Pay With Your Heart

"I...I didn't say... that. You know that's not what I meant" She eyed Hei-Ran.

"You don't have to explain. You know the truth, but you're just been stupid by lying to yourself. And if there wasn't a Jinhai in my case, I'd definitely fall ten times over for Mr Lee"

"Well good for you." Eun-Sun sighed and walked to the wardrobe to pick up clothes, but Hei-Ran followed her.

"No, good for you that you finally found that one person who loves you and is willing to do everything and anything for you. He has laid his heart bare for you, and I know you like him, so what's stopping you? And don't tell me the bad person crap that your mother has told you, believe me that woman knows nothing and she's more than blessed to have a daughter as great as you. So tell me the truth Eun-sun, why are you holding back?" She asked in a fierce tone. She loved Eun-sun and she wanted the best for her, and what could be better than having true love and happiness, having someone who loves her and treats her well like Dan-Han has been doing?

Eun-sun paused from picking out her clothes, her shoulders slumped while a sigh left her lips.

Hei-Ran stretched her hand and reached for her shoulders slowly turning her around so they could face each other. She placed both hands on her shoulder and asked with a small voice, "Tell me the truth Eun-sun don't you like him? Does your heart not race when you see him? Don't you enjoy the company he gives you? Don't you wish to be with him, even for the littlest time?"

Eun-sun sighed and with a small voice she replied, "I don't know" as she shook her head slowly. Maybe she knows but she's too scared to admit it to herself, because admitting it out loud will promote her to feel and act differently.

Hei-Ran let out a deflated sigh, she raised Eun-sun's chin up with her fingers, giving her an intent look and with a soft voice she spoke, "Eun-sun we both know you like him, okay even if you don't know I'm telling you now that you like him. So tell me what's holding you back?" Her eyes not leaving Eun-sun's gaze for a second.

Eun-sun lowered her eyes and shook her head slowly, silently indicating nothing was holding her back.

"You know that's not true, tell me the truth" Hei-Ran insisted.

Still lowering her head, Eun-sun replied with a shaky voice, "I.... I'm just....scared... he'll leave me too." Her voice was shaky and almost teary.

"That's it?" Hei-Ran asked in surprise. That was the reason she wasn't giving herself a chance at happiness?

She sighed when Eun-sun nodded her head affirmatively.

"Sweet lord!" Hei-Ran exclaimed, giving Eun-sun a full look. How broken was this girl who had always put on a rock hard expression? Eun-sun had always revealed a tough exterior preventing people from knowing what was actually going on in her heart. Who knew she had all these fears?

"Eun-sun he won't leave you." Hei-Ran assured her. She didn't know why she was vouching for Mr Lee, but he looked like he was serious about her and his love for Eun-sun was written all over him. She had seen the way he looked at Eun-sun with so much care and affection the few times she had seen him. He didn't look like the type who wasn't serious. And there was rumours about him in the tabloids about never being in a relationship or ever been seen with a woman. She didn't think such a man who want to toil with her friend's feelings.

Eun-sun lifted her eyes to her, "What if he does?" She asked.

"And what if he doesn't?" Hei-Ran rebutted.

"What if he isn't like your parents who could have done better but chose not tom, what if he's God's compensation to you for all the hardship you've endured. Eun-sun nothing in life is certain, nothing is set in stone, but one is sure in this world, and that is opportunities. Opportunities always present themselves for us, and we as humans must grasp them when they do and make the best out of it. See this as a new beginning in your life and make the most out of it. Let your parents mistake end with them, and don't let it affect the entirety of your life, okay? Not everyone is like them, I'm still with you aren't I?" Hei-Ran encouraged, her hand brushing her hair backwards. Eun-sun gazed at her for a while before nodding her head.

"I will." She softly replied.

"That's better" Hei-Ran smiled and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I can't wait for you to start a relationship, and enjoy all the things that comes with it, including that stuff." She flashed her a suggestive smile as she pulled away from the hug, but Eun-sun didn't understand what she was referring to.

"What stuff?" Eun-sun cocked a questioning brow, her look was quite innocent.

Hei-Ran chuckled when she saw her expression. "Nothing, I'm sure someone like Mr Lee will educate you at the right time." Hei-Ran said was a mischievous smile, making Eun-sun narrow her eyes at her.

Smoothening Eun-sun's hair with her hand she said, "You'll be fine okay, now get dressed let's go to work. And oh, I won't be returning on time tonight."

"Why?" Eun-sun asked.

"Well because I'm visiting the family house today and fake boyfriend wants to take me somewhere tomorrow." She told her. The displeased look on her face was clearly evident.

"And don't ask me where because I don't know either." Hei-Ran interjected Eun-sun when she noticed she was about to say something.

"Come on get dressed, we'll be late."

************

Dan-Han's Mansion

In-Ha was surprised to see Dan-Han approach the dining table for breakfast, and he couldn't help but give a surprised look.

"This is strange." In-Ha uttered as Dan-Han pulled a seat for himself.

"What is strange?" Dan-Han couldn't help but ask.

"This!" In-Ha exclaimed pointing to him. Dan-Han already understood what he was referring to, but he didn't say anything to him.

"I can't remember the last time you had breakfast at home. I was beginning to wonder if you've broken the rule of not eating outside. What happened today?" In-Ha asked, but Dan-Han only looked at him still without saying anything.

"How did your outing go last night?" Dan-Han surprisingly asked, making In-Ha look at him with surprise.

"Okay, that's a first. Why are you suddenly interested in that?" In-Ha curiously asked. Dan-Han was never the type to bother about people's affair. So why was he interested in that?

Dan-Han wanted to say, 'Because that's my woman, so why shouldn't I be interested?' But instead he said, "Because you started troubling the girl mother placed under my care."

"Oh, really? Mother brought her to your company?" In-Ha was quite surprised to hear that, he didn't know it was Mrs Lee who had brought Eun-sun into the company.

Dan-Han looked at In-Ha but he didn't answer his question. He had asked a question first and In-Ha wasn't expecting him to answer him right?

Noticing the nonchalant look Dan-Han was shooting at him, In-Ha knew better than to expect an answer from him. So he answered him instead.

"Well last night was cool, we had a lot of fun." He paused and smiled when he remembered how Eun-sun cheered when those little girls won the children competition and her reaction to every group that performed. Her laughter and smiles, everything was far too mesmerizing.

"She made it quite a night for me and I loved every bit of it" He replied smilingly.

Dan-Han didn't miss all the expression flashing through In-Ha's face. It seems he was falling deeply for her each passing day, and so was he.

Why was Eun-sun being this cruel? Why did she have to come into their lives at the same time, wasn't he enough for her? Dan-Han scoffed in his head when he heard his own thoughts. Enough indeed!

"Hmm" Dan-Han nodded and focused on his food.

In-Ha shot a suspicious brow at Dan-Han while he ate.

"Tell me the truth Dan-Han, did you do something to her?" Dan-Han lifted his head and gazed at In-Ha, a confused frown pressed on his brows.

"What do you mean?" He asked back.

"I mean, why were you two acting awkward last night? You guys seemed to be a bit closer than that, so tell me, what did you do to her?" In-Ha asked firmly. To him, Eun-sun could never do something wrong. Okay there were times she got mad and hurt him, but not cause and who was the best person to trigger anybody into a state of grievances? Lee Dan-Han.

Dan-Han looked away from him and focused on his food but not before saying, "Mind your business." his tone sounding cold as usual. It was an indication that he wasn't interested in having that conversation.

In-Ha stayed quiet for a while as he closely observed Dan-Han.

"Do you like her?" He abruptly asked.

Dan-Han's hand which was holding a glass against his lips paused. He stayed still for a couple of seconds before taking a drink from his glass. He turned and glanced at In-Ha, "Do you want me to like her?" He asked in the most natural cold voice he could muster. He was shocked by that abrupt question but it didn't reflect on his face.

In-Ha paid attention to his countenance, he tried to ascertain something, anything at all, but his face was as stoic as ever.

In-Ha flashed a smile and shook his head as he replied, "No"

"Then why did you ask? Do you like her?" It was his turn to ask. He wanted to know if In-Ha had realized his feelings for her.

Dan-Han studied In-Ha's face as he waited for his answer. In-Ha gave a casual shrug and replied, "I don't Know"