That night at the Song Mansion, Joong Ki and Yonghwa were hanging out. Both were drinking wine while lounging at the chairs near the pool.

“I heard from Hye Kyo noona that you defended someone at the diner where you ate this afternoon”, Yonghwa started before he sipped his wine.

Joong Ki smiled before he answered. “Yeah…I defended Chae Won from being abused by the owner of the diner”.

“Chae Won? You’re first name basis with her already?” Yonghwa said amazed by the happy smile he was seeing at Joong Ki’s handsome face.

“Yonghwa, how do you know if you’re in love?” Joong Ki suddenly asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know exactly”, Yonghwa answered vaguely.

“Yonghwa, c’mon! Don’t tell me that you don’t know? You’re in a serious relationship with Seo Joo Hyun, right?” Joong Ki asked.

“I guess…it’s more about being happy seeing the person. The sudden rapid beating of one’s heart…the desire to be with that person every minute of the day…the desire to defend that person and see to it that she’s always happy and contented”, Yonghwa replied as he smiled remembering Seo Joo Hyun his girlfriend of three years.

“Yonghwa, I guess I’m in love”, Joong Ki declared seriously.

“I don’t believe you. I thought you don’t believe in love?” Yonghwa asked surprised at Joong Ki’s declaration.

“I do now, Yonghwa; and, I believe that it might be the case of love at first sight”, Joong Ki replied which elicited chuckles from Yonghwa.

“You’re not yet drunk, are you?” Yonghwa teased Joong Ki.

“I’m dead serious. The moment I walked inside that diner and saw her…I felt the rapid beating of my heart. For me, she was the most beautiful young lady. She has this beautifully shaped face, her naturally red lips are not too thin nor too plump that they are made for kissing…her nose and cheekbones define the word elegance. She has thick, black hair which is partially straight since the ends tend to wave as it fell to her elbows”, Joong Ki narrated with a gentle smile gracing his lips.

“Really? She’s that beautiful?” Yonghwa asked curiously seeing Joong Ki talked like a love-struck person for the first time.

“Yes, her dark chocolate eyes are beautiful and expressive. She has a clear and fair complexion. She looks like a princess…a queen that I wanted to bow to her and call her ‘Your Highness’”, Joong Ki continued describing Chae Won giddily.

“Wow! It’s a first time, Joong Ki”, Yonghwa commented.

“Yes…it’s a first time and I plan to do everything to help her…to see to her comforts”, Joong Ki agreed.

“How do you know that she was telling you the truth?” Yonghwa cynically asked.

“I and Hye Kyo noona saw her mother’s records at the hospital. Noona also asked someone to look into her background and she found out that what Chae Won was saying were true. Actually, she is an illegitimate child…she and her younger sister, Park Shinhye”, Joong Ki replied.

At the mention of Shinhye’s name, Yonghwa stopped sipping his wine and stared at his friend.

“Did you say Shinhye?” Yonghwa asked his eyes reflected his surprise at the same time his pleasure at the mention of Shinhye’s name.

“Yes, her younger sister’s name is Shinhye. She works at a grocery store and a first year student”, Joong Ki confirmed.

“Your Chae Won is really telling the truth”, Yonghwa declared as he smiled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Joong Ki asked bewildered by Yonghwa’s reaction.

“When I went out on my own this afternoon, a thief tried to get the better off me by bumping on me and stealing my wallet but there was this girl who went to chase the thief and berate him for stealing my wallet. She was so brave for someone so young. After she helped me, I followed her to the grocery where she was working and helped her heaved sacks of flour and sugar to the store room…” Yonghwa was not able to finish because Joong Ki interrupted him.

“Wait…you carried sacks of flour and sugar to the store room?” Joong Ki asked.

“Yes, is that a big deal?”Yonghwa asked surprised at Joong Ki’s reaction.

“Not really but…” Joong Ki did not bother to finish his statement and just smiled at his best friend.

“I helped her and she told me the same story and that her older sister works at a diner”, Yonghwa finished.

“What does she look like?” Joong Ki asked surprised.

“She is the most beautiful for me…honestly much beautiful than Joo Hyun. I think from your descriptions of Chae Won she and Shinhye shared almost the same features. Shinhye also has a beautifully shaped face, a naturally red lips made for kissing, a fair and clear complexion, a cute nose, light brown innocent eyes and wavy, elbow length, light brown hair. She doesn’t look like a princess or a queen…she’s more of an angel who reflects everything that is good and innocent”, Yonghwa narrated and surprisingly he enjoyed telling Joong Ki about Shinhye in such a way that he never did about Joo Hyun.

“Are you attracted with Shinhye?” Joong Ki suddenly blurted out.

“Why do you ask such a question? I already have Joo Hyun, how could I be attracted to Shinhye?” Yonghwa asked…his face turning a shade of red at Joong Ki’s frank question.

“You talk about Shinhye in such a way that there’s so much fondness in your voice…there’s this strange energy when you’re talking about her as if you enjoyed talking about her to another person. That’s something you haven’t yet done with Joo Hyun…when you talked about Joo Hyun you just said that your girlfriend is beautiful but you don’t go into details the way you are with Shinhye”, Joong Ki said showing how observant he was of Yonghwa’s actions.

“Okay…okay…you caught me red handed. I’m attracted to Shinhye but I can’t act on that attraction the way you can with Chae Won. I already have Joo Hyun and besides Shinhye is five years younger than me…she’s practically like a younger sister”, Yonghwa tried valiantly to defend himself although his heart was already racing wildly in his chest at the thought of him being with Shinhye.

“It’s your call, Yonghwa. I guess I won’t meddle unless you want me to. Anyway, I just want tell you something…don’t take it bad but I saw Joo Hyun and Kyuhyun last time at the cafeteria. Are they by chance close or friends?” Joong Ki asked as the image of Joo Hyun and Kyuhyun talking sweetly with each other flashed on his mind.

“They are members of the same club…the dance club so maybe they are talking about their recent projects”, Yonghwa replied.

“Just the two of them?” Joong Ki asked.

“They are just in the same club, Joong Ki, it’s not a big deal,okay?” Yonghwa said with finality. He knew where Joong Ki was getting at and he did not believe anything because he knew that Joo Hyun would not betray him with another man.

“If you say so”, Joong Ki reluctantly agreed.

“Joong Ki, have you thought of a way on how you could help Chae Won?” Yonghwa changed the topic.

“Yeah…I’ll pay the hospital bills. Hye Kyo noona also agreed to help give Chae Won a part time job at the mall so I’ll leave her a card which she can show at the assigned manager here so that she can immediately start with her new job”, Joong Ki replied.

“I guess…I’ll help Shinhye by paying the two months’ rent of their apartment and leave a large amount for their needs and for their mother’s medicine”, Yonghwa said.

“That’s a good idea. Are we going to see them tomorrow?” Joong Ki asked excitedly.

“I hope so”, Yonghwa agreed with a smile.

“Let’s cut this drinking and let’s sleep so that we can be at the hospital early in the morning”, Joong Ki said as he tossed the last of his wine and stood.

“Excited much”, Yonghwa teasingly said as he too tossed the last of his wine and stood.

They walked towards the sliding door of the living room to the grand staircase and to their respective rooms each filled with hopes of seeing the beautiful sisters they met that day.  

The next day, Joong Ki and Yonghwa were preparing to go to the hospital when someone called Yonghwa’s cellphone.

“Hello”, Yonghwa answered.

“Hello, Yonghwa, it’s me Donghae. I need you and Joong Ki to return to Seoul right now”, it was Lee Donghae one of their classmates and teammates in football.

“Why? Is there anything wrong?” Yonghwa asked worriedly.

“Coach told me to get you back here for the training since the football games against other high schools are scheduled earlier than the usual so the team needs you and Joong Ki”, Donghae replied.

“O-Okay…we’ll be there”, Yonghwa replied before he cut the call.

“Who is it?” Joong Ki asked.

“Looks like we won’t be seeing Chae Won and Shinhye”, Yonghwa replied as he narrated what Donghae told him.

“What the…” Joong Ki said his disappointment visible on his handsome face.

“Don’t worry we can visit them after we finished the games”, Yonghwa encouragingly said although he himself was also disappointed.

“Would they still be here?” Joong Ki suddenly asked.

“Where do you think they’d be going?” Yonghwa replied.

“Nothing…don’t mind me. Let’s go to the hospital we can leave the money they needed there”, Joong Ki said as he went out to the garage.

After a few minutes, they were already inside Joong Ki’s red Porsche speeding their way t the hospital.

Chae Won and Shinhye were preparing to leave to go to school when they were called by one of the nurses at the information desk.

“Moon Chae Won and Park Shinhye?” the nurse called tentatively.

“Yes”, Chae Won and Shinhye answered.

“Someone left this for you”, the nurse handed them the envelopes.

They opened the envelopes and were surprised at the contents…it contained checks. The amount they needed to pay their mother’s hospital bills and the rent for the house as well as enough money to tide them for around six months.

“Heavens! Chae Won!” Shinhye exclaimed. Tears of happiness fell from her eyes.

Chae Won also smiled in happiness…as she saw the letter inside the envelope she read the letter…

Dear Chae Won,

            I wanted to personally give the check to you but something came up at the last minute. With this amount I hope I can help pay your mother’s hospital bill and take the heavy burden from your shoulders. There is also a spare amount for your mother’s medicines. I enclosed something with the check…it’s a card to enable you to apply for the job at the mall owned by my family there. Take care of yourself and don’t let others abuse you. I’ll be seeing you again soon. Please always remember me…

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Joong Ki

“Wow! It’s a love letter!” Shinhye exclaimed giddily.

“Look at this envelope, I think there is also a letter for you, Shinhye”, Chae Won said as she pulled the neatly folded paper from Shinhye’s envelope.

Dear Shinhye,

            I know you’d be surprise upon reading this letter…I really intend this as a surprise for you. I enclose here the check you can use to pay your landlady as well as the amount of money which you and your family can use to tide you over for six months until your sister can already have a job at Joong Ki’s mall. Actually, Joong Ki is my friend and we both decided to take off the burden from your shoulders. Take care of yourself then…I hope to see you again.        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Yonghwa

“Chae Won, Yonghwa helped me too the way Joong Ki helped you”, Shinhye said with her eyes misting from unshed tears.

“Yes, we’re both lucky to have them help us”, Chae Won agreed before she and Shinhye embraced each other tightly.

Inside their mother’s room, their mother knew of the suffering of her daughters because of her. She decided that it was time to return her daughters to their rightful paths…as heiresses she deprived them to be.

Hi, everyone! Thank you very much for all your support, for the comments, for reading and for subscribing to my story. Please stay tune for there will be a big change in the lives of MCW and PSH. Again, thank you very much....