"Forgiveness is the economy of the heart... forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits. "
Hannah More

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seungho woke up when he felt someone shaking him. He was still feeling a bit feverish, and as if that wasn't enough he also had a slight discomfort in his abdomen¹ and a headache. But despite all his pains, his adrenaline has somehow made him all awake and alert for anything that may happen.

 

He openned his eyes and found Hyewon smiling at him with a food tray in her hands again. He noticed that bright lights were making its way through the window, indicating that the morning has come. He sighed at the thought that he'll spend another day with Hyewon.

 

“Good morning sweetheart. I made you breakfast.” Hyewon lifted the tray a bit to make Seungho see what's in it, before she placed in on the bedside table. Seungho just looked at him in response.

 

Hyewon helped him to sit up, to which he complied without any struggle. He wanted to know why she's been acting like a carzy woman, and so the last thing he wanted was to agitate her again. He knew he had to play along.

 

Hyewon placed the tray of food back in her lap as she dug a spon of food and placed It near Seungho's mouth. “Eat, so you can drink your medicines again.” Hyewon persuaded Seungho with a smile.

 

Seungho obeyed sheepishly, and put on a little smile hoping to get her heart to trust him. The moment he saw the smile in Hyewon's face grow bigger, he knew he caught her heart.

 

“How are you? You look quite happy for the past days.” Seungho started to establish rapport with his abductor.

 

“Of course I'm happy! I finally have you back!” Hyewon cupped his cheeks while she smiled like a fool to him.

 

Seungho gave out a slightly awkward smile, which he hoped she didn't noticed. “I-I see...I-I'm glad to see you-”

 

“Are you? Really? You are? Then why did you have to say those terrible things to me in that diner back then?! Do you know how hurt I was with your statements?!” Hyewon's eyes grew bigger and her grasp on Seungho's jaws got tighter when he heard Seungho telling him he missed her.

 

Seungho got frightened a bit by her sudden change in attitude, but he tried to stay calm. He cupped Hyewon's palms in his, hoping to calm her down. “Hyewon-ah, you can't expect me to forgive you that easy after you that easily after...after...”

 

Seungho couldn't find the courage to make him say the next lines. He paused for a moment, then he looked deep into Hyewon's eyes. “..after I found you having with another man in our apartment when we were still engaged.” Seungho spoke as calm as possible, hoping to make her understand his point of view.

 

Hyewon broke into tears. She then wailed loudly and burried her head in his chest as she hugged his waist. Seungho just watched her in silence, shocked by her actions.

 

“I said I'm sorry, didn't I? I've changed Seungho, please believe me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me already” Hyewon was practically screaming at Seungho as she punch Seungho's chest lightly with one hand while she hugged his waist with the other, head still burried at his chest.

 

Seungho just hugged her and caressed her hair, not saying anything. He knew he had to say something to calm her down, but his pride wouldn't let him do it. With her desperate cries, he knew she needed to hear that one word from him to make her alright; but his pride made that word too elusive for him to say.

 

Hyewon break off from their hug and looked Seungho in the eye.

 

“So what now, do you forgive me already?” Hyewon's expression was again darkened and angry as she looked at him, with no hint of remorse at all. Seungho got surprised with her sudden change of expresson and mood. It was like she just put on a show to make it look like she was being remorseful of her actions, but in reality she was just acting up to make him forgive her.

 

“I..I...” Seungho stuttered as he tried to respond, but Hyewon's expression is making him nervous. She might do something terrible to him anytime.

 

“You what?! WHAT?! Your're so difficult to please!” Hyewon's eyes grew wider as she provoked Seungho to speak. She then pushed Seugho and stood up,

 

“You are sooo like James.” She looked at him with disgust. “You guys are so difficult to please.”

 

She placed her face too close to Seungho's face, making Seungho feel her breathing against his skin. She then gabbed Seungho's hair roughly and yanked his head back as she continued. “You both are soo proud, not even thinking of how I feel. You think you can overpower me?! Huh? ANSWER ME!” Seungho got slapped harshly.

 

Seungho just stared at her in shock at her attitude, not minding the pain he got from her slap. He was clueless of what was going on with her, and so he didn't know what to do. One moment she was apologetic, the other next minute she's all mad ang angry.He just sat there and watched silently, afraid to say anything that may provoke her change of attitude anytime. He just watched silently as Hyewon stood by the window with a smirk on her face as she watched the view outside.

 

“Ha! James...He thought he was so much of a tough guy! He thought he can beat me and hurt me senseless for his entertainment purposes?! Ha!” She then slowly approached Seungho, sat beside him, and slowly caressed his cheeks.

 

“He thought I was some helpless little puppy he could play with, but he's wrong. Oh, so wrong!” She pulled Seungho's hair and yanked his head back roughly. “I am one hell of a fighter!” Hyewon said breathily against Seungho's ears.

 

She roughly let go of his hair and took out her phone. She scrolled down here and there, then she showed Seungho a picture...A horrible picture.

 

It was a half-body shot of a man whose head is yanked backward by the hair, blindfolded, with a cloth tied around his mouth area and blood all over his face. His upper torso was covered in red and blue marks, as it was covered in whip marks and bruises. He also noticed some bleeding wounds in his chest, probably some stab wounds. Hyewon laughed evily as she watched Seungho look in horror at the man in the picture. “What did you do to him?!” Seungho's voice was almost inaudible.

 

“I had to teach him a lesson. He thinks he can use me as a slave then beat me senseless after he had his fun? He must be taking me as a lovefool! But he is sooo wrong...Oh, so wrong...” Hyewon poked Seungho's chest harshly as she ranted, giving out an eveil laugh as she spoke the last sentence.

 

“ANSWER ME YOU MORON!” She suddenly slapped him hard, making his head hit the headboard roughly. He just looked at her silently with pity written all over his face. What did he do to her? What happened to you Hyewon? He thought.

 

Hyewon's tears were flowing profusely, but she kept her smile plastered on. She let out an eveil laugh as she paced around the room. She suddenly stopped laughing, sat beside beside Seungho, and grabbed him by the collar again. “So you better be good boy and listen to me before I do this to you, understood?” She pulled his hair roughly, yanking his head backward.

 

Seungho just glared at her, making Hyewon let out another evil laugh. “Oh, poor Seungho! Such a helpless little puppy! Don't worry, I won;t be that harsh to you. Just be a good boy, my great love!” She made her face too close to Seungho, their noses were just an inch apart. After having her fun, she left Seungho.

 

Seungho just sat there silently for a while as he tried to digest everything that just happened. He couldn't help but pity that woman he used to call his 'one true love'. True, she gave him a difficult time before; but she didn't deserve to be maltreated.

 

He regret those days when he ignored Hyewon when she pleaded for him to take her back and to take her away from James. He regret having himself enslaved by his anger which made him ignore Hyewon's pleads to save her from her abusive boyfriend then, James – the same man he saw having with Hyewon in their apartment. Maybe if he just let his pride down and he just stopped and listended to her, then maybe she would feel better about herslef...If he just humbled himself enough to just listened to her and helped her, she would have been saved from the hell hole she was in. But it was too late for all his regrets now.

 

He helped himself lay down again as felt the pain shot through his head and his abdomen. He was about to fall asleep, trying to clear his mind of Hyewon's disturbing actions, when he remembered something Hyewon told her when they were still together. Her grandfather had schizophrenia² before.

 

---

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's been 3 days since Seungho's disappearance, but there were still no information regarding his whereabouts. Eunji, Seunghyun and Joon were getting desperate. They were staying at Seungho's hospital room, in case he decided to come back if he ran away, or if someone informed the hospital regarding his whereabouts. The three of them were too anxious to wait hoplessly at home too, so they just stayed in Seungho's hospital room. The other day, Eunji and Seunghyun went to the radio and TV stations to ask help for finding him, showing his pictures to the public to help them identify seungho immediately. .

 

Seunghyun left for a while to check on his family, leaving Eunji and Joon alone in the room that afternoon. Eunji was staring at the window, while Joon was on the couch, watching Eunji.

 

Joon wanted to talk to her, and try to patch things up with her, but he couldn't find the guts to do so.

 

All of a suden, he heard soft sobs from Eunji. He immediately stood up and approached her. He let her burry her head in his chest as he soothed her back to calm her down.

 

“Hey, hey...Don't cry...We'll find him soon.” He said, trying to sound as gentle as possible. He couldn't help but hug this fragile woman in comfort.

 

“He's sick! I couldn't help but worry!” she exclaimed, not minidng their closeness at all. When she had enough crying, she realized that it was Joon holding her. She immediately got out of his embrace and tried to fix herself. “I..I'm sorry...I was just..I'm sorry Joon.”

 

“You don't need to apologize! I should be sorry...for what I did to you.”

 

Eunji just smiled. “Joon, I told you, I forgave you already.”

 

“I know, you told me that already...But it doen;t seem real..It doesn't sound real. Maybe...maybe I just couldn't find it in my heart to realize that you forgave me already...Maybe, I just couldn't forgive myself...” Joon souldn't look at Eunji's eyes anymore.

 

Eunji approached him and cupped his hand in hers.

 

Joon lifted his head to look at Eunji, and found Eunji smiling at her. He gave her a big smile in return.

 

They remained captivated by each other's eyes for a while, when Joon's phone suddenly rang.

 

His eyes widened as he taked to the person on the phone.

 

“Yes....Yes...Ok...Thank you for that, we're on our way” Eunji just watched in suspense as Joon talked to the person on the phone.

 

“That was my officemate. She said she saw your announcement on TV. She said a few days ago, he saw that man in a wheelchair in front of her neighbor's door as her neighbor tried to open the door. She thought it was suspicious seeing a sleeping man on a wheelchair, but her neighbor said he's a cousin.”

 

“What's her neighbor's name?”

 

“I think its, Kang...Kang Hyewan? Hyewon?”

 

“Kang hyewon? HYEWON?”

 

“I think that's the name, Hyewon. Why??”

 

“That's Seungho's ex girlfriend.” She said, her eyes widened when she looked at Joon as her heart skpped a beat.

 

“Alright. Let's check that out.” Joon and Eunji immediately put their jackets on and took their things as they headed out.

 

Joon and Eunji went to the address immediately. On the way to the given address, they called Seunghyun and told him about Hyewon and asked him to come back to the hosipital as soon as possible in case they return with Seungho. Seunghyun agreed and hung up.

 

It was a 20-minute drive to their destination, which seemed like a 20 hour drive for Eunji. Her heart raced terribly fast as she recalled Hyewon's behavior during her talk with Seungho at the diner, and when she was told of seunghyun's encounter with her one time. With this picture in mind, she cant help but think of various scenarios that may have happened to Seungho. Joon sensed her nervousness as he drove, and so he lightly sqeezed her hands as he encouraged her, “Don't worry. He'll be fine.”

 

Eunji just gave him a quick smile, and then looked away. She wanted to believe Joon, but a big part of her doesn't trust Hyewon at all.

 

They arrived at the building where they were met by Joon's friend. She led them to the room, which was at the end of the hallway of the 7^th floor, before she left. Eunji's heart beat faster and her mind went blank as they stood in front of the door.

 

Joon timidly knocked on the door, but no one answered. He knocked several times, his knocking getting louder each time, but there was still no response. They were about to loose hope after not getting an answer for 15 minutes, until they heard the locks from the other side open. The door was opened slightly, and from that small gap a woman peeked out. Eunji tried not make her shock too obvious when she saw Hyewon.

 

“What do you want?” Hyewon sounded pissed and uninterested. Eunji made sure her face is kept hidden from Hyewon's view, while Joon caught Hyewon's eyes. He thought of a disguise so that she will entertain their questioning, while Eunji stood behind Joon, trying not be seen and be recognized by Hyewon.

 

“Hi. We are from the Office of the National Consensus and we are visiting every unit in this building to check the number of occupants.” Joon's voice was loud and cheerful as he tried to build rapport with Hyewon; while Eunji peeked through the small gap looking for some indications of Seungho's presence in her apartment. Eunji's eyes grew wider when she caught a glimpse of a shoe, that she was very familiar with, in the rack behind Hyewon; it was the shoe that Seungho wore when they sent him to the hospital. Her heart raced faster when she saw that beside it, hanging in that same rack, hung Seungho's red hoodie. She softly nudged Joon's back trying to give him the message.

 

Fortunately, Joon was keen enough to pick up her message. With Eunji still standing behind him, he slowly approached the woman in between the gap which caught the woman in surprise. “Is it OK of we check your unit madam?” He asked in a very charismatic and calm manner, which made Hyewon blush and distracted enough³. Hyewon just stood there as she looked at Joon, giving Joon the perfect opportunity to push the door open allowing himself and Eunji to enter.

 

Joon immediately hugged Hyewon to keep her steady while Eunji ran insde to look for Seungho.

 

“Seungho! Are you here?! Answer me!” Eunji shouted at the top of her lungs, hoping to hear Seungho's response.

 

But there was no response.

 

She scanned the area, left and right, up and down, until her eye caught a glimpse of the folded wheelchair placed near the door of one of the rooms. She immediately went to that room, where she was greeted by the grandiosity of the well-lit Victorian-inspired room.

 

“Seungho?” She tried to call him again, but there was no response.

 

Because of the curtains that hang around the bed, she couldn't see if there was anyone in the bed. She slowly approached it, hoping to finally see who she was looking for. She opened the curtains and, to her surprise, there was no one there except for the untidied pillows and balnkets.

 

She got really frustrated for not finding him, that she started to march out of the room. She was just a few steps from the door when she heard someone knock. Her ears perked up and she looked around trying to locate the source of the knockings.

 

“Who's there? Seungho is that you?!”

 

But there was no response.

 

Thinking that she just probably had some hallucinations, she started to walk out. But then she heard someone knock again, and it was louder this time.

 

“Where are you?!”

 

The knockings got louder, enabling Eunji to locate the source. It was...from the cabinet!

 

She immediately opened the doors, and, to her relief, she found Seungho inside. His hands were bound by duct tape, arms securing the dextrose which was still attached to his vein, and mouth sealed with duct tape.

 

Eunji couldn't help but tear up at his condition, but she wasted no time in freeing him from his s. She immediately removed the duct tape from his mouth, then worked on the duct tape on his hands.

 

Once he got free, he immediately gave Eunji a big hug. “I thought I'll never see you again.”

 

Eunji couldn't help but hug him tighter. “I thought we lost you too.”

 

They're 'moment' got immediately cut off when they heard a heavy metal clanking from the outside⁴. Eunji immediately helped Seungho up, to which Seungho complied with much difficulty. Given the urgency of the situation, Eunji didn't have the time to inspect Seungho's condition, making her unaware of the pale and severely dizzy and nauseous Seungho. She half dragged Seungho towards the door as she called for Joon.

 

They were halfway towards the door, when someone went in. Eunji and Seungho's heads both looked to see who entered and, to their surprise, it was...

 

Hyewon.

 

She was recklessly holding a gun in one hand, while her other hand pointed at Eunji and Seungho.

 

“You tramp! Where do you think you're going with my boyfriend, huh?! You're not taking him away from me...NO!” Hyewon made large strides as she approached them, but Seungho suddenly spoke making her stop at her steps.

 

“Hyewon-ah, please let me go with them. Having me confined here will not make me any better. Nor will it make me change the way I feel about you...” Seungho tried to sound as gentle as possible to deliver that statemnet more gently to Hyewon, but there wasn't any amount of gentleness that could make this statement any better. Seungho doesn't love Hyewon anymore.

 

Hearing what Seungho said, Hyewon's tears started to gush out. Eunji saw how much pain Seungho's words brought to Hyewon, she cringed in pain too.

 

“Y—you're j-just saying that...because y-you're delirious...Y-you didn't mean that, did you? You love me very much Seungho, right? I-I'm you're greatest love! See?! I have the ring to prove it!” She waved her hand in front of Seungho showing him the engagement ring.

 

Seungho just sighed before he smiled and looked at Hyewon. He let out another big sigh before he began speaking. He thought that his idea of confronting Hyewon now given her state may worsen psychological condition, if his suspicion is correct; but he had no other ideas in mind right now. He had to make her face the reality before she loose to her delsuions completely.

 

“Hyewon-ah, I think you need to come with us and have yourself checked by a doctor OK? I feel really really bad seeing you like this, you know? It hurts me so much seeing you...”

 

“THEN WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME SUFFER ALL THESE YEARS WITH YOUR TORTOROUS UNFORGIVENESS, HUH?! Why?!!!!” Eunji was startled at Hyewon's sudden screaming; but Seungho, instead of being startled, was more horrified at her sudden chage of attitude. She probably has a psychologic condition. He thought.

 

“WAS TELLING YOU HOW SORRY I AM FOR A MILLION TIMES NOT ENOUGH TO PROVE MY SINCERITY?! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT, HUH?! DO YOU WANT ME TO FOLLOW YOU AROUND ON MY KNEES JUST TO PROVE MY SINCERITY?! OR FOR ME TO LAY DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND GET MYSELF RAMMED BY A TRUCK BEFORE YOU FORGIVE ME?! WHAT THE HELL SEUNGHO?!!! I TRIED EVERYTHING! BUT BEING THE THAT YOU ARE, YOU JUST SHOOED ME OFF LIKE TRASH! YOU PUSHED ME TO BECOMING LIKE THIS!!! THE TORTURE OF LIVING UNDER YOUR UNFORGIVENESS LEAD ME TO THIS!!!!!” Hyewon's face turned red and her gun waved recklessly towards Seungho and Eunji as her anger bursted out.

 

Seungho's tears began to fall hearing her end of the story. It hurt him so much to see her going crazy like this, but what hurt him more is the fact that he deliberately made her feel bad all these years to make her feel sorry for what she did. But much to his dismay, she just ended up being mentally unstable.

 

“I never meant for this to happen to you, Hyewon. I was hoping that you'll realize my intentions; but you ended up becoming a different person...I'm sorry Hyewon-ah...I'm really really, sorry... “ Seungho paused as he sobbed, while Hyewon just watched, her tears escaping her eyes seeing Seungho crying in front of her.

 

“It was really difficult for me to accept the fact that you cheated on me, after everything we have been through...After everything I have done for you...If you were on my shoes, you'll realize how difficult it is for my end...But it turns out, not forgiving you is something that not only imprisons you but ruins me as well...In the hope of burying my anger towards you, I trashed my life by partying here and there, hoping to vent out my frustrations...If I knew that you'll turn out like this, I should've done something sooner...To save you...and to save myself...” Seungho looked deep into Hyewon's eyes, hoping to catch her heart with his words.

 

Suddenly, Hyewon went to her knees and burried her face in her palms (with one of her hands still holding the gun) as she wailed. “Seungho....Seungho....I'm sorry...I was such a ...I'm sorry....” Hyewon pleaded as she cried.

 

Eunji took that opportunity to take a few steps towards the door, half dragging Seungho with him. Seungho just complied with Eunji's actions.

 

They were only a few steps away from the door when they were suddenly stopped at their steps when Hyewon lifted her head to look at them. Much to Eunji and Seungho's surprise, she looked more calm and rational than earlier. Seungho thought talking her out of this wasn't a bad idea at all.

 

“Then let's start over Seungho. You forgave me, and I forgave you. Let's start over, please? I am you're greatest love, as you are mine, right?...Then let's start over and make it work this time, please?” Hyewon was still on her knees as she pleaded in a softer and calmer manner.

 

Seungho wanted to approach her, hug her, and comfort her. But his weak body wouldn't allow him to stand on his own. He just stood there as she watched Hyewon plead. He responded with much gentleness in his tone, hoping to clear out things for her.

 

“Hyewon-ah, I'm sorry...But that great love of yours is not me anymore...You'll find the best man for you soon...unfortunately, that man is not me...Please understand Hyewon-ah...”

 

In a blink of an eye, Hyewon's mood changed again from a gentle lady to a wild, pissed off lioness. She stood up immediately and pointed the gun at Eunji and Seungho, waving it carelessly in the process.

 

“Are you in' kidding me? Is it this girl, huh? IS IT HER??? No one deserves you better than me Seungho...You're mine.” With one swift motion, she pointed the gun at Eunji and...

 

 

 

 

 

 

BANG! BANG!

 

 

 

 

 

Eunji's mind went blank after the gunshot....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

¹His abdomen was aching due to his inflammed liver, because of the medicine that Hyewon gave her. He was having headaches too because of his tumor.

²Her family history of Schizophrenia gives him a big suspicion that Hyewon might be suffering from Schizophrenia too, since it is a familial disease. 

³Because Hyewon's character here is kind of flirt, she got easily distracted by  Joon's handsomeness and manly voice.

⁴Hyewon just hit Joon with a metal bat at this point, knocking him unconscious.