THE WEDDING PLANNERS

(A/N): No matter how I tried to make each chapter short enough, it still didn't work! Urgh! I'm so frustrated! Would you mind forgiving me for writing them like this??? I'm terribly sorry, really...I just can't cut any scene from the chapter... T_T I've not sleep for almost 2 days now for finishing my reports so, now I posted this...I JUST WANNA SLEEP! Happy reading,everyone! Bye~~~

“You like white roses huh?” Ara tilted her head to a side when Mr. Zhang asked her. She grinned and replied him a nod. “Yeah...it also mean, I’m loyal and worthy of you...”

Ara rolled her eyes upon listening to the comment that slipped from her own mouth. ‘I’m loyal and worthy of you’ - it reminded her the time when she bought these same type of flowers for Lay as his debut gift. The meaning behind the roses was so romantic and touching but now, she doubted that it will portray her relation with him. She shook her head on the thought and continued to busy her hands, arranging the bouquet inside the long, glassy vase. She just bought the fresh flowers when she decided to go visiting Lay’s grandpa at the hospital this morning – it had been a while since both of them have time to meet this poor old man. Ara felt sorry to him.

“Grandpa...” she called out to him once she finished watering the flowers using the spray bottle. Ara put it down on his bedside table and walked to sit next to his bed. Mr. Zhang tilted his head toward Ara. “What is it, darling?”

“Em...I...I have something that I want to apologize to you...I mean, I know it has been quite a long time since Lay and me have some free time to come here...we know that we’re useless...but, grandpa...I’m seriously sorry about it...we didn’t mean to forget or abandon you...forgive us, grandpa...” Ara pleaded to him, hiding down her face as she twisted her fingers. Mr. Zhang read her dull face, even when she tried to hide it from behind her broad smile but the old man knew that Ara was in the middle of sorrow now.

“Ara yah...” it was his turn to call her and Ara raised up her head again. “Yes?”

“I don’t mind that you didn’t constantly come here to visit me...don’t worry...I’m fine here...everything is ready for me and I am, very well attended...the food is always ready, I have my own room and bed...the nurse is always being nice to me...I can watch my favorite sport every night, though it’s forbidden to sleep late but I enjoyed doing it secretly...so, yeah...my life is haven here...” he explained it with his teasing tone and it broke both of them into laughter. Ara grinned in relief and she nodded her head.

“It’s good to know that...I’m grateful that you’re okay, grandpa...but don’t hesitate to contact Lay and me anytime if you need anything...” she reminded him and Mr. Zhang nodded understandingly.

“I will...” silence wrapped them awkwardly for a while before Mr. Zhang looked up again toward his grandchild-in-law. “So how’s Lay recently??? He did contact me sometime but he rarely has time to come here...”

Ara swallowed hard down . She didn’t know how to start a conversation with this old man regarding Lay. She wasn’t trying to avoid the topic of him but...Ara was just trying to protect her heart. Everytime her mind drifted back to Lay, she will feel the ache slicing deep down there – and she was tired of it. Seeing how Ara kept shut, Mr. Zhang let out a long, heavy sigh. He held out his left palm toward her, making Ara to look at him before she stared down on his hand.

“Come here, honey...” the old man gently called for her and Ara curved up a thin smile. She placed her hand inside his palm and Mr. Zhang entwined it together tightly. Ara moved forward, leaning her body closer to the edge of the bed and Mr. Zhang smiled on her beautiful face.

“Ara yah...I might have no idea about your problem with Lay but...as his grandpa, I know him better than anyone else...I know that he is a star right now, his job is to shine brightly for everyone...” Ara rested her head on the bed and listened to the old man as he advised her.

“...so if he ignored you or he didn’t contact you for quite a long time, please don’t take his action to your heart...all that you need to do is to trust him, Ara yah...like I said, I know every single thing about Lay...once he decided to treasure someone in his life, he will forever cherish his promise...so do to you...don’t worry, Ara yah...you’re his wife...even when he didn’t say any word to you but...I’m sure that you’re the closest person to him...despite the time and spaces, you’re always here...” Mr. Zhang explained with his fatherly and gentle raspy voice. His hand moved up to his chest and he landed his palm on his heart, showing Ara that Lay will always keep her alive inside his heart. A tear finally escaped from her eye when she listened to him. All over this fortnight she tried to stop herself from crying but now, she lost it. She closed her eyes and let herself drowned into her own tears, merrily streamed down her cheeks.

“I know, grandpa...I want to trust him but I...I’m hurt...” Ara confessed and she hid her face down on the bed, crying slowly there. Mr. Zhang sighed, he let go of Ara’s hand and stretched it out to pat her on head. “Remember this, dear...he shines for everyone on the stage but I am more than sure that...all Lay ever wanted is, to be the brightest for you...it would be more than enough for him if you keep him as your personal star...Lay will shine for you, only you...”

By the time Ara got out from the hospital, she stopped in front of the entrance and took her deepest breath. Maybe, she should encourage herself more to believe in all that their grandfather told her just now. Ara glanced down on her wrist watch. It was already 7.30 p.m. She should be going back to her apartment but she didn’t feel like that. Instead, Ara gathered her gut to go seeing Lay for the first time since their argument. She gave herself a firm nod and started running across the street to catch for a taxi. Once she got it, she immediately asked the driver to bring her straight to the SM Building. She was more than sure that Lay would still be at his company now. He wasn’t a type that will end his practice too early. She knew how Lay was working hard to be the best dancer ever and sometime he could be a bit too pushy toward himself – working only to ignore his body and health. On her way there, Ara logged on to her phone and rechecked the official web and weibo of Lay and his group. Since he debuted, she felt that she had turned into a complete stalker now, always reading the update of his activities to catch up with him wherever he was.

“Thanks!” Ara hastily paid the driver and jumped out from the taxi. She stopped for a minute in front of the building, eyeing the massive bodyguards blocking the entrance in front of it. Ara knew that she couldn’t get inside from there. Fortunately, she was fast enough to remember the secret path that Lay once told her to secrectly entered the building. Ara followed the path, starting to cover her head with the hoodie of her sweater and walked inside until she stopped before Exo’s practice room. Ara scanned around suspiciously, she prayed inside her heart for no one to notice her there. But as she reached out her hand to pull on the knob of the door, two girls walked past her from behind. Ara accidentally overheard their conversation.

“Yah! Have you heard it already? Lay oppa was fainted you know!” the first girl talked to the second. Ara instantly widened her eyes. Fainted?! She peeked over to them from behind her hoodie. The second girl clapped her hand on .

“Omo! Really??? When did he pass out???” she asked forcefully to her friend, shaking the informer by her shoulder. “Aish, calm down! Your beloved Lay oppa is fine, I think...I heard from their coordinator that he collapsed today during their practice...aigoo!!! I knew it how hard Lay oppa forcing himself to practice! He looks dreadful recently...”

“Yeah, I’ve to admit that...but what happened after that???” the second girl which Ara assumed was one of her husband’s fan asked again and Ara spontaneously nodded her head, eager to know more about it. The first girl shrugged.

“I don’t know...his manager and the rest of s sent him to the nearby hospital already...thanked God that the news doesn’t leak out on any website...the fans will be furious about him if they know it...” Ara didn’t wait to hear more. She immediately turned around and almost bumped with one of the girls. They paused on their feet to glare at her for almost colliding with them. Ara bowed but she covered her face under her long hair.

“Sorry...” she apologized slowly and started to walk past them. The girls looked over their shoulders suspiciously toward her but they shrugged and resumed leaving to their way. As soon as Ara was sure that she had disappeared from their sight, she picked up her paces and ran straight out of the building. She was so shock by the news and her heart won’t feel right until she gets to see Lay right before her eyes. She heard the girl said that he was admitted to the nearby hospital so she thought of nowhere except the hospital just a few blocks away from this building.

“Why don’t you tell me, Lay? You idiot!” Ara screamed to herself as she rushed by her legs toward the hospital. She didn’t have any other choices than to run because she can’t get herself trap inside the busy traffic if she wanted to reach for Lay fast enough. She stopped panted, catching for her breath as soon as she successfully entered the lobby of the hospital. She looked for any sight of s before she face palmed herself.

“Aigoo! They’re artists, Ara yah! They won’t be so stupid to expose themselves!!” she simply scolded herself and took another deep breath. When she was really stable to breathe normally, Ara slowly arranged her steps approaching the information counter.

“Em...excuse me...” she greeted the nurse sitting there. She looked up to her and smiled. “Yes, miss? What can I help you???”

“Em...can you check something for me? I would like to know where is the room of a person named Zhang Yixing? I want to pay him a visit...I heard that he passed out this morning...” Ara tried so hard to arrange her voice and made her face to look familiar and formal for Lay. She knew that she needs to act as someone that related to him, only then the nurse will trust her. She ran her fingers on the keyboard but as soon as she read the detail of Lay’s personal information, she shook her head and smiled again to Ara.

“Sorry, miss...but Zhang Yixing sshi forbids by his manager to accept any visitor except his family members...are you his family then?” she asked her, showing her amused smile because she might be assuming Ara as another one of his random fans, simply coming here to take a peek at the famous idol. Ara sighed under her breath – I’m his wife – she wanted so bad to admit it to her but obviously she can’t. Lastly, Ara simply forced a smile to her and shook her head.

“No...I’m...I’m just...a worker from the company...but it’s fine...I just want to make sure that he is alright...” Ara assured the nurse and she excused herself from the counter. She walked away with her shoulders slammed down and kept her head staring to the floor. She was so hopeless right now! Ara didn’t know what to do anymore. The boundary between them was so huge and far away to be reached by her. Ara could only felt the despair sigh she let go from . She scanned around the lobby again until her eyes spotted the lift. Ara stood still again – wait – there must be another way where she could secretly see him, right? It would be enough for her even if she could only steal just a glimpse of him – Ara would be absolutely grateful. Ara ran over to enter the already opened lift as another middle aged man walked in along with her. They bowed to each other before Ara started to paste her face closely on the hospital’s map, glued on the wall inside the elevator.

“First class room...first class room...ah!” she spotted the specific floor of it so she pushed the button straight to climb her there. Lay was a public figure, Ara was sure that his company won’t be fool enough to let him stay inside the third class rooms where all the patients mingle together – it will be too chaotic! At last, she reached the floor and walked out slowly from the elevator – didn’t really know where she should head to. Ara wandered around for a while. This floor was so quiet and private since every patient was separated by their own room. Ara could only see the information counter there with those nurses chitchatting among them but she can’t repeat the same action she took just now – it will be too useless for it. As she walked past the counter, she overheard again – too good that she had a clear hearing ability.

“Yah, did you see them just now?” the nurses whispered and giggled among them.

“Yeah, yeah! I saw it! Aigoo! Exo boys are so handsome! I can’t stand to be anywhere around them!!!”

“I think we’re lucky to attend Lay oppa for these few days...I’ll surely ask for his signature later!”

“That’s right! I want it too!!!”

“Yah! He is sick! Don’t go sending away your crazy virus to him!” they giggled and ended up laughing together. Ara let out a long, low sigh – she was right, he was admitted around here but where??? Which room??? Ara started to feel frustrated about it so she decided to check one by one of those rooms. Yeah, call her insane but she needs to do this!

“Zhang Yixing...Zhang Yixing...Zhang Yixing...aish!” Ara cornered around the corridor to see the names labeled on each door. Finally she stopped at the last room of the corridor and her eyes glittered in happiness. “I found you!”

She was about to clap her hands and jump on her feet out of excitement but she quickly stopped herself when she remembered the fact that she was inside a hospital now – the patients need their calm and quiet rest. Ara nodded in agreement to her thought before she cleared and arranged her face to look normal again. Her hand reached out to the knob, ready to pull open the door but...a sudden cheerful ringtone of K-pop song filled the whole corridor.

“Aish!” Ara cursed under her breath and she quickly grabbed out her phone to answer it, preventing anyone from noticing her presence there. “Hello?”

She answered without checking on the ID caller. Ara frowned when the latter over the line chose to keep silent. “Hello...is anybody there?”

She sang and leaned against the wall next to the door of Lay’s room. As she crossed her arms in front of her body, Ara started to lose patient on waiting for that person to talk so she moved the phone from her ear and stared down on the screen. Her eyes widened and she gasped when she caught the name blinking there – Lay hubby! Lay was calling her??? Ara quickly stood straight and she turned her body to face the door weirdly. Why would he call her without talking anything??? Did he want to inform her about he being sick??? Ara thought dully but she shook her head and put up the phone again.

“Annyeong, Lay ah...” this time she addressed him with his name. But Lay kept himself in silence again. He simply leaned his body on the pillow as he enjoyed her voice. He was too tired to talk now but he missed her so much. The idea of listening to her voice would be enough for him to console his heart. Ara frowned even more now, fixing her eyes on the door as she felt so far from him even though she knew that he was just inside the room. She gulped down the throat.

“Are you still angry with me??? You don’t want to talk to me anymore right???” she went on talking to the phone while ignoring the fact that their action now was way too wasting – wasting time, wasting energy and wasting everything! She heard Lay let go of a heavy sigh from over the line.

“Ara yah...” he finally opened his mouth, uttering her name. Ara flinched once she caught sound of it, missing his voice and the way he talked so much. “Yes...”

“I...I...” miss you – Lay felt that he could punch his own body right now for being a fool that never have a gut to tell her directly like that. Ara bit her lips, waiting patiently over the phone for him to continue talking again but she instantly looked up when she heard the tapping on the floor made by someone’s high heel. Ara automatically furrowed when she spotted Tiffany at the end of the corridor. She immediately shut the line and ran away to hide, she can’t risk herself to be seen by Tiffany. If she knows it, Lay was the one who will be in trouble.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Yoo Bi zipped close her luggage. Then she stood up and picked her passport and ticket on her study table. She was ready to go for her short trip to Qingdao, China. She pulled her luggage out from her room and walked down straight to the living room.

“Oppa???” she stopped, wandering her eyes around the area to look for her husband but Luhan was nowhere to be seen. As she was about to resume walking toward the exit door, she caught sound of people’s voices. She tilted her head toward the nearby kitchen, the laughing voices came from there and Yoo Bi was sure that it was Luhan and Yoo Na who in the middle of joking with each other. She put aside her luggage and decided to go checking them out.

“Aigoo, baby...please grow up healthier...” Yoo Bi stopped by the door of the kitchen and she peeked from behind the curtain toward Luhan and Yoo Na. Her sister was sitting on the chair of the dining table while having Luhan sitting in front of her on the floor. They were laughing together as Luhan Yoo Na’s bloated belly, whispering and talking to her baby inside there. Yoo Bi bit her lips. She understood that she shouldn’t have this uneasy feeling upon seeing them happy together but she just couldn’t resist feeling different about it. Luhan and Yoo Na did have their own history after all.

“Oh, Yoo Bi ah...what are you doing there? Come here...” Yoo Bi shook away the thought when Yoo Na called out to her suddenly, noticing her standing there alone. Luhan glanced around to his wife and he grinned.

“Come here, honey...” he waved his hand to her, standing up from the floor. Yoo Bi forced a little smile for them before she walked over.

“How’s your baby, unnie? It’s almost 9 months right?” she greeted her own sister and Yoo Na smiled up, still her stomach lovingly. “Yeah...wish me luck for my safe delivery...”

“Always...” Yoo Bi replied her and she felt Luhan was circling an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him so she looked up to Luhan. “Oppa...it’s time for me to go to the airport...do you forget about it???”

“Omo! I’m sorry...I just...aish...it’s hard to grow older nowadays...” Luhan tried to give excuses by joking with her but Yoo Bi rolled her eyes. Yoo Na laughed upon eyeing them and she stood up from the chair, supporting her hand on the table.

“You guys go on...I’m going to rest in my room for a while...Bum will be back soon enough...” she told them and went to give Yoo Bi a kiss on her cheek.

“Take care of yourself...” she reminded Yoo Bi before she started walking out of the kitchen. Staring to her sister from behind, Yoo Bi was worried to leave her alone inside the house so she turned toward Luhan, tugging him on his sleeve.

“Oppa...I think I’ll just go to the airport alone...unnie needs someone to look after her now...you should stay...” she reasoned out to him but Luhan shook his head.

“She’ll be fine, Yoo Bi ah...wasn’t she told you just now??? Bum hyung will be back from his office later...don’t worry...let’s go...” he pulled Yoo Bi by her hand but she shook her head and made Luhan to stop walking.

“No...I am really fine to go there alone...beside, I’ll be seeing you in China later, right??? Then you just need to stay here...we’ll meet again tomorrow...” Yoo Bi pouted cutely, trying to earn his understanding. Luhan stared lazily on her face for a minute but he finally rolled his eyes. “Fine...”

“Thank you!” Yoo Bi grinned, she tiptoeing on her feet and landed a quick kiss on Luhan’s cheek. Then they walked together, hand in hand outside of the kitchen and straight toward the main door. As soon as Luhan opened the door for her while Yoo Bi pulled her luggage from behind, someone appeared in front of them.

“Annyeong, Yoo Bi sshi!” Luhan and Yoo Bi stood frozen to see the appearance of Kang Min Hyuk there. She narrowed her eyes on him – as far as she remembered, she never makes any effort to contact him or ask him to come here. So why on Earth he was here??? Before Yoo Bi managed to open , she realized Luhan had already stood blocking in front of her – separating between Yoo Bi and Min Hyuk. He felt his temperature instantly rose inside him just at the sight of this so called professor of his wife!

“What are you doing here?” once again, Yoo Bi tried to open to start asking but her husband did first. Min Hyuk smiled plastically to Luhan and slightly bowed to greet him.

“Hi...it’s obvious, isn’t it??? I’m here to pick Yoo Bi up... we’re going for the trip together after all...” he made it sounded so thrill and full with excitement as he talked – like he was really enjoying this trip with Yoo Bi, like he really loves to spend some time with her. But his overly cheerful expression was biting Luhan inside his head. He smirked and turned around to face Yoo Bi instead.

“Oh yeah? He came here to pick you up??? I thought you’re going there ALONE...or you just want me to stay at home with your unnie because you want to enjoy your journey with HIM???” Yoo Bi opened in disbelief when she heard that accusation shot by Luhan on her. She shook her head, hands on her hips as she fixed her eyes on his face.

“I’ve no idea at all about this! I’ve never call or contact anyone to come pick me or something! How could you accuse me like that???” she started to raise her voice at him while Min Hyuk waved his hand toward Yoo Bi.

“No, wait...calm down, both of you...I’m not giving anyone any misunderstanding here, okay? I just thought that it would be easier for Yoo Bi sshi to go there with me using my car rather than to trouble herself taking the taxi and all...that’s my only intention, okay???” he tried to stop the argument but obviously it led to another argument when Luhan hissed and turned his body toward him now.

“And why do you need so much to bother about her troubling herself or not?! She’s my wife and I’ll take care of her! She doesn’t need any stranger to hover over her so close like you did!” Luhan snapped directly while Yoo Bi started to pull him from behind by his elbow, asking him to stop.

“Oppa...drop it...” Yoo Bi whispered to him but Min Hyuk jerked up his eyebrow and took a step closer to Luhan.

“What’s your problem actually? And who is the stranger here? I’m not a stranger to her, I’m her professor! And Yoo Bi is still my student that I need to care for...” Min Hyuk exclaimed back to him but Luhan clicked his tongue impatiently.

“Stop using that title to stick on my wife! I know that she is young but you can’t take advantage on her!” he growled again to him and Yoo Bi knew that she needs to do something fast to stop the fight between these men before her sister heard them. Hastily, Yoo Bi pushed her body to walk through Luhan’s body and she inserted herself to stand between Luhan and Min Hyuk. Her professor was about to open his mouth again, replying to Luhan’s words but he stopped when he felt Yoo Bi put up both of her hands on Luhan’s and Min Hyuk’s chests.

“Stop! Both of you, please! Don’t fight!” she shouted, changing her eyes from Luhan to Min Hyuk and back to Luhan again. Her husband glared to her from the corner of his eyes but he grabbed Yoo Bi by her arm and pulled her away from touching Min Hyuk. Min Hyuk smirked to them.

“I’ll wait for you inside my car, Yoo Bi sshi...” he said firmly, snatching away Yoo Bi’s luggage even before she managed to stop him. Yoo Bi tried to chase after him, she didn’t think of agreeing to have a ride with Min Hyuk would be a good idea now but even before she took her steps out from the doorway, Luhan pulled her body back to him.

“Come here!” he pressed his voice toward her and locked Yoo Bi inside his arms.

“Wait, oppa! I...” she tried to talk again, slightly pushed Luhan away on his chest but as he saw Min Hyuk glanced over his shoulder, checking on Yoo Bi when he heard her screaming – Luhan took the chance to prove toward him that they were indeed, married to each other. Before Yoo Bi could move away again, Luhan immediately cupped her face inside his hands and he pulled her face toward him. He forced his mouth on hers, pasting them together and kissed her full on her lips. Yoo Bi stood frozen, letting her husband kissing her so suddenly like that while Min Hyuk narrowed his eyes on them. He snorted and walked away.

Once he disappeared, Luhan pulled away slowly and gently back from his wife. Yoo Bi was still blinking her eyes in confusion while Luhan can’t help but to chuckle on her face.

“You’re so cute, darling...” he commented, resting his forehead on hers. Yoo Bi regained her consciousness back and she smacked Luhan playfully on his chest.

“Don’t make me late for my flight will you???” she said and tried to free her body from him but Luhan gripped firmer around her waist.

“My pleasure if that happen...I’ll buy you a new ticket and we’ll go there together...” he answered calmly but Yoo Bi smirked.

“Jerk...” she said and finally Luhan let go of her. She put on her shoes and took her steps out from the door but she stopped when Luhan held her left hand from behind. She looked over her shoulder to him before she felt Luhan was shaking their entwined hands. Her eyes dropped on it and she caught sight of their wedding rings, shimmering together – as a sign that they did, belong to each other. Yoo Bi smiled warmly and she gave him a firm nod. She gazed back to Luhan.

“I know...you don’t have to worry about Min Hyuk sshi and me...”

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

So Eun took a deep breath, rubbing and wiping her palms together as she felt the cold sweat was drenching her skin. Well, she can’t help but to feel nervous right now. She knew it, she understood the situation a little too well because all that she was about to do, will change her life forever. But she has to do this! Not only for her but for everyone especially Kris.

After a few minutes battling and conveying her heart, So Eun finally nodded her head and arranged her steps out from her room. She walked along the corridor until she stopped on top of the long staircase. Looking down to the living room, she caught sight of Sooyoung. She sat on one of the couches while cuddling Eunhyuk inside her arms protectively. It was obvious to So Eun the motherly-son bond between them. So Eun felt the warmth inside her heart but she has no time to pity anyone right now. Swallowing the bitterness she felt inside her, So Eun started to walk down the stairs.

“Sooyoung sshi...” Sooyoung looked up from her baby toward So Eun and she realized that So Eun had already stood before the couch across from her. Sooyoung grinned to her.

“What are you doing standing there? Come, take a seat...” Sooyoung pushed her chin toward the sofa, gesturing for So Eun to sit there. But instead of listening to her, So Eun chose to walk over and finally landed her on the same couch as Sooyoung, next to her. They smiled to each other before So Eun dropped her eyes on Eunhyuk.

“Sorry that I don’t have time before this to properly meet you...annyeong, Eunhyuk ah...” So Eun greeted the little one, still sleeping inside Sooyoung’s arm and So Eun kissed the baby gently on his cheek. Sooyoung curved up a warm smile upon eyeing them.

“You’ll be a good mother once you have your child with Kris...” So Eun gulped down and slightly frowning when she heard the comment from Sooyoung. She watched her as Sooyoung leaned against the sofa and drowning deep in staring to her baby. She was studying each inch of his little face before So Eun gathered her strength to start talking. She began by calling her name.

“Sooyoung sshi...”

“Hmmm???” Sooyoung glanced again to her and furrowed when she read her uncertain face. “What’s wrong with you, So Eun sshi???”

“I...I’ve got something to discuss with you...” she requested and Sooyoung stared blankly to her. After a while of awkward moment wrapped around them, Sooyoung finally nodded.

“Okay...let’s hear it...” she agreed and So Eun bit her lips, didn’t really know where to start or how to begin it. “Em...have you heard??? About the problem inside Kris’s company???”

Sooyoung’s face instantly fell down once she heard the question. She wasn’t really in the mood to talk about this. She had enough causing trouble to Kris and So Eun, she didn’t really fancy the idea of causing another one to them. Sooyoung shook her head.

“I heard about it...but believe me, So Eun sshi...I won’t do that...” she boldly refused even before So Eun says it out loud. So Eun raised an eyebrow to her.

“You won’t do what???” Sooyoung chuckled bitterly.

“Marrying Kris...” then So Eun frowned again toward her, tilting her head closer to look at Sooyoung straight on her face. “Doesn’t that the only thing that you want the most after all this time???”

“Then, do you really feeling right about it??? Do you want it to be happened, So Eun sshi???” Sooyoung back fired her with another question again and it made So Eun to stay silent. She pursed her lips and looked away.

“Honestly, Sooyoung sshi...I don’t even know what I want...” she told her truthfully and Sooyoung let go of a heavy sigh. She glimpsed on her sideway face and could clearly see that So Eun was deep in confusion now. Sooyoung smiled before she dropped her eyes on Eunhyuk again.

“You know, So Eun sshi...I just met my father yesterday and we talked about this...he gave me a couple of choices...one, to choose Eunhyuk and being cast out from the Choi family...my father won’t accept me as his daughter anymore...” Sooyoung explained and So Eun looked back to her, feeling bad for her upon hearing it. She chuckled but continued,

“...and two, he wanted me to choose Kris and the family but...I need to give up on Eunhyuk and let him go...”

“Why???” So Eun asked, her voice slightly raised when she heard the cruel and pointless choices gave by Mr. Choi to his daughter. Sooyoung bit her lips but she tried to curve an assuring smile for So Eun.

“Because he didn’t want to be embarrassed by this child later...” Sooyoung answered and patted Eunhyuk on his thigh. “What a disgrace if everyone know that the daughter of the big, establish Choi Enterprise is having a son without father, right???”

So Eun shook her head and stared down to Eunhyuk. “That’s very unfair...Eunhyuk is not the one at fault...nobody is deserved to be threw away like that...”

“That’s right, So Eun sshi...but life is never fair to anybody...but I did feeling thankful to my father...because only after he gave me those choices, I finally knew what I actually want...” Sooyoung added again while So Eun furrowed her eyebrows. “...and what actually that you want???”

“My true desire is here...” Sooyoung grinned broadly and she planted a kiss on Eunhyuk’s forehead. “I just want to be with him...raising him until he becomes an adult and having his own life...I don’t really care about being cast away by my father...besides, being unwanted isn’t really a new thing to me...Kris himself chose you over me...”

So Eun closed her eyes in despair once she heard her heart-wrecking explanation. She shook her head and stopped herself from shedding any tears again.

“But it’s a mistake, Sooyoung sshi...just like what Kris’s omma told me, our marriage is just a plain mistake from the very beginning...and now, I know that I need to fix this...” So Eun pushed out every word painfully from her. Sooyoung fell silent too but she frowned.

“There’s no human without mistake, So Eun sshi...me myself is one of the persons that is full with mistakes...until I don’t really know how to make them all up...the clearest is when I did everything to separate you from Kris...frankly speaking, I hate you So Eun sshi...I’ve been hating you from the very first time I knew that you’ll be marrying Kris...so I took every chance that I got and tried so many ways to make both of you fall apart...but as much as I hope you guys fail with it, I’m the one that failed miserably...I know I’m a bad person, So Eun sshi...forgive me...” Sooyoung finally found her gut to confess everything clearly toward So Eun. Each and every mistake that she had done toward this innocent girl, it was all played constantly inside her mind. Sooyoung knew that if she didn’t seek for forgiveness from So Eun, these sins will forever chasing after her.

“You did everything???” So Eun asked in disbelief to her. Sooyoung stared apologetically to So Eun before she nodded.

“Yeah...including almost causing you dead when I intentionally tripped my legs with you so that you fell from that stairs...” she replied her with her most sincere voice – which making it to sound even worst – but Sooyoung still bravely pointed her finger toward the nearby staircase. She just wanted to let out toward So Eun, she wanted So Eun to know the true color of her. So Eun followed her direction and she stopped dead, staring up on the stairs. Her mind immediately recalled all the hard time that she had been going through when Sooyoung tripped her from there, causing her to be admitted to the hospital and Lee Joon kidnapped her until she was hurt badly and finally came back inside Kris’s arms. So Eun felt a tear dropped to her cheek and she turned around again toward Sooyoung.

“You’re such an evil person, Sooyoung sshi...” she blurted out to her and wiped away her tears. Sooyoung was looking at her through her teary eyes, feeling the warmness clouding there as she was about to cry out her regrets.

“I know...I’m so sorry, So Eun sshi...” she apologized again while So Eun bit her lips so hard. Anger, hatred, dissatisfaction, doubts, confusion and love – were all that filled her heart now. So Eun took a deep breath, bracing her heart to stay strong before she opened her eyes again and glanced around to Sooyoung. She fixed her stern eyes exactly on her.

“I won’t let you go away with this, Sooyoung sshi...not after all that you had done to me...I need you to pay it all back...” So Eun said firmly to her while Sooyoung shook her head. “But...but I...I already apologized to you...and it’s sincerely from my heart...”

“It’s not apology that I seek from you now...letting you to choose the first one and live happily ever after with Eunhyuk??? No! I won’t let that happen to you...it would be too easy for you...it’s time for you to suffer now...” So Eun shot her murderous stare on Sooyoung and she stood up, taking few closer steps in front of her. Sooyoung gazed to her and she had started to cry now.

“Please, So Eun sshi...I beg you...let me go...I promise I won’t disturb your life with Kris again...” she pleaded through her broken voice but So Eun laughed out smugly.

“That’s useless, Sooyoung sshi...if you really serious about going away from Kris and me, you’ll do it earlier than this...but you didn’t...you’ve already stay inside my house for almost a year now! So no more running away, just face the music alone!” So Eun growled to her and she suddenly stretched out her hands and took Eunhyuk away from Sooyoung’s arms. Sooyoung cried out loud and she stood up too.

“No, don’t! What do you want to do with my Eunhyuk???!! Give him back to me!!!” Sooyoung shouted and tried to grab her son again but So Eun was faster to back away. She gripped Eunhyuk firmer inside her arms but she glued her determined eyes on Sooyoung’s panic face.

“Here is the deal...I’ll take Eunhyuk away...I’ll take care of him and raise him as my own son...but in turn, you settle your part...get married to Kris and help his family...make sure to save the company and live happily ever after with him...don’t ever hurt him and build a happy family with him...that’s all I ever ask...can you do this for me, Sooyoung sshi???” So Eun felt the sharpest pain sliced unstoppably inside each inch of her heart. Tears were raining down her face equally like Sooyoung. Sooyoung shook her head fiercely, stubbornly refusing to agree with her deal but So Eun controlled her sobs and she took a step closer to Sooyoung. So Eun grabbed Sooyoung by her arm and forced her to look straight on her face.

“Look at me, you coward! If you do this for me...if you agree to marry Kris...then only I can truly allowing my heart to forgive you...so promise me now, Sooyoung sshi...” the two women stood facing each other, staring deep into their eyes as they cried their hearts out over this suffering destiny among them. Sooyoung wasn’t willing to lose Eunhyuk while So Eun wasn’t willing to lose Kris. That was her son and that was her husband. But...in order to protect them, do they have any other choice???

“No! No one is going to marry me! Stop all this nonsense, Wu So Eun!” both of them flinched when they heard the deep and rough voice shouted to them. So Eun slowly looked over her shoulder and there, she saw Kris. He stood not very far from them but his face was clear to her – he was hurt too much by her words.

"I was supposed to be his wedding planner, not his bride!"