Two days before the Kris and Tiffany’s wedding, Jessica strolls the city alone. Looking at the sky from time to time as she passes store after store. She did not want to call Siwon and bother him, even though she wants too. She can’t call Kris anymore because he now has Tiffany. She can’t call Taeyeon, because she’s in class. The walk was lonely, letting her mind guiding her around the city, taking her to wherever it wants to go. Just like that, she ends up in front of Siwon’s restaurant. She grabs onto her purse strap tightly as she looks at the restaurant then to the side where the parking lot is and sees his car there. Jessica takes out her phone and gives him a call.

            “Jessica.” Siwon answered the called.

            “What are you doing right now?” Jessica asked.

            “I’m talking to an old friend about a business. Why? Miss me?”

            Jessica feels shy and smiles, “Yes, I miss you. That’s why I call you.” She said. “Where are you at?”

            “I’m at the restaurant.” He said.

            “Siwon.” The sound of a woman near him called out his name.

            “I have to go. I’ll call you back later. Bye.” Said Siwon before he hang up.

            Jessica feels nervous and worries hearing a woman voice through the phone. She enters the restaurant and hides on the side by the host station. She watches Siwon talks to a pretty and talks woman at a table by the bar.

            “How have you been?” The woman asked.

            “I’m doing good.” Said Siwon with a smile. “Thank you for asking, Wen. Is there something you want to tell me?”

            Wen sighed disheartened before she speaks again. “I really did mean to bother you, but the salon is having an issue. We have one complaint from a customer and now, she want to take sue the salon for cause her hair lost.”

            “I understand. I get someone to work on it right away. I’ll have a lawyer contact her. For the finance side, I’ll take care of everything.” Said Siwon.

            “Thank you, oppa.” Said Wen with a soft smile. Her right-hand reach for his left hand on the table.  “I wouldn’t know what to do if you aren’t here to help me.”

“You can always give me a call. I will be ready to help you at anytime. That’s what friend are for.”

Wen smiles brightly, “Thank you.” She said with gratitude. “Anything new in your life beside work and work? You know you’re getting old. You should some time off and relax.”

            Siwon lightly chuckles. “I’m getting marry soon.” Said Siwon, happily.

            “Oh my god.” Said Wen, shockingly. “Can I ask who the lucky woman is?”

“She very beautiful and innocent with full of dreams. When she smiles, it was like all my problem has disappeared. “Congratulation. Let me give you a hug.”

            Siwon and Wen stands up. She walks over to him and give him a tight embrace. Jessica hand turn into a fist as she bite her bottom lip jealously. One of the waitress that pass by Jessica and saw her reaction. The waitress walks over to Siwon and whispered to him. Siwon looks to his right and sees Jessica standing angrily by the host station. Wen looks at where he was looking and sees Jessica run out of the restaurant. Siwon immediately chased after her.

            “Jessica!” Siwon shout as he continues to run after her. “Jessica!”

            Siwon speed up and reach for her right hand. He grab her hand, stop her, and turn her around. She was mad. She was furious at him.

            “Let me go!” Jessica struggles to break free from his grip.

            “Listen to me first.” Said Siwon as he hold onto her hands.

            “Just go back to that woman you were hugging in there.”

            Siwon grabs a hold of her by her upper arm, holding her still. “Listen to me first.”  He said, trying to get her to listen to him, but she will not.

            “What’s there to talk about. I saw everything.” Said Jessica in anger. “You’re like every other men in this world. You talk sweet to me for today, and then, turn around and went to another woman.”

            “She’s my ex-wife.”

            The word ‘ex’ make her even more mad just thinking of him returning to his ex.

            “You misunderstood. She’s just a friend and a business partner. There’s nothing going on between us.”

            “How do you expected me to believe you? I saw everything with my own eye.” She was still mad at him. “You never told me anything about your ex-wives. You never told that one of your ex live in Korea and close to you. You don’t tell me anything.”

            “Because all I care about is you.”

            She stands like a statue in front of him. The more he confess to her, the more she feels herself giving in to him.

            “All I care is you. All I want is to make you happy. The past is not important. What matter to me now is you. No one is in my mind and heart but you. You have all my heart. There’s no one else that can take it away from you.” Said Siwon, honestly. “I love you…. only you.”

            Jessica was speechless as she looks into his eyes. The pairs of eyes that fill with fear and hopeful as it pierces through her. She feels her heart beating furious fast to the three words he said to her.

            Siwon take a step closer to her. “Jessica…” He whispered her name.

            “I don’t know if I should believe you are not.

            “Is my past really that important to you?” Siwon voice shaken as he hold onto her.

            “Yes.”

            “Why?”

            “Because I want to know everything about you. I want to know what you like and what you dislike. I want to know your hobbies. I want to know your life style. I want to know everything about you.”

            Siwon was taken back a bit in surprise. Jessica hand rolls into a fist as she nervously looks at him.

            “I’m going to be your wife soon, but I don’t know anything about you except where you work and what you do for a living…. I feel like I’m not doing my best to….”

            Siwon crash his lips on her, shutting her from continuing. Jessica stand froze in shock, feeling his soft lips over hers. Slowly, she finds herself giving to him, responding back to his passionate kisses. He wraps his arms around her as he close the gap between them. The kiss deepen. She finds herself flowing away from he inr the real world, but drawn back when he pull away.

            Siwon smiles sweetly. “Sometime it’s better to express yourself than hiding in you.” He said.

            “I—I was not hiding. I just don’t know how to express myself.” Said the nervous Jessica avoiding his eyes.

            “If you really want to know everything about me then I will tell you everything you want to know, starting with my ex wives since you are mad at me for the second times.”

            Jessica looks at him confused. When was the first time I was mad at him?

            “The first was that night when I show up in front of your house to talk to about parent and get their approval. I can sense that you were mad at me, but I couldn’t figure what I did to make you mad. Today, you are mad at me because I met with Wen and you misunderstood us.” Said Siwon, thoroughly. “We met up because there seem to be an issue with her business. A customer complaint and falsely accuse her of misusing the product cause hair damage. So the client took the case up to court. I have to step out and help her, as a friend and a business partner. Nothing more.”

            “Really?” Jessica was surprise how nice and generous he could be to the people he know.

            “If you don’t believe me, I can take you to her. She’s an honest person. The employee there also know about Wen and I situation.”

            Jessica hesitate.

            “Or else, I will steal another kiss until you believe me.” Said Siwon, jokingly moving his head closer.

            Jessica place her right hand over his lips, stopping him from coming any closer. “Fine. We’ll go.” She said.

            Siwon happily hold her right hand and walks her back to the restaurant. Wen was still waiting at the table near the bar. Siwon told one of the two hostess to have the private open and ready. The hostess nodded as she notifies the waitress to have the room request ready in a short time and Wen in the room. Siwon and Jessica enter the room shortly. The door close and the three of them sit in a square table. Siwon sat in the middle, waiting for Jessica or Wen to speak. Wen was waiting for Jessica to ask her questions bout her relationship with Siwon.

            The pressure in the room continues to build as the two women sit across each other and only looking, no talking. Siwon pick up the glass of water and takes a sip as he wait patiently.

            Jessica turn and looks at Siwon, “Can I talk to her privately?” She asked.

            Siwon nod politely and stand. He leaves the room, closing the door behind him so the two ladies can talk.

            “You must be Siwon’s fiancé. It nice to meet you for the first time.” Said Wen with a pleasant smile.

            “It nice to meet you too.” Said Jessica, mind full of curiosity yet uncomfortable self sitting across from Wen.

            “I’m sorry about early. If I knew you were here, I would have kept my distance so that you would not misunderstand me and him.” Said Wen. “Between Siwon and I are the past.”

            “How would you know?” Jessica questions. “Maybe one day, you and him will recall memories.”

            “I know very well of myself and our past. I’ve hurt him many. I’ve damage his image many time. I’ve lied to him many. There’s no way we will be together.”

            “You’ve hurt him?”

            “Yes, I’ve hurt him emotionally and mentally. I was a drug addict. I had no dream, no passion, no nothing. Everything I spent the morning I earned on drugs. He had help many times, but I lied and do it behind his back. Because of that, we fought every day. Him trying to help me out of the dark world. Me trying to go deeper in the dark world. I couldn’t take it anymore, and so, I filed for a divorced. I left him the file on the table before I left the house. He called and called, asking for reason. But I told I just want a divorce to freedom.”

            “He agree?”

            We nod lightly. “Yes, because he know if we continues, it will only hurt us more. So he agree and sign the paper. After divorced, he asked him to go get treatment and open a business for me. He sent me to school and I found my passion again.” She said with a couple drops of tears gliding down her cheeks. “I was able to discover my myself…my passion until recently I got addict to drugs again. He came back and help me get rid of my addiction.”

            “May I ask, how long was the it?”

            “Just a few month ago.”

            So that’s why he came back and attended my parent anniversary late.

            “Trust me, Siwon is a good man. When he mentioned about, he was very happy.  I’ve never seen him this happy in his life. I can tell he really loves you.” Said Wen, calmly. “Don’t let go. Don’t let him feel the pain he once felt. He has a precious heart and will do anything to make the one he love happy again.”

            Jessica bite her bottom lips as she looks at stare blankly at the table. It’s too late. He is hurt knowing that he will marry a girl that does not know if she love him or not.

            “I hope I was able to clear everything with you and I would like to congratulate you as well.” Said Wen with her right hand across the table ready for a hand shake. Jessica accept the hand-shake. “Well then, we should go out and let him know that everything is settle and we both have a clear understanding before he get worries.”

            Jessica nod and leaves the room with Wen. They sees Siwon wait by the bar with a drink in front of him. He heard the door open and looks to his left and sees Jessica and Wen walking up to him. He get off his seat and walks up to them and reach for Jessica right hand.

            “Is everything okay?” Siwon asked, nervously.

            Jessica glance at Wen before looking at him with smiles and nod.

            “I have to get going now. Don’t want to distract the both of you.” Said Wen, smiling at them.

            “Okay. My people will in contact with you soon. Don’t worry about the case, just focus on your dream.” Said Siwon.

            “Kamsahamnida.” Said Wen. “Bye-Bye.” She waves.

            “Bye.” Said Jessica watching her leave the restaurant.

            Siwon turn and give her a ‘is everything clear’ looks.

            “What?” She said.

            “What did you and her talk about?” Siwon asked.

            “Nothing much.”

            “Really?”

            “We just exchange a few words. She told me a lot of things about you.”

            “I hope good things.”

            “Did you do anything bad?” She said with a joking suspicious looks.

            “I don’t recall anything.” Said Siwon, confidently. “So… between us… is everything…?”

            “I forgive you.”

            Siwon sighed in relief. “I thought I had to kiss you again if you don’t forgive me.”

            Jessica shyly blush as she recalled their kiss earlier.

            “And it was out official first kiss too.” Siwon smiles sweetly as he lower his head and looks into her shy eyes.

            “You talk too much.” Said Jessica. She walks away from him.

            “Let me take you home.” Said Siwon chasing after her.

* * * * *           

The night before the wedding day of Kris and Tiffany. Kris help Tiffany into her room… to her bed. He pulls the duvet over her and place a kiss on her forehead. Looking at him with sweet and loving eyes, Tiffany smiles.

            “Good night, my beautiful bride. Dream of me.” Said Kris in a soft tone. “Be ready to become Mrs. Wu officially tomorrow.”

            Tiffany cheek rose pink as she shyly smiles. Kris walk to the door, press on the light switch, and the light turn off. He closed the door and walks down the stair. He stop in the living and sees Jessica standing by the couch, looking at him.

            “Tiffany is now asleep.” Said Kris.

            “Thank you.” Said Jessica.

            Kris walks up to her but stop when he sees her taking a couple take back. “Is there anything else you want to say to me?” He asked as he sadly looks into her eyes, pleading that she will tell him she love him one last time. Pleading that she will tell that she want to be with him.

            The dejectedly Jessica hesitate as she stands about ten feet away from him. There’s words she wanted to say to him, words that she wants to dearly tell him, but she’s afraid that once she give in to her weak self. Everything will tear apart. Tiffany. Her parent. She could not hurt them. She loves them dearly to lose them.

            “Jessica…”

            “No.” She said, affirmatively

            “Not even one word?”

            “I have nothing to say but to thank you for healing Tiffany’s heart and give her the hope to live again.”

            Kris hissed hurtfully as he looks away from her eyes for a second. “Thank you?” He repeated. “I hate hearing that words so much now. I hate how it tearing us apart.”  

            “Oppa. We agree not to talk about this again. Tiffany is upstair. She can hear us.” Said Jessica, worriedly. 

            “Yes, but how do you expected me to watch the woman I love marry another man?” Said Kris, in a hurtful tone.

            “Mianhe…” She said, trying to control her tears back as she lower her head.

            Kris walks up to her and embrace her tightly. “Why must this sadness happen to us? Why can’t we be together?”

            “Oppa….”

            “Do we really have to end up like this? In-law from now on. Burying the love we have for each other deep inside…..”

            “Please forget everything. Forget what we once had. You’re going to marry Tiffany tomorrow.” Said Jessica. “You’re going to be her husband. You must love her with all your heart. You must take good care of her with all your heart.” She breaks the embrace and take a step back.

            “If I ask you to break off your marriage with him? Would do it?”

            Jessica silent stand and thinks to herself carefully. The man that have been by her side since the beginning. The man that have never given up on her. The man that made her smiles. A man that makes her feel safe and happy.

            “I can’t. He has done so much for me.” She said as she looks into his eyes.

            Kris nodded his head, defeatedly. He understood. “I understand.” He said in a mere soft tone. “Good night.” He said before he turns around and head towards the door.

            A couple tears escape as she watches the doors shut. “Mianhe oppa….” She whispered in tears. She stand alone in the room as tears glides down her cheeks. She let it out, because she know after tonight, they will go separate way. He will belong to Tiffany and she leave the country with Siwon to start a new life. Tonight, was their last goodbye.

To be continued…………………………….