7 years ago...

"Oppa. Tomorrow is my first day at university. I'm really excited."

Minho let out a soft chuckle and looked at his girlfriend who was sitting beside him in the restaurant, really excited. "I'll drive you there tomorrow," Minho said as he took something out from his pocket.

Shinhye glanced at his hand before parting her lips to talk. "What's that?" She asked pointing the box in his hand.

"Close your eyes." As Minho said that, Shinhye closed her eyes obediently. Minho took a glance at the locket and then at Shinhye, observing the perfect woman beside him. What so great he did in the past that he was rewarded with her? He wandered. A soft smile curled his lips.

Shinhye wasn't understanding what he was doing. Suddenly she felt him near her. Her heart started beating fast as he leaned closer and felt his warm breath.

He took the locket out of the box and carefully fastened it around her neck. Just like he'd imagined himself doing when he bought it. He ran his fingertips along the chain and settled the pendant on .

"Open your eyes."

Shinhye opened her eyes slowly and almost got a heart attack having him so close to her, their faces were two inches apart. She quickly averted her gaze from him as her cheeks blushed heavily. Then her gaze stopped at her neck, the love shaped locket, and the engraved words on it. "I'm taken?" She pouted her lips.

Minho nodded. "Obviously you're taken. University is a new place, a totally new environment. Many guys will flirt with you when I'll not be around. They'll not when they'll see this locket."

"Oppa. You're really crazy. You should have engraved your name on it. Taken by Minho." Shinhye couldn't help but laugh at his craziness.

Minho pressed his lips together, thinking deeply about something. "Why didn't I?" He wandered.

Shinhye gently hit his arm and held Minho's arm, resting her head on his shoulder. She put her hand on his hand and smiled. "Kumawo. I love it. It's beautiful..." She really meant it, her eyes, her smile was sparkling, fluttering Minho's heart again and again.

-----

Minho kept his right foot in front and left foot in back, resting his weight on his right foot, leaned a bit. Then he threw the dart hard, and the dart landed in the red part of the bullseye.

"Dude, what's wrong with him? He looks like he can kill anyone right now." Kimbum lined himself up with the cue ball and the ball to hit. He and Illwoo were playing billiards.

Illwoo took a look at Minho, and then at the angles, how the balls all lined up, so he could score repeatedly by bouncing them off one another. "Shinhye talked with a boy he hates most."

"So the bullseye is that boy, Minho?" Kimbum sneered. Minho's face was expressionless, scary.

Hyunjoong who was sleeping on the easy chair opened his eyes, looking at Minho's direction. He was using all his strength to throw the dart, forcefully. "And how much for this acting?" He asked.

His question made everyone stopped and turned to him, trying to understand what he meant. Minho's expression went blank, his brows furrowed. "What?"

Hyunjoong looked calm. "You heard me. How much for this acting? She isn't here. Why are you acting?"

Kimbum and Illwoo were stunned by his sudden reaction. They knew he liked Shinhye, but he never let that out. He didn't want to fight with his best friend. And what he was saying? Acting? Who was acting? Minho? Why would he?

Before Minho could ask further, Hyunjoong rested his head on the headrest and let out a soft smirk. "Shinhye is a deal for you, isn't she?"

Minho raised his brows. "And why do you think that?" He was still calm. That's why Kimbum got worried.

Hyunjoong slowly stood up from the chair. "I saw you with a girl yesterday. You were going to your hotel. And Shinhye. You don't remember the deal? Of course, the deal was with Illwoo. Making Shinhye fall for you. Now you're done. Please stop all this."

Minho clenched his hands into fists, trying to stay calm. "Yes. I remember. It's a deal. First I tried to win this deal. but..."

"So everything was a lie?"

The sudden female voice filled the room with tension. Everyone turned their face to the door to see the person who was standing there with tears flowing from her eyes.

Minho's eyes got widened instantly. "Shinhye." He uttered anxiously. His heart almost tore into pieces seeing her tears. Did she hear everything? His friends were silent, Kimbum was trying to find something to help his friend, but nothing was coming to his mind.

Minho slowly walked towards her. "Shinhye.. listen... I was..."

"What? You were acting? I heard that. I heard everything, Oppa. How can you... How can you do this to me? I thought you really changed.." Shinhye sobbed, her tears were streaming down to her cheeks uncontrollably. Her heart was breaking into millions of pieces.

Minho inhaled a deep breath, and put his hand on her cheek, caressing it. "Shinhye, listen.."

As soon as his hand touched her cheek, she jerked his hand away. "Don't touch me."

Her loud voice made Minho froze in his position. "Why didn't you stop playing with me before? Why must you keep playing with me until now? Was it a deal too? Oppa, I believed you. I believed that you love me. But look." Shinhye laughed sadly. "I'm the biggest fool of this world. How can I believe the great Lee Minho will change for me? How can I believe you and me? Actually, it was my mistake. Not yours. I should have understood."

"Shinhye." Minho's whole world spinning around him, as if everything was fading away around him. Her tears are like poison to him.

"Don't utter my name. Mr. Lee Minho." Shinhye wiped her tears and said sharply. She needs to be strong, she can't break down. Her heart died already, it already died when she heard what Hyunjoong said and then Minho agreed.

Minho tried to hold her hand, but she took a step backward. "You're misu.."

Shinhye shook her head. "Don't say anything. I hate you. If you want me to live, don't come to me. Never."

"Shinhye. At least listen to me..." Minho's eyes reddened already, tears started filling his eyes.

"Ah. What? My price?" Shinhye's tears didn't seem to stop. She laughed and looked at Illwoo. "How much I worth? Never mind." She turned back to Minho. "We're done. You win. Congratulations. Don't follow me. It's my request. If you try to convince me I don't know what I'll do. You don't want me to die, right?" She said before leaving. Though her body was trembling, she needs to run out of this place.

As she left, Minho's knees went weak, he fell on the floor, tears started running down from his eyes. Seeing his condition, Kimbum and Illwoo quickly came to him, and pulled him up, making him sit on the couch.

"Did... did she say we... we're done?" Minho looked at Illwoo with a shocked expression.

Kimbum took a glance at Hyunjoong. It was obviously his fault to say that. They knew Minho loved her. Why did he say he was acting? What's wrong with him? Seeing his expression, he doesn't look like he is enjoying Minho's tears.

Illwoo was trying to cool him down. He knew Minho was fighting with his pain, enduring his wound alone. That's why tears were falling silently. He was shaking all over. "Minho. Talk to her."

"Didn't you hear, she'll do anything if.. I try.." Minho was looking at the front mindlessly. Then he turned to Kimbum. "Yea. I'll not be able to live without her. Tell her. I really love her. I love her more than anything." He shouted.

Kimbum sighed and sat beside him, patting on his shoulder. "Calm down first. Give her some time. Sunbin will take Shinhye to her home. Tomorrow, you'll go and talk with her. I'll be with you. Everything will be fine."

-----

Shinhye felt her feet glued on the street. She can't walk anymore. She was walking for almost 3 hours. Tears weren't coming from her eyes now. They already dried in her eyes. But her heart was crying so damn much, it was bleeding so badly.

How can he act so well? His eyes lied too? How is it possible? Every time whenever he looked at me, I felt he was trying to see my soul. Whenever I was near him, he smiled so brightly as if he was a really happy man. Whenever he said he loves me, I couldn't help but believed it. Because I didn't feel like he was acting. I never imagined. He is really Lee Minho. He went to a hotel with a girl yesterday.

Shinhye laughed at herself. Why did she really love him? She shouldn't have loved him. She thought she'll really change him. But she can't. It is Lee Minho. The heir of empire group. Deal? Shinhye again laughed, but this time her body jerked and she fell on the street.

It was my forbidden love. I was cursed by Allah. It's my sin to love him. That's why I'm hurt, so badly. Suffering so hard. Even crying will not less pain. What should I do? If suicide wasn't a sin, I would have chosen it.

Shinhye tried to stand up but fell again. Her body felt so heavy to her. Actually, her heart was heavy, she can't bear its pain.

"Shinhye."

She looked up at the person who was standing in front of her through her blurred vision. "Sunbin." Seeing her, tears started pooling in her eyes.

Sunbin quickly held her arms and pulled her up from the street. Kimbum called her. He told her what happened. When he said he knew it from the beginning, Sunbin said let's end it here. She broke up with Kimbum for hiding everything from Shinhye and letting Minho play with Shinhye. Kimbum was trying to explain something, but she didn't listen to him, it'll not change the truth.

Pulling Shinhye up, she quickly hugged her friend, trying hard to control her tears. "Shinhye. What's wrong with you? You are a strong girl. You always make people happy around you. If you cry like this, what we are supposed to react. Don't cry." She said as Shinhye sobbed in her embrace.

"Sunbin. You live alone now, right? Your parents are aboard, aren't they?" Shinhye controlled herself and asked.

Sunbin pulled away and nodded. "Can I stay at your place, today? I don't want eomma and appa to see me like this." A sob escaped Shinhye's lips again. Sunbin nodded and headed to her car with her. She never imagined Shinhye will break down like this. She loves Minho so much.

-----

"Kimbum. I'm sorry. For me, Sunbin left you." Without looking at Kimbum, Minho took sips of the whiskey bott