Shin hye was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. She had asked the house keeper to attend other works since she is used to doing breakfast in the morning for so won. She wasn’t aware that min ho has awoken up from the guest room he stayed in and is ready to go to his company. He was on his way out when he became aware of shin hye’s presence in the kitchen. His eyes narrowed to slits as he watched her from the door. He was suddenly aware of how she has changed since six years ago. It wasn’t what he expected. Well with her supreme shallowness, it’s a surprise she didn’t focus on her appearance, he thought.

She wore a simple gown, the top of her dress hugging her body perfectly. Her curves were even more pronounced now that her body has matured. Her gleaming dark hair was swept up in a classic bun, with tendrils floating around her delicate face. Her chocolate eyes had once mesmerized him. And they still have the ability to now, he thought. They had a hypnotic quality, with a deceptive innocence shining through the thick lashes.

His gut tightened at just the sight of her, and that outraged him. Was he still a complete fool about her? She destroyed me and yet I still want her!

He couldn’t forget the kiss from last night. He did it in impulse, but at the moment his lips touched her, he was lost. Maybe I can still get my revenge, he thought. I’ll have her in my bed again, make her believe that I love her and then I will make her feel the same pain when I tell her I don’t love her. 

………………………………………………………………….

Shin hye spotted min ho standing by the doorway but she acted as if she hadn’t noticed his presence. She can feel his eyes on her. Why is he looking at me like I’m a prey? She could only let out a relived breath as he walked off. Fire and ice waged war within her. How dare he? She thought.

She knew the kinder, gentler side of him, but that boy was long gone. He wasn’t the same boy that she fell in love with. The man she saw last night wasn’t him. She had come to terms with it last night, he doesn’t love her anymore and she had to experience the reality in the hard way. But not anymore, shin hye has shredded all her vulnerability last night with her tears.

She has decided to fight for her pride. She is not going to let him get to her anymore. From today onwards she decided to go on her own way, to help with the battle over her daughter. If she is to be able to get the custody of her daughter, she needs the power and money. Shin hye decided to start it by finding a job first. With that resolution she carried on making the breakfast for so won.

After dropping and enrolling so won in her new school, shin hye went around town to meet up a job agency. On the way back, she was halted to stop by a tall man.

“Shin hye-ah”, before she knew who it was, she was enveloped in a warm embrace by the stranger. She went wide eyed, thinking who is hugging her in the middle of the road. She pushed him hard to see who it was.

“OPPA” shin hye broke into a wide smile. “When did you come back from new York?”

“Aishhhh, this girl! I’ve been here for 3 years, and no sign of you at all. You literally vanished.”

Shin hye looked away “sorry oppa, I had so much going on”

“Arrassoo, you are forgiven because your oppa is a generous man. Now you can’t deny my request, come lets go and have a coffee”

Shin hye hesitated only for a second before Kim woo bin dragged her off. Shin hye chuckled as she remembered how forceful her dear friend could be.

They were having coffee, sitting at the window side of the café, looking out at the high road with people walking. They both were joking about each people who were walking by, guessing what life tragic story they might have. Kim woo bin has a wide imagination and it wasn’t long before he had shin hye crack up laughing. It was just like old times. They both had been neighbours and were close more like siblings. It was around when they were 15 when Kim woo bin father got offered a job in New York, since it was a good opportunity he didn’t want to pass by. Kim woo bin moved to New York but shin hye and him always been in touch, until recent years where he couldn’t get hold of her. He can see that so much has happened to her, thought her lips are smiling, her eyes were full of sorrow. He wanted to help this girl who had been a great friend to him.

“Shin hye-ah, tell me” that’s all he need to say. Shin hye understood what he is asking but couldn’t bring herself to talk about it. It’s been years since she had someone to talk to, it was all bottled up in her heart. No one knew what happened, not even her omma who is no longer in this world.

“Oppa, I have a daughter you know, you should meet her one day” shin hye brightly said. She is not ready to talk about her issues just yet and tried distracting him. “Aren’t you old now? When are you going to get married?”

Kim woo bin could understand that shin hye didn’t want to talk yet and he didn’t want to push her. He wants her to find the strength to take out the burden she has when she is ready to.

“Yahhh, if you were in contact with me past few years, you would have known that I have a girlfriend. She is back in New York. But wait, you say you got a daughter? Wow shin hye-ah you are a mother now” he said in a true shock. “Min ho is a lucky bastard”

Upon hearing min ho’s name, she looked away, trying to avoid Kim woo bin’s ey