“Mianhae,” Donghae said.

“What?” I asked.

He hugged me. “Mianhae. I don’t want to do this but I need to.”

What is he talking about? “O-Oppa, why are you apologizing? Tell me. Is there a problem? What happened?”

“… I’m breaking up with you.”

I pushed him away. “W-What?”

He looked down. “Appa said I should do this, I should break up with you. He won’t give me his position if I don’t… Mianhae.”

Tears clouded my eyes. “Y-You’re doing this for that position?... You want to be the president that’s why you’re giving up on our relationship?”

He shook his head and looked at me. “It’s not like that, Hwara.”

“Then why are you doing this?!” Traitor tears started to fall down my cheeks. I immediately wiped them away. I shouldn’t cry, not now, not in front of him.

“… Mianhae,” then he grabbed my hand and kissed it. “Saranghae, but I need to do this… I hope you’ll understand.”

I sighed and nodded. I can’t do anything with it now. I’m afraid to confront his parents about this. “Araso… If that’s what you want… then be it.”

“Mianhae,” he said once more and kissed my forehead. After a few seconds, he left.

Lee Donghae. He’s my first boyfriend, my first love. But now, we’re over. I know his parents don’t like me because I’m just nothing compared to them. Aish! Lee Hwara. Just move on. That’s the only thing you can do now… But how?... I still love him.

“What happened?”

I looked up at appa. “N-Nothing,” then I went back to wiping the countertop.

“Is it Donghae?”

“A-Aniyo.”

“Hwara.”

I stopped and looked at him. “Waeyo?”

“Tell me, what’s the problem? You can tell appa. I’ll listen.”

I sighed. “ Ne, it’s Donghae.”

“What happened?”

“He broke up with me.”

“… I knew it.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Parents like his don’t want their children to marry someone lower than them, like us. They don’t want to be with people in the lower class. That’s why I’m expecting this to happen since the start. You know Donghae, he’s going to do everything his parents ask him to do.”

I looked down. Don’t cry, Hwara. “Waeyo? Is that a crime for an upper class to marry an ordinary person? Tch. Reasons.”

Appa patted my shoulder. “Gwaenchana. Appa’s here.”

“What happened?” Taeyeon, my best friend, asked. She’s also working here in our restaurant.

“Donghae broke up with her.”

“What?!” then she pulled me to face her. “Is that true? That bastard broke up with you?”

I nodded. “Ne. But please, don’t call him that way.”

“Tch. He’s a bastard, araso?” then she gave me a sad look and hugged me. “Hwara, gwaenchana. You’ll still find someone better than him. I’ll help you with that so don’t worry.”

“Yah. I know you have a lot of boys in your closet. But really, I’m not interested. Mianhae.”

She released me. “But you need to move on.”

“I will, don’t worry. Just give me time, araso?”

She nodded. “Ne.”

“Araso, araso. Go back to your work now. It’s already 8pm,” appa said.

“Araso,” then Taeyeon and I went back to work.

~HEECHUL’S POV~

I sat on the chair and smiled at my date. “Annyeong haseyo.”

She also smiled. But obviously, it’s a fake one. She’s a bit irritated. “Annyeong oppa. Why are you late? I thought we’re going to meet at 7pm.”

I smirked. “I know. I was just stuck in the traffic.”

“Oh, jinjja? Gwaenchana. Now that you’re here, I think we should start now,” then she leaned forward. She smiled sweetly. “Oppa, how old are you?”

“28.”

“Jinjja? But still you don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Still haven’t found the right one.”

Her smile widened. “So am I the one?”

Then I saw a girl, wearing an apron, sat on the table beside us. She’s pretty but she looked sad. Still, she’s beautiful. How come I haven’t seen her before? Anyways, I really should visit this restaurant more often. Well, as if I’m not visiting this place everyday.

“Oppa?”

I looked back at my date and stood up. “Mianhae. But you’re not.”

“W-What?”

“Look at yourself first. See how thick your make-up is. It’s not beautiful. It’ll just ruin your beautiful face, if that’s what you have. So, mianhae,” then I left.

I went towards the counter. Mr. Lee saw me coming so he approached me. He smiled at me.

“So Mr. Kim, how’s your date?” he asked.

I shrugged. “As usual, a failure. You know my taste, Mr. Lee.”

“Ne. You’ve bought all of your dates here. And I’ve witnessed how you dumped them. I really know what your taste in girls is.”

“And I found the perfect girl.”

“Jinjja? Who?”

Then I pointed to him the girl I just saw. “That one. She’s obviously working here but this is the first time I’ve seen her. What’s her name?”

“Umm… Mr. Kim, not her.”

I looked at him. Not her? “Wae?”

“Her boyfriend broke up with her this morning. I think it’s a wrong move to play with her heart now.”

I shook my head. “Aniyo. I won’t do such thing. I’m serious, Mr. Lee.”

He chuckled. “That’s new, Mr. Kim.”

I glared at him. “Yah! I’m really serious! This is the first time I’m asking someone a girl’s name. So please, tell me her name.”

“Wae? Love at first sight?”

Love at first sight? “A-Aniyo! I’m just curious.”

He nodded. “Araso. She’s my daughter, Hwara.”

I looked at him in shock. “Y-Your d-daughter? Jinjja?”

“Ne.”

Hwara. I smiled. “Gamsahamnida, Mr. Lee.”

“No problem. I’m your friend. But please don’t play with her or something. I won’t let you step on my restaurant again if you did that to her.”

“I told you, I’m serious,” then I smirked. “I’ll take care of your daughter.”

He sighed. “Araso, araso.”

I went towards Hwara. She’s looking down. Wow. She’s really beautiful. I wonder why her boyfriend did that to her.

“Is this seat taken?” I asked.

She looked up. “Aniyo.”

I smiled. “Araso,” then I sat across her.

“Who are you?”

I held out a hand. “Kim Heechul-imnida.”

“Araso,” then she looked down again.

I put down my hand. She rejected me?! What the- “I’m your appa’s friend.”

She just nodded. “Araso.”

She’s really sad, not in the mood to talk with anyone. “It seems like I’m disturbing you,” I stood up. “I’ll leave now. Mianhae.”

“Wait.”

“Ne?”

“… Hwara-imnida.”

I smiled. At least she introduced herself. “Hwara… See you soon,” then I left.

Lee Hwara. What a beautiful name.