“Life asked Death. Why do people love me but hate you? Death responded, because you are a beautiful lie and I am a painful truth…”

Min Ho: Yes, Secretary Joon.

Secretary Joon: Min Ho-ah. Mr Park fainted at home a while ago. I’m already in the hospital and the doctor said his condition is critical. I think you need to bring Shin Hye over as soon as possible.

Lee Min Ho was driving as fast as he could, heading to the hospital. He kept looking towards Shin Hye as his hand was grasping tightly on hers. She was very quiet and her face was very pale after he told her what happened to her father. She didn’t cry but her unusual calmness worried him even more. He let out a deep sigh when he felt her hand freezing and trembling. He squeezed it softly before increasing the speed of the car.

When Shin Hye and Min Ho arrived, Secretary Joon was already waiting for them at the hospital’s entrance. Shin Hye looked at him, breathing heavily. She opened slightly, wanted to ask him how was her dad but nothing came out. Her heart was pounding very fast. She’s very scared. She can feel her whole body was trembling now, not sure it’s because she was cold or scared.

Secretary Joon looked at Min Ho. “He’s in the ICU now. His condition is not good.” He said as he turned to Shin Hye and looked at her.

Shin Hye shook her head slowly and she knew she couldn’t hold it anymore. Her tears were now rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably as she bit her shaking lips hardly. She remembered that gaze. That was the gaze Secretary Joon gave him 14 years ago when he came to fetch her at the music school. Please. Please don’t look at me like this. I don’t want. I don’t want appa to become an angel. Please don’t bring him away. Please don’t leave me alone.

Min Ho turned to her and his heart clenched in pain when he saw her face was covered by tears now. He turned Shin Hye around to face him as he cupped her face with his hands.

“Look at me and listen to me. No matter how, you have to be strong and brave. Remember what you told me before? You don’t want your father to worry about you. You have to stay strong and prove to him that you can take good care of yourself and he doesn’t need to worry anymore. Arasso?” Min Ho said sternly as he looked deep into her teary eyes.

Shin Hye swallowed hard and trying hard to sniff back her tears but more are rolling down. She looked at Min Ho as he wiped the tears away from her cheeks.

“Can you see this small butterfly? It will fly up to the heaven and send your love to your eomma for you. So from now onwards, you have to be strong and be a brave girl. Your eomma will take care of you from the heaven. Arasso?”     

This was what he told her 14 years ago. She knew she have to be strong. She knew sooner or later this day will definitely come but it still breaks her heart.

“Don’t cry. We should go to see your father now. No matter what happen, I’m here with you. You are not alone.” Min Ho smiled warmly at her.

This was the first time she saw this smile from him since the day her mother passed away. Shin Hye nodded softly as Min Ho hold onto her hand tightly, pulling her towards the elevator.

When they walked into the ICU room, Park Won laid lifelessly on the bed, his nose and mouth was covered with oxygen mask to help his breathing. There was a vaporizer in the corner that spouted out mist of water and machines measuring vital signs still beeped steadily. His personal doctor and two nurses were standing near his bed. When the doctor saw them coming in, he walked to them.

“We found a large amount of fluid build-up in the space surrounding his lungs, resulting his shortness of breathing. With the lung cancers that grow near the airways, the tumour was spread in the airway and caused obstruction and bleeding.” Doctor Kim explained. His expression was full of sadness and helplessness. He let out a deep sigh before continue again. “As we all know, the cancer already spread to his liver and the situation we worried the most has finally happened.” He sighed again before looking at Shin Hye. “Liver failure. His liver is completely failed to function now.”

Min Ho was sure that if his arm didn’t wrap around Shin Hye’s shoulder, she already fell down on the floor. He looked at her worriedly before turning to the doctor again. “I thought the new medicine you used on him was working?”

“That was what Mr Park told Shin Hye because he doesn’t want her to worry about him. The new medication isn’t working at all. All these months he was just relying on pain killer.” Doctor Kim replied.

 “How long?”

Everyone turned to Shin Hye, who was very quiet since she came and startled by her question. She looked up at Doctor Kim and asked again.

“How long is it before he will leave us?”

She asked a question that everybody there wanted to know but do not have the courage to ask. Min Ho noticed that Shin Hye’s eyes were red and puffy, her voice was soft and tired but her tears have already stopped. Although she was not crying already but he knew this was even worse. Her heart must be bleeding now.   

Doctor Kim turned around to take a look at Park Won who was on the bed before looking at Shin Hye again. He pursed his lips sadly and sighed deeply. “Within 24 hours.” He said softly.

Shin Hye looked at her father’s direction. “Is he conscious now?”

“We injected some mild anaesthesia to let him rest. He should be awake in couple of hours.” Doctor Kim said.

Shin Hye nodded softly before making her way to the door and walked out from the room. She took a seat outside the room and looking blankly at her father through the large viewing window.

Min Ho and Secretary Joon followed from behind and stood in front of her, looking at her worriedly. Secretary Joon squatted down and patted on her hand softly. “I’ve called So Ra-sshi and Jong Suk-sshi. They are on their way coming over.”

Shin Hye didn’t say anything. She just nodded her head softly and her face was very pale.

Looking at Shin Hye being so fragile, Min Ho felt terribly helpless and worried. Since the day he met her in the hotel, he knew she wasn’t some typical kind of rich girl. Although she looked soft and quiet but Min Ho could feel her strong personality inside her. No matter how harsh and cold he tried to hurt her, she always endured it with a smile. He knew everything she do was because her love for her father. But now, her father is dying soon. The one and only reason that make her to stay strong is disappearing. Min Ho dares not to imagine what will happen to her when Park Won pass away. She would probably break down.

Min Ho sits down beside her as he reached out his hand and grasped onto hers. Her hand was freezing cold. He sighed before turned to Secretary Joon. “I’ll go to the canteen and get her some hot drinks. Help me to take care of her.” He stood up and made his way to the canteen.

After a while, Secretary Joon saw Lee Jong Suk was half running towards their direction. He was panting and he bowed politely at Secretary Joon before sit down beside Shin Hye.

Shin Hye doesn’t turn to him. She was still looking blankly at the viewing window in front of her. Jong Suk looked up at Secretary Joon and when he saw Secretary Joon shook his head, he knew Shin Hye was not okay. He let out a deep sigh before turning to Shin Hye again. He gently the back of her head and said softly.

“Shin Hye-ah. If you are sad, don’t hold your tears. If you are scared, don’t hide your fears. Let it all out. You are not alone. Your appa wouldn’t want to see you like this. He wants to see your smiles. His only wish was to see you happy even if he’s not around. ”

One drop, two drop, three drop. Finally, tears began to drip from Shin Hye’s eyes.

“I know I shouldn’t be so selfish. I know he was suffering from a lot of pains. I