7 months later

Bordeaux, Gironde, Southwestern France

It was mid spring which is the season where flowers are blooming and the warmth temperature shows that the summer is coming soon. A man in his early thirties is seen riding on a white colored horse and he stopped right outside the ranch.

“Aren’t you tired?” Asked a woman and handed him a bottle of mineral water.

He replied with a smile, “A little but horse riding is always fun. I have no idea why are you so afraid of them, Jung-Eun ah.”

Min Jung Eun heaved a soft chuckle upon hearing what her husband said, “I just have bad memories about them.”

Her answer earned a light chuckle from Won-Seok. Yes, Kim Won Seok, her husband whom she got married to five months ago.

“Stop laughing.” Jung-Eun said, slightly pouted her lips.

Won-Seok casually circled his hand on Jung-Eun’s shoulder and asked, “Do you like it here?”

She nodded, “Eo. When you said we’re going to France, I was imagining Paris and the bright city of light. I never thought that your friend actually owns a huge winery.”

Won-Seok steps stopped and that makes Jung-Eun to feel a little startled that she asked, “Why?”

“You are lying.” Won-Seok uttered as his gaze stopped at Jung-Eun’s.

“I am not. I really like it here.” Jung-Eun defended.

Won-Seok let out an exaggerate sigh before replying his wife, “You had trouble sleeping these few nights and you are literally hiding something from me.” He paused as he analyzed her expression before continuing, “What is it, Jung-Eun ah? You can always tell me.”

Jung-Eun quickly broke her eye contact with Won-Seok because he knew that this guy is one sensitive man that she couldn’t really lie to him. She barely speaks anything which started to bother Won-Seok.

“Jung-Eun ah.” Called Won-Seok.

Kim Won Seok might be one ruthless man but that image vanished completely when he’s in front of Min Jung Eun. It’s just the proof of how love could make someone become a real fool.

“I am just worried.” Said Jung-Eun at last.

Won-Seok furrowed his brows, not understanding what Jung-Eun means, “What are you worrying about?”

Jung-Eun took a very deep breath before answering Won-Seok, “Kook-Ran.”

“You mean Myung Kook Ran? Your friend who happened to be in the same class with you but she dropped out at last?”

Jung-Eun nodded her head, “Eo. It has been seven months since the last time I heard about her. I don’t even know if she came back from Barcelona or not after attending Jong-Hwan’s wedding. I couldn’t reach her since then.” She glanced to Won-Seok with her pleading gaze, “Can we stop by Vienna before going back to Seoul?”

Won-Seok was never taught on how to use feelings in making decisions but things are just different when he’s with Jung-Eun that he could never say no to her that he nodded his head.

“Thank you.” Jung-Eun uttered and followed by a light smile.

A week later

Vienna, Austria

Jung-Eun gasped in shock once she heard from the landlady that she hasn’t seen Kook-Ran for a week already. She didn’t think twice but to barged into Kook-Ran’s apartment unit. She doesn’t care if someone might think that she’s a burglar. What she cares right now is just her best friend.

You can never imagine how shocked she was when she couldn’t find Kook-Ran anywhere in her apartment. She walked towards the kitchen area and her gaze stopped at a sonogram that’s pasted on the fridge. Jung-Eun grabbed that picture and closed her lips with her palm when she noticed the notes below.

‘Woori Aegi.’

“She’s pregnant?” Jung-Eun was speechless for a while which caused her to froze in her position for a few minutes.

In the next few seconds, Jung-Eun quicken her pace to search the whole studio apartment and the journal beside her bed caught her attention the most. Pages by pages were written beautifully by Kook-Ran about her pregnancy journey which successfully bring tears to Jung-Eun. However, the last page of the journal breaks Jung-Eun’s heart into pieces.

Baby Boy Name Ideas

Hoon Soo Myung Jong Jae Won Seok Kang Chan

Kwang Hwan Hyun Seung Pil Kook Dong Sang Hee

Seong Eon Dae Yeon Dam Tae Cheol Eun Soon

Choi Jong Hwan X Myung Kook Ran

Choi Jong Kook

“She even prepared names?” Jung-Eun mumbled on her own as she tried to stop herself from sobbing.

Jung-Eun put down the journal and walked out from Kook-Ran apartment unit only to look for the landlady again to validate the information she just got.

“Is she pregnant?” Asked Jung-Eun.

The landlady nodded her head, “She’s pregnant all this while but I have never seen any man around her. I wonder if it’s her due date already?” She shrugged her shoulder.

“Where is she? Which hospital?” Jung-Eun’s breath started to be uneven as she dares not to imagine what Kook-Ran has gone through these seven months.

Vienna General Hospital

Vienna, Austria

Kim Won Seok walked through the ob-gyn department only to witness his wife sitting on the hallway chair with her blank gaze. He approached Jung-Eun quickly and put her into his embrace.

“What happened?” He asked.

Jung-Eun erased her tears roughly with the back of her hand and answered, “It’s a boy.” She tried her best to smile but still, it’s too painful.

“What do you mean?” He doesn’t understand.

“Kook-Ran gave birth to a baby boy.” Said Jung-Eun at last but she couldn’t help anymore but to drown her face on Won-Seok’s shoulder, crying on it.

Won-Seok who doesn’t have much idea what’s going on could just stay still and rubbed Jung-Eun’s back to sooth her. “Isn’t it a happy news? Why are you crying?”

“Because the doctor doubted that Kook-Ran can make it. I don’t really understand what actually happens but they said that it was severe bleeding that Kook-Ran lost a lot of blood during the labor. I am such a bad friend, oppa. I should be there to be with her. I should have searched her when I couldn’t reach her. How can I live happily like this knowing my best friend is lying inside there like a dead corpse?!” Jung-Eun almost screamed her lungs out, letting out all of her sadness.

Won-Seok inhaled for more air to calm himself down and he slowly cupped Jung-Eun’s shoulder, “Have you seen her?”

Jung-Eun shook her head gently, “I don’t dare to.”

“Gaja.” Said Won-Seok as he intertwined his fingers with Jung-Eun. He noticed Jung-Eun worried and scared expression that he added, “Everything will be fine, trust me.”

Trusting Won-Seok, they both entered the ICU room and Jung-Eun’s tears started to roll again once she witnessed that it’s really Kook-Ran. It’s not a dream.

“Kook-Ran ah. What happened?” Jung-Eun covered her lips with her palm so that she won’t make any sound.

It feels like heaven is blessing them that Kook-Ran slowly opened her eyes. It seems like she can barely do it but she forced to open her eyes because she recognizes Jung-Eun’s presence.

“Kook-Ran ah, you are awake? Let me call the doctor.” Jung-Eun stood up from her seat before she’s stopped by Kook-Ran.

“Hajima.” Said Kook-Ran weakly.

Jung-Eun noticed that Kook-Ran wanted to speak something but her voice is just way too low for it that she narrowed the distance between her ears and Kook-Ran’s lips.

“Please take care of my baby.” Kook-Ran muttered weakly.

Jung-Eun shook her head instead, “What do you mean? He’s your baby. You ought to stay strong for him, Kook-Ran ah. Do you remember? You even gave him a name already. Jong Kook, it’s such a beautiful name, Kook-Ran ah. Jong-Hwan will be so delightful to know that you have his baby.”

Kook-Ran slowly shook her head and use all of her remaining energy left to reply, “Jong-Hwan will never know his existence. My son is not a choi, Jung-Eun ah. He can never bear that last name.”

“He’s the prove of your love and Jong-Hwan. How you can say that?”

“Just promise me,” Kook-Ran paused to inhale for more air before continuing, “To take care of him behalf on me. Je bal.”

Jung-Eun held Kook-Ran’s hand tightly and nodded her head, “Eo, I promise you but you ought to promise me too that you are going to keep breathing.”

Kook-Ran lips curled up into a lightly smile, “Gomapda, Jung-Eun ah. I am so grateful to have you as my friend.”

As soon as Kook-Ran said that, her eyes get weaker and weaker that she can barely open it again. Just like a doll that ran out of battery, she eventually left.

“Kook-Ran ahh!!!” Jung-Eun screamed her lungs out once the doctor announced that Myung Kook Ran has passed away.

Won-Seok held onto his wife tightly and tried his best to calm her down, “Calm down, Jung-Eun ah. Kook-Ran wouldn’t be that happy to see you this way.”

“What should I do, oppa? What am I going to tell his son later? That his mother passed away when she gave birth to him?” Jung-Eun blurted out.

Won-Seok shook his head instead, “No. We can choose to not tell him.”

“What do you mean?” She doesn’t understand.

“Because he’s going to be our son. He’s going to bear my last name, Jung-Eun ah. Kim Jong Kook. From now on, Kim Jong Kook is our son and I am sure that we can raise him well behalf on Kook-Ran.”

“What if he finds it one day that we are not his biological parents?”

Won-Seok took a deep breath again and answered, “He won’t. Although it’s a lie, I will make sure that he will live in this beautiful lie forever.”

Twenty years later

Seoul, South Korea

“Eomma, did you see my black colored sweatshirt?”

Jung-Eun turned around at her twenty years old son and asked back, “Which sweatshirt are you talking about? All of your sweatshirts are black.”

“Ani. The one that has tiger cartoon printed on it.” Replied the boy while he kept on searching around his room.

Jung-Eun shook her head and walked towards her son’s room, “Yah, Kim Jong Kook.” She said and crossed her hands on her chest.

“Wae?” Jong-Kook looked at his mother with fearful look because it’s not going to be beautiful if his mother called his full name.

Instead of getting angry, Jung-Eun chuckled at Jong-Kook, “It’s hanging on the chair. Can’t you see it?” She said.

Jong-Kook giggled embarrassedly, “Yeoksi, eomma, you’re the best.” He replied, took his sweatshirt and wore it immediately.

“Come to the dining room, the breakfast is ready.” Said Jung-Eun and walked out from her son’s room before stopping and turned back, “Don’t forget to wake your father up too.” She continued.

The dining table isn’t that big but it’s spacious enough for the three of them. A family which consists of three. Kim Won Seok, Min Jung Eun and their only son, Kim Jong Kook.

“I heard it’s your graduation party tonight.” Said Won-Seok, breaking the silence between them.

Jong-Kook nodded his head, “Eo. I don’t even know that there’s a party. I thought it’s just a formal event.” He answered and moved his gaze to both of his parents, “Eomma, appa, make sure that both of you will be present, eo?”

Jung-Eun smiled, “Of course we will come. Your appa hasn’t stop bragging to his friends that his son is going to be a valedictorian.”

That statement caused Won-Seok to glance at Jung-Eun, “Who told you so? I never told anyone about this.” He denied.

Jong-Kook grinned in satisfaction, “It’s okay, appa. I know how proud you are towards your son. Let’s have barbecue party tonight.”

“Sounds good. Eomma will prepare samgyeopsal party