A short silence was shared between Chae Won and Min Ho. Funny how she went to that restaurant to meet Min Ho's fiancé but met her ex fiancé instead.
"Why was he there?"
"For work." Her reply was short and he just continued to stare at her as if he was studying her. "Don't you trust me?"
He briefly shut his eyes, "I do." He exhaled heavily. "It's just that, I'm worried of how you feel now."
She couldn't respond right away. She furrowed her brow, "There's nothing that changed."
"What is it that hasn't changed? Your feelings for him?" He asked softly trying not to offend her or something.
"You know it's not that." Her voice was stern; clearly she didn't like what he just said. It sounded to her that he was implying she's still in love with Si Hoo while dating him. Yet, she knows it wasn't his intention.
"Let's talk about this next time." He felt like they will just end up fighting if they push with the topic. Maybe tomorrow,or the next day. Whenever, as long as they'll emotionally be ready to talk about it.
* * *
Ah In dropped Eun Woo at his school. He asked him if he could borrow his car since he has some urgent matter with his business, and Eun Woo was kind enough to lend it to him.
"Eun Woo!" Ah In called for him who was already few steps away from the car. "What time should I fetch you?"
"Don't bother." He said briefly and before he could turn his back once again he saw Se Jeong approaching him.
Se Jeong's attention was on Ah In who was leaning his forearm on top of the car. "Good morning," she greeted as she stopped in front of Eun Woo.
Ah In smiled at her, "Good morning, have I seen you somewhere? You seem familiar."
"Ah! Last time I've mistaken you as Eun Woo." She could feel he still couldn't figure it out as he barely tilted his head on one side. "I knocked on the car window, a bit furious." She smiled, feeling a little shy.
"Ah! Right, that girl."
"Are you done?" Eun Woo butts in. She just flashed him a toothy smile. "Let's go." He said firmly and waved Ah In off, "Go now, hyung."
Inside their classroom, Se Jeong sat next to him. She took out her sticky note and seriously looked at him. "So, we have a week to do this. This time it's music about romance. Love." She removed the cap of her pen and asked, "What do you know about love?"
He remained silent. "Nothing?" She raised her voice by just a bit. "Then, have you fallen in love? First love, puppy love, anything?"
On the middle of their discussion their first class professor came in. The professor hits the board twice to call for the students' attention. "Good morning class."
"Later okay?" Se Jeong said turning her attention to the front.
Eun Woo couldn't stop but recall his past.
From the first time Eun Woo saw Chaewon, (that was when he and his family visited Ah In in Daeugu) he was already attracted at her. He was nine and Chaewon was eighteen.
"Hong Sik-ah!" She called with her ever so soft voice.
They were having lunch at that time. "Who's that?" His mom asked.
"That's Chaewon," Ah In's mother answered.
"Come in Bbong!"
Chaewon did as Ah In said. She went in and joined them at the dining area. "Ohh, you have visitors."
"Umm, this is my sister, her husband and their sons."
"Hello. I'm Chaewon," she politely introduced herself. She waved to the younger boy then to Eun Woo.
It wasn't crush at first sight but he can't deny she looked pretty in his eyes. The way her hair is pulled up in a ponytail, her bright smile, her beautiful features and the way she speaks. And even the dirt on her check and forehead looks cute on her.
"Have you eaten? Join us." Ah In's mother inquired.
"Thank you auntie, I've already eaten." She smiled brightly. "Here, we were harvesting some strawberries." She sets a basket full of freshly picked strawberries.
"Thank you."
"Then I'll get going. I still have a lot to harvest." She bowed to Ah In's parents and then to Eun Woo's parents. "It's nice to meet you," she said to them. Before she left she slapped Ah In on his back, "See you later."
Ah In chewed fast then swallowed. "Wait for me." He took another big bite before standing up. "Dong Min-ah, you want to come with us?"
Eun Woo nodded and they followed Chaewon out.
The three of them went to Chaewon's and they helped her with harvesting.
The following year, Chae Won and Ah In moved to Seoul for college and they stayed at Eun Woo's for a year. If it wasn't crush at first sight, then maybe it was crush at second one. His admiration only grew bigger as he got closer to her.
A year later Chae Won and Ah In moved out. He felt sad but Chae Won assured him she's coming by often, and she really did, sometimes with Ah In and sometimes with Jo Won.
He was already fifteen turning sixteen when Chae Won graduated in college. That was when his little crush grew to teenage love. She (together with Ah In, Jo Won and sometimes Ji Won) was there to help him with his studies, to play video games with him, help him with his younger brother, and such.
A year and half after Chae Won and Ah In's graduation, Ah In left abroad to study culinary and Chae Won together with Jo Won became his guardian.
One time he was sick and it was Chae Won who took care of him.
"Dong Min-ah, your food is ready." She slowly opened the door of his room using her foot as her hands were holding a bed tray carrying his foods.
Eun Woo sat down from lying. "Noona, you shouldn't bother, I know you're busy."
She sets the table tray on his bed. "Ahjumma said you won't listen."
"I just wanted to sleep."
"But you need to eat as well." She took the spoon from the tray and gave it to him, "Here." He sighed. "Don't tell me you want me to feed you? You're big enough to do it yourself, Dong Min-ssi." With that Eun Woo took the spoon and started feeding himself slowly.
"What about your job?"
"I'm quitting."
Eun Woo coughed hearing it. "What? Why?"
She pouted, "I'm not good enough at my work?"
"Who said that?"
"Me," she said tilting her head to her right. "I mean, I can't be good at everything. I'm already good at eating; I have good sense of humor and of course, good looking. It's fair enough that I'm not good at being an employee." She said lengthy.
Eun Woo softly laughed. "What are you going to do next?"
"I'll take online course about business." She flashed him a smile and excitement radiated in her body. "I'm going to build my own business." She said giddily.
Eun Woo just stared at her thinking. She's cute, she's beautiful. She gets excited easily, she gets discouraged easily. She's clumsy. She's honest. She refuses to call me Eun Woo. She always calls me Dong Min. She smiles all the time. She acts cute most of the time. She's smart. She knows what she loves. She loves what she does. She recited all of those in his mind. "This must be it, my first love." He smiled thinking.
"Cha Eun Woo?" His teacher called pulling him back from his reverie.
"Yes professor?"
"Were you listening?"
* * *
"Good afternoon sir." The house helper greeted. "Miss Yoon Hye is at the living area."
"Thanks," he smiled saying. He went straight to the huge living area of the Kim's mansion. Quietly he approached the lying figure of his friend.
He was about to surprise her but he saw how her eyes were closed. He stopped in front of her sleeping body and looked at her face intensely. "When did you become this beautiful?" He whispered to himself. He smiled staring at her face for a good minute before he realized what he just said and what he was doing. He shook his head clearing his mind.
When he looked at her again she already has her eyes on him. "Ah! You scared me." He dramatically puts a hand on his chest. He was undoubtedly startled.
"Are you done staring?" She asked with a straight face.
"What? I just got here." He denied.
She rose up from lying. "Is your heart calm now? Can we go?"
"Wow, the confidence of this lady."
She stood up and head out leaving him still a bit stunned before he could get himself to follow her.
They went to a mall as per Yoon Hye's request. She wanted to go for a shopping.
"Why you suddenly want to go shopping?" He asked following her from behind.
"I'm bored."
They took a turn to the clothing section when she accidentally bumped to a woman. "Oh my gosh." The woman exclaimed calmly.
"I'm sorry," Yoon Hye apologized.
The woman was slender, her hair was long and she has a perfect features. "Gosh, you should watch where you're going." Her English accent sounded native despite her being a Korean.
"Excuse me, but it's partly your fault as well." Jung Shin defended.
The woman just raised her brow at him.
"Yoon Hye" A man who was walking towards them softly called.
"Min Hyuk," Jung Shin uttered while Yoon Hye remained stoic.
"Oh, you know them?"
"Mm"
"I'm Jung Shin," he offered a hand for her to shake.
"Krystal"
"And this is Yoon Hye," Jung Shin introduced.
"You two look great." Krystal commented. "You guys wanna join us?"
"Sorry, we have other plans," Yoon Hye politely rejected.
Jung Shin looked at her confused but then quickly puts his arms around her shoulder. "Ah yes, we do." He smiled.
"I see, then, we'll also get going." Krystal turned to Min Hyuk, "Let's go?"
Min Hyuk awkwardly smiled at them. "It's nice seeing you again." He said that to Jung Shin and Jung Shin just nodded in response. "Bye," and that was for Yoon Hye.
"Mm," Yoon Hye replied.
When they left Yoon Hye removed Jung Shin's arm that was on her shoulder and turned to him. "What was that for?"
"What now? It's just an arm."
Yoon Hye raised a brow at him. "Okay," he said raising one arm on the air. "You looked like you were about to bawl your eyes out. I saved you."
She rolled her eyes, turned her back at him and walked away. "Let me remind you, don't fall for me."
He started following her again. "I think I already did."
Yoon Hye stopped on her tracks and faced him. "Then put a stop to it." Her gaze was piercing. It was scary.
"Okay," he stood firm in front of her. "But you should stop looking beautiful in front of me." Her head slightly twitches at that. "And stop being in pain because of others in front of me. It makes me want to protect you."
* * *
Ah In met with Chae Won at Moon빛 Café after lunch to discuss about renovation of the Moon빛 Boutique. Not too long ago they decided to have a partnership.
"Here's your coffee and dessert owner Moon and mister." Jae Hwan was setting their foods on their table.
"Thanks, Jaehwan."
"I have a proposed floor plan ready here." He took out some papers. "I tried to suit it to the current floor plan so we could have the renovation at minimum. What do you think?"
"Let me see," Chaewon studied the floor plan. "I think it's better to have the entrance at the side. And extend a little more parking area. Since it's a restaurant we're going to need a bigger parking space."
"It would be nice but that would cost more for renovation alone and it's going to take longer."
"That's better than renovating twice when you realize later on that this is a better plan."
"Umm well, let's do that." He agreed and smiled excitedly.
They discussed some more before Ah In gathered all the papers into one envelope setting it aside for tomorrow.
"So now, let's talk about you."
"What about me?" She sipped the last bits of her iced coffee.
"You're not planning to keep things from me won't you?" He said crossing his arms in front of him as he leaned back on his seat.
"Will I ever be able to keep something from you?" She raised her empty drink for her employee to see. She was asking for another one. "You'll always know everything." She scoffed.
"Yeah, of course." He smirked acknowledging. "But what I would never know is how you feel unless you tell me."
"And I know you're the kind of best friend who wouldn't leave me until I spill everything." She laughed softly.
Ah In slightly tilted his head to his side pouting, waiting for her to start talking about her feelings after the unexpected reunion with her ex fiancé.
"I'm just happy," she smiled. "That he's happy. Despite what we went through, I'm happy that I made the right decision of setting him free."
"Was it right?"
She pursed her lips thinking. "Seeing him happy, doesn't that answer the question?"
Ah In sighed, "He could still be happy if it was the other way around. Either way you both would still go through so much."
"That's all in the past now."
Ah In nodded, "It was meant to be this way." He leaned forward preparing to throw another bomb on her. "You don't feel any regret?"
She sighed heavily, "No. Not anymore. I did for so long but not anymore." She smiled, "I have Minho now."
"But your Minho has another fiancé." Chae Won glared at him. "Relax, don't kill me. What I'm saying is, at least Si Hoohyung didn't have you both at the same time, which is a contrast to what Minho is doing now."
"It's against his will."
"What happened before wasn't totally Si Hoohyung's will as well."
On the midst of an intense topic Mina came to serve her second glass of iced coffee. "Here's another cup of your favorite coffee Maam."
"Thanks Mina-ssi." Mina smiled before heading back to the counter.
Seven months after his proposal. Three weeks before Si Hoo and ChaeWon's wedding, his co-worker organized a bachelor's party for him.
"You know I don't like things like this. You understand me better than anyone." Si Hoo was strongly against the idea.
Chae Won just chuckled at the situation he was in. "I know I know." She wiped the tear that escaped her eye because of too much laughing at his distressed state just because of a Bachelor's Party. "I also had my Bridal Shower against my will, it's time for yours."
The mood in Si Hoo still didn't change so she took her cue to hug him. "Don't worry, once the event is over you'll be all mine. I'll be here when you come back."
Si Hoo hugged her back tighter. "Go now. The earlier you go the earlier you could go home." They shared a kiss before he left.
"I'll be back." He said and she nodded.
On the middle of the party that Si Hoo was forced to attend. He was busy rejecting left and right the drinks that was offered to him. He actually accepted two to three glasses of drinks as an appreciation to those who made an effort to throw him a party.
On the other side of the room was his co-workmate. "You're drunk," a lady said to another lady.
"I'm not okay, let me just offer him a drink before I set him free." She said slyly.
The sly woman approached Si Hoo with drinks on both hands. She offered the other one to him but he politely refused. "I'm a little tipsy now. If you don't drink this then I will."
"It's okay, I'll just ask Jun Young to send you home."
She pouted, "You're really mean. Do I really have to beg you just for one drink?"
"You don't because I wouldn't drink it anyhow." He said still trying to be politely despite of being straight forward.
"Please?" She sighed, "You know, I like you and it wasn't a secret. At least give this to me? Think of this as my goodbye, to you and to my feelings for you."
Hesitantly he accepted the drink and drank it in one shot. Few minutes later he felt dizzy. "Are you okay?" His best man asked.
"Umm, I'll just go to the restroom."
Everything went blurred and the next thing he knew he was on bed with someone, naked.
He covered his face with both hands begging this was a dream. A really bad one.
The woman beside him was the woman who gave him the drink. He figured that drink was drugged. Yet it's too late now. Something that shouldn't happen already happened. "I'm sorry Chaewon." He whispered to himself and he could feel a tear escaped from his eye.
"What did I do?" He said in disbelief. Quickly he changed to his clothes that was on the floor and sped off leaving the woman who was still sleeping.
When he arrived home he went straight to the bathroom to wash himself. After a long bath he threw the clothes he wore that night and cleaned the bathroom like he was so disgusted of whatever remains of that woman's body that was left on his that he has just washed off.
Washing his body still doesn't erase what happened and he's devastated of that fact. He took his phone and dialed Chaewon's number. He has to tell her.
Chaewon came over at his place. He was scared but he told her what happened without hesitation. "I'm sorry." He cried putting one hand on his face while the other hanging from his lap.
It took Chaewon good minute before finally registering what he just said. She started to tear up, and slowly she placed both hands on each side of his head. Gently she pulled his head and rested it on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, if I knew I wouldn't have forced you to go."
He cried even more in silence. It's no one's fault but his. If only he hadn't fall for her trick, he thought.
Feeling his sobs beneath her she moved one hand down to his back and hugged him tight. They stayed that way until their tears dried up.
After letting all their tears out, still sitting close to each other on the couch, body tilted to face each other.
"I'm sorry." He apologized again, still as sincere as ever.
"I won't lie and say it didn't hurt me." She moved her head from side to side. "It hurts... a lot, but I'm not blaming you."
"Chaewon-ah"
"If you think I'll leave you because of that, I won't." She held his hand and brought it closer to her. "I love you too much to let you go because of one mistake."
His tears started to well up again and she shook her head as if telling him not to cry. "I love you, Chaewon."
A week has passed, though it was hard for the first few days, they still managed to be back to normal like nothing has change. They're still in love, they're still happy, they're still going to get married and that will happen in two weeks' time.
Not until, that woman came by to Si Hoo's place. She waited for him at the lobby. He arrived an hour later together with Chaewon.
He stopped when he saw her from a distance. His hand that was on Chaewon's shoulder held her a little tighter making her feel something was not right. "Why?"
He didn't respond and just looked at the figure that slowly approached them. "I'm sorry for coming this late." She started when she was in front of them. "I have something to tell you."
He remained unresponsive and she felt nervous. She looked at Chaewon, "Can I talk to him in private?"
"Say what you have to say here." He said firmly. He still holds Chaewon tightly on his side.
"But"
"She's the woman I'm marrying, private or not she has all the rights to know."
The woman sighed heavily, "I'm pregnant."
Chaewon almost lost her balance hearing those words. Si Hoo too felt like his knees was about to give up but he stood firm and supported Chaewon's weight. Mix of emotions was what they felt.
As hard as it is but they decided to continue going. He'll be a father to his child without breaking up with Chaewon. Everything will go as it was aside from him having one more responsibility.
The woman didn't ask for anything else, despite having feelings for Si Hoo she didn't plan for this pregnancy and she really was going to forget him just like what she said to him that night.
Another week has passed. It was a week away from their planned wedding. Though their feelings and desire to be together hasn't change, sad to say their marriage was pushed back to the end of the following month.
They had some adjustments and their marriage was affected.
A week after another, the mother of his child had some complications thus she needed more attention.
And once again their marriage was pushed back. If last time it was a little over a month now it was pushed back until the mother of his child gives birth.
It was like a lightning that hit him. He was not prepared of this, it just came too sudden.
The woman gave birth a month earlier and the baby stayed in the incubation for longer than a month.
When the baby was free to go, he took his daughter in his place together with the mother as the baby still needs to be monitored. The mother stayed with them as the baby needs the mother. It was all with Chaewon's consent.
All these set up hurts her but she's willing to understand because that's how much she loves him.
A month after his daughter's discharged he made the most painful decision he has ever made. Letting go of the woman he loves.
It hurt him as much as it did to her. All this time was hard for her but it was twice hard for him, he didn't mind that at all but then he realized Chaewon deserved better.
He was busy with his work, he has to double his effort to sustain the needs of his daughter and for the future he plans for him and Chaewon. He was adjusting with co-parenting. He was also busy with his daughter. All of those affected his time for Chaewon. As his fiancé he should've done better for her. Not to mention the parents of the woman is adding pressure to him, asking him to marry their daughter as they were worried of what the society will see their daughter and much more their grandchild.
He felt more and more that he doesn't deserve Chaewon and that she deserved better than what he could give.
"I kept on giving you so much lesser than what you deserve." He sobbed from the inside. "This might sound an excuse but that's how I feel."
He paused wiping the tear that escaped from his eyes. "I guess I'm selfish, that I just want to escape the guilt." He closed his eyes as his heart felt so heavy. "I love you so much nothing will change that. And because I love you, I'm letting you go."
"I saw your struggles," she started holding back her own tears. "And if loving me in your current state adds to your burden... I won't hold you back."
"You know you're not a burden to me."
"I know."
"I love you."
"I know, and that's more than enough."
He leaned his forehead on hers and after a while she turned her back and left him. That was the goodbye they shared.
It doesn't make sense for two people who love each other break up but sometimes that's just how it works.
Months later Si Hoo married the mother of his daughter, not because of love but because of the sense of obligation he felt. He agreed to marry her not knowing that would be the biggest regret he will have in his life.
If he hadn't seen Chaewon living a good life and happily in love, then he would have regretted breaking up with her the most. Seeing her happy in Min Ho's arms was enough for him to also be happy for her and finally forgave himself for hurting her.
Chaewon didn't get an invitation for his wedding, and she understood why he didn't send her one. She only knew he got married from a mutual friend and that was few months after the wedding. She also knew the pressure he got from the woman's parents pushing him to marry their daughter.
Sometimes relationships just have to end the way you never expect it to.