Seungho kissed Sohyun’s forehead gently and carefully, as she closed her eyes. He pulled back, yet, his eyes stayed on hers and his hand on Sohyun’s face, never failing to caress it. As his eyes had worry in one and care in another, Sohyun asked in low voice, “Got scared?”. Before replying, Seungho leaned in, pressed his forehead against hers and said, “I nearly lost my life!”. Under the warmth of his breath on her cheeks, she smiled at him mustering up her strength. “I’m here worried and you are smiling?”, he said with concerned and troubled look.

When Seungho heard the door opening, he withdrew suddenly and turned towards the door. Jiwoo anxiously walked in and without any element of surprise on her face, she said while looking at them, “Sohyun-ah! Mom is back. Seungho-ya, I think you should leave now, she may be here any minute!”. Seungho turned his attention towards Sohyun, bent down to meet her eyes, took her hands in his and said in soft voice, “I will be back tomorrow, ok?”. Sohyun smiled and nodded in agreement. Before the arrival of Mrs. Kim, Seungho sneaked out. Even after Seungho left, Yoonhwa stood, mouth agape with incredulity.

Only when Mrs. Kim greeted Yoonhwa, Sohyun became aware of her presence. Sohyun bit her lips and grimaced in embarrassment upon realisation. When Mrs. Kim left the room to visit the doctor, Jiwoo who saw the glint in Yoonhwa’s eyes, felt the need to give them some space and stepped out. As soon as Jiwoo left, Yoonhwa crossed her arms and glared at Sohyun with a scowl on her face. She didn’t utter any word, but her eyes expressed hurt, a sense of betrayal and at the same time questioned Sohyun’s trust and reliability in her.

“Yoonhwa-ya…” Sohyun’s eyes clouded with regret. She started pouring her heart, “We are in a relationship, it’s been three years”. Yoonhwa’s eyes widened on hearing as her anger kept pouring in. Sohyun who felt her anger continued, “Our fathers are considered as arch enemies, and everyone saw us as arch rivals. What should we do?”. Sohyun eyes wandered as she couldn’t find any excuse. She struggled to pour out her inexplicable emotions buried under a deep layer of a weak smile.  While everyone wished to flaunt their relationship, they tried their best to hide it because, flaunting and ending made the same sense in their relationship. Yoonhwa noticed her struggling, embraced her, and said, “I’ll be by your side, but… I’m STILL ANGRY!” which made Sohyun chuckle.

When Seungho was on the way home with Yooram, he asked in a serious tone, “Uncle…Was it really an accident?”. “Don’t overthink! But anyways, I’ll look into it for you”. “Thank you”.

When they reached home, Seungho said, “Uncle, don’t let….”, Yooram interrupted and completed the sentence, “… ‘Dad know’ right?”. Seungho nodded with a smile.

When Seungho entered the house, Chaeyoung who was watching drama, immediately turned to him, and asked, “How is she?”. “She is out of danger and can go home in a week”, he replied while taking his shoes off. Chaeyoung wanted to know more her condition but he headed towards his room looking exhausted and weary, so she didn’t utter another word nor did he.

The next day, Seungho sneaked into the hospital room early during visiting hours. Sohyun welcomed him with a warm smile while lying in her bed with her legs under cast. He smiled back, dragged a chair to sit by her side and rested his head on her pillow beside her. When she adjusted herself to face him, he took her face in his hand caressed it with his thumb. He looked into her eyes without uttering any word as if he is reading her mind through her eyes. When his eyes looked expectantly at hers, she said softly, “Mom and Jiwoo will come anytime soon”. Her cold words dampened his expectation and made him whine, “I won’t move an inch from this bed”.

After a moment, Jiwoo called Sohyun inform about mom’s arrival under the pretence of asking directions for the room since mom was by her side. Seungho who listened to the conversation mischievously whispered to her, “Tell them, you can’t see them yet!”. Sohyun hushed him and continued to act along since Mrs. Kim is by Jiwoo’s side. He interrupted again whispering, “Give them the wrong directions and hung up the phone” but she hushed him again.  But he didn’t give in and continued with pleading eyes, “At least tell them, you are on the upper floor so, it’ll buy us five more minutes”. Finally, Sohyun yielded to him and asked Jiwoo to buy her some snacks before visiting her.

Seungho smiled cheekily and said, “Shall I hide under the bed till they leave?”.

“It won’t help. My mom will sniff you out”, Sohyun replied smiling at his unreasonable requests.

Before he stepped out, he turned to her and sounded, ‘mwah’ as he pouted for an air kiss to her. He left after receiving Sohyun’s.

For the next two days, Sohyun and Seungho couldn’t meet up since her relatives visited her one by one and she hardly had any time to rest in the morning and in the night, they could only text each other since visitors are not allowed during the night.

In the next morning, Sohyun felt so lost and more the people visited her, lonelier she felt. So, she texted Seungho, ‘I miss seeing you’. The message was delivered and read, but she didn’t receive any reply. Before Sohyun could react to it, her father’s colleagues came to visit her. When they left, Sohyun slept through the afternoon because of sedatives in her new medicine regimen.

Sohyun woke up to the sound of her phone vibrating and saw the day has dusked. She reached her phone which is vibrating. Upon looking at the phone screen, she immediately sat up straight, and answered,

Hello!  (voice still coarse from the sleep)

Did my ‘leading lady’ woke up just now?

(surprised) Am I your ‘leading lady’? (while laughing at his remark)

(chuckled) Yes, my leading lady, look out the window.

(Sohyun grabbed her crutches, went near the window, and looked out) what do I see? Moon, stars, and such clichés?

(Seungho tittered) Is the parking lot visible from the second floor?

(Sohyun puzzled) what’s there to look at an empty out door parking lot.

Are you sure it’s empty?

Upon a closer look, she saw a car parked in the corner under a tree. When a person got out of the car from the driver’s seat, Sohyun’s eyes widened in surprise

Is that my ‘leading man’?! (Sohyun exclaimed in joy upon seeing him)

Seungho got out of the car and stood under the parking area lighting so that she can have a clear visual of him. She was taken aback by his sudden visit especially by a visit like this. She continued on the phone while looking at him,

 A text, ‘I miss you too’ will suffice.

But it’s not enough for me. (Seungho remarked)

Though it’s been 3 years, his words never failed to make her blush, never forgotten to express his love and never missed its aim in reaching her heart.

After a day, Sohyun got discharged and she came back home. Crutches aided her in walking since her legs are still under short leg cast. During the dinner, Mr. Kim announced, “Regarding the accident, we couldn’t trace that vehicle. Since, he made an unsignaled stop in highway, without hazard lights, he is liable for the accident”. “Why are you going in search of a problem? Our daughter is safe, that’s enough for us”, said Mrs. Kim. “Our daughter might be safe now but think of others, if he continues to drive that way, someone might lose their child! What do you expect from someone who didn’t even bother to look after the accident he caused?”. Everybody went silent after his serious remark.

When Sohyun entered her room, she noticed her phone vibrating. She forgot to turn off the silent mode after leaving the hospital. She smiled at the caller id and answered,

Oye!

(He chuckled at her greeting) Oye! Is my leading lady in her room?

Yes, I am. Why?

She suddenly saw a flash of light, reflected by the mirror in the dream catcher hanging in her balcony. Astonished by the sudden flash, Sohyun walked towards her balcony while mumbling

Don’t tell me… (On reaching the balcony, she glanced down and found Seungho in front of her house leaning on his parked bike in the empty street. When he waved at her smiling, she gasped in disbelief) Did it become your habit? Are you out of your mind? What if someone sees you?

You were happy to talk to me this way yesterday? (Seungho teased)

But…

(Seungho interrupted) I want to tell you something, its urgent and I want to tell you in person.

(Aware of the seriousness in his face) What’s it?

(He replied in a low voice) I will be away for a month. (Sohyun didn’t interrupt him and kept listening while looking at him) Have to leave tomorrow for collecting the research materials for the start-up. I’ll be meeting with veterans while attending some conferences, so leisure time will be under question so…

(She interrupted) It’ll be difficult to hold conversation or chat on phone?

(With stern voice, he said) No! So, whenever I find time, regardless of day and night, pick up my call ok?

(Sohyun was dumbfounded at his words and nodded her head in reply) If that’s all, then I think you should leave quickly.

I just told you I’ll be leaving for a month and you are asking me to leave now?

What if someone asks, ‘why are you staring at the house?’ (Sohyun asked anxiously)

Why can’t I? The eyes are mine, the house is on road, the road is government’s and the country is free. I can stare at whomever and whenever I want.

(His wit put her in a daze, but she gathered herself and said) Its already late, so bye.

Don’t hang up!

I hung up. Good night and sweet dreams to my leading man (She simpered at him)

Seungho grimaced as she hung up the phone. She waved him goodbye before he left in his bike.

Next morning, Jiwoo entered Sohyun’s room screaming, “Sohyun-ahhhhh! Wake up!”. “It’s Sunday”, Sohyun whined. “My mom has come, wake up! She is gonna stay here for at least a month”, Jiwoo exclaimed unable to contain her happiness. “My leg hurts!”, Sohyun said coyly as an excuse to stay in bed. Jiwoo shook her up to snap her out of sleep. Sohyun gave up in the end and woke up. Jiwoo helped with her walk to bathroom. Sohyun freshened up while complaining about the hassle with the cast.

Mrs. Kim welcomed Mr and Mrs. Shin (Jiwoo’s Parents) and Shin Jaeha (Jiwoo’s elder brother) and served them tea. Mrs. Shin talked with Jiwoo for a while and asked, “Where’s Sohyunnie?”. Jiwoo explained about Sohyun’s accident. “Is she okay now? How is her condition?”, Mrs. Shin asked. Mrs. Kim replied, “She got discharged just yesterday, so she is still struggling with daily routine. She’ll come down in a while.” Mr. Shin took his leave to office, while Mrs. Shin and Shin Jaeha stayed back.

Everyone’s eyes turned towards Sohyun who was climbing down the stairs slowly, one step at a time while dealing with the cast. On looking at her, Mrs. Kim commented, “If she climbs down like that every day, I wouldn’t worry about our house”. Sohyun asked, “Climbing down like this? You mean by limping?”. “No! I meant slowly, climbing down slowly!”, Mrs. Kim argued. Sohyun grimaced. Mrs. Kim complained to Mrs. Shin, “She always talks back unlike her brother. But, it looks like both of your child are quiet”. Mrs. Shin laughed and said, “Jiwoo maybe. But him? Not at all!”.

Mrs. Shin told Jaeha to scoot over and asked Sohyun to sit beside her. Jiwoo was surprised at the mom’s attention towards Sohyun. Mrs. Shin told her, “Jaeha has just finished his internship after completing his specialization in medicine”. She then turned to Jaeha and said, “She is doing her bachelor’s degree in medicine!”. Jaeha responded with a nod.

Next day, when Sohyun and Jiwoo left home for college and work, they saw Shin Jaeha waiting in the car to pick them up. He lowered the window and said, “I’ll drop you two, hop in”. Both stood stunned and looked at each other in doubt. When Jaeha responded, “Mom’s order”, Sohyun and Jiwoo took the back seat. After dropping Jiwoo, Jaeha dropped Sohyun in her college. Sohyun thanked him and headed towards her class. She walked embarrassed by the attention on her crutches. Suddenly someone grabbed her bag. She turned to see Jaeha. He took her bag and walked with her. She thanked him as they walked towards her class. On reaching the class, before Sohyun could say anything, he said, “I think I deserve a treat more than a ‘thanks’”. She smiled in gratitude and said, “Sure!”. Jaeha who was taken aback by her nonchalant smile, stood there lost in thoughts. When Sohyun waved goodbye and turned to enter the class, Jaeha snapped into reality and grabbed her bag which made her stop. As Sohyun turned towards him, he asked, “Do you have a boyfriend?”