stop the unearthing of the buried memories in her mind.

“I am coming back for good. My father knows I love Korea so he agreed to let me stay here on one condition.” Woo Hyun said.

“What condition?” Soo Yeon asked, interested.

“I find back my old cheerful self.” He said as he eyed Hye Ri who was oblivious and no longer paying attention.

Since the day he stepped on the land of America, Woo Hyun changed. He became a cold guy who devoted almost all his time in working. His father noticed how his boy who used to be so happy all the time became a man of few words. It hurt him seeing how his forced decision on his son turned him into a lone figure.  The only time he saw Woo Hyun smile like last time was when he was on the phone with Hye Ri. He knew better that his decision of keeping him in America was wrong.

Although he wanted his son to take over his business badly, he wanted him to find his happiness before doing so. He didn’t want him to become the next lonely man like him at such a young age.It was because of the company which he spent too much time on that made his life leave him. Being in a superior position was not that easy and he wanted Woo Hyun to find the girl who could give him the support he would need. Therefore, he decided to let him go back to Korea, be the cheerful Nam Woo Hyun and find the girl which brought smiles to his face.

Woo Hyun was more than happy when he heard his father would allow him to return and run the branch company in Korea once again. He could finally see her again, the girl he still loved up till now. Soo Yeon noticed the look on Woo Hyun’s face when he glanced over at Hye Ri. She knew right away that he still liked her. However, Hye Ri was too occupied in her thoughts to realize anything. The only thing on her mind was the person Woo Hyun reminded her of, the one who left and never returned.

“Today is Christmas so let’s go out together in the night!~” Soo Yeon suggested as she jumped before the two.

“Sure.” Woo Hyun agreed right away.

“I am fine with the idea.” Hye Ri answered as she looked up with a fake smile.

“So Woo Hyun will pick Hye Ri up at her house and I will bring Sung Gyu along. I will text you guys the details once I confirm the date with Sung Gyu.” She said with a cheeky smile.

After putting his luggage away, Woo Hyun changed into the best shirt he could find in his closet. Checking himself in the mirror once more, he styled his hair and flashed a satisfied smile. Knowing Hye Ri broke up with Myung Soo, he thought it might be a chance god gave him. He decided to give wooing Hye Ri another shot.

After doing a simple wash of his dusty car, he drove his red sports car out of the garage. His father still kept his apartment and car so that Woo Hyun can return for holiday. Stopping before Hye Ri’s house, she stepped out of the exit at the same time. Getting out, he opened the door for her with a warm smile. Nodding in appreciation, Hye Ri climbed into the familiar transport. It was kind of quiet throughout the ride with occasional asking of questions about “How’s life?”. Reaching the destination, the two waited for some time but Soo Yeon and Sung Gyu were still not there. Then, Woo Hyun’s phone rang. The incoming alert notified that it was Soo Yeon.

“Yoboseyo?” He answered.

“Woo Hyun-ah, Sung Gyu is..err…sick so we won’t be able to make it already. Take good care of Hye Ri and go have fun. Since it’s just the two of you… you know what to do already, right? Oh! Sung Gyu is calling me… I got to go take care of him. Bye~” Soo Yeon lied as she hung up on Woo Hyun hurriedly.

“Wai-” He was not given a chance to even say a word.

“Aish.” Woo Hyun muttered under his breath as he looked to Hye Ri nervously.

“What’s wrong?” Hye Ri asked.

“Err… Nothing. It’s just that Soo Yeon called to say Sung Gyu is sick so she has to take care of him. She told us to have a fun time.” Woo Hyun said with an awkward laughter.

“Aish, this girl.” Hye Ri mumbled as she looked away, exhaling some air.

“In that case, shall we…” Hye Ri was about to suggest that they should get going when Woo Hyun suddenly spoke.

Looking up, she met eyes with Woo Hyun who seemed to have something to tell her.

“Hye Ri-ah, there’s something I… I…want to tell you. I am afraid I wouldn’t have the courage to do so later on so will you let me say my piece of mind first?” Woo Hyun started.

Warily, she nodded her head, praying those words he was going to say next wouldn’t be what she was expecting.

“Actually, I still like you a lot. All the time in America, I missed you so much a lot and it’s your calls which kept me going all this while. Now that I’m back, I hope you… you can accept my feelings. Will you be my girlfriend?” Woo Hyun confessed shyly.

Hye Ri bit down at her lower lips at his confession. Woo Hyun looked down at Hye Ri with a thumping heart. He hoped her answer would not be the same as the one she gave years back.

“I am sorry.” Those three words he dreaded left her lips.

At that instant, woo Hyun felt the heart he held out drop to the ground and broke into a million pieces. After all this years of waiting, he was hoping that one day his feelings might get reciprocated. Now that Myung Soo was gone, he thought the chance he was waiting all this while finally came. Gathering all the courage he could find within him, he confessed for the second time but to be faced with the same cruel rejection once more. However, he still forced a smile on his face.

“I… I was just kidding. Take it easy. Umm… I suddenly remembered I have something to attend to urgently. I will see you around. Bye.” Woo Hyun lied turned about and left in quick steps.

She knew better that he was lying but she let him be. Hye Ri felt bad for rejecting Woo Hyun but she couldn’t accept him because he was not the one inside her heart. The one which was constantly on her mind was still Myung Soo, the guy who sneaked out of her life. On occasions like today, it was him who she wanted to spend with badly, not Woo Hyun. She didn’t want to accept Woo Hyun and tell him at the end of the day that she still couldn’t forget Myung Soo. It would hurt more that way.

“It’s funny how you shattered my heart but I still love you with all the broken pieces.” Woo Hyun mumbled as a silent tear fell from his eyes.

He seldom cried, even when he fell down badly when he was young, he did not even shed a single tear. The only time he cried up till today was when his mother abandoned him. This time he didn’t know why it hurt so much that the fluid escaped his eyes on his own accord. It was like his heart was literally thrown on the floor and trampled on. He didn’t know he would face so much disappointment even after waiting for her for such long years. He thought one day she might change her mind and be his. However, he was wrong. He was merely a good friend to Hye Ri many years back and this remained unchanged, many years later.

“I miss you.” Hye Ri mumbled as she thought of Myung Soo.

Walking past an orphanage home, she realized it was the one she stayed in when she was young. It had been some time since she returned there after she moved out to live an independent life once she reached the legal age. Walking into the familiar compound, she scanned the surroundings. Then, someone spotted her walk in.

“Are you… Hye Ri?” The person asked unsurely.

“Yea. You are…” Hye Ri paused as she studied the weather-beaten face closely.

“Sister Kim!” She recognized her care-taker right away as she hugged her tightly.

“It had been some time…” Sister Kim said with a nice smile.

Hye Ri nodded and broke the bug.

“Want to see the kids?” she asked.

She nodded and followed Sister Kim inside where many kids were gathered. They were all waiting patiently for Sister Kim.

“Sister Kim, story time!!!” The children chorused as they all smiled cutely.

“Can you tell them a story instead? I am a little tired.” The lady asked. Wrinkles appeared on her face as she flashed a weak smile. Hye Ri agreed and took the seat in front of the children.

“Let me tell you guys a story... There was once a girl who has no family… Every day she would work and return to an empty home. She spent all occasions-Valentines’, Christmas, New Year and all other special days alone. It was Valentines’ day that night when she received a mysterious call. It was from an unknown number but she still picked up, hoping for someone to talk to. The man told her she won a one month free trial of their new product, Robotic Boyfriend. At first she thought they were kidding until the next day…”

Author's Note:
The first part to the alternate ending is kind of long.
Hope you guys liked it(:
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Will be posting part 2, the final chapter once I am done with it.
Please comment/ subscribe <3 !