Minho ran after her but she was really fast. She just kept running with no definite destination. She just wanted to be as far away from him as possible. She kept on running until her feet couldn’t take it anymore and she collapsed on the ground. She didn’t know how far she run or where she was. She brought her knees to her face and silently sobbed until she felt someone pat her back. She raised her faced and found his distressed face looking down at her. She immediately pushed his hands off her back and stood up.

“Don’t ever put your filthy hands on my again. She said with eyes filled with hate. “You are despicable. Stay away from me from now on.” He tried to reach her but she moved further away from his reach. “I hate you! How I wish I never met you. Don’t ever delude yourself thinking I will ever forgive. Never.” She cleaned the tears from her face saying, “someone like you doesn’t deserve even a single tear from me.” And then she searched her surroundings and walked back to the office.

Minho stayed standing where she left him replaying everything she had said. She was right. He is despicable, and he didn’t deserve her tears. Her hatred towards him was his punishment for what he had done to her. He wished he had done things differently but even now he can’t seem to see how anything could have been different. He was a fool, yes, that’s it exactly, a fool.

He had begged his dad not to force him to no avail, he tried asking for time but even that wasn’t good enough for his ill dad. He had even gone further ahead to beg Chae Won not to agree to his dad’s demands but as expected she did not help. If anything she was glad his dad made those demands. Everyone was in agreement they didn’t understand why he was fighting the marriage when he knew this was to happen soon or later. “You have been engaged for five years now darling, you are not getting any younger, why delay the inevitable?” His mum had asked. He wanted to mention that he had found someone, someone he actually loved and hoped to spend his life with but he knew his mum would never agree to that. She had planned his marriage with Chae Won since God knows when.

He wanted to talk to Shinhye during that time but he didn’t know what to say. He had omitted mentioned he was an engaged man and now what, call to say he was getting married? Even if he were to say it, it wasn’t something he could do on the phone. And since he was still hopeful the marriage would not take place, he didn’t want to involve her. He would tell her everything when he met her in person.

He continued pleading with his parents but still they would not listen. He tried to convince Chae Won again but she wasn’t barging. She even shed tears saying this was her longest dream. To be his wife. “Why don’t you us to get married? She had asked. Don’t you love me anymore? Do you love someone else? She asked the last question with eyes filled with fire. He knew that Chae Won wouldn’t let Shinhye be if he told her. She would inform their families and they would attack Shinhye. He wasn’t ready to burden Shinhye with his problems, she would not pay for his sins. If anyone had to suffer, he would. In the end he had agreed to a civil wedding, nothing big which explains why many people in Korea were not aware of his marriage. He had stayed longer in the States because he help run his Father’s business until he fully recovered.

After the marriage, he couldn’t contact Shinhye anymore. He had no right to any. He hoped she would move on and meet a better person. Someone that deserved her love. By then Shinhye had stopped calling and texting, and he hope that she had forgot about him. Truthful he hoped she would always love him, he knew he would always love her, but he couldn’t be selfish. Not to her. He wanted her to be happy.

Their talk in his office showed him how much his negligence had hurt her and also his decision to marry. He had clipped all her hopes and he hoped that one day she would understand and at least forgive him. To think that he did everything to protect her from getting hurt. “I should have fought against the wedding to the very end, then they would have fought together. He regretted everything.

Shinhye reached her office, made a quick run to the restrooms, she knew her face must look weird with all the crying she had done that afternoon. She washed he faced and retouched her makeup, gave herself a final look and walked out.

She had made a decision on her way back to the office. At first she thought about resigning her job but she decided against it. She loved her job plus it was really a good job. She was not about to let him take that from her too. She would keep it. She also intended to make him pay for all the pain he had caused her, she was still trying to figure out how. But to do that, she had to be close to him. She went back to her office and busied herself with work. He came back some time later, and entered his office without looking in her direction. After the day’s work, she packed her things and left without checking with him first.

When he finally came out his office he found that she had already left. He realized that she was really true to her words, she couldn’t stand his presence. She hadn’t even bothered noticing/acknowledging his presence when he had come back. He knew then that his suffering was just beginning, being so close but yet so far.

Shinhye continued ignoring his presence, only talking about work issues and even this she tried to minimize by writing everything down for him in the reports. Fortunately he did not create situations where she would have to communicate with him much.

It was hard being ignored by her, but he had promised himself not to cause her anymore heart ache. If she needed space, then space is what she would get. He notice she would have her lunch with Joong Ki, she looked happy during those moments. She was her happy self. Every time he saw her happy with Joong Ki, he felt jealous, it reminded him of those days when those smiles were directed towards him. He wished he could turn back time, to those moments before he left for the States. It was really hard, so hard that he turned into an alcoholic. Every day after work he would head to the bars and drink himself silly. These days he even rarely saw his wife, he would go home drunk and in the morning she has already left for work.

He did not only loose Shinhye when her got married, he also lost his best friend. Part of him blamed her for everything, he knew his blame wasn’t justified but he also wouldn’t forget begging her not to get married. Lately they seemed like two strangers living together, he missed them both. For one he felt betrayed and the other he had betrayed. He was lonely with no one to confide in. he was really paying for his sins.

It has been a month now since their talk in his office, Shinhye still ignores him, he should be used to it but instead it just gets harder. He thought keeping her around even if he can’t have her was better than nothing, but he was so wrong. He knew she wasn’t comfortable working with him and today he was going to realize her from him. Joong Ki’s secretary had requested for a maternity leave, so he would send her to be his secretary since she seemed to get on well with him. It was a hard decision for him to make but it was one he had to make. He had to set her free  even if it broke his heart. He knew Joong Ki was a good man and if she decided to be with him, then she would have made an excellent choice. He convinced himself not to feel bad but it was impossible.

He dialed number one on his desk phone and invited Shinhye into his office. Shinhye was puzzled by his call since she had already provided all the documents he would need, “did I forget something?” she wondered checking to confirm. Everything was with him. She walked in wondering what it was that he needed from her.

“Have a seat.” He said as he pointed at a chair opposite his. She sat down and waited for whatever he had to say. She hoped it would be brief so she could immediately leave. She did like the way she felt being together with him. His closeness still affected her till now and that’s one of the reasons why she always stayed away.

“You must be aware that Joong Ki’s secretary will be going off for her maternity leave which means he will need someone, a replacement in the meantime.” He continued trying to observe her reaction. “Now I know that you absolutely hate being close to me, I understand and it is because of this that I have decided that you go work us his secretary. I will instead be the one to find a replacement.”

She couldn’t believe what he had said, she was finally going to be free from him but without losing her job. She would gladly work as Joong Ki’s secretary any time. He was nice to be around and since they were already friends and had well together before, she was happy. She tried to conceal her happiness because she didn’t want him thinking he was responsible for making her happy but he had notice her smile. He had the desire to take back his offer but he knew he couldn’t, shouldn’t. It was then decided that she start working for joong Ki immediately. She walked out his office and rushed to Joong Ki to share the good news.

Both were so excited they looked like little kids would have got their favorite toy. On the other hand, Minho felt the exact opposite, he knew that it would even be harder for him because now he was sure he wouldn’t even get chance to look at her.

Shinhye arranged everything and even started transferring her things to Joong Ki’s secretary’s office. They made plans to go and celebrate after work. Shinhye called Geun Young and invited her too. After work, they left together with Joong Ki and Minho saw them. They looked happy, especially Shinhye he noticed. Geun Young joined them at the restaurant, they ate and drunk to their fill and Joong Ki promised to foot the bill. After which they left for the karaoke bar and continued their celebrations. When they were completely wasted, Joong Ki dropped the girls home and he also headed home. Thank God tomorrow was a weekend and they didn’t have to go work because they were really wasted.

In her room Shinhye was laughing, she hadn’t been this happy in a long time. She had forgotten the feeling. It was ironic that the very person that took  her happiness was responsible for it now. She started thinking about his behavior for the past month, he had truly respected her space, and he didn’t burden her. She also  noticed that he had lost a lot of weight but she ignored him, she didn’t want to care anymore. She only hoped it wasn’t anything fatal because she didn’t wish anything bad to happen to him.

Minho went to the bar as usual and only left when he was circulated to go home. He didn’t find Chae Won around, she was on the night shift. He tried to push away memories of today’s occurrences but he failed. Not even alcohol could stop those painful memories or his pain. He went to his bed and cried himself to sleep as had been the case these past days.