“Mom, I hope you get well soon…I hate it when you’re looking this pale and sick”, Shinhye murmured as tears fell from her eyes. She was holding her mother’s hand inside her own hands. Remorse and worry etched over her angelic face.

Shinhye and Chae Won managed to bring their mother to the hospital through the help of one of their neighbors who pitied them. At that moment, Chae Won was talking with the doctor who was looking after their mother’s condition.

“I have to be honest with you, Moon Chae Won, your mother’s health is very unstable as of the moment…her lung infection is getting worst especially since she isn’t receiving the proper medication”, Dr. Kim said seriously.

“Is there a way to save my mother, doctor? Is there a way to make her feel better again?” Chae Won asked her voice broken by tears coursing through her face.

“She has to be confined here so that I can monitor her condition and also for her to receive the proper medication”, the doctor replied.

“How many days, doctor?” Chae Won asked again.

“I’m not quite sure it depends on the progress of her health. I know that it is too hard for you and your younger sister because the cost of staying here in the hospital can be expensive. Have you no one who could help you with the expenses?” the doctor asked…his face saddened by pity for Chae Won who was crying silently.

“There’s only me and my younger sister, doctor. I…we never met our fathers. My mother told us that our fathers abandoned her even before I and my sister were born”, Chae Won honestly replied.

“That’s very unfortunate, Chae Won, don’t worry too much then…I’ll ask the hospital if they could provide you with an easier way on how you could pay your mother’s bill. Take it a means of help that I would want to extend to you and your sister”, the doctor said with a sad smile.

“Thank you, Dr. Kim, thank you very much”, Chae Won said as she smiled in gratitude towards the doctor.

“Go now and see to your mother”, Dr. Kim said.

“Thank you again, Dr. Kim”, Chae Won said as she bowed politely before leaving the doctor’s office.

She walked towards her mother’s room. Her mother was still sleeping when she entered.

“Chae Won, what did the doctor say?” Shinhye asked concern filled her voice.

“Shinhye, mom still needs to stay here”, Chae Won said as she sat on the stool on the other side of their mother.

“Is her sickness that worst?” Shinhye asked.

“The doctor said her lung infection is getting worst so she needs to be here in order for the doctor to monitor her and help provide the right  medication for her”, Chae Won replied…her eyes fixed on their sleeping mother.

“How can this happen to her? How can this happen to us?” Shinhye worriedly said as she sat on the stool and cried knowing that their mother’s stay at the hospital would cost them a lot of money which they did not have and a lot of emotional suffering that their mother did not need.

“Shinhye, don’t worry yourself too much…God is good and I know that something or someone will come and help us, okay?” Chae Won said comforting her younger sister.

“Yes, God is good and I hope he gives us the help we need because we can’t lose mom”, Shinhye agreed through her tears.

C-Chae Won, S-Shinhye”, their mother uttered their names before she opened her tired eyes and stared at them.

“Mom, how are you feeling?” Chae Won asked.

“I still feel weak but I guess I can already go home today”, their mother replied.

“Mom, you nearly had us worried to death when you fainted…how can you think of leaving the hospital at your condition?” Shinhye worriedly said.

“We don’t have the money to pay for my stay here…and I can rest home instead of staying here like an invalid”, their mother replied.

“No, mom, this time you aren’t going home until the doctor gives his approval that you can already come home with us, huh?” Chae Won determinedly said…she would not allow their mother to put herself at risk again just because they lacked the money.

“We’ll find a way to pay the hospital…just think about how you’re going to get yourself back into shape, mom”, Shinhye said equally determined in her view that their mother should stay at the hospital.

“Chae Won, Shinhye”, their mother called as if trying to protest their decision but the sisters did not appear bothered by their mother’s protest.

“Mom, I’ll just leave for a while…I’ll go home to fetch some of your things and also to get a change of clothes for me and Shinhye”, Chae Won told their mother.

“Okay”, their mother agreed.

“Shinhye, stay here with mom, okay?” Chae Won told her sister.

“Okay, hurry back from home”, Shinhye agreed as she settled herself more comfortably on the stool near their mother’s bed.

“I’m going now”, Chae Won bid her mother and sister goodbye before she went out of the door.

“I’ll stay here with you, mom, I’ll stay here and take care of you”, Shinhye said in a gentle voice.

“Shinhye, don’t worry about me too much. Go to your work at the grocery this afternoon instead of staying here with me. We need all the money that we can get…if only you’d allow me to go home this….” Their mother was not able to finish her words because she was engulfed in a fit of coughing.

“Mom, you’re not going until you’re well and that is final…if you’d want me to go to the grocery this afternoon…okay…I’ll go but you have to promise to stay here”, Shinhye bargained with her mother.

“Okay, I promise that I’ll stay here…just don’t worry about me”, their mother agreed with a sad smile.

“Shinhye, would you and your sister hate me if you found out that I lied to you?” their mother asked all of a sudden.

“Lie? What do you mean, mom?” Shinhye asked surprised.

“What if I told you that you and your sister's fathers were still alive and living a very affluent life…that you were heiresses to their great fortunes but I deprived you of that chance?” their mother asked.

“Mom, we all know that it isn’t true? They already left you then so if there was someone who deprived us of our good lives, those were our fathers”, Shinhye replied as she was being puzzled by their mother’s mention of their fathers.

“What if I deprived you? Would you and Chae Won hate me?” their mother insistently asked.

“No…and I know Chae Won won’t hate you too…so don’t worry about it, mom. Please, just concentrate on getting well”, Shinhye replied with a determined smile.

“Thank you…thank you…”, their mother said as tears fell from her eyes and rolled at the pillow.

Shinhye wiped her mother’s tears…her mind wondering at what if their mother was really telling her the truth…if she and Chae Won were really heiresses what then?

“Shinhye, how’s mom?” Chae Won asked when she arrived at the hospital with their things.

“She’s a bit fine. What took you so long? I thought you’d just grab some things at home?” Shinhye asked.

“I’m sorry if I took so long coming back…I went to school and informed our teachers why we’re absent for class today. I also asked them for some lectures so that we could cope up for the missed lessons”, Chae Won replied while she was taking off the things from their wrn out bad and putting them on a small sofa at the corner of the room.

“Okay”, Shinhye agreed as she decided to rise from the stool at their mother’s side and sat at the sofa.

“I’ll be going to the diner at 4:00 but I’ll try to go home earlier”, Chae Won informed Shinhye as she too flopped herself on the sofa.

“I’ll be going to the grocery too…I know I should be with mom here but she made me promised a while back that I would work at the grocery so that we could earn more money to pay the hospital”, Shinhye explained lengthily.

“I guess…we have to work harder and asked one of the nurses to stay with her while we’re gone”, Chae Won said with a sigh knowing that their mother was right…she and Shinhye had to work double time.

“Chae Won, what if you found out that we’re daughters of affluent men what are you going to do?” Shinhye asked suddenly the words of her mother coming back at her.

“Really? Affluent men?” Chae Won chuckled softly not taking her younger sister’s question seriously.

“Yah…Chae Won, what if it was true? Haven’t you considered that even once in your life?” Shinhye asked gently nagging her elder sister’s arm.

“Honestly…I don’t know. I guess I would be nice to know that our fathers are affluent but it is also sad that they left us to live a miserable life”, Chae Won replied looking at Shinhye.

“What if mom was the reason why we lived in poverty for so long? What if she was the one who deprived us the chance to be with our fathers? Would you be angry at her?” Shinhye asked as she decided to avoid her sister’s eyes and stared at the bed where their mother slept.

“No…maybe she had her reasons then for doing that but whatever happens I know deep in my heart that if mom did that she was suffering more than poverty because she had to deal with the guilt she had inside and I won’t add up to that by getting angry for it would serve no purpose”, Chae Won replied before she stood from the sofa and grab her back pack.

“Oh…it’s already 3:30…we have to hurry to our jobs”, Shinhye said as she also stood and grabbed her back pack.

The sisters went out of their mother’s hospital room and asked a nurse at the nurse’s station to be with their mother before they hurried to their respective jobs.

_________________________________________________________________________

That day…that afternoon…Song Joong Ki was in front of his family’s mansion at Incheon. He was reading a book at the garden when someone called to him.

“Looking so serious?” someone asked.

“Yonghwa, when did you arrive?” Joong Ki stood and gave Yonghwa a brotherly hug.

“I just arrived a while ago”, Yonghwa said as he settled on the seat opposite Joong Ki.

“I didn’t see a bevy of body guards?” Joong Ki jokingly commented.

“I left them…I boarded the train going here then took the cab from the train station”, Yonghwa casually replied as he helped himself from the finger foods that Joong Ki were eating.

“Whoa…really? How did you manage that feat? Escape your bodyguards?” Joong Ki exclaimed in amazement.

“I told them that I’ll fire them if they follow me here”, Yonghwa replied nonchalantly.

“Would your father, Senator Jung, allow you to do that?” Joong Ki asked.

“Of course not…I’m just bluffing but they bit the bluff so here I am”, Yonghwa said as he grinned boyishly.

“Wow…Yonghwa...you’re the man”, Joong Ki said accompanied with some clapping as he also grinned.

“Why is Yonghwa the man, Song Joong Ki? What mischief did you decide to involve yourself this time, Yonghwa?” it was Song Hye Kyo who came at them at the garden. She was Joong Ki’s only sister who was ten years their senior. She was also the only family Joong Ki had ever since their parents died in an accident years ago.

“Nothing, noona, I was just commending Yonghwa on a good project”, Joong Ki replied as he and Yonghwa stood and bowed shallowly to Hye Kyo.

“Sit down the two of you. What project? Escaping the bodyguard project?” Hye Kyo asked as she also settled on a chair.

“Eh…you already know about it, noona?”Yonghwa asked surprised. He was close to Hye Kyo whom he also treated as an elder sister since he was an only child…with his mother died giving birth to him and his father decided not to remarry anymore.

“You’re father called me while I was at the mall…I was looking at the inventory and having a meeting with some investors for possible branches of the mall when your father called and asked if you were here”, Hye Kyo replied before she popped a fries on .

Yonghwa and Joong Ki had been bestfriends ever since they were in kindergarten. Both of their families occupy the highest rungs in the society. Joong Ki’s family owned the largest malls around South Korea while Yonghwa’s family owned fifty percent of the shares at the Park Shipping Company and his father was a senator. They grew up in Seoul but they go for weekends or holidays at Song Mansion in Incheon or Jung Mansion in Busan.

“And you told him…” Yonghwa hesitatingly said.

“I told him you’re here because I know you would because if you aren’t coming here, Joong Ki would have come with me at the meeting”, Hye Kyo reasoned out.

“Woosh…I guess I won’t be successful anymore in escaping my bodyguards”, Yonghwa said with a sigh.

“Better luck next time, Yonghwa”, Joong Ki said with a teasing grin.

“Oh shut up…you”, Yonghwa said as he pretended to be annoyed but failed as his boyish grin kept creeping up his lips.

“Anyway…have you eaten yet?”Hye Kyo asked.

“We’re eating, noona”, Joong Ki replied.

“I mean not these fries and junk foods…real foods”, Hye Kyo said as she pointed at the foods on the table.

“Why aren’t these foods, noona?” Yonghwa joined in the banter.

“These are foods but I’m pertaining to something substantial than these”, Hye Kyo replied.

“Aren’t these substantial?” Joong Ki again bantered.

“Yah…are the two of you making fun of me?” Hye Kyo annoyingly asked.

The two young boys burst into laughter…

“I’m sorry, noona”, Joong Ki said as he stood and gave a light peck on Hye Kyo’s right cheek.

“I’m sorry, too, noona”, Yonghwa also did the same to her left cheek.

“Okay…what now?” Hye Kyo asked.

“I guess we’ll eat with you. Have you asked the cook to prepare something?” Joong Ki replied.

“Let’s just dine out…the cook’s not feeling well so I suggested that she rest for a while”, Hye Kyo replied.

“Okay that will be fine”, Joong Ki agreed as he looked at Yonghwa.

“Noona, Joong Ki, I think I’ll just tour around first anyway I already ate something at the train station before going here”, Yonghwa said.

“Sure…but be careful in touring around”, Hye Kyo reminded him.

“Yes, noona”, Yonghwa said.

“Yonghwa, see you this evening”, Joong Ki said as he made a motion of his hands as though playing.

“Of course…I brought my CDs of Fatal Frame and Devil May Cry for us to play this evening”, Yonghwa said with a grin.

“Yonghwa, you’re the best”, Joong Ki said as he thumbed up before he followed his sister.

“Yeah…right…that’s what I’ve been telling everyone”, Yonghwa told himself with a chuckle as he too followed the two going outside the gates of the mansion.

_________________________________________________________________________

“Table number 2”, the woman at the counter announced.

Chae Won walked at the counter to pick up the heavy tray and delivered it to table number 2.

“You’re order, sir, ma’am”, Chae Won said as she placed the plates laden with foods at the table. “Would that be all, sir, ma’am?” she asked politely.

“Yes, thank you, you may leave us”, the man replied.

Chae Won bowed politely before she hurried to the counter to get the tray for table number 5. The diner was filled with people because it was around 5:00 pm and people from the nearby library were starting to come at the diner.

“Chae Won, hurry up, deliver this at table number 6”, the woman said in a loud voice.

“Okay, okay, I’m there”, Chae Won replied as she hurried to the counter.

She was almost done serving at table number 6 when the door of the diner opened and Hye Kyo and Joong Ki entered. After Chae Won finished at table number 6, she approached the two who seated at table number 10 near the window overlooking the busy streets outside the diner.

“Good afternoon, sir, ma’am, your order, please”, Chae Won politely asked after she bowed.

Joong Ki looked up at her while Chae Won was busy turning the pages of the order sheet and preparing to write.

“Give us two spicy spaghetti and a pitcher of iced tea. Joong Ki, what else do you want?” Hye Kyo asked.

Joong Ki was still looking at Chae Won contemplating the elegant beauty of her face. It was the first time he had ever looked intently at a female.

“Joong Ki, Joong Ki”, Hye Kyo called at him as she gently tapped his hands.

“Y-yes, noona?” Joong Ki asked as he looked at his sister as though he just came from a trance.

“I’m asking what else do you want to order?” Hye Kyo asked.

“Some fries and spicy chicken will be nice”, Joong Ki asked.

“Would that be all, sir, ma’am?” Chae Won politely asked.

“Yes…thank you”, Hye Kyo said with a smile.

Chae Won bowed and left to place their orders at the kitchen staff.

“Joong Ki, what’s that all about? Do you know her?” Hye Kyo asked.

“No…it’s my first time seeing her actually”, Joong Ki replied.

“But the way you look at her…” Hye Kyo commented.

“I don’t know, noona, but the moment she came to us…the moment I looked up at her face…I felt that something tugged at my heart…as if something was calling at me to hold her”, Joong Ki replied.

“You like her?” Hye Kyo asked surprised since it was the first time Joong Ki ever showed an interest to girls around his age. He was usually interested more with his studies and his computer and PSP games which he played with Yonghwa.

“I-I don’t know yet but I like looking at her…I can stay for the entire afternoon just looking at her”, Joong Ki replied.

Hye Kyo just shook her head gently and smiled.

At the distance, Chae Won was talking with one of the kitchen staff as she was placing orders from other tables.

“Chae Won, the handsome guy from table number 10 keeps on staring at you wherever you are his eyes keeps on following you”, Woori commented.

“Yeah…I just noticed that”, Chae Won absentmindedly agreed.

“What’s with that reaction? The guy’s as handsome as sin”, Woori said.

“Woori, I need to earn money for my mother’s hospital bill…I don’t have the time to ogle handsome as sin guys, okay”, Chae Won said as she walked at the corner of the counter to arrange trays after she was done placing the orders to the kitchen staff.

“Okay, I agree but you must admit you find him handsome? Woori insisted.

“Yes, he is, satisfied?” Chae Won sarcastically replied.

“Table number 10”, the woman at the counter announced.

Chae Won hurried at the counter to get the tray. She walked towards the table when she did not notice a spilled juice from the nearby table which was not yet mopped by one of the staff who happened to be using his cellphone secretly at the corner.

“Ahhhh!” Chae Won shouted as she slipped and fell at her bottom…the foods and iced tea strewn around her making her look like a mess.

“Are you okay?” Joong Ki immediately stood and was about to help her to her feet when the owner of the diner came out angrily.

“What’s the meaning of this?” the owner asked.

Chae Won upon seeing the owner’s face realized that for that day…she was doomed.

Hi everyone..I started introducing our leading men in this chapter as well as the encounter between our OTPs, starting with the EunMa/ ChaeKi couple. Anyways, thank you for your support...for subscribing...for commenting and for reading my story both this one and Intertwined. Love you all so much....