Autumn had just arrived, and the winds seemed colder than it should be. The trees swayed with the winds, and made a soft, muffled cracking sound. It sounded like the trees were weeping. Just like what Jiwon is feeling right now.

Jiwon is an intelligent and reserved girl, who does not reveal her emotions easily. She is therefore, sometimes mistaken by her peers as being proud and arrogant. She is aware of it, yet decided not to do anything about it. She does not need many friends, nor does she need anyone's approval. She is contented to have good looks, brains, and most importantly, her fiance.

Lee Minho, her fiance, however does not think the same way. He treats her as though she is invisible, that she is a chore he has to find ways to go around it. What started out as good friendship 10 years ago became a business partnership and clearly he does not like it. He is now flirting and chasing after Park Shinhye, the New Money as his new toy, right before Jiwon's eyes. She cannot take it, yet she knows that there is nothing she can do about it, except to watch him have his way. Any further actions from Jiwon herself will only irk Minho. Not even the kiss with Haneul can make Minho jealous.

She tears up and feels a lump in . She tries to look away. She swallows it down as though her pride is being stepped upon and trashed. She packs her bag and leaves the classroom, she will just pretend she did not see any of these.

At a corner outside the classroom, Lee Jongsuk leans against a pillar, observing people and organizing his thoughts. He would be the quickest person to notice things around the school. He looks at his surrounding and as usual, Krystal showing off her new designer earrings to Boyoung, Minho's been playing a casanova again, and Jiwon... why she looks like, she is trying to hide her sadness today? Has she been crying? What is wrong with her? Is it because Minho is being a jerk right now?

There's something special about Jiwon makes him curious about her. Was it because of the milky foam on her upper lip the last time he saw her at the corner of the cafe? Or was it since last year when they were freshmen, he returned her the mobile phone she dropped from the library, she smiled sweetly at him? That was the first time he saw her, and he thought she was pretty. Sun rays softly crept in against the backdrop of cold library. He was mesmerized. Yet they hardly speak to each other since then. He had wanted to know more about Jiwon, he would try to figure out what she is thinking, but he never knows. Because she keeps a distance away from everyone else, it is difficult to approach her.

After school has ended, Jongsuk hangs around in a nearby cafe, fiddling with his mobile and perhaps hoping to catch a glimpse of Jiwon. It's the same cafe that Jiwon would patron once in a while. She would go to sit at her favorite corner, having a cup of Americano on one hand and doing her work on the other. It is already late in the evening. Maybe she would not come today. Or would she? At that moment, his eyes caught Jiwon passing by the cafe. She looks dazed and disoriented and he wonders why.

Jiwon couldn't shake off thoughts of Minho flirting with Shinhye since the afternoon. It torments her. Minho was her first love. And as playmates he seemed to like her too. Since the age of 10, she could already speak 3 fluent languages and it impressed him. He used to call her pretty, and threw in some flatteries once in a while. But she knows now, that she has lost that place to Shinhye. And she could probably never get his affections again. In the first place though, she wasn't even sure if Minho was ever serious about her. But that is fine. As long as the business marriage is in place, he would have to accept her as his fiance. She is so preoccupied with her own thoughts that her tears well up again. 

Further down the cafe is a dark and treacherous path that she has to pass in order to go to her temporary rented apartment. Someone is following from a distance, a man in a long black trench coat and wearing a cap, revealing only half his face and looking suspicious. He whistles a hide-and-seek tune. (*Watch Gap-dong to know the tune.)

She is alerted that something is amiss. It is already late in the evening and no one wanders about this street at night. The streetlights are dimmed and flickering. Then, there were rustling sounds in the bushes, and sounds of footsteps catching up behind her. She holds onto her book tighter and closer to her chest, preparing herself to fight the attacker should anyone approach her.

It was Jongsuk sensing the danger, he chases from behind and passes the suspicious man. He then wraps his arm around her shoulders and holds her close to him. Startled, Jiwon shuts her eyes and screams. She tries to run but Jongsuk holds on to her. She panics, struggles and hits him with her book as hard as she could, not realizing it is Jongsuk.

"YA! Kim Jiwon! Na ya! (It's me!)"

Jiwon opens her eyes. She sees Jongsuk and is relieved. There is no attacker in sight whatsoever. She is certained that the suspicious man would still be around. She had heard that whistling tune. She quivers, still petrified. She clutches onto his arm and her voice is shaking, "There is someone following me, I am scared..."

"Shh... Ara... (I know), he is behind the bushes." He whispers. Then the man soon flees upon seeing Jongsuk.

"He's gone now."

She exhales, "Kumeo-eo... (Thanks...) "

Jongsuk his forehead where Jiwon had hit the hardest. "Ahh... why would someone so petite have so much strength..." Jiwon chuckles and gently pat Jongsuk on the head. "Does it hurt?"

"Um." He nods. It is the second time that Jongsuk had seen Jiwon smile. She is like an angel when she smiles. But she had never really smiled in school, and never spoken much, which is strange and it bothers him. Not even when Minho is around her... 

"I'll walk you back home tonight."

They reach the apartment where she is now staying. It was shoddy, on the second floor it is the only household with dim lights . All other households have no lights. They could see her mum and her new boyfriend making out by the windows.

It was... unbelievable. He is stumped to see Jiwon staying at such shabby place. Like everyone else, it would go beyond his imagination. There was a hint from the news yesterday that RS International may be facing a financial crisis, but nobody knew that it was so bad.

It turns out that her dad had incurred massive debts and flew somewhere hiding. Her mom Esther Lee had managed to divorce the useless dad before he fled. And took over the business but had to deal with the mess.

She doesn't care if Jongsuk sees her staying in this place. She doesn't need his approval anyway. Jiwon hates it here, but she is more embarrassed of her mom than anything else. It is humiliating that Jongsuk has to see her mom in such a plight. Pride? There is nothing left of it anymore. Her pride was already trampled on by Minho. He had torn it into pieces, thrown and sunk it into the bottom of the sea.

"Is it safe for you to stay here?" Looking up at her mom again, Jongsuk worries for Jiwon.

"Don't worry about it..." She forces herself a weak appreciative smile and assures him and it will be alright.

"Thanks for walking me home."