Ri In smirked. “Yep, the one, the only.”

Sung Hee’s finger trembled as she pointed at the villain. “YOU’RE the one who ordered me to backstab Tae Hee? YOU’RE the one who told me to date and marry Jaejoong?

She shrieked hysterically, “Did you know that YOU’RE THE ONE WHO RUINED MY FRIENDSHIP WITH ALL MY GOOD FRIENDS?!”

“Oh don’t worry,” Ri In replied lightly. “You’re not the only one. Wonder why Lee Teuk came running back just to propose to Tae Hee? Without me, how else would that filthy kid afford Stanford?

“So he never...really loved Tae Hee?”

“Oh, he did. He loved her so much that he actually let go of her! If it weren’t for his foolish sympathy, Tae Hee wouldn’t be back in Korea.”

Eying Ri In, she said coldly, “Why are you doing this?”

Ri In stuttered a bit. She had never really had a definite reason as to WHY she was doing this. There were too many possibilities to choose from. “Because I can.”

“That’s not true,” Sung Hee continued, still watching Ri In.

Ri In’s lips trembled. It was as if this Sung Hee could see through her façade. “How would you know?”

“Because I know.”

Ri In’s face grew red. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN BECAUSE YOU KNOW?”

“I’ll tell you when you tell me.”

This Sung Hee was playing games with her mind!



*****


Tae Hee knocked on Jaejoong’s hospital door. “Can I come in?” she asked shyly.

He grinned. “SURE!”

“These are for you,’ she said, placing a bouquet of flowers upon his nightstand.

The paper rustled as Jaejoong explored the bouquet. “Forget-me-nots?”

She nodded slowly, a slight smile sitting upon her lips. “Do you know what they mean?”



*flashback*

The florist came back. “Like those flowers? Forget-me-nots. True love, hope, remembrance, memories. They were her favorite because she believed in them.”

“Oh...” He put them back gingerly, careful not to snap the neck.

“But in your case, you’ve got something else.”

She held out a bouquet of striped carnations.

Turning back to the florist, he asked, “What does it mean?”

“Huh?”

“The carnations...”

She smiled. He was a pretty boy with brains. “Carnations in general mean divine love. However, striped carnations, which you have, mean refusal. In other words, sorry, I can’t be with you. Guess today isn’t your day, kiddo.”


*end flashback*


A bittersweet grin crept upon his pale face. “True love.”

Tae Hee nodded solemnly.

“But I got striped carnations that day.”

She nodded again. With a sigh, she replied, “Let’s start over, shall we?"

“You’re willing to date a guy who’s gonna lose all his hair to chemo?” he joked.

“It doesn’t matter,” she smiled, “because I love you.”


*****


Ri In twisted the doorknob, ready to fling it open and leave this wreck.

“It’s not because you can. It’s because you can’t,” Sung Hee said aloud.

She whirled around. “I CAN. And that’s why I AM. I can make him love me.”

“And that’s why you can’t. You can’t make someone love you; all you can do is be someone who can be loved; and the rest is up to the person to realize your worth. And Ri In, manipulating others to make Jaejoong notice you? You were his first love. You had the chance to claim him. But you lost it.”

“You’ve no right to judge me.”

“That’s because you’re not worthy of being judged.”

“You don’t know WHY I have to make him love me. Just like him, it’s for the company. It’s always been for the company.”

“That’s a lame reason. You don’t love him, basically. You’re unhappy. What’s the point of ruining his happiness with your unhappiness? If the company’s destined to thrive, then your leave from the company won’t affect it. And if the company’s going to...you know, then...”

A smile broke out upon her face. “This is probably the lamest way of withdrawing. But perhaps you’re right. Jang Co. has totally consumed my life. And I’m not even slightly interested in its outcome.”

She twisted the doorknob and pushed.

“What are you going to do now?”

Ri In grinned cluelessly. “I’m really not sure. But I want to find my true love.”

And she left; her footsteps echoing through the empty hallway.

“Don’t worry, there’s someone out there for you, Ri In. All you’ve got to do is look.”

Realization unwillingly hit her. This was exactly what she was doing to Jaejoong. It was undeniable that his true love was Tae Hee. Sung Hee, though, was just an obstacle in their love. “Maybe I should give up too,” she whispered.



*****


Jaejoong paused. “But I’m still engaged to Sung Hee.”

Tae Hee blinked, stunned at his reply. “But we’re not siblings anymore.”

“So?” he frowned. “The fact still stands that I’m engaged to Sung Hee.”

She was speechless. After all the hardships they had endured, they were finally able to be together. And he was letting Sung Hee get in the way?



Sung Hee cleared at the door. Jaejoong and Tae Hee turned their heads in her direction.

Tae Hee bit her cheek and smiled. “Sung Hee?”

Nodding her head in Tae Hee’s direction, her eyes were focused on Jaejoong. She took a deep breath. “I was just talking to Jang Ri In. And I realized a lot of things...”

“Ri In was here?” Jaejoong muttered in disbelief.

Sung Hee shuddered at the dreaded name. “I’ve got a lot to tell you two. And I know I should, but maybe...I’ll tell you some other day. Perhaps when you get better. As of now, with my marrow already extracted, I really don’t have a reason to stick around anymore. And so I’m withdrawing from this competition. I caused so much trouble.

She bowed to Tae Hee and then turned and bowed to Jaejoong. “And I’m truly sorry.”

Her heels clicked against the cold tile floor as a tear drop landed on the surface. She really did love him. And that was why she was walking away. Who knew Kim Sung Hee could be so understanding?



Tae Hee released her breath and beamed. “SHE’S GONE!”

“Yeah...” Jaejoong replied in a daze.

She clasped his hand. “Now we can start all over without ANYBODY stopping us! After all we’ve experienced, we can finally be together.”

Together. The word made him wince. They could never be together...


Because there was always that sword of Damocles hanging over his head, ready to strike at any moment.



What if I die? he thought.