Shu Hwa had imagined a dozen different scenarios prior to their first meeting after all those years of missing chances. She had known that it wouldn't be joyous. She had expected him to have led on his own life and that she would hurt and love him at the same time for doing that. But never in her dream, she would expect it to unfold like this.
Disastrous. Catastrophic. And him staring daggers at her as if she was the enemy.
It was like a thunderstorm raging between them and the love that had once coloured their world had been washed away, leaving only the wreckage.
So, Shu Hwa turned away from him, her once stowaway amidst the life of empty and dark imprisonment.
'At least, for now, I will go,' thought Shu Hwa.
Her eyes had already reddened and the tears threatened to fall out. But she held it in. She smiled to her fans and apologized for the mess and for not being able to continue.
After that, she walked away unhurriedly as if the incident just now did not affect her.
Min Jae watched as Shu Hwa descended the stage elegantly and left the hall. He also saw her assistant following her back after he had apologized to the organizers.
Min Jae sighed before he turned to look at his wife who was sobbing. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms, "Let's go home, Baby."
Eun Hye grabbed his shirt and looked up at him. She asked anxiously, "Honey, you don't believe her words, right?"
Min Jae glanced at his wife who was looking at him with trepidation in her eyes. He pinched her nose as he assured her, "Of course not, Dummy."
Eun Hye relaxed a little. She assumed a smiling face again and snuggle deeper into his embrace. Min Jae turned to the audience who was scrutinizing them. His eyebrows creased in annoyance.
"Not a word about this incident!" He threw a grave warn at the organizers. However, his voice was loud enough to be heard by the others.
The audience turned their eyes away from the couple immediately, pretending not to know anything. Meanwhile, the organizers wiped away the sweats on their forehead and proceeded to contact the higher-ups.
....
As Min Jae walked towards the parking lot with his arms around Eun Hye waist, he couldn't stop thinking about Shu Hwa's words.
'You can go ahead and sue me. In fact, I hope you will. It will save me some time then, although you might be surprised by the result.'
And not just her words, the look on her bright eyes. From the bottomless sadness to the painful determination. It was as if she was ready to clash with him and Eun Hye even if it cost her everything.
He couldn't understand why she was so desperate. Why?
'You're wrong. Love is the same.'
'Because you did it too once...and now twice.'
Every sentence she had spoken seemed to have been drilled into his head. They kept rewinding and at every end of the sentence, he somehow felt as if he was going to lose something.
A stifling emotion whirled his heart, sending disturbing tremor.
Eun Hye turned to look at Min Jae who had suddenly become quiet. He looked dazed and his eyes unfocused. He seemed to be thinking of something.
Eun Hye felt restless seeing him like this. She nudged him out of his daydream.
"Honey, are you okay?" She held his cheek tenderly while asking with her demure voice.
Min Jae was a bit out of it when he looked down at the woman in his arms. Suddenly, it wasn't Eun Hye's face he saw but the shadow of her - Bluebell.
The woman named Eun Hye (Shu Hwa).
And for a second there, he was struck dumb as if sensing something from the two shadows. For some reasons, he could somewhat see bits of differences between the woman in front of him and the woman who had elegantly walked away just now.
It was only a split second before the illusion dispersed. But unbeknownst to even him, the seed of suspicion had already buried itself deep within his subconsciousness.
"Darling?"
His eyebrows unexpectedly creased when Eun Hye's voice called his name. Eun Hye was a bit surprised when she noticed fleeting displeasure laced in his eyes. However, when she looked again, his eyes had returned to their calm state.
Meanwhile, Min Jae felt conflicted inside. What was that? Why did he feel annoyed just now?
He shook his head before a smile came to his face again.
He slowly asked her, "Can you explain what happened back there, Babe? Who is she?"
Eun Hye bit her lips as she knew she couldn't hide it any longer. She couldn't believe that her sister was back and she even swore revenge on her. Now, the only thing she could do was...more lies.
She breathed in and began the recounting. It began with her lips arching a sad smile.
"You know my mom and dad got divorced quite early."
Min Jae nodded his head understandingly. He knew that long before he married her.
Eun Hye continued albeit reluctant. "Well, after that divorce mom took care of both of us but my sister was never happy with her. She used to be envious about everything I had. She wanted to be as beautiful as me so she went and did plastic surgery. I think it all started with her jealousy because mom is closer to me."
By now, Eun Hye's expression had turned for the worse. She appeared so pitiful and aggravated.
"I still remember when she used to mess around with me. All kind of tricks just to hurt me. I often wonder why she hates me so when I've done nothing."
When we did something regularly, eventually that something became a habit. It was the same with pretence. All those years of pretending as her twin sister, it had somehow corrupted Eun Hye's mind into believing that she was Shu Hwa.
Even recounting these lies, she did it without a hint of guilt or embarrassment. In fact, she had indeed felt aggrieved as if she was Shu Hwa.
On the other side, Min Jae's face had darkened. His eyes narrowed into a slit, gazing murderously. He couldn't believe his favourite author had done all these to his woman.
He was utterly disappointed. All admiration and respect simply disappeared into thin air.
Min Jae watched his poor wife struggled to control her tears as she tried to tell him about her unpleasant memories.
Min Jae couldn't help but pulled her into his arms. He hugged her tightly and stopped her from talking more. He urgently said, "Shu Hwa, trust me. I won't let her hurt you again."