Chapitre 1

Sooyoung’s light and happy chuckles never failed to sooth the storm of his days. Be it his work, his boss – the heavy head just went away whenever she laughed. Sooyoung was never the average or the ordinary girl. Maybe her independence was what attracted Kris. Or maybe it was her first words to him.

“Ahjusshi, is that your real nose? Oh, and your tie doesn’t match your hair, throw it away.”

It was that simple and blatant question from a stranger that made Kris who was known for his cold persona cracked up. When he wiped the tear from his eye, he saw the genuinely smiling face of a woman his age.

Their first meeting was nothing special. Just a chanced meeting, Sooyoung said. And since that day, frequent encounters between them happened. And all of them occurred in the quaint café called ‘Faithful Star’. Sometimes Kris sought her presence – waiting for the jingle of the bell and seeing her walked up to the barista. It was always the same order – everyday.

“A white double choco and salted caramel, please? Oh, add some melted dark chocolate cream too, please? Thank you.”

And she went off to wait near any empty seats overlooking the serene streets through the wide glass windows. She would pull out a thick novel – a different one every time he saw her – and with a small smile she would silently read; her long legs crossed. Sometimes, her cream-coloured oxford would tap lightly onto the floor as if she was listening to a private favourite tune.

Those times, Kris felt like a stalker. He watched until she would notice him and gave a small wave. Her smile would brighten up and Kris would give a curt nod and hid away his embarrassment. Sometimes, she would utter a hello and sat in front of him. She would palm her chin and tapped her cheek at the same time her child-like eyes would wander around the café. Other times, Kris would approach her and sat opposite of the always smiling lady when he felt brave enough or when he couldn’t let her face fell if he rejected her invitation. They formed a mutual understanding and an unnameable relationship then. Was it friendship or was it simply acquaintance?

Slowly the relationship progress and bloomed into something else. They would talk about random things – weather, work and simply life in general. He knew then, the down-to-earth woman was actually a doctor – a neurosurgeon and he would never even imagine she actually was. Her carefree ways never show her pressuring job.

She talked a lot and Kris liked it.               

                She told him about her two brothers, both who were both in the medical field and were successful surgeons. Her older brother, Daniel was an ophthalmologist while Minho, her younger brother was an ENT surgeon. She told Kris she hated Minho for being too smart. Kris saw she didn’t mean it. Sooyoung was proud of her genius of a brother.

                “It just runs in the family, you know. I mean, I love my job but the interest’s just there since we’re young. Appa’s a haematologist and eomma’s an oncologist. It’s just…there. My parents shape us and I thank them for that.”

                Kris sometimes got lost with her medical terms and she would laugh at Kris’s unsuccessfully hidden confusion. Sometimes, Kris would initiate the conversation, telling her of his days at work as an assistant marketing manager and she would sport that awe-like expression that made Kris continued without any discomfort. He would talk about all the in-trays that came in and told her what he did daily. Sooyoung was an easy person to talk to and Kris knew he was falling for the 25-year-old beautiful woman. She made him smile more than he did before she came into his life and she made him happy. In his eyes, she was the one.

                The day was as any other day when Kris brewed up the courage.

                “Sooyoung-sshi, will you go out with me?”

                Her answer was a blinding smile and Kris knew then she liked him too. More than a friend, he supposed.

                It was a blissful period of courtship. Their relationship was like a flowing and calm river and Kris felt it was too good to be real. But seeing the joy in his face every time he saw his reflection – he knew his life was indeed a happy one.

                Kris was someone who took things in with each stride. He was a man who took things slow and let things progress by nature usually. So after 4 months of dating, Kris asked Sooyoung to be his official girlfriend and asked her to move in with him. Of course Sooyoung agreed and life had never been better. Hearing her laugh and seeing her honest smile when he came home was something he would never trade with anything else in life. She would make dinner and they would eat together before Sooyoung’s irregular night shifts. Other nights when she was not on call, Sooyoung would plan a small outing or just relaxing strolls in the parks or just outside the brightly lit street shops. Sooyoung valued him and he cherished her for that – he loved her for her big and selfless heart. Kris wanted Sooyoung to be in his life forever. He believed that they were fated to be. Destiny had given him a precious chance – a life of happily ever after.   

                Until 2 months ago…