“The collaboration with Chugoku Japan has confirmed. Mr Hayoto already signed the contract and we just received the original copy this morning. Lee bujang did a very good job in Japan. Hwejang-nim is very happy with his performance.” Secretary Kim reported to his boss.

Lee Min Ho looked up at his secretary and nodded his head. “Hmmm… he was indeed improved a lot in these few months. I discussed with abeoji last night. I think it’s about time to transfer him back to headquarter and let him handle something more important. We have to groom him up as soon as possible to take over the COO position.” Min Ho said but raised his brows when he saw the troubled expression on Secretary Kim’s face.

“Wae?” He asked.

Secretary Kim sighed softly. “Mrs Lee would not be happy if she hear this.”

Min Ho leaned his back against the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. He chuckled sarcastically. “Which Mrs Lee? There are two in my house.”

Secretary Kim sighed again. “Your mother will freak out if she knows that hwejang-nim and you decided to promote Lee bujang to vice president so soon.”

Min Ho inhaled deeply. “Although Jong Suk is not her son but he is still abeoji’s son and my brother. This company belongs to both of us and it’s his responsibility too to take care of this company together. I trust my own brother more than anybody. With him assisting me, I feel more relief. About my mother, the insecurity feeling will always be there. Since the day abeoji brought Jong Suk’s mother back, all the trust she have for people was totally vanished. Everything she did was just for the sake of me. She just want the best for me.” He paused and sighed. “But it has been so many years already. I don’t see anything weird with Kim Sung Ryung. All this while she just stay at home and take care of abeoji without fighting for anything. As for Jong Suk, we grew up together and I know him. He is a good man.”

“But how if one day he know about your past relationship with Shin Hye agasshi?” The old man asked.

Min Ho breathed sharply when he heard Shin Hye’s name. He tried his best not to think about her but she just keeps appearing in his mind. “Jong Suk already knows about it.”

Secretary Kim widened his eyes in shock. “He did? But how?”

“Shin Hye told him.” He replied casually.

“But… he is okay with it?” Secretary Kim asked in disbelief.

Min Ho shrugged his shoulder. “I don’t know. I have been staying in the apartment and haven’t seen him since he came back from Japan. But Shin Hye said he was okay.”

“Did he know that So Ra agasshi is back?” Secretary Kim asked cautiously.

Min Ho shook his head. “I didn’t tell them including Jong Suk. So Ra doesn’t want anybody to know about it.” 

Secretary Kim inhaled a deep breath. “You really decided not to let your parents know about it too? They love her a lot and it’s cruel to not let them know that she is alive.” Secretary Kim asked.

Min Ho pursed his lips. “I need to respect her decision. She must have her own reason to hide it from them.” He exhaled a breath. “How’s the fundraising event? It’s today, right?”

“Everything was settled. Foods and drinks have already sent to the orphanage home.” Secretary Kim paused as he looked at his watch. “The charity concert should be starting soon.”

Min Ho nodded. “Good. I guess this is the last I thing I could do for her.” Do for them, both Shin Hye and So Ra.

Just when Secretary Kim was about to discuss something with Min Ho, someone knocked on the door and cut him off.

“Come in.”

It was Kim Ji Seok who opened the door. His expression was serious and Min Ho knows his best friend must have something important to talk to him. He then turned to his secretary. “We will discuss again during the meeting tomorrow. You can go out now.”

Secretary Kim nodded as he stood up. He walked towards the door and bowed politely at Kim Ji Seok. After he stepped out of Min Ho’s room, he stood outside the room for a long moment as the memory of 3 years ago slowly floated in his mind.

----------

“Why are you avoiding me?”

“Can you talk softer? Do you want everyone to know about it? Min Ho oppa is in the study room. He might hear you.”

“Then tell me why are you avoiding me? After what happened that night, you should know how I feel about you.”

“Stop talking about that night. Do you think we can still be like last time after what happened that night? That night was a mistake.”

“What mistake? It was not.”

“It was. We were both drunk.”

“But we were conscious and know what we were doing. You know it was me.”

“Please stop it. Min Ho oppa and me is getting married soon. Just treat that night as a… a nightmare.”

“It was not a nightmare. It was a beautiful dream and if you are willing to leave him, this beautiful dream will come true. You know you won’t be happy to be with him. You said it yourself that you are happier with me.”

“I was drunk that night. I was… sad and say something that I don’t mean it. Let go of me.”

“No, I won’t let you…” Lee Jong Suk paused when he heard footsteps coming from the staircase.

Kang So Ra quickly pulled her hand away from him and took two steps backward. When she saw Secretary Kim appeared in front of them, she bowed awkwardly at him.

“H-Hi… Secretary Kim.” So Ra greeted nervously.

Jong Suk looked at that old man and smiled slightly. “Are you looking for my brother? He is in the study room with abeoji.”

Secretary Kim smiled politely at them. “Yes, they are waiting for me. I’ll go in to see them now.” He bowed at them slightly before walking towards the study room. Before he opened the door, he turned around and saw Jong Suk looking at So Ra’s back when she was half running away.

----------

Secretary Kim let out a deep long sigh. This incident has been stuck inside of his heart for a long time and until now he still doesn’t dare to tell Min Ho. After So Ra went missing, he really wanted to tell him but seeing how broken Min Ho was at that time, he doesn’t want to add more salt to his wound. He didn’t have any proof and he didn’t see anything. Even if he tells Min Ho about it, he might not believe him too.

He thought everything could be better after Min Ho met Shin Hye. He witnessed how Min Ho tortured himself with alcohols every night but slowly changed when he met Shin Hye. He saw the brightness in his eyes again. He was in love once again and he was happy. But the same nightmare happened again when Min Ho found out about So Ra in Brazil and Shin Hye disappeared without a word. He thought Min Ho would turn back like how he used to be when So Ra ran away. But then he didn’t. Although he was sad and suffered, he channeled everything into his work and endured the pain silently. He knows he was confused and torn in between two of them. He wanted stay loyal to So Ra and find her but at the same time his heart was already wavered for another woman. He tried to deny it and that was why he didn’t look for Shin Hye when she went missing.

As a bystander, he wanted to tell Min Ho that he should stop being stubborn and admit that his heart was already moved on. Stop holding onto someone that might have already betray him even before their wedding. But life is always cruel. When he knows Jong Suk came back from New York and his girlfriend is Shin Hye, he was shocked and couldn’t believe it at all. How can it be so coincident? After so many years, these two brothers were still revolved around the same woman and this time it’s not only one but two.

--------------------------------------------------------------

“You have to stop barging your in here like I’m your lover or something. This is my office and I’m working. You should at least call before you come.” Min Ho said, glaring sharply at his friend.

Kim Ji Seok sighed deeply. “Should I be happy that you could still joke with me?”

Min Ho didn’t reply him but just wait for him to continue.

Holding his gaze for a moment, Ji Seok asked again. “Why didn’t you tell me that So Ra is back and you already met her?”

Min Ho’s face hardened and heaved a deep breath. “Then why didn’t you tell me that Jeong Su is back?”

Ji Seok was surprised. “How… how did you know that I have met with Jeong Su?”

Min Ho chuckled. “If he didn’t tell you, how do you know that So Ra is back and I have already met her? I’m not surprise that the idiot will look for you first when he come back. Both of you have always been closer together.” He paused and looked at him. “So what did he tell you? He must be very happy now since he finally got the woman he have been loving for so long.”

Ji Seok widened his eyes slightly. “What are you talking about? They are not together. They just worked together in a charitable organization in Brazil. Although he has been taking care of So Ra all this while but they are just friends.” 

Min Ho’s brows furrowed together. “I asked So Ra did she left because of him and she didn’t deny. I thought they were together.”

Ji Seok shook his head. “No, they are not. Jeong Su wouldn’t lie to me. Although he love So Ra very much but he is also very clear that she doesn’t feel the same. He just wants to take care of her and help her.”

“Help her?” Min Ho raised his brows. Help her what? Help her to run away from me?

“So Ra insisted to leave Korea and go somewhere far away at that time. He couldn’t just leave So Ra alone when her leg is like that, right. So he decided to go to Brazil with her.” Ji Seok replied.

“Her leg? What’s wrong with her leg?” Min Ho asked in confusion.

Another surprise expression appeared on Ji Seok’s face. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?” Min Ho asked again in annoyance.

“So Ra got into an accident and lost her left leg. I thought you met So Ra already and she told you about it. She didn’t tell you?” Ji Seok asked.

Min Ho held his breath as his eyes widened in horror. “No. She didn’t tell me anything. But how is it possible. She was walking normally and…”

“She is wearing a prosthetic leg.” Ji Seok cut him off.

Min Ho was stunned for a moment and no word could form in his throat. He finally understands why she walked so slow and so different from last time. That was why she fell down on that day they met. He then looked at Ji Seok again. “You said she got into an accident? Where and when? You said Jeong Su went to Brazil with her because he has to take care of her. It means the accident happened before she left Korea?” His heart was pounding very fast now. Is that means she left him because of her leg?

“I don’t know. Jeong Su refused to say anything. He told me about her leg because he thought you already know about it. The reason I came here today is to ask you about this. I thought So Ra told you.” Ji Seok asked, looking confuse too.

“She didn’t say anything. She just told me that she has her own reason for leaving and she was sorry. That’s all. I thought she left because of Jeong Su when I saw him in the orphanage home with her.” Min Ho said anxiously. “How can it be possible? She was still okay the night before our wedding day. If she was involved in an accident, why she has to run away and didn’t tell me? Why must she call Jeong Su for help?”

“I don’t know. I thought you know. Yah, Lee Min Ho. How can you be so careless? You have finally seen your fiancée again after 3 years and you just let her go like that? I thought you want to know the reason very badly. How can you just make assumption without getting a confirmation from her?” Ji Seok asked.

Min Ho sighed in frustration and ran a hand through his hair. “Because it’s not important anymore with the reason she ran away. It doesn’t change anything that had already happened in these 3 years.”

“You mean it’s not important anymore because the person that you care now is not her. But the other woman who you wanted to care is not belongs to you. You are not at the right position to care for her anymore. So please stop making everything so complicated again. You should have learned your lesson 3 years ago. How many more people you want to drag into this mess with you and So Ra? First Park Shin Hye and the next one will be your brother?” Ji Seok said sternly.

Min Ho looked up at him as he clenched his jaw. “That’s why I’m keeping my distance now. If I want to fight with Jong Suk, do you think I will just sit here doing nothing? If I want to be selfish like I used to be, I have already locked her somewhere and never let her run away again.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I don’t want to hurt her again and I don’t want to hurt Jong Suk either. I’m trying my best not to appear in front of them to avoid awkwardness. I even moved back to the apartment and didn’t go home.”

Ji Seok let out a deep sigh. “Then what about So Ra? Are you going to just pretend that you don’t know about her leg? She will be going back to Brazil next week.”

Min Ho inhaled sharply before looking at his friend again. “I didn’t want to force her to tell me anything. I’m just glad that she is alive and doing well. That’s what I want for her now. I don’t mind what happened in the past and why she ran away. But if it’s because of her leg, then I really need to know about it. What actually happened to her? She is still lying and hiding something from me.”

Ji Seok let out a soft sigh. “I think the only person who can give you an answer is her.”

---------------------------------------------------------------

Park Shin Hye breathed heavily and stopped outside the music room when she saw Jong Suk standing inside the room with So Ra staring at him with absolute horror in her eyes. She quickly walked into the room.

“Jong…” Before Shin Hye could call his name, it was her turn now to look frightened. Her heart dropped to her stomach when she saw Jong Suk took two big steps towards So Ra and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly.

“So Ra. It’s you. It’s really you. You are still alive.” Jong Suk said in between heavy breaths.

Shin Hye who was standing near the door completely stunned and frozen in place. Of course she knows that So Ra was his childhood friend too but she didn’t know that he was this close to her. The emotions and gaze in his eyes were even more intense compared to that day when Min Ho found So Ra. He was so affected and even shouted at her for not telling him about So Ra.

She was standing right in the music room with them but they don’t seem to sense her existence. Some kind of weird feelings creep into her heart and make her felt uncomfortable with their closeness.

So Ra panted heavily as she tried to break free from his embrace. “Let go of me.” She begged softly.

Jong Suk tightened his arms around her and shook his head. “Not until you tell me what happened to you. Where have you been all this while? Do you know how worried I was? How can you just leave without a single word? I was so worried that I thought…”

“Jong Suk!” So Ra cut him off sternly when she saw Shin Hye standing not far away from them, looking shocked and hurt. She gathered all her strength and pushed Jong Suk away forcefully. She then turned to Shin Hye and looked at her nervously. “S-Shin Hye…”

As if something hit his head hard, Jong Suk slowly came back to his senses. He turned around to the direction where So Ra was looking and his chest was immediately tightened when his eyes met Shin Hye’s gaze. She was looking at him with a shock, hurt and confused expression. He quickly averted his gaze and inhaled a deep breath. He doesn’t dare to look at her any longer. A pang of guilt rose in the pit of his stomach.

So Ra slowly lengthened her distance from Jong Suk and smiled at Shin Hye awkwardly. “Shin Hye, please don’t misunderstand. J-Jong Suk was too excited to see me after so many years. We… we grew up together and we were very good friends.” So Ra tried to explain, not wanting her to suspect anything.

Shin Hye stole a sideway glance at Jong Suk before looking at So Ra and smiled slightly. “What makes you think I will misunderstood? Jong Suk always mention about you, about how much his family and Min Ho oppa love you. I know he cares for you like a family too.” She said as her eyes glanced at Jong Suk who was still doesn’t dare to look at her. The more he avoided her gaze the more suspicious he looked.

So Ra is getting more and more nervous. “I… I didn’t mean to…”

“What is happening here?”

Before she could finish what she wanted to say, her sentence was cut off by a familiar voice. All three of them turned around and saw Min Ho standing at the doorway looking at them.

Min Ho slowly walked into the room and stopped beside Shin Hye. He glanced sharply at Jong Suk before looking at her. “What happened? Why do you look like that?” He felt uneasy when he saw the sad expression on her face. It looks like she was hurt by someone.

Shin Hye looked down and sighed softly. “I’m okay.”

Jong Suk’s eyes darkened as he also walked to Shin Hye, held her hand and pulled her closer to him. His eyes were daggered at Min Ho. “You don’t need to worry about my girlfriend. I will take care of her.”

Their eyes were locked intensely like two wild animals that were ready to attack each other. The strong tension in the room was frightening and felt breathless for both women who were looking at two of them.

Knowing that he was not in the right position to fight back with him, Min Ho tore the gaze away from Jong Suk first and inhaled sharply. He needs to control his emotion before he does anything reckless that will hurt Shin Hye again. Moreover, the reason he came now is not because of her. It was because of So Ra. Although he know Shin Hye will be here but he never thought Jong Suk will be here either.

Min Ho turned to So Ra and walked to her. “I need to talk to you.”

So Ra was slightly surprised. What else he still needs to talk to her? Everything was clearly explained and settled.

Shin Hye felt the grip on her hand tightened when Min Ho walked near to So Ra. She looked up at Jong Suk who was clenching his jaw, as if trying to hold his anger. A wave of fear washed over her. She was praying hard inside, hoping that what she guessed in her mind was wrong. 

Min Ho looked at So Ra and held her hand in his. “We need to talk.” He then turned to Shin Hye and Jong Suk. “Can both of you please excuse us for a while?” His eyes met Jong Suk’s again. “I need to talk to So Ra, alone.”

Shin Hye bit her lip and couldn’t suppress the pain that pierced into her heart. She inhaled softly as she shook Jong Suk’s hand lightly. “Let’s go and wait outside.”

Taking one last look at So Ra, Jong Suk reluctantly walked to the door, pulling Shin Hye with him.

After they were gone, Min Ho