Soo was inside a bar. There were some alcohol bottles on his table. His hair was messy, his eyes were red, tear marks on the face, and was profusely drinking the alcohol. The people who were crossing beside his table saw his devastating condition.
Suddenly his phone started ringing which was on the table. He looked at the phone and saw Myung's name on it. He hung up on her call but she kept on calling him. Irritated by this he threw his phone and it hit the floor with a loud bang sound. The people there looked at him but then shifted their gazes.
He looked at his glass and saw it was empty. Pulling himself he held the alcohol bottle and this time without pouring it on the glass he started drinking it directly from the bottle. When he felt like he needed air, he put the bottle on the table and wiped off his lips.
He started laughing and the people turned their attention towards him. He stood up from his seat and with stumbled steps, he moved forward. He went near a table around which some men were seated.
"Le...let me tell you about m...my life. It...it has be...become a joke.
My fath...father he made it a joke," mumbled Soo with broken words.
The staff came there and held his arms. "Sir you shouldn't create a nuisance here," said one of the guys who was holding him.
"Ahhh...You need money. Le..let me make a payment," said Soo and jerked their arms from his. He went towards the counter with stumbled steps, took out his card, and made the payment. "Sir, where's your phone? I'll call your family member or friend to pick you up," told the guy who was making the payment.
"So...a girl was kept on call..calling me. So I...I..broke it," said Soo and started laughing. The staff looked at each other. Soo then walked out of the bar. He was walking in the street. People closed their noses as they were passing across him as he was reeking of alcohol. He looked around and saw some happy people smiling when he recalled his condition. For the past four years, he has almost forgotten to smile. Why? Because of his family, his parents who have made his life miserable.
He stood beside the road watching those happy people around him. Tears were flowing from his eyes watching this. Cho was coming in that direction on her bike when she saw Soo.
She stopped her bike a few meters away from him.
"How can he be Kang Soo? Aish... He can't look like such a drunkard man," murmured Cho and started her bike when she noticed his face as he turned towards her direction but Soo didn't look at her. He started walking again. Cho halted her bike there and ran towards him with her helmet on.
"Soo?" mumbled Cho and held his arm tightly. Soo looked at her and said, "ugly, you here?"
Cho made a face at him and wanted to punch him but then she didn't by looking at his condition. "Ewww….how much did you drink?" asked Cho, closing her nose.
"I don't remember," said Soo with a smile. Cho put one arm around her shoulder and said, "Let's go home." She dragged him to her bike and then got seated and told him to sit behind her. He did so. "Grab me tightly Soo, don't leave your grip okay," said Cho, turning her face to Soo. She put the headgear over his head and then started the engine.
Soo put his arms around her waist and then laid his head on her back. Cho drove away from there. "I think it's because of his family. I shouldn't take him to Ani's home else they will be worried. My home will be perfect," thought Cho in her mind. Soo's grip started loosening so she held his hand and slapped on it.
"St...stop hitting…," said Soo.
"Then hold tightly else we both will die," declared Cho. She increased the speed of her bike and they reached her home in half an hour. She brought Soo inside the house when her father, Gwi, came there and asked her whom she had brought home.
"Dad, he's Soo," said Cho. Hwang Hwi came inside the house and saw Cho and a man with her. He asked the same thing to her. "Uncle help me….he's so heavy," said Cho. Hwang Hwi quickly went near her and grabbed Soo. "Upstairs, the room is empty there…," said Gwi. Hwang nodded and carried him upstairs along with Cho.
"Why is he drunk so much?" asked Gwi and Hwi at the same time.
"I don't know. I happened to see him at the roadside," said Cho and put a light blanket over him. Cho then pulled off Soo's shoes and told his father that they should go downstairs.
"I'm making a hangover soup for him," said Hwang Hwi.
"Don't. Let him sleep," said Gwi. "Cho I'll be with him tonight. You should go to your room," said Gwi.
"Dad, you should sleep. I'll look after him," said Cho.
"Hyeong (brother), you've to take a rest. Let's go," said Hwi and took Gwi out of the room. Cho looked at Soo. She took out a small towel from the cupboard there. After that, she ran downstairs to the kitchen to bring water in a bowl and then ran upstairs.
She closed the door and sat on the chair beside the bed. She soaked the towel in the water and wiped his face with the towel lightly. "You never drank before. What made you drink to this level?"
"My father made me crazy to this level," replied Soo and opened his eyes gradually. Tears started flowing from his eyes. Cho looked at him and said, "do not cry. Go back to sleep. We can talk about this later" She wiped off tears from his face and got up from the chair.
"My hangover is gone because of your biking skills," said Soo and looked at her.
"Do you want to talk? I mean for four years you didn't say a word why you resigned from your profession," stated Cho.
"He will hurt Ani and Sung Woo if I ever go against him. I had to agree to his terms. Now he's forcing me to marry Myung. My mother who gave birth to me said that if I marry her I'll find happiness. How can I be happy? I don't even like that girl. I can't bear her sight," said Soo and got up from the bed.
Cho looked at him with a worried look and said, "tell her that you don't want to get married to her."
"I did. I did this the day I was called by my father four years ago. She didn't listen to me but again I can't do anything. I told my father that I don't want to marry her but he didn't listen to me. I can't even die. Now I can't do anything because my sister's and friend's lives are at stake," said Soo and started crying.
This was the first time Cho saw him crying like this. Soo always smiled in front of them but she never knew that he's going with so many things. She hugged him tightly and said, "Why do you have to do every single thing alone? You should've told to me. I'll help you….I won't let you marry Myung."
Soo released the hug and asked, "What will you do? I'm not able to do anything all these years. So how will you stop marrying me? If I won't marry her their lives will be harmed."
Cho wiped off Soo's tears from his face and said, "tell your father that you love me. Marry me and then we will divorce each other after a while."
"Are you out of your mind? Why would I do that? I don't want to marry anyone and you're telling me to marry you. Not only this you're sacrificing your life for me," said Soo.
"Is there any other way to escape?" inquired Cho.
"Cho, I'm not in the mood to joke. Let's stop. I'll handle myself. Thanks for listening," said Soo and got up from the bed when Cho held his hand. Soo looked at her.
"Soo, I know you will marry her because you want your sister and friend to be safe. You never once went on a date because for you all these things are rubbish but then you forced yourself to go out with Myung. If there would be any solution to this then wouldn't you find it in all these years. How much more do you run from yourself? I know once you'll marry Myung you will forget your own identity among them. I don't think your father will raise any objection if you will lie to him that you love someone else. When you feel like divorcing, I'll willingly divorce you," declared Cho and stood up from the chair.
"Cho, marriage isn't a joke. I don't want to ruin your life because of me. I can live with her too...it's fine," stated Soo.
"Soo, if you won't marry me then I'll tell Ani and Woo Oppa about this," said Cho.
Soo looked at her in disbelief and said, "Cho, you are increasing my problems. Now stop...I don't want to talk about this."
"You will kill yourself there. Do you not deserve to be happy? We will divorce each other after some time. Just listen to me if you consider me as your friend," said Cho with teary eyes.
"I won't be able to forgive myself if I drag you in this," said Soo and jerked her hand lightly.
"And I won't be able to stay quiet if you marry Myung and ruin your life," said Cho looking into Soo's eyes.
Soo grabbed Cho by her shoulders and said, "Cho, thanks for thinking about me but I don't want to involve you in my messy life. It's fine….I'll manage."
"Soo, please don't do all things alone. I'm doing this because you're a close friend of mine. I'm doing this because I want my friend to be happy. I know you're finding evidence against your father. Once we will find that then we will divorce each other and we can enjoy our life. If you'll marry Myung you not only destroy your life but her life too," said Cho.
"And what about your life? Do you want me to betray uncle Gwi?" asked Soo.
"Soo, you ain't getting my point. I'm doing this not because I won't be happy but because you will ruin Myung's life along with yours. You weren't able to make her understand for four years that you don't feel comfortable with her. What do you think you will do after the marriage? Myung will be hurt, but she won't ever divorce you because I know that- she loves you a lot. I won't marry you if you tell me that you will start loving her," said Cho while finding the answer in Soo's eyes.
"Let's stop this marriage because this is the only way. We both will divorce each other once we find the evidence," said Cho and patted his shoulder.
"Fine, I'll talk with my father about this," said Soo, looking into her eyes. Cho gave him a warm smile and then wiped tears from his face.