[Joongki + Chaewon] Pieces of Love

It was in the midst of the blossomed flowery season of spring when Joongki first met Siyeon, when he arrived in Seoul, Korea from his hometown Hirosaki, Japan. They became neighbor when Joongki officially rented the apartment beside Siyeon. It was love at first sight, he fall from head to toe the moment his eyes were captured by Siyeon’s fawn eyes. For the very first time, Joongki has braved himself and initiated to speak to the girl next door. It was then that Siyeon has first learned about his new neighbor, slowly became friends and gradually became a pair of lover. Because Joongki is an intern in the Seoul National University Hospital, his working hours are different from Siyeon’s, who is a reporter. The time they could spend, having each other getting lesser when Joongki had entered his second year of internship. Despite that, their relationship is still in a good term. She may be slightly older than him but she has left him with a long lasting impression that has captivated his heart. And it was also because of this pure liking towards a girl for the very first time for the young medical intern, it leads him to a lethal revenge and betrayal romance.

Five years later, Joongki returned to Japan for the very first time to visit his grandmother in Hirosaki. He missed his homeland a lot. He had wondered would things be different and perhaps better if he had not insisted on moving to Korea for his internship. Speaking of regret, he had deep thoughts about his decision, was it too late to feel regret for making such decision, five years ago. Walking down the aisle of shriveled leafs trees, he looked up to see the bright sky as if telling him that, he has entered a new day, a new day has come and he do not need to mind of his past.

“Joongki,” the old lady has called while reaching out her hand for him, he has squatted down beside her; the very used wheel chair. “Yes obaa-chan, are you feeling cold?” he tightened her outer, caringly.

Holding on his hands, her wrinkled motherly hands warmed him, “Joongki, obaa-chan is not sure what has happened in Korea and changed your mind on not becoming a doctor. Obaa-chan knows very well that your dream is to become a doctor to safe people who is suffering…”

“Obaa-chan,” he cut her off, “I’ve said to you many times that, I won’t be a doctor anymore and I can’t be one. I’ve living a good life now, I’ll be fine so don’t be worry over this issue anymore, obaa-chan.” Joongki gave her a warm smile that somehow has brightened the seated lady a little.

“Someone has fainted there…” chatters can be heard from a few steps away from them.

“Joongki, did you hear that? Someone passed out, should we go have a look?” his grandmother said, “come on, let’s have a look,” she suggested.

A group of people has surrounded the unconscious lady. Some were anxious some were just curious, pointing, chattering on things like what has happened to her.

Joongki’s grandmother could see him stood beside her motionless, not even a small thought of checking on that person’s condition has come across his mind. “Joongki, go check on her condition, maybe you could help a little.”

“Obaa-chan, I’m not a doctor, how can I do it?” he has reasoned with her.

“I said go…” she pushed him towards the crowd.

Left with no choice, Joongki squatted down beside the unconscious woman. He gradually operates on her and noticed that she has difficulty in breathing. Grabbing hold on her wrist, he checked on her pulse. As if knowing her problem, he checked on her pockets in searching for something that could keep her safe.

People who have surrounded them were anxious, “Young man, what you are doing to her? Stop touching wherever you like.”

When he noticed her handbag was a few steps from her, he took the bag and looked for the medicine. True enough, he found an asthma inhaler and a few packets of medication. Joongki pulled her up having her back against his arm; he helped her with the asthma inhaler. Within a minute, her breathing gradually slowed down. He removed his jacket, folding it and put it under the woman’s head.

“Are you her guardian?” He looked up to see a woman in her late fifty. She nodded her head, still in fear of what has just happened awhile ago, “please be more observant of your boss, she’s having a bad condition of asthma. I guess she has skipped her medication a couple of times. The inhaler won’t keep her in good for too long; make sure she takes the medication once she regains her conscious.”

She was moving around but was not completely conscious, she could see the silhouette of the man who has saved her from dying.

Joongki returned to his grandmother’s side. “I told you, you are great…” he smiled while shaking his head.

-

“Young lady master,” the woman bowed to see if her boss is waking, “Young lady master, finally you’re awake.”

Holding on her forehead, she asked “Where am I?”

“You were fainted on the street in the afternoon, fortunately there’s a doctor who passed by saved you and I’d send you to the emergency room thereafter.” She helped her up, “The doctor said it is better for you to stay for a night for them to monitor your condition.”

Removing her oxygen mask, she got up “There’s not a need, let’s go home.”

“But lady master is on her way here…”

“Chaewon…” the last person’s voice she would ever want to hear echoed in the room. “Aunt Suh, you may make your move.”

“Who are you to instruct my assistant?” Chaewon sounded firm and fury. “Aunt Suh, I’ll settle things here, help me to follow up with discharge procedure at the counter.”

“Chaewon,”

“Shut up. Chairman is not here so please stop pretending to be a kind lady in front of me, I won’t be deceived easily.” Chaewon was angry to see her stepmother. “Park Siyeon, please make your move. I don’t want to see you.”

Sighing, Siyeon was vulnerable before her, “I came here with chairman’s instruction, though he has not say anything but I know he wanted to check on your condition. You know very well that your father is sick too, he can’t take any shocking news.”

Chaewon smirked, “If I ever die here, you and your son is next in line to heir the family business. That’s what you have been eyeing for all this while, isn’t it?” receiving no respond, she continued coldly, “The very first day you approached him, that has been your ulterior motive. Getting attached with a married man who owns a family, you’re just a gold digger who is eyeing for his money. You are the cause of my mother’s death; the reason why I am thrown back to this resort is because of you too. I would never forgive you.” She zipped her bag and walked pass Siyeon, exiting the ward.

-

“Young lady master, please don’t walk so fast,” Aunt Suh was following behind her, “You have to take care of yourself.”

Looking around then down on the small piece of paper in her hands, she asked “Are you sure he stays here?”

“Yes, this was the address provided by Gary.” She bowed, upon looking up again, she saw the man who saved Chaewon, “Young lady master, that’s the doctor.”

“Mr. Doctor,” Chaewon chased after him. Joongki whirled around only to see her running towards his direction not able to stop her pace. He held on her arms stopping her from hitting him. “My apologies,” she bowed. “Thank you for saving me,” she said coldly.

Not attracted at all, instead Joongki was rather agitated by her way of thanking him. “Is that how you thank people?” he had his hands in the pocket while looking at Chaewon.

“I know I owe you, so how should I repay you?” Chaewon folded her arms against her chest.

Joongki shook his head; he went nearer to her, closing in their gap. Playing on her hair, he whispered into her ear, “What if, I want you?” Chaewon stepped back in fear. He chuckled, “Go back to Korea, I guess this place is not suitable for you.” He walked away before waving his hands for goodbye.

“Young lady master, he’s a Korean.”

She rolled her eyes at her assistant, “Can you tell me something I don’t know?”

-

At night, she was at the pub and there she met Joongki again. He was entertaining a woman in her late forty. Knocking on the door, the manager of the club signaled Joongki to come out.

“I seriously don’t understand why you are such a womanizer, there’s another woman who is looking for you and she’s paying three times higher than this old lady.” Handing him the cash, “room 3…”

As he opened the door, he saw Chaewon. “You again…” he took a seat opposite her, “So what do you want now?”

“I’ll be in Japan for 6 months, since you too are a Korean, I would like to be friend with you for these 6 months.” Leaning her back against the seat, she said in arrogance “I would pay for your service…”

Smirking while lowering his head, “Is that what you want?” he got up and pulled her up, an action that has surprised Chaewon. Pulling her towards the hidden room, he waste no time and pushed her on the bed. Getting on her, he removed his blazer and moved to her outers.

“Hey you idiot,” she tried pushing him away, “what do you think you are doing,” she struggled under his dominating body.

“Servicing you,” he mumbled as he kissed along her neck down to her collarbone. “This is what you wanted, right?”

“Go away,” she pushed him off. “Are you seriously a gigolo?” she sounded disbelief.

Getting off from her, he laid beside her, breathing hard “And you are a customer of a gigolo.” Holding on her wrist, he brought up looking at her small hand. He rested his head on his hand while his elbow supporting on the bed, looking at her “don’t be deceived by my outlook, I’m not a doctor who save the poor. I’m just an expelled student; never a doctor before.” He got up.

“Don’t go,” she embraced him from the back, it surprised him as the current Moon Chaewon is completely different than the one he met earlier. The tough and arrogant rich woman has softened. “If I am to give you money, would you give me love?”

-6 months later-

“Young lady master,” Aunt Suh placed the English tea before Chaewon, “do you realized that you’ve changed a lot recently. You’ve become so lively and cheerful.”

“I’ll always be one if that woman doesn’t come so often,” Chaewon retorted while still having her fingers on the keyboard.

Aunt Suh shook her head, “its 5pm, thought you are meeting Mr. Song?”

“Oh yes,” she has forgotten about the appointment. Over the past 6 months, she had been accompanied by Joongki, nothing much on skin contact but he has became someone who would gives her inspiration on improving on the resort, the only reminder of her mother. The resort was triggered to be sold in order to be liquidated.  She knows very well that Siyeon has been suggesting for the resort to be sold and she has save the resort from those consequences time and again, she wondered how long more she would be so lucky to save the resort, her mother resort.

“Moon Chaewon,” her eyes were covered by a pair of warm palms and she knows who exactly it is. She smiled, “Joongki?”

“You forgotten about me again?” he smiled. “Get stabbed again?” he turned to what she was busied with to an extent of forgetting their date.

Lowering her head, she closed her laptop “You know me the best…”

“I’ll bring you walk around, you shall have a break,” he pulled her up from her seat. Walking down the aisle of tress, he told her “This was the place where I first met you. You were like a dying puppy lying on the floor, motionless,” he laughed.

Suddenly, she was panting fast. She took her medication from the bag and took a capsule, “Guess I’m sensitive to this place, every time I come I would turned into a dying puppy.”

Joongki was concerned, the smile on his face faded. “Have a seat first,” he pulled her to the bench between the two trees. “Feeling better?” he looked at the medicine she took.

Holding on his face, she smiled “the concern look of yours, it’s cute.”

“Stop joking, don’t take too much it would be overdosed.” He handed her a packet of medication, “This may be better for you.”

She looked through the packets of medication and picked one, “I’m sensitive to this. It’s a taboo to take this; I may die after taking this.”

“That serious,” Joongki was surprised. She nodded her head, diverting to another topic, she braved herself to ask, “I’ll be returning to Korea soon, would it be okay for you to come along?”

“Korea?” he didn’t look positive with her suggestion.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to,” she looked down on the floor, avoiding his eye contact, “I’m just a customer to you, after all.”

-

“Welcome back, Chaewon,” Siyeon greeted. They were at the mansion lobby.

Chaewon just nodded her head. Suddenly, a small boy ran up to her, to everyone’s surprise, Chaewon pushed him away. “Stay away from me.”

“He’s your brother.”

“Excuse me, a stepbrother to be exact.” She turned back to the usual cold expression she always have. She was brought up to be heartless by her father, not to show any love or emotion to anybody not even to her father, the chairman. “I’ve said to you many times, the both of you are the cause of my mother’s death.” Siyeon covered her son’s ear. “You seduce my father, gain sympathy from him; making him divorce with my mother. And now, even a resort the last thing that could remind me of her you wanted to sell it off. How cruel more you could be? You tell me?” she eyed at Siyeon with her fury eyes.

Siyeon smirked, “Good. If that’s the case, let me tell you something. Chairman will be passing me the Japan resort’s project. I advise you not to act smart later on; you would just cause trouble and earn embarrassment. Nobody can stand on my way, I’m certain with my own goals.”

“You ,” Chaewon raised her hand attempting to slap Siyeon but was stopped by a strong hold on her arm. When she ly to see it was Joongki, that one person who could calm her.

It surprised Siyeon upon seeing Joongki. He turned to her, he too was surprised but after listening to their half heated conversation, he knows what has his dream girl has turned into. Siyeon was still looking at the guy who used to help her, who saved her from being sentenced to jail. Joongki turned to her, gone are the pure and innocence smiles he used to have, long replaced by the current devilish smile.

“I see you all are having a pretty good conversation,” Mr. Moon came from behind. He noticed Joongki’s presence and asked, “This gentleman here is?”

“My boyfriend,” Chaewon slipped her hand into his. “Song Joongki.”

“Well, let’s have breakfast together then,” he walked into the dining hall.

Joongki turned to Chaewon with a glistening glare; she tightened her hold on his hand pulling him into the dining hall.

“So, what do you do Mr. Song?”

He turned to Mr. Moon, “Bartender.”

“Bartender,” Mr. Moon turned to the expressionless Chaewon, “A bartender?”

“Yes, a bartender,” Joongki continued, he knows Chaewon’s father is agitated. Chaewon stepped on his foot to stop him from annoying her father more. “I was studying med back then but has quitted.”

“What was your reason for quitting?”

“I was expelled from the university and if you are to ask the reason why? I choose not to answer as I think it does not really matter, and you may not want to know,” Joongki answered wittily while looking straight at Siyeon.

“What is this,” Mr. Moon raised his voice, “Is this how you choose your boyfriend; do you know the reason why he is expelled?”

“I don’t know and don’t want to know,” Chaewon answered with her usual cold tone of voice. Aunt Suh could sense the heated conversation. “His past, does it really matter to me? All I care about is the present I have with him and the future that we would be creating. Sir, you know and understand this better than anybody else.” She turned to Siyeon, “The stepmother that I have now who is just five years elder than I do; she could be your daughter, you brought her back home without knowing much about her past too. All you care was your present and future with her, isn’t it? Even your past with your wedded wife, you don’t really care and remember, am I right?”

“Moon Chaewon,” Mr. Moon has splashed his glass of water on his daughter. “Is this how you behave, say sorry to your mother...”

Biting on her lips, Chaewon was holding back on the tears which are threatening to fall, “Why should I when she’s not even my mother? My mother has long gone. I’ve not said anything wrong.”

“Very well, if that’s the case, Siyeon, do whatever you want to the resort,” he got up, “I’ll approve whatever plan it may be.”

“Chairman,” Chaewon got up.

“Chairman, no…” Siyeon pretend to be caught in the middle. “I’ll accompany you back to the office.”

“No need, you stay here and take care of this useless daughter of the Moon. Since her mother is not here, you have the obligations to take care of her and teach her well.” Mr. Woon left with his group of security.

“Appa…” Chaewon followed her father.

“Even being treated this way, you still want to be in this group of socializing people?” Joongki turned to Siyeon with a hard glare.

“Do you think you have the right in criticizing me? You are paid by Chaewon, you are just a man who swindles woman money in order to earn for a living.” Siyeon raised her voice.

“I ask you once again, are you still going to stay here?”

“Nobody can stand in my way, ruining my plan,” Siyeon said, firmly.

“Fine, if you’re not coming back,” he got up from his place and said “I’ll come into your world, again,” before exiting the dining hall. 

Walking pass the garden, he saw Chaewon, seated on the water fountain. He walked up to her to see her hair and face was drenched by the water her father has poured. “I came here just to borrow your washroom and all of a sudden I became your boyfriend.” He wiped her hair with his handkerchief, “and was even dragged into your family argument. I know you are rich, but I didn’t know you’re a billionaire’s daughter.”

“Sorry for that,” she answered, the high confident and cold hearted girl awhile ago has disappeared. Before him, she turned vulnerable, “sorry for letting you see how I was treated.”

Holding on her hands, just when he was about to continue, he saw the reflection of the glass before him, Siyeon was watching them. “Why do you still want to stay here?”

“For my mother, I won’t let that woman to win so easily. I won’t give up, I can’t let her take the throne.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “How did you get expelled?”

“For a woman who I love dearly, she killed someone and in order to keep her safe from that, I sacrificed myself,” he answered loud enough for Siyeon to hear.

“She’s lucky to have someone like you by her side.”

Pulling her off from his shoulder, he said “I’ll be by your side,” he kissed on her lips. Chaewon was surprised at first, gradually, he responded to him. Feeling that, Joongki smirked. He knows his plan is going to be successful.

-

“Lazy pig,” Joongki tickled Chaewon on her waist, “you have slept enough, and have you work out on the budget for tomorrow’s presentation?”

Chaewon’s eyes were heavy, she barely get to open her eyes, “I’ve been poking on the calculator for thousands of times, calculating this and that, it just don’t seems to be right.” She scratched her head and rested her cheek on the table. “Should I stop?” she looked at Joongki.

Sleeping beside her, he looked into her eyes, “the Moon Chaewon I know, the word of give up does not exist in her dictionary.” Pulling her up, he said “I’ll bring you to a place.”

He brought her to Myungdong Street, Chaewon have not been to that place. There, she saw many weird and cute things she has never thought of landing her eyes or hands on to. Joongki held on her hand walk through the street. All of a sudden, a familiar voiced called him and when he whirled around, he saw the person who has take charge of him during his internship.

“Song Joongki, is you.” He took a deep breath, “I thought I saw the wrong person.”

“Senior Lee, how are you doing?” Joongki asked, uncertain.

Patting on his shoulder, he said “I’m good. Is that your girlfriend?”

Joongki looked down on their holding hands and smiled “Yes, Moon Chaewon. Chaewon, meet my senior. He’s the person who had taken good care of me during my internship.”

“Nice to meet you,” Chaewon smiled, a warm smile.

“It’s good to see you again, I shall not bother you two, catch up with you soon,” he excused himself.

“Moon Chaewon,” Joongki called, stopping her from looking at his senior. Chaewon turned to him in surprise. “Why are you staring at him?”

“Staring?” Chaewon was oblivious. “I was just looking at him; he looked so well mannered, were you like him also in the past? I’ve not seen you in the doctor uniform before.” She sounded tired but when she speaks of Joongki, a smile was plastered on her face. “I wonder how you would look like, would you…”

He kissed on her lips.

-

Joongki was walking back and forth before the meeting room, he was nervous about Chaewon’s presentation on her mother’s resort in Japan. He wondered what would the result be, would Siyeon wins the heart of the executive directors. His heart is hoping that Chaewon would be able to come out as a winner at least; it could stop Siyeon from being dominant in the company. Deep inside, he was not sure if he’s concern of Chaewon or Siyeon. Seeing Mr. Moon coming out from the meeting room, he bowed a move to avoid his eye contact.

“Chaewon, how was it?” Joongki asked.

“Mr. Song, everything went on smoothly,” Aunt Suh answered, “The directors will not mention about selling off the resort again.”

“Serious, congrats Chaewon,” he pulled her in his arms in joy. “I knew you can do it…”

From far aside, Siyeon was looking at them with his fiery eyes.

-

Standing at the busy bridge, Chaewon was looking at the sea; she’s starting to feel tired inside.

“What are you thinking about?” Joongki leaned on the railing of the bridge, not looking at Chaewon. He knows something filled her mind and it is bothering her a lot.

She shook her head, “Nothing…” she turned to her, “what should we have for dinner?”

Turning to face her, he held on her face, “tell me what’s bothering you?”

“Serious, there’s nothing bothering me,” she nodded her head trying to convince the person before her.

“Don’t lie,” he held on her hands, slowly interlocking their fingers. “Tell me; let me share your burden.”

Chaewon was touched by his words, “I was thinking if we are in the sea, how far we can go. How does it look like down there?” she was looking at the calm sea.

“If I am to explore in the sea, would you come with me?” Joongki asked. She was not sure what does he mean not until he dived into the sea, frightening Chaewon.

“Joongki…” she shouted. Almost a minute had passed but he was nowhere to be seen in the surface, feeling nervous, Chaewon removed her heels and dived into the sea. She could not see Joongki anywhere; she went deeper in searching for him. Suddenly, someone pulled her and she realized it was Joongki. He pulled her into a kiss; she did not refuse him but dies in his arms.

Pulling her up to the surface of the water, he asked “Moon Chaewon, are you willing to follow wherever I go?”

“I will…”

“Even if you are to lost everything, giving up your throne to your enemy?”

“For you, I’m willing to let it go…” she kissed him. Knowing that his plan has succeeded, the mischievous smile was formed on her face.

-

“Obaa-chan, how was your trip here in Korea?” Joongki placed his arm around his grandmother shoulder. “Did Kwangsoo bully you?”

She laughed, “That guy, he’s really a funny guy; I had a great time with him.” Patting on her grandson’s hand, she asked “How are you? Still caught in between your first love and the new love?”

Brushing on the nape of his neck, he paused for a moment. “This morning, I was still uncertain with my own feelings. My love for Siyeon, it was my first love, a love so deep that I will not forget forever. But Chaewon, before everyone, she looks so tough and arrogant, full of self confidence as though even the sky collapse on her, it would not matter as she could still handle It.” leaning forward, he rested his arms on his lap, “but before me, she’s just a simple and easily would be harmed girl. She could be so vulnerable before me. And her love for me was so pure.”

“So what’s your decision?”

“I want to have a family with her,” he smiled upon imagining the picture of them playing with their kids, “not at this place.”

Little they did not know someone was listening to their conversation from the entrance to the living room.

“Moon Chaewon, please come to your boyfriend’s house if you want to know the truth.”

-

“What brings you here?” Joongki sounded cold.

“You lied to me, you’ve betrayed me,” Siyeon slapped on Joongki’s face.

Feeling his burning cheek with the back of his palm, “You’d betrayed me long ago and it was you who made me realized what kind of a person you are.” Grabbing hold on Siyeon’s chin, he pulled her nearer to him, “do you think you have the right to say this to me?”

-

“Kwang…” she halted, “Kwangsoo-oppa,” Chaewon called.

It surprised him as he has not received such a good manner from the billionaire daughter, Moon Chaewon. “Are you looking for Joongki? I think he’s not in, I don’t see him just now.”

“It’s okay, I received a call from someone,” Chaewon was curious why Siyeon would ask her to meet her at Joongki’s house. “Anybody is here?”

“His grandma is in the room taking a nap,” Kwangsoo answered.

“Well, I’ll call Joongki. Go ahead with your plan.”

-

“How could you do this to me? I’ve told you that my heart is still with you, I just needed some time to get what I deserve and I’ll return back to your embrace,” Siyeon cried. “Why did you betray me?”

“Everything that I’m doing is all for you, it is because of you that I approached Moon Chaewon, for you I try to deceive her that I love her.”

“Joongki…” Siyeon pulled her into a kiss. A kiss he had longed for a long time. Siyeon knows Chaewon has arrived. “Joongki, I know. I know you were using her in order to get revenge on me. I know all that, but…”

“You know,” he laughed. “Yes, I was using Chaewon in order to get revenge on you because I have sacrificed so much for you but you chose money over me in the end. Even so, I’m okay with that. I remember your promise that you would leave with me once you’ve got enough.”

“My promise still stands…”

“Will you really leave with me? She has promised me to not go against you; she would not compete with you anymore to heir her father’s family business.”

Chaewon tears escaped her eyes, leaning on the wall; she covered trying hard not to be noticed as she is on the verge of breaking down. She cannot believe that Joongki was using her all this while and that everything was just a plan he has set up with Siyeon. She takes her leave.

Siyeon could see her left the house.

“Siyeon, do whatever you want,” Joongki surrendered. “Chaewon will not stand in the way anymore. I would bring her to a place which you would never see us again.”

“What do you mean?” Siyeon heart was beating fast.

“She has agreed to let go everything and leave Korea with me,” he told her. “I’ve been thinking that my love for you was so deep that nothing would change that. Even when this love has turned into hatred, I still loves you but until I met Chaewon. She has changed me; she made me want to protect her from being harm. I don’t want her to feel sad again, to not feel true and pure love from her loves one again.”

“Joongki…”

He laughed bitterly, “I’ve fallen in love again. Siyeon, I’ll set you free now…”

-

Placing the Barbie doll on her mother’s graveyard, Chaewon seated before her mother “Omma, since the day I understand the meaning of business, appa has told me not to have any feeling for anybody, not to trust anyone in the business world. Soon, I lost the feeling of love. I’d distanced myself from you; I’ve lost that little mother love you had showered me before you left. I would barely call father, appa more than 10 times a year, pathetic isn’t it?” she cried, the tears she had been holding on all these years are slowly pouring out from her eyes.

“The last time I feel love from appa, I guess it was when my 6^th birthday, right omma?” she smiled bitterly, slowly wiping off the tears that stained her face. “I thought I found love when I met Joongki, I really thought he loves me. But it was all a lie; he was just using me for his own motive, to get revenge from his first love. I was so silly to think he would love me. Appa somehow was right, I shouldn’t have believe in anyone.”

Chaewon was breaking, she was crying so hard.

It was as if dreaming, she could see her mother by her side. “Omma, I’m feeling very tired.” She rested her head on her mother’s lap. “To gather these small pieces of love from these few people is so tiring, will you bring me with you, omma?”

“Chaewon, you know very well how Joongki is feeling. You know better than anyone else, you could feel it.”

“Omma, can I stop searching for love? I’ve been doing this over the past 25 years, I’m really tired, and I don’t seem to find a true and pure love. Could you bring me with you?” Chaewon was looking at the medication Joongki has once given to her; one of it was the one which she is sensitive with. She took a capsule and rested before her mother’s tombstone.

-Flashback-

“Come on, it’s easy cash. You don’t need to do much just accompany me and make me feel loved.”

“You don’t want to be touched but want to feel loved, it’s too difficult, no such thing.”

-

“If I am to ask you to come with me to Korea, will you agree to it?”

“You’ve fallen for me, aren’t you?”

-

“Why are you showing him that pouty lip? I told you not to be vulnerable before any man except for me.”

“Are you jealous?”

-

“For me, would you let go everything you’d worked so hard all this while? Will you come with me to a place where I belong; you may not live such a rich life anymore?”

“Wherever there are you, I’ll be just fine.”

“Moon Chaewon, listen…I love you…” his lips touched hers, deepening the kiss when she responded to him.

-Flashback ends-

“Obaa-chan, why are you sitting here at the garden?” Joongki took a seat beside her.

“Chaewon came just now, she was behaving very weird,” she frowned upon mentioning of her grandson’s lover. “She asked questions like who was your first love, was it Siyeon and all. What happened?”

His heart skipped to a beat, “She asked you that?” the old lady nodded her head.

Heading towards the main gate, he bumped into Kwangsoo. “Where are you rushing to? Chaewon is waiting for you at home.”

“What do you mean?” he grabbed hold on Kwangsoo’s collar.

Frightened by his buddy, he replied “She was here about half an hour ago mumbling someone called her to come here.”

“She must have overheard our conversation,” Joongki was perplexed, he was not sure what ought to be done. Just then, his phone beeped, it was the email notifications. He received an email from Chaewon.

Retrieving it, the email reads:

“Joongki ah…when you said that you love me, do you mean it from the bottom of your heart? Do you really love me? Remember I told you once that all my life, I have been searching for a love which is complete, not shattered into pieces. When I was 6, appa has celebrated my birthday together with omma that was the last time that I received a complete love from my parents. Ever since that woman entered my life, I have started to search for the pieces of love given by appa. There was not a time where he has look straight into my eyes since she came into our life. Not long later, omma left me without a word. When I encountered you, I didn’t know why, but I was so fond to you that I have forgotten that I should not have any feelings towards anyone in this world. You made me feel complete; it was though I’m trapped in a dreamland with you. You were so surreal to me, so frail that I dare not to hold on to tight. Dream will never come true, isn’t it? In the end, I have to get up from this perfect dream. There is no true love; right…I’m really afraid of facing the truth, the ugly truth. I’m afraid of feeling that sort of pain, I’m afraid of hearing it from you. I know you were using me in order to get revenge. I envy Park Siyeon a lot. She was able to gain sympathy from appa, making him listen only to her. I envy her, because you were willing to sacrifice so much for her. Joongki ah, there’s nothing I could do for you, isn’t it? Thank you so much…thank you for the love and time that you have given me. I would never forget every little second we had shared. I’m feeling really tired, perhaps it’s time to have a rest, to be at a calm and peaceful place, just like omma…”

-Flashback-

“Are you interested in me?” Joongki had closed in their gap.

Looking into his eyes, she said “If I say yes, would you stay by my side?”

-

“What would you do if I’m not going to Korea with you?”

“I guess, I would need a long time to get used with a life without a gigolo by my side,” she chuckled. “Even though it was only 6 months, but it was like 6 years for me. It may be an embarrassing thing for a girl to say, but, Song Joongki, I think I have fallen for you.”

-

“Happy birthday,” she pecked on his cheek.

“That does not include in my service…”

“Shall I add on some tips for you?”

“Since it’s my birthday, I would give you discount. Including this…” he gently pushed her down on the couch, reaching for her lips.

“Song Joongki…saranghaeyo…”

-Flashback ends-

Joongki was speeding very fast towards the place Chaewon had brought her to meet her mother. Running towards the familiar direction, he saw Chaewon was lying before her mother tombstone. He could see the packet of medication on the grass, she was motionless. Walking up to her, he called for her name but there was no respond. His heart was beating fast.

“Chaewon ah…” he pulled her into his arms, she was icy cold. He picked up the medication and noticed she had taken the medicine she is allergy to. “Chaewon ah, please don’t scare me,” he cried. “You’ve misunderstand, it wasn’t like what you think. I love you, I really do. Wake up…please wake up, Moon Chaewon…” he shouted in pain.

-Flashback-

“Joongki ah, living such a life, isn’t it pathetic? To know there’s no one who loves you in this world. You’re just all alone, all by yourself.”

-Flashback ends-

“Moon Chaewon, you’re not alone. I’m here with you, saranghaeyo…Chaewon ah…” he buried her in his arms while crying in pain.

End

Presented by Celestine Blue

//Pieces of Love//

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