Next day… Soo Hyun didn’t follow Shin Hye anymore but he still greeted her whenever they see each other in the hallway since they are still ‘friends’. It was painful but he had to do it. It takes time to heal. Meanwhile, Yong Hwa was absent and so he was in the next few days. Shin Hye was getting worried as days passed by.

She sat with Dara at her usual yellow bench. Dara can definitely see the sad look in her cousin’s face.

“Kwaenchanha?”

Shin Hye just shook her head. Dara leaned closer and gave her a hug.

“You miss him, don’t you?”

She didn’t say anything, which means it’s a yes. Instead, she just let out a very deep sigh.

“C’mon. You can tell it to me Shin Hye-ya.”

Shin Hye released her hug and looked at her cousin with a confused look.

“Why am I feeling like this? I feel so… empty.”

Dara smirked at her.

“Tsk tsk Shin Hye-ya! You’re so naïve. It’s because you have already fallen for him!”

Shin Hye was shaking her hands at her cousin. She was full of denial…

“Aniya! Andwae! It can’t be… I shouldn’t… but… I did.”

But she couldn’t hide it anymore. She covered her face with her hands.

“What should I do now?”

Dara grabbed her shoulders so that Shin Hye can face her.

“1 2 3 4!”

“MWO?!” She removed her hands from her face because of surprise.

“1 thing 2 say 3 words 4 him: I LOVE YOU… Tell it to him… before it’s too late.”

Suddenly, her phone rang. She answered it while Dara got her ear close to Shin Hye’s phone.

“Yeoboseyo?”

“Shin Hye-ya, we need to talk.” His voice sounded really serious.

Dara was signalling her to agree.

“Arasseo. I want to tell you something too.”

“Let’s meet at the usual restaurant.”

“Ok.”

He dropped the call.

“Looks like fate is on your side Shin Hye-ya. Don’t waste your chance! Hwaiting!” Dara said with starry eyes, encouraging her cousin.

***

Shin Hye wore the most beautiful dress she can find in her closet. It was a cream one, just above the knee, the cut can emphasizes her nice figure plus the laces make her looked so young and chic.

“There is no turning back now, Shin Hye-ya. Just tell it to him and it’s over.”

She told to herself before she entered the restaurant. She just came right in time. The waiter greeted her with great courtesy and led her to the table reserved by him. He was already there.

“Have a seat Shin Hye-ya.”

She sat with finesse.

“So… you can dance, huh?” Yong Hwa said coolly.

“You… saw me?” She looked at him with curiosity.

Yes I saw you and Soo Hyun being playful with each other! I even heard the both of you confess that you feel the same way towards each other, and it hurts so bad to hear that straight from you.

“Ne. I saw you with Soo Hyun. You looked really happy with him. That’s quite an improvement.” He said in a ‘trying to act formal’ tone.

“Yeah. He is always cheerful and I think his cheerfulness is quite contagious. Somehow, I remember my brother in him.”

She was clueless with Yong Hwa’s remarked earlier.

That’s it. She sees him as his brother… whom she thinks as her ideal type.

“By the way, Eun Hye-ssi asked me to come with her in your father’s birthday and…”

“And?” Shin Hye’s voice became a little high-pitched.

“And I agreed since I was invited too. You don’t mind it, do you?”

“Aniyo. It’s Appa’s event, not mine.” She said disinterestedly.

After that, there was silence. They can’t even look at each other in the eyes. Finally, Yong Hwa decided to tell Shin Hye why they have to meet.

“Shin Hye-ya, I realized that I already found my Ideal girl so… I’m letting you go.”

Shin Hye almost dropped her glass of water.

“Letting me… go?” Shin Hye looks at him in disbelief.

“Ah… mianhae. It was a wrong term. I mean, we didn’t even have a relationship to start with… I uh… I’m cancelling our engagement.”

Shin Hye bit her lower lip as he heard those words from him. She is trying her very best not to make her tears fall. He looked at her straight in the eyes with boldness as he continued,

“I can’t take it anymore, lying to our parents and all. Mianhaeyo. I shouldn’t have agreed to our engagement. It must be hard for you dealing with me. Sorry for pushing you to do these things.”

“But…”

“I’ll tell it to our parents myself before they can officially announce our engagement… since I was the one who started this.”

Shin Hye couldn’t say anything, as if something was stuck in purposefully. Yong Hwa just gave her a weak smile, but didn’t look at her in the eyes anymore. She couldn’t too.

You must have really found yours Yong Hwa-ya, that’s why you are doing this. It’s Eun Hye, isn’t it?

“Ah… ne. Algesseoyo…” She said as she gulped.

“I think I should go home now.” She looked at her watch. It felt like years sitting there. She wasn’t sure how long she can still take the pain.

“I’ll take you home.”

“Aniyo. My car’s waiting.”

“I insist.”

“O…k.”

***

It felt like forever before they reached her house. No one has spoken ever since they went out of the restaurant.

“Thanks for the lift.” Shin Hye almost said it like a whisper before she stepped out of his car.

“No problem.” He said without getting out of his car to open the door for her.

But before Shin Hye could go inside the house, she finally had enough courage to ask him something that is bothering her.

“Yong Hwa-ya, can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“Supposed that… you finally realized that you love someone but then you discovered that that someone already found another… will you still tell her what you feel towards her?”

Yong Hwa was startled by her question. He looked at her and smirked.

Could it be that… she knew already… my feelings?

“Huh! What for? It’s no use anymore, you will just be hurt. It’ll be just like playing a game when you already know you’re gonna lose…”

And that’s what guys like me… do.

“Ah…” Shin Hye said, her voice fading.

Before she could turn her back, Yong Hwa had another idea in his head.

Is the question… really for me?

“But… on the other hand, knowing that I’ll be rejected makes it easier for me to tell her because I’m already prepared for the consequences… If you don’t want to regret something in the end, then you should tell it to that someone of yours what you really feel…”

 “Geureomyeon… Yong Hwa-ya…” she said while she clenched her fists, for there are more butterflies in her stomach than ever.

“What a tough question Shin Hye-ya! It’s getting cold, you should go inside now or you might get sick. I better get going too. Bye.”

Yong Hwa said without letting her to finish her sentence. He stepped on his gas and started his engine. She was just standing there as he drove his car. She couldn’t hide the tears she has been fighting back since forever. She said while her voice is breaking.

“Geureomyeon… Yong Hwa-ya, saranghae. I must be late. Way too late.”

Tears flow down on her cheeks endlessly as she went inside the house.

_______________________________________________________________________

I’ll post the finale in a few moments…