Minjae rushed up to his mother and put his arm around her. “Kwenchanayo, eomma? Are you feeling ill? Why do you look so shocked?”

“Minjae-ah, can you see your guest into my office please? After that, help me get Hyunmin and Yongjae to sleep. They’ve been cranky today and I’m having trouble getting them to settle down and take their nap. I’ll see to Bomi and return to my office in a short while,” said Sooyoung in a slightly flustered voice.

“Eomma, are you –” began Minjae.

“Just do as I say, Minjae-ah,” insisted Sooyoung.

“Arasso, eomma,” replied Minjae, puzzled at his mother’s attitude.

After Minjae led the man into the office, he went off to tend to the kids as instructed. Sooyoung went to tend to Bomi, who had been feeling slightly feverish that day. After ensuring that Bomi was satisfactorily tucked in and resting well, she stood outside her office for a few moments and tried to collect her thoughts.

Am I seeing things?

If I’m not, am I ready to see him again?

Haven’t you been waiting for him all these years? Why are you hesitating now?

Why was he with Minjae? How did they meet? Does Minjae know who he is?

Why did you come back, Yook Sungjae?

Sooyoung forced herself to calm down before she opened the door to her office. The door opened to reveal the back view of the person sitting on the couch. She walked in slowly and sat on the couch opposite him. They sat in silence for nearly 15 minutes, neither of them knowing what they should say.

“Oppa…” began Sooyoung, after she finally couldn’t take the silence.

“Sooyoung-ah…” replied Sungjae.

“How have you been?” asked Sooyoung tentatively.

Sungjae smiled, though with a hint of bitterness, and replied, “I’ve been better. But for now, I’m good.”

“How are things with you and Sohyun?” asked Sooyoung.

Sungjae smiled but didn't reply.

“I’m sorry, is that a sensitive topic?” apologised Sooyoung.

“Kwenchana,” replied Sungjae.

Another long bout of silence ensued.

“I didn’t know you adopted Minjae,” said Sungjae.

“I… I couldn’t stand the idea of him being sent to a foster home. Eunbi, Yura and Yoondo were all successfully adopted. I was worried for Minjae,” replied Sooyoung.

“You even changed Minjae’s surname to Yook. Was it only because you were worried for him?” asked Sungjae.

Another bout of silence.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come back in the first place. I’ll go now,” Sungjae said suddenly.

Sungjae stood to leave and started walking towards the door with his walking stick. Just as he reached for the doorknob, Sooyoung shot up from her seat and hugged Sungjae from the back.

“Please don’t go, oppa. I beg you,” pleaded Sooyoung.

Sungjae hesitated for a while before sitting down again.

“Could you please tell me what’s happened to you these past twelve years? Why are you using a walking stick?” asked Sooyoung.

Sungjae remained silent for some time. “I never intended to meet you again, Sooyoung-ah. I only came back a few days ago. Of all people I had to bump into, I had to bump into Minjae. We started talking and getting to know each other without even realising who the true identity of each other. I only realised who he was after he shared parts of his life with me. Coming to the orphanage was a spur of the moment decision for me after I realised who Minjae was.”

“You never intended to meet me?” asked Sooyoung. “Do you still hate me that much, oppa?”

“I never hated you, Sooyoung. I never did and never will,” said Sungjae. “I never intended for you to know any of this. But after what Minjae told me, I think I should tell you everything.”

[A/N: All flashbacks are part of a conversation between the two people present before the start of each flashback. It is meant to be a narrative told by a person in the conversation and not simply a recollection. I find flashbacks better at describing the story, rather than using dialogue between two people.

All font that are bold and italicised in flashbacks are thoughts of the respective characters.]

FLASHBACK

Sungjae had agreed to meet Sohyun for lunch to discuss the details of their project. Sungjae arrived early as usual and was just about to sit down when he felt a familiar throb of pain shoot through his head, causing him to stumble and nearly lose his footing. Sungjae’s heart turned cold at the familiar sensation.

No, it can’t be. It can’t be!

Sungjae took out his phone and texted Sohyun.

I’m sorry, Sohyun. Something’s come up. I need to cancel our lunch appointment today.

Is everything okay, oppa?

I hope so. I’ll see you tomorrow.

…

A week later, Sungjae sat in Dr. Tae’s clinic and waited for Dr. Tae to tell him the results of his brain scan.

“How is it, Dr. Tae?” asked Sungjae nervously.

“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Sungjae-ssi. But you’re suffering from a relapse of a brain aneurysm. In fact, the scan shows that you have unruptured brain aneurysms at three different locations in your brain, two of which are located almost adjacent to your brain stem,” reported Dr. Tae.

“What does that mean? And why am I suffering a relapse? Didn’t my operation coil the aneurysm?” asked Sungjae in a panic.

“That’s actually one of the main problems with coiling, Sungjae-ssi. There is a lower risk of complications occurring when an aneurysm is treated through coiling but it also means a higher chance of recurrence of a brain aneurysm. In your case, in addition to the recurrent site, you have two new brain aneurysms located adjacent to your brain stem,” said Dr. Tae.

“Does this mean I’m going to die?” asked Sungjae bluntly.

“I have never seen a brain aneurysm of this size and proximity to the brain stem before. If it ruptures, the risk of haemorrhaging is extremely high. If you’re lucky, you’re likely to only have a . If you’re not…” Dr. Tae’s voice trailed off before resuming. “The probability of mortality in your case could be as high as 90%.”

“Is there no way I can be cured, doctor?” asked Sungjae.

“There is practically a negligible risk of recurrence if you opt for microvascular clipping. But this method is highly invasive and I cannot guarantee that there will not be complications. If you want, I have a friend in the US who specialises in such surgeries and will be able to help you,” offered Dr. Tae, as he handed Sungjae a business card. “I advise you to have the surgery as quickly as possible. The longer you wait, the greater the chance of the aneurysms rupturing. Remember, your life will be in danger even if only one ruptures.”

“Kamsahamnida, seonsaeng-nim. I will take note,” said Sungjae.

…

“Go for the operation! What are you waiting for?” Changsub nearly shouted at Sungjae.

Sungjae looked Changsub in the eye and asked, “What should I tell Sooyoung?”

“What do you mean? You mean you don’t intend to tell her the truth?” asked Changsub in disbelief.

“How can I, hyung? She’ll be devastated if she finds out I’m going to die!” said Sungjae.

“You’re not going to die, Sungjae! Didn’t the doctor give you a contact for a good surgeon in the US?” asked Changsub.

“The doctor also said there’s a 90% probability of mortality, Changsub! I know what Sooyoung went through when I was in a coma. I can’t put her through something like that again. I know Sooyoung, she won’t let go easily!” shouted Sungjae.

Changsub thought for a while before he replied, “If you don’t tell her the truth, then what do you intend to do?”

Sungjae remained silent for a long while, before replying, “I can’t save her from hurting completely. But I have a plan to help her hurt less.”

“What’s that?” asked Changsub. The darkness in Sungjae’s voice made Changsub uneasy.

“I’ll break her heart. I’ll make her hate me. I’m sure she won’t want to remember any part of me once I hurt her enough,” said Sungjae with a glint in his eye.

“Are you out of your mind?!” shouted Changsub. “Why don’t you try talking to Sooyoung about it first? Why are you so insistent on shouldering all this yourself?!”

“Anger and hate is easier to let go off than sadness and longing, hyung. She’ll hate me for a while but she’ll find her happiness eventually. I don’t want her to hold on to her feelings for me. I know she will,” said Sungjae.

“I should