~ Seunghyun ~

"Her condition is improving, Mr Choi. A very good sign that she is fighting within her to comeback to you and little Navi." Dr Lee smiled at my daughter as he pat her head. Navi is standing by her mother bedside, while clinging on the metal rail of the bed, her eyes never left Chaerin who is consume with lots of tube inserting into and nose. Her bandage had long been taken off with only a small plastered pastered on her forehead. 

Chaerin lifeless form looks as if she is in a deep sleep, with no bruises or even scar, despite all the tubes. It seems that the accident did not affected her beauty at all. And I too could not keep my eyes off from being mesmerise by her classic beauty. How could I ever think of letting her go. 

"There is no need to be so formalities, Dr Lee. Afterall, you have been attending to my wife case for a month now, I felt that both of us should now be beyond the relationship of a doctor and patient. Just call me, Seunghyun." 

He muffled a laugh. My eyes caught his coloured fingernail. Today, Dr Lee had his fingernail colored black with sparks of golden gold. He looks more like a rockstar rather than a doctor.

"Then you should call me by my name too - Lee Hong Ki." He smiled. I know I've make the right decision to trust this man. That sincere smile of him just shows all the important characters of his - sincere, honest and trustworthy. The 3 most important traits in a person that I always seek in when I deal with both my business and personal life.

"Of course, Hong Ki-sshi."

After Hong Ki had left us alone with Chaerin, I gently ushered Navi to the chair that is nearest to her mother, while I take the opposite seat. However, as I just about to move on to the other seat, I felt her pulling my arm. I look down to her questioning eyes.

"What is it, my sweetheart?"

"Can you sit with me, appa?" I obliged. 

She lean back to my body to get more comfortable, as I had settled her down on my lap. I too lean forward to her as I smell her shampoo on her pigtail hair. Her 2 pigtail knot looks better than previous. I smiled to myself for my own piece of work. I'm sure Chaerin will be proud of me. But not so proud that she will want to give me another chance.

I wonder what she had found that she had been missing out ever since being married to me. I hope it will not be that complicate things further between us. I just hate changes in my life, the one that I least unexpected. Like my pending divorce.

"Appa..."

"Yes, baby."

I watch Navi turning her body to face me. I let her do it alone, if she wants my help, she had curb the habit to ask me for it. This must be one of the effect from a child whose parent are getting divorce. Please God for strength.

"Appa, can you tell me the story of how you meet mommy?"

Silence

"I've heard mommy version but I never heard your version, appa."

I smiled. "Of course."

I gather all the remains strength that I had and heave a long sigh.

"Here goes my version of how I met your mom..."

~ ~ Flashback ~ ~

I feel like throwing my handphone against the wall of my dorm. I could not believe that I need to come back home for the second time in a week for just to welcome some friend of my father conglomerate buddy that had just arrive home from USA. And I need to stay too during the weekend when I already had plan to spend it with my 2 buddies - Jiyong and Young Bae.

The 3 of us had looking forward to attend the music fest for the first time in Seoul that will be held near our college campus and the event will start from Friday and last throughout the weekend. I had been looking forward to meet my idol Eminem who had been the highlight of the event. Can you imagine it, a rap God like him, had taken the liberty to share the stage with the rest of the rap artistes that is not at the same level of greatness like him?

Worst, I had already paid up the event tickets for the rest of the week show. I had spend my months of saving for this occassion alone. How could my appa ruin my well-plan enjoyment which I had clearly deserve for since I had passed all my papers with merits that should make both my parent very proud. But why oh why must my appa be such a douchebag who only think of himself beside others?

I feel like punching someone. Urghhh!!

Maybe I should reason out to my mom, my only ally in the battle between my appa versus me. Damn! I had an elder brother who he should focus on instead of me. I am just a middle child in the family. Not that Dongwook is not a straight A's student however he is way better off than me. He is in one of top 3 prestigious school in the country and my youngest brother Jonghun is following his footstep.

So what the hell did my appa had always need to target me in his expenditure to sell-off his children just so he could gain more wealth? I'm sure that this Lee family must be richer than the previous Park family that my appa had trying to match-make me with their daughter, Park Bom with me. And she is way older than me. Park Bom noona should be with Donghwook hyung instead of me.

"But my appa wants me to be with you oppa. And beside I too agree with my appa that I am better off with you." Like seriously, noona? She must had her eye check-up like thoroughly and I could recommend Young Bae's appa who is the optometrist. No offense Park Bom noona is beautiful as she could be but at that time, I am not in the mood to be in a relationship and definitely I am not looking for one.

"I am truly sorry noona. As much you think we should be together, please give me more time to enjoy my youth than tied down in a matter of marriage with you. I still need to enjoy." Lucky enough, Bom noona seems to understand my situation and we remains friends. The last thing I heard of noona that she has now meet someone else and the guy just happen to be my cousin Kim Jaejoong.

My reverie had been abrupted by the coming of my childhood pal Jiyong. He sit by my bed with a smirk on his face as I swing my chair to him. "What?"

"I heard from Young Bae that your appa wants you back home this weekend." I nodded. I know from our previous conversation between Young Bae and me, the man seems quite upset. But seeing the look on Jiyong's face, it tells a different story though.

"Well, it is too bad that you could not make it. Maybe you want to consider to sell off your tickets to Teddy Hyungnim. I heard he will be paying off a great price for those."

I draw out the drawer by my study table and take off the tickets under my daily journal. I neatly place the 3 tickets on the table. But before I gestured Jiyong to take the tickets to be sell off to Teddy hyungnim, I take away one of the ticket that is meant for the last day of the event. I want to hold on to the last one.

"Huh? How about the last one?" 

"I will try to hold on with this one." Instead of arguing with me, Jiyong nodded his head as if understand to my situation. "I understand. Well, give me a call if you can make it on Sunday, alright bro?" We do our friendship trademark handshake before Jiyong goes off to sell my 2 tickets to Teddy hyungnim. As for me, I should get ready before ahjussi reache my dorm to drive me home.

I did not expect that my mom will be picking me up instead of ahjussi. And from the way she look at me, her face showing every bits of happiness in it, I had as much guess that I had lost a major ally in my battle with my appa. "My son!!" She kissed both of my cheeks which she rarely did and if ever she did that it just shows that she is feeling very excited of upcoming event. To ahjussi, she ordered him to drive us to the nearest mall to buy me another set of suit which I do believe that I had like dozen at home. "Mom, can't I just wear the one that I already had at home?"

"No you can't Seunghyungie. This is a very important guest that we are expecting this weekend and I just wants everything to be superfine." She giggled. I cringed because my mom never giggled before as far as I could remember.

"And the wierd thing is, your guest only interested in meeting me. Not hyung or Jonghun." I lifted my arms as instructed by the tailor who diligently taking my measurement. Another thing of all things I find it rather annoying. Because I always patronise at the same shop but at every occassion that I was needed to tailor another set of suit, the tailorsmith will have to take my measurement. Didn't they ever keep the record of my measurement somewhere? Aishhh...

"Again you are gravely wrong my son. Both your brothers will be there and even Jaejoong family, along with him too, will join us to welcome this important guest of your appa."

I frowned.

"How important is this guest are mom?"

"Well, you know right that your appa had share his desire to join politic, so do Jaejoong's father. And so Dr Lee, the country renowned physicist who a friend with the Prime Minister, will be a good way for both men to enter the politic world." She is busy choosing the fabric for my new suit that she fail to see the looks of chagrin that I was giving away. But I remain skeptical with appa. He must have any hidden agenda somewhere.

"So there will be no girl for me to get to know?"

But my mom just laugh out loud at my question. Still laughing at me merciless, "We don't run match-making agency for any of our sons, Seunghyun. Well, of course it would be best for us - your parent, to choose your choice of wife in the future though."

Aishhh...but my instinct still state otherwise. I just know my appa so well, better than Dongwook hyung or should I said, my mom too. But for now, I decided to just go along with my appa scheme to be the next Prime Minister, I guess.

Once we reach home, I saw my cousin family had already arrive, without Jaejoong. "He will be here on Saturday. He's away with Bom for a short trip to the art gallery in Busan." Well, Bom is an avid art collector and Jaejoong seems really crazy in love with her. He always follow her wherever she goes, like her dog if I may add. 

"Did you feel regret that you had pass her on to your cousin, son?" That should be my appa, the dreadful man that I had always trying to stay clear a path from him. Choi Min-soo the hard and no nonsense man in both dealing with his business and family. He also the man who will to do anything just to achieve his goal, even if he need to 'sell off' one of his 3 sons. Well, that's just the list of things that I hate about him but there are things that I respect him as both a man and father.

Among the 3 of us, he had always love me more and attend to my needs more than needed. Whenever he had spare time, he will call me out for a cuppa or spend our  quality time, during my semester break, with a fishing trip to the nearest island. During that time alone, we will talk almost about everything, just like a pair of friends, not like a father and son. 

I shake my head nonchalant. "There is no such feeling like regret, appa. I am happy for her to find love with Jaejoong. And from what I could see, both of them really crazy with each other." My appa nodded his head. I know he understand of how I truly felt for my cousin and Bom noona. And I know he will not give up the fact of match-making me with any woman that will benefit him and suitable to our family reputation. "Well, I'm sure you will find someone like that too."

"Does Dr Lee have any daughter that you intended to matchmake with me too?" We always been straight forward with our thoughts and feeling, us. And I don't feel if I had been overboard with my questioning.

"You will find out soon, son." He winked at me and quickly left me alone before I could retort. Well, like I said, he has always have something up in his sleeve.

That day, my family and the Kim had more or less discuss over dinner of the upcoming event to welcome the physicist family in my family home. The Lee family had been living abroad, in New York and France, to support the country merging in scientific field in the western world. Again, I don't see the great connection of them to help my ambitious father and uncle in their expenditure in the politic world.

There are nothing much we boys had to do for the preparation on the weekend. We are most likely to be on our best behaviour and be charming to our guest. The next day I quickly return to my college even though there is not a need for me to do so. But I insist too seeing I felt suffocated with all the activities at home. Only Dongwook hyung seems to be enjoying the upcoming event. Both Jonghun and I make ourself scarce and hide behind in our respective bedrooms.

When the day had finally comes, our guest had inform us of their lateness to reach our house due to the bad weather in Seoul. I couldn't care less. Despite being piss for having to miss out the concert that I had been anticipating since last year, I tried my best to enjoy in the companies of both Jaejoong and Bom noona, along with my youngest brother Jonghun. We decided to lounge by the pool while waiting our royal majesty of the Lee family.

"You sure, your appa did not set up any sort of match-making scheme with any of the Lee daughters? I heard Dr Lee have 2 daughters though." Bom noona stated while drinking her favourite cocktail, specially brewed by my cousin Jaejoong.

"Don't know and don't care..." The truth is I do care and I do know what had been install for me. Another round of headaches incoming. I could not believe that I am having to face the same situation just like I did with Bom noona. Will I be lucky again with Dr Lee's daughter just like I did with Bom noona?

"I heard that she is a bomb, cousin."

I turn to Jaejoong. "How do you know that?"

"Yes. How the hell do you know Chaerin is a bomb?" confronts Bom to her now pale face boyfriend. I laugh at the flustered man. Chaerin. Is that her name? Hmmm...I like the sound of her name. Chaerin.

"W-well...I did my homework to who my cousin will need to face off. You know, like a headstart to help him, baby."

Both Jonghun and I just chuckled to the frighten man. When ahjussi had called us to come back to the main hall, to welcome the arrival guests, I could not help it but feeling full of expectation of the prospect to meet this Chaerin lady. If Bom noona stated that she is a bomb, supported by her boyfriend, I do believe I should anticipate to meeting her.

As we all reached to the main hall, I watch both my family and the Kim had been shaking hand with the guest that consists of a couple along with 2 ladies. And the one who had been standing a bit far away from the others, is what attracted my eyes first. She has make my heart beat faster than normal. I do not know why but that's what I felt when our eyes met. 

Naturally, I smiled. I hope it is my signature charming smile. I saw a ghostly smile on her mesmerizing beautiful face, before she nervously look away.

"Please tell me she is Lee Chaerin."