Joohyun burst through the door of Mr. Bae’s office with a bright smile on her face.

“Grandfather!” She sped towards him and practically swept him into an embrace.

“Oho!” He groaned and heartily received her hug with a smile on his face.

The simple fact that he had such a tight grip around her body was enough to make her smile. Throughout the years that she had stuck around the family and did her duty, her grandfather had been the only person she truly cared for. It came like a dreaded terror, the fact that he was slowly decaying from a life of work and consumption.

If she had learned anything valuable over the last four years, it was that life was too short to wallow in despair. She had to do something not only about her life, but also about her grandfather’s life. Her grandfather then became not only her salvation, but her inspiration. Seeing how lifeless he was made her want to live and be more; to learn all she could and throw it all back in life’s face.

That was how she had survived the last four years of working to the bones. She decided four years ago that if she couldn’t escape her duties and destiny, then she would make the best of it and use all she gained to do better… to be better.

She pulled away and smiled, “how are you?”

“You mean, in the last week since we saw one another?” He chuckled and blushed, “I’m doing well.”

She smiled in response and fluffed up the pillow behind him, “you shouldn’t have come out to receive me… it’s too cold out at this time of the year.”

“That’s ridiculous,” he snorted, “and weren’t you the one who told me that I needed to get out more? Get more air?”

“Yes, but I didn’t say you could subject yourself to getting sick.”

He waved a hand to dismiss her concern, “I won’t… I can’t get worse.”

“Who told you that? You can definitely get worse.” Her eyes narrowed, “did Seokjin tell you that?”

“W-what?” His eyes widened and he became flustered, “w-why would y-you say that?”

Ignoring his question, she nimbly whispered, “I guess not.”

“Wait… why did you ask if it was Seokjin?”

“I don’t know,” she crossed her arms and shrugged, “he was leaving your house when I arrived… I just assumed that he was here for health reasons. He is a doctor, you know.”

“Yes, I do know.”

“How’d you meet him anyways?”

“What do you mean, how? He’s my doctor… obviously.”

“No, he’s not. I know who your doctor is… and besides, Seokjin doesn’t do home visits.”

“How would you know that?”

She shrugged innocently, “just a guess… home visits aren’t very common these days. And if there are home visits, it’s usually done by a very experienced doctor with a private practice. Two things that aren’t possible with Seokjin.”

It was hard for Mr. Bae to dispute something so logical, even for someone who was attuned to lying and fabricating stories, so he swiftly, and unabashedly, changed the topic.

“What are you doing here?”

She smirked at his less-than-smooth escape, “can’t I visit my beloved grandfather whenever I want to?”

“Of course, you can, sweetheart.”

“And,” she had a gleam in her eyes, “how lucky I am to have run into my-… into Seokjin, while coming here.”

“Oh alright,” he sighed, “I’m sure you want an answer for why he was here.”

“You finally realize that?”

He chuckled, “you always had such an eye for catching such things. Why should I try to hide it from you?”

She simply smiled, “and? Why was he here? How do you know one another?”

“First,” he held up a hand and smiled at her, “I want you to know that I fully support you and Seokjin getting married.”

“What?!” Her eyes bulged at the unexpected words, “w-what did you say?”

He let out a booming laugh, “I want you married soon, but not to just anyone… someone I like.”

“A-and you like Seokjin?”

“Of course, I do.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“You know what I mean.” She shook her head incredulously, “how do you even know him?”

He sighed, “I suppose it’s time for the truth.”

“That would be nice for once.”

He hesitated for such a long time that Joohyun thought he’d forgotten the question completely, until he drawled, “we met four years ago.”

She had not been expecting that answer at all, and it was not what she had wanted to hear either. A dozen questions ran through her mind immediately, but the only thing that came out was, “four years ago?”

“Yes.” He responded with his face turning into a solemn pallor of guilt.

“Four years…”

“Yes, Joohyun-ah.”

She had heard him clearly the firs