My gaze has been glued on the note left on my bedside table. It’s the first thing I saw the moment I woke up. Shi Won’s handwriting overlaps from one letter to another. She must be in a hurry when she wrote this.

I’m leaving. Watch over Yoon Jae for me.

I invert the note and put it in the right position again. I’d really hate it when I’m just seeing things. But the paper feels so real in my hand.

Yoon Jae sits in the couch beside me. My eyes are still fixed on the note. He rests his head on my lap.

“Where’s Shi Won?” I ask.

I hand him the note. “Here.”

He takes the piece of paper.

“I’m leaving. Watch over Yoon Jae for me.”

“Why did she leave.” I ask again.

“I just want her safe from Tae Woong.”

I sigh and force him to sit straight up.

“What did exactly happen?”

“He won’t give her up.”

I clench my fist in anger. He was once my teacher, but I’m losing that spark of respect I have for him.

“Where is she now?”

“I don’t know. I gave her the address. I just pray that wherever she went, Tae Woong won’t find her.”

“He won’t!” I stress.

And with her out of the picture, I feel like things between me and Yoon Jae are on the right track.

The moment Mom opened the door for me, I run straight into her arms and hug her. I can’t stop my tears from falling. They come down one after the other.

“Shi Won-ah…”

I keep on sobbing. Nothing’s going right for me.

“Mom…”

“Stop crying now, okay? Come inside and tell me everything.”

We go to the living room. I insist on sleeping and she nods, telling me that we can talk it all out tomorrow.

My shoulder is slightly okay a week and a half later. Dr. Jang wasn’t supposed to welcome me again in the hospital, but I told him I can take care of myself. He assigned me to office works so I won’t wear myself out.

I find myself missing Shi Won every single day. Of course, she’s a good friend of mine. I feel so selfish being happy without her in the apartment. Yoon Jae is all mine and nothing but mine.

Since she went away, I’ve been keeping an eye on him. It’s a promise I’m doing for her, and I don’t want him to slip away from me. I want him beside me for the rest of time.

That weekend, Yoon Jae and I ate ice cream at the park where he first gave me Moon Chi. We are the only ones seating on the bleachers. Memories flood my mind when I first had the dog in my arms and kissed its lips. I bite on my slowly melting ice cream.

“It’s been so long since we went out together.” I say.

“Yeah…after all that happened.”

“Can we be together now?” I ask, despite my mind telling me that it’s stupid. This act of bravery will only be for naught.

His fingers intertwine with mine.

“I’ve waited so long for this.”

I smile to myself. I’ve waited so long for my happiness to come.

One night, we watch Windstruck on TV. Yoon Jae sits silently beside me while I chew the popcorn in my mouth. My world stands still when Jang Hyuk gets shot in the chest and it’s too late for Jun Ji Hyun to save him.

“You know what, Jang Hyuk is too handsome to die.” I say.

“Now you like him more than you like me.”

“If I were to choose between you and him, it’d be him.” I jonke.

He makes a face. “If the three of us are in a boat stuck in a thunderstorm and Jang Hyuk and I are about to die, who would you save first?” he suddenly asks me.

“Of course…” I start, then pause to grin at him. “It’s Jang Hyuk.”

He frowns and folds his arms across his chest.

“Good for him.” He says. The movie comes to a point where Jun Ji hyun denies to herself that Jang Hyuk is already dead. I’m quite sure that’s what Yoon Jae’s ‘good for him is about.

“I was just kidding, Yoon Yoon Jae.”

His face lightens up. “Really?”

“But Jang Hyuk is too handsome to die.”

“Yah, Kang JoonHee!”

“Hush now, Yoon Yoon Jae. I won’t change my mind.”

He puts his arm around me as we finish the whole movie.

Another one and a half week later, my shoulder feels almost finally healed. Yoon Jae has been helpful in taking care of me. He makes sure I don’t overwork myself too much. I can feel my body functioning like it was before.

Shi Won’s absence felt like a day. I’m almost done adjusting with my life without her, though at times I still long to have her near. Needless to say, I’m savoring all the time I have with Yoon Jae. We can move on our own. I won’t have someone to watch over and act to her taste. Sometimes it hurts me to think that way but I shake it off by spending my time on internship.

That evening, Yoon Jae comes to the hospital bringing lots of food. I was talking to Hyeon Jae about some things when he showed up. I could see Yoon Jae’s distaste when he saw Hyeon Jae.

“Go, we can talk later.” Hyeon Jae says with a wink and walks away.

Yoon Jae smiles when he’s gone.

“I guess it’s good to see you alone.”

We eat our dinner on the hospital’s rooftop. The cold air makes my body shiver. There’s a long bench sitting on the center and we both occupy it.

“Let’s eat!” Yoon Jae says with too much excitement while opening the Tupperware of food he brought. Then he quickly adds, “I cooked them all.”

“Seriously?”

He nods. “It’s all for us. It’s been so long since we ate together like this.”

In the midst of picking what food to eat, Yoon Jae asks me something.

“Min Hyeon Jae…is he your classmate?”

The way his voice shakes makes me laugh. Something is clear to me.

“Yes. He’s also my partner in internship. Why?”

“I don’t like him.” he answers bluntly.

“Are you jealous?”

His eyes shot open at my remark.

“No! I’m not jealous and that won’t happen.”

“Liar. Your eyes tell me otherwise.”

“Yah! Kang JoonHee!”

I give his lips a quick kiss.

“You have me. Stop thinking that way.”

He stuffs a spoonful of rice in my mouth and laughs hard.

“So, are you going back to him” Mom asks me as she sits on the couch with me. I stretch my arms after three hours of writing a movie script.

“I hope I can. Maybe I have to. It’s been a month already.” I say.

She holds my hand.

“Whatever happens, you’ll always be my brave girl, Shi Won.”

I hug her and decided to stand firm on my decision. I’m going back to the apartment tomorrow morning.