However, that smile faded at once, when she became aware of its existence. Joongki was pacing up and down on the bridge over the artificial pond in the garden swarmed with Koi fish. He stopped when he saw her, he hesitantly smiled as a relief but it was clear on his face that he was still anxious. He ran into her frantically and hugged her. Struck in surprise, Gain cleared her throat and Joongki released her from his embrace.
"Ya, where have you been?Didn't I tell you to just stay here? You're not fully recovered!" He said with a surveying fretful eyes.
"I just went out for fresh air. That's all." Gain said. Feeling her tired body, she just wanted to take a rest and walked past Joongki.
"Oh I thought, you went out this early for work." Joongki muttered, his tone was sarcastic. Upon hearing this, Gain snapped. She couldn't understand herself either, why little things like this annoyed her, especially when Joongki was involved.
"You know what. You're overreacting." The limpid water of the pond showed her how miserable Joongki appeared to be after hearing those words. Guilt struck her, but pride told her to just leave.
Little did she know, a cold porridge was on her bedside table. Cold as the way she looked at Joongki that morning.
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It was a dainty snowflake brooch made of diamonds and pearls, Minhee received three days after her birthday. For twenty-five years, she had been receiving a gift three days after her birthday. She did not know if it was intentionally delayed or the giver was not aware that the gift did not arrive on time. She let out a sigh, totally clueless where on earth those gifts came from.
Her bodyguards were equally distributed to every part of the veranda, where she was spending her afternoon, designing shoes. The maids were busily attending to the flowers displayed there. She checked her phone, no message from Siwon. How could he not check on me? She thought. Feeling bored, she heaved a sigh and asked her maid to get the iPad for her. She aimlessly browsed through the wide motley of songs her iPad offered. The unbearable ennui of her afternoon let her fingers to freely choose a song. Soon, she was wagging her head in Gwen Stefani's Sweet Escape. When the song ended, a childish grin broke her face.
She moved her fingers like playing a virtual piano until it touched the glass of tomato juice. Then, she put a little more effort for her knuckles to knock it down and fell off the floor. All attention were on the juice spattered on the ground and the glass that was broken into pieces. Checking if all the people hindering her freedom were ready for her show, she faked a trembling hand. The hand touched her head and screamed, "Aaaaahhhh!"
"Agassi!" The maid exclaimed, panic-stricken, she almost stepped into the broken glass.
"My head... it hurts" Minhee said, her two hands clutching her head, massaging her scalp.
"I'll bring you medicine."
"No, it won't do." She said, searching for the bodyguard's eyes, she continued. "Please bring me to the hospital. Please." Her words were spoken in a weak and staccato tone. The bodyguard's eyes strayed from her glance and looked at his fellow guards, asking for their opinion. They all shrugged their shoulders. It was a victory for Minhee.
Two bodyguards accompanied her to the hospital, Minhee was seated at the backseat, her hand was still on her head. It was rush hour, but unexpectedly it was a light traffic. She worried that she might really end up in a hospital. Think of something. She said to herself and as a Harvard graduate, a light bulb appeared above her.
"Stop the car. I think I'm gonna throw up." As soon as she finished speaking, she pretended to puke and covered her mouth. One of the bodyguards just closed his eyes as if vomiting was contagious. The other one, opened the door and assisted her out and walked her to an inconspicuous place. The car was neither far nor near, with only one bodyguard following her, Minhee took a deep breath for her next action. She bent down as if she was really going to puke. She noticed the bodyguard was watching her every move, she looked at him and smiled.
"Could you please turn around? I couldn't do what I needed to do since you're watching me. It's embarrassing." She calmly said, left with no choice, the bodyguard obeyed her. She bent down again and fake a vomiting sound, while taking little steps. Her bodyguard must have sensed something dubious, turned around to see that she was already several steps away. Their eyes met, Minhee grinned and ran away.
Her legs were about to give up but looking back, she still saw her bodyguard. While running, she hovered her arm in the air whenever a cab passed by. Unfortunately, no cab stopped and the thought of just stopping her Sweet Escape crossed her mind until she saw a bus. Its door was about to close, she pushed herself even more. Like a sprinter, she bolted her way into the bus, waving goodbye to her unlucky bodyguard.
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Sauntering through columns of goods in the grocery, staring blankly at her to-buy-list, and pushing the cart like touching a wind, she doubted her existence. People looked at her, stared at her for a bit and passed her. She lowered her head and wallowed again in sad memories. Memories of her childhood, her fatherless childhood. Her mother, who died early because of depression. Her encounter with happiness for the first time when she met Siwon. Siwon, who was engaged to another girl. The girl, who had stolen everything from her.
Her gripped on the cart became tighter, her heart raced upon the thought of Lee Minhee. She hated her and hated more that she couldn't entirely hate her. A part of her saw Minhee as her sister, as a person deserving of her unconditional love. She was deep in a thought until a resounding blow awoke her from her reverie. Her cart had bumped into someone else's cart. She raised her head and gasped. It was Siwon.
"Hello." She faked a smile.
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