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Kim Bum returned back to hotel room in the wee hours. Upon the sight of his wife sleeping soundly, he grinned and wondered how long she would sleep this time. Kim Bum was curious about the woman lying on the bed now. She did not appear to be a spoilt rich lady, but neither an innocent lady with simple thoughts. “She has a fiery temper though,” Kim Bum recalled the slap.

Kim Bum took a shower and slipped into the bed, wrapping his arms around So Eun’s waist. “Her scent is so alluring …” Kim Bum thought as he stared hard at So Eun’s sleeping face and he decided that he should observe his wife until she woke up.

“You have finally woken up. It’s noon!” Kim Bum grinned when So Eun blinked her eyes a few times in an attempt to fully adjust herself.

“Ah! What are you doing here?” So Eun was still not used to having someone sleeping beside her, especially since she only knew the person for just two days. Holding the blanket tightly and closely to her, So Eun smacked her head gently as she realised that she had to share a room with Kim Bum.

Kim Bum chuckled at his silly wife and went into the bathroom, ordering So Eun, “Please get ready soon. We are going on a tour around Italy these few days. It is our honeymoon!”

So Eun sighed and turned to find her handphone with a post-it. It was a message from Ki Bum.

“So Eun, I have left first. I am afraid that Hyung may find us hugging each other to sleep. Then we would really be gone and over forever. I would never want that to happen. Keep yourself happy. Take care.

With much love,
Ki Bum”

So Eun’s lips curved upwards; she was feeling blessed and loved. It was a great joy to fall in love with someone who loved you back. She held her handphone and the post-it in her hands and drifted into a daze.

“Hey! Are you going to get changed?” Kim Bum popped out, scaring So Eun once more as So Eun gasped.

So Eun threw her handphone into her handbag and rushed into the bathroom. So Eun had not dared to switch on her handphone as she was fearful that the specialized alarm might just ring and Kim Bum would hear it.

Ki Bum returned to Korea and continued studying gleefully, with Ga Eul. He was waiting patiently for So Eun’s return to Korea and had to endure the honeymoon period as he could not contact So Eun at any point of time, despite how much he missed her. The relationship between the two of them was too fragile and required much care and protection.

For the next three days, So Eun and Kim Bum went around Italy. They visited Rome, Florence and Turin. They took photographs of themselves at world-renowned tourist attractions including the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Forum, Fontana di Trevi, Castle Sant'Angelo, Leaning Tower of Pisa and beautiful basilicas. They also spent some time at the Uffizi Gallery, admiring the masterpieces of renowned artists such as Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Giotto. Kim Bum and So Eun’s relationship was improving for the better. They had felt more at ease with each other by then.

However, during the three nights, Kim Bum did spend one of the nights with Linda. His three other brothers had flings too.

There was two days left to the end of the honeymoon period and So Eun could not wait for it. However, something unexpected happened during the last third night. Hye Sun had called So Eun and Hye Sun was crying.

“So Eun …” Hye Sun was sobbing so hard that it was hard for her to speak.

“Hye Sun, what’s wrong? Never mind. I will meet you outside your hotel room. Don't run anywhere.” So Eun ended the call quickly and ran out of her hotel room. Kim Bum had just completed his shower then. He quickly dressed and followed So Eun as this was the first time that he had seen So Eun’s flustered face.

“Hye Sun!” So Eun hugged the crying Hye Sun. The door to Hye Sun’s room was slightly ajar. Min Ho and Hye Sun had shared a hotel room, like So Eun and Kim Bum.

So Eun could hear the annoying love-making noises coming from inside the room and she rushed in.

Hye Sun was dragged in by So Eun.

Lee Min Ho was having an enjoyable time with a lady. So Eun was terribly furious, especially when Hye Sun was wailing so loudly and that Lee Min Ho was still ignorant of it.

So Eun rushed up and pulled Min Ho out of the bed, leaving Hye Sun at a side crying.

“What’s your problem? I was having so much fun and you …” Min Ho could not open his sleepy eyes and could not see clearly the person pulling him out. He had thought it was Hye Sun and that he could, once again, easily make Hye Sun forgive him and his shameless acts.

SLAP!

Kim Bum, Kim Joon and Hyun Joong arrived just in time to watch So Eun slapping Min Ho who was in his boxers only. Hye Sun was crying and there was another lady grabbing the blanket to cover her body. Clothes were randomly scattered in the hotel room. Hyun Joong ran to hug Hye Sun with a pounding heart. Anger was choking him.

“Damn it.” So Eun scolded and slapped Min Ho again. “How could you do this? You are incorrigible! Horrible guy! Are you even a man? Are you a boyfriend to Hye Sun? Do you love her? Damn it. What is the problem with you?” So Eun shot her words at Min Ho, who was alarmed and awakened by the two slaps on both his cheeks.

So Eun clenched her fists and began punching Min Ho’s upper body. By this time, Min Ho could see So Eun’s attacks and he grabbed her hands.

“What are you talking about? I have always been like this. If that woman loves me, she should accept me for who I am. She knows that I am like this. She had seen me having flings before. So what are the grumbling questions about? Who are you to interfere?” Min Ho was livid as throughout his life, no one had dared to go against him, all the more, no one had slapped him that hard; furthermore, it was not once but twice.

Min Ho stared hard at So Eun who was showing him death glares as well.

“That woman … That woman … I am just that woman.” Hye Sun cried even harder and Hyun Joong could not contain his anger anymore. He shoved Hye Sun into Kim Joon’s arms and went up to Min Ho.

“Lee Min Ho!” a punch was sent up against Min Ho’s jaws. “You are too much!” Min Ho fell back as he was unprepared against Hyun Joong’s sudden attack.

Hyun Joong grabbed Min Ho by his hair and began beating him up. So Eun hurriedly pulled Hyun Joong away, with Kim Bum’s help. After Kim Bum had Hyun Joong and Min Ho separated, So Eun went to the shivering lady who was in bed with Min Ho earlier. She slapped the woman several times until she pleaded for mercy.

“!” So Eun threw all of the woman’s clothes outside the hotel room, chased her out and locked the door of the hotel room.

Afterwards, So Eun and Hyun Joong went to Hye Sun. Min Ho was dressing himself while Kim Bum and Kim Joon were exchanging looks of dismay. Also, Kim Bum felt a little threatened by So Eun’s courage and strength. Kim Joon was impressed and a little frightened by So Eun and Hyun Joong’s outbursts.

“Lee Min Ho, I will take care of Hye Sun from now on.” Hyun Joong broke the uncomfortable silence.

“Who are you to have a say in our affairs? This is between Hye Sun and me only …” Min Ho retorted as he was one who never succumbed.

“Shut up, you self-centered egoist! You are the one who have no right to speak.” So Eun hissed as she patted Hye Sun’s back. So Eun had told Hye Sun to make a choice.

“You!” Min Ho strode towards So Eun and raised his hand up.

Kim Bum immediately went to grab his arm. “Hey, she is my wife.”

“No thanks,” So Eun slapped Kim Bum’s hand off Min Ho’s arms. “Slap me, if you dare.”

Min Ho then really slapped So Eun and So Eun smiled triumphantly.

“So Eun!” Kim Bum went to her side and cupped her face with his hands. “Are you crazy?” Even though Kim Bum had not fallen in love with So Eun yet, he had to admit that he was attracted to her. In addition, he had always been a gentleman and he firmly believed that gentlemen would never hit women. It had to be man-to-man.

So Eun shook her head and remarked sarcastically, “Mr Lee is indeed a true noble gentleman. Hye Sun, you should speak now.”

Hye Sun stood straight, holding Hyun Joong’s hand. She inhaled in a deep breath.

“Let’s break up and sever all our ties. What we had was just a nightmare and nothing more. You and I are strangers from this moment onwards.” Hye Sun’s heart broke into pieces as Hyun led her out of the room. She truly had had enough. He had gone overboard, bringing another woman into their room. She had been waiting for him to change but all she received from him were more and more disappointment.

So Eun trailed after Hyun Joong and Hye Sun. Kim Bum hurriedly joined So Eun but he was treated in an unfriendly manner with So Eun’s order, “if you support that self centered egoist, please pack your stuff in our room and move out. I don’t want to see disgusting people.”

Kim Bum glanced at Min Ho and declared firmly, “I will go with you, So Eun.”

“Did that woman just say she want to break up with me?” Min Ho turned to the last and only person in his room, Kim Joon.

Kim Joon nodded his head.

“Sever all ties?”

Kim Joon nodded his head again.

Min Ho’s frown was getting wider.

“We are just strangers. All we had was a nightmare?”

Kim Joon nodded his head for the last time and turned to leave, speaking deeply in a disgruntled tone, “Min Ho, this time, you really are in the wrong. You are too much, seriously.”

With that, Min Ho was left alone, standing in his room. He was dazed by the commotion and was rooted to the ground.

Hye Sun spent the night, crying herself to sleep in So Eun’s room. Kim Bum and Hyun Joong shared a room for the night. For the last two days of the honeymoon period, So Eun accompanied Hye Sun and they went around shopping for new fashionable clothes. Kim Bum, Kim Joon and Hyun Joong followed them. Lee Min Ho was ignored and left alone as whoever sided with Min Ho or helped him in any ways, would be slapped by So Eun and no longer friends with Hye Sun and brothers with Hyun Joong. Kim Bum and Kim Joon made their choices and followed the trio – Hyun Joong, Hye Sun and So Eun.

Soon, all of them had to return to Korea. Min Ho however chose to continue staying in Italy. He had not tried to woo Hye Sun back at all. He was too smug about himself, thinking that Hye Sun would go back to his side sooner or later as he firmly believed that she could not live her life properly without him.

On the flight, Hye Sun and Hyun Joong sat together while So Eun was in the middle of Kim Joon and Kim Bum behind Hye Sun and Hyun Joong.

“Hye Sun, take this!” Hyun Joong passed her a box with four hourglasses.

“What is this for? Remember I told you I had to forget Seo Hyun? I have used these four hourglasses. The sand in the biggest hourglass would take one hour to reach the bottom. The second biggest would allow thirty minutes, the third biggest would allow fifteen minutes and the smallest would give you three minutes. Everyday, you can only think of him and all your past with him for one hour, initially. As time passes, the time you spent thinking about all that you have shared with him should begin to decrease. I have read about this in a book. It is effective.” Hyun Joong explained.

“Thanks, Hyun Joong! You are indeed my best friend. Why are you bringing this though?” Hye Sun’s tears rolled down her cheeks. She had loved Min Ho with all her heart but yet he had ruthlessly killed her with his inconsiderate and shameless acts.

Hyun Joong just gave a polite smile. “I had to forget someone.” Hyun Joong silently thought, “this is my second set of hourglasses and not my first.”

They were back in Korea.

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ENJOY! =D

cheers.
th1rd3ye