A/N: I won’t say much since I don’t have much time left. The chapter is pretty intense and quite dramatic and A LOT is going to happen. I hope that it’s not too cliché (prays). Btw, I’d really like to know if you guys were SooJin, would you forgive JiWoon? I really want to hear your thoughts on it. Don’t worry on the gloominess of this chap, next chap is gonna be fun. So see you in the next update! :-)

P.s: I didn’t really have the time to fully edit this so if you’re a grammar-addict, you might puke after reading this chapter. Don’t say you haven’t been warned. Keke.

Credits: khyteleene@ soompi

“Over my dead body!”

-Kwon MinWoo

18 | A History Uncovered

HANEUL’S LOVE LETTER TO PARK JAEHOON

Dear JaeHoon,

I’m writing to tell you how much I like you and I think that I might even be in love with you.

Love,

Haneul.

*********************

“I know everything.”

It sounded like a dialogue taken straight from a melodrama. This shouldn’t be happening. When I had tried my best to prevent the fake engagement from being exposed, it seems like so many people had come to learn the truth. J.Blige, Umma, Haneul and now JiWoon. Is this God’s way of telling me that I shouldn’t have participated in the stupid lie any longer?

When EunJae had entered our lives, I should have just handed him back to her without a fight.

I stole a glance at MinWoo and saw that his face had paled like all the blood had left his face. I bit my lips, contemplating on my next move. I was itching to yell, “Look behind you, JiWoon. It’s a tiger!” before taking MinWoo’s hand, run inside my house and locked the door so that JiWoon would not be able to confront us anymore. However, I knew that it would be of no use. He would still come bugging until we surrender—until we confessed the truth to him.

“It’s none of your business,” MinWoo said firmly, breaking the silence hovering us, “It’s between me and SooJin. It doesn’t concern you.”

I blinked.

I still couldn’t believe that he actually came back for me. My mind began to wander, thinking of the reasons why he could be back when he looked so determined to find his beloved first love a few minutes earlier.

Could it be that he had fallen for me too?

The thought brought butterflies to my stomach that it had almost made me forgot about JiWoon knowing the truth about our fake engagement. Well, almost—if not for him laughing out loud like a maniac and holding his stomach like MinWoo had just told the world’s funniest joke.

“It doesn’t concern me, eh?” JiWoon asked after his laughter died down, “What if I want to make it my concern? What if I want to be in between you two? What do you say to that, city guy?”

I gasped loudly.

It sounded like Kang JiWoon had finally lost his mind. Maybe all the stones that I had thrown to his head for the past few years had beginning to find effects. Maybe JiWoon is finally going insane and it would all be my fault.

“Yah, Kang JiWoon!” I yelled angrily, “What are you talking about now? I thought I told you to stay away! What are you still doing here?!”

“I won’t go anywhere, SooJin,” JiWoon said with fire in his eyes, “Not after I know about the truth. I won’t let you guys continue with this stupid lie.”

“How did you find out?! Did you spy on us?” I said, “Have you gone insane, JiWoon?!”

JiWoon let out a sad chuckle—his eyes had this sorrowful vibe surrounding them when he laughed. “Spy on you?! Do you really think that I would stoop so low?” he said, “Your mother accidentally told me when she asked for my help this morning.”

Umma?!!

That traitor!

“Maybe I have gone insane, SooJin,” he continued, “but no matter what, I won’t let you go. Not again.”

This time, it was my turn to let out a bitter laugh. When I was certain that I no longer carry any feelings towards this idiot, he came to tell me that he wanted me. After all these years, Kang JiWoon was acting like I was the love of his life; that I was too precious to let go.

This guy is insane, I’m telling you.

Before I could even retort something back at him, I was stopped by the sight of MinWoo advancing towards JiWoon. “Leave her alone,” he said through gritted teeth, “It’s too late for you.”

JiWoon let out another annoying laugh that seemed to infuriate MinWoo. I could see that the veins on his neck were almost popping out.

“Too late?” he snickered mockingly at MinWoo, “What do you know about that, fake fiancé? What do you think will happen if I tell about it to the reporters? I’m sure they’ll be interested to know about it.”

It was unbelievable that such malicious words would come out of JiWoon’s mouth.

I gasped at the scene that ensued afterwards. With his nostrils flaring and his eyes emitting fire, MinWoo grabbed the collar of JiWoon’s t-shirt tightly, causing the latter to almost choke to death. MinWoo’s sudden move took JiWoon by surprise that he didn’t have it in him to fight MinWoo back.

I could see that JiWoon’s face was turning to blue as he coughed for air. Lesson for the day: Whatever happens, never make MinWoo angry or the monster in him will come out.

“MinWoo, stop it!” I yelled, fearing for JiWoon’s life. I couldn’t just watch as my ‘fiancée’ commit a homicide now, could I? I slapped his arm all over, in my attempt to losen his grip on JiWoon’s collar. “You’re going to kill him, MinWoo!” I yelled in exasperation, “Stop! Please!”

That seemed to have caught MinWoo’s attention and he suddenly let go of JiWoon’s collar. JiWoon fell to the ground and coughed continuously, gasping for air while he touched his throat. I rushed by his side to make sure that he was okay.

“I-I-I’m sorry,” MinWoo finally said, “I don’t know what came over me. I-I didn’t mean to hurt him.”

“You almost kill him, MinWoo!” I rambled, “You’re not supposed to kill anyone. He hasn’t even laid a finger on you! Although I have secretly wanted him dead before this but I don’t really want you to kill him. I would prefer it if he dies in a terrible car accident or drown in the deep sea. That way it’ll be less messy.”

“Hey!” JiWoon protested and coughed for air.

“I-I’m sorry,” MinWoo stuttered, looking apologetic, “It’s just that when he said about going to the reporter, I just—I really hate reporters—and there are many reporters out there, camping in front the gate of your house so I—I didn’t want him to rattle on us.”

“There are reporters in front of my house?!” I shrieked in frantic, “Why are they even here?! Are they trying to scoop out some more news? Oh, God!!”

Then, something dawned on me.

“Is that the reason why you came back, MinWoo?” I asked, “To warn me about some freaking reporters?”

Please tell me that it’s not true.

Please.

Please tell me that you came back for me.

Please, MinWoo.

I watched as MinWoo nodded his head slowly and heard the sound of my heart breaking. An annoying voice kept repeating in my head.

Of course he doesn’t come back for you, you fool! Wake up!

I blinked back the tears that was already starting to form in my eyes. I feel like such a crybaby. In a matter of minutes, I had almost cried more than once because of Kwon MinWoo.

“There are too many of them out there,” MinWoo said, oblivious to the sharp pain that his words were causing me, “I tried to drive through them but they were so bold. They stood in front on the gate, refusing to move unless I give them an exclusive interview about EunJae.”

“So that’s why you turned around,” I said glumly, “You didn’t want to tell them about EunJae.”

MinWoo nodded. “I didn’t want to kill anyone,” he said, “No matter how much I hate reporters.”

“But you nearly killed me,” JiWoon butted in, obviously still pissed that he was nearly killed by MinWoo. I was surprised that he didn’t do any counter attack. The JiWoon that I knew back in high school would never skip on the opportunity to fight back for himself.

I guess Kang JiWoon had grown up.

MinWoo heaved a deep sigh. “I’m sorry that I did that to you,” he said, “Like I said, I didn’t mean to hurt anyone,” he paused to gulp, “I would very much appreciate it if you can go home without being seen by reporters. Please, don’t tell them anything. I’m willing to pay you for your silence. Just tell me how much.”

JiWoon stared at MinWoo in disbelief, like he couldn’t believe that those words were coming out from such a refined young chaebol standing in front of him. Heck, even I couldn’t believe my ears.

Slowly, JiWoon began to stand back on his feet. “You’re willing to pay me?!!” he yelled as he glared furiously at MinWoo, “What do you take me for?! Do I look like a beggar to you?! Just because you’re rich, you think you can buy off people, just like that?!”

This time, it was JiWoon’s turn to be the scary angry monster. He advanced towards MinWoo and before I could stop him, he punched MinWoo straight in the face, making the latter stumbled a few feet backwards due to the force.

“JiWoon!!” I shrieked as I watched MinWoo spitting out the blood from his mouth.

“That’s why I hate rich country guys like you,” JiWoon yelled, “You think that just because you’re rich, you can own the world! You can go to hell, you hear me?! HELL!” he spat to the ground just to show how disgusted he was by the sight of MinWoo.

I rushed towards MinWoo’s side. I winced as I watched the blood dripping down his nose. “MinWoo, you’re bleeding,” I said, “Are you okay?”

MinWoo chose to ignore my words. Instead, his burning gaze was still held onto JiWoon’s features. “You can call me whatever you want, I don’t care,” he said, his eyes still on JiWoon, “as long as you don’t go rat on us to the reporters. Please, just keep this to yourself. You don’t know the consequences of it all if you tell them about this.”

JiWoon let out a bitter laugh. “You know what, city guy? I don’t give a damn on what will happen to you!” he said.

Before I could stop him, MinWoo advanced angrily towards JiWoon and grabbed the collar of his shirt again. His eyes were ablaze and his jaw was tightened. It was a different side to the refined Kwon MinWoo that I usually encounter. Heck, it reminded me why I was so scared of him during my first day of work.

He looked like a scary monster.

“What? You’re gonna punch me again?” JiWoon mocked, levelling MinWoo’s gaze. MinWoo’s grip on his collar tightened, his eyes still burning with anger.

I ran towards them and tried to get in between them. “Stop it, both of you! We can all talk nicely about this. No need to use force. Peace is the way to go. Make love, not war,” I said, suddenly feeling like a contestant in a Miss World peagant.

However, the two angry men ignored my attempt as a peacekeeper. No one said anything for a long time. They were just glaring angrily at each other, their features flushing with fury.

I tried to joke, in my second attempt as a peacekeeper. “Hey, look at you both. You two are like lovers, staring into each other’s eyes like this. Hahahaha,” I laughed.

The response was cold. If they weren’t so angry, they would have definitely laughed at the hilarious joke.

“Hahaha?” I stopped laughing once I noticed how they weren’t even paying attention to me, “C’mon guys, isn’t it funny? You guys being lovers with your nose dripping blood like this and JiWoon’s face looking like a bruised monkey like that? Get it? Get it? Bwahaha,” I laughed.

Again, the response was cold.

“SooJin?” JiWoon said, briefly glancing at me.

“Yes?” I quipped eagerly, hoping that he finally had gone back to his senses.

“Stop joking,” he said, “You’re not as funny as you think you are.”

My face fell. So much for trying to be the peacekeeper!

Again, the tension built up. They were back to glaring murderously at each other while I remained as the wannabe peacekeeper.

“Stop wasting my time,” JiWoon finally said, breaking the silence, “If you want to punch me, go ahead but don’t ever think that I will let you get away with the lie. I will expose the truth, no matter what.”

“I’m telling you to stop, JiWoon. Don’t make it any harder. There will be terrible consequences if you do. I will expose the truth when it is the right time, but not now. You don’t know how vicious the reporters can be,” MinWoo said, his grip was still on JiWoon’s collar.

“In case you have forgotten, rich guy,” JiWoon said, a tinge of mockery in his voice, “I don’t give a sh1t about you. I don’t care what happens to you. The truth needs to come out, whether you like it or not.”

This seemed to have infuriated MinWoo so much that in a blink of an eye, he threw a powerful punch at JiWoon’s face, causing the latter to fall to the ground.

I gasped. “JiWoon!” I shrieked, rushing towards his aide. I knelt by his side, trying to get a clearer look at the damage done by MinWoo. He was holding his bloody nose, looking up at MinWoo with so much hatred in his eyes.

“What about SooJin? What about her family? My family? Have you thought about that?!” MinWoo yelled like a possessed man, “I won’t let you hurt her or them. Over my dead body!”

I couldn’t take it anymore. This had definitely gone way too far. So much had happened in a single day, it was already late at night and I was dead tired. My heart hurts and my body ached all over.

This has got to stop.

“Yah, Kwon MinWoo!” I yelled, “Have you lost your mind?! Look at what you’ve done!!”

That managed to catch his attention as he slowly turned his attention towards me. “SooJin, just—let’s just go inside—we can talk about this.”

I looked at him, disappointed that he was acting as reckless as he was. How could he just go around punching another person and leave without as much as an apology? I didn’t expect that from him. I mean, I expected this kind of behaviour by JiWoon but not MinWoo. He was behaving so differently, like he was a different person altogether. Maybe he was acting that way because of EunJae. Maybe all he did was to protect EunJae. He even went as far as to punch JiWoon because of his precious EunJae.

That thought infuriated me and I couldn’t deny the slight pang in my heart. I was tired of it all.

“You can go in first, MinWoo. I can’t leave him like this.”

“But SooJin—”

“No buts, MinWoo. Just go on in.”

“SooJin, you—”

“I’m disappointed with you, MinWoo. I didn’t expect this from you. Just go on in. We’ll talk later.”

That look on MinWoo’s face was indescribable with words. It was as if he was feeling guilty, shocked and hurt by my statement but he really cannot blame me. All of this was his fault in the first place. I mean, the whole engagement thing was also his fault. Before I met him, before all these lies had started, my life was so much happier and peaceful but now, I can only feel hurt and afraid all the time; afraid that he would eventually go back to his love and leave me alone in the dark.

“Okay,” MinWoo said quietly, sounding dejected, “I’ll leave you two alone, if that’s what you want.” He gave me and JiWoon one last miserable look before turning on his heels to leave towards the house. JiWoon just looked after him like he was figuring something out.

I couldn’t deny the ache in my heart again as I watched his retreating back. It was really tiring for me. I think I was as miserable as he had looked.

Once MinWoo had disappeared from our sight, JiWoon turned to look at me, still holding his nose. The bleeding had stopped by then. “What are you doing with him, SooJin?” he asked quietly, “This is not you.”

“Shut up, JiWoon. You don’t even know me,” I said.

“I do,” he sighed, “more than you know. Even more than him.” JiWoon looked away, like there was something bothering his mind. “Does that stupid man know that you have real feelings for him?” he asked, “Is that why you agreed to this stupid thing?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I stuttered, trying to sound convincing but I bet he could see all through me.

JiWoon looked at me quietly, studying my face. He heaved a deep sigh and looked down to the ground. “You can’t lie to me, SooJin,” he said sadly, “I know you.”

Well if he thinks that I would suddenly confess all my feelings to him, then he was dead wrong. I refused to give him the pleasure. Not after what had happened between us. “Stop it, JiWoon. Stop all this madness. I’m tired of this; of you. I really don’t have time for this. If you’re fine, just leave me now. I need time for myself.”

“Like I said just now, he’s not worthy of your love.”

“Just leave, JiWoon.”

“I won’t, not until you make the right decision.”

“And what is that?!” I snapped angrily, “What is the right decision? Choosing you will be the right thing to do, is that what you’re telling me?! In case you have forgotten, JiWoon, I have chosen you all along but it was you who threw me aside. So don’t ever tell me to make the right decision. Getting over you was the best decision in my life thus far!”

Truth be told, I think that I was on the verge of going insane. Really, so many things are happening on a single freaking night and I really couldn’t take it anymore.

“I’m sorry that I made you miserable in the past but I really didn’t have a choice!