The world is as silent as if it ended in the night. The sun is still resolutely below the horizon and the street is as dark as some old-school black and white movie.

Park Shinhye's eyes snapped open before dawn from a long restlessness. She had fought for too many hours to stay dreaming, and she knew there was nothing left to do but get up. She got up, turned off her alarm. and walked into the living room, where she stood in front of the window for several minutes.

It was still dark. She couldn’t remember the last morning she woke to darkness. Behind the bare trees, she could see the street lamps are lightening the road vaguely.

She didn't think twice before walking outside. The cold wasn’t the biting but the slow seeping kind. She didn't bother the cold weather, she felt she was doing something important, surveying the nature, taking in something she saw many years ago: the darkness before dawn. She sat on the bench in front of the tree as her heart started getting heavier. She has everything, but she has nothing. She felt very empty.

As she closed her eyes, she felt the heady pull of her broken dreams, beckoning her back to go back to the past days and resolve all the mistakes of her. Mistakes? Was it just mistakes?  She was drawn to the lies of a person. He wasn't a lie. But she was a lie to him, a bet! A drop of tears escaped her closed eyes.

Even after seven years it still gives her pain, the uncured wound is still there inside her heart. He is the person she can't forgive, yet can't forget. His memories were the soul torturer of her. She couldn't escape them, or hide from them; they were the worst kind of monster. She clenched her hands into fists and looked at the empty dewy wet road.

She doesn't know how many hours she was sitting there, but when she rolled her eyes around, the rising sun already cast a rosy hue across the morning sky.

As she stepped into her house, she saw the maid preparing breakfast. This housemaid is like her family now, she is always there when she needs her. "Good morning, Ajhumma." Shinhye smiled at the maid.

The maid stopped washing the dishes and turned to her. "Good morning, Agassi. You wake up so early today. I saw you sitting there, but thought you want to be alone."

"Thank you." Shinhye appreciated that. That's right, she wanted to be alone. Taking a soft breath, Shinhye walked in the kitchen and work in hand to hand with the maid.

"Good morning. Ms. Park Shinhye."

Shinhye's face curled up with a smile when she heard the familiar voice. She looked at the person who just came in. "Good morning, Mr. Lee Jongsuk." She paused as she glanced up at the clock which was ticking at 7.15 am. "You're early today."

Lee Jongsuk came beside Shinhye as he pressed his lips together and pretended to look sad. "I missed my Princess so much. I think it's time for me to shift here."

The smile on Shinhye's face faded as she heard that. Shift here? She got nervous.

Seeing her nervous expression, Jongsuk let out a smirk. "I'm joking. You look prettier when you're nervous."

Shinhye hit him stomach with her elbow, glared at him.

Jongsuk looked around, when he didn't see the expected person, he looked back at Shinhye. "Where is the young lady? She supposed to wake up when I'm here."

Shinhye laughed softly. "She said yesterday that she can sleep alone now because she is a big girl now."

Jongsuk laughed too. "That's right. She isn't a kid anymore. But I'm just worried about her mother. She is still a kid."

"Yea. Jongsuk." Shinhye glared at him.

"Eomma. Ajhussi."

Both of them looked at the beautiful little girl who was coming downstairs by the stairs with her tiny footsteps.

Jongsuk grinned and walked to her. When she came, he gently pulled up. "Good morning, princess. How does Sowon know her Ajhussi is here again?"

Park Sowon smiled. "Good morning. Ajhussi. I heard your voice. You're going to my sports with me, right?"

Jongsuk nodded. "Of course. I promised you. That's why I wake up so early today and rush here."

Sowon grinned and kissed his cheek. "That's why I love Ajhussi so much." Then she looked at her mother who was in the kitchen. "Eomma should marry ajhussi."

"Yea. Sowon." Shinhye glared at her daughter and stopped what she was doing as she heard that. ah! Chincha! This girl.

Jongsuk smirked as he put Sowon down and her nose. "Your mother is hanging on something. And she doesn't want to forget your appa." The smile on his face faded.

Shinhye's heart suddenly got heavier again. She hid the hurtful expression and looked at him. "You're the one who doesn't give me a chance to forget him. You always bring his topic for all these years."

Jongsuk sighed deeply and turned to her. "I just bring the topic. But you miss the person alone, you cry alone. Even your daughter knows this. And also bringing his topic is a kind of reminder for me."

Shinhye furrowed her brows confusingly. "What reminder?"

"That my best friend is a crazy person. She wants to be mother Teresa." Jongsuk .

Shinhye scowled. "Then what about you? Why don't you find a girl and get married?" She grinned as she remembered a girl. "Yea. What about Han Hyo? She seems to like you a lot."

Jongsuk titled his head as he sat on the couch with Sowon. "Who is that?"

Shinhye sighed. "Just tell me your ideal type. I'll find a girl for you."

Jongsuk smirked. "I'm too handsome to match with a girl."

"Then marry a boy." Shinhye said through gritted teeth.

"Eomma. I'll marry ajhussi. When I'll grow up " Sowon interrupted into their conversation. She needs to stop them before they start fighting.

"Ah! I feel bad for my daughter." Shinhye said as she took the knife and started to dice the potato, teasing Jongsuk.

Jongsuk sneered. "Aren't you going to her sports?"

Shinhye shook her head, a soft sigh escaped her lips. "I have many appointments today. How will you go with her? Don't you have any work?"

Jongsuk pursed his lips. "I have. At evening. Brain tumor surgery."

Sowon widened her eyes. "Will, you cut her head?"

Jongsuk nodded. "Yes."

"Ajhussi, they don't die when you cut their head?" asked Sowon anxiously.

Shinhye shook her head as came to her daughter. "Sowon. Stop talking already and eat breakfast with Ajhussi. I'll go to my room and get freshen up. I need to rush to the hospital."

"Jongsuk is here. Don't worry about Sowon." He assured her.

Shinhye let out a relieved sigh. "I can't think anything without you. Thank you so much."

"Don't. I feel uneasy. Go-Go." Jongsuk pulled her to the stairs.

After about half an hour, Shinhye came to the living room after getting ready. She was wearing a blue blouse and jeans with a ladies' watch and opened hair.

Jongsuk and Sowon who were sitting, waiting for her with a smile. Shinhye sat on a chair to take her. "Why did you wait for me? You'll be late. it's already 7.45 am." She said as she took a bite of toast.

"I'll get ready when you'll leave." Sowon said as she smiled sweetly.

Jongsuk who was sitting in front of Shinhye copied the smile of Sowon. "Yes. Eomma should leave now."

Shinhye glared at him before looking at Sowon. "Sowon. You have to listen to Ajhumma after coming back from school. Don't annoy your ajhussi so much. Arosso?"

As Sowon nodded, Shinhye stood up and took her purse. "Jongsuk, call me if she annoys you too much. See you in the evening. Bye." She came beside Sowon and kissed her cheeks before leaving.

------

After parking her car, Shinhye stepped into the hospital and came to the reception. The receptionist bowed her. "Hi. Dr. Shinhye."

"Hi. I'm searching for Kim Miseok. Call him and tell him that I'll go to the morning round." Shinhye said before leaving. Nurse Bona followed her.

Shinhye checked up her hospitalized patients’ progress  and issues from the previous day and night are discussed one by one. If needed she made suggestions for further care.

After talking with the call team, she started the morning round. A nurse followed her.

"Can you move your fingers?" Shinhye asked the patient. As he moves his fingers, she smiled. "Congratulations. You're improving." Then she turned to his guardian. "You can take him home now if you want. Meet me after one weak. He'll be on full rest for 4 months. No pressure on his feet. He'll take the medicines regularly. He'll be alright."

After finishing the morning round, Shinhye went out of the ward and went to her office.

She glanced at the nameplate on the table. Park Shinhye.

Becoming a successful doctor was the aim of her life. She was born to be a doctor. Though she is from a middle-class family, she has sufficient now. But happiness? The happy woman whom she used to be. Where is that happy Shinhye? Yes, Sowon is her biggest happiness. But when she thinks about Sowon's happiness she feels she is the worst mother. When she asks about her father, Shinhye just tells her he left us. She just ignores her when she starts asking why! Sowon doesn't even get the chance to see her father.

Shinhye came back from her deep thoughts as she heard a knock on the door. "Come in."

A youth man smiled at her brightly and handed some reports to her. "Dr. Shinhye. Here is your today's schedule."

"Kumawo, Kim Miseok." Shinhye said as she took the reports. Kim Miseok is one of the residents in the hospital. He had a crush on Shinhye since the day he saw he