Song inserted in this chap: I’ll Protect You by Ji Chang Wook. (credit to owner)

“Meo?!”

Park Shin Hye looked around the fast food restaurant and make sure nobody is looking at them when Sook Joo shouted so loudly. It was lucky that they were seated at the corner and not many people could see or hear them. She then turned back to Sook Joo. “Eonnie… please lower down your voice. I don’t want to catch everyone’s attention in the restaurant.” Shin Hye said as she bit her lower lip.

Ignoring what she said, Sook Joo looked at her in a disbelief gaze. “You really broke up with Jong Suk? When? Why?”

Shin Hye sighed deeply. “It’s complicated.”

Sook Joo narrowed her eyes at her. “Complicated how?” She asked and just then her eyes widened in shock. “That handsome guy who came with you the other night. Jong Suk’s brother, right? Both of you… have a thing?”

“It’s not like what you think?” Shin Hye quickly explain. “We… we are not…” She paused and doesn’t know what to say. She took a deep breath before looking at her again. “We had a history before I met Jong Suk. I… I was with his brother before I came to New York and met Jong Suk.”

Sook Joo parted her lips. “So… Jong Suk’s brother was the man that you love all those years and he was the reason why you didn’t accept Jong Suk no matter how hard he tried to pursue you. Oh my god.”

Shin Hye sighed again. “But I don’t know Jong Suk was his brother until we went back to Korea.”

“So because of that you broke up with him and go back to his brother?” Sook Joo asked again.

“Of course not. A lot of things happened these few months and I found out that everything was not as simple as what I thought. Jong Suk was not as what I thought he was. And his brother…” Shin Hye paused and inhaled deeply. “I can only say… everything is very complicated.”

“You mean you are not with his brother now?” Sook Joo raised her brows.

Shin Hye shook her head. “He is trying very hard to make me say yes but I’m still thinking. I promise to give him an answer tomorrow before we go back to Seoul.” She paused again and sighed. “My head felt like it was going to explode, like it was having a brain freeze. I don’t even know what I want. I don’t know how to give him an answer tomorrow.”

Sook Joo leaned forward and looked straight at her. “His name Lee Min Ho right? Do you still love him?”

Holding her gaze, Shin Hye inhaled softly. “I love him.” She replied firmly. “I might keep denying it in the past but I have never stop loving him ever since I met him. Even when I thought I hate him, I was actually thinking of him all the time.”

“Then what’s the problem? If you love him and he love you, you shouldn’t make everything become more complicated.” Sook Joo said. “Are you happy being with him in New York these few days?”

Thinking back about how they spent their time together in that 2 days, her lips slowly curled into a soft smile. “It has been heaven here these few days. He treated me like a princess. Everything he prepared for me was like a fairy tale. Even after that 2 days he have to go back to work and was very busy, he still make sure he was back on time to have dinner with me, to chat with before we sleep. I have never felt so wanted, needed and loved by him before.”

Sook Joo looked at her in confusion. “I don’t understand. You have broke up with Jong Suk already. He is single and you are single too. If you are so happy being with him, what else is stopping you?”

“The past.” Shin Hye replied before she heaved a deep sigh. “When I was with him 3 years ago, it was like a dream for me that he could love me one day. But now, when my dream finally came true, something inside of me was holding back. It’s not that simple. My heart fluttered whenever he is near to me but it also trembled whenever I think about how he hurt me in the past. I’m scared. The feeling I have for him is so strong and intense and once I let myself to fall back into the hole again, I’m afraid that I wouldn’t be able to come out anymore.” She looked at Sook Joo again as she smiled weakly. “I’m afraid of that prison of sadness.”

Sook Joo raised her brows again. “Prison of sadness?”

Shin Hye chuckled softly. “I used to name the apartment we stayed together last time as prison of sadness. I felt like I was being imprisoned in there.”

Sook Joo laughed as she shook her head. “Is this what young people love story are all about now? I don’t know and I don’t think I will ever understand too. I’m very simple. When I first came to New York, I have nothing. Maybe I was lucky because I don’t have a complicated past. There were no romantic confession or romantic proposal. Your In Su ahjussi just came to me one day and told me he likes me and wants to be with me. I was scared too. He was my boss and he is 10 years older than me. I was hesitate and don’t know what to do. But then, my heart told me I like him too. The feelings were right, the timing was right and why not give it a try. Because no matter how hard you crack your head to think, you will never know what would happen in the future. Life is very short and we should cherish the present and not think so far ahead.”

She smiled as she held Shin Hye’s hand and squeezed it softly. “If I didn’t take the first step last time, I wouldn’t be so happy with your In Su ahjussi now. It’s the same thing for you too. If you don’t take the courage to try again, how you know the prison is always a prison and the sadness is always sadness? It might be a heaven of happiness waiting for you in front.” She paused and looked at her. “Don’t lock yourself in the past. Although I don’t know what happened between both of you but the word past means gone by in time and no longer existing, it’s over. Don’t you think it’s fate that after 3 years both of you still manage to find each other back and the love is still so strong? Give yourself a chance to be happy. Give him a chance to re-write the love story between both of you.” 

Fate… Shin Hye bit her lower lip upon hearing that word. Sook Joo was right. That was the word that linked them together all this while. Fate brought them together. Fate pulled them apart. And now, it was fate too that draw them back together again. She looked at Sook Joo and smiled. “Thank you.”

Sook Joo smiled back at her. “Don’t make everything so complicated. Simple is the most precious happiness in our life. We should… arghh…” Before she could finish her sentence, Sook Joo suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She winced in pain as she pressed her hand against her stomach and tried to breathe.

Shin Hye was startled by her and quickly stood up, walked over to her. “Eonnie, what’s wrong?” She asked worriedly. Sook Joo’s face turned pale in a sudden and her face was twisted in pain. She kneeled down beside her and held her hand. It was so cold and sweating. “Eonnie, are you hurt anywhere?”

Sook Joo nodded her head. “My stomach is very pain.”

“Your stomach?” Shin Hye asked and when she looked down on the floor, her eyes widened in horror. Blood was streaming down Sook Joo’s leg. “Oh my god.” The image of her bleeding when she was pregnant 3 years ago replayed in her mind in an instant. Her breath became heavy as her heart was hammering so fast against her chest. She tried to inhale a deep breath before turning to the counter and shouted loudly.

“Ahjussi!”

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Min Ho ran as fast as he could towards the ER and when he saw Shin Hye sitting on the bench alone, he let out a deep sigh of relief. His heart almost stop beating when he received her call telling him that she was in the ER just now. He doesn’t even have enough time to ask what happen and straightaway rush to the hospital.

“Shin Hye.” He called her name as he ran towards her and pulled her up from the bench.

“Oppa…” Shin Hye looked at him as she held his arms with her cold and trembling hands.

Min Ho scanned her from top to toe before looking up at her again. “What happened? Why are you in the ER? Are you hurt anywhere?” He asked nervously.

Shin Hye shook her head. “It’s Sook Joo eonnie. I went to the fast food restaurant this afternoon and we were chatting before she suddenly cried in pain.” She bit her lip as tears were welling in her eyes. “She said her stomach is very painful and she was bleeding.” She said in a shaky voice before she leaned forward and rested her face against his chest. “Oppa… I’m very scared. I was bleeding like that too last time. I was also having that pain in my stomach and then the doctor told me I have to abort the baby. I’m very scared. I don’t want the same thing happen to Sook Joo eonnie. I don’t want her to lose her baby.” She said in between sobs.

Min Ho wrapped his arms securely around her as he her back soothingly. “Shhh… don’t cry. Tell me slowly what happened. Is Sook Joo pregnant?”

Shin Hye shook her head. “I don’t know. In Su ahjussi is still inside the room with her and the doctor.”

“Then how do you know she will lose her baby? We don’t even know she is pregnant or not. You have to calm down. Don’t always make the worst assumption and scare yourself.” Min Ho said, holding her firmly in his arms.

Sniffing back her tears, Shin Hye pulled back slightly and looked at him with her teary eyes. “They have always wanted a child since they got married. If she is really pregnant and something happen to the baby, they won’t be able to take it.” She started to cry again as her hands grasped tightly on his arms. “Tell me she will be okay, please…”

Min Ho sighed deeply before pulling her back into his arms, hugging her tightly. “She will be okay. They will be okay. Please don’t cry anymore. My heart is so painful looking at you like this. You have to…” Before he could finish his sentence, In Su came out from the ER and Shin Hye immediately pulled away from him. Both of them quickly walked towards In Su.

“Ahjussi. How’s Sook Joo eonnie?” Shin Hye asked worriedly.

In Su looked at them and let out a soft smile. “She is okay.” He paused and smiled widely. “The baby is okay too. She is 2 months pregnant.”

Shin Hye covered her lips with her hands as more tears rolled down her cheeks. She was crying and smiling at the same time. “Thank god she is okay. Thank god the baby is okay.”

In Su nodded. “The doctor said she was too tired and overworked. From now onwards, she have to rest more and I won’t let her help in the fast food restaurant anymore.”  

Min Ho smiled as he lifted his hand up at In Su. “Congratulations.”

In Su shook his hand happily. “Thank you.”

Min Ho turned to Shin Hye and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “I told you they would be alright. Stop crying, okay?”

Shin Hye wiped her tears away before she nodded. She looked at In Su again and asked. “Can we go in to see her?”

“The doctor said she need to rest now and will only allow visitor to see her tomorrow.” In Su said as he patted Shin Hye’s arm softly. “Don’t worry about her. I’ll stay here to take care of her. It’s late now. You should go back to the hotel to rest too. You have been waited here with us for hours.”

“He is right. Let Sook Joo rest tonight. We will only go back to Korea the day after tomorrow. We can still come back tomorrow to visit her.” Min Ho said.

Shin Hye have no choice but to agree with them. “Ahjussi, you have to take good care of her. Give me a call if you need anything. Tell eonnie I’ll come to see her tomorrow.”

In Su nodded with a smile. He then turned to Min Ho. “Thank you for coming.”

After they say their goodbyes, Min Ho held Shin Hye’s hand and walked towards the hospital entrance.

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After they had their late dinner nearby, Min Ho and Shin Hye were walking along the Battery Park, letting the soft wind blowing gently through their hair. Shin Hye was gazing at the dark sea and let her deep thoughts take over her mind.

Walking quietly beside her, Min Ho looked at her with a concern gaze. He was uncomfortable with her silence. After about 30 minutes walk without any sound from her, he couldn’t hold it any longer. He grasped her hand and stopped her from walking.

His sudden interruption startled Shin Hye and shook her off from her deep thoughts. She looked at him in confusion.

Min Ho sighed softly as he tightened his grip on her hand. “Talk to me. Don’t just keep quiet. I’m worried about you.”

Averted her gaze, Shin Hye turned back to gaze the sea. “I’m okay.”

Min Ho cupped her cheeks and forced her to look at him. “You are not okay.” He paused and pursed his lips. “Was it because of the baby?” Caressing her cheeks gently, he continued again. “Sook Joo’s pregnancy reminds you about our baby.”

Shin Hye looked deep into his eyes as her eyes slowly reddened. “I missed him.” She inhaled sharply, trying to control her emotion. “Even though 3 years have passed but the sound of his heartbeat was still very clear in my mind. The sound was very soft but at the same time very strong. It was as if telling me that he was there, he was alive and growing inside of me. The doctor keeps telling me that it was just a fertilized egg. It’s not even a baby yet.” She bit her trembling lip and tears running down her cheeks. “But it contained our blood. It has both of our blood and he supposed to grow healthily inside of me. I was supposed to protect him and bring him to this world healthily. Oppa… I missed him.” She cried before she threw herself into his arms. “I really missed him.”

Wrapping his arms tightly around her, Min Ho buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply in her sweet scent. It pained his heart whenever she is so fragile in his arms. “I know. I missed him too.”   

“Do you think our baby is watching over us now? Do you think he is angry with me for sacrificed him for myself?” Shin Hye asked as her eyes were looking up at the dark sky.

Min Ho shook his head. “No. I can assure you that he won’t be angry with you. He knows you love him very much and we don’t need to worry about him. He is in good hand now. He has your parents and your grandmother to take care of him. He will watch over us from the beautiful heaven, safely in family’s arms.” He slowly pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. He gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “The past has over and I know no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t wipe all those sadness away from you. But if you would do me an honor and give me a second chance, I promise you that we will have our second, third and more babies in the future. I will not leave you again and I’ll be right beside you to listen to our baby’s heartbeat.” He paused and glanced at his watch before looking back at her again. “It’s 12.05am and it’s another day now. You promised me that you would give me an answer on the last day of the trip.” He held his breath as he looked at her with a hopeful gaze. “Can I have your answer now?” He asked softly.

Shin Hye stared at him for a long moment before she wrapped her hands around his neck and pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss. She closed her eyes as she brought herself closer to him.

Min Ho was startled by her sudden action and totally frozen in place. His gaze was locked at her closed eyes, looking at her in confusion. But the shockness doesn’t stay long until he was brought back to his senses. His heart raced tremendously the minute he felt her soft lips brushing timidly against his and it sent wave of electricity throughout his body. Moving his hand to the back of her neck, holding her firmly in place, he responded to the kiss and taking control of the kiss from her. His mouth slanted over hers as he parted her lips expertly and within second, his tongue found its way inside and her tongue softly, causing her to gasp.

Both of them were totally drowned with the sensation their lips were creating. The kiss got heated and both of them could clearly feel it. Before he lose his control and scare her with his hungriness, Min Ho broke the kiss reluctantly. He rested his forehead against hers, both panting heavily for air with their eyes closed.

When their breathing became steady and regular like before, Min Ho slowly opened his eyes and whispered softly to her. “Is that a yes?”

Shin Hye opened her eyes too and looked deep into his. She bit her swollen lip before she shook her head.

Min Ho immediately pulled back and looked at her anxiously. “Why are you shaking your head? When I asked you for an answer just now, you kissed me. You know how much I love you and how much I want to be with you. And I know you feel the same too.”

Taking a deep breath, she brought her hand up and caressed his face gently. “Yes, I love you too, or maybe more. Sook Joo was right that the past was already over and I shouldn’t lock myself in the pain anymore. But even if I could really forget about it, still it doesn’t mean everything in the past never happen before. It will always be there.” She stared into his eyes and let the tears rolled down freely. “Believe me, I wanted to tell you yes, right now, right here but I couldn’t find the courage to give you my heart again. If it’s broken once again, I wouldn’t be able to recover anymore.”

A pang of disappointment hit his chest hard and painfully. He exhaled sharply before looking back at her again. He smiled sadly. “So, I guess the answer is no then.”

Shin Hye bit her bottom lip and shook her head again.

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Min Ho glared at her sharply. “Yah, Park Shin Hye. I’m not sure you can hear it or not but my heart is shattering into pieces now. I know I asked you to make it hard on me but I begging you now. Please stop torturing me already. Please stop shaking your head and tell me what you want.”

Shin Hye looked at him with her teary eyes and sniffed hardly when he raised his voice. “Are you getting tired of me already?”

“Of course not.” Min Ho sighed again before he grasped both her hands and placed it against his chest. “I’m just getting crazy to make you mine. If I know I will have to suffer so much now, I will definitely stab myself to dead for treating you so badly in the past.”

Holding his gaze firmly, Shin Hye spoke again. “There are still about 23 hours left before the day over. Although I couldn’t give you an answer now, but we can let the fate make the decision for us.”

Min Ho creased his brows in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“We have spent a lot of time together in New York these few days. We went to a lot of places and each and everyone means something to us. We will go back to all the places we went in that two days and if we could find each other before 12am tomorrow, it means fate brought us back together.” Shin Hye said.

Slowly let go of her hands, Min Ho looked at her helplessly. “Do you know how big is New York? We have gone to the central park, the bow bridge, row boating, the carriage ride. We even went to Brooklyn and to the Middletown for the hot air balloon ride. How am I supposed to look for you in so many places within 23 hours?” He paused as he shook his head. “No. It’s not even 23 hours. I still have a wrap up meeting tomorrow morning. How if when you are waiting for me in the central park but I have gone to Brooklyn?”

Shin Hye looked at him as she pursed her lips. “Then we are not meant to be together.”

Min Ho let out another deep sigh. “Are you seriously going to leave our future in this kind of game? Everything will be over if I couldn’t find you by 12am tomorrow.”

Heaving a deep breath, Shin Hye smiled slightly. “If we could meet each other out of 50 million people in South Korea, what make you think that you can’t find me now? If fate really want to bring us back together, no matter where we go, we will definitely find our way back together.”

Min Ho took her hand again and held it tightly in his. He sighed in defeated before he stared into her eyes with his sharp gaze. “If I found you tomorrow before 12am, you have to promise me that you will stay by my side forever.”   

Her lips slowly curled up into a soft smile as she moved closer to him.

“If I see you by 12 am tomorrow, I will never leave you again.”   

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“G-Good evening sir, m-may I help you?”

“Can’t you see the bottles were all empty? Do I have to call your manager to bring in more for me?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you new here? I never see you before.”

“T-Today is my first day.”

“Why do you work here?”

“Because I need money.”

“Why do you make a special request for me to serve you every night?”

“Because whenever you are here… I feel calm, I feel warm, and I feel alive again.”

“Don’t go, please don’t go. I need you, I really need you now.”

“You are crazy. I’m not the girl you want. My name is Park Shin Hye. I’m not that ‘her’ you were talking about. Let me go.”

“How much do you need? How much do you cost? No matter what is the price, I’ll give it to you. I just need you. All of you.”

“Give me nine million now… and you can have all of me.”

  ♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

You are the person who makes my heart ache when I just look at you

I am afraid of you disappearing when I close my eyes

I can’t be apart from you, not even one step

Today as well I hover over you like this, my love

Even if you don’t turn around, I am standing here

So that you can always lean on me in my arms

♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

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Min Ho glanced at his watch and it was 12noon now. He has used the fastest speed ever to wrap up the final meeting in New York and leave the office as soon as he can. After taken a fast lunch with the client, he quickly rushed back to the hotel and Shin Hye was already not in the hotel room. He was fighting against the time now and he only have less than 12 hours to look for her in this huge city. He has to be fast.

Without wasting anymore time, he quickly changed to casu