Sohee finally woke up... and as soon as her eyes fluttered open, she immediately scanned the place and looked for ‘him’… She tried sitting up to scan the place better but a voice suddenly interrupted her…






“You shouldn’t move too much…”






A familiar voice spoke to her… she looked at her side and her eyes widen a bit upon seeing the man sitting on the couch.







Heechul stood up and slowly went to her to support her from sitting up.







“What are you doing here…? Where is Jiyong…?”








She quickly asked him… He smiled upon hearing the voice he missed for so many years… but felt a little disappointed for still, she’s looking for another guy…







“He left… he has a life too you know…”








He told her which caused her to panic a bit inside… thinking where Jiyong is… what if he still chose Dara over her… what if he completely hated her for doing such things… her eyes wandered around… her breathing got heavy as her chest tightened…








Suddenly a warm soft hand caressed her face which brought her back from the pain she’s starting to feel… she looked up and met Heechul’s warm expression… it’s been years since she last saw him… her first boyfriend… she can’t even remember how their relationship started for the truth was she never paid any attention to anyone but only to Jiyong…








And now… she can’t help but to wonder why he’s here… the man who she only brought pain… always comparing him to Jiyong and always wanting him to be like Jiyong… why is he here…?








“Please stop hurting yourself…”








His gentle voice echoed the room… she felt a bit of skip inside her chest but shook away the feeling as she too shrugged off his hand away from her… she looked to the side as her brows started to meet.








“What are you talking about…? Plus why are you here…? We’re through years ago… you don’t have anything to do with anymore…!”









She yelled… not really knowing why she should be mad at him wherein the first place he should be the one feeling that way towards her… but he knows her well… she may be pushing him away but he knows deep inside she needs someone right now… too stubborn to push herself thinking that only Jiyong could be that person.








“I have time… I missed you so I decided to visit…”








He simply said which caught her off guard a bit… can’t he see what she looks right now…? How can he be so casual like nothing happened…? Somehow the way he speaks now was different from back then… he was shy back then but now he seems to be a whole different man.








She looked at her wrist… it was all in bandage… it never worked… what she did never work… Jiyong still left her… a tear dropped from her eye which didn’t escaped Heechul’s eyes…








“Please… just leave me alone… I want to be alone…”








She told him without looking at his direction… he didn’t budge… as if he didn’t heard what she just said… finally she turned to him, pain that has been painted on her face it broke his heart…







“I told you to leave…!”







“To what…? For you to hurt yourself again…? For you to drown yourself to your stupid selfishness again…? He doesn’t love you and he will never do…! For all these years you are too blinded by your own lies that someday he’ll love you… but what…? Years had already passed Sohee but even a bit, nothing changed in his heart… you are only hurting everyone especially yourself…!”







She shook her head as she put her hands to cover her ears…







“Stop this… you don’t know what I feel…!”







“God damnit Sohee…! I know every bit of what you’re feeling…! You keep on telling me that no one understands you…! But have you tried understanding others…?! I’ve been in love with you for I don’t know how many years but here you are always shoving to my face that you love another man… I would always try to be like someone I am not just to be noticed by you… but in the end you will still love him and not me… tell me… aren’t those enough for me to understand what you feel…?”








He kneeled on the side of her bed… reached for both of her hands as now tears poured down from both of their eyes…








“Please stop this neh…? I know you’re already tired… please stop hurting yourself more… you deserve some happiness Sohee-ah… but it won’t ever be only him who could give you that happiness… please… I’ve waited for years to face you again as a different man… but you’re still my weakness… I never expect seeing you like this… you’ve been so hurt… so please stop this… let him go and especially yourself from all of this pain…”






He whispered as he held her hand on his face… resting his head on her lap as finally she broke out into full tears… her sobs echoed the room… he just listen to her… letting her to let out every of the pain she suffered because of her selfishness these past years…







“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”







She mumbled over and over again as she pulled her hands from his hold and buried her face on her palm… he stood up and smiled down at her… before wrapping his arms around her, making her feel that she’s not alone… that she will never be alone… the only and real thing that she’s scared to feel….







--







“Mom…! What are you doing here…?!”







As soon as Seunghyun and Dara came back to the office… they were instantly welcome by Seunghyun’s mother…







Ever since her son and husband told her about Dara… she’s been itching to meet her, knowing that she’ll also like her… and just as she thought, as soon as Dara stepped on the floor… she couldn’t take her eyes off of her… amazed by Dara’s angelic face… no wonder why her son fell for her.








Wearing a very warm smile… Mrs. Choi approached the two, totally eyeing Dara with softness in her eyes…already thinking of cute grandchildren once her son married her…







“Oh… I was just dropping by since I don’t have anything to do… your Dad is kind of busy at the moment that he can’t accompany me in shopping…”








Her words were directed to Seunghyun but all her eyes were still glued on Dara which made Dara a bit uncomfortable because of the too much attention… all she could do is to give Mrs. Choi some awkward smiles while the lady would smile back… they would do the same process over and over again which Seunghyun noticed…








Blaming himself inside for telling his parents about her… wondering why did his parents became so nosy about his relationship and quite disappointed for there will never be a chance that Dara would be added to their family.








He sighed and turned to his mom.







“Mom… but I have a meeting later…”








He said which he doesn’t know if his mom had heard…







“Oh… first… won’t you introduce me to this young lady here…”








Seunghyun rolled his eyes and turned to Dara wearing an apologetic look… Dara just smiled not knowing why he’s wearing such an expression.








“Mom… this is Sandara Park, my assistant secretary… and Dara this is my mom.-“







Before he could finish… his mom quickly reached for Dara’s hands which made Dara startled a bit.








“I’m Choi Soomin… but you can just call me aunt or… omma…”








And with that she giggled… Seunghyun’s then eyes widen.







“Mom…!”







“Oh… I’m just kidding… but really… you can just call me aunt… I don’t really like being called Mrs. Choi… it feels like I’m old or something…”







“But mom… you’re already old…”







Mrs. Choi looked at his son in disbelief while Seunghyun just laughed at his mother’s reaction…







Dara couldn’t help but to curve a smile seeing such beautiful scene between the mother and son… quite astounded by how Seunghyun’s mom acts towards her… and finally knew where did Seunghyun got his very warm attitudes… she once thought that rich people were kind of cold but meeting Seunghyun’s parents totally changed her judgments….







“Well then… since you have a meeting… can just Dara-sshi accompany me while I shop…?”








The old lady looked at Dara expecting not to be rejected… putting Dara into a tight spot Seunghyun quickly went between the two.








“Mom…! Why can’t you just ask your secretary to accompany you…? Or Mr. Kim…?”








His mom glared at him before turning back to Dara with a warm smile.








“They’re already both old… plus what do Mr. Kim know about fashion and women’s clothing…? Dara dear would you accompany me… don’t worry dear it won’t take the whole day to shop…”







Dara looked at Seunghyun and saw the bothered expression on his face… he just doesn’t want her to tire herself more especially that his mother is a one great shopper… Dara smiled to him to assure him it’s okay which didn’t escape Mrs. Choi’s eyes and quickly felt so giddy inside…








“Sure Mrs… I meant aunt…”








The old lady’s face beamed in delight… she quickly pulled her phone and called someone to ready her car… totally excited for her bonding time with her soon to be ‘daughter-in-law’.








“Dara… are you sure it’s okay…? I’m sorry if my mom’s quite pushy…”







“Oh… Seunghyun-ah… it’s okay… since I’m sure I’ll have fun with your mom…”








Mrs. Choi told them that her car’s all ready… as if she’s rushing up… she quickly pulled Dara towards the elevator while signing a thumbs up towards her son… Seunghyun just shook his… can’t believe that his mom’s acting that way just because of Dara…







“I’m sorry mom…”







He mumbled before he went inside his office…







--








After almost half of the day… Mrs. Choi finally finished from her shopping… also buying some clothes for Dara despite the numerous times that Dara rejected her offer… saying that it’s her money so she would spend it to anything she wants…The old lady too didn’t forgot about her son… would occasionally remember that Seunghyun might need something like this and that so she would buy more things…








She remembered her mom because of this little bonding time… how her mom would always stay late just to make her calm whenever she’s in pain… how her mom would not show her that she too is suffering seeing her like that… she would scold her whenever she would sneak out from the hospital… she somehow missed her mom because of Mrs. Choi…








“Dara dear are you okay…? You look paler than earlier…”







Mrs. Choi asked her once they decided to eat at a nearby restaurant… Dara’s headache has been bothering her for days now… she remembered taking her medicines but the pain is getting worse each day… deep inside she started to feel nervous as to what might be happening inside her head… afraid that her sickness would come back again… she wouldn’t take another reason to leave Jiyong again…








“Ah… yes aunt… I’m fine… just a bit of headache that’s all…”









Mrs. Choi smiled at her… and then reached for her hand across the table…









“Dara… what do you think about my son…?”








Dara looked at her wonderingly… she didn’t get what the old lady mean so she answered her in full honesty.









“I think he’s the kindest man I have ever met… even though we still don’t know each other much he showed me nothing but kindness and warm hospitality… I am really lucky to have the chance meeting someone like him… and if not for him I wouldn’t be able to accomplish something that I came here for…”









She looked afar dreamingly… before looking down and curving a smile… the old lady’s heart flattered upon hearing such warm praises for her son…









“He was lucky to meet someone like you too… you really are a humble and well educated lady…I would really love to have someone like you as a daughter in law…”








Dara looked up and shyly smiled… too honored to hear those compliments…







“Thank you aunt…”








“Is Dara-sshi… somehow meeting someone at the moment…?”








The old lady asked her curiously… this made her blushed a bit… remembering Jiyong apart from the problems behind their relationship… while on the other side, Mrs. Choi thought that it is his son that she’s seeing with…








“Oh… I wonder who the lucky guy is…”








She a bit… hoping that Dara would admit that it’s her son… but to her disappointment her son’s name didn’t came out from .








“He’s been my boyfriend since high school…”









“Oh…”









That’s all the old lady could say… all her plans instantly vanished into thin air… at first sadness painted on her face but later on it got replaced by happiness as she saw how Dara’s pale cheeks would blush… maybe remembering her lover’s face… the old lady can’t help not t feel happy for her despite the heart break her son’s maybe experiencing right now…








“I’m happy for you dear…”








Mrs. Choi sincerely said to her… one disappointment didn’t ruin their bonding time… they ate happily talking about different things… telling Dara about her son while Dara would tell her things about her happy times with Seunghyun… she still liked Dara as a person and still grateful that her son managed to meet someone like her… for at least Dara somehow made her son’s heart be opened… be released to his work cage and experience love for awhile.




--







“Sanghyun… what brings you here…?”








Jiyong brought Sanghyun to a nearby café… his dongseang really got taller after three years… he almost didn’t recognized him earlier…







“I was looking for noona…”







He was pertaining to Dara…








“Oh… maybe she’s still at work… later I’ll bring you to her…”







Sanghyun’s face painted uneasiness which bothered Jiyong a bit.








“What’s wrong…?” he asked him







“Hyung, noona shouldn’t be working and tiring herself too much… she still hasn’t recovered completely…”








Jiyong’s forehead creased… confusion immediately filled his mind and instantly remembering those medicines that she’s taking… everything has slowly connecting... that maybe the real reason why she left…








“What… what do you mean…? Recover from what…?”









His voice trailed off… somehow getting scared of what he might hear… thinking that Dara’s life is way far from being healthy.









“Hyung… haven’t she told you when she came back…? Noona had a brain tumor that’s why we all flied to abroad to seek for a cure… after three years the doctor said that she’s now far from danger but it doesn’t guarantee that the tumor has already vanished… she still needs to heal… but she decided to go back here… we all agreed for we thought she’ll just clear things with you guys… but it’s already been more than one month but still she hasn’t come back abroad…”








It was more than what he had expected… painful than he expected… the three years of his suffering was nothing compared to her suffering…








His face showed no expression… felt like everything just stopped as things started to run inside his mind… imagining her crying for help… screaming because of the pain… he was not with her to comfort her and to somehow soothe her pain… he was on the other side blaming her for his broken heart…






“Hyung are you okay…?”







He looked up to Sanghyun but he didn’t say a word… he just wants to see Dara now… caress her now pale face caused by her suffering… now he wouldn’t want to miss any moment with her… may this time he’s still not late to fulfill those three years that they both missed…






--







“Dara… are you sure you’re really okay…?”







Beads of cold sweat started to form on her forehead… kept telling herself that the pain was just all in her mind but everything is really happening again… the same pain is still piercing her head again… she can’t even stand up from her seat for once she stands up, she’s afraid that she’ll just collapse…







“Dara… dear…?”







Mrs. Choi grew worried about her… it seems like Dara couldn’t hear her… they were now about to leave the place but the young girl wouldn’t budge on her seat…








Dara gripped on the table for support… she stood up and sighed for at least she managed not to cause a commotion… but as she was about to start her track… her visions blurred… a nauseating feeling hit her and a great wave of pain struck her head…







“Oh God…! Dara…!”







That’s the last thing she heard as her visions all went black…