A Snowdrop Blooms Twice

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/37637218.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/M
Fandom: 설강화 | Snowdrop (TV)
Relationship: Eun Young Ro/Im Soo Ho, Jang Han Na/Lee Kang Moo
Character: Eun Young Ro, Im Soo Ho, Go Hye Ryeong (Snowdrop), Jang Han Na,
Lee Kang Moo
Additional Tags: Romance, Drama & Romance, Fluff and Angst, Tooth-Rotting Fluff,
Wedding Planning, Reunions, Canonical Character Death, Crying,
Alternate Ending, Historical References, Non beta cause we die like
Yeong U, Romantic Gestures, Like there's one big romantic gesture,
Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, DRAMATIC
CONFRONTATIONS, like a lot of them, Starting from chapter 4 there is
a lot of confrontations, Post-Canon Fix-It, Canon Timeline, Yeong Ro is
slightly OOC in chapter 7, Song as a romantic gesture
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2022-03-10 Updated: 2022-09-23 Words: 94,441 Chapters:
13/?

A Snowdrop Blooms Twice

by SnivyLord

Summary

A snowdrop flower that unexpectedly closed before its time finds its chance to bloom to a
familiar warmth once again. Aka a sequel to the drama Snowdrop because the end was too
depressing and I need to write a story for my own therapy and sanity because these two
deserved better Goddamn it. Now it's time for me to throw my own hat into the ring!
 Prologue: When a Flower of Hope Preserveres

"Did you hear? It's that girl who fell in love with a North Korean communist."

"I heard that she even helped those dastardly North Koreans with the whole situation."

"How dare she even show her face around her."

"Isn't she supposed to be the daughter of the former ANSP directer Eun Chang-su?"

Those were the things she heard when she finally found the strength to walk the streets once again
and she found herself in front of a very familiar cafe: Rome Coffee Shop. Eun Yeong Ro was
unfortunate enough to enter the cafe when there were people, the last time she was here, she was
breaking down to a tape that her first love left behind, his voice resounding in her ears. It had only
been a few days since Soo Ho's death and every day it felt like she was dying a little more inside.
Yeong Ro really felt like a part of her heart died with him and there was nothing she could do to
get it back. Little did she know that someday, it will be given back to her, and Yeong Ro will
bloom again.

"You must live, no matter how hard it gets, you must live... ok?"

"Soo Ho-ssi... you jerk... how could you have asked that of me? I made my choice when I came
back for you.... why did you leave me?" Yeong Ro whispered as she sat down in the cafe and
brought up her hands to wipe the tears that were threatening to spill from her face. She could tell
that the other patrons of the cafe were looking at her in contempt and fear that Yeong Ro was
defective. However, she didn't pay them any mind as Yeong Ro looked around the cafe and looked
at the small little stage in the corner in the event that someone wanted to perform.

"I would come to this cafe every single day just to hear you sing.... I'd love to hear you sing one
day...:

Yeong Ro stared at the stage for a few more moments and closed her eyes, just imagining Soo Ho
sitting there, guitar in hand, looking at her lovingly and singing his heart out. It was one of the
many scenes that appeared in her dreams as well as their first kiss, their conversation about him
leaving in nine days, and his death. His death was the most frequent thought in her mind and
Yeong Ro couldn't will herself to sleep because of it. However, the gentle scene of them being
alone in the shop and him singing to her was one she cherished a lot.

"I would love to sing songs of wind, flowers, and love to the people I love one day..."

Yeong Ro smiled tearfully at the thought and she suddenly had an idea. She reached into her bag
and took out a small notebook and she started to think about their love story and how they were
meant to be despite being star crossed. Then, she started to write down lyrics to a song for Soo Ho.
Perhaps it was a way to vent out her feelings, to cope with her devastating loss, but all Yeong Ro
knew in that moment was that she wanted him to hear her sing for him.

Maybe it's because you're sad when you smile

My heart is empty because I don't know everything

If you suddenly come back to me again

I'm going to write a letter here

 Chapter 1: When The Frost Refuses To Melt
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hello everyone! So I decided to throw in my two cents for the
Snowdrop fan fiction train because Yeong Ro and Soo Ho deserved so much better
and I was honestly inspired by many other authors to write my own version of how
they would meet again. So let's just pretend that Soo Ho was wearing a bulletproof
vest when it happened ok? These chapters are going to be relatively shorter than what I
usually write in my other works but I promise that I will do my best!

The snowdrop flower grows and blooms in the late winter, having to brave the cold and frost
before it can finally bloom. The fact that snowdrops are meant to bloom during the winter can be
related to the fact that the snowdrop is a flower of hope. No matter how cold it gets, no matter how
much frost covers the snowdrop, it will find a way to bloom again. For Yeong Ro, that was what
Soo Ho's message meant to her, the way a flower managed to bloom inside him when he was once
so cold. That is when the frost melts and that was when Yeong Ro saw Soo Ho for who he really
was.

Hold hands and wherever you look

Let's follow the road on the other side of the world

Come, walk with me Leave a dark footprint

Meet me every night at the place I dreamed of with you my friend

Lee Kang Moo and Jang Hanna walked up the steps to the Hosu Women's University and both of
them breathed a heavy sigh before glancing at each other once before walking inside. Everything
had been for the most part fixed ever since the hostage situation. Most of the bullet holes were
patched up and even the statue at the front was no longer decapitated. The students immediately
recognized the two of them and waved hello enthusiastically to the both of them. The pair walked
up to the telephone kiosk to find a familiar face.

"Mr. Kang Moo sir! Ms. Hanna! What brings you by the dorm? Please don't tell me there's another
spy here," Bun Ok laughed to try to lighten up the mood but Gang mu bit his lip for a moment to
avoid speaking out about why that was in poor taste. Hanna waved it off dismissively and smiled
at Bun Ok.

"Hello, Bun Ok, we just came by to visit Yeong Ro, has she been around recently?" Hanna asked
and Bun Ok's fell slightly out of guilt and she thought about it for a moment. To be honest, she
hasn't seen the aforementioned girl around recently either. After the hostage situation, Yeong Ro
packed up the rest of her things, or whatever was left of it, and tried to take off as fast as she could.
The other girls tried to convince her to stay but Yeong Ro was insistent on staying away, most
likely for her own sanity.

"Hmmm... no not recently, Ms. Pi originally had her pack up her things to move out before the
whole thing happened. Even though she offered Yeong Ro a chance to stay, she didn't take it," Bun
Ok sighed and twirled her hair. Kang Moo's face fell slightly and he sighed, thinking back to when
all of her friends had abandoned her when Bun Ok outed her to them.

"I take it that her friends haven't forgiven her then for hiding the fact that she was the daughter of
the director of the ANSP," Kang Moo felt sorry for Yeong Ro, he had gotten to know the young
lady well during the hostage situation and it was such a tragedy that he wasn't able to help her
more. He knew that leaving Soo Ho behind like that was a mistake, but he also knew that the
choice could have been avoidable and that was the regret that was deeply rooted in his heart. Gang
Mu was grateful that Hanna came out of the whole ordeal safe, but he couldn't say the same for
Yeong Ro, who had lost practically everyone in her life.

Kang Moo looked at Bun Ok straight in the eyes and he couldn't help but just give a complacent
smile, "Gye Bun Ok, I want you to know that everyone has their own struggles in life, and we all
make mistakes. But that is no excuse for you to make someone else feel as if their very real
problems are not important to anyone else in the attempt to emphasize your own. It's not worth the
pain nor the guilt ok? You two were once friends right?" Kang Moo raised his eyebrows at her to
bring his point across and Bun Ok nodded and sighed in understanding.

"Yeah, I know, I messed up. The reason why I don't see her often is because I don't know how I
can face her now. She already packed up all of her things, but she usually spends most of her time
on the fourth floor. That place has a lot of meaning to her and Soo Ho, so you should probably
check on her there," Bun Ok nodded and as if on cue, another phone rang and she gestured for them
to head up the stairs and Kang Moo and Hanna nodded in acknowledgment, "I'll let Ms. Pi know
that you came to visit!"

Kang Moo and Hanna said their farewells and they headed up to the fourth floor. Seeing the little
house on the fourth floor and how barely anybody was allowed up here. It made sense that the
house had a lot of meaning to them, Kang Moo knew this was where Yeong Ro first hid Soo Ho
after all. Hanna noticed that it started to snow but it didn't feel cold at all, in fact, it felt warm and
refreshing. Kang Moo opened the door to the house and the two of them stepped inside and when
they neared the inner door, they heard sniffling coming from the inside. Coming up to the door,
Hanna knocked on the door and put her ear close to the door.

"Yeong Ro! It's me Hanna and Mr. Lee! Could we come in?" Hanna asked and they heard the
room go silent for a moment before a cheery voice answered them, but they knew it sounded kind
of strained. Just how long was she crying in there?

"Of course! Come in! Just give me a moment!" Yeong Ro called out and the door immediately
opened to reveal her. Hanna held out her hands for a hug and Yeong Ro immediately stepped into
her embrace and they hugged for a brief moment before Yeong Ro turned to Kang Moo, "Hi Mr.
Lee, seeing you both is such a surprise, thank you for checking up on me," Yeong Ro greeted them
gratefully and they both could see that she had just been crying.

"Of course, we told you that you could come to us for anything and we'll come to check on you
once a week for as long as you need," Kang Moo stepped forward to give her a quick hug before
Yeong Ro stepped back to hold the door open for them to come in.

"Come in! We can talk in here," Yeong Ro invited them in and the three of them walked into the
Youngsoo safe haven together. Kang Moo and Hanna immediately looked towards the blood on
the floor and Yeong Ro followed their gazes to the scene of that fateful day. Kang Moo
immediately noticed the light dimming from Yeong Ro's eyes and tried to deflect the attention
away to something else. Looking across the room, his eyes landed on the coffee machine burner
that she had set up and the scent of coffee just hit them just now.

"You were making coffee in here?" Kang Moo asked and Yeong Ro snapped out of it before
looking between him and the coffee machine.

"Yes I was, would you two like some?" Yeong Ro asked and the two of them accepted as they all
took a seat on the step that led to the window and they waited as Yeong Ro stirred the coffee.

"How have the ANSP been treating you ever since you were taken back to headquarters?" Gang
Mu asked and Yeong Ro frowned for a moment before answering without much emotion.

"Hmm... well, they didn't really get any information out of me since... you know... Soo Ho passed
away before he could tell me the password to the bank account. I was practically useless to them...
which is kind of ironic since I've been used as a bargaining chip more times than I can count,"
Yeong Ro felt her voice break just mentioning his name, but she knew that Kang Moo was just
trying to get her to open up.

"Yes, I did hear what happened from the secretaries of Gyeong Hui, Tae Il, and your father. The
timing was truly unfortunate, and again, I am so sorry about what happened," Kang Moo nodded in
acknowledgment at Yeong Ro and looked ahead, staring at nothing in particular, "Soo Ho... was a
good man...:

Yeong stirred the coffee and she put the cap on the burner before agreeing with his statement,
"Yes... he was... a good, sweet, and thoughtful man," Yeong Ro remembered the time when Gwang
Tae was talking about his impression of Soo Ho from when they had lived together before making
an impromptu proposal to Seol Hui. It was true, and not a lot of people knew what he was really
like, take Kang Moo and Hanna for example. In fact, Yeong Ro might be the only person who
knew how warm and gentle he was, "You know... I only made coffee like this for one other person
in my life since this is a special coffee machine that belonged to my late mom..."

"That one other person... being Soo Ho?" Hanna asked as she reached over to help Yeong Ro pour
out the coffee and the three of them held their cups comfortably in their laps. Yeong Ro didn't say
anything but nod and the two of them let that sink in for a moment before taking sips of their own
coffee.

"I could tell... just how much he loved you, he got mad every time you willingly got yourself
involved in my plans to escape by putting yourself in deliberate danger. All he wanted was to keep
you safe and I do respect that," Kang Moo felt himself chuckle at the memory and he felt himself
smile but just how much respect he had for the man.

"And that's why... I don't know if I..." Yeong Ro started, but she stared down at her own cup of
coffee and Gang Mu and Hanna started to see some tears falling into her lap and the cup as well,
"if I could ever be at peace knowing that Soo Ho will never be able to know how much I loved
him..." Yeong Ro sobbed and Hanna immediately put her cup down and leaned over to hug Yeong
Ro from the side, rubbing her shoulders comfortingly.

"I wouldn't say that, I believe that he knew how much you loved him, and he was happy to spend
the rest of his time with you knowing that the one person he treasures most would stay with him to
the end," Hanna looked at Kang Moo and he appreciatively nodded before Hanna looked back
earnestly into Yeong Ro's eyes, "You proved it again and again, and you don't have anything left to
prove for your love to be genuine." Hanna looked back at Kang Moo, who was still smiling
warmly at them and Yeong Ro turned her head to follow her gaze to Kang Moo and back to Hanna,
and she understood.
"Thank you Miss Hanna, now let's enjoy the coffee shall we?" Yeong Ro asked cheerfully and both
of the ANSP agents could tell that she was feeling better already. However, there was something
that was nagging Kang Moo and that became clear when he looked at the blood stain that was on
the floor of the house. What happened to Soo Ho after everyone had left?
 Chapter 2: When the Sun Starts to Shine
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who read
the first chapter! I'm so excited to continue this little sequel to the Snowdrop story and
I wanted to say that it's Soo Ho's turn to bloom flowers for the person he loves. I want
to emphasize the song that Yeong Ro writes for him as well since that's the core of
how I got inspiration for this story as well as the other stories I've read! I won't be
satisfied with my therapy until I give them a happy ending myself. So let's get on with
it!

It truly did feel like he was dead. He couldn't move, he couldn't feel anything. It felt like Soo Ho
was just phasing out in and out of consciousness and at any moment, he would just lose
consciousness. Soo Ho faintly remembered footsteps after Yeong Ro was taken away from him
and there was some worried calls before he was picked up and taken someplace he doesn't know.
Soo Ho was riddled with how many bullets, he didn't know, but he was afraid of when he would
finally lose consciousness forever. Miraculously, some time later, Soo Ho felt himself groaning
and his body was in a different level of sore as he slowly opened his eyes to face with a dark gray
ceiling and someone came into the room at the sound of him waking up.

"Thank goodness you're awake," Soo Ho tilted his head and a blurry Kang Cheongya came into
view with her doctor's kit in her hands.

"Comrade Kang... it's you," Soo Ho murmured and Cheongya noticed that small tinge of
disappointment in his voice, but she was glad to see at least that he was conscious.

"I know you were hoping for someone else, but for now, I'll make sure you get back on your feet
and that you won't do something as stupid as that ever again," Cheongya sat down at a chair at his
bed side and sighed while shaking her head slightly. Soo Ho's eyes softened and he sighed as he
just relaxed back into the bed, keeping his tired eyes on her worried figure.

"Where are we by the way? How long have I been here?" Soo Ho asked and Cheongya looked at
her watch for a moment before answering him.

"You're at an abandoned infirmary that was built for spies like us, but ever since the hostage
situation ended, they left this place to me," Cheongya answered and got out some tools and
medicines from the kit to fix up Soo Ho a little further, "as for how long you've been here, it's been
a couple of days since you were reported dead."

Soo Ho thought about it for a moment before realizing the time frame that she could have saved
him. She must have saved him within moments after they left him there on the fourth floor, how in
the world did she get there in time? "Wait... how did you get back into the dorm? And how did
you... get past all those ANSP soldiers?" Soo Ho tried to steady his breathing because talking was
starting to become difficult. Cheongya started to hook up the medicines to the IV cord and turned
on the ventilator that she had prepared for him.

"They took Yeong Ro out the main entrance and I came up after they left... so I came after that
Gang Mu fellow managed to leave with the others," Cheongya made sure the IV cord was working
before picking up the ventilator mask and looked at Soo Ho was if she was expecting him to say
something else.

"Comrade Kang... thank you... and... how... how is she by the way? Yeong Ro-ya?" Soo Ho smiled
gratefully and Cheongya sighed for a moment looking at Soo Ho with sad eyes.

"I haven't been able to get much intel on her wellbeing or anyone else's since I've been busy trying
to remove the bullets that were embedded in your vest as well as the other bullets that managed to
pierce you. You're lucky to even be alive. But I do imagine that she must be devastated and broken
after losing you," Cheongya explained to Soo Ho and he kinda wished that she broke the news to
him a little softer since he couldn't stand seeing Yeong Ro suffer because of him.

"I... I see.." Soo Ho let out a shaky breath and he felt tears prick at his eyes when he thought about
his and Yeong Ro's promise to meet again as long as they were alive. How devastated she must
have been after realizing that he wouldn't be able to keep that promise made Soo Ho want to run to
her and hug her and beg for her forgiveness. Alas, now wasn't the time, not yet at least, "Did you...
manage to save Gyeok Chan's and Eung Cheol's families as well as my sister?"

"I managed to get Sui Hui out of North Korea before Lim Ji Rok could get to her, and I'm in the
process of getting the other two comrades' families out as well. Sui Hui's going to meet us in
Germany where we're going to help get everyone else out of North Korea. After that, I'll get in
contact with Lee Kang Moo and we'll find a way for you and Yeong Ro to meet again," Cheongya
gestured with the mask that he needs to put it on and Soo Ho nodded before Cheong Ya wrapped
the mask around him and let him breathe easier into it. Soo Ho felt his heart swell at the idea that
he could meet Yeong Ro again and be just an ordinary young man.

"Alright, even though the vest blocked most of the bullets, I still have to treat the contusions left
behind, so just try to relax, I put some painkiller medicine in the IV bag," Cheongya proceeded to
carefully open his shirt and she got the medicines out and ready to treat Soo Ho. Soo Ho felt
himself relax and he closed his eyes again to drift into a very familiar and welcome dream.

"Can you think of any way you could get her to stay here?" Kang Moo asked Ms. Pi when she had
asked to meet both him and Hanna to discuss the whole situation as well as Yeong Ro's mental
health. They all met in Ms. Pi's office and they were discussing the loss of the ruling party and
what it means for the democracy of their republic until the conversation gradually switched over to
the students and how Yeong Ro is coping with the loss.

Ms. Pi sighed and set down her tea cup, staring into the rich brown waters at her own reflection,
"She was very adamant on leaving here, insisting that was the original punishment we had for her.
But what she doesn't understand is that the situation has changed and considering everything she
went through, how could I possibly take even this from her?" Ms. Pi looked up at the two agents
who looked at her empathetically and the two were at a loss for words before Kang Moo started to
think about the problem.

"Part of the reason why she won't stay is because of her friends right? They had all abandoned her
when they found out she was the daughter of Eun Chang Su, so I would understand why she
wouldn't want to stay in a place where she no longer has any friends. Soo Ho was really the only
person she had left on her side on an emotional and personal level, so there's no reason for her to
stay here other than to relive old memories," Kang Moo tried putting himself in Yeong Ro's shoes
and he could imagine just how painful it would be watching everyone who was on your side leave
one by one.
Hanna rested her head on her hand and looked at Kang Moo, "If it's her friends, then why don't
they just make up then? Has Yeong Ro talked to them since then?" Hanna turned her gaze to Ms.
Pi for an answer and the headmistress shook her head.

"No she hasn't, but I don't know if there would be a chance that she would get to reconcile with her
roommates at least," Ms. Pi started but the door to her office opened and the three of them turned
their attention to the door to find Bun Ok peeking in on them with a hopeful yet slightly guilty look
on her face. Kang Moo looked at her with an amused expression on his face and he turned back
towards Ms. Pi.

"Does she ever not eavesdrop on you? I'm curious," Kang Moo asked honestly because yes, he was
curious. This girl has probably eavesdropped on half of the conversations he's had with Ms. Pi or
anyone else for that matter in her attempt to find some insurance that would save her life. Ms. Pi
shrugged slightly and waved off the question with a playful gesture before addressing Bun Ok.

"Bun Ok, is there something you needed?" Ms. Pi asked and Bun Ok wrung her hands as she
walked into the room and the three of them looked at her expectantly.

"I couldn't help but overhear you three talking about Yeong Ro-ya and I was just wondering if you
would want to listen to my plan to reconcile her and her friends," Bun Ok asked hopefully and Ms.
Pi raised her eyebrows in interest and Kang Moo and Hanna looked between the two of them
before sitting forward to indicate to Bun Ok to keep going.

"We're listening," Kang Moo replied and Bun Ok immediately darted into a seat and started to
detail her plan to them.

Yeong Ro was at the Rome Coffee shop once again and she was writing more lyrics for the song
that she was writing for Soo Ho. Yeong Ro had drawn a lot of inspiration from the feelings she felt
when she had listened to his confession tape. However, the song stemmed from how much both of
them wished they could be together like ordinary people and how Soo Ho always had to leave her
one way or another. She just wished there was one time where he could just stay with her.

I can't explain everything to you

That's why I can't count the countless stars

Come, walk with me Wherever we can reach

Let's follow the road on the other side of the world

So, walk with me

Leave dark footprints and meet me at the place I dreamed of every night with you with you

Humming the melody to herself, Yeong Ro wondered if this was how Soo Ho would write songs.
Trying to remember the notes and just how soft or powerful to make her voice to convey different
kinds of emotions. She could just imagine Soo Ho preparing the songs on a notebook somewhere
and strumming on a guitar, being clearly nervous to sing the song to the girl he loved. However,
she would clearly love the song no matter what it sounded like and Yeong Ro promised that she
would come to this cafe to listen to him sing every single day, whether it rained or snowed. Yeong
Ro softly sang out the lyrics and she couldn't help but tear up at just how much these lyrics mean
to her. While she was writing out the lyrics and singing them out to test them, Yeong Ro decided to
build another matchstick tower to occupy herself while she thought about Soo Ho. Suddenly, she
heard a familiar voice from behind her seat and Yeong Ro turned her heard to find Seol Hui
walking in with the other girls as if they were looking for someone.

"Gwang Tae shi? Hello? Gwang Tae shi? You had something you wanted to discuss with me?"
Seol Hui called out as Hye Ryeong and Jeong Min came in with her and they looked around the
cafe for a bit before they started to move inside to try to find the person they were looking for.

"That's strange, she told me that Antonio wanted to meet me here as well," Yeong Ro heard Hye
Ryeong say as a doubtful response from Jeong Min followed.

"Antonio? You mean that guy you were going to learn Italian from?" Jeong Min asked as Seol Hui
continued to look around the cafe and Yeong Ro couldn't help but duck her head under the fish
tank on reflex to try to hide the fact that she was there.

"Damn it, why are they here?" Yeong Ro whispered to herself as she tried to discreetly put her
notebook back into her bag and slowly slip herself out of the seat on the opposite side to try to run
out of the coffee shop without them noticing, but she obviously failed.

"Yeong Ro? What are you doing here?" Seol Hui walked up to the table and had a genuinely
surprised look on her face when she spotted the girl and Yeong Ro looked sheepishly up at her and
the other girls as they joined Seol Hui at the table. Yeong Ro tried to keep a straight face as the
three of them looked at her with slightly accusing looks and she noticed a face outside the coffee
shop. Looking past them for a moment, she realized that Bun Ok was at the window making direct
eye contact with her with a hopeful look on her face. It was at that moment that she knew what Bun
Ok was trying to do.

"So... she staged an intervention then? This... is going to go wonderfully," Yeong Ro thought to
herself before clearing her throat and the next words that came out of her mouth were honestly the
opposite of what she wished she was doing, "Unnie... umm... would you like to sit down?"
 Chapter 3: When the Flower Takes Root Again
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Welcome again to another chapter of A Snowdrop

Blooms Twice, the first thing I want to say is I found out that Jisoo was supposed to
sing Friend, which is one of the main soundtracks for the drama but it was sung by
Kim Hee Won instead. However she declined because she wanted the viewers to focus
on her character in the drama, which I completely respect. HOWEVER! The fact that I
wrote that Yeong Ro wrote Friend for Soo Ho is so coincidental with the fact that
Jisoo was supposed to sing it that I felt so giddy when I CALLED IT. I have never
been so satisfied with an unintentional writing coincidence. Anyway, I'm still not
satisfied with the couple's ending so let's get on with it shall we?

The snowdrop found itself uprooted from the once fertile and soil that it once called its home. The
flower found that soil no longer wanted it and there were too many other flowers that were
strangling the roots of the snowdrop until the flower withered away. Will that flower find the
chance to put its roots down again? How can the flower do that by itself? Perhaps all it needs is a
little helping hand.

Yeong Ro looked nervously between the three of them as it took them a minute to process her
question.

"You want us to sit down with you?" Hye Ryeong asked incredulously and Yeong Ro noticed that
Seol Hui and Jeong Min switched their glances between her and Yeong Ro as if they were hopeful
for the chance to sit down and talk with her.

"Yeah, if you were just waiting for Antonio and Gwang-Tae shi, then of course you can sit down
and wait for them, I don't mind," Yeong Ro gestured to the seats on the other side since she refused
to move from the seat that Soo Ho sat in. Hye Ryeong raised an eyebrow at the girl and Yeong Ro
bit her lip nervously, glancing between the fiery girl's eyes and the seats across from her. Truth be
told, Yeong Ro missed the girls a lot and even though she couldn't blame them for feeling betrayed,
she also felt a bit bitter since that one lie was all it took to negate their friendship.

In Hye Ryeong's eyes, she considered it because Yeong Ro looked so helpless and tired of
everything in that moment that it was hard not to feel bad for the girl. Hye Ryeong looked to Jeong
Min even though the two never saw eye to eye on much, but she trusted her judgement. Jeong Min
sighed and nodded in confirmation and Hye Ryeong looked back to Yeong Ro.

"Fine, we'll sit with you while we wait," Hye Ryeong started to say but Jeong Min cut her off.

"But we want to hear an explanation from you, about all of this and why you lied ok?" Jeong Min
proposed and Yeong Ro sighed as she nodded and motioned for them to sit so she could begin to
explain. The three girls sat across from Yeong Ro and she looked left at the window to find Bun
Ok giving her a thumbs up and she couldn't help but deadpan at that.

"So... where should I start? I suppose I lied because I wanted... I wanted to live like an ordinary
person who didn't have the pressure of power on their shoulders since my father already has a bad
reputation," Yeong Ro started off and the girls listened intently to her explanation, "if you guys
knew I was the ANSP director's daughter, I believe the blame would also fall to me since I would
be in the position to help those who were taken by the ANSP, but I'm really not. I don't have the
authority to convince my father to stop even if I wanted to. I already feel bad enough for not being
able to help, but I just felt like the extra pressure would have been too much for me. I was right in
thinking that everyone would see me as a murderer's daughter... and..." Yeong Ro thought that day
where Soo Ho comforted her after finding out what had happened. It made her just miss his hugs
even more, his warm body felt like the only anchor she could grab onto to prevent herself from
drowning, "Soo Ho-shi was the only one who understood the burden I carried... he didn't have to
say anything or do anything but he just knew and I was so thankful for that."

Yeong Ro looked down to her lap and she felt the tears flooding her vision once again and falling
down her cheeks. The girls saw this and they just felt bad for her since they never knew just how
much Soo Ho meant to her.

"Yeong Ro, I... I just felt hurt that you would keep that from me, from us, but now I think I
understand you a little bit better," Seol Hui finally spoke up and Yeong Ro nodded in
understanding and she continued with her explanation.

"I know.. and thank you. Truth be told, since none of you were aware, me staying in the dorm for
the entire hostage situation is a reason why all of us are alive... since they can't kill me with
everyone still inside because I'm the ANSP director's daughter," Yeong Ro explained and a look of
realization passed over everyone's faces.

"That's totally true," Jeong Min gasped and she thought about all the instances that the other girls
brought up with their family members being taken by the ANSP, but no one stopped to consider
the part she had to play in the whole mess. Yeong Ro had refused to leave without them, she
wanted all of her friends to live knowing that the only bargaining chip she could use was herself.
This was probably the first instance that Yeong Ro had the chance to use her status to her
advantage to help her friends and it was in such a dangerous way as well. Knowing that, Jeong
Min's apprehensive stance immediately fell and she immediately reached across the table to grasp
Yeong Ro's hands, whose head shot up at the gesture.

"Yeong Ro, I know you didn't want to cause any more trouble by revealing that in this time, I get it.
Thank you for doing everything in your power to save us," Jeong Min smiled gratefully and Yeong
Ro returned her smile. Jeong Min turned her gaze to glare at the other two who had completely
different looks on their faces. Hye Ryeong still looked hesitant to forgive her just like that even
though everything she said made sense. Seol Hui looked completely ready to forgive Yeong Ro,
she missed her best friend.

Meanwhile, outside, "How is it going? Is it going well?" Kang Moo came up beside Bun Ok and
Ms. Pi, who was also there and discreetly looked through the window.

"I think it's going well, they're smiling, that's a good sign right?" Bun Ok tilted her head as she
tried to interpret the words they were saying through the glass.

"Gye Bun Ok, why are we crouching like this in public, we could just stand on the other side," Ms.
Pi asked and Bun Ok whipped her head towards the headmistress.

"I wanted to have a clear view of my plan working, besides you were the one who insisted on
coming and crouched under the window with me!" Bun Ok interjected a little too loudly and Kang
Moo looked on the inside again to find the girls looking at the window questionably and he
immediately shrunk back behind the wall.

"Gye Bun Ok, shut it, you're going to get us all caught," Ms. Pi hissed and sighed as she continued
to watch the girls through the window. Kang Moo smiled courteously at the passerby that were
looking at them weirdly for lurking outside a coffee and music cafe as if there was nothing wrong
with what they were doing.

"Yeong Ro-ya! Of course I forgive you!" Seol Hui immediately stood up and ran over to Yeong
Ro's side of the table and hugged her and Yeong Ro raised her hands to caress Seol Hui's and she
smiled, "I missed my bestie!" Seol Hui exclaimed and then that quickly turned into crying and the
girls looked at her incredulously.

"Jeong Min unnie, thank you so much, truly, and Seol Hui, why are you crying?" Yeong Ro let out
a teary laugh and leaned her head on Seol Hui as the girl continued to cry.

"I just feel so sad because you suffered the most out of all of us! You lost so much and then we
went ahead and left you on top of that! We're the worst!" Seol Hui cried almost to hysterics as other
patrons in the cafe started to pay attention to the scene that as happening at the table. Yeong Ro
felt herself deflate slightly thinking about just how much she suffered and she always wondered
just how she was going to get through this ordeal. She knew it was going to be hard, she knew that,
Soo Ho knew that, and yet Yeong Ro was supposed to somehow go on living. Living without him
that is, and that was something Yeong Ro couldn't even imagine now.

"Anyway," Hye Ryeong spoke up and the three turned their attention to her as Yeong Ro felt like
shrinking a bit under her calculating gaze, "Eun Yeong Ro, I want to make it clear that we were
unfair to you, but you can't hide those sort of things from your friends ok?" Yeong Ro nodded and
Hye Ryeong gave her a small smile.

"Is anyone else here hiding any secrets that they would like to share?" Jeong Min asked and for
some reason, Seol Hui stilled from her crying and everyone noticed, "Seol Hui, don't tell me..."

"No! It's not like that!" Seol Hui quickly defended herself and Yeong Ro and the others all gave her
questioning looks, "Well it's technically a lie to Gwang Tae shi because I may have let him believe
that I was the daughter of a CEO of a brewing company..."

"You what?!" Yeong Ro, Jeong Min, and Hye Ryeong asked in unison.

"Wasn't your dad in the crowd of parents that were trying to get through to the university during
the hostage situation? I saw him on TV!" Hye Ryeong scoffed and Yeong Ro looked nervously
between them and immediately rubbed Seol Hui's shoulders soothingly.

"I just thought he would like me better if I lied about that, I'm so sorry you guys!" Seol Hui bit her
lip and quickly explained as the girls all had a simultaneous reaction of understanding.

"Oh...." The three girls understood and Yeong Ro immediately had something to say about that.

"Seol Hui unnie, if Gwang Tae shi won't accept you for who you are, then he is not worth waiting
for. It's not worth it to love someone like that, especially since he asked you to marry him," Yeong
Ro tried to reassure her but the next thing she said took Yeong Ro aback.

"I guess you would know right? After all, you had someone who loved you so dearly like that,
since you accepted each other for who you both were...." Seol Hui nodded in understanding but she
didn't realize the effect of the words she just said until she looked at Yeong Ro's shocked face. The
other girls looked between them in shock because now was not the right time to mention that.

"Ooohhh... Seol Hui you probably shouldn't have said that," Bun Ok winced as she was starting to
get better at interpreting the words through the window. Kang Moo just slapped a hand to his
forehead and sighed. It was going well too.

"I-.... That's... that's true..." Yeong Ro said quietly and retreated back from Seol Hui and the three
of them immediately looked apologetic towards her and Yeong Ro felt herself crying once again, "
I had... as in past tense, someone who loved me and wanted to spend a long time with me..." Yeong
Ro was reminded of his words in the tape that Soo Ho left behind for her and how much he
suffered and felt because of her and their situation, "I just wish I could have spent more time with
him... to tell him how much I loved him." The other girls looked at her with sympathy and Hye
Ryeong and Seol Hui could recall the first time the two met right here on the blind date that
happened so many months ago.

"We're not going to let you suffer alone ok? Yeong Ro, come back to the university with us," Hye
Ryeong asked Yeong Ro earnestly and the girl looked at her with teary eyes and then at the other
girls who looked at her with hopeful eyes.

Yeong Ro looked at them all for a moment before nodding, "Ok... yes I would love to..." Yeong
Ro smiled and the four of them breathed a sigh of happiness and relief that their room was going to
be complete again.

Outside, the three of them sighed and Kang Moo held out a hand to Bun Ok, "Good job, you
actually managed to do it," Bun Ok looked towards Kang Moo's hand and high-fived it with a
smile. Ms. Pi sighed gratefully and stood up to brush off the dust on her dress and immediately
Kang Moo and Bun Ok gestured her to get back down.

"Why? Is there a problem?" Ms. Pi asked before looking right and seeing all four of the girls inside
the cafe looking at her with an incredulous expression and she could see one of them asking if that
was Ms. Pi in the window, "Oh..."

Bun Ok sighed and stood up to greet them as well and Kang Moo poked his head into the view of
the window and waved at them. They could see Yeong Ro laugh and that was enough for them.
Things were starting to get back to normal but things were going to get out of hand emotionally
soon enough.
 Chapter 4: When The Flower Braves a Harsher Storm
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hello everyone! A bit of a long one this time, and I hope you enjoy the
extra length. This gets a little intense near the end. I wrote that last scene while
listening to Hopeless from the Snowdrop soundtrack, I really hope I captured the...
angst I suppose lol. I believe updates will be generally around this length or a bit
shorter. I hope it's not too cringy. We get a bit of Soo Ho in this chapter and Yeong Ro
in this chapter goes through it. But I do have their reunion meeting planned! I'm going
to do it a bit different than what I've seen in other fanfics. I haven't seen anyone do the
idea I had in my head, but it will get fluffy I promise! I really do enjoy your comments
guys, they make my day and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

There are some flowers that won't survive when the winter gets even colder and Yeong Ro was not
an exception. The colder things got, and the harder things got, Yeong Ro considered just giving up
many times. She thought at least she would be able to see Soo Ho and Yeong U again if she gave
up. However, her friends wouldn't leave her alone and slowly bit by bit, the flower became strong
enough to brave the storm another time. It would take about another two weeks for Yeong Ro to
get settled back into the university, but to say that her reentry into the university was welcoming
and well-received was a bit of an overstatement. It seemed there were some people who were still
betrayed by the fact that Yeong Ro was technically a "murderer's daughter" but Ms. Pi, Bun Ok,
Hye Ryeong, Jeong Min, and Seol Hui made sure to silence all of their protests. Kang Moo and
Hanna made sure to visit her at least once a week while Yeong Ro recovered and she was very
appreciative of their friendship and kindness. Often times, Yeong Ro thought that listening to Soo
Ho's tape would become easier with time if she listened to it once every day, but it always ends up
with her crying. Yeong Ro would always remember the kindness and charm in his eyes and his
familiar figure, but she didn't want to forget his voice, and she was afraid that one day, she would
barely be able to recall what he sounded like. It would only be his words that remained:

"Yeong Ro-ya, you must live, no matter how hard it gets... you must live ok?"

Meanwhile, Soo Ho didn't really fare that much better. He did get better after Kang Cheongya
fixed him up and put him through physical therapy so that his body didn't suddenly breakdown
from the aftermath of the bullet shower it went through. However, emotionally wise, Soo Ho
couldn't stop thinking about Yeong Ro while he was working to meet his sister again and getting
his fallen comrades' families out of North Korea. One night though before Soo Ho was supposed to
leave for Germany to meet his sister and both of them were packing up to do so, Kang Cheongya
came into the room with a very familiar item in her hands.

Soo Ho looked at the green pile of fluff in her hands that was covered in blood and he immediately
knew what it was, "Comrade Kang... isn't that...?"

"I found it next to you when I found you, this was the scarf that the Yeong Ro girl wore right? It
was her brother's?" Cheongya walked over to Soo Ho and placed it in his lap. Soo Ho bit his lip
and picked up the scarf gingerly as if it was the most delicate thing in the world and gazed at it
with a yearning that he knows will never fade.
"Yeah... it was her brother's..." Soo Ho murmured and he held it against his body , grasping the
scarf softly, "Thank you..." Cheongya nodded and left him alone again in the room as Soo Ho
looked at the scarf fondly and he decided to go over to the sink in order to wash off the blood that
was on it. Soo Ho looked over at his bedside table in the other room and eyed the tape he had set
on top if it. That tape contained a duplication of Yeong Ro's confession that he had kept for
himself, and he would listen to it every day, smiling like a lovesick doofus all the while. There
were times where he smiled and cried listening to it because Soo Ho wondered if Yeong Ro was
treating his tape the same way. It gave him hope that Soo Ho would somehow keep his promise
one day.

Cheongya popped her head back into the room and gestured with her bag, "It's time to go, so get
your things," Soo Ho nodded at her and she gave him a quick smile before leaving the room again.
Soo Ho finished drying off the scarf and went back into his room to slip the tape into his jacket
and grab his bag before heading off.

"Yeong Ro-ya, I have to do a few things first, but I want to see you again once more, only this time,
I won't leave you ever again. I promise..." Soo Ho thought to himself before leaving.

After a train ride to Germany, Cheongya and Soo Ho found themselves at a familiar hideout the
they used when they had operations here. In case if anyone was inside, Cheongya used a rhythmic
knocking code against the door to let anyone know inside that they knew the code. Granted, it was
really long and Soo Ho couldn't help but be reminded of the code that he and Yeong Ro once used
to hide him back at the House Women's University since their code was a lot shorter.

"This is no good, we need to come up with a code. Hmmm...how about knock knock, knock knock
knock. If you hear two knocks and then three, then it's me Yeong Ro and you need to let me in
immediately ok?"

"Ok, understood..."

Soo Ho smiled at the memory before Cheongya finished the code after like a minute and both of
them stepped inside the hideout to find someone, a woman, already waiting for them. The woman
immediately stood up and eyed the two of them and Soo Ho recognized her as she dropped the bag
she was carrying in shock.

"Sui Hui! You're here!" Soo Ho smiled at the sight of his sister and the woman had a teary look in
her eyes before running over to her older brother and hugging him.

"Soo Ho oppa! Thank goodness you're alive! I was so worried," Sui Hui cried as she hugged him
and Soo Ho wrapped a comforting arm around her and rubbed her back soothingly. Sui Hui
checked over his body for any injuries, frantically looking around until she was satisfied. Taking a
deep breath, Sui Hui reached up and smacked her older brother across the head, earning a small
yelp form him, "What were you thinking!? Taking a whole university hostage?!" Soo Ho held his
head in feigned injury while he could see Cheongya crack a smirk out of the corner of his eye.

"Well uhhh, there was a few complications in the mission, and I ended up being chased into the
university where I was forced to take everyone inside hostage. But trust me, nobody died!" Soo Ho
tried to explain as Sui Hui carefully listened to his explanation, but it was still a tad vague. Sui Hui
also noticed that he was also explaining it in a tone where there were unsaid things in his statement
that

"I told myself that I was going to get the full story from you, and now I want to know just what
complications arose that it almost cost you your life huh?" Sui Hui asked earnestly and the first
thought that popped into Soo Ho's head was a specific person that was the cause of why the
mission didn't go as smoothly. Soo Ho glanced at Cheongya and judging by the knowing look on
her face, she was thinking of the exact same person.

"Do you want to tell her? Or should I?" Cheongya asked Soo Ho as she moved past them to put her
bag down and came back with an expectant look on her face. Sui Hui looked between the two of
them and wondered what could have happened that it would take either one of them to explain.

Soo Ho coughed to clear his voice and out of awkwardness as he thought about how to say his
answer in a way that doesn't sound cheesy. Thus, he decided to mention everything but the actual
glaring elephant in the room, "It's not really a complication that had to do with the mission directly,
nor was it because I had a problem with the comrades on our mission. I had been chased by one of
the ANSP squad leaders after I tried to get Professor Han to defect to the North and I ended up
being chased into the university. I did manage to get out, and while I was being chased again in
Mount Ogong (I don't remember if this was the name of the mountain, I just remember it started
with an O), I found a shrine in the mountains and I hid in there. Surprisingly though, there was a
secret passageway inside the shrine and I followed it into the mountain and I found myself inside
the university once again. The ANSP had figured out I was in the university by then and I was
forced to take the university hostage in order to save our comrades and myself. That is how the
whole hostage situation started," Soo Ho concluded his explanation and he watched his sister
deliberate over it for a few moments. Glancing over at Cheongya, Soo Ho saw her looking at him
with an "are you kidding me?" look since he didn't mention the actual reason. However, Sui Hui
already noticed a few holes in his explanation.

"Ok, that makes sense for the most part, but that doesn't explain HOW you got out from the
university the first time because I imagine it would be extremely difficult. Why didn't you just go
to the coordinates for the rendezvous after you got out the first time, why did you stay in Mount
Ogong and let yourself get spotted again?" Sui Hui pointed out the holes in Soo Ho's story and Soo
Ho felt himself internally panic since he actually didn't have an answer to the second question.

"Well you see..." Soo Ho fiddled with the scarf around his next nervously but Cheongya cut in
because she was getting tired of Soo Ho dodging around the actual reason.

"For goodness sake Soo Ho, the complication was that you fell in love with a South Korean girl!
She saved your life, and then you came back to the university because you wanted to see her one
last time!" Cheongya exclaimed in exasperation and rubbed her temples in frustration and Sui Hui
looked at Cheongya with great surprise before slowly turning to Soo Ho.

"Wait... Oppa, is that true? You fell in love with a South Korean girl?" Sui Hui asked carefully,
noting the rising blush in Soo Ho's cheeks and his refusal to look at her in the eyes. Soo Ho sent
Cheongya a glare and looked back at his sister with an expression that just said "yeah I don't know
what to say to that." The fact that his sister has to find out like this, Soo Ho's never going to hear
the end of it. It took a few moments for it to sink in for his sister to register the fact that the reason
why the entire thing went awry was because of a girl. Suddenly, Sui Hui took hold of Soo Ho's
hands and he didn't miss the growing grin that was on her face, "I never thought I would see the
day that my older brother would fall in love with someone let alone find someone worth dying for!
I'm going to need you to fill me in on all the details! And don't leave anything out!" Sui Hui
exclaimed as she pulled her brother to the table to sit down. For Sui Hui, this might be the single
most exciting and interesting thing that has ever happened to her brother. To be fair, she knew that
he's a pretty boring person, much like someone else who thought the exact same thing.

"Ok ok! If you want to know so badly," Soo Ho sighed, but it was a good natured one. He would
be lying if Soo Ho wasn't excited to talk about Yeong Ro. Cheongya shook her head with a smile
and sat down on the opposite side of the table while the two siblings talked. Cheongya kind of
wanted to listen to the entirety of their story since Soo Ho had been rather vague about the
beginning.

"So to start off, we met on a blind date and I was busy building a matchstick tower when all of the
sudden, Gwang Tae-ah knocked it over! I will never forget the way her hands touched mine. I'm
not usually like that you know? But my heart went du du as soon as I saw her..."

"Awww so it was love at first sight?"

"Yeah! I actually had meant to ask her out that day, but Gyeok Chan-ah stopped me since he
signaled that it was time for the mission to begin."

"Gyeok Chan-ah that prick, why couldn't he let you have your fun for one more day?"

"Sui Hui don't talk about him like that."

"Oh right... sorry, Gyeok Chan-ah may he rest in peace..."

"Alright, and then...."

"Wait! She was the one that helped you escape from the university? I knew that you must have
gotten help somehow! Even though I'm surprised she helped you since you stood her up for six
months."

"I was surprised too... but that's exactly the kind of person she is... she remembered who I was and
did everything in her power to hide me because she thought it was the right thing to do... and I will
always be grateful for that."

"To think that she risked so much to help you... wait... when you took the university hostage,
how... how did she take it?"

"Well..."

"YOU POINTED A GUN AT HER HEAD?! TWICE?!"

"Yeah I know, I'm not proud of it either, I was trying to scare her into submission so she wouldn't
do anything to get herself killed. I wouldn't have been able to protect her then!"

"Still! You don't just point a gun at a lady Oppa, it's just human decency!"

"Yeah, well, it didn't help that we were holding 20 year old college girls hostage so I don't think
your point is making me feel better."

"That's fair..."

"So wait... you became best friends with an ANSP team leader and you teamed up with him to try
to foil the election scheme when you found out both our countries left you for dead? Wow, that's...
huh... wow..."

"That man... Lee Kang Moo, is a man of conviction, justice, and very clear moral principle. I
respect him a lot, and I never imagined I would meet him again in this manner..."

"Wait again? When did you-?"

"Moving on..."
"You had your first kiss with her too? THAT'S AMAZING! How was it? What led up to it?"

"You seem very interested in how this went down huh Sui Hui-ah?"

"Of course! I always dreamt of this kind of love thanks to our father's songs. So to see my own
older brother living that very dream is honestly... so surreal. We never... we never had to chance to
find out happiness for ourselves because of our duty to our country. You managed to find
happiness and love in such a dire situation and I'm so proud of you for that. Truly."

"Mmm... Yeong Ro-ya awakened something within me that I thought I had forgotten. A heart...
she bloomed a flower in my heart where I... was waiting for the right person to open up to. I
believed that Eun Yeong Ro was my destiny.... And I still do. Now... and forever..."

"Well said Oppa, oh my god, why am I crying?!"

"Was I being that emotional?"

"Yes! Yes you were! I didn't even think you were capable of saying such romantic things!"

"Sui Hui-ah, stop crying huh? Please?"

"Ok ok I will, just give me a second."

"Do you want to hear the rest?"

"Of course!"

The two of them had been discussing the whole story for a while, right up until the very end.
Cheongya had been listening the entire time, occasionally chiming in. However, now that Soo Ho
has become more open in talking about Yeong Ro, it was obvious just how much he adored her
and loved her with every fiber of his being. The whole hostage situation really was a trial of their
love, and it only grew stronger from there. A After Sui Hui was thoroughly satisfied with her
brother's interpretation of the story, she couldn't wait to meet the girl who had made her brother
human again. Sui Hui wanted to personally thank Yeong Ro herself someday, and she will. With
these three together and braving the oncoming storm from one front. Yeong Ro is about to confront
the storm on the other end. However... will they meet in the eye?

Yeong Ro found herself in front of a penitentiary, a prison as it were, because she was doing
something she was honestly afraid of doing for a while: visiting her father. She figured it was time
to confront her father about the whole hostage situation and what exactly happened to her brother.
Yeong Ro was scared of course, but she could feel herself getting mad and remorseful about how
her father handled the whole thing. Hopefully she could channel that anger in confidence.

"You didn't have to come with me you know unnie?" Yeong Ro looked at Bun Ok, who
straightened out her dress and looked back at Yeong Ro.

"No, it's ok, I have my own business here as well, so I thought we might as well confront them
together. I need to confront my sister's murderer," Bun Ok breathed in and out, steeling herself and
Yeong Ro had a lapse of confusion for a moment.

"Your sister's murderer?" Yeong Ro asked carefully and Bun Ok nodded.

"That's right, Ms. Pi told me it was An Gyeong Hui who tortured and killed her," Bun Ok
murmured and it took Yeong Ro a moment to remember who he was.
"An Gyeong Hui? You mean the former chief of the OPC?" Yeong Ro realized and Bun OK
nodded.

"That's the one," Bun Ok sighed and Yeong Ro looked forward again with a sigh, grasping her
purse tight and looking up at the prison once again.

"Well we're going to be facing them together, so don't worry ok unnie?" Yeong Ro reassured Bun
Ok with a smile and the girl had an unreadable expression on her face for a moment.

"The fact that you're still trying to be there for me... despite everything, means a lot... and I'm sorry
about everything," Bun Ok looked at Yeong Ro with teary eyes and at first, the other girl didn't
know what to think. After all, the girl had pointed a gun at her head and conspired with North
Korean spies. In all fairness, Yeong Ro fell in love with a Northern spy herself, but Bun Ok was
different. She willingly tormented the other girls and abused her power all because Cheongya gave
her a glock. However, there comes the matter of actually accepting the girl's apology. After
thinking about it for a moment, Yeong Ro turned herself to face Bun Ok and looked at her with a
solemn yet sympathetic expression.

"Ms. Pi told me... about why you did what you did, and I understand you were desperate, really I
do. But that doesn't mean I've forgiven you... given the fact that you were willing to kill Ms. Pi and
me as well in order to save your crush and your sugar mommy," Yeong Ro tried to keep a straight
face saying the last part and she did manage to swallow her giggle, "tells me that I can't trust you,
but I do understand you. So I can at least do this much for you, accompanying you to see Mr.
Gyeong hui." Yeong Ro raised an eyebrow at Bun Ok, awaiting her response and Bun Ok nodded
and continued to nod as if she was telling herself that Yeong Ro's response was to be expected
while she turned back towards the prison.

"That's fair... it's going to take you a while to trust me again, and I get that... so let's go in before we
let our solidarity sour right?" Bun Ok gestured for Yeong Ro to follow her and they went inside.
Two found themselves in a meeting room with four chairs and the room was split apart by a
partition and glass so they could talk to people on the other side. The two girls sat in the chairs and
waited until the two men were led into the room by police. Yeong Ro saw her father in a white
prison suit and she couldn't help but feel a wave of remorse wash over her. Eun Chang Su and An
Gyeong Hui took their seats across from their respective person and Yeong Ro and Bun Ok had
completely different facial expression to their arrival.

"Yeong Ro... you finally came to visit," Chang Su spoke up first in a weak murmur and Yeong
Ro's eyes softened at her father, but her heart still felt heavier than ever.

"You're the telephone girl right? Gye Bun Ok... what do you want with me this time?" Gyeong Hui
raised an eyebrow at the girl, who was looking even more furious by the second.

"Yeong Ro-ya, do you want to go first?" Bun Ok asked Yeong Ro without looking at her, and she
glanced at Yeong Ro, who turned to look at her for a moment before nodding.

"I'll go first... Father... I want to ask you... about Operation Phoenix... and why you sent Yeong U
to the front lines," Yeong Ro steeled herself and the soft aura she once had became a bit more firm
and serious. Chang Su and Gyeong Hui looked at her in shock at her knowledge of the name of the
operation.

"How... How did you know about that?" Chang Su asked for a moment before realizing who must
have told her, "Did... Lee Kang Moo tell you?"

"Yes, Mr. Lee did some digging for me because I wanted to find out exactly what you did to Soo
Hoo-ssi and Yeong U-oppa," Yeong Ro replied almost at a whisper and Chang Su straightened his
posture and pushed up his glasses.

"Soo-Ho? Lim Soo-Ho?" Chang Su repeated his name and it suddenly occurred to him how much
Yeong Ro cared about him. He suddenly remembered the day where Yeong Ro had told him that
she would accompany Soo Ho off so that he would be safe. Another thought occurred to him that
Nam Tae Il did mention how Yeong Ro had fallen in love with a communist, and that very thought
made him angry, "So it's true... you did fall in love with a commie... Eun Yeong Ro, what were you
thinking?!" Chang Su glowered at her but Yeong Ro didn't even flinch at her father.

"That's your takeaway?" Yeong Ro asked simply and Bun Ok glanced between her and her father
worriedly, "If you want to talk about Soo-Ho-ssi then fine, yes, I did fall in love with him-"

"He held you and your friends hostage, how could you-" Chang Su immediately interjected but
Yeong Ro cut him off

"In the end, you held all of us hostage, so what difference did it make? Soo-Ho-ssi and I... met
before the hostage situation... on a blind date at the Rome Coffee Shop," Yeong Ro shot back, but
then she softened again as she continued to explain. A look of slight shock and confusion crossed
Chang Su's and Gyeong Hui's faces, "At the time, I didn't know he was a North Korean spy, but I
could tell it was love at first sight."

"You met before then? It was... love at first sight? Are you... are you kidding me?" Chang Su
asked honestly, but the look on her daughter's face was completely serious, "you fool, couldn't you
see that he was using you to save himself? These were the communists that killed your brother! It
was all a lie, Lim Soo Ho saw a chance and took it when you hid him in the dorm. He only fought
against us when we were planning on killing the hostages to save himself and his comrades! Look
where that got you?" Chang Su felt his voice becoming more filled with frustration and
exasperation towards his daughter's naivety, but Yeong Ro shook her head and a tear fell out of her
eye. Bun Ok scoffed and crossed her arms in her seat as she looked at the man with disdain.

"You're wrong, when Soo-Ho-ssi betrayed his own country, he did it not only to save his comrades
but to save all of us as well. He saved all of our lives, but the country will never know that because
the ANSP lied about everything! You think he was using me and my feelings for him? Then listen
to this then," Yeong Ro pulled out a handheld tape player and placed it down on the desk. Chang
Su and Gyeong Hui looked at the tape recorder and waited for Yeong Ro to continue explaining,
"Soo Ho-ssi gave me a tape before he died, before he died protecting me from the ANSP, who
were going to kill me too by the way," Yeong Ro explained and her father and Gyeong Hui's eyes
widened at that, but for completely different reasons.

"What? They were going to kill you?" Chang Su asked incredulously and looked at Gyeong Hui,
who stammered with his mouth opened, preparing to say something in his own defense, but there
really wasn't anything he could say.

"Listen to it... and tell me if it sounds like selfishness," Yeong Ro pressed the play button on the
tape and soon Soo Ho's gentle voice filled the room

(I translated this mostly from memory, I may have added like a phrase or two...)

"Yeong Ro-ya... I clearly remember the day I first met you at the Rome Coffee Shop, when I saw
you reach out your hands to stop the matchstick tower from falling and your hands touched mine...
To be honest, I've had feelings for you since then. That day, if I were an ordinary person, I would
have asked you out on a date. Then we would have become a couple right? Going out to the movies
with you and going to amusement parks. I wanted... I wanted to stay with you for a long time. How
did I... How did I become someone who shouldn't stay by your side? Yeong Ro-ya, you bloomed
flowers inside me where I was once so cold... thank you for that. I'm leaving but I... I will
remember you forever. Eun Yeong Ro... I love you..."

The tape stopped and Eun Yeong Ro, who was busy silently sobbing over his voice, looked up at
her father with teary eyes and Chang Su, who was still reeling from Soo Ho's last message. Bun Ok
was also shocked because this was the first time she was hearing this as well. Everyone could feel
the longing, regret, and love in Soo Ho's voice and those was his real feelings. It wasn't fake at all,
but the genuine love that he had for her and now, Yeong Ro's convinced that will never happen
again. Bun Ok had always been jealous of the way Soo Ho treated Yeong Ro, but it always
stemmed from a place where she wished she could have what they had. Bun Ok just never
imagined it would end with him dying, but considering the situation, perhaps that was the only way
it could end.

"He... he said that to you? Lim Soo Ho? So that's what happened... Lim Soo Ho betrayed his
country because his love for you? And he died saving you? I-.... I don't know... what to say,"
Chang Su deflated and looked earnestly at Yeong Ro, who was still crying and waiting for his
response. Now it made sense why when he tried to get her out through the shrine, Yeong Ro went
back to protect him like a human shield. Soo Ho wasn't pointing the gun at that time at Yeong Ro
to threaten them, he was wielding that gun to protect her.

"So you see? How dare you call that selfishness? For once... I'm glad that we're family, because I
can share the blame for both Soo Ho-ssi's and Yeong U-oppa's deaths. Operation Phoenix was a
top secret operation to defame the opposing party by framing them for the kidnapping and
defection of Professor Han to North Korea by using funding from the North Koreans themselves.
You worked with them Father! And you had the nerve to berate Mr. Lee for doing the same thing
to save the lives of over 60 students! Just how hypocritical is that?" Yeong Ro cried and gasped
and Bun Ok reached over to grab her forearm and rub it soothingly to comfort her.

"Don't you think I know that? If it wasn't for Operation Phoenix... Yeong-U wouldn't have died the
way he did. Given that you know this much about Operation Phoenix, then I suppose... you have a
pretty good idea of how Lim Soo Ho ended up in South Korea. My heart is heavy enough knowing
that it was my fault and I can't forgive myself for that," Chang Su hung his head slightly and
Yeong Ro took in a sharp intake of breath through her tears. Yeong Ro stood up and leaned in
towards the glass so she could look at her father in the eyes.

"Then you better pray to God that he forgives you, because you had your own son, my beloved
brother, die for nothing..." Yeong Ro breathed out forcefully through uneven breaths and she then
sat back down. They were all silent for a moment except for the sounds of Yeong Ro's small
sniffles, "If it wasn't for Operation Phoenix... I never would have met Soo Ho-ssi, but if I knew this
was going to happen... then I wish I could have died with him..." Yeong Ro said finally and Chang
Su looked up at his daughter in shock, who looked back at him with a smile and tears in her eyes,
"At least then... I'll be able to see the three most dear to me in one place..."

Yeong Ro turned to Bun Ok and slowly wiped away her tears and gestured with her head towards
An Gyeong Hui, "Unnie, it's your turn now..." Bun ok nodded with an understanding determination
and turned towards the former chief of the OPC in question.

"Now... Mr. Gyeong Hui... I have some questions for you..."

 Chapter 5: When the Frost and Flower Come To Blows
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hey y'all welcome to another chapter! I'm having so much fun writing
this fanfic and seeing how all of you are enjoying it so much. I really hope I do them
justice. It gets kinda angsty again this chapter, but not for long lol! I had a lot of fun
writing a specific scene in this chapter that made me crack up. I could totally imagine
that scene happening lol, you'll know what I'm talking about when you guys get to it.
I'm so sorry, but I'm planning on having them suffer just a bit before I give them the
most tooth rotting fluffiest ending I can think of! The fact that I wrote this in one day
lol. Anyway! I'll be back to correct any grammar later, and thank you so much for
checking out my story and commenting, it really does make my day! The next chapter
will be Soo Ho focused so look forward to that!

I'm not sad about yesterday

When I felt like running away

I can neatly leave my scattered heart

Promise I will always be your friend

"Now... Mr. An... I have some questions for you..." Bun Ok leaned forward and looked at Gyeong
Hui with a fierce look in her eyes. Gyeong Hui blinked once and leaned back in his chair as if he
was just humoring the girl.

"If you want me to do you any favors, you can forget it. As you can see, I'm not really in any
position to help you," Gyeong Hui gestured to the room around them and Bun Ok scoffed
unamused.

"I wanted to ask you about my sister and how you mercilessly tortured her and Ms. Pi for
espionage when you knew they weren't guilty!" Bun Ok growled at Gyeong Hui, whose eyebrows
raised at the mention of Ms. Pi.

"Ms. Pi? That wench who can't even do her job right? What do you know about her past then? All I
did was expose a potential crisis in the making, they almost defected to North Korea, I had to do
something," Gyeong Hui shook his head as if that fact should have obvious but Bun Ok gritted her
teeth and slammed her hands down on the table.

"That's a lie! They had met in Germany and you had used the excuse of Ms.Pi's husband being a
North Korean spy to needlessly torture them!" Bun Ok accused Gyeong Hui, who cocked his head
to the side as if he were thinking about the framing of events.

"If I recall correctly, didn't your sister steal Ms. Pi's lover and run off with him to Pyongyang? So if
there's really someone to blame, it should be your sister for being a home wrecker," Gyeong Hui
gestured with his hand in a dismissive wave, "Am I wrong?" Yeong Ro looked over at Bun Ok,
who was seething from Gyeong Hui's remarks. Perhaps this wasn't going as well as Bun Ok hoped.
"You made Ms. Pi make a false confession in order to frame my sister for what happened and then
you made her lover go insane from the torture you put them through. Ms. Pi still has to pay for his
hospital bills to this day!" Bun Ok glowered at Gyeong Hui, who shook his head and leaned
forward to look at Bun Ok with a feigned look of concern.

"Are you done accusing me? Frankly I don't know what you want from me other than having me
hear my alleged wrongdoings," Gyeong Hui sighed in feigned disappointment as Bun Ok thought
about a way to get a genuine reaction out of this guy and then it hit her.

"You know... the news stations never explicitly stated how you and your wife managed to lose 300
million won to a North Korean spy. What if we change that?" Bun Ok asked innocently and the
look on Gyeong Hui's face changed from a smug smirk to mortified anger.

"Are you seriously threatening me with that? You have a big mouth on you don't you? When I get
out of here-." Gyeong Hui pressed a hand against the glass, which made Bun Ok and Yeong Ro
flinch slightly but Bun Ok quickly regained her composure and cut him off.

"You'll what? You're in jail, you're ruined, I'm not the only one who knows how you screwed up.
And it won't be long until people find out the murderer you really are," Bun Ok shot back with a
laugh and rested her head on her hand to look at him condescendingly, "for all of the damage you
caused me and my family for murdering my sister, I demand that you pay for my family's medical
bills... that's all."

"Your family's medical bills?" Gyeong Hui scoffed and Yeong Ro knowingly smiled a small smile.

"You don't have to give me anything more other than my family's security. As long as they're ok,
that's enough for me. You should be lucky that I'm being so generous," Bun Ok explained
solemnly, losing the hot-headedness from before. Gyeong Hui leaned back in chair and looked all
around the room and laughed. Chang Su just shook his head and looked the other way.

"You must be crazy if you think-."

"Again... let's not expose more of your wrongdoings and get yourself a bigger sentence in the
slammer shall we?" Bun Ok asked innocently and she tacked on another very compromising fact
on top of that, "you think Yeong Ro's the only one who got Mr. Lee to look into things? I bet he's
found a lot of information on you." Bun Ok casually revealed and Yeong Ro could see the man's
face go pale and sweaty from the stress.

"ARRGGHH Fine! If that's what you want, then I'll ask my wife to wire the payments to you, you
little leech," Gyeong Hui sighed violently and Bun Ok grimaced at the insult of "leech" since the
last time she heard that was when Hye Ryeong accused her of that. Soon, the guards in the room
said that time was almost up and whatever things they had led to say, they'd better say them now.
Yeong Ro thought about her last words to her father for a while, until she landed on a question that
made me remember her brother dearly.

"Father... can I ask you something?" Yeong Ro asked her father, who nodded for her to continue,
"my brother.... Oppa... he remembered the promise he made to Mom to protect me before he died
right?"

Chang Su nodded, remembering clearly his son's last words to him before he passed away. He
regretted subjecting his son and eventually his daughter to so much pain.

"Yes that's right..." Chang Su confirmed and Yeong Ro nodded before taking a deep breath before
continuing.
"And he made you promise to do the same?" Yeong Ro, who wasn't looking at her dad before,
looked up to meet his gaze. Chang Su smiled a small smile and nodded. Yeong Ro bit her lip and
closed her eyes for a moment, letting a single tear fall down her cheek. The fact that her brother
would care so much about her and think about her in his final moments broke her heart.

Yeong Ro sighed, thinking about the memory of her and her brother on the hilltop, and opened her
eyes to ask her father the question:

"Then Father... tell me honestly... do you think you kept his promise to me?" Yeong Ro looked
into her father's eyes as a look of self reflection, regret, and acceptance passed through him. Yeong
Ro blinked away the tears and looked down at her dress for a moment before looking back up at
her father again, "given that I'm alive and physically unharmed yet given what happened to me, do
you think you made good on your promise to Yeong U-oppa to protect me?"

The two looked at each other for a long time, as if they were studying each other's thought
processes. Trying to see what thoughts were going through the other's head. They were having a
moment of self reflection in each other's eyes without saying a word. Chang Su looked at his
daughter remorsefully and eventually gave her his answer.

"No.... I don't think I did..." Chang Su answered slowly, his lips trembling as a tear slid out of his
eye and down his cheek as he watched a look of resignation and acceptance wash over his
daughter's face.

Yeong Ro bit her lip and nodded, completely expecting her father's answer and she blinked quickly
to get the tears out of her eyes.

"I see..." Yeong Ro said quietly and Bun Ok didn't really know what to say. The moment seemed
so poignant and emotional that it just seemed cruel to even say a word with the heavy atmosphere
around them, "I... have nothing more to say to you then..." Yeong Ro stood up and nodded at Bun
Ok to leave and the two of them left the two men behind in that room to be led back into their cells.
Yeong Ro walked slowly down the hallway of the prison with Bun Ok close behind and two didn't
say a word. Yeong Ro couldn't help but remember the words of so many broken promises.

"Mom, I promise you that I will protect Yeong Ro and I'll make sure that she marries a man who
loves her very much. I also promise that I'll stay by her side until she's a very old lady, so don't you
worry about a thing ok Mom?"

"Tch, I'm only three years younger than you Oppa..."

"Yah, we're close in age, that means we can take care of each other into our old age!"

"What makes you think I want to take care of you for your whole life?"

"Oh so that means you want your poor older brother to die young then? You're so mean..."

"Yah! That's not what I meant, I already miss you so much when you leave for the military for
months at a time. I'm just worried... that you won't have time for me..."

"Yeong Ro, I promise that once I get out of military service, you and I will never be apart again,
for Mom's sake ok? Then we can help each other find lovers too!"

"Hahaha! Fine! Deal!"

"Soo Ho-ssi, I will stay with you until the end..."

"Staying with me until the end is too dangerous..."

"Soo Ho-ssi... we will meet again right?"

"Don't worry... as long as we're both alive, we'll meet again, I know it."

"I've always wanted to sing songs of wind, flowers, and love to the people I love... I'd love for you
to hear them one day..."

"I will come to the cafe to listen to you sing every day without fail, whether there be rain or snow,
I'd love to hear you sing sometime..."

Yeong Ro sighed and the tears just kept continuing to fall. When was it going to end? This
suffering?

"They're both liars...." Yeong Ro sobbed as the two of them stepped outside the prison after the
guards let them through and Bun Ok looked at Yeong Ro in slight confusion, "They promised they
would.... They promised..." Yeong Ro's voice broke as her hands immediately went to her neck to
grasp her necklace tightly, her fingers rubbing over the red orb to soothe herself. It didn't take long
for Bun Ok to figure out who she was talking about and she stepped closer to Yeong Ro to wrap
her arms around her shoulders to comfort her.

"Yeong Ro-ya, it will get easier with time I promise, it's just like my sister's and your brother's
passing. You'll curse yourself and wonder why life had to be so unfair. But remember that..." Bun
Ok nodded and blinked away the tears in her eyes, "in their final moments.... their wish would be
for you to keep on living and keep their living image in our hearts... not their deaths ok?" With that,
Yeong Ro cried harder and leaned into Bun Ok as her legs were starting to get unsteady.

Yeong Ro calmed down for a moment to say one thing, "I remember that there's a saying... When
someone promises that they will come back confidently even though the odds seem impossible,
there's a pretty good chance that they're lying... I should have known..." Yeong Ro wiped away the
tears from her eyes and all that was left was the dull, hollow eyes of resignation and grief, "From
now on... I won't... I won't believe in such promises anymore..." Yeong Ro gently shrugged Bun
Ok off with an appreciative nod and slowly walked back to the dorm with a sympathetic Bun Ok in
tow.

With the two of them back in the dorm, they noticed that they were getting multiple dirty looks
from other students. Yeong Ro and Bun Ok glanced at each other before they started to walk to the
stairs to room 207, but several students decided to block their way.

"What are you guys doing?" Bun Ok asked accusingly and Yeong Ro looked between Bun Ok and
the girls that were preparing to square up.

"I don't recall accepting a murderer's daughter and Northern defector back into our university," The
girl sneered at the two girls and Bun Ok scoffed at the girl while Yeong Ro looked at the girl with
slight disbelief.

"Are you kidding me? Yeong Ro-ya went to visit her father today to confront him about the whole
mess and you have the nerve to think that she's just like him?" Bun Ok defended Yeong Ro and a
crowd started to form around them.

"I bet she went to meet her father about how to get us all killed next time," Another student said
and Yeong Ro gasped slightly at the accusation and she felt Bun Ok's aura get even more furious
beside her.
"Are you even listening to yourself? Next time? Her father's party lost and they're all in jail, what
can they even do now? You're just still bitter from the fact that she was exposed as someone more
important than some basic bitch on welfare!" Bun Ok spat out and everyone gasped even Yeong
Ro. This was apparently the straw that broke the camel's back because the other girl immediately
screamed and reach out to grab Bun Ok's hair and the girl yelped and immediately fought back.
Yeong Ro gasped and immediately intervened to try to get the girls off of each other. However
people interpreted this action differently and thought Yeong Ro was intervening to help Bun Ok,
so the other girls started joining in to harass Yeong Ro and Bun Ok. To be frank, there was a lot of
screaming.

"YAAAHHHH! Don't forget you were the one that exposed her in the first place you wench!" The
girl screamed while fighting with Bun Ok and Yeong Ro yelped as she felt her hair getting pulled
on as she was trying to separate the two, but the other girl was too bulky.

"I admit that was wrong of me, but at least I'm not a bully and an attacker like you!" Bun Ok
exclaimed back and Yeong Ro sighed in frustration as she finally turned around and roughly
pushed the other girls off of her.

"Guys! Please stop! There's no need for things to get out of hand!" Yeong Ro pleaded but it fell on
deaf ears.

"You don't get to talk murderer!" Someone said and Yeong Ro closed her eyes in exhaustion for a
moment before opening them again and trying to separate the two girls again.

"YAAAAAHHHH! What is going on here?!" Everyone heard a voice from the top of the stairs and
everyone looked up to find the mighty Hye Ryeong with a maddening look on her face. It was
almost like a bull that has been provoked. Seol Hui and Jeong Min who was with her also looked at
the scene in horror.

"Stay out of it! We're trying to teach these two that we won't tolerate people of their kind!" The girl
declare and Bun Ok scoffed and muttered under her breath.

"What kind of discrimination is this? Who the heck gave you the authority?" Bun Ok muttered and
Hye Ryeong looked at all of them for a moment before reaching up to her ears to take off her
earrings one at a time. Yeong Ro's eyes widened at that action and she vigorously shook her head to
try to signal to her to stop what she was about to do.

"If it's a cat fight you want, THEN IT'S A CAT FIGHT YOU'RE GONNA GET!!!!" Hye Ryeong
roared and bounded down the stairs like a stampede and jumped from the fifth step in a lunge
straight at the girl. Bun Ok and Yeong Ro's eyes widened in surprise and ducked out of the way as
Hye Ryeong crashed into the girl and both of them crashed into the floor. Yeong Ro held both her
hands up to her mouth to stop her gasp and Hye Ryeong immediately started fighting with the girl
that was bullying them. Soon the other girls in the crowd started joining to attack Hye Ryeong and
realizing this, Yeong Ro looked quickly between Hye Ryeong and the other girls and decided to
get herself involved. Yeong Ro quickly grabbed onto one girl and shoved her out of the way before
she could get to Hye Ryeong.

"I'm so sorry! Hye Ryeong-unnie! Watch out!" Yeong Ro called out as Hye Ryeong was busy
grappling with the girl on the floor and another girl on the other side was about to intervene until
Bun Ok stuck her leg out and tripped the girl to the floor. Another girl grabbed Bun Ok behind
from the waist and lifted her up into the air to throw her to the ground, which didn't take a lot of
effort since she was quite light, "Bun Ok unnie!" Yeong Ro called out but her hair was grabbed
from behind and she yelped as she tried to reach back to pry the hands off of her. Then, Yeong Ro
saw Jeong Min rush down the stairs to help and Yeong Ro's eyes widened as she wielded her thick
dictionary and smacked whoever was behind her off of her. Yeong Ro immediately turned around
to look at the girl who was clutching her head in shock and both Jeong Min and Yeong Ro looked
at each other and nodded before going off on the other girls who were going to attack Hye Ryeong.

"Get off of me!" Bun Ok yelled as she struggled to get out of the Big Bertha's grasp and she kept
elbowing the girl's shoulders hard until the girl groaned out in pain and had to let go of Bun Ok.
Bun Ok turned around quickly and promptly kicked the girl in the shins hard before going to help
Hye Ryeong as there were people on top of her while she was on top of the original girl.
Meanwhile Seol Hui was having a petty slap fight with another girl and they were looking away
from each other until one of them heard heard something break. Seol Hui looked back to find that
she broke a nail while fighting.

"Oh no! I broke a nail!" Seol Hui gasped and the other girl kinda had no sympathy for that, which
would be a mistake.

"One down! Nine to go!" The girl taunted Seol Hui, who immediately grew red in anger and puffed
up her cheeks in a cute anger.

"Oh really? Then take this!" Seol Hui immediately slapped the girl across the face hard with the
hand with the broken nail and the jagged edge left a small scratch that drew blood. The other girl
clutched her cheek and Seol Hui tilted her nose up at her in pride before shoving her away and
helping Yeong Ro. Shin Gyeong-ja ran up to the scene with mortification in her eyes and she tried
to separate some girls to try to get to the scene in the middle but she couldn't. Gyeong-ja was about
to run to the headmistress' office, but before she could, she felt hands grab her and she was dragged
into the fight.

"What are you doing!? AAHHH!" Gyeong-ja yelled as she tried to push the other girls off of her
and suddenly she felt two extra pair of hands prying the other hands off of her and she looked up to
find Yeong Ro and Jeong Min looking at her with worried looks.

"Are you ok Gyeong-ja?" Jeong Min asked and Gyeong-ja nodded before pushing up her glasses
up and looking around at the chaos. There were girls who just opted out of the fight from their
injuries but there was still quite a few fighters left. There were just onlookers as well that were
looking at the scene in shock.

"Yes, thank you, we need to stop the remaining girls," Gyeong-ja ordered the two of them and they
nodded before going off to help the other squad members. Hye Ryeong finally got off of the
original girl, who was just passed out from exhaustion and looked around to find Yeong Ro trying
to fight off one girl off of Seol Hui, and there was another girl who was about to charge them both
from behind. Hye Ryeong took off the scarf around her neck and ran towards the charging girl and
immediately threw her scarf over her to wrap around the other girl's body and pulled back.

"AAHH! Hye Ryeong! What are you doing!?" The girl shouted as Hye Ryeong smirked and threw
her body to the side and pulled so that the trajectory of the girl was directed away from Yeong Ro.
Pulling back, Hye Ryeong spun them around until they were flying in a circular motion at a
dizzying speed before Hye Ryeong let go off her scarf and sent the other girl spinning into a group
of girls like a bowling ball knocking into some pins. Just as Hye Ryeong was about to celebrate her
victory though, another girl who was fighting with Yeong Ro managed to overpower her and shove
her back slightly before slapping her to the floor.

If that wasn't enough, when Yeong Ro was thrown off balance, she tripped over her leg and
sprained her ankle as she fell to the floor and she left out a yelp of pain.

"Yeong Ro-ya! Are you okay?" Seol Hui ran to Yeong Ro's side and before anyone could do
anything else, there was a large and very sharp shout that rang throughout the university. Any
sharper and they were pretty sure it would have broke glass. Everyone looked at Ms. Pi who came
out of her office with her lecture stick of obedience and looked at the whole scene with a whole
bunch of emotions that Yeong Ro couldn't figure out, but she was pretty sure they were all
negative.

"What.... ARE ALL OF YOU DOING?! IS THIS A UNIVERSITY OR IS THIS A ZOO?!" Ms. Pi
looked at the utter chaos of the entire scene. Everyone's hair was unkempt and there were multiple
girls who were clutching their injuries. Everyone's clothes were ruffled but not completely messed
up but Ms. Pi had caught them all in the midst of fighting and her gaze came to Yeong Ro, who
was clutching her leg on the floor, "What in the world happened here? Yeong Ro, explain now."

Wincing from the pain, Yeong Ro spoke up, "Bun Ok unnie and I were coming back from the
penitentiary today and we were about to go up to my room when these girls got in the way. They
wouldn't let us pass.... some things were said and uhh... things kinda got out of hand and my
roommates had to get involved too to help me," Yeong Ro explained and the other girls spoke up.

"This fight only started because Bun Ok ran her mouth like always!" One girl shouted and the 207
squad glared at the other girls.

"It started because Gye Bun Ok ran her mouth? Then let me ask... who threw the first blow?" Ms.
Pi turned her attention to Bun Ok and the other girls and they were all silent for a moment before
Bun Ok and Yeong Ro pointed at the girl who pulled on Bun Ok's hair first, "So it was you Kim
Mija?"

"Well yes, but they-!" The girl was about to interject but Ms. Pi wouldn't hear it.

"Shut it... I don't want to hear it, have yourself and the other girls that confronted them at the
beginning come to my office. Everyone else! Your punishments will be deliberated at a later time,
but clean yourselves up first!" Ms Pi ordered and smacked her stick on the staircase railing before
turning to Yeong Ro and Seol Hui, who were still tending to her injury, "Yeong Ro, have your
friends bring you to the infirmary to get that treated, we'll discuss what happened later."

"Ok, understood... Jeong Min-unnie, Hye-Ryeong-unnie, could you help me to the infirmary
please?" Yeong Ro asked softly and her friends immediately nodded and helped her to her feet,
carefully slinging her arms over their shoulders and bringing her to the infirmary with Seol Hui,
Bun Ok, and Gyeong Ja following behind.

"I see... well I hope that she gets better soon..." Kang Moo hung up the phone and rubbed his
temples as he sat at his office table. It doesn't seem like things will get any easier for Yeong Ro
anytime soon. Ms. Pi had just relayed what had happened at the university to him and to say he was
surprised it blew up like that was an understatement. Another ring of the phone rang and Kang
Moo picked it up to hear a familiar voice on the other side of the line.

"Mr. Lee Kang Moo, it's been a while," The voice called out and Kang Moo immediately
recognized the voice and checked outside for a moment to see if there was anyone listening in.
Kang Moo had already checked his room before hand for bugs and he didn't find any so it was
safe.

"Dr. Kang Cheongya... to what do I owe the pleasure? Unfortunately?" Kang Moo said through
gritted teeth and added that last part as a slight jab.

"I'm hurt honestly, I thought we got over that hostage situation business by now," Cheongya
chuckled and Kang Moo rolled his eyes before asking softly.
"Alright, it has been a while, but what do you want specifically? I most likely won't be able to help
you in a public capacity," Kang Moo explained and got out some paperwork that he had to do for
the day. What he didn't know was that their call was on speaker on the other end and Soo Ho and
Sui Hui were also listening in as well.

"I actually just wanted to ask about Yeong Ro, how had she been doing? Better I hope?" Cheongya
looked knowingly at Soo Ho knowing that he really wanted to know if she was okay or not since
they haven't really heard an update since the hostage situation.

Kang Moo thought about what had happened today and winced internally at the ordeal Yeong Ro
just went through today, "Not exactly... she actually went to see her father today to confront him
about the hostage situation. She had asked me to look into a few things for her. I wouldn't say it
went well, one of the guards told me later, she came out crying with Gye Bun Ok so I can't really
imagine that visit going well. And then... there's the issue with what happened at the university,"
Kang Moo sighed and moved a paper to the side after he was done and continued writing down
reports.

"Wait what happened at the university?" Cheongya inquired and looked to Soo Ho, who was
starting to look like he was going insane from worry. He wasn't exactly shaking, but she could see
his eyes trembling and his jaw clenching from worry. Sui Hui looked worriedly at Soo Ho before
Kang Moo continued to explain.

"A huge fight broke between the girls at the university and Yeong Ro and her friends. From what I
heard, it was complete chaos and a lot of people ended up getting hurt. Yeong Ro ended up with a
twisted ankle and few bruises. Apparently, the girls at the dorm still haven't forgiven Yeong Ro for
what happened and things just... got out of hand," Kang Moo explained and Cheongya pursed her
lips and looked over at Soo Ho, who was praying into his combined clenched hands, his elbows on
the table. Soo Ho rubbed his forehead on his hands out of worry and frustration and looked up at
the phone longingly and Cheongya had an idea of what he was itching to do. Cheongya held a
finger to her lips to remind him to be silent.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, I know it must be a hard transition to get back to some kind of normalcy,
but just make sure you're there for her ok?" Cheongya sighed but what Kang Moo said next sent a
wave of cold shock through all of their bodies.

"I'm not sure anymore... Hanna and I have been trying, but I'm not sure how much longer she can
hold on. This isn't the first time this has happened, but this was definitely one of the bigger
incidents. I'm worried she might try something dangerous again because Ms. Pi, Bun Ok, her
friends, as well myself and Hanna have had to stop her multiple times from killing herself. She
really doesn't want to live in a world without her brother and Soo Ho-ah in it," Kang Moo hung his
head slightly and waited for a response on the other line since everyone was reeling from the shock
of his words. Soo Ho let his arms fall to the table and Sui Hui noticed tears falling from his eyes
and he took a steady intake of breath and he was about to say something but she lunged forward to
slap a hand over his mouth to stop him from talking. Cheongya sighed heavily and gave an
appreciative nod to Sui Hui and she softened at the sound of Soo Hoo's muffled protests.

"What was that sound?" Kang Moo asked.

"Oh no, nothing, it was just me coughing! HYACK," Cheongya forced herself to cough forcefully
and breathed normally again before replying, "Kang Moo listen... I..." Cheongya looked at Soo Ho
was pleading with her with his eyes, but she tore her eyes away again, "I have some news for you
that I will share at a later date, but for the time being, tell Yeong Ro, that I hope that she holds on
just long enough... for the light at the end of the tunnel, ok?" Cheongya looked back at Soo Ho,
who scrunched his teary eyes closed and Sui Hui felt his tears on her hand and she immediately
pressed herself closer to him to hug him.

"Alright, I look forward to your news and I'll let her know, take care ok?" Kang Moo smiled and
hung up the phone and Sui Hui finally let go of her brother and he sagged in the chair and she had
never seen him looked more defeated.

"You can't let him know you're alive, at least not yet ok? I know it's hard, but we have things we
have to take care of first," Cheongya tried to calmly explain to him, but Soo Ho sounded so broken
when he looked up at her.

"Comrade Kang, please let me at least let her know I'm ok, I'm begging you..." Soo Ho begged
Cheongya, who leaned forward in her chair and clapped her hands together softly.

"Now... is not the best time, we need to let the whole hostage situation die over in the news and
help Comrade Joo and Comrade Eun-Cheol's families escape first, then we will help you meet her
again and lead an ordinary life I promise," Cheongya emphasized every word and they looked at
each other in the eyes for a long moment before Soo Ho relented and leaned back into his sister,
who leaned her head on his shoulder from behind.

"Soo Ho-oppa, it will be ok... have faith in her strength, she'll make it through, you'll see!" Sui Hui
reassured her brother and Soo Ho nodded and closed his eyes to dream of seeing her once again.

"I only hope you're right..."

 Chapter 6: When The Flower Eclipses The Sun
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hello everyone! SnivyLord here and welcome to another long chapter!
I'm trying to limit the length of these chapters so I can get consistent updates for you
guys, but I'm obviously failing lol. I'm going to try to keep chapters at a consistent
length, emphasis on "try." I said this chapter was going to be Soo Ho focused but tada!
I decided to make this about both of them! This chapter is gonna be kinda action
packed... more dramatic since I'm trying to tie up some loose ends that were not
addressed at the end of Snowdrop. Specifically one loose end, and by tying up loose
ends, I mean extend because I'm gonna run with this specific plot point and have
Yeong Ro act like a girl boss, but still completely out of her element. By doing this, I
am going to conveniently place Yeong Ro in danger yet again because you know...
why not? And when Yeong Ro's in danger, Soo Ho's usually not that far behind. Will
they meet in this chapter? They're gonna be in the same place, but who knows if
they're going to meet. Also, everything that I mention about North Korea in this
chapter is completely fictional and this was partially inspired from Uncharted and
Crash Landing On You... kinda.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

About a week or so after the Hosu University incident, Soo Ho's embarked on a journey to North
Korea to complete their mission, which is to save their fallen comrades' families. By this time,
Yeong Ro's injury had healed and she had received word from Kang Moo concerning the
whereabouts of her stepmother, Hong Aera. Yeong Ro had already confronted her father since she
had resolved to try to get closure for herself and even though it was to her disdain, she also had to
confront her stepmother. Yeong Ro had a mission of her own and despite Kang Moo's insistent
objections, Yeong Ro convinced him to take her and Hanna to where her stepmother was hiding
out, which was in Pyongyang, which was conveniently where Soo Ho and his group were also
heading. Yeong Ro had told her friends that she was going to track down her stepmother to get
back the money she stole from her family, but she didn't exactly say where that endeavor would
take her. Whether that small obscuration would end up costing Yeong Ro her life, only time would
tell.

"I can't believe it.... we're in... North Korea..." Yeong Ro breathed out and she felt like she going to
hyperventilate since she had never done something this dangerous before and she has a pretty high
bar for making poor and dangerous choices that can get her killed.

Kang Moo walked up beside her on the beach and sighed as he slung their supply bag over his
shoulder, "Then why in the world did you insist on coming then? Since you were so desperate to
finish things yourself?" Yeong Ro looked back at the little ship that started to retreat back into the
waters and out of sight.

"Couldn't she have fled to Germany like everyone else? Why am I not surprised she ended up
defecting to North Korea?" Yeong Ro felt herself get angry even thinking about her stepmother's
conniving ways. The nerve of the woman to actually run off with her son to North Korea of all
places.
"It's going to be alright Yeong Ro, besides... you and I have done dumber things with even worse
odds, so I don't think this should be too much of a problem," Hanna came up on the other side and
looked reassuringly at Yeong Ro, who snickered and adjusted the sleeves on her black coat, "At
most, this really should be only a really strange bonding trip."

Kang Moo scoffed and proceeded to walk off the beach, "Yeah... a bonding trip with the worst
team members..." his remark making both of the girls shout out to him.

"Yah! Wait for us!"

Within the fields at the far outskirts of Pyongyang moved three figures hiding in the darkness. Soo
Ho led the way back into North Korea in their operation to try to smuggle Gyeok Chan's and Eung
Cheol's families down to the South. Soo Ho didn't think there would be any contacts in North
Korea that would help smuggle two families on a boat of all things back to South Korea, but
Cheongya managed to find a way. The direct path from North Korea to South Korea was a little too
obvious so Sui Hui made a plan to smuggle them to Japan and then have them change their
identities before smuggling them to the South. Now granted, the only problem was getting back
into North Korea without getting spotted. Naturally, the military and the high government officials
would recognize all three of their faces, so stealing their documentation and escorting both families
was going to be a challenge.

Cheongya pulled out a map and circled a section of the building of State Affairs "Ok, so if we take
this hidden passage through here, we can get into the Ministry of State Affairs and if we go up to
the third floor in this room here, we can find the files for their families, supposedly..." Cheongya
explained and Soo Ho and Sui Hui nodded.

"We're going to have to try to do this quietly since we don't want to cause a commotion. I already
know Gyeok chan's and Eung Cheol's families' addresses, so we won't have a problem trying to
find them," Soo Ho murmured and Sui Hui agreed with her brother's reasoning.

"We can't run into anyone either, and luckily, we know this city like the back of our hands," Sui
Hui smiled proudly at her brother, who reciprocated her smile.

"Alright let's get moving, we don't have a lot of time," Soo Ho patted the shoulders of both their
comrades and all three of them started their trek towards the city.

Kang Moo's party made into Pyongyang a little bit before Soo Ho's party and the three of them
took a look around the city. It seemed normal enough and the city was actually quite large, but
Kang Moo was still wary of the fact that there was a curfew for everyone and they were one of the
few people that were out in the open. The three of them entered an alleyway in a neighborhood
district and the three of them checked around to see if the closer was clear before reaching into
their bags and taking out their masks.

"No one can know our faces here, or else we're all going to be in deep trouble ok?" Kang Moo
murmured to them, specifically more towards Yeong Ro as Hanna already knew this. Yeong Ro
put up her mask and tied up her hair and pulled her hair so that it was in a tight and high ponytail.
Kang Moo reached into his bag and pulled out a gun with a nozzle at the end.

Yeong Ro looked at the gun in slight fear and looked between the gun and Kang Moo
expectantly," Mr. Lee... are you seriously asking me to-"

"No, these are nonlethal silent tranquilizers, they will only put the enemy to sleep since we can't
kill anybody. You will have to rely on this since you probably can't subdue anyone without one,"
Kang Moo held out the gun to her and Yeong Ro hesitantly grasped the gun from him and
examined the tranquilizer in question.

"Yeong Ro, you also must know that these guns have medium to short range at best, so you may
have to get in close to get these darts to hit. They will generally put the enemy to sleep within 3-5
seconds, so only use the guns when you have a clear shot," Hanna instructed Yeong Ro, who just
nodded along to the instructions because only God knows just how good of a shot Yeong Ro is.
This was really happening, she was really going to infiltrate a North Korean facility to steal files on
her stepmother's whereabouts in order to steal back the money that had been stolen from her father.
Just how insane is that?

"Yeong Ro, do you even know how to shoot a gun like that? I know you've picked up a gun once
and pointed it at Soo Ho, but this time, you will most likely have to pull the trigger," Kang Moo
warned Yeong Ro, looking around the neighborhood for any sign of guards. It was quiet, a little
too quiet.

"Don't worry, a gun's like a camera, you just point and shoot right?" Yeong Ro tried to play it off
as a small joke but Kang Moo wasn't really that amused.

Kang Moo nodded slowly but smiled to show that he had at least a little faith that she could wield a
gun, "Yeah sure... think of it like that." Yeong Ro slipped the gun into her back pocket. The reason
why she had Kang Moo and Hanna accompany her for this little escapade was the fact that she
literally trusted no one else with this job.

"Alright, we better get going, the patrols are going to start soon and we do not want to get caught,"
Hanna gestured them to follow her down the end of the alleyway on the other end, and the whole
neighbourhood was like a maze of narrow alleyways. Kang Moo and Yeong Ro froze at the
presence of flashlights lighting into the alleyways as the soldiers started their rounds, "Remember,
if we ever get split up for any reason at all, we have our walkie talkies and we have to rendezvous
at the Ministry of State Affairs ok?" Hanna looked back at the two of them and they nodded in
understanding. The three of them had went over the location of building and Yeong Ro was semi
confident that she could make it there in the dark.

"Alright, let's go this way, follow closely now..." Kang Moo signaled them to turn left into another
alleyway and they silently moved the silent neighbourhood, being careful not to draw too much
attention.

Meanwhile, Soo Ho's group made it into Pyongyang and they slipped past the patrols and made
into the residential district that was right across the bridge from where the Ministry building was.
Soo Ho, Cheongya, and Sui Hui quickly made it onto the rooftops on the neighbourhood and they
scaled their way across the neighbourhood. Right before they continued, Cheongya signaled them
to stop and gestured at the soldiers that were conversing at the alleyways and they heard the silent
shuffling of a group of people who were moving quickly through the alleyways.

"Wait... those people are out past curfew... who are they?" Sui Hui gestured to the people that were
swiftly moving through the alleyways, and they noticed that they were also trying to avoid the
soldiers. Soo Ho took note of one of them and he thought he recognized the ponytail of one of
them, but it was too dark to tell.

"Worry about ourselves for now ok? If they have their own business here then let them be,"
Cheongya studied them for a moment before directing them over the rooftops and the three of them
proceeded to scale the rooftops and avoiding the sight of the flashlights that were occasionally
pointed at the roofs. Soo Ho couldn't help but feel that something was wrong or at least strange
about having another group of people sneaking out past curfew. Regular North Korean citizens
wouldn't dare to defy that law, but there are three people who are sneaking around and trying not to
get caught, meaning that they can't be from here.

Soo Ho tried not to accidentally shift the tiling on the rooftops to prevent making any sound and he
continued onwards towards the Ministry of State Affairs. Meanwhile, Kang Moo's group were
swiftly making their way towards the same place. While they were turning a corner and jumping a
fence that led to the other side, they found themselves at an intersection with multiple patrols
converging. The three of them quickly scrambled to use the infrastructure to climb onto the roofs,
but unfortunately, the soldiers heard them.

"Who's there?! Identify yourselves under the Great Republic of Korea! Stop!" A soldier yelled and
that immediately set off the other soldiers to converge on their location and the three of them
looked at each other and ran across the rooftops, vaulting over different leveled rooftops and
jumping onto other buildings. For Yeong Ro, thankfully the buildings were crowded together so
the jumping distance wasn't long, but she did find it hard to keep up. A ways away, Soo Ho's group
noticed the commotion and looked at the other group who was sprinting across the rooftops and
continued to only observe them thoughtfully before Cheongya prompted them to keep going.

"As that group has them distracted, we can make it to the building of State Affairs without much
issue, come on," Cheongya motioned for the siblings to follow her, and Soo Ho couldn't help but
feel like he needed to help them somehow. They were also in danger, but he had his own mission,
and they were running out of time.

Yeong Ro, Kang Moo, and Hanna kept running until they reached a ledge that led to another
building and just as the three stood on it, part of the roof broke under Yeong Ro and she yelped as
she fell away from then and down a slope of tiles. She heard the yells of Kang Moo and Hanna, but
there was no way she could go back there now. Yeong Ro focused on the slope she was sliding on
and she quickly noticed on the other side of the alleyway, there was a small balcony that she could
potentially land on if she jumped at the right time. Digging her heels into the roof, Yeong Ro
leaned forward just as she was about to fall off the roof and launched herself across alleyway,
hearing gunshots whiz by her and she landed into the balcony with a crash. She rolled across the
floor to prevent injuring anything major and groaned as she heaved herself up.

"Are you ok?!" Kang Moo and Hanna yelled as Yeong Ro dusted off some rubble and rolled her
shoulders.

"I'm fine! Just keep going! I'll find a way to catch up!" Yeong Ro looked around and she heard a
rough rumble behind her and she saw that the door to the balcony was about to open. Panicking,
Yeong Ro saw the eaves of another rooftop and she ran just as the door opened and vaulted over
the railing onto the rooftop and continued to run. Yeong Ro heard the shout of a soldier behind her
and she looked behind her to find that he was about to shoot her. Looking quickly, Yeong Ro
found an open window and she quickly slipped inside and found herself inside of a home. She
heard the footsteps of the soldier outside and Yeong Ro bit her lip and ran further inside the home.
Turning into a hallway, Yeong Ro sprinted and she soon heard the soldier behind her. Noticing a
wooden railing, Yeong Ro grabbed it and spun around into a light of stairs and quickly ran up them
with the soldier following close behind. Why the soldier hasn't shot her by now, Yeong Ro
honestly has no idea. Yeong Ro reached the top floor and ran into a room and quickly slipped the
gun out of her pocket, waiting for the moment for when he would come in. Yeong Ro noticed a
refrigerator next to the door and a little opening between it and cupboard that she could slip into
and hide and she took that chance. Yeong Ro waited until the door opened violently with the
soldier rushing in and Yeong Ro brandished the tranquilizer and just as the man entered her line of
vision, Yeong Ro pulled the trigger and dart found its way into the neck of the soldier, who
groaned by the momentary sharp pain before collapsing to the floor.
"Oh my god... I... actually took someone out... Haha!" Yeong Ro laughed nervously as she gingerly
stepped over his unconscious body and looked around the room to find a latched window. Yeong
Ro reached up to her neck to take out Soo Ho's necklace for a moment to pray to it for keeping her
alive and breathed a sigh of relief. Afraid for what could happen if she stayed for too long, Yeong
Ro quickly brought a table under the window and unlocked the window and saw herself out.
Luckily there was a roof landing under the window and Yeong Ro quietly saw herself out and saw
soldiers in the alleyways, checking to see if there was anyone on the outside. Silently gasping to
herself, Yeong Ro looked around to see if she could find Kang Moo or Hanna anywhere, but they
were nowhere in her immediate surroundings. Suddenly, she heard a harsh whisper from above.

"Hey up here!" Yeong Ro looked up and saw a woman calling down to her. She had a mask and a
hat on so Yeong Ro couldn't really make out her face, but she really could use any help she could
get. Sui Hui gestured to the pole and the eaves above them, "Climb up the pole and onto those
eaves over there, and I'll pull you up. Yeong Ro nodded and stealthily made her way over to the
side with the pole and leaped onto the pole, digging her heels around the corners of the pole to
keep her up. Yeong Ro scrunched her eyes closed when she heard a creak, but she continued to
shimmy up the pole and reached her leg out to the eaves and made her way over. Soon, she was
close enough to the woman and the woman reached down her hand to pull her up, both of them
groaning as Yeong Ro finally made it back up to the roof.

"Are you ok?" Sui Hui asked as Yeong Ro smiled gratefully at her, even though Sui Hui couldn't
see it.

"Yeah I'm fine, thank you," Yeong Ro bent over to catch her breath and straightened herself to
proper thank the woman for saving her. Sui Hui however, immediately directed her attention to the
necklace that was on her neck. It was a dove necklace with a red orb on it. However, Sui Hui didn't
say anything about it, but it was a mental note to keep for later, "Thank you so much again for
saving me."

Sui Hui shook her head and smiled at her, "It's completely ok, we're on the run as well actually,"
Sui Hui gestured to her team and Yeong Ro looked past them to find another woman and a man
looking at her with knowing eyes. They all had masks on, but they also had hats so Yeong Ro
really couldn't recognize them easily. Yeong Ro nodded and reached behind her to let her ponytail
unravel itself, her hair cascading down her shoulder in shiny waves under the moonlight.

"I see... I have to find my own team, so please don't pay me any mind and go on your way," Yeong
Ro bowed to them, but the man spoke up, and his voice sent a wave of nostalgia through her that
almost floored her.

"Nonsense, we're going to stay with you until we find them, the soldiers are still crawling around
this place, so we can't leave either," The man reassured her and Yeong Ro felt a wave of an
emotion she couldn't quite describe. Disbelief, nostalgia, relief? His voice may have been muffled
by the mask, but there was something about it that she hasn't felt in a long time: the sense of gentle
love that used to surround her thanks to Soo Ho. She knew that this wasn't exactly the same thing
since she doesn't know this person, but she couldn't help but be reminded of Soo Ho. Yeong Ro
looked at the man, and she noticed he wore a scarf around his neck, but she couldn't tell since the
illuminating moonlight was casting a shadow on all of them.

"I see... well I'll just be a moment," Yeong Ro nodded and turned around to walk away from them
until they couldn't hear to discreetly pull out her walkie talkie. Soo Ho looked at the woman
curiously because there was something about her that was so familiar, but he refused to believe it.
However, he didn't think much of it further as they waited until things moved further along.
"Mr. Lee, do you copy?" Yeong Ro asked into the walkie talkie for a second before he
immediately responded.

"Yeong Ro? Are you ok?" Kang Moo asked and Yeong Ro nodded and looked back at the group of
three people.

"Yes I'm fine, another group of people who are also trying to hide from the North Korean soldiers
saved me. Where are you guys?" Yeong Ro replied and waited for his response.

"I don't believe we're too far from you, judging from where you ran, we should northeast from
where you are," Kang Moo answered and Yeong Ro nodded before turning back and walking up to
the group and past them so she could figure out their position. Yeong Ro scanned the buildings in
the direction that Kang Moo said, and she whispered into the walkie talkie again.

"Mr. Lee, are you by that building by the church over there?" Yeong Ro noticed a tall building
with an easel like formation with a large bell in the middle. The church seemed to be surrounded by
buildings and she could see a semi clear path to where they were, even though it would take
physical capabilities that were beyond her.

"It's the convent yes, I'll rendezvous with you on the other side of the alleyway by the building
with the oriental tiles and architecture, so I can escort you to the convent," Kang Moo instructed
Yeong Ro, and she looked over the neighborhood once again trying to find the building. To be fair,
there were a lot of buildings with that description.

"Mr. Lee... there's a lot of buildings with that exact description, could you be a little bit more
specific?" Yeong Ro inquired.

"Do you see me?" Kang Moo asked and Yeong Ro looked closer at the scenery to find a hand
waving by a building that looked like a temple surrounded by a bunch of interconnected buildings
and suburban households.

"Yes I do, ok I'll make my way over to you," Yeong Ro murmured quickly and she turned around
to thank her saviors, "Thank you so much, and I'll be on my way now," Yeong Ro said quietly
before looking down off the edge of the building and she found an electrical wire that led down
over to the other neighborhood on the other side of the street. Yeong Ro reached into her bag and
pulled out a metal contraption that looked like a handheld zip line hook and hooked it up to the
wire. The three of them watched her as she sped off the building and Soo Ho felt strangely relieved
that she was safe. Sui Hui came up to his side and he noticed a rather contemplative look on her
face.

"That girl... had a familiar necklace on her..." Sui Hui noted thoughtfully and Soo Ho's attention
perked up at this observation.

"A necklace?" Soo Ho asked and Sui Hui continued.

"It looked very similar to mine, a dove necklace with a red orb on it, but you still have yours right?"
Sui Hui looked at Soo Ho's neck, which was covered by Yeong Ro's scarf and Soo Ho fidgeted
nervously where he was standing. To be honest, Soo Ho was a bit nervous for the moment that his
sister would find out that he no longer had the necklace.

"No... I gave it to Yeong Ro-ya before I left, I treasured it with my life, but I felt better knowing it
was on her since I knew it would keep her safe," Soo Ho explained and he unwrapped his scarf for
a moment to show his sister that he no longer had it and Sui Hui nodded sadly but she did
understood. When she gave him her necklace, she gave it to him with the same sentiment in mind,
so Sui Hui understood where her brother came from

"I see... then... wait a minute... that girl..." Sui Hui murmured but then she stilled for a moment
before she came to a realization. Soo Ho noticed the gears grinding in her head and he thought
about it for a moment as well before his mind immediately clicked onto that feeling that he couldn't
place when he saw that woman, "There's no way that they're the same one... but hypothetically if it
was... then why does that girl have it?"

Soo Ho's eyes widened and his head whipped in the direction that the girl left and he felt a bigger
sense of dread fill him, "There's no way... there's no way she's here... she's safe in South Korea,
she's safe in the university dorm... Right? Sui Hui! Tell me that she's not here!" Soo Ho pleaded
almost at a yell with his sister and Cheongya just looked at them and the direction Yeong Ro left in
shock. Soo Ho had his hands on his sister's shoulders and looked at her dead in the eyes with a
pleading desperation that broke her heart.

Sui Hui looked at him for a moment with teary eyes and told him what he wanted to hear, "You're
right Oppa, she's not here..." A tear slid out of her eye and Soo Ho felt like he was going to break
down crying. It felt like his heart was threatening to tear at the seams because the safety in
knowing that the love of his life was somewhere safe was about to be shattered. Soo Ho pulled
himself away form his sister and looked at the direction that Yeong Ro left in. He had to make sure
that wasn't her, why in the world would she even be here anyway?

Yeong Ro landed inside a balcony and she winced from the impact before looking up and seeing
the edge of the building at the roof. Yeong Ro looked around and found another rain pipe that she
could climb up. Lookin around so that there was no soldier in sight, since she had already lost
them, Yeong Ro reached her leg over and shimmied up the rain pipe and hauled herself onto the
eaves of another roof before reaching up and and climbing onto the roof of the building. It was
quite a ways to where Kang Moo, but he did say he was going to meet her halfway.

"I did not sign up for this... at all..." Yeong Ro sighed before continuing onto the other side of the
roof and jumping down onto lower household roofs and making her way over to the convent.
Yeong Ro couldn't help but think about the man who insisted on staying with her until she knew
where to go. Yeong Ro remembered the moment with Soo Ho when he was going to leave and she
wrapped her brother's scarf around his neck. Yeong Ro smiled knowingly to herself that Soo Ho
looked so snug and cute with her brother's scarf, but that man... his silhouette was the spitting
image of that memory in her mind. How could that be? Soo Ho... didn't want her scarf because he
was afraid he was never going to give it back, but Yeong Ro chose not to think about that. All she
wanted to remember was his grateful smile when she put that scarf around his neck and how
handsome and cute he looked in it. It was one of the many things about her memories with Soo Ho
that kept her alive and going. However, it was also her longing to have those memories once again
with Soo Ho that it's also what's bringing her closer to the edge. That was just how deep her love
was for him, and Yeong Ro would never forget that.

Soon, Yeong Ro found herself across the street from the convent and she saw Kang Moo and
Hanna on the other side waiting for her. The street wasn't too long, but it was way too long for her
to jump over. Yeong Ro studied the street and the surroundings for a moment before talking into
her walkie talkie.

"Mr. Lee, how did you get over there?" Yeong Ro asked and she saw Kang Moo gestured to the
tall overarching lamp post that was situated in the middle of the street.

"Yeong Ro, I'm gonna be honest, I'm not sure if you can make it, but you need to use the grappling
hook in your bag, hook it onto the lamp post and swing across," Kang Moo explained and Yeong
Ro immediately shook her head and stepped up to the edge to look at the height of the lamp post.

"You're kidding, I am actually going to die, I had enough of a hard time when I scaled my
university's walls to avoid missing roll call, on the second floor mind you, is the lamp post even
tall enough so that I won't hit the ground?" Yeong Ro protested into the walkie and she heard Kang
Moo let out a chuckle on the other end. He thinks this is funny?

"I swung across the lamp post myself so it should be fine for you, and even if you should miss,
Hanna and I will be here to catch you," Kang Moo reassured her but that didn't make Yeong Ro
feel better at all, well, it did, but not enough to warrant the courage to actually go through with it.

"You're insane.... and I'm insane because I'm actually going to attempt this," Yeong Ro cursed
herself and reached into her bag to find a familiar rope and metal hook. Kang Moo continued to
instruct her as she steeled herself for the jump.

"Yeong Ro, you see that part of the building that juts out further over the street? You're gonna need
a running start, so use that as a runway," Kang Moo gestured towards the roof structure next to
Yeong Ro, who saw what Kang Moo meant even though he was really far away

"I see, uhhh how do I get the grappling hook onto the lamp? I don't think I can throw that far,"
Yeong Ro asked and Kang Moo instructed her to whip the hook around to gain momentum and
throw it towards the lamp. It took a couple of tries, but Yeong Ro got it and she moved up onto the
roof pathway and balanced herself so she wouldn't trip.

"Ok, we're ready for you."

Yeong Ro breathed in deep and extended enough rope so that she wouldn't hit the ground. Then
without another word, Yeong Ro put the walkie inside her coat and she sprinted towards the end of
the roof. Using the edge of the roof as leverage, Yeong Ro launched herself off the roof and
grabbed the rope tight as she swung down towards the ground and up towards the convent. Yeong
Ro repressed the urge to scream and just yelled internally as she came up towards Kang Moo and
Hanna, who urged her to let go of the rope and she flung herself off the rope and towards them. It
felt like she was flying for a moment, but it also felt like she was going to crash into the wall of the
convent. Yeong Ro flailed one of her arms out towards them and thankfully, Kang Moo caught her
and her other hand held onto the rope. Hanna reached down as Kang Moo pulled up to collect the
rope and then Yeong Ro's hand were free to grip onto Kang Moo's as he pulled her up onto the roof
of the convent. Yeong Ro gasped for breath and tried to relax her face from the permanent
expression of terror. This really felt like deja vu, the last time she was hanging off the side of a
building with someone supporting her, she was convinced that Superman exists.

"Oh my god, thank god, that was too close," Kang Moo sat back and took a breather for a moment
while Yeong Ro was in a similar position because she felt like she just wanted to lie down on the
roof for a while. However, none of them had that luxury.

"You see, just a bonding trip and that... was just an unnecessarily dangerous trust exercise," Hanna
sighed as she lended a hand to Yeong Ro to help her up and Kang Moo and Yeong Ro just jokingly
glared at her. After a few more moments of rest, they made their way down to the streets again and
headed off towards the Ministry of State Affairs.

Soo Ho and the others made it to the end of the neighborhood that preceded the downtown
buildings of Pyongyang and Soo Ho couldn't help but notice that the girl that they saved and her
group were also traveling the same direction. What could have been their purpose? Soo Ho just
wanted to see that necklace to make sure. Normally, Soo Ho would have had a calm yet worried
disposition when it comes to these sorts of things. Of course he was worried, but he never had the
luxury of showing it often, so Soo Ho had to tone down his emotions for the sake of the mission.
However now, Soo Ho felt nervous and anxious, he just couldn't stop his body from trembling and
he had to take deep breaths to get the notion of Yeong Ro being in danger out of his mind. The
three of them quickly made their way down to the street and made their way towards the Ministry
of State Affairs. The building was by the Taedong River, where Soo Ho got his code name and
there was a secret stairway near the banks of the River that led to the underground of the building.
It was definitely a safer way than what Kang Moo's group was going to do. The river was on the
opposite side where Kang Moo's group would be so their paths won't cross again, for now.

The three of them started down the secret stairway and there was a sewer opening in the side of the
banks. Cheongya pried the right most bar off the opening and the stairway led into the sewer and
thankfully, there was a sidewalk along the waters so they could easily navigate the underground of
the city. Soo Ho led the way inside and retrieved his flashlight to light the way. He didn't expect
there to be people inside the underground systems since these were supposed to be secret
passageways to use for emergencies. However, Soo Ho still kept the flashlight on the lowest
setting despite there being warm yellow light deep inside the underground system.

Meanwhile, Kang Moo and the others made their way to the downtown side of the building and he
evaluated the walls that enclosed the building. From his intel, there was a courtyard leading up to
the building that was usually crawling with security guards at night. At specific intervals, there are
blindspots in the patrols of the soldiers and they just had to wait until those intervals come. Kang
Moo got his grappling hook and detached the hook since he didn't want to make sound with it since
he's gonna have to try to hook the rope around the metal spike spires that were lined along the
walls. Tying the rope in a loop, Kang Moo threw up the rope onto the spire and tugged on it so it
stabilized.

"We're going to go one at a time so that our landings don't attract too much attention, we need to
wait for the blindspots to open for every interval, so I'll go first and then I'll tell you when to
jump," Kang Moo instructed and Yeong Ro and Hanna nodded as he nodded back in confirmation
and scaled the wall swiftly. Kang Moo watched the soldiers for a few moments, and then he
hopped over and there was a quiet thud on the other side. Hanna looked to Yeong Ro and gestured
to the rope.

"I'm aware of the patrols' blindspots so you go first and Mr. Lee will help you," Hanna helped
Yeong Ro onto the rope and she steadily scaled the wall and soon, she was at the top. Carefully
avoiding the spikes, Yeong Ro saw Kang Moo and he was looking between her and the patrols.
Yeong Ro laid low on the wall until Kang Moo gestured for her to come down and she jumped
down with a quiet thud and she quickly skidded to Kang Moo's side and hid in the bush. Soon,
Hanna joined them and they moved in a unit along the walls of the courtyard and Kang Moo
noticed the watchtower that was overseeing the courtyard. Kang Moo held up his hand for all of
them to stop.

"Hanna, Yeong Ro, head for the entrance over there, I'm going to take out the watchtower so that
they don't spot us," Kang Moo pointed over to where pathway leads up into the building. It was
like an inclined walkway up the building, which was on a pedestal foundation. Hanna nodded and
took Yeong Ro's hand and led her over near the entrance.

"Yeong Ro... see those guards by the entrance? You and I are going to take them out at the same
time. We need to go on opposite sides and on my signal, put them to sleep," Hanna pointed at the
soldiers who were standing near the entrance and Yeong Ro nervously nodded and Hanna gestured
that she was going to take the other side. Yeong Ro went around and tiptoed up the side stairs and
looked around the corner to find the two soldiers standing idly by the entrance. Yeong Ro slipped
the gun out of her coat and slowly stalked towards one of them and she saw Hanna coming up from
the other side. Yeong Ro looked out over the courtyard and found that the lights were knocked out
by Kang Moo.

Kang Moo stealthily made his way up the watch tower and knocked out the two people who were
keeping watch in there and he also found out that the electrical panel for the outside of the building
was kept in this office as well. Hanna looked up at the watch tower to faintly see Kang Moo
holding up his hands and counting down from five. Hanna looked over at Yeong Ro to give her the
same signal, then she understood. As soon as Kang Moo closed his fist, he killed the lights and the
guards looked around the dark in confusion when Yeong Ro and Hanna sprung forward to shoot
them both simultaneously with the tranquilizers.

"Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep," Yeong Ro whispered quickly as she put the soldier in a
choke hold and the two of them collapsed within seconds. Hanna sighed and put a comforting hand
on Yeong Ro's shoulder and they both looked towards the door to the Ministry. The lights soon
turned back on and Kang Moo met up with them at the entrance after. The three of them entered
the building and immediately crouched down to get a hang of their surroundings. The building was
very oriental on the inside and included a variety of warm autumn colors. Kang Moo looked at the
map they had of the place and they learned that the records were on the third floor. It was nearing
midnight and there weren't a lot of people so they were able to sneak by and they eventually found
themselves in an elevator. Faint village elevator music filled the air praising the leader of North
Korea as they all stood there awkwardly.

"Subliminal messaging am I right?" Hanna scoffed at the music and Yeong Ro cracked a smile
before wondering if this was really the best course of action.

"Was taking the elevator really the best idea?" Yeong Ro wondered aloud and she looked towards
Kang Moo, who shrugged.

"We'll see once we get to the third floor...." Kang Moo replied.

The door then opened and the three of them turned their attention towards the door opening to
reveal a rather tired looking administrative assistant, who was not paying attention to who was in
the elevator until like a second later.

"Wait... who are you people? And why do you have masks on?" The man asked and Kang Moo
was about to say something but Hanna immediately jumped in with an excuse.

"Oh we have masks because you know, Covid," Hanna explained as if it's easiest and most obvious
explanation while dodging the obvious question of who they were.

"Oh... wait... what's Covid?" The man asked before Yeong Ro and Kang Moo gave Hanna a look
of confusion, who, if she had her mask off, would open her mouth in realization at what she just
said.

"Oh that's right... eeeh, oh well," Hanna raised her gun and shot the man, who fell backwards and
fell asleep. Yeong Ro and Kang Moo stepped over him and Yeong Ro looked back at the man with
a slight look of apology. Hanna gestured for Yeong Ro to help drag the man into the elevator and
Hanna went inside to press all the buttons for all the floors in the building before leaving with
Yeong Ro and Kang Moo. Kang Moo looked at his map and looking at each door until they found
the right one.

"Ok...this one should be it," Kang Moo surmised and he looked around the door to find an
automatic locking mechanism around it, "Damn, it's currently locked."
"Wait, now what do we do?" Yeong Ro asked and Kang Moo looked at the map of the building
again and flipped over the page to find the blueprints of the place.

"There's an breaker panel located on the sixth floor of the building that will trip the breakers on the
locks and unlock the door," Kang Moo explained and the three of them nodded before heading
back towards the elevator before they all heard a beep and a un-clicking of the locks on the doors.
They turned back towards the door and Kang Moo stepped forward and tested the knob and found
that it turned. Kang Moo gestured them to come into the room and they locked the door.

"How did it just unlock like that?" Hanna asked as they all entered the room and found that it was a
large circular room with shelves and shelves of records. Yeong Ro looked around at it all and let
out a breath of disbelief. Kang Moo examined some of the papers that were on the desks and didn't
find much. There were rows of shelves and Yeong Ro walked through the room and they all took
off their masks to finally get a little easier breathing. Yeong Ro went through the rows and noticed
the tabs on the names of the files were in some sort of order.

"Hey... Mr. Lee... do you notice the pattern?" Yeong Ro asked and Kang Moo was looking at a few
other records. Kang Moo and Hanna looked around and realized that the shelves were in
alphabetical order in a zig zag pattern, starting from the back left of the room.

"Yeah I do, so starting from here, if we skip down to here..." Kang Moo went down a couple of
rows and found H, and Yeong Ro and Hanna gathered around to look through that section.

"So if it's going from left to right, but it zig zags, then the name Hong Aera, should be on this side
over here, near the beginning of H since they may include first names," Yeong Ro surmised and
Hanna looked at her position before tracing her finger further along the shelf.

"I think it's a little further here Yeong Ro, since the next letter O, is in the later half of the alphabet,
so I think it should be here," Hanna explained and the three of them started looking. Soon, Kang
Moo found a file resembling the person they were looking for and they all went back out to the big
roundtable that was at the beginning of the room.

"Is this her? Her picture looks about right," Kang Moo opened the file and showed it to Yeong Ro,
who looked at the photo and nodded.

"Yeah that's her, and it says her address here!" Yeong Ro exclaimed and she wrote down the
address on a small piece of paper before slipping it into her coat. Yeong Ro also noticed the
combined file of Eun Yeong-Ung, her younger half brother. Yeong Ro frowned slightly at the sight
as she regretted not being a better older sister regardless, but there was no way she could ever
accomplish that now.

Meanwhile, Soo Ho and his group went down the inclined stairs to the third floor and rushed over
to the room that held the records for their comrades' families and they all stopped in front of the
door. They had come from the sixth floor after disarming the security system that they knew would
be active at night and rushed down to the third floor.

"Ok we tripped the breaker, so this should be unlocked now," Soo Ho nodded at the door and
reached out to the door and attempted to turn it, but it wouldn't budge.

Yeong Ro turned around at the sound of the doorknob rustling and Kang Moo and Hanna leaned
themselves off the table to pay their attention to the doorknob moving.

"Wait... why is the doorknob moving? Is someone trying to get in?" Yeong Ro whispered and they
all stared in horror and anticipation at the door.
 "Comrade Lim, what's wrong?" Cheongya looked at the door and the mechanism around the frame
to find that it was indeed activated. Soo Ho kept trying to unlock the door and he stepped back to
observe the door.

"The door's not opening... it's locked from the inside," Soo Ho surmised and the two girls looked at
him and then the door, "someone must be already inside..." Cheongya and Sui Hui's eyes widened
at the revelation and they both got their guns out to aim at the door. Soo Ho looked at their stances
and then at the door to contemplate something for a moment before reaching into his pocket and
pulling out a lock pick. Soo Ho nodded to both his team members and leaned in to start picking the
lock.

On the inside, Yeong Ro and the others all stared in anticipation but they were also looking around
to see if there was any way to escape. Soon, they heard the sounds of the lock creaking and
clicking and Kang Moo realized what was happening.

"They're trying to pick the lock.... Shit, and we have nowhere to go," Kang Moo reached into his
back pocket to pull out his gun and Yeong Ro noticed Hanna doing the same. However, there was
till something that was very off.

Yeong Ro gazed at the door in fear but in apprehension as it finally clicked what was wrong,
"Wait... there's something off about how they're trying to get in... why are they picking the lock?
Why do I not hear any pounding or demands for us to come out?" Yeong Ro noted aloud and Kang
Moo stilled at her observations.

"That's... totally true," Kang Moo murmured as he blinked at Yeong Ro and looked towards the
door again, but whatever it was on the other side can't be good. It was just them in the middle of
the capital of North Korea, who could possibly be their ally right about now?

Yeong Ro realized they were running out of time before whoever was on the other side would
break into the room. She needed to think of something quick and fast.

"So what do we do?" Hanna asked quietly in a hushed manner and Yeong Ro held out both of her
hands to stop both of them and gestured them to back away from the door.

"We need to hide... right now..." Yeong Ro said lowly and she looked back at the table to find
Hong Aera's record still lying there. Hanna and Kang Moo looked to Yeong Ro, who had a dead
serious look on her face.

"But where? We don't have enough time!" Hanna looked between Yeong Ro and the door, Yeong
Ro bit her lip and there was suddenly a resounding click and all of them looked at the door in
horror knowing that it was finally unlocked. Everyone felt their breaths catching in their throats as
it felt like an eternity just waiting for the door to open.

Soo Ho felt the lock click one final time and he looked back at Cheongya and Sui Hui and they
both nodded at him. Soo Ho slowly turned back towards the door, and let his hand rest on the
doorknob and he felt prepared to face whatever was on the other side of the door. With a deep
breath, Soo Ho turned the knob and opened the door.

Chapter End Notes

Author's Note: I'm so sorry guys, but I am ending it here, this chapter is like 8,000
words. A little warning, I cried writing the beginning scene of the next chapter, so
uhhh get some tissues lol. I definitely tried to streamline this infiltration plot as much
as I could. I noticed that I'm still focusing on Yeong Ro quite a bit because I want to
portray her suffering after the fact in a realistic way. I was very surprised that she
wasn't borderline suicidal by like episode 10, but you know, she has the strength to
carry on! I was listening to The First Snow from the drama's soundtrack while writing
the beginning scene of the next chapter and I used that for maximum crying but I
promise, things will get softer for them. Alright! Until my next chapter guys! I will go
back and fix any grammar after I've taken a break lol.
 Chapter 7: When Flower Petals Fall
Chapter Notes

SnivyLord here! It's the chapter you've been waiting for! If I'm going to be honest, I
feel like near the end, Yeong Ro kinda went out of character just a little bit. Although I
do feel like the confrontation that happens is well deserved for Yeong Ro. I felt like
she needed a good badass moment, or at least a good emotional moment where things
are finally under her control for once. I loved all of your comments and they inspire
me to keep writing. Soo Hoo manages to get everyone out of North Korea, but he can't
help but feel at unease because something else is happening in Pyongyang that will
put Yeong Ro in a very precarious situation.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Soo Ho rested his hand not the doorknob and turned the door open to an empty room and the three
of them stepped in. The tables and desks seemed untouched and well lit by the lamps that were
hung around the room, but the shelves near the back were gradually darker and dimmer as you go
to the back of the room. Cheongya and Sui Hui stepped into the room with their guns raised and
they looked around.

"Oppa what do you think? Do you think there are people in here?" Sui Hui asked and Soo Ho
nodded.

"We disabled the locks, but it was locked from the inside meaning that someone was in here," Soo
Ho explained and gestured with his head back towards the door, "and that door can't be closed
while simultaneously locked at the same time, so we're not alone in here..." Soo Ho took and deep
breath and stepped forward into the room. Cheongya still had her gun out and she looked around
the room for any trace of someone in the room, but at first sight, there was none.

"Well, we still need to look around for the files we're looking for," Cheongya sighed and lowered
her gun and stepped further into the room and they all started migrating towards the back to look
for the files. Unfortunately, that is where our other group was hiding. Yeong Ro, Kang Moo, and
Hanna waited with bated breath as the three of them moved entered the endless rows of the
records. They all hid at the ends of the rows at the sides so the other group wouldn't immediately
see them. They all had their masks on so their faces wouldn't completely known, but that didn't
escape the fact that their odds of making it out without being spotted were very slim, "Just stay on
your guard." Cheongya looked to all of them and the siblings nodded as they went to find the files
they were looking for.

The three that were hiding kept careful watch on the positions of the intruders and Kang Moo and
Hanna were hiding behind neighboring shelves while Yeong Ro was alone on the other side.
Yeong Ro watched as the masked man entered her half of the shelves and she watched as he
looked for a specific file. Now she could see him in a slightly different light, Yeong Ro realized
that this was the same man who was with the group that saved her earlier. It was strange because
she had this sense of relief, but at the same time, something told her that she really shouldn't make
her presence known here. Soo Ho was sifting through the files, but then his peripheral caught a
flash of movement and he looked to his right just in time to find a strand of hair swinging back into
its hiding place. Yeong Ro silently clapped a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes as Soo Ho
looked in the direction of her hiding place and slowly walked in towards the end of the row. Yeong
Ro heard the sounds of his approaching footsteps and she quickly slinked into the other side of the
bookshelf and tried to quietly stalk her way further away from him. Soo Ho rounded the corner to
find there was no one there and he saw the black figure on the other side trying to slink away.

"Aish, I'm going to get caught at this rate..." Yeong Ro silently thought to herself and she took a
look back to find the man catching onto her movements and she turned back ahead just in time to
notice another woman walking down the hallway towards her row. Yeong Ro took a quick glance
at her surroundings and found that the bottom row of the shelves were empty, leaving her enough
space to crawl through. Yeong Ro quickly crouched down and hung her head low so she quickly
squat walk through the empty row without hitting her head and she slipped through to the other
side. Yeong Ro quickly stood up to check to see if the man had caught her and she quickly
crouched again so she slip through another shelf so she was a safer distance away.

"Oppa? What's wrong? Did you see something?" Sui Hui came up to Soo Ho and he had this
contemplative look on his face as he was trying to debate whether he actually saw something or
not.

"Hmmm... I'm pretty sure I saw someone, but it seems they slipped away," Soo Ho looked around
and Sui Hui's faced furrowed into one of concern before smiling reassuredly at her brother and
brandished a file in front of his face.

"Really? Well, I got Eung Cheol-ah's family file, so let's look for the other intruders in here, they
couldn't have gone far if you just missed them," Sui Hui turned back and started looking around
and Soo Ho glanced around at his surroundings and thought about how that person could have
gotten away. Sui Hui came in from the opposite side so that person would have definitely been
seen, but then where did they go? Soo Ho looked down in thought and noticed that the bottom
rows of the shelves were empty, and it clicked in his head.

"So that's how..." Soo Ho murmured and exited the row to turn right in the direction where the
person escaped and Yeong Ro barely had any chance get a handle of her surroundings before she
noticed the sounds of approaching footsteps. This time they were faster and Yeong Ro scrambled
to think of a way to escape and she ducked back in the previous direction, but she stayed crouched
within the shelf and watched as the masked man started approaching her position, but thankfully it
was dim so he wouldn't spot her right away. To think of it, they only helped Yeong Ro because the
soldiers were also swarming around where they were earlier, making their mission difficult. That
was the only reason why? The masked man entered the row to her left and that was the direction of
the exit so Yeong Ro tried to think of a distraction.

"What did I have in my bag again?" Yeong Ro thought to herself and she slowly reached into her
pocket to pull out her tranquilizer gun. Her position was a little bit too awkward to reach for
anything else in her bag but Yeong Ro pointed her gun up to the right and aimed it at a thick folder
of files, "I just need to knock it over... aish.... will this even be enough to knock it over?" Yeong Ro
winced and pulled the trigger and the dart loosened the file, but didn't make it fall. Yeong Ro bit
her lip and pressed her head to the floor in frustration. Yeong Ro quickly aimed and shot the gun
again at the file and it finally tipped and fell over with a pretty loud thud on the other side.

Soo Ho turned his attention in the direction of the sound and he, Sui Hui, and Cheongya gathered
at the direction of the sound. Yeong Ro took the chance to quickly ease her way out of the shelf
and continued to duck and weave under the shelves until she was out at the entrance again. Yeong
Ro looked for another place to hide, staying low and hiding behind desks until she heard a 'psst'
coming from the shelves near the walls and found Kang Moo signaling at her to get behind the
shelf next to him. Yeong Ro nodded and stealthily tiptoed to the shelf and squeezed herself into the
semi tight space between the shelf and the wall.

"Where's Hanna?" Yeong Ro whispered and Kang Moo motioned to the shelf to her left and Yeong
Ro whipped her head around and found Hanna saluting at her with two fingers. Yeong Ro breathed
a sigh of relief and they all waited for those other intruders to leave.

"A file fell?" Cheongya inquired and Soo Ho picked it up and noticed that there was a dart in it, as
if someone deliberately shot at it to make it fall. Sui Hui looked closer at the file and opened it to
find that it was Gyeok Chan's family file.

"Well well! What luck! It's Gyeok chan-ah's family's files! Ok, so now we can get out of here!" Sui
Hui exclaimed happily but there was something odd that Soo Ho couldn't quite place.

"Someone shot at this to make it fall, which makes this a very convenient distraction for that
person to escape," Soo Ho surmised and Cheongya and Sui Hui looked serious at the implication
for a moment but they knew that they really couldn't stay here any longer now that they have both
files. The trio made their way out to the front of the room and the other trio retreated back into
their hiding places. Just as the three of them were about to leave, Soo Hoo stalled behind a little bit
and looked around the room with a thoughtful gaze for a moment before taking a piece of paper on
one of the desks and writing something on it. Sui Hui looked back and stepped closer to take a look
at what he was writing. Her eyes widened at what he wrote and she looked at him as Soo Ho put
the pen down and he turned to look at her.

(Author's Note: Starting from here I wrote this part using the "The First Snow" from the Snowdrop
soundtrack so enjoy!)

"Oppa... this.... were you hoping that you would see her here?" Sui Hui asked and Soo Ho looked at
her with a poignant gaze that betrayed his feelings of worry and concern.

"Sui Hui-ah... I... would be lying if I said that I wouldn't want to see her... my mind is telling me
that I should be glad that she's not here, that's she's safe... but..." Soo Ho sighed and gave a longing
look at the letter that he wrote. Soo Ho tilted his head and reached his hand out to run his fingers
over the letter, "my heart feels so desperate to see her again... to hold her... to kiss her... to tell her
how sorry I am for leaving her alone to suffer..."

Yeong Ro felt her eyes well up with tears because of just how familiar this all sounded. Maybe it
was just her heart wanting to believe it, but this man.... sounded so much like Soo Ho, but there
was no way. This was just her heart playing tricks on her that this man sounded so much like him
that it was driving her insane. It felt like what he was saying was meant for her. Yeong Ro tilted
her head slightly so that she could see them and that was when she finally noticed the green scarf
that he was wearing. Yeong Ro was about to gasp when she felt a tug on her arm to pull her back
into cover and she turned back to Kang Moo, who had a worried look on his face and he held a
finger to his lips to signal her to stay quiet.

"That scarf... there's... no way...." Yeong Ro held her head become heavier with the urge to cry and
she clasped her hands over her mouth to avoid her sobs becoming known.

"I just don't want to be too late.... I want to turn 'what could be' into 'what will be,' because our
story's not done yet.... I want to make things right and live happily with everyone I love," Soo Ho
smiled and there was a surge of hope that went through him that made him want to see things
through to the end as fast as he could. Sui Hui smiled at her brother's determination and looked
between Cheongya and Soo Ho.

"It will happen, and we will set things right I promise," Sui Hui declared seriously and held her
brother's hand and Soo Ho smiled appreciatively at his sister. Maybe it was because all of this hit
too close to home, but Yeong Ro was almost positive that the man was a fulfilling a promise to
someone he loves. Would it have been too much to ask for that someone to be her? Would it have
been to much to ask for that man to be her Soo Ho? That voice made her feel something she hadn't
felt like in such a long time, it felt like she was coming home. Yeong Ro bent over slightly to try to
silence her sobs and Kang Moo could just see how much she was struggling with her pain. The trio
heard Soo Ho's group was about to leave and they heard the door open. Yeong Ro turned her head
to the left to look at the man who was leaving last.

Soo Ho rested his hand on the doorknob once again and looked back into the room, staring
longingly into the space and he spoke once again:

"For the people that are hiding in here, I'm not saying I know you... but please... stay safe... ok?"
Soo Ho asked before giving one last smile before shutting the door behind him. After a couple
more moments, the trio came out of their hiding places and they all looked at the door in shock and
a feeling they couldn't quite describe in their hearts.

Yeong Ro couldn't be bothered to stop her tears at this point, she stared at Kang Moo with a broken
expression and she felt like her lungs could collapse at any second, "You heard that right? Please
tell me I'm not the only one who heard that, Mr. Lee.... please... please tell me that you heard him
too...." Yeong Ro looked between the two of them and Kang Moo just had a look of complete
befuddlement and shock on his face.

Kang Moo took a deep breath and sighed before slowly nodding at Yeong Ro. That voice, it
painfully reminded him of Lim Soo Ho, but he didn't want to believe it either, "I did...."

Yeong Ro looked at him with teary eyes before letting out a harsh exhale and tried to muffle her
sobs with her hands, scrunching her eyes closed hard. Hanna came up beside Yeong Ro and gave
her a comforting side hug, leaning her head onto Yeong Ro's. Kang Moo walked up to the table and
shakily picked up the letter that the man left behind and read it.

"You guys, look at this..." Kang Moo held the letter up for them to read and Yeong Ro let out a sob
as she read the letter:

For those of you that are hiding in here,

I'm sorry if we seemed like we were threats to you, that was not our intention as we had our own
business here. I had a feeling before, but something tells me that you're no enemy of mine. In fact,
this all feel really familiar and if the people I'm thinking about are here, then I hope you make it
out safe and I hope I get to meet you all soon. Regardless, whatever business you have here is
bound to be dangerous and I hope this helps you. There's a secret passage way on the first floor
near the back that leads to the underground beneath the building. Follow the lamps until you reach
a sewer gate and it should take you out to the Taedong River. Stay safe for the people who love
you and don't put yourself in a situation where you have to give yourself up. It's not worth the pain
that comes after, when all you can do is drive yourself insane watching the people you love suffer.
That's why you took on this kind of mission in the first place right? To be confident enough to
come back? If so then best wishes to you wherever you're headed.

"This is... wow..." Hanna scoffed and Yeong Ro felt so nostalgic for these words.... since it felt like
something a specific someone would say. That person would absolutely be capable of saying this
as parting words to someone. Yeong Ro took in shaky breaths to try to calm herself down and she
shook her head.

"There's no way that's him, maybe I just miss him so much that people are even starting to sound
like him," Yeong Ro shook her head and tried to blink her tears away. She held her hand up to her
mouth to wipe away her tears, "I saw him get shot... more than twenty times.... God you can't do
this to me, this isn't fair," Yeong Ro silently sobbed and Kang Moo sighed and folded the letter up
and slipped it into his bag. He had a feeling he should hold on to it.

"Yeong Ro, we have to go, we got what we came here for, we're going to take that secret
passageway out of here and complete our mission," Kang Moo held out his hand to pull her to her
feet and Hanna nodded. Normally, she would be distrustful of such a letter since there's no telling
what might happen. However, the fact that the man stayed behind to say one last thing made her
decide to take that leap of faith.

"Right... we need to go," Yeong Ro sighed and they all exited the room and made their way down
to the first floor. Taking the man's advice, the three of them found a switch in a wall that opened a
stairway into the underground. Following the lamps, they made it out without much trouble and
they continued on their way.

Meanwhile Soo Ho and his team made their way to the families of their fallen comrades and they
found themselves at the home of Eung Cheol's family. His family have lived in the countryside
where there wasn't many guards poking around. If Soo Ho recalled, Gyeok Chan's family lived in
the same place as well. They knocked on the door and soon, a rather docile yet tired woman came
to the door. Soo Ho removed his mask and smiled at the woman, who recognized him
immediately.

"Soo Hyeok-ah? Is that you? What an unexpected surprise, what are you doing here at this hour?"
Eung Cheol's mom asked and Soo Ho nodded and greeted her and he looked around one last time
before ushering them all in.

"Ahjumma, there's something important I have to tell you," Eung Cheol's mom brought them all
into the homely living room and they all sat down on the seating mat.

"Of course what is it? I thought that Eung Cheol and Gyeok Chan were with you," Eung Cheol's
mom wondered aloud and she noticed the grim yet apologetic look on his face? "Soo Hyeok-ah,
what happened?"

Sui Hui made sure to turn off the lights so that no one would notice that the house's lights were on.
Soo Ho sighed and just decided to go right on ahead and say it, "Eung Cheol was... killed since we
had failed our mission in the South..."

His mom gasped and she braced herself on the floor as Sui Hui immediately came over to her side
to prepare to console her. Eung Cheol's mom held her heart and closed her eyes, and only her
gasping sobs could be heard throughout the house.

"Eung Cheol-ah.... How.... How could they just kill him? Then Gyeok Chan-ah as well?" Eung
Cheol's mom and Soo Ho nodded before the mom closed her eyes and swayed on the spot as Sui
Hui steadied her, "Soo Hyeok-ah, how did it happen?"

So Ho nodded and proceeded to explain the gist of the hostage situation and how there was another
veteran North Korean spy within the dorm that was ordered to kill all three of them. Eung Cheol's
mom listened and gasped at how everything escalated so quickly. Soon, Soo Ho's story was done
and Eung Cheol's mom, who was still crying, nodded in understanding.

"Soo Hyeok-ah, you may be their leader, but that wasn't completely your fault. You tried to keep
him alive and bring him back to me. Your sentiment is enough ok? I'm glad that you managed to
miraculously come back alive," Eung Cheol's mom grasped both sides of Soo Ho's face gently and
nodded, giving him a smile of understanding. Soo Ho nodded and let a tear out of his eye and they
returned to serious business.

"Ahjumma, you're not going to be safe here, we need to get you out of here," Soo Ho explained and
her eyes widened at the implication.

"You mean... fleeing the country?" Eung Cheol's mom asked and all of them nodded at her.
Cheongya proceeded to explain that they have to money to help her settle comfortably and they
wanted to get their comrades' families out of North Korea. Eung Cheol's mom nodded in
understanding.

"My son... always put his faith in you... and I know that even now, he would still trust you with his
life. So I will too, let me get my things and we can head over to Gyeok Chan's family home," Eung
Cheol's mom slowly stood up and Sui Hui insisted on helping her get her things, which the mom
appreciated, "Thank you so much dear, sometimes I wish I had a daughter like you," Sui Hui let out
a laugh before proceeded to help her with her things.

Soon, the group left the home in the dead of night and they made their way to Gyeok Chan's house
to deliver the news to them as well. Gyeok Chan's father was a retired veteran with a temper and
his mom was a passionate and soothing person to be around. Eung Cheol's mom and Soo Ho broke
the news to them and their reactions were pretty much to be expected.

"That can't be... our sweet Gyeok Chan is dead?"

"Sweet? Really?"

"Sui Hui...."

"Ahem... sorry..."

"So that idiot really went and got himself killed? Aish I told him not to break his mother's heart and
looked what happened!"

"Ahjusshi, are you crying?"

"No! Of course not, my only son is dead, why would I be... ah damn it!"

"It's ok Honey, it's going to be okay..."

After Soo Ho explained to them what happened, the group went on their way to the rendezvous
after they realized that none of them were no longer safe here. It was a long and tiring journey, but
they all said together to the end. Soo Ho made sure to take care of them and Gyeok Chan's father
didn't mind also helping him and Cheongya lead the way as well. Meanwhile, things were about to
get a little dicier for our other group. Yeong Ro and the others managed to find the address for
Hong Aera's hiding place in Pyongyang and she wasn't surprised to see that it was a pretty well off
household. Yeong Ro walked up to the door with Kang Moo and Hanna and sighed.

"Of course she used the money she stole to get a place like this... what did I expect?" Yeong Ro
muttered and felt herself hesitate to knock not the door. The lights were still on in the house, but
what could Hong Aera be doing at this hour?

"Are you ready?" Kang Moo asked and Yeong Ro nodded before finally knocking on the door
several times and then, after a moment, the door opened to reveal an irritated Hong Aera.

"Who in the world is knocking at this hour? Wait... who are you people?" Aera asked and even
now, she still had that irritated look of privilege on her face. The woman literally defected to North
Korea and still looks like she deserves this place. Yeong Ro felt a surge of anger go through her
and she immediately lifted her gun at her, to which Aera paled at the sight of the gun.

"Step inside..." Yeong Ro said curtly and Aera gasped, but not in shock, it was still dripping in
privilege. Both Kang Moo and Hanna looked at Yeong Ro in shock, but they stayed silent for the
sake of the fact that Yeong Ro wanted to handle this herself.

"Ha! Who do you think you-" Aera was about to say but Yeong Ro cocked the gun and tilted her
head at her ex-stepmother.

"I won't ask again... step inside now," Yeong Ro took one step closer until the barrel of the gun
was almost touching her face and Aera slowly backed herself inside with the all three of them
follow her in. Of course, the gun was a tranquilizer gun, but Yeong Ro wasn't going to mention
that. All four of them went into the house and they all entered the living room. Once everyone was
inside, Yeong Ro removed her mask and Aera gasped at the reveal and then Kang Moo and Hanna
removed their masks as well. Aera looked at all of them in shock and then turned her attention to
Yeong Ro.

(Author's Note: For this scene, I honestly just listened to track "Hopeless" over and over from the
Snowdrop soundtrack to get the feeling right lol. Hope you enjoy!)

"Eun Yeong Ro?! How... how are you here? You do realize you're in North Korea right?" Aera
looked genuinely shocked to see Yeong Ro, but there was still an air of 'holier than thou' about her.
It was like she was convinced that she could come out of this unscathed, however Yeong Ro wasn't
about to let that happen.

"I should be asking you the same question, you fled to North Korea after the end of the hostage
situation all because you became the ex-wife of a failed politician of a dictatorship," Yeong Ro
replied calmly and kept the gun trained on Aera, who scoffed and folded her arms, scrutinizing
Yeong Ro.

"How hypocritical... what about you then? Wouldn't that make you the daughter of a failed
politician of a dictatorship?" Aera raised an eyebrow at Yeong Ro and the girl scoffed as she
lowered gun slightly and pressed her lips into a thin smile.

"Hmph, that title always meant more to you than it did to me. You flaunted your title as the wife of
the ANSP director every chance you got while I hid that fact from every single one of my friends.
The only hypocrite is you," Yeong Ro replied back calmly and Aera felt miffed by this girl's
arrogance that hasn't changed since the last time they talked.

"That annoying arrogance of yours hasn't changed.... you keep attacking me like this and blaming
me for everything that went wrong in your life. It was the same case with your mother as well,"
Aera scoffed and her posture changed to that of someone who wasn't even afraid of the fact that
Yeong Ro was armed. Yeong Ro felt a small wave of cold blood wash over her at the mention of
her mother.

"You-" Yeong Ro was about to say but Aera cut her off.

"And you came all the way here to North Korea to get revenge on me? Just how petty are you?"
Aera let out an airy condescending laugh and Yeong Ro felt as if the nerves throughout her body
were starting to snap. The urge to shut this woman up was starting to get to her. Kang Moo and
Hanna looked worriedly at Yeong Ro because the slight tremble in her figure told them that she
was slowly getting furious.
Yeong Ro let out a quiet scoff and lowered her gun completely, "Petty? I heard from the
housekeeper of my family's estate that during the hostage situation, you were practically begging
for people to die and you didn't even let my father grieve Yeong U-oppa's death properly just so
that you could play a part in gaslighting my father to blow up all of my friends... when you hear all
of that out loud, does any of that make sense to you?!" Yeong Ro raised her voice and she was
almost shaking in anger as she looked at Aera for an answer. Aera seemed to be thinking
thoughtfully about what Yeong Ro had just said.

"You know... I almost would have succeeded too if it wasn't for the fact that you fell in love with a
North Korean spy and you all," Aera gestured to Kang Moo and Hanna, "tried so hard to save all of
the hostages, it honestly made my job so much harder," Kang Moo and Hanna couldn't believe
what they were hearing. This woman actually wanted those innocent kids to die inside the dorm?
For the sake of power? "As for your brother Yeong Ro, your father was so devastated by his death
although I'm not really sure why he would be since your brother was such a rebellious activist and
disobedient brat that had to be sent off to the military," Aera smiled sickeningly at Yeong Ro and
Yeong Ro felt like all she could see was red and her heart being burned alive by a rage that would
never fade.

Aera laughed before looking at Yeong Ro one last time to push her buttons, "He really was a pain
in the neck."

Before Aera could do anything else, Yeong Ro walked up to Aera, raised her hand with the gun,
and smacked Aera hard across the face and sent her stumbling back into a living room chair. Aera
yelped out in pain as she held her face and tried to look up at Yeong Ro through the throbbing
pain. Kang Moo and Hanna looked at Yeong Ro in shock, not expecting her to go that far.

"Don't you DARE," Yeong Ro emphasized on the word, "talk about my beloved brother that way!"
Yeong Ro yelled through sharp and uneven breaths and her face hardened as she continued to stare
at Aera's hateful face, "My father was devastated because Yeong U-oppa was a good person! My
brother was kind! Caring! And had a heart big enough to give love to anyone he met..." Yeong Ro's
voice broke at the end of that line and tears fell down her face at this desecration of her brother's
memory, "face it, you're just bitter because my father cared more about us than he ever did about
you." Yeong Ro spat out with as much hatred and venom as she could and that seemed to have
struck a nerve within Aera who looked at Yeong Ro with just as much hatred.

Kang Moo noticed that she seemed to be reaching into the sofa seat and all of a sudden, Aera
pulled out a gun from the seat and brandished it at Yeong Ro. At the same time, Kang Moo pulled
out his actual gun from his holster and pointed it at Aera. Hanna seemed to have noticed the same
thing as well and pulled out her gun as well. Yeong Ro barely flinched and only her eyes slightly
widened at the sight of the gun before looking at Aera with a contemplative expression.

"You really have a penchant for running your mouth do you? You little wench," Aera kept the gun
trained on Yeong Ro, who was solemn and kept watching Aera, "I want you all to get out of my
house or else I will shoot you Yeong Ro."

"I imagine... that this is what you felt towards my brother," Yeong Ro said slowly and sighed, "you
want to kill me so badly? Then go ahead then... shoot." Yeong Ro said calmly and Aera merely
sneered at the girl. Kang Moo didn't exactly know what Yeong Ro's plan is starting from here but
he hopes that she has something.

"You don't think I can? You make one move and I will kill you and you can join your brother,"
Aera threatened Yeong Ro, who had a thoughtful look on her face.

"The offer's tempting... I've considered joining my brother myself many times. However, if you do
shoot me, you will most likely die here as well, leaving Yeong-Ung behind. You'll be dying as a
murderer as well as a failure for a mother," Yeong Ro laid down the facts to Aera, who seemed
appalled by Yeong Ro's insinuation that she was a failure.

"A failure of a mother? Do you even realize where you're standing right now?" Aera challenged
Yeong Ro and they were standing in a well off household. Being able to provide for your child is
only half of the job after all.

"You're a failure because you'll have nothing to teach Yeong-Ung besides being a manipulative,
self-conceited liar who's willing to kill people to get their way," Yeong Ro challenged back and
Aera let out a sound of indignation which indicated that she was thoroughly insulted by Yeong
Ro's words. Hanna felt herself smile knowingly because this is the exact kind of clapback she uses
on a day to day basis against her own superiors.

"Then I will take you with me then," Aera hugged through gritted teeth and she cocked the gun.
Yeong Ro looked at the gun expectantly and Aera was about to pull the trigger with Kang Moo
and Hanna ready on the draw. Yeong Ro trusted them and one way or another, this has to end.

Soo Ho was leading his group into an escape boat on the shore and he was about to board until he
had a bad nagging feeling in his stomach. He looked back in the direction of Pyongyang and Soo
Ho noticed that whenever he has this bad feeling, his thoughts immediately go to Yeong Ro. Was
she ok? Hopefully nothing bad happened and that she was safe and sound. It felt like his senses
with tingling and the hairs on the back of his neck were raised. Something was wrong, very wrong,
and it was about to get worse. However, Soo Hoo didn't have time to think much about it before he
jumped onto the boat with Sui Hui and Cheongya and they sailed off.

Right when Aera was about to pull the trigger, a voice cut through the tense atmosphere.

"Eomma! What are you doing?" A little boy came out and came between then, looking fearfully at
the guns. Aera was momentarily distracted and look between the boy and the trio with concern.
Yeong Ro looked at the little boy who came up to them curiously and she suddenly had an idea.
She had never done this before, but now's a better time than ever since Yeong Ro was used to this
by now.

"Yeong Ung-ah, it's not safe here why don't you-," Aera was about to say but Yeong Ro cut in.

"I'm sorry Yeong Ung-ah, but I'm going to have to use you for a little bit," Yeong Ro apologized
quickly before lunging out to take the boy's arm and putting him in a light chokehold before
pointing the gun at his head.

"Yeong Ung-ah!" Aera yelled and she lifted her gun again to shoot Yeong Ro, Yeong Ro pressed
the barrel harder into the boy's temple, making him wince in slight pain. Kang Moo honestly
couldn't believe his eyes at what Yeong Ro was doing. She was willingly taking a child hostage.
Aera stopped her movements and Yeong Ro leaned down so she could whisper into the boy's ear.

"This will just take a moment, don't worry, I don't want to hurt you," Yeong Ro whispered and the
boy fearfully turned his head to look at her but then he realized who she was. They actually have
met a couple times before but they were very few and far in between.

"Noona..." Yeong-Ung gasped before turning back to face his mother, shocked that he would end
up seeing his older sister in this manner.

"You know, I'm just about getting sick and tired of people pointing a gun at me thinking that they
have the power to decide life and death for somebody," Yeong Ro snapped and looked angrily at
Aera, guns still drawn and the atmosphere dialed up to an 11, "we'll see if you can still make the
same threat this time..." Yeong Ro said calmly and Aera looked like she was going to burst at any
moment since she was getting progressively irritated.

"Let go of him! Yeong Ro! I am warning you!" Aera almost screamed and Yeong Ro held her little
brother in a slightly tighter choke hold and then loosened the gun against his head.

"I'm going to ask you this one time, where did you put my father's stolen money?" Yeong Ro asked
carefully and Aera grit her teeth and Yeong Ro noticed her fingers moving towards the trigger.
Yeong Ro then pressed the gun harder against Yeong-Ung's head again, who fearfully shook his
head at his mom.

"You think I'm going to give his money to you?! As if!" Aera shot back and Yeong Ro narrowed
her eyes at her ex-stepmother. Yeong-Ung felt himself despair that that would be the first response
his mother would say when he's in danger.

"Are you seriously putting that money over your son's life?! If so, then I hope that money's going to
be worth it then," Yeong Ro frowned at Aera and her finger moved towards the trigger. Aera
noticed and she felt the urge to shoot, but the presence of Kang Moo and Hanna's guns on her and
their lightning fast reflexes stopped her.

"Wait... wait! Ok! I'll.... tell you the location of where I put your father's money," Aera relented and
Yeong Ro felt a sense of distrust at that statement and kept her gun trained on Yeong-Ung. Kang
Moo stepped forward and asked her:

"Then where is it then?" Kang Moo asked.

"Just follow me and I'll open the vault for you," Aera sighed a breath of defeat and lowered her
gun. Kang Moo gestured for her to give him the gun and she looked hatefully at him for a moment
before handing it over. Yeong Ro lowered the gun from her little brother's head and Aera gestured
for Kang Moo to follow, "You can follow me, the rest of you just stay here."

"No we're coming with you, because we don't trust you," Hanna felt like it was a bad idea just
leaving Kang Moo alone with this woman and Yeong Ro looked at her and agreed because she
didn't trust her either.

The group followed her to the back of the house to a grandfather clock. Aera opened the glass
casing that held the clock and moved the clock hands in several different rotations, the hands
pointing at different times. After a while, they all heard something click behind the clock and Aera
moved the clock and it opened like a door to a vault.

"Mr. Lee if you could just help me to unlock this," Aera asked quickly and both of them together
turned the vault door open and inside was the entire stash of money she had. Yeong Ro looked
inside with her little brother and saw bars of gold and piles of cash inside. This was definitely the
money Aera took from her father's safe along with a few extra piles that she probably got when she
was here.

Yeong Ro sighed when she looked at all the money Aera had stolen. It wasn't that she was proud to
be taking all of this back, but she had to do it because this was simply a means to an end. Yeong Ro
had to help everyone who was working at their estate since they were going to be out of a job
without this money to pay them.

"We're going to confiscate the amount you stole, not your entire stash if you're worried about us
taking everything," Yeong Ro looked back at Aera and she merely glared at Yeong Ro and Hanna
continued to watch her as Kang Moo and Yeong Ro got out a bag and started collecting the money
and gold bars. Yeong Ro had calculated the amount that was missing from the vault and made sure
to get that amount exactly before leaving with Kang Moo. What they didn't notice was that Aera
got another gun that was hidden inside the vault when she went inside with them. Hanna was
walked beside Aera and the others were walking ahead. Watching so that Hanna doesn't notice,
Aera quickly brandished the gun and aimed it at Yeong Ro. All of them heard the cock of the gun
and they all turned around just in time.

"Eomma! No!" Yeong-Ung yelled as Yeong Ro immediately spun him around and shielded him.
Hanna immediately grappled with the woman, but she already pulled the trigger. Luckily, Hanna
moved her arm so the bullet missed them and the two woman struggled for a moment before
Hanna overpowered her and Kang Moo lifted his gun in that moment and shot Aera. There was a
shout of pain before the woman fell to the floor and Yeong Ro and Yeong Ung looked back in
horror. Hanna gasped before realizing Kang Moo shot her with the tranquilizer and Yeong Ro and
Yeong Ung stepped up slowly to her, "Eomma! What did you do to her!?"

"She's asleep, this is just a gun to put people to sleep," Kang Moo explained to Yeong Ung, who
breathed a sigh of relief and knelt down beside his mom. Yeong Ro looked at the scene without
that much emotion, but she did feel sorry for the boy. It wasn't fair that he was dragged in between
their issues.

"Yeong Ung-ah, I'm really sorry about what happened, you don't deserve this," Yeong Ro sighed
and crouched down beside him while he was crying.

"It's scary here.... scarier here than the South... there are so many people threatening us with guns
and other things Noona... could... could I possibly go back with you?" Yeong Ung asked softly and
Yeong Ro's eyes widened at the question. The other two agents were surprised as well at the
question and the two siblings looked at each other.

"I... I don't know if we can, it's very dangerous and even though your mom... isn't a perfect person,
she's still your mom," Yeong Ro explained and Yeong Ung sighed and sat back on his haunches
and lowered his head into his arms, "And it's not your fault at all..." Yeong Ro smiled a weak smile
at Yeong Ung.

"I'll help out around our old house! And I like everyone there since the housekeepers are really
nice! It always feels like we're being watched and locked up here," Yeong Ung said hopefully with
a tinge of sadness and Yeong Ro knew that even though the situation in the North was bad, Yeong
Ro still had doubts because she won't be able to take care of him as well one other thing that was
on her mind as well.

"I know, but if we try to go back and something goes wrong, you'll be in danger. And if I'm being
honest, I don't know whether I'll be trying to vicariously feel my older brother through you if I try
to take care of you," Yeong Ro explained sadly and Kang Moo felt that statement hit him
somewhere deep within his heart. They both felt bad for her at that moment, Yeong Ro was trying
so hard to grasp into the memories of the people and things that made her happy. However, she
won't take it even when those people need her, because Yeong Ro is constantly at war between
believing reality and memories. At this point, she wouldn't even know what would help her heal
anymore. There were only two people Yeong Ro needed in her life: Soo Ho and Yeong U, and she
lost them both, "and that's not fair to you..."

"What does... vicariously mean?" Yeong Ung tried to sound out the word and Yeong Ro cracked a
small smile.

"It means I don't know if I'm trying to use you to replace my older brother who passed away very
 recently," Yeong Ro explained softly and Yeong Ung nodded in understanding.

"I... I don't think anyone can replace Oppa.... but I do get what you mean... you... can take the
money Eomma took from Abeoji... just stay safe ok?" Yeong Ung reminded Yeong Ro and he
leaned to give her a small hug, wrapping his small arms around her. Yeong Ro nodded and hugged
him back while silently crying.

"I'm so sorry..." Yeong Ro whispered into his small shoulder and Yeong Ung nuzzled into her
shoulder lightly before pulling away.

"It's ok, this must have been important if you had to come all the way here... but we will meet
again right?" Yeong Ung asked and Yeong Ro felt herself freeze slightly at the crossroads that
approached on her without warning. A promise... to meet again... Can she really make that
promise? Yeong Ro had resolved to believe that making a promise even in impossible
circumstances means that you would essentially be lying. She knew that.... Soo Ho knew that, but
it just occurred to her that there were two instances where that promise was fulfilled to a degree.
The first was when Soo Ho came back for the last time to save her and to see her again when they
had already went their separate ways. The second was when that man who reminded her strongly of
Soo Ho and his group came into the records room, his scarf, the conversation that followed, and
his letter. Yeong Ro felt like it was a sign, a very cruel sign, but a sign nonetheless.

Yeong Ro ultimately decided to take a leap of faith herself, "Yes... Yeong Ung-ah... we will meet
again..." Yeong Ro smiled at her little brother and that response was good enough for him. Hanna
leaned down to take the dart out of Aera and they carried her to the sofa in the living room. After
that was done, Yeong Ro and her squad left to go back to the rendezvous point to head back to
South Korea. Yeong Ro looked back from the door to look at her younger half brother one last
time, who nodded and waved at her to go. With a small smile, Yeong Ro left with a new hope
within her heart. Whether that hope made her believe that Soo Ho was somehow still with her, only
time will tell. However for now, she did believe in the slim possibility that she could be happy
again.

Chapter End Notes

Author's Note: And that's the end of this chapter! It was definitely intense for sure and
I do want to say that I appreciate all of you who are looking forward to how Soo Ho
and Yeong Ro will meet again. The next two chapters I have planned are pretty
emotional and it will definitely showcase how much Yeong Ro loves Soo Ho. I will
say thought that this chapter did end up being a little longer than I thought because I
just kept having ideas to expand scenes and I just went with it. I really hope this turned
out well. Anyway! I wanted to build Yeong Ro's belief in hope again since that's what
it's all about right? Since a snowdrop is a flower of hope. I also wanted to showcase
just how much Yeong Ro loves and cares about her brother and how he affects her
relationship with other people. That's enough from me, and I will see y'all next time
after I go back and fix any grammar lol.
 Chapter 8: When The Flower Blooms Tall To The Yearning Sun
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hey y'all welcome to the longest chapter I have ever written for this
fanfic. I wanted to make up for being absent and you guys have an extra long chapter
to enjoy. I definitely found this chapter to be really emotional and I will say the end is
coming soon! They're going to meet again soon... in about 2-3 chapters. This chapter
focuses on Soo Ho's perspective and story line a bit more but I decided to write
something a little more fun for this chapter. You'll see once you read it. Alright guys!
Enjoy! This chapter is around 15,500 words or so, so I will mostly likely cut things
down back to the original average length lol. I enjoyed all of your comments from the
last chapter and yeah I will say that I kinda projected on Yeong Ro in the last chapter
and that's why she was a bit out of character, but she's back to her normal grieving
emotional self in this one.

In the face of adversity, a flower must bloom tall in order for everyone to see the beauty, the grace,
and the perseverance of the flower. There are many who may try to shame the flower for its color,
its petals, or even what it represents, but that's all up to interpretation. A snowdrop, along with
every other flower knows its own bloom, the petals it forms, and the color it chooses to be.
Sometimes, a flower must bloom tall in order to prove that its story is real and its growth is real.
Encouraged by her love for Soo Ho, Yeong Ro does exactly that.

Back at the university, things were starting to get a little more exciting and hectic since things were
starting to come back to normal. Yeong Ro came back with Kang Moo and Hanna, but she didn't
mention where she went exactly to her friends. Hye Ryeong was gathering her things in her room in
order to wash up when she noticed a pile of papers on the table. Stepping closer, Hye Ryeong
examined the papers and found that they were lyrics accompanied by music sheets for the melody.

"Huh, did Yeong Ro write this?" Hye Ryeong recognized her writing and read the lyrics. In
retrospect, she probably shouldn't have read this because this is something personal of Yeong Ro's,
but to be fair, she did leave this out in the open, "she wrote a song? Friend..." Hye Ryeong read the
music sheets and the name of the song. Then, she sang the melody out loud in an operatic tone.
Hye Ryeong glanced over the lyrics and then she realized who this song was for. Her eyes softened
and Hye Ryeong put the papers back on the table and smiled knowingly.

"The melody is actually pretty nice," Hye Ryeong hummed the melody to herself before leaving
the room to join the others.

Kang Moo, Hanna, and Ms. Pi were called for a meeting at the JBC news station to discuss the
public opinion of the Hosu Women's University and the whole hostage situation. To be frank,
people were still very confused by what the heck was going on during the hostage situation that
warranted the use of a tank in order to take out "seven" spies. The trio had already cleared up the
fact that it was three and not seven since the other 4 were already captured or killed. However, it
did require a little bit more pushback in order to convince the network executives that the previous
government ended up holding everyone in the dorm hostage, including the spies. Everyone was
convinced that the ANSP did try to save the students in the dorm and they managed to get out the
remaining students. It was an underhanded use of propaganda because it was Hanna who had saved
them, and she was still technically an ANSP agent, a rogue one, but an ANSP agent nonetheless.
Even though Hanna cleared that up and they all tried to convince the network executives that they
were acting of their own volition for the people inside the dorm regardless of affiliation, they
wouldn't have it.

"Then what in the world do you want us to say?! We already explained to you what happened, why
in the world do you want to frame it as if the ANSP are the heroes when the new Democratic
power already won?" Hanna looked tiredly at all the network executives with a tinge of annoyance.
Kang Moo sighed into his clenched hands and lifted his head up to talk to them.

"If you won't believe our words about what happened, then what do you suppose we do in order to
clear up the public opinion?" Kang Moo asked and everyone thought about ti for a moment before
Ms. Pi had an idea.

"Why don't we have the students tell the story then?" Ms. Pi said to them as a matter of factly and
everyone looked at her with this expression of revelation, "we can have a special documentary
about the university hostage situation and interview the students on their perspectives."

"A documentary? That's a great idea!" One network executive exclaimed as they started to write
notes about what the documentary could encompass. Kang Moo and Hanna looked at Ms. Pi with
an appreciative smile and she nodded back to them with a small smile of her own.

"But it can't be a dry documentary, it needs to have something special! A central theme of sorts,"
One of the other network executives exclaimed and everyone thought about what could be the core
of the documentary. Kang Moo thought about it and asked himself, what was the most prevalent
thing about the hostage situation other than the political upheaval? What was the core of the
hostage situation? What reasons drove the hostage situation to happen? Suddenly a smile came
onto Kang Moo's face as he thought about the two people that made the core of the hostage
situation: the love story of Lim Soo Ho and Eun Yeong Ro.

"I think I have an idea," Kang Moo looked to his fellow former agents with a smile and they all
looked at him with confused looks.

Meanwhile, Cheongya and Soo Ho were leading the operation to save their fallen comrades'
families in Japan. Luckily, Cheongya is half Japanese so with her as a guide, it really shouldn't be a
problem. The group had made it to Japan and they were meeting up with Cheongya's contact who
knew how to change identities. Walking through the streets of Kyoto, Soo Ho looked around and
he couldn't shake off an unsettling feeling. Sui Hui noticed this and walked closer to her brother to
whisper discreetly.

"Oppa... what's wrong?" Sui Hui asked as she kept an eye on the parents, they passed many
different unique and oriental buildings. They all sold different things and people were calling out
what they were selling. Soo Ho looked around and his gaze went over several different people and
he looked ahead at the path that they were taking to the hideout Cheongya had.

"I feel like we're being watched, I've had an uneasy feeling ever since we left Pyongyang," Soo Ho
voiced his concern to Sui Hui, who nodded and agreed with him.

"I do feel like we came out of that a little too easily, perhaps there are people waiting to see where
we would go," Sui Hui looked around and looked cautiously at all the people that were bustling
and hustling through the streets. Soo Ho nodded and pulled ahead so he could take to Cheongya.

"Comrade Kang, I think we're being watched, we need to get to your contact as quickly as
possible," Soo Ho murmured into her ear and her eyes widened slightly at the implication and she
nodded. Turning her head slightly to the other members of the group to relay to them Soo Ho's
observation.

"Everyone, we need to move faster, there's a chance we're being watched. There's a quick path
through downtown to our rendezvous point, if we go up this hill here," Cheongya handed the map
to all of them and there was a scenic path way that went alongside a lake up to a Shinto temple.
Through there, they can cut back through the sakura gardens back to the upper district of Kyoto.
Cheongya pointed out the route and they all nodded before they proceeded to weave through the
crowds to cut into an alleyway to get out to the lakeside. The clamor died away and they weaved
through the alleyways to get out to the lakeside.

"Wow! It's so pretty!" Sui Hui exclaimed as they made their way to the lakeside path and the path
was line with cherry blossom trees and red Shinto gates leading up the temple. The other women
gathered around the lakeside and Soo Ho and Cheongya stopped a moment to admire the tranquil
and serene beauty of the lake and gentle sakura petals falling to the water, "You know, if we
weren't on an extremely dangerous mission right now, I would really appreciate this better," Sui
Hui sighed and the two moms agreed before Gyeok Chan's father urged them to keep moving and
the group fast walked up the path to the temple. The group made their way up the hillside on the
path, passing by a couple of passerby and they reached the temple at the top of the hill overlooking
the lake. They entered the courtyard for the temple and Cheongya looked at her map again and
gestured them to head to the series of temples on the left. Cheongya spotted the temple that they
needed to go to and they walked up the steps that were lined with Shinto gates to the entrance of
the temple. There were no doors so they could see the worship space inside.

"I always heard that Shintoism was a religion that consisted of so many different gods, but these
statues so intricate and interesting," Sui Hui pointed out to Cheongya as they all stepped inside to
find different statues of animals lined along the walls, each with plates of offerings on their table.
At the back of the room at the center was a grand statue of a woman dressed in golden clothing
with an encompassing sun ornament behind her head as if she was shining. By her side was a silver
statue of a wolf, "Ah! I feel like such a tourist! Right? Oppa?" Sui Hui asked her older brother, who
stopped tensing for a moment to appreciate the temple with her.

"Yeah it's all really exotic," Soo Ho cracked a smile at his sister's curiosity and a shrine maiden
who was praying to the statues finally noticed them and lifted herself out of her praying position to
talk to them. Cheongya nodded at them to wait and spoke with the shrine maiden for a few
moments. Soo Ho and Sui Hui taking note of the way Cheongya was speaking to her in Japanese
and the shrine maiden looked past her for a moment to look at them. Then, the shrine maiden
walked past them to take a look outside to see if there were any visitors. Afterwards, the shrine
maiden walked back and reached behind the altar that housed the statue of the sun goddess to take
out an ornate shield, "A shield?" Soo Ho wondered and the shrine maiden placed the shield into a
slot on the wolf statue's back and turned it clockwise, fitting it into place. Then a sound could be
heard behind the altar and the shrine maiden guided all of them to the back to reveal that a secret
passageway had opened. Everyone looked at it in amazement as Cheongya thanked the maiden and
gestured all of them to go into it. It was a passageway that led into the mountain and it eventually
led to what would be the back of a travel company store in the middle of downtown. A Korean
Japanese man was waiting for them and he beckoned them inside to the back room of the agency.

"So each of you want to have new identities in order to escape to South Korea, is that right?" The
man asked and all of them looked at each other and nodded. The man looked at them before
looking around a few files in the room and brought out application forms for everyone, "you will
all need new names and a form of contact in the place you're escaping to so that we can set up a
place for you to stay before you all can find a permanent residence." All of them nodded and
understood as they all were given pens and they got to work to filling out their applications. Sui
Hui looked over at her brother's application, curious to see what he was putting down.

"You're going back to your original name? Ri Tae-san?" Sui Hui asked and Soo Ho nodded as he
continued to write down the reason for his identity change.

"Mmm... I figured I might as well use my birth name, but I'll still keep the name Soo Ho like a
nickname since I've had it for as long as I remember," Soo Ho explained and Sui Hui hummed in
acknowledgment, going back to fill out her own papers. Sui Hui showed her papers to her brother
and Soo Ho looked over to see that she changed her name back to Ri Tae-hee, "you're using your
birth name as well?"

"You and I had the same idea because great minds think alike," Sui Hui smirked at her brother and
Soo Ho nodded before he looked over at Cheongya, who was pacing around the room while
periodically filling out her papers.

"Comrade Kang, where are you going to escape to since I remember you said that you wouldn't
come to South Korea until things have settled down," Soo Ho recalled and Cheongya walked over
to them and sat on top of the cabinet next to him before handing him her file and crossing her legs.
Soo Ho looked curiously at her file and found that she changed her name back to Kim Eun-hye and
that she was moving to either Austria or the U.S. "Austria or the States?"

"It really depends, I'm leaning more towards Austria since the U.S. is pretty strict on security and I
can't go to Switzerland either since they're looking for me for that whole stealing 300 million won
incident," Cheongya murmured tiredly and Soo Ho bit his lip and cocked his head slightly because
she did have a point.

After a while of filling out the information for their emigration, Soo Ho and the others started
hearing a commotion from the front and there was screaming. Soo Ho, Sui Hui, Cheongya, and
their contact came out to the front with guns at the ready to come face to face with someone they
didn't think they would be seeing. Soo Ho came out to encounter a squadron of soldiers whose
uniforms he recognized and Sui Hui gasped as she recognized them as North Korean soldiers.
There were a few bodies strewn about the ground and there were people running outside. In the
center was someone who he was hoping not to see but at the same time, Soo Ho knew he had to
confront sooner or later. The stern and uncompromising woman stood at the center and she
narrowed her eyes at Soo Ho.

"You.... Choi Suryeon..." Soo Ho grit his teeth and Cheongya let out a small gasp as she looked
between the two of them. She never believed the fact that there was nothing between these two,
there had to be a reason why he had reacted that way to hearing that name. Right here right now...
she was about to find out why.

"Lim Soo Ho... or should I say... Ri Tae-san?" Suryeon's lips curved slightly upwards in a
malicious smile and Soo Ho felt a mix of fear as well as anger because of a variety of things. The
fact that it was his mother who came all the way here to kill him as well as the fact that it was his
mother of all people who led this operation. Cheongya looked at Soo Ho, who had a deadly serious
expression on his face and it hadn't connected how the Vice President knew his real name, "So
this... is where my son was hiding..." Cheongya let that sink in for a moment before looking
incredulously at Soo Ho.

"Soo Ho... is Choi Suryeon's son? Then that would mean..." Cheongya looked at Sui Hui who still
had her gun raised and the expression on her face was one of an emotional fury as she looked at her
mother. Cheongya looked between the three family members and she felt her heart sink, "Oh no..."
Yeong Ro sat atop the mountaintop where both her mother and brother were laid to rest and she
just needed to get away for some time to think. Ms. Pi and Kang Moo had announced to the
university that they were going to do a special documentary on the recent hostage situation and
everyone had rather mixed feelings about it, especially Yeong Ro. They want to use this
documentary in order to clear up some misconceptions about the hostage situation and yet there
was something about it that made Yeong Ro so opposed to it. Perhaps it was because the love
story between her and Soo Ho would be at the center of it all and that was why she was scared. Just
looking out over the mountain range made her feel at peace, the mist that swirled over the
mountains was so crisp and soothing that Yeong Ro felt like she really could sit here forever,
breathing it all in. Suddenly, she heard a pair of footsteps and she looked right to find someone
surprising: her older brother Yeong U.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Yeong U asked as he sat down on the other side of their mother's
grave and smiled at her. Yeong Ro blinked for a moment before quickly looking left to remember
that her brother's grave was literally next to her. Yeong U wasn't wearing his military outfit, but he
was wearing a white polo shirt and a gray cardigan along with beige slacks.

"You came... I didn't think it would feel this nice just to imagine you sitting next to me," Yeong Ro
smiled gratefully at her brother, who reached over to bump her shoulder with a smile. She could
see the gesture, but she couldn't feel it.

"Of course I would make time for you, you're the one that went to visit Mom without me," Yeong
U pouted at her causing her to giggle slightly before she noticed his bright expression turned softer
and slightly more serious, "if it's that nice to imagine me, then I'll stay as long as you want.
However, I can tell that there's something else going on with you."

Yeong Ro looked at him with a small but knowing smile because her brother could see right
through her, "Yeah actually... I needed some advice because my university is planning on doing a
documentary about the hostage situation that I was recently in..." Yeong Ro looked to her right
again to find a baffled expression on her brother's face. Safe to say, Yeong Ro didn't exactly have
the best reaction to that idea, especially when Kang Moo told her that the central theme would be
her and Soo Ho. The expression on her brother's face was the exact same one she had. However,
she had told them that she needed space to think about things and that's when she found herself
here at her family's gravesite. Everyone else didn't need much convincing to join this project but
there was just a different level of exposure that no one considered.

"You were in a hostage situation?! When I went to visit you last time, everything was fine! How
did that even happen?" Yeong U exclaimed and Yeong Ro winced at his words before looking
guiltily at her brother and he immediately knew what that expression meant, "What did you do this
time?"

"It's a long story ok? Could you just pretend to know all of that so I can get to what the problem
is?" Yeong Ro begged her brother, who thought about it thoughtfully and smirked nonchalantly at
her.

"I mean I can... you're remembering me as someone who didn't know all of this because I didn't.
However, if you want me to, yeah I can if it will make things easier," Yeong U reassured her and
Yeong Ro sighed before thanking him.

"Thank you, that would make things easier," Yeong Ro nodded at him and he nodded back at her
in confirmation.

"Ok give me a sec, woahhh...." Yeong U immediately processed her request and looked at her with
an expression she couldn't quite read. It was a mixed of intrigue, sympathy, and brotherly love all
at the same time. Yeong Ro felt like that for the first time, someone that she actually wanted
comfort from understood her and saw her suffering for what it was, "Yeong Ro-ya... you... really
went through a lot didn't you?"

Yeong Ro smiled tearfully at him and nodded, "Yes... yes I did..."

Yeong U looked like he was about to cry and he took a deep breath to ask again, "So this
documentary... they're asking you to tell your love story with Soo Ho-ssi... actually can I just call
him Hyung?" Yeong U asked hopefully as Yeong Ro looked at him in surprise with his request and
laughed.

"Yes, yes you can," Yeong Ro laughed and Yeong U laughed with her before continuing.

"They're asking you to tell your love story with Hyung for all of South Korea to see? And yet you
don't want to?" Yeong U clarified with his sister and she nodded, "Why?"

"I just... I just don't think I'm ready to share such a traumatic love story with strangers, with even
people who know me as well. I just feel like it's going to make matters worse for me since there
are still people who still hate and scorn me for what happened," Yeong Ro explained and Yeong U
looked at that as if that was the stupidest thing he had ever heard.

"How can people hate you? You're literally the most caring, bravest, and brightest girl this town
has ever had. And you're my sister! It's just my luck that you're also the most annoying in those
aspects," Yeong U smirked at her and Yeong Ro looked at him in indignation but she could tell
that he meant the compliments that he said.

"Yah! I know that you missed my nagging a lot because I always tell you to take better care of
yourself and now you're..." Yeong Ro stopped herself before she could finish that sentence and she
felt the familiar emotion of grief fill her as her brother looked at her sadly. She looked at him with
that same mirrored expression as she continued, "I mean... Oppa, you know how people can
change... in times like these, it doesn't matter if you're caring, nice or bright, you will find out
who's truly on your side. And it turns out... I had less people than I thought..." Yeong Ro sighed
wistfully with a tinge of bitterness and turned back to look out over the mountains and her brother
did the same.

"Ok then... then let me ask, if you were to tell your story, ignore the reactions of the public, but
what do you think will happen to you if you just let it all out in the open?" Yeong U asked and
Yeong Ro seriously considered his question and thought about it to herself. To her, their story just
felt like something she didn't think anyone would understand. The only ones who truly understood
were her and Soo Ho and now he's gone. It felt so personal to her and unique to her that if she were
to tell the story out in the open, Soo Ho would just end up becoming an anecdote. A story with a
moral to remember, simply a memory. Yeong Ro didn't want that, because then, it wouldn't feel
like their story would belong to them anymore.

"I suppose... for me, I'm worried that if I tell our story in this manner, I feel like I'm going to be
letting a part of me go... a part of us go you know? It feels as if I'm giving up a part of myself for
the world to see and I'll never be able to get that back. It's as if I'm going to be selling myself and
Soo Ho-ssi out for the judgement of others and I feel like I'm going to be betraying him in that
way..." Yeong Ro started out slowly as she thought about how she could form her explanation
together and she let the tears that were building in her eyes flow.

Yeong U processed that for a moment before preparing his own response, "Yeong Ro-ya..." Yeong
Ro scrunched her eyes shut at the way her brother said her name. How she had missed it so, "I
don't think think telling the story will betray the memory... in fact I think it will be the only thing
that will keep Hyung's spirit alive. As long as you are honest and believe in the truth you say,
people will listen I promise," Yeong U scooted a little closer so that he could rest her hand on top
of hers and Yeong Ro felt his comfort and the words that she believed he would say. He did have a
point but Yeong Ro's fear was overcoming her courage to do it.

"But what if people don't like the truth they hear? What if they can't accept the fact that a North
Korean spy helped save all of our lives? I just don't want Soo Ho's memory to be treated like that.
He deserves better than that," Yeong Ro ranted and she almost pleaded with her brother and he
only had a solemn but understanding expression on his face.

"You're not alone.... you're not the only one who knows who Hyung really is. I've seen everything
that he's done as well and I'm thankful that he kept you safe in my stead," Yeong U nodded to
himself, grateful for Soo Ho's deep love for his sister and Yeong Ro couldn't help but focus in on
the words 'in my stead.' It made her remember that her brother isn't really here and that he's dead.

"I wish you were here... I miss you a lot," Yeong Ro said, her voice barely above a whisper and she
suddenly thought of something she wanted to ask him as he looked fondly at her, "hey Oppa?"

"Hmm? Yeah?" Yeong U asked.

"I was just wondering... what were you going to write to me in your letter? Before you... you
know..." Yeong Ro tried to ask carefully, more for herself since it was hard remembering how her
brother was in the middle of writing her a letter before he passed away. Yeong U raised his
eyebrows at her in amusement and smiled thoughtfully as he looked out over the mountains.

"I was going to write about how much I missed you and your nagging. How I hope that you're
making friends and keeping them despite both of us hiding who we are. I wanted to write to you
that the new Eruption album came out from our favorite band and that I couldn't wait to listen to
that with you when I get dismissed from the military," Yeong U listed fondly and Yeong Ro felt
her face freeze in an expression of guilt and he laughed from just how transparent she was, "Yeah I
know you listened to One Way Ticket without me, but I understand," Yeong U reassured her and
Yeong Ro laughed while her brother kept going, "I also wanted us to visit Halmeoni to make those
lotus rice cakes that we both love and I would take a bunch with me when I go back with you,"
Yeong Ro remembered that they would always help Halmeoni with the shop on weekends and
their grandmother always loved and appreciated working with them. Those times seem so long ago
now.

"I... would have loved to see that letter arrive for me..." Yeong Ro sighed as she thought about all
the times she had thrown paper airplanes with words for her brother out the window, hoping that
they would somehow reach her brother in any way. Even if they couldn't get physically far enough,
she was hoping at least he could feel her beloved words for him on the winds that would carry
them all the way to her brother. It would have been nice to at least get a letter from him at least
once.

"Lastly, I also... would have told you that we have to stay strong for each other and believe in the
day we can be reunited since I know it's hard for both of us to be away from each other for so
long," Yeong U said suddenly and slowly at the same time and Yeong Ro looked at him
expectantly with a teary expression. He didn't turn to look at her and yet he kept his hand on top of
hers.

"Are you just saying that? Because that's how I felt about being away from you, but was it the
same for you as well?" Yeong Ro asked and he turned to look at her with a knowing yet confused
expression as well.
"That should be obvious! You know me right? My last words.... were about you, so of course it
was just as hard for me," Yeong U chided his younger sister and Yeong Ro nodded vigorously and
smiled to herself.

"That's right... I'm sorry, it's just that I'm not sure if you could forgive me for indirectly causing
your death..." Yeong Ro said quietly and Yeong U decided that enough was enough with these
doubts and regrets.

"Yeong Ro-ya, look at me," Yeong U asked softly yet firmly and Yeong Ro turned to look at her
brother, "I'll ask again... you know me right? What would I say to you if you were to beg for my
forgiveness?"

Looking into his earnest and kind eyes, Yeong Ro didn't take much time to think about what her
brother would have said to her. This is closure in a sense for her since she never got to say goodbye
to him, "You... you would have said there was nothing to forgive.... you wouldn't have blamed me
at all.... Oppa... thank you..." Yeong Ro's voice broke off in a whimper and Yeong U smiled wider
at her and leaned back so they were both sitting upright again.

"Then there you go! All that matters is that you believe in that, and you have to accept it," Yeong U
reassured her and Yeong Ro nodded. She noticed that he never said he would forgive her, and that
it was up to her to answer the question. Yeong Ro was vaguely aware of the fact that it was
because her brother can't technically answer that question for her because he's gone now, "One
more thing," Yeong U remembered and his sister turned her head to acknowledge him, "if you can't
let Hyung's passing go... then at least do all you can to keep him alive, because you owe it to him,
to yourself, and to me." Yeong U looked seriously at his sister and she didn't answer to that. Yeong
Ro sighed and looked out over the mountain view again and kept silent as she considered his
request. After a while, Yeong Ro slowly stood up and looked at her brother, who was still
peacefully looking out over the valley.

"I know what I need to do... I have to go now ok Oppa?" Yeong Ro looked at her brother's grave
and reached down to caress the tombstone. Yeong U looked fondly at her gesture and scooted over
so that he was sitting right next to his own grave.

"I'll be waiting for you Yeong Ro-ya... and.... good luck," Yeong U said softly and Yeong Ro
nodded before turning to leave. As she walked down the mountain path, Yeong Ro took one last
look at the gravesite to find no one there. Yeong Ro sighed and gave one last small smile before
heading back to the university.

"See you again... Oppa..."

Meanwhile back in the travel agency in Japan... Suryeon, Soo Ho, and Sui Hui stared each other
down as as the North Korean soldiers had their guns raised and it was a stalemate full of questions,
speaking through only the eyes, and a fated unhappy reunion.

"Ms. Suryeon, I take it you came all the way here to hunt us down yourself?" Soo Ho tried to ask
calmly but his eyes and his slightly shaky stance was betraying him. He didn't see any emotion or
sympathy within the woman, the woman he once called his mom.

"Naturally... A mother should be responsible when her traitorous children misbehave," Suryeon
raised an eyebrow at her son and Soo Ho immediately rebuked her for those words.

"You don't get to call yourself that, not after abandoning us to climb the ladder and leaving us for
dead," Soo Ho spat out at her and he shook his head as he kept his gun trained on her. Suryeon
seemed unaffected by Soo Ho's accusations as if she had no remorse for issuing those orders. Sui
Hui shot a worried glance at her brother and Suryeon finally noticed her daughter and scoffed at
her, "Not to mention the fact that it was both you and Lim Ji Rok who ordered to kill me."

"Sui Hui, what do you think you're doing? Turning traitor for your brother? Do you honestly think
I would have killed you if your brother had failed his mission?" Suryeon asked, referring to the
order for Soo Ho blow up the dorm with everyone in it or else Sui Hui would die. Sui Hui knew
exactly what she was talking about and scoffed at her notion that there was any trust between them.

"To be honest I think you would have because right up until now, you completely forgot you had a
daughter," Sui Hui sighed and pressed her lips into a thin line. Suryeon didn't even flinch at her
own children's remarks and looked at Soo Ho once again. Both her son and daughter had grown so
much and matured into people who no longer need her. That was assuming that Suryeon even
wanted to be needed by them. She had already left them long ago and right up until this point,
Suryeon had considered them dead.

"You're right, I had completely forsaken my own children and now... you two are nothing more
than traitors in the eyes of the North who must be killed," Suryeon pulled out her own gun and
pointed it at Soo Ho and both sides were getting ready to have a shootout. Soo Ho sighed and there
was a look of determination in his eyes that was different from before. It was different from when
Soo Ho had gone through his training, that kind of determination was fueled by loyalty and the
desperation to prove himself to his country that he was a warrior. Now, it was different and
Suryeon noticed that. It was a fire in his eyes that was fueled by not only loyalty, but a love that
would never die.

"You're wrong... I'm not going to die today, none of us are going to die today," Soo Ho started and
every single word he spoke was filled with a trembling courage as he felt his body fill with
adrenaline and a warmth that made him feel alive, "Because unlike you.... I have people I have to
live for. And I won't let them suffer anymore because of me." Suryeon looked curiously at him for
his words and cocked her head slightly as she readied the trigger.

"Are you assuming I have nobody to live for?" Suryeon asked at an almost threatening tone and
Soo Ho shot her a look of disdain as if that question should have been obvious.

"No... because as far as you're concerned, your entire family is dead, and I'm saving my sister from
the kind of life that you put on both of us," Soo Ho said and he looked to Sui Hui who just as
determined as he was and he could tell that she agreed with him. Suryeon noticed this glance
towards his sister and she felt the need to ask him another question.

"Do you think you're saving your sister from that life? A life full of bloodshed? Violence?
Espionage and lies? Or are you just dooming her to this one?" Suryeon asked as she gestured to
their guns, the fact that they're in a travel company to escape to another country, having to live in
fear of being chased and hunted by their country. Soo Ho shook his head and cocked his gun at the
ready.

"I am saving her from that life, even if it takes all of that to get to the light at the end of the tunnel.
Stop trying to act as if you care that Sui Hui's a fugitive, we both know you're going to end up
killing us both," Soo Ho replied back with a cold and sharp tone that told Suryeon that the time for
talking has passed. Then without further ado, Suryeon quickly moved her finger towards the trigger
and Soo Ho moved to get all of them to duck as bullets rang out within the agency. The parents of
their fallen comrades were hiding in the back and a gunfight broke out. Soo Ho brandished his rifle
and moved so that he would fire blind shots into the fray without exposing himself. Cheongya hid
behind a filing cabinet and was shooting from her hiding place and Sui Hui was hiding behind a
fallen table that she used for cover. Soo Ho quickly moved to a kneeling position so that he could
see better and shot over the counter and he heard shouts of pain as some of the soldiers fell.

"Lim Soo Ho! When you escape! Take this route down to Kazuchi Beach! There should be a shack
where one of our associates are and show them your applications! He'll help you onto a ship to
South Korea!" Their contact explained as he handed a map to Soo Ho, who looked at it quickly
before nodding in thanks and putting it into his bag. Soo Ho fired shots from around the corner of
the counter instead of over the counter at some of the legs of the soldiers to get them to fall and Sui
Hui finished them off. There wasn't a lot of them left and Suryeon was still alive. Unfortunately,
just as their contact was looking over the counter to check for any more soldiers, Suryeon fired a
shot just he came out and he was hit in the head. The man yelled out in pain before crashing back
to the ground and the three former Northern spies looked at him in alarm.

"Ahjusshi!" Soo Ho yelled before turning right back around the corner to find Suryeon almost
retreating into her hiding place and shot her in the thigh just as she was about to move back.

"AAHHH!" Suryeon yelled out and she fell to her knees as she tried to herself armed, trying not to
drop the gun from the pain. Sui Hui grit her teeth and aimed carefully before shooting a shot right
at Suryeon's arm, causing her to drop the gun and collapse to the ground, bracing herself against a
table. Cheongya looked around the storefront before telling them it was ok to come out and they all
gathered to where Suryeon was, who was looking up at them with a burning hatred, "You... you
know what will happen if you kill me here..."

"I'm...." Soo Ho pointed a gun right at Suryeon's head and he bit his lip as he considered finishing
the job, "I'm going to live my life just like Abeoji would... a life full of music, love, and happiness
and it's unfortunate that you will never be part of that," Soo Ho murmured, his voice full of
remorse and Suryeon was instantly taken back to the life that she used to have before she left
everything behind. There must have been a reason why she chose political power over her own
family, but in this moment, she really couldn't think of the reason. She was just so desperate to
leave her family behind and start anew that Suryeon forgot what really mattered in life. However,
even in this moment, she still hasn't found that answer and perhaps she never will. Regardless,
Suryeon was glad at least that her children had found the answer.

"I won't kill you here..." Soo Ho took a deep breath and Sui Hui looked at him knowingly.
Cheongya just looked like she straight up disagreed with his decision, "But for the sake of Abeoji's
dream, I hope you'll let us go and everything else you think you own..." Soo Ho murmured and
lowered his gun before turning back to leave. Sui Hui took one last look at her mom who was on
the floor and sighed before turning to leave with her brother. Cheongya picked up the gun that
Suryeon had and shot Suryeon in her other thigh with a shout of pain following. Soo Ho and Sui
Hui looked back at her in alarm since they thought that Cheongya had killed her or Suryeon had
somehow shot the gun.

Cheongya crouched down to Suryeon's level and pressed the barrel of the gun up against the chin
of the woman, "In case if you have any ideas about following us with only one leg to stand on...
now... you have none..." Cheongya murmured before standing up and motioning for Soo Ho and
Sui Hui to escape the agency before the Kyoto police came. Suryeon gasped in pain as she looked
at the retreating figures of the people she once called her children. This is simply what it must be
now, there was nothing she could say to make up for it now.

The group escaped with the families to the beach after hours of trekking and they found the place
that their contact was talking about. The associate had led them to a ship located on the other side
of the beach and the group got on. As Soo Ho stepped onto the ship, he released a breath he didn't
even realize he was even holding and he stumbled onto the ship, losing his balance. Sui Hui
immediately noticed and steadied him as they all got onto the ship and she looked at him
worriedly.

"Oppa are you ok?" Sui Hui asked as everyone settled on the ship and Soo Ho took deep breaths
before smiling appreciatively at his sister.

"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine, don't worry," Soo Ho reassured her even though his voice was a little
strained and Sui Hui still kept her worried expression since she wasn't entirely convinced.
However, she didn't push it any further and she helped him over to a crate to sit as they all set off to
South Korea. This was one big step further to the peace that would soon embrace them all.

Yeong Ro walked back into the university clutching and praying to her necklace for strength and
she walked back into the headmistress' office to find that Ms. Pi, Kang Moo, Hanna, the girls, and
the rest of the network executives still there discussing the documentary. Their attention turned to
her as she slowly walked back in and she closed her eyes before looking earnestly at all of them.

"Everyone.. I've changed my mind and I think I have an idea of what we can do... to make this
documentary honest and true," Yeong Ro looked to Hye Ryeong, who looked guilily at her
because Yeong Ro had found out earlier that Hye Ryeong had looked at the song she wrote for Soo
Ho when she was humming the melody in the washroom. Kang Moo looked at Ms. Pi for approval
and she nodded back as Yeong Ro took a seat at the meeting table.

"Glad to have you on board Yeong Ro," Ms. Pi smiled softly at Yeong Ro, who sighed for a
moment before smiling back at her. To be honest, Yeong Ro still wasn't entirely sure if doing this
is going to bring justice to Soo Ho, but she was going to try her best to do it for his sake.

The entire university had gone to work on the documentary for about a week, planning out the
documentary, shooting the documentary, and scheduling the interviews that everyone would have.
Yeong Ro also spent this week preparing for the plan that she had to make the documentary
special. She had met with Hye Ryeong and the musicians of the opera company she had applied to
in order to arrange and sing the song that she wrote for Soo Ho. Yeong Ro had always imagined
having piano, cello, guitar, and woodwind instruments for the arrangement of her song "Friend"
and they had also met with a studio for artists in order put the song together. Yeong Ro had
planned to perform the song at the university in a performance dedicated to Soo Ho and everyone
had supported her decision to do so. Ms. Pi and Bun Ok had given the director of the documentary
a tour around the university and planned which rooms would be showcased and who would be
interviewed. They also had to tell the executives the general story about the hostage situation and
leave it up to the reporters on what specific questions to ask the students and former hostages about
Yeong Ro and Soo Ho and about the hostage situation in general.

Meanwhile, Soo Ho and his group had managed to make it to South Korea after a few days since
they set off and they had helped the families of their fallen comrades start the immigration process
in South Korea. Cheongya had been in contact with Kang Moo concerning the refugees and had
told him that saving their families was one of Soo Ho's last wishes. Kang Moo had been a big help
in helping the families find sanctuary. The filming for the documentary was done in about a week
and Kang Moo was in an office within the university getting ready to watch the documentary with
everyone when he thought to call Cheongya one more time because he was aware that she had been
staying in South Korea to help the families settle down still. Kang Moo rang Cheongya's number
and within two rings, the woman picked up.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this call Mr. Lee Kang Moo?" Cheongya picked up the phone
and sat down at the table within their former base that Soo Ho came to after he got out of the dorm
the first time. Soo Ho and Sui Hui were also there and they came over to the table to listen into
their call. There had been something that had been bothering him ever since he had come back
from North Korea. Kang Moo had thought about it for a while and he was sure that the voices he
heard in the records room were Cheongya and Soo Ho. He was surprised that Cheongya was still
in South Korea ever since they helped the families of Gyeok Chan and Eung Cheol settle down.
There must have been another reason why she was still here and Kang Moo thought he figured out
the reason. It was that she was also helping somebody else tie some loose ends in South Korea as
well. Kang Moo had surmised that it would have been Sui Hui, Soo Ho's sister and yet he recalled
there was three people within that group.

Kang Moo took a deep breath and decided to go ahead and ask the question concerning the issue
that's been nagging at him ever since he came back from North Korea with Yeong Ro and Hanna,
"Lim Soo Ho..." Soo Ho's, Cheongya's, and Sui Hui's eyes widened as they waited for him to
continue and Kang Moo smiled when he didn't hear a response, "He's listening right?"

When Soo Ho heard Kang Moo address him as if he knew he was there, he honestly felt like he
was at a loss for words. Cheongya and Sui Hui looked at him expectantly, but Soo Ho noticed that
they didn't make any moves to prevent him from talking. That meant that it was time, "Yeah...
Hyung, I'm listening..." Soo Ho smiled because he knew at this moment, things were going to look
up because someone else he cared about knew that Soo Ho was alive.

Kang Moo heard Soo Ho's voice and he couldn't help but let out a chuckle that Soo Ho could hear.
Kang Moo blinked a few times to clear the teariness in his eyes and smiled because his hunch was
right, "It's good to hear you boy..."

"Likewise, it's good to talk with you again Hyung, it really was a miracle," Soo Ho moved forward
so Kang Moo could hear him better and the two other women moved aside so that Soo Ho could
talk, happy that his presence was known again.

"I can imagine... considering it's taken you this long to let any of us know you're alive," Kang Moo
murmured with a bit of salt and Soo Ho bit his lip for a moment before sighing.

"Yeah, there have been some challenging obstacles and I wouldn't say that I'm particularly in the
best condition, but I'm getting there Hyung," Soo Ho felt like being honest and Kang Moo had an
empathetic expression that Soo Ho couldn't see but he could feel it through the line. Kang Moo
rapped his fingers against the wood of the desk and looked outside because it was about to be time
for the broadcast of the documentary.

"I think I have something that might help you, Yeong Ro actually prepared a surprise in your
dedication, so if I were you, turn on the TV and switch to the JBC station," Kang Moo murmured
with a smile and he hung up before Soo Ho could say anything else. Soo Ho looked at the phone in
confusion and he felt a small smile beginning to grow on his face at the thought that Yeong Ro had
a surprise for him. Without saying anything with Cheongya and Sui Hui's confused looks, Soo Ho
picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and found the JBC station just in time to see a bunch of
very familiar people sitting on interview chairs in rows. Everyone's eyes followed to the screen and
Soo Ho's eyes caught onto a very familiar and warm sight: Eun Yeong Ro that made his breath get
slightly taken away.

(So for this beginning sequence, use the OST "Hosu Women's University" theme from the
Snowdrop album! Enjoy!)
"Hello everyone! We're the cast of A Snowdrop Blooms Twice, a special documentary surrounding
the recent Hosu University's hostage situation and its collusion with the presidential election,"
Yeong Ro introduced the documentary and she was wearing a beautiful light yellow gown with
white lily designs swirling around the gown. The sleeves were loose and the frilly collar covered
her entire neck and she wore minimal makeup on her face, just enough to make her look natural.
Soo Ho had always thought she looked beautiful in everything she wore, but this definitely put a
smile on his face, "My name is Eun Yeong Ro, an English major at the university but you may
know me as the daughter of the former ANSP director. Now everyone! Why don't you introduce
yourselves?"

Cheongya scoffed in disbelief as she leaned forward to see if she heard her correctly, "A
documentary about the hostage situation? Lee Kang Moo... if this was your idea, you are one crazy
bastard," Cheongya let out a small laugh as Soo Ho and Sui Hui looked incredulously at what was
going on.

"Lee Kang Moo, a former ANSP agent and team leader," Kang Moo saluted to the camera with a
two finger wave and Soo Ho noticed that he changed his hair up for this interview. If it wasn't
possible, Kang Moo just looked even cooler. (Author's Note: If you're wondering what haircut it is,
it's the one the actor had at the first script reading)

"You may call me Ms. Pi, I'm the headmistress of the Hosu Women's University," Ms. Pi bowed
slightly and Cheongya couldn't get over seeing this woman with long straight hair for this
documentary or at least for this interview. It was just extremely unnatural.

"Kang Hanna, I'm a former ANSP agent and I was part of Mr. Lee's squad," Hanna waved to the
camera and she looked over at the next person to introduce themselves.

"I'm Ko Hye Ryeong and I'm a senior in the Music and Voice major at Hosu Women's University,
please get my good side," Hye Ryeong flipped her hair at the camera and the other girls couldn't
help but roll their eyes jokingly at her antics.

"Hello! My name is Yoon Seol Hui, it's so exciting to be here!" Seol Hui waved with both of her
hands and leaned back into her seat to smile giddily to herself.

"Yeo Jeong Min, I'm a History and Political Science Major at Hosu Women's University, it's an
honor," Jeong Min closed the book she was reading and waved to the camera. Next to her was....

"Uh hello! I'm Gye Bun Ok, I'm a telephone operator at the university and this is my first time
being on camera and wearing such fancy clothes," Bun Ok smiled and waved at the camera while
putting her new baby pink dress on display but then she noticed the eyes of the girls on her,
"What?"

"This is not your first time wearing such clothes..." Hye Ryeong shook her head at Bun Ok and the
girl was quick to correct her.

"Wearing fancy clothes without the sense of shame," Bun Ok corrected her and all the girls
sounded a collective understanding 'Ohhh...' before they gestured to introduce the next member of
the cast.

"Oh Gwang-tae, I am a Civil Affairs major and I was also a hostage!" Gwang-Tae introduced
himself enthusiastically and Soo Ho had to muffle a laugh at the way he said it. Seol Hui smiled at
Gwang Tae but Soo Ho noticed it was a little bit pained. A thought to save for later.
"Choi Byung Tae, I used to be a military cadet, but I recently changed careers to be a therapist,"
Byung Tae said and Sui Hui couldn't help but burst out laughing with Soo Ho following suit.
Everyone looked down the row at Byung Tae with an incredulous expression and he looked back
at them with an equally confused expression, "What?"

"How come you didn't tell any of us this?" Hye Ryeong asked and Byung Tae looked even more
confused if that was even possible and he asked probably the dumbest question he could ask as a
therapist in the making.

"Why? Do any of you have a need for therapy?" Byung Tae asked and everyone pressed their lips
into a thin line and they all looked knowingly at each other, and then everyone turned their
attention to Yeong Ro in particular. Sui Hui cackled out loud and leaned on her brother for support
as Soo Ho and Cheongya watched in amusement at this hot mess in the making. Soo Ho really
shouldn't be laughing at this now that everyone was turning their attention to Yeong Ro.

"Well uhh... anyway!" Yeong Ro tried to deflect the interruption until Hye Ryeong called out 'Hey
that's my line!' and Yeong Ro quickly shushed her with a forced smile, "Shut it! As you can see,
we're a pretty diverse and lively cast of former hostages, but the focus for this documentary is not
just about the circumstances around the hostage situation, it's also about how love managed to
bloom within it as well," Yeong Ro said that last part hesitantly and Soo Ho stared at the screen for
a moment before realizing what she just said. Suddenly, the picture that was taken of Soo Ho and
Yeong Ro at the day of the Open House was shown on the screen and Yeong Ro continued to
explain.

"This documentary will showcase the love story between a former North Korean spy and a South
Korean girl, and how their love persevered even in the most impossible of circumstances," Kang
Moo looked over at Yeong Ro and she nodded. The former North Koreans who were watching
from their hideout really couldn't believe their ears, Soo Ho specifically. Yeong Ro was really
going to expose their relationship here for all of South Korea to see. He honestly didn't know
whether to feel happy or anxious about it.

"This hostage situation may have been a plot with the government but it was more importantly a
test for Lim Soo Ho and Eun Yeong Ro and their love and their willingness to risk everything to be
together," Ms. Pi said in her smooth yet curt manner and Yeong Ro nodded thoughtfully at her
before looking back brightly at the camera.

(Author's Note: So for this entire sequence of the documentary, I listened to Melody of Spring by
Sondia from the Youth of May soundtrack to write this part because I hate myself and also it fit
really well with the vibe I was trying to create with this documentary.)

"Without further ado, this is the Hosu Women's University after the hostage situation, enjoy!"
Yeong Ro commenced the documentary and the screen slowly faded out before showing the steps
leading up to the university and two men walking up to them. Gwang Tae and Byung Tae sighed
and smiled at each other and walked up the steps. Soo Ho heard the faint yet relaxing song playing
in the background.

"It's been a really long time since we've been here..." Gwang Tae murmured to Byung Tae who
nodded and smiled thoughtfully.

"Yeah, but I figured we should at least visit them to see how everyone's doing right? So let's go!
Hye Ryeong-ssi and Seol Hui-ssi should be waiting for us," Byung Tae clapped Gwang Tae on the
back and they noticed two women coming out of the doors of the university. Hye Ryeong and Seol
Hui waved at them to come up and they greeted them.

"You guys! It's been a while! As an exception for this documentary, you guys are allowed in and
we'll show you how things have been ever since the whole hostage mess!" Hye Ryeong gave them
both a hug and Seol Hui followed suit before she gestured all of them to follow her inside. Hye
Ryeong looked back at the camera and guided the cameraman into the dorm and both girls stepped
back as they gestured to the bustling university. Soo Ho noticed that the metal bust of the
headmistress had been rebuilt and the chandelier had been returned to its rightful place. The two
men looked around saw that the bullet holes from all the shoot outs had also been fixed as well.
Hye Ryeong and Seol Hui showed them all around, to the washrooms, the offices, the first and
second floor classrooms, and finally the cafeteria. The second floor and the cafeteria had been
fixed and remodeled ever since the bombs went off. The tables were placed back in place and there
were people eating, talking, and laughing.

"During the hostage situation, they used the cafeteria to keep all of us in line and there were some
pretty intense moments that happened here," Hye Ryeong spoke to the camera and gestured with
her hands for the camera to follow them and. Seol Hui continued to talk in Hye Ryeong's stead.

"This was also where Yeong Ro-unnie made a really brave stand against Lim Soo Ho back when
he initially took all of us hostage. She tried her best to have him let us go, and she had to resort to
some pretty crazy things," Seol Hui shook her head just thinking about it and the reporter asked her
a question. Soo Ho's lips pressed into a thin line hearing that because that was the second time he
had pointed a gun at her head and the sheer hatred and disbelief in her eyes at that time almost
made him crack. Later on, Yeong Ro had put herself into even greater danger by picking up the
gun Gyeok Chan had and putting herself at a stalemate with his comrade. Soo Ho felt so helpless
that he put her in that position and yet there was nothing at the time he could do to ease her anger.

"Any captor who would have been in a hostage situation would have silenced her immediately,
what do you think stopped him and the other spies from doing so?" The reporter asked and Hye
Ryeong answered for him. Soo Ho thought that even though it was unfortunate that he and Yeong
Ro had to meet again in that manner. However, Soo Ho felt a chill run down his spine at the
thought of what would have happened if it was anyone else besides him that took the university
hostage.

"It was because they already had a personal relationship before the whole hostage situation started.
They had met on a blind date and she saved his life after all," Hye Ryeong crossed her arms and
Soo Ho felt himself smile at the memory of the blind date and the nights that they spent together in
the attic room, "that was the reason why he hesitated... and if you really think about it, Lim Soo
Ho never ended up killing any of the students because of her so if anything, we owe both of them
our lives," Hye Ryeong said before flipping her hair and beckoning them to follow them again and
the shot changed to the Rome Coffee Shop and Soo Ho noticed that it panned to the table where he
had first met Yeong Ro. Yeong Ro, Bun Ok, Gwang Tae, and Byung Tae sat at the table wearing
the same outfits that they had that day except for Byung Tae since he wasn't there. Soo Ho's eyes
softened when he saw Yeong Ro building a matchstick tower, carefully placing each match in its
rightful place as she slowly but surely stacked up the matches.

"Why did Lim Soo Ho go on this blind date to have this fateful encounter?" The reporter asked and
Yeong Ro and Gwang Tae looked at each other, having a telepathic conversation before Gwang
Tae spoke up first while leaning back in his seat.

"Technically speaking, Soo Ho-ah went on the blind date in exchange for getting connections to
Professor Han to get him to defect to the North. However I don't think he expected to fall in love at
first sight," Gwang Tae noted as Yeong Ro nodded in agreement and chimed in softly.

"It was the same for me, I had wondered if that is what a first love would feel like when we both
tried to stop a matchstick tower just like this from falling," Yeong Ro added as she placed enough
matchstick on top of the tower and looked at the camera.

"You know... I wonder just how differently things would have gone if I hadn't taken the paper
airplane from you that day?" Bun Ok swirled the drink that she had in her hands and Soo Ho didn't
want to admit it but he did curse the fact that she had taken the airplane from the girl he was
actually interested in. Judging from the look on Yeong Ro's face, Soo Ho could tell she felt the
same. After all, knowing what she said on her tape, Soo Ho also thought it was a shame that they
didn't get together then.

"I'm not sure how different things would have been if I did choose his paper airplane... but all I
know is that it would have sealed my love for him sooner," Yeong Ro answered thoughtfully and
Bun Ok smiled, satisfied with that answer. Soo Ho heard Sui Hui squeal and he looked to his right
to find her giddily smiling with her hands clenched up to her mouth.

"That is so sweet! She's such a romantic! Like you!" Sui Hui cried and fanned her tears that were
already coming over of her eyes.

Soo Ho laughed and thought to himself about how those feelings were already there by the first
time their eyes made contact. If she had picked his paper airplane that day, Soo Ho probably would
have been done in by love a lot sooner and he probably would have found it a lot harder to leave
her. The four of them enjoyed their drinks while answering other questions and soon the interview
was passed on to Ms. Pi, Kang Moo, and Hanna.

"On the day of the Open House, I could tell he was very nervous because he didn't want to get
Yeong Ro in trouble," Ms. Pi recounted the day when she caught Soo Ho and Yeong Ro. Soo Ho
chuckled at the memory because he was so busy smiling and looking at Yeong Ro like an idiot that
he didn't realize Ms. Pi was even there until about a second too late. When Soo Ho tells you the
rush of panic that went through him at that moment.

"I had actually received a report on that day that Soo Ho was supposedly heading back to the North
and yet there was something there was off about it," Kang Moo explained when the reporters had
asked about why they were there ok the day of the Open House, "as it turns out, there was another
spy within in the dorm by the name of Kim Man Dong."

Yeong Ro continued the interview from there from basement, sitting in the seat that Man Dong
used to work at, "I didn't think he was a North Korean spy honestly... and to think that he framed
Ms. Oh for being the mole during the hostage situation. He had always been so kind to me and he
loved the oat rice cakes I brought for him," Yeong Ro commented, picking up one of the trinkets
that Man Dong used to fix. Soo Ho saw the conflicted expression on her face and felt sorry that one
person after another kept on stabbing her in the back, "I wonder though.... If his identity was
exposed, would he have killed me?" Yeong Ro turned to look at the camera and asked knowing
that there wasn't answer to that, at least not for now. When Soo Ho had that last talk with Man
Dong before he died, the fact he hesitated and killed the other spy when Soo Ho had pleaded to
him that Yeong Ro would be danger told him all he needed to know.

"He almost killed me actually, when he found out that I knew about his identity," Shin Gyeong Ja
recalled as her body shook from the thought. She was sitting in the room where it had almost
happened, "if it wasn't for Yeong Ro and Ms. Pi, I probably would have died. They didn't know it
at the time but they did save my life by staying me so I appreciate them a lot," Gyeong Ja sighed
and Soo Ho felt a little bit guilty that the situation was that bad and yet he was already going to
leave at that time.

"I kinda wonder where his son went because he never showed for the documentary even though he
was one of the hostages. He didn't even come at the fact that he would have been paid for this,"
Byung Tae noted and Bun Ok next to him had a look of disgust on her face as she remembered that
unruly and crass man, "because God knows that gambling addict bastard can't leave it alone."

"You said it, the amount of times that he harassed me about the money that the spies had was
really annoying. Thank god that other spy came to save me every single time," Bun Ok pinched the
bridge of her nose and she sighed in relief as she recalled that one broody and handsome spy. Soo
Ho noticed that she almost looked happy that Gyeok Chan saved her that many times and then he
immediately understood. Cheongya seems to have understood as well and sighed at that remark.

"The girls in that university have such a weird taste in guys. Are South Korean guys that
unappealing?" Cheongya asked genuinely and Sui Hui let out a laugh at that. Soo Ho felt himself
choke on his own spit as he coughed and Sui Hui jokingly patted his back in comfort.

"I would definitely say I was surprised that Mr. Lee and Lim Soo Ho worked together to save the
hostages because neither of them wanted anyone to die because of the election scheme," Hanna
noted in another interview and she pulled out a tape recorder, "this is part of the proof that the
ANSP was going to kill us all," Hanna played the tape for the reporters to hear and they jotted
down notes about who was in the recording. Hanna sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"Were you particularly fond of working with a North Korean spy?"

"It was weird at first, but I actually felt relieved because I did feel like I could trust Soo Ho with it.
There was something about the earnestness and honesty in his eyes that gave me no reason to
doubt him. Hell I ate fried chicken with him and Kang Moo while we discussed how we were
going to stop the ANSP. Trust me, it was a really weird yet comforting experience," Hanna
answered the question and nodded to signify that was the end to her answer and Soo Ho smiled
softly at that.

"Trust me, it was as weird for you as it was for me," Soo Ho muttered under his breath. Soon the
documentary went on into the other details like the bombings, the raid on the university on the last
day, the attempts to make it out alive. Then came Yeong Ro's exclusive interview on the
relationship between her and Soo Ho. The TV had announced that Yeong Ro would have a special
program during the documentary specifically for her one on one interview about her love story.
Soo Ho was nervous for this because he felt afraid that it was putting Yeong Ro on the spot. Soon
a soft piano played in the background at the documentary came back on screen and it showed
panning shots of Yeong Ro walking into three different places: the attic, the roof, and the midway
floor of the stairs. The narrator had announced that Yeong Ro had prepared a song in tribute to the
hostage situation story and Soo Ho. Soo Ho felt his breath catch in his throat as he remembered
how happy she looked when she found out that he loved to sing. His heart filled with an
indescribable feeling of love and so many other things. Yeong Ro had written a song for him? In
honor of his sacrifice and the promise that they shared that she would listen to him sing? She was
going to perform it on live television to display her love for all of South Korea to see? Soo Ho was
worried that it would have been too much for her, but he remembered how strong Yeong Ro really
is and her heart would conquer that fear. Soo Ho felt like his heart was cheering her on to sing her
heart out, and he had never felt so connected to someone in such an overwhelming and romantic
way. Soo Ho faintly heard Sui Hui gasp in adoration as the performance began.

There were three Yeong Ro's as the performance started: one was standing on the roof of the
university with softly falling snow, one was sitting in front of a piano at the midway floor of the
stairs with the moonlight shining down on her through the large window, and the last one was
sitting in the attic room with warm and sunny lighting at the window. Soo Ho's eyes widened when
he realized the outfits she was wearing for each setting. Yeong Ro was wearing the pink knit
sweater with the white collared blouse and matching skirt inside the attic. She was wearing the
light baby pink dress she wore on the day of the Open House on top of the roof. On the stairs at the
piano, Yeong Ro was wearing the black button up blouse on the day that they met but this time,
her skirt wasn't beige, but it was also black as well. He felt touched by the attention to detail, and
Soo Ho had his mouth open in a dreamy smile by the fact that she looked just as beautiful as he
remembered. Soo Ho just felt himself get overwhelmed by the memories of the moments with her
in each of those outfits as Yeong Ro lifted her hands to play the beginning notes.

(Hey guys! I'm going to be using the Romanized Korean lyrics for this part instead of the English
lyrics because it looked and sounded better in my head when I was imagining it. You can listen to
the song and imagine it as Yeong Ro goes on! Soo Ho will also remember certain memories based
on the lyrics so look up the English lyrics if you're confused about he thinks about a certain
memory at a specific line. Also the romanized lyrics may not be spelled correctly, I just cross
referenced multiple sites so keep that in mind.)

"Amado.... nega unneungeon jogeum seulpeoseo ilkka..." Yeong Ro sang at the piano and gently
pressed gently on the keys and the Yeong Ro in the attic sang the next line as the melody
continued.

"Jeonbureul al su eopseume bieo beorindeuthan maeum," Yeong Ro sat at her spot on the window
sill and sang, looking thoughtfully out at the bright window. Zooming in on the bright sunny
window in the attic, the rays quickly turned from warm to cool again as the shot came back to the
stairs. Yeong Ro kept singing at the piano, gazing thoughtfully at it as if she was wondering what
could have been. Soo Ho felt the contrast right away with the sunny and moonlit lighting, and the
difference was just mesmerizing. The lyrics had already hit a place within him knowing that this is
how she felt about him. Whenever he smiled at her, comforted her, or told her that everything was
going to be ok, there was sadness behind it that would never fade. Soo Ho knew not very deep
inside that it was because he was afraid. He was afraid of losing her and the one moment where he
truly felt alive was going to be lost to him. Soo Ho wished she could see a smile from him without
a trace of sadness, but one of pure joy and elation knowing that he could spend all his time with
her.

"Eonjenga," Yeong Ro's fingers danced over the higher keys and Soo Ho could hear the emotion
within her voice; almost as if this song was too difficult to sing out loud in this manner and he
could see that on her face, "mundeuk tto dasi nareul chajaondamyeon..."

Yeong Ro picked up a paper airplane that was sitting next to her and looked at it with a sad smile,
"Seotureun pyeonjireul..." Yeong Ro brought her other hand up to trace the weary paper edge of
the airplane, looking at the letters of promises that were written on it.

"Yeogi jeogeodulteni..." The flowing cloths and garments flowed out in the wind to reveal Yeong
Ro looking hopefully up at the sky as she sang. Yeong Ro closed her eyes as she hummed the last
note as the snow fell gently around her. Soo Ho was instantly reminded of the day he gave her his
necklace for the first time and he had genuinely meant what he said that day. Being uncertain that
he would ever see her again, Soo Ho felt at peace when he kept that image of Yeong Ro wearing
his beloved necklace in his heart. The letter was definitely a reason why he came back because Soo
Ho always felt like he was drawn in by her desire to see him once again. It's only fair since his
heart had always yearned to keep her within his sight. Yeong Ro had always made her feelings
clear and honest and that was one of the things Soo Ho loved most about her.

Yeong Ro played the ascending chords on the piano and sang the chorus with a light gentleness,
"Du soneul japgoseo..."

"Eodideun nungil danneun goseuro...." Yeong Ro held her palms to her chest and the lyrics flowed
like a river when she sang as the wind and snow gently blew past her hair and the faint whipping
sounds of the curtains and garments could be heard. Soo Ho felt himself slightly swaying to the
song when the cello came on and Sui Hui had the giddiest smile on her face as she swayed with
him.

Yeong Ro held her hand up to the light in the attic and examined how the rays felt on her skin for a
moment before slowly closing her hand, "Sesang bandaepyeonui gireul," Soo Ho could hear the
harmonies of the other Yeong Ro joining in at that word as the shot switched to the other Yeong
Ro's as soon as she hit that note, "ttara gaja uri eum" All three of them closed their eyes as they
softly murmured out that last note before the music swelled up again and Yeong Ro's voice came
back beautiful and strong.

"Come walk with me!" Yeong Ro called out before walking out of the clothesline area and stepped
near the edge of the roof, "Eoduun baljaguk namgyeodugo..." Yeong Ro sang out over the rooftop,
her voice carrying on the winds over the city.

Yeong Ro held up the paper airplane to the light before sending it flying through the little attic,
watching it fondly as the weary edges deterred it from flying far, "Maeil bam kkumkkudeon geu
goseseo..." When Soo Ho had met Yeong Ro for the first time at the blind date, he had hoped that
she would pick his paper airplane. Seeing this proved to Soo Ho just how much their time making
paper airplanes had meant to her. They had exchanged the different ways that they had made paper
airplanes and Yeong Ro had always teased him about making airplanes that looked less
aerodynamic, but he proved her wrong. Soo Ho had remembered he asked her to watch him as he
proved his airplane design was superior, and Yeong Ro was amazed by his origami skills despite
the fact that she still wouldn't give in.

"Manna..." Yeong Ro played the ending notes of the chorus on the piano, taking a deep breath and
Yeong Ro joined in on the roof with the ending line. Soo Ho could see Yeong Ro clutching his
necklace fondly on the roof, singing as if she were speaking to it, "with you... my friend..." Soo Ho
was instantly reminded of when she had told him that she would loved to listen to him sing every
day. The Rome Coffee Shop and the fourth floor attic room were the two places that Soo Ho
dreamed of singing to her. That night... when they had kissed for the first time, Soo Ho felt so
happy that he was seriously considering singing his joy. However, the two of them felt so content,
happy, and shy that they just kept talking about their good and bad memories as they drank coffee
throughout the night.

Yeong Ro stood up from her seat next to the iconic window and walked around the attic, keeping a
hand on the necklace around her neck while she ran her other hand over the furniture and the
curtains of the other windows, "Neoege... Modeun maeumeul seolmyeonghal su eomneungeon..."
Soo Ho felt himself smile at the soft guitar that played with the piano and he wondered to himself
if he could also learn to play this song with her once day. The melody was so soothing and nice to
his ears that he could listen to her voice all day.

"Oppa, you play the guitar too! Wouldn't it be amazing if you two sang this together?" Sui Hui
asked and clasped her hands together as if she was begging him to considered it and Soo Ho felt his
smile grow wider at that face.

"Yeah it would..." Soo Ho murmured thoughtfully as he continued to listen to Yeong Ro sing.

Cheongya gave props to the girl for being brave enough to do something that came with so much
exposure: a song dedicated to their story that bloomed in such trying circumstances.

"Sumaneun byeoreul sel su eomneun iyu," Yeong Ro found a snow globe with two flowers inside
it sitting on top of one of the cabinets and held it close to her heart for a moment before she looked
straight at the camera at the viewers. The piano started building up again in emotion and power
and Soo Ho felt like he was getting swept away by the emotions and serenity of it all. He almost
felt like he wanted to cry. The fact that she said this line that she couldn't explain everything felt
directed at him. During the hostage situation, Soo Ho felt like he was going crazy from the fact that
he couldn't tell Yeong Ro everything because he didn't want her to take on more than she could
handle. Despite his chagrin, Kang Moo went ahead and literally told her EVERYTHING that was
going on and Soo Ho felt like he wanted to punch the man for putting so much pressure on her. Soo
Ho was really stubborn to the fact that Kang Moo had been right at that time, since it was his love
for Yeong Ro that was making it so difficult to figure out what she should or should not know.
Perhaps if Yeong Ro had known more during that situation, maybe things would have gone
differently.

"Geureongeoya!" Yeong Ro belted out at the piano and as she held the note and her hands played
the octave chords up to the chorus. The shot panned out and Soo Ho saw the slight shine of a bomb
tripwire at the stairs. The other Yeong Ro's joined in with this last word and each Yeong Ro held
each consecutive descending note before the chorus began again. Soo Ho felt like his breath taken
away right at that moment since her voice sounded so strong yet so gentle as if she had been
meaning to vent out her feelings through this song for a while. Soo Ho knew that she deserved to
prove people wrong and set things right. Soo Ho understood her resolve to do exactly that at the
end of the verse and he felt a tear fall down his cheek at that fact.

"Come, walk with me! Eodideun nungil danneun goseuro," Yeong Ro stepped back from the edge
of the rooftop and ran back into the midst of the flowing clotheslines. She danced around the linen
sheets and spun around amidst the snow. Yeong Ro danced through the linen sheets and looked
through them as if she were looking for someone. She really did look ethereal as the dress spun
around with her in the snow and she swung her hands up in a graceful motion and danced. The way
she was reaching out with her hands and spinning around with the lyrics of the song felt so
purposeful and deliberate. Soo Ho felt it was almost like Yeong Ro was reaching out with her
hands to grasp on to the love and the memories that they had.

"Sesang bandaepyeonui," Yeong Ro closed her eyes and sang at the piano and the moving rays of
the moonlight started to show the presence of more bomb trip wires that were appearing at the
stares and they were starting to appear even closer towards the piano.

"Gireul," In the attic room, Yeong Ro took over from there and softly to the snow globe as the shot
zoomed in on the flowers and snow falling inside the little object, "ttara gaja..."

"Uri eum..." Yeong Ro moved her hands quickly up the scale of the piano and hummed the last
part of the melody as she played the keys on tempo. At the final note of the measure, Yeong Ro
called out on the roof as the snow was starting to fall harder around her.

"So, walk with me," Yeong Ro sang as she could hear the accompanying woodwind instruments on
the wind with that note and she looked around the snow and various clotheslines for the person she
wanted to dance with, but there was no one there, "Eoduun baljaguk namgyeodugo..." Soo Ho
realized it was very reminiscent of the time where she had that dream sequence moment when they
both got corralled to the dance floor and it looked as if she was dreaming of dancing with someone.
Soo Ho felt terrible that he couldn't join her and save her from that, but he really did want to dance
with her.

Yeong Ro looked around the attic room with the snow globe in her hand and walked back to the
seats at the window, but she didn't sit down, "Maeil bam kkumkkudeon geu goseseo... Manna..."
Soo Ho saw tears falling from Yeong Ro's face to the glass of the snow globe and took a deep
breathe through his nose to prevent himself from breaking. Yeong Ro played softly played the
remaining notes the measure and she looked around to find that bomb tripwires were set up all
around her. Yeong Ro let a tear fall down her cheek as more tripwires revealed themselves, getting
dangerously close to her fingers, arms, and head. Soo Ho knew that these tripwires were simply
props for the performance, but he couldn't help but feel anxious.

"With you... with you..." All the Yeong Ro's sang together and Yeong Ro on the roof held the
necklace fondly with a soft smile.

"Domangchideut," Soo Ho and the others heard the sound of thundering footsteps echo throughout
the attic room and the door to the inner room suddenly broke open to reveal a horde of armed
soldiers. They broke into the room to find Yeong Ro and Sui Hui gasped as they all pointed their
guns at her. Soo Ho clenched his jaw and bit his lip as he got flashbacks to their final moments in
that room. He remembered her face, her tears, and her screams of protest calling out for him. It
astounded and angered him that those soldiers at the time were even willing to kill Yeong Ro as
well as him. The ascending piano started on a powerful, moving note as Yeong Ro started to play
again, her hands a little firmer on the keys and the bounce of her arms were coming dangerously
close to the tripwires.

"Tteonan eojedeure," The snow started to swirl harder around Yeong Ro on the roof to the point
where it was almost a blizzard, but Soo Ho and the others could still see her in the midst of it. The
garments and linens were starting to flail about and Yeong Ro looked desperately around the storm
while clutching onto the necklace tightly, "Seulpeohaji ana..." Yeong Ro played more passionately
on the piano and the more she moved on the piano, the more anxious Soo Ho was she might
somehow trip the supposedly fake bomb wires. These lyrics told him that despite all her chances to
leave him, despite all of the times Soo Ho had told her to not be near him, she had chosen to stay
with him to the end and she didn't regret it one bit. To Soo Ho, it had felt like a warm nod to when
he told her in his tape that he never regretted meeting her since Yeong Ro was grateful and not
regretful that she was able to spend her remaining time with him.

"Gajireonhi!" Yeong Ro faced the soldiers with a tearful courage in her eyes as she clutched the
snow globe tightly. The song was building up to the climax and the soldiers readied their guns at
her, their fingers resting on the trigger.

"Heuteojin maeumeul," All three of them belted out those last lyrics leading up the climax. Yeong
Ro braved the swirling storm around her and faced the soldiers with no regrets as one of them
pulled the trigger and the scene immediately cut to Yeong Ro playing the ending scale to the
climax, singing her heart out. Soo Ho felt his body reflexively react to the trigger and Sui Hui
grabbed his hand to comfort him as he gazed emotionally at the screen. This wasn't real and yet he
felt like he could feel Yeong Ro's pain and love through the screen. Soo Ho took shaky breaths as
the song calmed down and he felt himself let out a quiet, choked sob seeing just how emotional and
heartbroken Yeong Ro looked on screen. Sui Hui rubbed her brother's arm soothingly as she leaned
her head onto his shoulder.

"Eonjedeun..." Yeong Ro reached her arms over each other to finish playing the scale and a single
gunshot rang out in the solitary, lonely university. Yeong Ro had raised her hands and brought
them down in a gesture of command to stop the blizzard from swirling and it seemed as if
everything had stopped in midair, "Tteona jul su isseo..."

"Promise, I will always be... your friend..." The two remaining Yeong Ro's sang together as the one
on the roof held her necklace fondly and the one at the piano closed her eyes in a pensive and
emotional moment before opening them again and playing the ending chords to the song in a soft
tone. The harmonies of her voice layered on top of each other as Yeong Ro looked towards the
attic room on the roof with a sad yet knowing expression. The shot showed the inside of the room
with seemingly no one inside, the iconic window shining softly, casting the sun rays on the floor.
The shot then slowly panned to a broken snow globe on the floor, the glass shattered across the
floor and the water spilling out into the wood. Soo Ho felt his heart break when a bloody hand
came into the picture resting near the snow globe, its fingers almost touching the flowers. Soo Ho
didn't think he could take it if the video had panned up to her face, but he could tell by the bloody
pink sweater that it was Yeong Ro. Luckily, they only showed her arm, body, and parts of her
flowing hair before it moved back to the Yeong Ro on the roof, looking out over the distance. The
shot zoomed out on both the roof and the stairs and Yeong Ro was alone in both shots in the final
chords of the song before it ended with Yeong Ro raising her hands and playing the final note
before the song ended. By this point, Soo Ho felt so overwhelmed and emotional that his face just
kept breaking between a teary smile and a full out ugly cry. He honestly couldn't decide what he
wanted to go with so he ended up being a mixture of both. Having the performance be the last part
of the documentary was everything to Soo Ho and it had felt like all at once, his walls fell down
and all the emotions he was trying to keep at bay about everything was released. Then, the screen
brightened again to show Yeong Ro alone in the attic room with the same outfit she had for the
beginning interview. Soo Ho saw Yeong Ro tearfully smiling at the camera and she took a deep
breath before starting.

"I have some words... that I would to share with all of you as well as my beloved Soo Ho-ssi,"
Yeong Ro said softly, her gentle voice resounding in his ears and Soo Ho tried to break his sobs
into a teary smile as he listened to what the love of his life was trying to say to him. Soo Ho would
take these words with him in his heart until he got to meet her again.
 Chapter 9: When A Gentle Breeze Flows Through
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hey guys SnivyLord here! I finally cut the chapter down to a decent
length this time haha. I really hope you guys are ready for the sheer fluff and antics
that are going to happen in the next two chapters because it's going to be a 2 parter! It's
called When Two Flowers Intertwine Parts 1 and 2, and I really hope I get to capture
their reunion in the fluffiest and most magical way. That's what they deserve, this
chapter is a prelude honestly and I don't care if it's gonna get cheesy in the future
because I have written enough emotional angst and it is time TO BE FLUFFY AND
CHAOTIC. So anyway guys enjoy! I appreciate the comments and kudos, I love
reading through your comments and I will hopefully get back to y'all soon with the
first parter of the finale! Don't worry, there's gonna be some extra epilogue stuff.

Yeong Ro sat alone in the attic room as a single camera was focused on her and a reporter was
sitting by it, ready to begin her post performance interview. Soo Ho sat expectantly on the other
side of the screen, waiting for her to speak, to say anything about that beautiful gesture of love. He
didn't bother wiping his eyes or clean his face, all Soo Ho wanted was just to feel Yeong Ro's
words openly.

"I have some words... that I would to share with all of you as well as my beloved Soo Ho-ssi,"
Yeong Ro said softly and she waited for the reporter to begin.

"Now that we know the kinds of things Lim Soo Ho did, is it still difficult when people say that
you fell in love with a North Korean communist? When they don't believe the whole truth?" The
reporter asked and Yeong Ro replied.

"If those are the labels you want to know him by... a North Korean... a communist... those are true
in a sense... but I will always remember him as a sweet and thoughtful person who never had the
heart to be what his country wanted of him. When I first discovered... his heart... I realized that it
was warm and protective and I knew then that if Soo Ho-ssi had a choice... he would have done
things differently," Yeong Ro replied thoughtfully and Soo Ho felt his body grow warm at her
words, as if someone were holding comforting hands around his heart, "Someone once told me that
if I believe in the truth I speak... then people will listen. It's not as if I'm the only person defending
Soo Ho-ssi's memory.... I'm not alone and the other people of the university know it as well as Mr.
Lee and Hanna-unnie."

Soo Ho immediately thought about how Kang Moo and Hanna would defend his actions and his
memory and he couldn't remember the last time that Soo Ho felt warm about having people on his
side that mattered. Gyeok Chan and Eung Cheol were different since they were his comrades
purely based on orders but the three of them always had a soft spot for each other even though they
had their differences.

"What made you decide to make such drastic measures to prove your love for Lim Soo Ho? The
man put you through so much pain and dying at the end of it all, leaving you behind. How is it
feasible for you?" The reporter asked and Soo Ho felt like those comforting hands clenched his
heart slightly. He felt like the reporter kind of hit the feelings on the nose and Soo Ho noticed that
Yeong Ro looked as if she was reliving everything.

"I'll never.... be able to hate him for leaving me that way... because he died protecting me. How
could I possibly be mad at the person who died? It wasn't entirely Soo Ho-ssi's fault, the ANSP
would have killed us both if he didn't do what he did. I figured I at least owed him this much since I
don't being indebted to people, but I don't mind... repaying Soo Ho-ssi for the rest of my life
because he told me to live... no matter how hard it gets..." Yeong Ro started slowly and as she kept
going, a few tears started sliding down her cheeks and Soo Ho would have given anything to just
reach through the screen to hug her. Even after everything, Yeong Ro wasn't mad at him before she
understood his intentions.

"Now let's talk about the performance and the song itself," The reporter nodded and continued as
Yeong Ro nodded back, "Those three places in the performance are very significant to you both
correct?"

"Yes... I'll start with the midway floor of the stairs... so the most significant memory there would
be when I first walked down the stairs to the Open House with Soo Ho-ssi. I could feel how
nervous he was and I wrapped my arm with his to reassure him. I remember the comforted look he
gave me before we went down. That was when our picture was taken that you can see on the
bulletin," Yeong Ro explained and Soo Ho sniffled and smiled at the memory. The reporter
nodded and looked intrigued at his next question.

"So that ending sequence of the bomb tripwires, what did that represent?" The reporter asked and
Yeong Ro didn't take long before she answered.

"Risk... it represents risk. During the hostage situation, the spies had set up a lot of bomb tripwires
everywhere to prevent people from getting in or out. So it was a very fitting element of the
performance. I also represented the risks I was taking by wanting to be with Soo Ho-ssi, knowing
that both of us had to take a leap of faith to try to fight back against the world. The risk of being
with him, the risk of being the ANSP director's daughter, those risks.... cost me my friends, my
brother, my father, and ultimately Soo Ho-ssi as well... If my piano playing even tripped off a
single wire... well you realize what would have happened," Yeong Ro explained and Soo Ho let
out a breathy exhale at that. What scared him was that Yeong Ro didn't even sound afraid, she
almost sounded cryptically expectant of the outcome, "I was practicing the song on the piano for
multiple days and I practiced with the wires as well so I could learn exactly what my limits were...
and on the day of the final shoot for that scene, I asked Mr. Lee and Hanna-unnie to arm the
bombs."

Everyone's eyes widened including the reporter and Soo Ho felt a wave of cold blood wash through
him as it felt like more emotions were weighing down on him and it literally felt like his heart and
lungs were going to rip themselves apart. Sui Hui held her hands to her mouth in shock and
Cheongya merely looked at Soo Ho with an expression of concern.

"You... armed the boobytraps and still played? You could have gotten hurt!" The reporter looked
at her in bafflement and Yeong Ro looked almost unfazed by his shock and merely had a
remorseful and wistful look on her face.

"And? That was the risk I was willing to take.... and originally Mr. Lee and Hanna-unnie refused to
arm the bombs for me saying that the symbolism of the booby trap wires were enough. However, I
wanted all of you to witness my resolve. Soo Ho-ssi's death wasn't enough for any of you and it
feels like I have to die in order to prove that our story wasn't fake! To prove that the hostage
situation drove us to this breaking point!" Yeong Ro spoke with increasing emotional volume and
Soo Ho leaned forward in his chair to grasp his chest for purchase. Seeing her suffer like this was
killing him.

"Yeong Ro-ya.... please...we understand, you can stop now..." Soo Ho silently pleaded with her,
knowing that she can't hear him but he hoped she would somehow feel his wish for her.

"So yes... it did take arming the booby trap wires to prove our point, and besides... I'm still alive...
but just barely..." Yeong Ro hung her head slightly to collect herself before asking the reporter to
move on to the next question. Soo Ho grit his teeth together to muffle any more sobs that came out,
but it was just too hard.

"In that ending scene in the attic where you were supposedly shot, what did you feel in that
moment?" The reporter asked and Yeong Ro tucked a locket of hair behind her ear before
speaking. Soo Ho scrunched his eyes closed because that was the part that really shook him to the
core. The last thing he wanted to see was Yeong Ro's body on the floor like that. What Soo Ho felt
in that moment was a uneasy relief that Soo Ho was still alive to prove Yeong Ro wrong, that she
didn't have to die to prove anything since Soo Ho was still here.

"The symbolism for that part was a little more direct as it was simply my regret that I couldn't die
with him... Soo Ho-ssi died in that spot and I was ruthlessly dragged away by the ANSP, and they
interrogated me for hours about the password to the 300 million won. That was just one instance
where I couldn't let them win... I wondered if I would have been at peace if I had died there with
him... I would be able to see him, my brother, and my mom all in one place, and that would have
been better than living," Yeong Ro looked away from the camera and out of the iconic window,
whose glow was a bright pale yellow from the morning approaching the afternoon. There were no
words Soo Ho or anyone could say to that since Yeong Ro was laying down all of feelings for all
of South Korea to see and that took incredible strength. All they could do was bear witness to her
love for him.

"Do you still have that regret now?" The reporter asked and Yeong Ro looked back at him and
thought about it for a few moments.

"Yes... but it's getting better, I owe my life to Mr. Lee and Hanna-unnie as well because they were
the only ones who knew just how much his love saved me and all of us. It's a lonely feeling when
you're the only person in the world who knows what a supposedly bad person is truly like when no
one believes you. But that wasn't the case... and they saved me from that dark and lonely place,"
Yeong Ro sighed and wiped a few tears away and nodded to herself as if she was thanking them
for taking the time to make sure she was ok. Soo Ho couldn't thank Kang Moo and Hanna enough
for everything they've done for her since she would have been worse off without them.

"I see... I also noticed that when you performed on the roof, you were almost clutching your
necklace the entire time in the snow. Was that a deliberate move for the sake of the performance?"
The reporter asked and Yeong Ro tilted her head slightly from side to side while she thought about
it. Soo Ho thought it looked cute as she pouted her lips thinking about it.

"I wouldn't say it was deliberate, but I do like holding Soo Ho-ssi's necklace a lot.... However I will
say that it is a reference to something Soo Ho-ssi said to me once in his final tape," Yeong Ro took
out the necklace and held it fondly with her two fingers, "He had told me how I had bloomed
flowers inside him where her was once so cold. I'd like to think he did the same for me... despite
the cold, the snow, the raging blizzard... his memento keeps me warm and safe," Yeong Ro
nodded, satisfied with her answer and Soo Ho let out a sharp exhale at that. How is it that every
single answer that she gives manages to make him fall even more in love with her? It had felt like
Soo Ho had almost abandoned his mysterious, calm persona and when it came to Yeong Ro, she
always manages to bring out this romantic, shy, yet charming side out of him. Just saying things
like this already makes Soo Ho emotional.

"Do you have anything else to say about the lyrics of the song?" The reporter asked and Yeong Ro
looked as if she was sifting through the lyrics in her head before she finally settled on one.

"Yes I do, as I've sung before, I can neatly leave my scattered heart behind.... meaning that I can go
on living with a scattered heart. Because I know that there are pieces of my heart that I will never
get back... and I'm ok with that," Yeong Ro started softly and she spoke her answer with steady
breaths in between as if she was trying to pace herself. Soo Ho understood what she meant because
a big piece of her heart lies with him and now all he's got to do is bring it back to her, "In
comparison to all the pain Soo Ho-ssi went through when he died... I can at least do this much....
For all these incoming years of loneliness..." Yeong Ro paused for a moment, taking a deep breath
before giving a genuine smile to the camera, "will only be my love for him."

(Author's Note: That last quote, specifically that last line from Yeong Ro is inspired from a
specific drama from a specific character who was in a very similar position to her and if you guys
know which one it is, I'm going to love you and cry for all of us at the same time.)

That was the sentence that broke a lot of dams for those were watching: everyone at the university,
Soo Ho, Sui Hui, and kinda Cheongya, the general public, and higher ups of the government who
were watching. Kang Moo and Hanna were watching at their precinct office, and everybody
watching at the university felt a wave of overwhelming emotion since it felt like these were Yeong
Ro's final words of the interview. Soo Ho felt like his heart was going to collapse from just how
overwhelmed he felt and he kept asking himself how he was going to make up all the love she gave
to him. Then the instrumental music of Friend picked up for the documentary and the shot cut to a
final word for every member of the cast.

"The Soo Ho that I knew was someone who was thoughtful and kind, I didn't really think he
seemed like a spy or a killer at all," Gwang Tae noted, sitting in the Rome Coffee Shop and he
thought about that statement for a moment before nodding a smiling, "My opinion won't change
because it's still true!" Soo Ho smiled that his words and thought it was sweet how Gwang Tae's
opinion of him still hasn't changed.

Bun Ok was next and she sat in the headmistress' office as she spoke, "I once said to Soo Ho-ssi
that I didn't want to be sacrificed for his love for Yeong Ro-ya.... but I think I realized that it was
all in my head, because Soo Ho-ssi and the other spies never had the intention of sacrificing any of
us.... but I suppose I was just looking for a reason to fight both of them for putting us in that
situation. It was... unfair and uncalled for... and I only made their lives harder when they didn't
deserve it..." Bun Ok sighed and tilted her head so the camera shot would go to the next person.
Soo Ho knew that Bun Ok wanted to give Yeong Ro a hard time out of spite and Yeong Ro
wouldn't be so readily open to be her friend again, but with these words , those steps were being
taken again.

"Lim Soo Ho was someone who seemed really familiar to me since I was chasing him all over
Germany... but I never really placed my finger on where..." Kang Moo leaned back in his chair at
the office and he sighed, smiling, "but the brat turned out to have a lot more heart than I thought
and I always questioned why someone like him would be a spy. Letting your heart guide your
actions is the complete opposite of what a spy should do.... but that's not a bad thing. It just means
that... Soo Ho..." Kang Moo spoke to the camera as if he was speaking to the man himself,
"wherever your heart leads you next... I hope it leads you home... to a place where the love you felt
for Yeong Ro will be returned." Kang Moo uncrossed his arms and picked up his pen again to get
back to work before the shot changed to another person. Soo Ho felt his smile growing wider and
he reminded of the time where he had saved Kang Moo's life in Switzerland when he had almost
died. They had met before, and Soo Ho was happy to hear that Kang Moo always kept that
encounter in mind. Soo Ho would tell him one day that it was him who saved him, but not now.
Regardless, Soo Ho knew where his heart would lead him next and he felt glad that Kang Moo
knew the exact words to say to hit that feeling on the nose.

"I will always be thankful to him for saving all of my students and he was a man worthy of my
respect. Even though their reunion wasn't exactly ideal, I only know the pain too well of being
separated from your love due to the pressures of the corrupt. I only hope that they can meet again
when times are more peaceful for them," Ms. Pi sat in her office with a cup of tea and a plate of
biscuits as she picked up her tea cup to sip it thoughtfully without saying another word.

"The fact that all of us managed to get out of that hostage situation alive... is thanks to Soo Ho-ssi,
Mr. Lee, Yeong Ro, Ms. Pi, and the efforts of all of us students," Hye Ryeong sat in the cafeteria
with all of the other students gathered in a crowd beside her. Then all of the students waved to the
camera and Hye Ryeong clapped her hands together and shouted out for everyone to hear, "WE....
SAVED OURSELVES! WITHOUT ANY HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT! THIS WAS THE
RESOLVE OF THE STUDENTS AND THE HEARTS OF GOOD PEOPLE! REMEMBER
THAT WELL!" Hye Ryeong pumped her fist in the air and there was a resounding loud cheer that
echoed through the halls of the university.

Soo Ho's tears finally dried and he laughed in breathy exhales as there was a wide permanent smile
on his face. Sui Hui giggled in delight and sighed happily. Cheongya merely nodded in affirmation
and sighed in contentment. Then the shot panned to a mountain and Yeong Ro stood beside two
graves, the wind flowing through her hair and dress as she looked over the misty valley. The sound
of the howling wind could be heard as Yeong Ro closed her eyes for a moment before turning to
the camera and gave a small smile.

"The truth that we all shared today... is a truth that I will stand by until I die and maybe one day...
the flower will bloom again..." Yeong Ro said softly before there was only silence throughout the
area as the shot panned out again, leaving her alone on the mountaintop and the screen faded to
black. Then the narrator on the program thanked them for tuning in and the next program was
going to start soon. Soo Ho sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his hands on his face and
taking a deep breath. Sui Hui lightly laughed at the state of her brother and affectionately bumped
him on the shoulder.

"You, Oppa, are one lucky guy to have a girl go through all of that for you," Sui Hui smiled at her
brother and Soo Ho could smile and bite his lip in slight embarrassment.

"Yeah.... I am..." Soo Ho murmured and thought about whether it was time to make his presence
known again. He wasn't going to let Yeong Ro feel like she was going to spend those years alone
and Soo Ho was going to keep one last promise he made to Yeong Ro. The only difference is this
time, it's not a promise that Soo Ho will die keeping, it's the promise of meeting again alive. Soo
Hoo will bring back her heart to her this time.

Yeong Ro came down the stairs after the interview was over with the crew and everyone was
waiting for he at the body, with shouts of her name and cheers of applause. Ms. Pi, Kang Moo, and
Hanna were waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs with bouquets of flowers waiting for her.
Yeong Ro smiled graciously at them and quickly came down the stairs to accept the bouquets.

"Awww everyone! Thank you! You know, this has only been possible with the support of everyone
here, so thank you for giving me that push to see this through," Yeong Ro thanked everyone and
bowed gratefully with the flowers and the reporters took pictures of her and everyone. Her
roommates came up to her and congratulated her for the end of the documentary.
"You were amazing! We were all so afraid at just how much exposure this documentary was going
to give you and Lim Soo Ho, and you handled it so well!" Jeong Min smiled proudly at her while
Seol Hui hugged Yeong Ro tight. Yeong Ro smiled as she swayed from side to side with Seol Hui
and it was very brief, but it finally felt like there was a moment where Yeong Ro felt Soo Ho
around her and her heart didn't just break.

"I feel like with this... I can... let go a little more now... and it's all thanks to you guys," Yeong Ro
sniffled and Kang Moo looked knowingly at her before glancing at Hanna for a brief moment
before stepping up to talk to her.

"Hey Yeong Ro, Hanna and I actually wanted to talk to you about something, so could you meet
later at the Rome Coffee Shop? At around 4:30?" Kang Moo asked and Yeong Ro blinked at him
for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah of course, is it something important?" Yeong Ro asked, curious to know what had Kang
Moo so serious yet gentle all of a sudden.

"Yeah it is, but we'll talk to you later ok?" Kang Moo reached out a reassuring hand to pat her
shoulder before joining Hanna and bidding goodbye to everyone in the dorm. Everyone soon went
back to their university life and celebrated the success of the documentary. Even Ms. Pi decided to
lift the rules about cooking since everyone wanted to do a hotpot to celebrate. Surprisingly, Gwang
Tae and Byung Tae remained at the university to join them before heading back to their homes as
well. Soon, as the evening began to roll around, Yeong Ro decided it was time to go out and meet
with Kang Moo and Hanna.

"Wait... so you're telling me that Soo Ho is still alive?" Hanna exclaimed, trying not to raise her
voice in the shop and Kang Moo nodded, smiling while sipping his cup of coffee, "How is he even
alive? I heard that he was shot more than 20 times, that man is lucky as hell.." Hanna scoffed out
of disbelief and almost started laughing in joy.

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either, but after our encounter in North Korea in the Ministry of Civil
Affairs, I was convinced that Soo Ho was alive," Kang Moo reaffirmed his deductions about how
he managed to figure out that Soo Ho was alive.

Hanna clicked her tongue and sipped her tea while trying to stop chuckling in disbelief, "To be fair,
there was a lot of red flags that indicated that he was alive... so we really should have seen that
coming. I'm just worried how Yeong Ro's going to react to the news." Hanna sighed and noticed
that Kang Moo was fiddling with the spoon in his coffee as if he was considering something.

"I think... we should let Soo Ho tell Yeong Ro that he's alive himself and not have us just relay the
news. I think it will be a lot more meaningful that way," Kang Moo finally said and Hanna agreed,
nodding along to his suggestion.

"No, no I agree, Soo Ho should do it himself... but that doesn't mean we can't help him right?"
Hanna asked Kang Moo, and he looked at her as if the answer obvious.

"Of course we're going to help him, and I think I have just the idea," Kang Moo raised an eyebrow
knowingly at her but it didn't exactly click for Hanna yet. Kang Moo noticed in his peripheral that
Yeong Ro was approaching the cafe and he quickly relayed to Hanna, "first, we got to take care of
our first important thing." Hanna nodded and waited until Yeong Ro came in to greet them.

"Mr. Lee! Hanna-unnie! Hi!" Yeong Ro greeted them with a smile and sat down on the other side
of the booth. The pair looked at each other knowingly before turning to Yeong Ro.
"Hi Yeong Ro, thank you for meeting us, we actually have something pretty important to discuss
with you and you can tell your friends afterwards," Kang Moo greeted her as he motioned for the
waiter to bring out the drink he had prepared for her. Soon, her milkshake was given out and
Yeong Ro gingerly drake it with glee as she waited Kang Moo to continue.

"So the first thing we want to tell you Yeong Ro is actually that..." Hanna looked at Kang Moo
with a gleeful smile before announcing it, "We're getting married!"

Yeong Ro felt herself choke on her drink and she quickly covered her mouth before gasping, "Wait
you guys are getting married?!" Yeong Ro asked incredulously and Kang Moo and Hanna nodded
affirmatively at her before she reached over to grab Hanna's hands, "Oh my god! Congratulations
you guys! When did you two get together?"

"It was actually years ago and I was supposed to get married to her but..." Kang Moo started to
explained but then he trailed off and looked at Hanna to continue the explanation. Yeong Ro
looked excitedly between both of them and Hanna sighed as she continued.

"My father sort of scared him off because he always thinks he knows what's best for me, but I
wanted to marry Kang Moo with all my heart and then he just left me out of the blue because of my
father and disappeared for like five years," Hanna explained with an annoyed and appalled tone
which Kang Moo really couldn't blame her for. Yeong Ro gasped through closed teeth at Kang
Moo and reached over with her other head to rub his hand soothingly.

"Oh that sounds... devastating, but at least you two found your way back to each other right? That's
what counts!" Yeong Ro tried to reassure both of them and Kang Moo and Hanna smiled
appreciatively at her since they had already aired out their regrets and grievances before hand.

"Yeah, that's what matters, and the reason why we called you here to tell you that is because..."
Kang Moo started again but motioned for Hanna to continue for dramatic effect, and Hanna took
both of Yeong Ro's hands in hers and smiled earnestly into her eyes.

"We would really love it... if you were to sing Friend at our wedding..." Hanna asked softly to
Yeong Ro, who blinked several times before sputtering out the request again to hear that right.

"You... you want me to sing Friend at your wedding?" Yeong Ro looked incredulously at Hanna
and Kang Moo and they nodded firmly. Yeong Ro felt the air rush out of her body but like in a
good way. It felt like such a good shock because it was so touching that they would ask, "Really?
You... really want me to sing at your wedding? Even though I'm like not even family?" Yeong Ro
felt so emotional in that moment and she felt her voice break as she asked.

Hanna grasped Yeong Ro's hands more firmly and spoke with every word filled with an earnest
honesty that touched Yeong Ro's heart, "We kept each other alive in a life or death situation and
after everything we've been through, you felt like such a big part of our lives that it's impossible not
to think of you as someone that needs to be there at our wedding. That song of yours... is so
beautiful and powerful that it's exactly the kind of song I want to walk down the aisle with," Hanna
smiled tearfully at Yeong Ro and she smiled back just as wide and with just as much tears. Yeong
Ro tearfully laughed and hung her head slightly before smiling brightly at them.

"If you would have me, then I would be honored to sing at your wedding! Seriously
congratulations you guys! I can't wait!" Yeong Ro tearfully accepted their offer and squealed as
she moved up from her seat and come over to their side of the seats to hug them both and the three
of them laughed jovially into the evening.

Later that evening, Kang Moo dialed the phone number for Soo Ho's number and within a ring,
Soo Ho picked up.

"Hyung Hi, I was kind of wondering when you would call," Soo Ho greeted him as he settled down
into the chair next to the table once again. Kang Moo smiled and breathed out a tired sigh.

"Yeah, I was just wondering how you were doing after the documentary, are you ok?" Kang Moo
asked honestly and Soo Ho didn't want to admit to Kang Moo that he had a moral dilemma crossed
with a mental breakdown for a couple of hours, so he decided to go with something lighter.

"I'm still a bit emotional and overwhelmed since the documentary... I just... I want to see Yeong Ro
as soon as I can so I can take all of her loneliness away, because that's not how she should live..."
Soo Ho swallowed hard and clenched his jaw as Kang Moo nodded in understanding. Kang Moo
could only imagine just how emotional it would be if the love of your life proved their love to you
on national television and almost killing herself in the process, "I still can't believe you actually
agreed to arm the bomb wires, do you know how mad I am at you?" Soo Ho huffed at Kang Moo,
who winced from the fact that he knew Soo Ho would eventually comment on that.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry, Yeong Ro really just pushed the limits of how much she could do to prove
that your love story wasn't fake... and I admire her for that. I couldn't stop her, and I wanted to tell
you that I'm sorry that I put her in danger once again..." Kang Moo sighed and Soo Ho scrunched
his eyes closed in frustration and Kang Moo could hear a groan of frustration on the other line.

"You better not make her do anything as dangerous as that ever again ok Hyung? You're making it
really hard for me to forgive you or even like you," Soo Ho threatened Kang Moo and the latter
could tell it was a joke but also a semi serious warning at the same time.

"Yeah I know... you bent a scalpel knife with only your thumb, I think I know when I've
overstepped my bounds," Kang Moo pressed his lips into a thin line and smiled sarcastically that
Soo Ho could literally imagine on the other line. However the mood suddenly changed and Kang
Moo clicked his tongue before asking his next question, "So... are you done with everything?
Because I think it's time for you to bloom flowers for both of you once again."

Soo Ho felt himself soften at that question and he smiled wide before nodding, "Yeah... I'm
ready.... I want to see her again..." Kang Moo reciprocated that smile and he spoke again with the
gears of his plan working in mind.

"That's great to hear because I know that's she going to be ecstatic and heavily emotional when she
sees you, and I'm glad to see you both finding your way back to each other," Kang Moo replied
with a gentleness that spoke of so much care and he heard Soo Ho cover up a sniffle on the other
side of the line and Kang Moo chuckled at that.

"Thank you Hyung, it means a lot," Soo Ho replied and Kang Moo decided to go ahead and tell
Soo Ho his plan that's he totally making it up as it goes.

"I want to help you make it a surprise, so here's what we're gonna do," Kang Moo started detailing
his plan to Soo Ho, who listened intently and they talked into the night about how they were going
to make the reunion special. If only the wedding itself could have been this straight forward and
simple, but alas, it was going to be a fun and chaotic week leading up to the wedding, and the
wedding itself will be memorable in more ways than one. Soo Ho felt like his heart couldn't wait
until he could see Yeong Ro again and this time, he'll never let go of her ever again.
 Chapter 10: When Two Flowers Intertwine Pt. 1
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Sorry this chapter was a bit late, I've been going
through it this week with school stuff and some really heavy personal stuff that kinda
just blew my mental health to the ER. Nonetheless I've been working on this chapter to
ease my own head because writing this is essentially therapy for me for not only the
Snowdrop ending, but also the personal drama I got going on. It helps me cope, so I
really do hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Hanna waited at the bus stop on the street as she was actually waiting on someone and very soon, a
very familiar figure came running to her on her left and Yeong Ro finally caught up to her and bent
over to catch a breath. Hanna smiled amusedly at the girl who she noticed was dressed in a white
frilled blouse and a baby blue blazer and matching pants. Yeong Ro panted for a moment before
smiling appreciatively at Hanna.

"Hi Hanna unnie! Sorry I'm a bit late! The other girls were begging to give me the details of your
wedding announcement, and Ah... I'm so tired..." Yeong Ro rubbed her hands on her thighs and
finally straightened up and smiled brightly at Hanna.

"Good morning to you too! No it's fine, I'm sorry I called you out so early, thank you so much for
agreeing to help with some wedding errands," Hanna patted her back and Yeong Ro tilted her head
in slight amusement before teasing Hanna.

"You know when you first asked me to sing my song at your wedding, I didn't think I would also
be helping you with your wedding errands," Yeong Ro noted with a hint of sarcasm to her voice
and Hanna kinda felt bad that she was imposing on Yeong Ro so much.

"Yeah again, I'm so sorry, my relationship with my family is complicated, so you were the only
person I could think of..." Hanna apologized and Yeong Ro immediately waved it off with both her
hands with a shake of her head and a gracious smile.

"Oh no it's fine! I'm not annoyed at all! In fact, I've always wanted to take part in helping out with a
wedding so this is kind of a dream come true for me," Yeong Ro reassured her and Hanna smiled
at her before looking at her watch and looking down the street waiting for the bus. Yeong Ro
looked down the street with her and looked at Hanna.

"Wait Hanna-unnie, don't you have a car? Why are you taking the bus?" Yeong Ro wondered and
Hanna explained.

"Oh, my car is back in the shop for some repairs so I'm stuck using the bus today and Kang Moo is
running his own wedding errands today," Hanna sighed and Yeong Ro nodded in understanding
before wondering why they were doing their errands separately. However she figured he must have
had family who would help with his side of the tasks today.

Soo Ho waited at a different bus stop and checked his watch to see the time before he heard
approaching footsteps and looked to find Kang Moo waving to him before coming up to him and
extending his hand for an arm hug, which Soo Ho gladly took.

"Good morning Soo Ho, glad to see ya in one piece," Kang Moo smiled knowingly at Soo Ho and
the latter smiled warmly back at him keeping their hands in a firm handshake.

"Good morning to you too Hyung, I was really surprised when you called me this morning to help
you with your wedding errands, are you sure it's safe for me to even be out in the open like this?"
Soo Ho asked as he gestured to his own clothing, which wasn't really a disguise, he was only
wearing a white turtleneck, a light blue overcoat, and matching beige pants. Kang Moo looked him
over for a moment before heartily patting him on the back, causing Soo Ho flinch a little bit in
surprise.

"No it's fine, you look different enough from your ID photo that people won't recognize you, plus
it's been several months since the hostage situation so I don't think... it should be too much of a
problem," Kang Moo reassured Soo Ho, who felt kind of relieved that he could just walk around
like a normal civilian without much pushback, "Besides, you're already invited to the wedding and
I told you yesterday that Yeong Ro would be performing her song for you live at the wedding with
everyone else there so all you gotta figure out is how to use my wedding as an opportunity." Kang
Moo explained as he checked the time to figure out when the bus was going to get there. Soo Ho
thought about it thoughtfully and he had an idea, but it was going to require a lot of coordination of
everyone there.

"Right, I can't believe you would use your own wedding to help me reunite with Yeong Ro, it's
YOUR wedding Hyung," Soo Ho sighed as Kang Moo looked at him as if the notion that he
wouldn't do that for Soo Ho was ridiculous.

"It'll only make the wedding sweeter if you two were reunited, so really it's an added bonus," Kang
Moo said as a matter of factly and Soo Ho smiled knowingly at the man's plan before bumping him
slightly with his shoulder and they waited peacefully for the bus to arrive. Soon the bus came for
them and the men proceeded to get on board for their first destination for the day.

"Ok! The bus is coming!" Yeong Ro raised a hand over her eyes to look at the bus that came to a
halt in front of them and Soo Ho, who was standing in the middle of the bus, holding on a ceiling
grip, noticed the two women getting on board and he felt himself panic internally. Kang Moo, who
was sitting on one of the seats, looked outside the window and noticed his fiancee and Yeong Ro
board the bus and he whipped his head to Soo Ho, who was already looking at him with a pleading
desperation. The bus was actually quite already full and there were barely any seats on the bus. The
most people could do was just stand to the sway of the bus and Soo Ho had to turn around so he
was facing the back so that Yeong Ro didn't recognize him. Hanna was looking around for a seat
and she noticed Kang Moo sitting in one of the seats already looking at her with an expression of
urgency. Hanna's eyes widened as Yeong Ro squeezed past some of the passengers and further
towards Soo Ho's position. Yeong Ro finally found a ceiling grip and she held onto it as Hanna
found a seat that was just vacated and she and Kang Moo had a facial expression and silent
conversation about how they were going to prevent Soo Ho and Yeong Ro from meeting.

"Soo Ho is here!" Kang Moo mouthed to Hanna, who covered her mouth in shock before looking
over to find Soo Ho with his back turned to Yeong Ro, who was literally right beside him. Hanna
felt the urge to laugh at not only the fact that Soo Ho was right next to her, but also the fact that
they had unwillingly wore matching outfits. Soon the bus started to move and Yeong Ro lost her
balance for a moment and yelped slightly as Soo Ho felt a a body bump into his back.
"I'm so sorry sir," Yeong Ro apologized to the man she just bumped into and Soo Ho didn't turn
around to acknowledge her, but he nodded in understanding, which Yeong Ro caught and she
sighed as she turned back around towards the front of the bus. Soo Ho felt himself warming up
under the brief contact they just made because it's been so long since he's even touched her. He had
always loved hugging her, but even just their bodies touching for a brief moment sent warm tingles
up his back.

The bus drove on in a leisurely way and all that could be heard was a few conversations here and
there and the rumbling of the bus. However, the only thing Soo Ho could concentrate on was the
fact that Yeong Ro was literally right behind him. Soo Ho couldn't bring himself to move away
from her and out of sight since she doesn't seem to be noticing him at all and what was the harm of
standing close to the love of his life who doesn't realize he's even there? Soon, an elderly woman
noticed them standing together and their coincidental matching outfits and to Soo Ho's dismay,
decided to comment on it.

"Awww... you two are so cute, wearing matching outfits, what's the occasion?" The elderly woman
asked Yeong Ro, who looked at her in surprise and looked around to wonder if she was talking to
her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry ahjumma, are you talking to me?" Yeong Ro pointed to herself and the woman
nodded, gesturing to Soo Ho right beside her and Soo Ho closed his eyes in embarrassment and
anticipation that he was going to get caught right here. So those two emotions combined together
equal mortification.

"Yes, you and your boyfriend, you two are wearing such matching and lovely colors on this
beautiful clear day," The woman commented and Yeong Ro looked at her own clothes before
looking at Soo Ho's and low and behold, they were wearing the same color palette: light blue and
white. Soo Ho refused to turn so Yeong Ro couldn't see him and to be fair, there wasn't a lot of
space so she could crane her head around to look, but the woman didn't seem keen on letting it go.

"Young man, what do you have to be embarrassed about? You're matching with your lovely
girlfriend right? You should be able to show that off," The woman encouraged Soo Ho even
though it literally just made the pit of anxiety he had even worse. Soo Ho felt himself getting hot
and Yeong Ro could see the red reaching the tips of his ears. Soo Ho turned his head in an attempt
to not have Yeong Ro see his face entirely. Yeong Ro however, had the mind to save him not
knowing who he actually was. Unfortunately, Soo Ho also had the same idea to gently tell the
woman off and they spoke at the same time.

"Oh that man's not my boyfriend."

"Ahjumma, we're not a couple, the woman came on after me."

Soo Ho and Yeong Ro explained in their own way and Yeong Ro looked back at Soo Ho, who had
his face covered by his arm that was holding onto the grip. Yeong Ro felt an appreciative
apprehension for the man as she nodded with his explanation and the woman looked between the
both of them before she finally recognized Yeong Ro. Soo Ho made sure that most of his face was
obscured so that Yeong Ro couldn't see, but believe it or not, he was actually starting to get tired.

"Wait... you're that lovely girl from the documentary! The one who confessed her love for her
fallen hero, oh my, you look even lovelier in person!" The elderly woman gushed and Yeong Ro
blushed and nodded before greeting her properly again. This caught Kang Moo's attention from
across the way and he craned his neck to see Yeong Ro talking with the woman and he went back
to reading a book that he brought along with me. Kang Moo was still keeping an close watch on
Soo Ho and making sure he doesn't get caught. Soon the conversation died down after the woman
apologized for the misunderstanding and both of them went back to standing idly.

Soo Ho sighed a breath of relief and looked over at Kang Moo and gestured to his watch for their
ETA. Kang Moo looked at his watch and gestured for 7 minutes and Soo Ho nodded before going
back to his original position. Soon, the bus made a sudden left turn and the inertia threw Yeong Ro
off a little bit and she stumbled backwards. Soo Ho looked back and noticed that she lost her grip
slightly and he held out his other arm to brace her back so she could get her bearings back.
Unfortunately, the inertia was a little stronger than he thought and Yeong Ro was about to fall
through his arm until Soo Ho moved in closer so he could twist his arm to gently grab her waist.
This brought Soo Ho into close contact with her head and he could practically smell the light
lavender and honey aroma on her. Yeong Ro let out a little squeak of surprise and Kang Moo just
merely looked at Soo Ho in amusement as he looked over to see just how he saved her from falling
onto the occupied seats.

"Are you okay?" Soo Ho asked quietly and he saw that Yeong Ro was about to turn her head left so
she could face him, however, unfortunately he couldn't let that happen. So begrudgingly, Soo Ho
used his arm to gently push her back up so she was standing up again. Yeong Ro looked
confusedly at him for the lack of interaction, but it took her a moment to register his voice.

"Yeah I'm fine... thank you..." Yeong Ro said absentmindedly as she was reminded of the man she
had encountered in North Korea, but there was no way that man was here, so it was just a big
coincidence. Soon, Hanna motioned to Yeong Ro that their stop was approaching and Yeong Ro
hopped off the bus with her but not before stealing a look at the man in the light blue coat. Yeong
Ro sighed and went outside with Hanna and she walked along the sidewalk as the bus waited for
more people to board. Looking back up the bus again, she caught the man just in time as he turned
his head to look at her. Soo Ho looked left outside the window just in time to lock eyes with Yeong
Ro and it took her a moment to register who she was looking at. Soo Ho couldn't help a wide smile
coming onto his face as he tilted his head to the side slightly as a greeting to her. Yeong Ro blinked
for a few moments before the bus started to move again and he was out of sight. Hanna came up
beside her and looked at the bus that left.

"Yeong Ro? What are you staring at?" Hanna asked and Yeong Ro scoffed in disbelief and her
mouth still hung open.

"Unnie, did you see him?" Yeong Ro asked disbelievingly and Hanna looked between the faraway
bus and her. Hanna suppressed her smirk and tried to act as if she had no idea, and it worked.

"See who?" Hanna replied and Yeong Ro opened and closed her mouth disbelievingly and gestured
wildly to the direction the bus went in.

"Soo Ho-ssi! That guy who smiled at me!? The guy who that woman thought was my boyfriend?
The guy who coincidentally wore a matching outfit to my own? The guy who literally died for
me?! Did you not see him?" Yeong Ro asked Hanna, clearly exasperated and Hanna glanced
around her for anyone who might be listening and judging her outburst. Hanna raised an eyebrow
at the girl and crossed her arms as if she were questioning the girl's sanity.

"Yeong Ro, are you ok? I know it's early in the morning , but I thought you would have at least
gotten some sleep," Hanna asked worriedly even though she knew that Soo Ho was on that bus.
She was just taking the opportunity to have a little fun with Yeong Ro, even though this may put
her on the edge of a breakdown again, "it's a little early to have the daily Soo Ho breakdown don't
you think?" Hanna gave Yeong Ro a sympathetic smile and Yeong Ro could only look at Hanna in
disbelief.

"Daily? I don't do it daily do I?" Yeong Ro asked hopefully with a tinge of guilt and Hanna only
smiled and wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulder.

"It's ok, I'm only joking, grief is a process and you've taken big steps already. If you think you're
seeing things, then maybe you'll meet that man around the city again somewhere, who knows?"
Hanna explained knowingly with a slight smirk because she was kind of jinxing their own plan to
reunite the two lost lovers. However, again, Hanna figured she would have some fun with it.

"No I honestly think it was just my imagination, alright Unnie, now give me the list you probably
have of the wedding errands you need to do today," Yeong Ro shook her had, unwilling to believe
it and she held her hand expectantly for the list that Hanna probably would have had. Meanwhile
Soo Ho sighed as the seat next to Kang Moo became free and he sat down with a wistful sigh.

"Did Yeong Ro see you?" Kang Moo asked knowingly as he finally tore his attention away from
the book he was reading. Soo Ho smiled cheekily at Kang Moo, who raised an eyebrow at him.

"We saw each other for just a moment, but I don't think she believed what she saw though," Soo
Ho replied and Kang Moo nodded and smiled in understanding before reaching into his coat
pocket and handing Soo Ho a paper that contained a list of the errands they were doing today.
Hanna handed Yeong Ro her wedding errand list and the two matching lovers looked over the
respective lists and read them out loud.

"Finalize flower arrangements," Yeong Ro listed out with Hanna walking beside her on the
sidewalk.

"Book a 24 piece orchestra with a piano accompanist," Soo Ho read out and he looked at Kang
Moo incredulously, "Hyung, you haven't booked the musicians yet?" Kang Moo had a knowing
expression on his face with his lips pressed into a thin line, Soo Ho was just going to take that as
his answer.

"Confirm final head count for the wedding," Yeong Ro read and then she paused for a moment to
register that before looking at Hanna, "Wait... Unnie, you haven't finished sending out invitations
to your wedding yet?"

"It's complicated because we wanted to invite the students from the university and we were also
still sorting out who in our own families to invite since we're getting married so soon," Hanna
explained and Yeong Ro could only look back at the list in slight fear because there was a lot they
still needed to do.

"Meet with caterers for the final menu," Soo Ho continued and he immediately asked what was
probably the strangest question that Kang Moo has heard from the young man, "Do you South
Koreans eat traditional food at a wedding? Or do you eat the good stuff like ramyeon and fried
chicken?"

Kang Moo stared at him for a moment before sputtering out, "F-fried chicken? Soo Ho! It's a
wedding! Do you not know the kind of food you would eat at a wedding?!" Kang Moo asked him
in exasperation and Soo Ho could only stare at Kang Moo in slight embarrassment while trying to
hold in his laugh, "Wait... then Soo Ho, what do you usually eat at weddings in the North?"

"I really haven't been to that many weddings, so I don't think you want me to answer that," Soo Ho
tried to come with an excuse which Kang Moo clearly saw through and the man stared at him with
a deadpan expression before letting out a chuckle and leaning back in his seat.

"Ah jeez... just read the next one," Kang Moo sighed while chuckling and Soo Ho cleared his
throat to look down the rest of the list.
"Wedding dress fitting at 3 o'clock," Yeong Ro read out and Hanna snapped her fingers in
realization.

"Ah, so that was today! Thank God I didn't forget," Hanna raised both of her eyebrows at herself as
a warning to not forget that her fitting was today. Yeong Ro narrowed her eyes and lips at Hanna,
scrutinizing her for just how serious she was about these wedding preparations when it's literally
going to be a week from now.

"Really?" Yeong Ro raised an eyebrow accusingly at Hanna, who stuttered and looked away from
Yeong Ro's scrutinizing gaze.

"Wedding dress shopping isn't exactly my cup of tea," Hanna started but she was hesitant to
continue after seeing the purely offended look on Yeong Ro's face.

"How could you say that? It's the best part about preparing for the wedding!" Yeong Ro replied in
offense and Hanna was surprised that Yeong Ro still had that perspective on weddings when the
one person who Yeong Ro would have wanted to marry was supposedly forever out of her reach.
In Hanna's eyes, it takes incredible strength to still be able to keep that positive perspective in
respect to other people despite that dream being supposed lost to Yeong Ro.

"Sure, it could be, but I hate dealing the pins and pincushions they use to adjust the dress," Hanna
sighed and Yeong Ro pondered that statement before catching onto the implication.

"Wait Unnie, how do you know that? Isn't this your first time getting married?" Yeong Ro asked
and Hanna froze at that question and the former noticed the distinct change in demeanor. Yeong
Ro paused in their walk along the street and looked questioningly at Hanna, who gave her a weak
reassuring smile.

"Yeah... sure... this is my first time, I don't know why I said that. Ok! Enough dilly dally! Let's get
on with the list!" Hanna said in a tone that wasn't very convincing and she hurriedly pushed Yeong
Ro along the street before she could comment on anything else.

"Suit and tuxedo fitting at 2:30?" Soo Ho asked and Kang Moo leaned over to get a closer look at
the list.

"Right, and we also have to get a suit for you too," Kang Moo reminded himself and Soo Ho
smiled in appreciation before shaking his head.

"It's ok Hyung, I actually have to stop by the tuxedo shop anyway to pick up my suit," Soo Ho told
Kang Moo, who looked at him in slight surprise and smiled appreciatively at Soo Ho, "but thank
you for your consideration."

"You already have one? Alright, that makes one less errand to do today," Kang Moo looked outside
to see that they were coming to their stop and he tapped on Soo Ho's shoulder with the back of his
hand, "our stop's here, come on." Soo Ho nodded before they both got off the bus and proceeded to
go about their errands for the wedding.

Yeong Ro and Hanna found themselves at the florist for their first errand and they looked around
at all the flower selections and the florist was already informed ahead of time that they would be
coming. Hanna had made progress on what arrangements she wanted to do for the wedding.
However, now they were just taking care of the rest.

"Now, your fiancée had already sent me the general blueprint for the venue, so all you have to
decide is which flower decorations go where as well as the traditional commemorative flower
stand arrangements as well," The florist explained and Yeong Ro and Hanna looked semi-stupidly
at the array of notes and plans that were made on the blueprint. Frankly, there was a lot of ways
they could decorate the venue, but to be honest, Yeong Ro didn't even know what the venue even
looked like to even have an opinion.

"Ahjumma, do you happen to have like pictures of the venue that Mr. Lee sent over?" Yeong Ro
asked and the florist nodded and brought the pictures from their wedding file over to them. Yeong
Ro looked at the photos and gasped at how lovely the venue looked: it was an indoor venue that
looked similar to a chapel, but the back half of the room actually seemed to lead into an indoor
garden with an overarching glass roof. So to Yeong Ro, it was kind of a hybrid venue.

Hanna looked over and seemed to be able to read what was on Yeong Ro's mind, "Oh, the venue's
within a villa where the ceremony will take place, and the reception's going to be held in a big
ballroom within the villa after the ceremony," Hanna explained and Yeong Ro nodded before
looking at the ceremony room and noting how big it was. There were small pillars beside the seats
and beautiful bouquets of flowers and there was a giant, flowing arch at the end of the aisle. There
were windows along the sides of the first half of the room and beautiful silk draperies
accompanied by flowers. What caught Yeong Ro's eye however was the beautiful multileveled
platforms in the back by the altar with instruments arranged on it and there were small water
cascades flowing down the side of the platform, leading into a small circular river that
encompassed the altar.

Hanna continued to smile amusement at how mesmerized Yeong Ro seemed to be at the venue and
teased her, "It's nice right? I believe this was from the last event that they had here, so for us, it's
completely customizable!" Hanna tried to coax out the excitement in Yeong Ro and it worked as
the girl's eyes sparkled and Hanna saw a glint of creativity in her eyes. Yeong Ro smiled knowingly
at Hanna, who nodded back at her, and they looked around at all the flower arrangements again
and the two of them got to work on finalizing the decorations for the wedding venue.

Meanwhile, Soo Ho and Kang Moo made their way to the Gwangju Philharmonic Entertainment
company in order to hire the ensemble and they looked around in amazement at the concert house.
It was a grand hall with thousands of seats with balconies to accommodate those who want to sit on
the higher levels. The event organizer was expecting them today and the man greeted Kang Moo
and Soo Ho while casting a suspicious glance towards Soo Ho.

"Forgive sir, but I'm not sure if I know you from somewhere?" The man asked and Soo Ho
immediately defused his suspicions and gave him a courteous smile.

"I'm pretty sure we haven't met sir, I'm Ri Taesan and I'm helping out Hyung with some wedding
errands for the day," Soo Ho explained, gesturing to Kang Moo, who nodded affirmatively with
that answer and the man seemed to be content with that before leading them to the backstage of the
concert hall to meet the ensemble. Soo Ho and Kang Moo were then met by a group of people who
were dressed very formally and they greeted the two men courteously. Kang Moo then discussed
the plan for the music with the group and Soo Ho looked around the instruments that they were all
going to use: violins, violas, cellos, flutes, and a piano. However it felt like there was something
missing.

"So during the ceremony, Yeong Ro is going to be singing 'Friend' while Hanna walks down the
aisle, however I want you guys to start the song with her before Hanna comes in and you guys
should be at the chorus by the time Hanna first starts walking down the aisle," Kang Moo
discussed the plan to the group, who nodded in understanding and wrote down notes, "You're
going to have to work with Yeong Ro to figure out the timing so she's going to be here tomorrow
for the rehearsal." The group nodded and smiled at Kang Moo as they were all pretty excited to be
working with the girl who had confessed her undying love for her man on national television. Soo
Ho and Kang Moo then supervised the song with them a couple of times but Soo Ho still thought
that there was something missing from the ensemble.

"I think that there's.. something missing from the ensemble, but you guys do sound great," Soo Ho
commented and they all looked at each other confused. Kang Moo looked at Soo Ho knowingly
because he had also felt the same about the arrangement for the song.

"Do you think an instrument is missing?" One of them asked and that set off the gears in Soo Ho's
brain before it finally clicked that nostalgic and cozy feeling he felt was missing from the
arrangement.

"Yes actually, do you happen to have a guitar here? Like an acoustic guitar?" Soo Ho asked and the
ensemble understood before one of the men went into the back storage room and brought out a
guitar for Soo Ho. Soo Ho held it with a relieved glee as he felt like the smooth edges of the guitar
and he felt that 'at home' feeling as he tweaked the knobs on the guitar to fine tune it.

"Do you know how to play the guitar sir?" One of them asked and Soo Ho nodded before sitting in
the middle of their ensemble on one of the chairs and looked at the music sheets.

"You see, in Yeong Ro-ya's version of the song, the guitar picks up after the first chorus right
here," Soo Ho pointed to the measure and all of them looked at their respective sheets and they
remembered that from the performance from the documentary. They also didn't miss the way he
said her name so endearingly and Soo Ho started plucking at the notes on the guitar to the beat of
the song, tapping the ground with his foot. Soo Ho sang the lyrics to the bridge and they were all
surprised that he knew the lyrics and how he sang the song in such a gentle and loving way that
you would almost think the song was written by him, "the strings should be accompanying me
right up until the final line and then the pianist joins in for the crescendo to the second chorus."
Soo Ho explained and then he motioned for them to take it from the beginning and they all played
again. Kang Moo felt a smile growing on his face since the arrangement sounded so much better
with Soo Ho's guitar and he was also smiling at the fact that Soo Ho was taking so much initiative
and getting involved with life as a South Korean. This was what he wanted to see.

"I do agree that the guitar does sound a lot better in the arrangement, and we will have one of our
people play the guitar in the ensemble. It's just going to take a day or two to come up with the
arrangement sheets for the guitar," One of the ensemble explained to Soo Ho and Kang Moo and
the former immediately stepped forward to take care of that issue as well.

"If you have any blank music sheets, I can write the arrangement right now for your guy to play,"
Soo Ho offered with a smile and everyone in the ensemble as well as Kang Moo looked at each
other in surprise and turned back to Soo Ho with hopeful and uneasy smiles.

"Really? You would do that?" They asked and Soo Ho nodded reassuringly and held up the guitar
again, signifying that he was a musician himself and that he could do it.

"I want to make Yeong Ro-ya's performance and Hyung's wedding one to remember, so I want to
do whatever I can to repay them," Soo Ho explained warmly and suddenly, one of the members
finally recognized him after hearing how passionate he was about the song and Yeong Ro.

"Wait... now I recognize you, you look exactly the man in the photo with Ms. Eun Yeong Ro from
the documentary," The woman gasped and everyone started to take note of his very similar,
practically identical appearance. Kang Moo looked to Soo Ho knowingly and Soo Ho merely
smiled gently at them, not really feeling any panic for almost having his cover blown. In fact, Soo
Ho almost welcomed anyone who recognized him, "are you that man? That man died didn't he?"
"You could say that in a way that I am. I'm Ri Tae-san, the man from the photo is Lim Soo Ho, so I
understand how you could mistake us, but I suppose that could explain why I love Yeong Ro's
song so much, so take that as you will," Soo Ho explained cryptically and everyone looked at each
other in confusion before Soo Ho asked one of the men to hand him the music sheets so he could
get to work on finishing the guitar arrangement on the song. They still didn't know what to believe
since Kang Moo confirmed his other name as his real one so the two men kinda bamboozled them.

On the other side of town, Yeong Ro and Hanna finished their work at the florist's and sent over
the plans to the wedding event committee for the venue set up. They were currently at the post
office, sealing wedding invitations and looking over the RSVP list and other lists of people. Their
table looked a tornado went through it with the amount of papers, ribbons, flowers decals, and
envelopes everywhere. Hanna looked over the final lists for the people attending and looked over
at Yeong Ro, who was currently at the telephone hanging up another call of a person. Hanna had a
bunch of questions and thoughts jumbling through her brain at the moment so she decided to ask all
of them in a rapid fire fashion.

"Did you get the RVSP invitations from the girls at the university?" Hanna asked and Yeong Ro
replied smoothly.

"Done," Yeong Ro replied as a matter of factly with a tilt of her head.

"Did you tip off the reporters about the wedding?" Hanna asked and Yeong Ro replied just as
quickly.

"Done," Yeong Ro smiled knowingly with another tilt of her head.

"Did you get as many family members from Kang Moo's side of the family to RSVP?" Hanna
listed off and Yeong Ro took one glance at Kang Moo's list and tilted her head again.

"Done," Yeong Ro tapped the list with her finger with all the checkmarks of all the people who
RSVP'd back to them.

"What about all of my family members that I don't want at my wedding?" Hanna listed off quickly
and Yeong Ro let out a small laugh.

"Your family members send their regrets," Yeong Ro replied smoothly and gestured to the other
list with her hands and felt a rush of accomplishment as she continued, "and if your father turns up
at the wedding, he shall be turned away!" Yeong Ro announced with a slightly exaggerated yet
fulfilling grandeur that made Hanna laugh and squeal and hold out her palm for Yeong Ro to high
five, which the girl gladly took.

"You are on fire! I honestly don't know how I would have gotten this done in time without you,"
Hanna exclaimed and Yeong Ro blushed from the compliment before asking Hanna a question.

"Unnie? Could I ask if you don't mind... why do you not want at least your mom at the wedding?
Barely anyone on your side is coming," Yeong Ro asked carefully and Hanna sighed as she sat
back down and twirled a pen in between her fingers.

"It's complicated... my family has never exactly been approving of my love for Kang Moo?
They've tried to marry me off to other suitors before and it's just never gone well... until I met
Kang Moo that is," Hanna replied thoughtfully, stopping her pen mid spin and Yeong Ro processed
that for a few moments before connecting the dots about what Hanna was being weird about
earlier.
Yeong Ro's eyes widened as she recalled, "That's right, that's why you acted weird when I asked
you if this was your first time getting married when you acted weird about wedding dressses,"
Yeong Ro realized and she looked over at Hanna with sympathy, "Oh Unnie I'm so sorry..."

Hanna gave a reassuring smile to Yeong Ro and waved it off, "It's fine, they've tried and failed to
keep me from coming back to Kang Moo... and I chose to stay with him because he's a man who
understands his own heart and values, and I fell in love with that," Hanna continued to explain and
she looked over at Yeong Ro to find a lovely smile on her face that was full of understanding.

"It must be nice... to be able to find someone who you can be with despite all the odds," Yeong Ro
looked down at the wedding invitations and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of bitterness in her
heart that ached to feel what it would feel like if she and Soo Ho made it. Hanna looked
thoughtfully at Yeong Ro and didn't say anything; Yeong Ro took that as her cue to continue but
she didn't seem bitter as she was wistful as to what could have been, "I thought Soo Ho-ssi and I
could make it... but we didn't. But Unnie, I really am happy for you because your choice paid off in
the end." Yeong Ro looked up from the invitations and smiled at her before taking the rest of the
invitations and bringing them up to the post office counter to send them off. Hanna felt herself
frown slightly as she sighed, looking at Yeong Ro's retreating back.

"Lim Soo Ho... just how much longer are you going to keep her waiting?"

Kang Moo and Soo Ho found themselves at the restaurant that was catering the wedding and Soo
Ho could only look in awe at the food that was presented before them. There was a large
assortment of dishes he recognized but there were many that were completely foreign to him. They
were led to a private table in the restaurant and Kang Moo looked over at the entire selection.

"This... is not fried chicken," Soo Ho said absentmindedly and Kang Moo registered that sentence
for a moment before looking weirdly at Soo Ho.

"You're still hung up on that?" Kang Moo asked with a chuckle and the waiters and waitresses
gestured them to their seat and handed them the menu that they had discussed for the wedding. Soo
Ho and Kang Moo sat on opposite ends of the table and Soo Ho looked at Kang Moo with wide
eyes.

"Hyung... are you telling me that we can taste test all of these?" Soo Ho asked incredulously and
Kang Moo bit his lip to keep himself from smiling at the way Soo Ho was marveling at the chance
to eat such fancy food. Kang Moo nodded and gestured to all the dishes.

"Yeah! Go ahead and dig in, they're going to prepare the menu for each table at the wedding so we
need to make sure the food's good for you know, quality control," Kang Moo explained and he
looked at the specific dishes and pointed them out to Soo Ho, "We have... Peking roasted duck,
shark fin soup, seaweed salad, there's some traditional stuff here too like guksu, japchae, and soup
dumplings. There's a whole bunch of dishes too so dig in!" Kang Moo urged Soo Ho to dig in and
they helped themselves to the food. After a while of commenting and gushing about the food, Soo
Ho sighed thoughtfully when he thought about how Yeong Ro and Sui Hui would have really liked
this.

"You know, I would really love to bring Yeong Ro-ya and Sui Hui-ah here one day," Soo Ho
commented thoughtfully as he got another helping of japchae and Kang Moo nodded, smiling at
him.

"I'm sure they would love it," Kang Moo helped himself to a soup dumpling and they continued to
eat their full until they had to get to their suit/tuxedo fitting at 2:30. The two of them made it to the
wedding shop and they approached the counter of the salesperson to inform them that they were
there for the fitting.

"Are you also getting fitted as well sir?" The lady asked Soo Ho as he shook his head and
explained himself to the lady.

"I'm actually here to pick up my suit that I dropped off the other day to get it dry-cleaned? Is it
ready?" Soo Ho explained to the lady and she smiled before pulling up the order list.

"What was your name sir?" The lady asked and Soo Ho supplied her with his name.

"Ri Tae-san," Soo Ho gave his name and the lady confirmed his order before telling him to wait a
moment before heading to the back and coming back with a dark navy blue suit that was enrobed in
a protective plastic. Kang Moo looked at it in interest as Soo Ho took the suit back and admired the
smoothness and the shine of it. Soo Ho smiled and thanked her before the lady guided them into
the shop to browse their collection of wedding suits. There were other people in the shop looking
for dresses and suits for their own events and there were some young girls who marveled at the
handsomeness of the two men.

"I didn't realize you bought a suit already, I told you about the wedding just the other day," Kang
Moo noted as they walked into a section of wedding suits and Soo Ho turned back and grinned at
Kang Moo.

"Ah no, I didn't buy this suit, this suit is actually..." Soo Ho took off the plastic covered and
brought the suit closer to Kang Moo so he could take a look. Soo Ho opened the lapel on the suit
and there was embroidery of a name on the inside, and Kang Moo read the name and his eyes
widened as he recognized it:

Eun Yeong U

"Yeong Ro's older brother's? You have it?" Kang Moo let out a sharp exhale and Soo Ho looked at
the suit fondly. Soo Ho nodded and checked to make sure that the white long sleeve on the inside
was clean as well.

"Yeah, it was in pretty bad shape when me and the others came back, so I brought it here in order
to fix it back up again," Soo Ho explained and patted down the suit to swipe off any dust before
putting the plastic covering back on. Soo Ho held the suit to his body and he smiled in such a way
where it seemed shy, but he was trying to contain his excitement. Kang Moo never thought he
would see the day where Soo Ho would act this cute, "So? Still looks good on me, don't you think
Hyung?"

"Well I've never seen you in the suit before so I can't say that it looked good on you the first time,"
Kang Moo noted and Soo Ho's eyes widened for a moment before he corrected himself.

"Well, you can ask Yeong Ro-ya, she absolutely loved me in it," Soo Ho defended himself with a
knowing smile before asking the lady where the changing room was. He told Kang Moo he would
be back and after a couple of moments, Kang Moo turned in the direction of approaching footsteps
to find Soo Ho in all of his dark navy blue glory and the man pulled up his tie as he approached
Kang Moo. Kang Moo did a once over on Soo Ho and gave him a thumbs up before the man
changed back into his previous outfit and joined him in picking out his suit.

"Should I go for the traditional black suit?" Kang Moo asked as he pulled out a black tuxedo and
Soo Ho pulled out a white vest along with a white dress shirt and the matching black dress pants.

"Maybe if you combine it with this," Soo Ho held up the inner wear and Kang Moo opened the
black tuxedo so he could fit the outfit inside. After staring at it for a couple of moments, Kang
Moo liked the appeal of the outfit so he told Soo Ho that he was going into the changing room to
change. It should be noted that at this moment, Soo Ho was within sight of the large store window
where the displays for the formal outfits were. If anyone were to look at the window, they would
be able to see him, and Soo Ho was not expecting to run into a specific someone a second time.
Soo Ho waited for him in the meantime and set down the bag that had his suit in it, and as he did
that, the girls that were within the shop started to approach him with the intent of flirting with him.

Meanwhile, Yeong Ro and Hanna were walking down the street to their next destination, which
was the bridal shop for the wedding dress fitting. The wedding shop that Soo Ho and Kang Moo
were at just happened to be around the corner from the same intersection the Evergreen Record
Shop was at. Yeong Ro and Hanna were walking past the window of the wedding shop to head for
the door when Yeong Ro saw a flash of light blue in her peripheral and she looked right to find the
same guy getting crowded by fawning girls in the window. She could tell that he was obviously
uncomfortable by the way he was backing away, but Yeong Ro felt her brain short circuit slightly
when the man just had to turn left in her direction as well and their eyes met in the window. Yeong
Ro stopped moving and Hanna noticed her halting movements and looked in her direction to find
what she was looking at and her jaw almost dropped.

Soo Ho couldn't believe his luck, but also curse it at the same time because there was a specific
moment where he planned to meet Yeong Ro again and it was definitely not now. Soo Ho felt
himself freeze for a moment before suddenly hearing Hanna yell out in surprise and everyone
inside the store looked out weirdly at the woman. Even Yeong Ro flinched in shock at the yell and
looked at her incredulously and Soo Ho took that as his chance to bolt. Hanna noticed that Soo Ho
disappeared further into the shop and Yeong Ro looked back at the window to find that Soo Ho
was gone. Yeong Ro frowned slightly at the fact that it could have just been her imagination again,
but Hanna yelled and those girls inside looked a bit crestfallen now that Soo Ho was gone.
Considering all of that, Yeong Ro frowned even further and decided to take matters into her own
hands and briskly walked inside with Hanna following.

Soo Ho scrambled to the changing rooms and he knocked on each door, trying to find Kang Moo
and Soo Ho saw a door open to find the man looking out to see why Soo Ho was calling for him.
Soo Ho quickly pushed him back inside and closed the door. Kang Moo shot him a look of
exasperation as Soo Ho pushed him in the back wall of the room and he held a finger up to his
mouth to signify silence.

"What's going on?" Kang Moo asked quietly and Soo Ho shushed him before listening to the
commotion outside.

"Yeong Ro-ya's here, she saw me in the window and she's now inside the store," Soo Ho grit his
teeth and whispered as Kang Moo's eyes widened in shock. Kang Moo moved out their position
and switched with Soo Ho so that he was in front.

"Excuse me m'am, was there a young man wearing a light blue overcoat here?" Yeong Ro asked
hopefully to the sales lady who nodded and pointed towards the hall with the changing rooms.

"Yes, he hurried back into the changing rooms," The lady answered and Yeong Ro and Hanna
made their way to the changing room hall and there were changing rooms to the left and right.
Yeong Ro looked either which way and Hanna prayed that she could find Soo Ho in time so she
could hide him from Yeong Ro.

"Unnie, I'll go right, you take the left ok?" Yeong Ro suggested and Hanna nodded before they
both took off in their respective directions. Hanna prayed silently to herself as she knocked on the
doors that she could find Soo Ho before Yeong Ro does. She whispered that it was her to every
door, but Hanna didn't have luck yet. Meanwhile, Yeong Ro tested the doors to see which opens
were occupied and which ones were vacant while she asked for Soo Ho.

Soo Ho and Kang Moo heard the sounds of approaching footsteps and they waited anxiously for
who could be approaching the door. Suddenly, there was a few rhythmic knocks and then a
familiar voice could be heard.

"Soo Ho? Is that you in here? It's me Jang Hanna," Hanna called out and Kang Moo breathed a
sigh of relief before quickly unlocking the door and opening it slightly to see his fiancée breathe a
sigh of relief, "Oh Kang Moo, you're here too! Ok everybody get inside!" Kang Moo squeezed
herself into the room and Soo Ho stepped back to let her in. It was a little bit uncomfortable now
that there was three people in the room because now there wasn't much space. Yeong Ro looked
back in the other direction to find that Hanna getting pulled into a room. Yeong Ro's eyes narrowed
at that action and she started towards the other side of the hall. However, as she reached the exit
hallway that led back out into the shop, Yeong Ro was stopped by those girls that were flirting
with the man from earlier. Trying to excuse herself by side stepping them, the girls got in her way
again and Yeong Ro sighed as she shot an annoyed glare at them.

"What do you girls want?" Yeong Ro asked and the haughty girls gave her a once over with a
disapproving look.

"So you're the girl that chased that man away, who do you think you are?" One of the girls asked,
stepping forward to flip Yeong Ro's hair in disgust. Yeong Ro huffed to herself and knew that she
really didn't have time for this.

"Who am I? In case you were wondering, I'm at that man's girlfriend," Yeong Ro said the first
thing she could think of and the girls gasped as Yeong Ro gave a courteous yet shit-eating smile at
the looks on their faces and knowingly stepped forward, "Now could you please move aside?"
Yeong Ro asked without really wanting an answer and used her shoulder to push the girl out of the
way. Breathing an inward sigh of relief, Yeong Ro quickly moved away from the looks of disbelief
and moved down the hallway to the door that Hanna went into, "Unnie? Are you in there? Did you
find him?"

Hanna turned around and called out to Yeong Ro while glancing at both men, "Well Yeong Ro, I
actually found Kang Moo!" Yeong Ro blinked in slight surprise and called out for him.

"Mr. Lee! Are you there?" Yeong Ro asked and Kang Moo called out.

"Yeah Yeong Ro I'm here! Hanna's just helping me with something!" Kang Moo explained and
Yeong Ro pressed her lips together and sighed for a moment before addressing Hanna again.

"Unnie! Did you happen to find that man?" Yeong Ro asked and pressed her ear to the door to try
to hear her better.

Hanna tried to come up with an answer and tried to come up with a way to get Yeong Ro to leave,
"Not exactly? I tried checking the other rooms and none of them were the man we're looking for.
It's just me and Kang Moo in here and no one else!"

Yeong Ro listened to her explanation and thought about it for a moment. There was something
about that statement that was off to her. The way that Hanna said made it seem like she was trying
to reassure Yeong Ro from figuring out something else. Yeong Ro tentatively reached out her hand
to the doorknob and her hand rested on it, "Unnie... I wasn't under the impression that Mr. Lee was
here with someone else, why did you need to emphasize the fact that it's just the two of you in
there?"

Kang Moo squeezed his eyes shut and looked at Hanna, who had a cheeky and guilty smile on her
face. Soo Ho merely only smirked at just how smart she was. He swore that every word that came
out of her mouth just made him fall in love with her even more.

"Unnie, open the door," Yeong Ro sighed after hearing no response from the other side. Hanna
tried to cover up her tracks by quickly giving an excuse.

"Wait Yeong Ro, I'm still helping Kang Moo with his fitting!" Hanna called out and Yeong Ro
huffed and asked quickly.

"Does he happen to be shirtless or bottomless?" Yeong Ro asked with a huff of frustration and
Hanna looked at Kang Moo, who was completely dressed and only needed help with his tie. Hanna
bit her lip and Kang Moo nodded and tilted his head towards the door.

"Yes, yes he is," Hanna replied, but Yeong Ro didn't buy it at all.

Noticing the pause before her response, Yeong Ro called her out, "You hesitated!"

"I didn't!" Hanna replied in indignation and Kang Moo could only give a deadpan face at just how
much scrutiny Yeong Ro is putting Hanna under. The girl could be a great detective or interrogator
and yet she didn't even ask any questions when she hid Soo Ho in the dorm without questioning
how Soo Ho got himself in that position to begin with, which Kang Moo will never understand.
However, he surmised that could only be the deep love she had for him.

"Mr. Lee's presentable isn't he? Mr. Lee tell me honestly, is there anyone else in there? You're too
honest and principled to lie," Yeong Ro sighed before addressing Kang Moo, who felt himself be
put on the spot at Yeong Ro's desperate question. It sounded so pleading and full of hope that Kang
Moo didn't want to ruin that. Soo Ho looked at Kang Moo knowingly and the man gave the same
look back to him. Yeong Ro has to wait just a little bit longer before the nightmare is over. To be
perfectly honest, even though Kang Moo is honest and has principles, he's perfectly capable of
putting them aside for the greater good should they conflict. Kang Moo almost did it when he tried
to plead with Eun Chang Su one last time to save the girls in the university. Kang Moo felt proud
like an older brother figure that Yeong Ro would respect him so much, but he also felt guilty that
he's about to break that image. However, right before Kang Moo could answer, an associate in the
shop came into the changing hall and asked Yeong Ro what was wrong.

"Did you happen to need to get this door open?" The associate asked and Yeong Ro nodded.

"My friend is in there and she's taking an awfully long time helping her fiancée with his fitting and
we're going to be late to her wedding dress fitting," Yeong Ro checked the time on her watch and
they only had ten minutes left to get to their fitting. The associate nodded and fished out the keys to
the room, which everyone inside heard and all three of them looked at each other quickly to think
of a plan.

Hanna looked between the door and Kang Moo and as the key inserted itself into the door, the only
one thing came to mind to prevent people from catching someone in a place that they're not
supposed to be. Soo Ho looked at the door in fear and backed away from it. Hanna quickly looked
to Kang Moo and took his face in her hands.

"Hanna what are you-?" Kang Moo was about to ask but he didn't get to say anything before Hanna
quickly brought her lips to Kang Moo's in a passionate kiss and Soo Ho immediately clasped his
hand over his mouth and crouched to hide. The door opened right at that second and Yeong Ro and
the associate looked inside to find Kang Moo and Hanna in quite the intimate position. Yeong Ro
managed to get an eyeful of Kang Moo grasping her back in a loving embrace and returning the
kiss before she yelped out in surprise and turned away blushing. Soo Ho on the other side did the
same as he tried to muffle his startled cough and he had the same red blush on his face. Yeong Ro
looked back to see if the two had stopped and to her dismay, they were still going. The associate
was still looking in shock and she stepped back as well as the pair kept making out and Yeong Ro
noticed that Hanna moved her hands down from his face down to his pants and when her fingers
started fumbling with the belt was when both Yeong Ro and the associate decided to speak up.
They were honestly hoping the pair would notice on their own, but that was clearly not happening.

"Excuse me?! Sir?! M'am?!" The associate asked.

"Mr. Lee! Unnie!" Yeong Ro reached out her hands in some weird attempt to stop them, opening
and clenching hands before just decided to keep them in a permanent clasp over her mouth. The
pair finally noticed them and broke apart and Kang Moo had the most lovesick smile on his face.
Hanna just looked like it was just a minor interruption and glanced at them, clearly unaffected, in
fact she almost seemed proud.

"Umm, do you guys mind? I'm trying to help him with his fitting," Hanna raised an eyebrow at
them and Yeong Ro dropped hands and her jaw was just open in disbelief.

"So that's what you meant... by helping him with his fitting..." Yeong Ro said quietly and the
associate looked between the two of them and opted to just stay quiet. Soo Ho honestly felt like he
wanted to shrink in the corner of the room until he imploded and his head felt so hot to the point
where it almost became dizzying in there as he periodically glanced at their position from the floor.

"Yeah," Hanna replied as if that was the most obvious interpretation of her words, "We have some
unfinished business, so are you still going to insist on watching you pervs?" Hanna asked as Kang
Moo raised an eyebrow at Yeong Ro and she scoffed in disbelief at both of them before opening
and closing her eyes, trying to formulate a response to that. However, nothing really came to mind
besides unintelligible sounds and stuttering.

"You know what?" Yeong Ro stated as they both leaned closer to kiss again and both her and
associate had the same idea to just back away.

"We'll just leave you to it," The associate finished her thought for her and Yeong Ro stepped
forward to grasp the door and she closed her eyes again as they met again for another kiss.

"I'll just wait for you outside Unnie," Yeong Ro winced and just swung the door closed before
quickly bolting out into the main room again. Kang Moo and Hanna immediately broke apart, but
they were still each other's arms. All three of them breathed a heavy sigh of relief and Kang Moo
smiled wide at his fiancee and pointed to the door.

"That was genius! Well done Hanna," Kang Moo smiled warmly at Hanna before leaning in to
peck her on the lips gently before Soo Ho cleared his throat and interrupted them. Hanna smirked
at Kang Moo before both of them turned to Soo Ho.

Soo Ho leaned his head back on the wall and sighed, "Why is it... that every single time I trust you
with Yeong Ro-ya, you always find some new way to traumatize her?" Soo Ho sent a playful glare
at Kang Moo that the latter could tell had a bit of actual bite to it.

"Hey, you gotta give us a little credit, at least you didn't get caught by Yeong Ro," Kang Moo
looked knowingly at Soo Ho and offered his hand to him, which Soo Ho gladly took.
"God why do I hate that you're right?" Soo Ho muttered to himself but Kang Moo heard him and
chuckled.

"As you should," Kang Moo raised a teasing eyebrow and handed Soo Ho the bag with his suit in it
and Soo Ho could only shoot him an exhausted glare. Soon, Hanna came out of the store to meet
Yeong Ro and she awkwardly approached the girl, who had such a light hearted disapproving look
on her face.

"Yeong Ro, about what happened earlier..." Hanna started but Yeong Ro just held out her hand and
used it grab Hanna's wrist.

"I don't wanna hear it, let's just go," Yeong Ro shook her head and practically dragged Hanna out
of the store so that they wouldn't be late to the wedding dress fitting, which they were about to be.
They found themselves inside the wedding bridal shop and the assistants immediately brought
them both into the changing chamber inside. Yeong Ro marveled at the amount of flowing white
dresses around them and she ran her hands over some of the dresses, admiring the different designs
before following Hanna and the assistants into the changing chamber. They had gone through a
few dresses and they still haven't found the right one yet. After about another hour of trying on
dresses, Yeong Ro and Hanna finally landed on one that the latter liked. Hanna came out onto the
mini runway and Yeong Ro gasped as how good it looked. The dress was poofy, but it wasn't too
grand, but it had enough layers for it to flow out naturally and Yeong Ro could see Hanna's legs
moving it in. The outer lace layer as embroidered with flowers and vines on the skirt and the
bodice was covered in small sequined flowers along the edges and near the breasts. There was also
an outer lace layer that covered right up to Hanna's collarbones and it covered the majority of her
arms. Hanna had a long flowing veil and her hair was done in a perfectly circular bun with small
flowers embedded in the braid of hair that kept the bun intact.

"So? What do you think?" Hanna slowly turned around so that Yeong Ro could see the entirety of
the dress, the awkwardness that they had before completely gone.

"Oh this one is perfect! I absolutely love it!" Yeong Ro clapped her hands together and looked at
the assistants to silently ask the for their opinions and they smiled graciously at them. Hanna
smiled wide and twirled around a little faster and they decided on that dress for the wedding
afterwards. Yeong Ro noticed that Hanna had a mischievous glint in her eye when she caught her
staring at her weirdly, "Unnie, what are you looking at me for?"

Hanna looked at her for a moment before glancing to the changing room, "I just figured that since
we're already here, you might as well try on some wedding dresses too!" Hanna grabbed both of
Yeong Ro's hands and helped her up despite her objections.

"Wait Unnie! I don't think this is necessarily the best idea!" Yeong Ro tried her best to wrench
herself from her grip but Hanna was just simply too strong.

"Hey even if you don't plan on thinking about it someday, just the feeling of wearing a wedding
dress is something you should experience so come on!" Hanna reasoned with Yeong Ro, and the
latter couldn't help but feel like the logic oddly made sense. Yeong Ro had always wanted to know
what being in a grand wedding dress would feel like before everything that happened. Maybe this
was her chance to indulge herself, however Yeong Ro didn't even get the chance to even change
her mind before Hanna practically corralled her into the changing room.

Soo Ho and Kang Moo were walking on the street because they had finally finished with their list
for the day after picking out Kang Moo's suit and getting Soo Ho's suit as well. They were just
walking along the street, enjoying their time out in the early evening when they passed the
wedding bridal shop. Kang Moo looked thoughtfully at the bridal shop.
"Oh yeah this is where Hanna had her fitting today, I wonder how it went," Kang Moo murmured
and Soo Ho merely mused with him as they continued to walk. They walked past the window
showing the inside of the shop, they noticed two figures coming out towards the front. Soo Ho
recognized the first figure as Hanna, who was walking backwards and clapping. The second figure
that came out made Soo Ho's breath catch in his throat and his heart beat fast as he registered what
he was looking at. It was Yeong Ro in a wedding dress and to him, she was practically ethereal
with the grace that she was emanating. Soo Ho literally felt floored from the other side of the
window as he could only stare at her stupidly. Kang Moo looked back from the window to find
Soo Ho's awestruck face and the endless warmth of love behind his eyes. Kang Moo chuckled and
waved a hand in front of Soo Ho's face, but it really didn't do anything.

"I... don't know what I did.... To deserve seeing Yeong Ro-ya like this... I don't what I did to even
deserve all the feelings she's making me feel, but... just wow..." Soo Ho murmured absentmindedly
as he traced the rivulets of flower ornaments cascading down her hair and the silk material of the
dress she had on. Seeing her in that dress made a whole door of hopes and dreams that Soo Ho
never would have thought he would be privileged to have become possible to him. It filled his
heart with a hope that his love-their love, could be something beyond what had happened to them
in the hostage situation. This realization made Soo Ho smile so wide that Kang Moo could see his
cheekbones almost reach their peak. From where they were standing, it wasn't likely that Yeong
Ro would notice them, so Kang Moo just opted to let him stare.

Kang Moo observed Soo Ho's dopey yet emotional smile for a few more moments before
murmuring to himself, "Yeah, the guy's totally whipped now..." Kang Moo laughed silently but
Soo Ho wasn't even listening, in fact, the man looked like he was about to cry from just watching
Yeong Ro show off her dress shyly.

Soo Ho took in a deep breath and he felt his smile go through so many emotions, evident from how
wide his smile was or the way his lips trembled periodically from the joy and gleefulness. This.
This is what he needed to remember that Soo Ho's life going to be turned around for the better and
he was going to do it with the girl he loved with all of his heart. It wasn't long now.

On the day of the wedding...

A week later after all the preparations were done for the wedding and the wedding was already
underway. There was going to be a few things or rather one very big thing that threw a wrench in
the wedding, Yeong Ro couldn't believe her eyes when a voice had called out at the most
inopportune time. Hanna and Kang Moo were facing each other at the altar and Yeong Ro had just
finished performing a shortened version of her song for Hanna's walk down the aisle. Everything
was going great... until it wasn't. Soo Ho couldn't believe what was happening at the wedding at
that moment and he could hear Sui Hui gasp beside him as they watched from their seats in the
back of the room.

"Today we are here to witness the union of two wonderful souls, Lee Kang Moo and Jang Hanna.
If there is anyone who should want to speak out against their union, speak now or forever hold your
peace..." The priest announced, gazing at the two of them before a loud booming voice resounded
through the room, interrupting the ceremony.

"I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN!"

Yeong Ro's head whipped around and looked at the person who was walking briskly up the aisle.
It was not someone she immediately recognized since the aisle was so long, but when they came up
closer, Yeong Ro gasped.

Soo Ho's reaction was similar as he looked at the person in shock and he narrowed his eyes at him
as the person walked up the aisle to confront the couple. Soo Ho was about to stand up to intervene
but Sui Hui squeezed her hand on his forearm, warning him not to go.

"Is that who I think it is?" Kang Moo asked as he moved to hold Hanna's hand and she squinted at
the person before her eyes widened in an indescribable rage that Kang Moo has seen multiple
times. However, this time it just seemed worse... much much worse.

"The nerve.... To show up here... is practically a death sentence..." Hanna murmured with a deadly
and silent rage that Yeong Ro could feel from the front seats and she bit her lip as a wave of guilt
washed over her.

"Oh no... this can't end well..."

 Chapter 11: When Two Flowers Intertwine Pt. 2
Chapter Notes

Author's note: HELLO EVERYONE! SnivyLord here! Sorry it took me a while to

update! It's the chapter you have all been waiting for! The second half of the two
parter "When Two Flowers Intertwine!" It's a long one so strap on everyone, it all
comes down to this: Soo Ho and Yeong Ro meeting again at the wedding of Kang
Moo and Hanna! I know I kinda left it on a cliffhanger last time and I'm sorry, but I
promise this chapter will finally have our Yeongsoo meet, but I just won't say how
because you have to read it to find out! This past week has been a little bit much for
me since I've been recovering from mental whiplash and I've been going through a bit
of a depressive episode, but honestly writing this chapter made me feel a lot better. It
honestly gets very emotional this chapter in multiple ways for obvious reasons, but it
pays off I promise. After this chapter will be some cute resolution chapters that I'm
looking forward to writing. The next chapter in particular is still going to take place at
the wedding, but it will transition back to our normal setting. Also I apologize for any
mistakes, this is non beta because we die like Soo Ho, no sorry I mean, he's not dead
in this fanfic so we die like Yeong U.

So you're probably wondering, just how in the world did the wedding happen to go so awry? It
seemed like someone had interrupted the ceremony and everyone was there to witness it. Truth be
told, the wedding seemed to go smoothly right up until that point and Yeong Ro and Soo Ho had
still not met even though they were both in the same room. Hanna and Kang Moo seemed to
recognize whoever it was that decided to barge in on the ceremony, so let me bring you back to this
specific moment:

"What about all of my family members that I don't want at my wedding?" Hanna listed off quickly
and Yeong Ro let out a small laugh.

"Your family members send their regrets," Yeong Ro replied smoothly and gestured to the other list
with her hands and felt a rush of accomplishment as she continued, "and if your father turns up at
the wedding, he shall be turned away!" Yeong Ro announced with a slightly exaggerated yet
fulfilling grandeur that made Hanna laugh and squeal and hold out her palm for Yeong Ro to high
five, which the girl gladly took.

"You are on fire! I honestly don't know how I would have gotten this done in time without you,"
Hanna exclaimed and Yeong Ro blushed from the compliment before asking Hanna a question.

So you can probably guess what happened, so let me frame the context, starting from this specific
moment.

On the day of the wedding...

"Oh my god, this venue is amazing!" Hye Ryeong exclaimed as the girls walked into the wedding
venue and it was unbelievably crowded as Yeong Ro, Seol Hui, Jeong Min, as well as Bun Ok
tried to stay together in the crowd. Yeong Ro looked around at the bright peach walls of the venue
and the array of bold and bright colors of the flowers that was strewn about. There were flowing
white curtains all around and Yeong Ro smiled as she felt the satisfying clack of her heels against
the marble floor.

"I've never been somewhere this fancy before! Oh I wish I could take pictures for my family," Seol
Hui squealed as she twirled around and Bun Ok came up next to her and agreed.

"Me too, my parents would have loved to see this," Bun Ok commented while smiling and adjusted
her purse strap as if she was trying to steel herself to handle being in such a high society setting.
She felt worried that she was just a tad out of place and Yeong Ro and Seol Hui knew that. Hye
Ryeong was a little bit more unforgiving about that since she wondered why Bun Ok got an
invitation in the first place, but she didn't really push it.

"Well aren't you glad we went shopping so you could be here for your family?" Seol Hui asked
with a bright smile and Bun Ok nodded and returned her smile. Yeong Ro had actually
accompanied them for a shopping spree and she kinda dragged Jeong Min with them to pick out
new outfits for the wedding. Yeong Ro had decided on a silken light pink blouse with snowdrop
flower designs gracing the top. The blouse had come with a matching pink silk scarf that she tied
around her neck and Yeong Ro had picked out a breezy, flowing white skirt with a diagonal cut
near the bottom. To complete the look, Yeong Ro decided to indulge in a white blazer that she
wore over her shoulders like drapery. To be fair, all of them took a while to get ready for the
wedding and Yeong Ro clipped back her hair on the left side so it would flow gracefully over the
right shoulder.

"Of course!" Bun Ok smoothed out her ivory dress before continuing with everyone into the venue.
Yeong Ro looked around and saw who she assumed was Kang Moo's family greeting all of the
guests. There was soft classical music playing in the background and everyone was gathered
around tables in the lobby, conversing with appetizers and drinks. There was a steady stream of
people who were lining up to go further into the venue to visit the bride and groom before it was
time. Yeong Ro figured that she would visit Hanna in a moment before she caught Ms. Pi in the
crowd and waved to her.

"Ms. Pi! You made it!" Yeong Ro called out as Ms. Pi heard her name and smiled as she turned to
face the girl.

"Of course, it's always a wonderful occasion when two people we know well get married," Ms. Pi
gave a Yeong Ro a warm closed lip smile and Yeong Ro looked towards the line of people that
were waiting to be received by the couple.

"Have you visited Mr. Lee and Hanna-unnie yet?" Yeong Ro asked and Ms. Pi nodded.

"Yes I have, you girls should go in and visit Hanna before the ceremony starts," Ms. Pi suggested
and Yeong Ro smiled and nodded, holding the gift that she had in her hand and she turned back to
the other girls to beckon them to get in line to meet the bride. The girls all went together in a happy,
chattering group as Ms. Pi watched them go and smiled to herself. Ms. Pi then sighed and helped
herself to the appetizers and if she had turned around again, she would have caught a familiar face
in a nostalgic dark navy blue suit.

The van pulled up to the venue and Soo Ho and Sui Hui looked out the window from the bottom of
the hill to the grand venue where Kang Moo and Hanna's wedding was taking place. Soo Ho
gulped slightly, his Adam's apple feeling a bit heavy since today was the day that he would finally
reunite with Yeong Ro. Sui Hui could practically feel the silent anxiety emanating from her brother
and smiled at him.
"Oppa, remember, this is a day where we can enjoy ourselves! There's no need to feel nervous,"
Sui Hui reminded Soo Ho and he gave a her a quick smile before looking to Cheongya, who was
driving the van.

"Cheongya, are you sure you don't want to come to the wedding? Hyung did give you an invitation
you know," Soo Ho frowned slightly at Cheongya's lack of proper attire for the wedding since Sui
Hui had gotten a beautiful violet dress for the occasion. Cheongya merely gave Soo Ho a small
smile and waved it off.

"Him giving me the invitation is a little bit stupid since I'm still wanted and I'm sure people will
recognize me, but the only reason why I'm allowing you to go is that I think things will be easier
for you since people know the truth about you and what happened... and the fact that everyone
thinks you're dead," Cheongya explained as a matter of factly and Soo Ho couldn't help but crack a
small smile at the slightly comedic way she delivered that last part. Sui Hui nodded in
understanding and leaned forward so she could rest her chin on the seat next to Cheongya.

"Hey, I promise that we'll bring you back good stuff ok?" Sui Hui reassured Cheongya, who merely
shook her head and chuckled before looking at Soo Ho one last time as he rested his hand against
the door handle.

"Soo Ho," Cheongya started and Soo Ho looked back at her one last time and he saw a soft smile
on her face, "Go get her tiger," Soo Ho smiled at those words and he noticed an unreadable
emotion behind her eyes that he's noticed before, but he never let himself decipher what it meant
before now. It seemed like a mix of contentment yet longing that Soo Ho never addressed. Soo Ho
felt bad that he could never return her feelings even though they've been through so much together.
However, his heart knew what he wanted and Soo Ho followed that path faithfully until the end.
Even now, Soo Ho will continue to choose that path for the rest of his life. Soo Ho didn't feel the
need to say more about their relationship the second time they parted ways, and there was nothing
more to be said now.

"I will... and by the way, Hyung is the tiger, not me," Soo Ho flashed a knowing smile, referring to
Kang Moo before making his way out of the car with Sui Hui following. Cheongya let out a
chuckle before sighing contently, gazing at the retreating back of Soo Ho.

"Perhaps... this is where our lives become different, for people like you and me," Cheongya nodded
to herself, making certain of the hope she has now for her life. With that, Cheongya drove away.

Soo Ho and Sui Hui walked up to the venue entrance to find the security guards keeping watch out
front and inspecting the guests for their invitations. Sui Hui instinctively reached out for her
brother's arm, which Soo Ho naturally held out for her to take and they walked up to the guards,
who turned their attention to them. The guards smiled at them and asked:

"Hello! Do you happen to have your invitation?" Soo Ho blinked for a moment at the guard's
gentle disposition, he had felt a bit guarded and wary that this inspection was going to go a lot
worse. The guard had an expecting but gentle look on his face before Soo Ho quickly smiled to
cover up his momentary lapse of judgment and reaching into his inside suit pocket to pull out an
intricate peach seashell invitation made of smooth thick paper to present to them. The guard
happily accepted the invitation and opened the invitation to examine the inscribed name:

Ri Taesan

The guard picked up a list of names of the roster from the podium that he had next to him and
checked the names before looking up and nodding at Soo Ho.
"Yep I see you here Mr. Ri, you and your plus one are free to go inside," The guard confirmed for
them and they exchanged smiles before Soo Ho and Sui Hui strolled inside, a gentle relief settling
in their hearts. The two of them made it inside and were met with crowd of people in the lobby and
high intricate ceilings that were painted by the Roman pieces of the Renaissance. The chandeliers
hung down with an easy light since there was multiple skylights in the venue. Soo Ho looked
around and saw the line of people that were waiting to get received by the couple and he was
wondering if Yeong Ro was already here. Sui Hui knew exactly what her brother was looking for
and decided to help him in his search. Soon, she spotted a familiar figure by one of the tables and
she directed Soo Ho's attention over to them. Soo Ho felt a soft smile grow on his lips as he saw
Yeong Ro speaking to Ms. Pi. She looked absolutely beautiful today and Soo Ho had to constantly
restrain himself from going directly to her. Soo Ho beckoned Sui Hui to follow him to the line to
visit Kang Moo before the wedding began.

Hanna was sitting inside the meeting room and she was just done receiving some more guests until
the 207 squad plus Bun Ok entered the room and they all squealed when they saw her. Hanna
smiled wide and stood up to greet them as they all went in for an individual hug.

"Hi girls! I was wondering when you would all make it!" Hanna greeted them enthusiastically as
they all took a step back to admire her wedding dress. Seol Hui and Bun Ok practically fawned
over it while Jeong Min and Hye Ryeong gave Hanna bright congratulatory smiles. Yeong Ro
merely smiled sweetly at the dress while holding her wedding gift in her conjoined hands. Hanna
could tell there was something else behind her smile, a thoughtfulness that seemed wistful rather
than bitter. It almost seemed like Yeong Ro was thinking about something else entirely while
gazing at her wedding dress, and Hanna had an idea of what it was. Her slightly passive behavior
now probably started when Hanna had made Yeong Ro try on wedding dresses the week before.
Yeong Ro was trying her best to look happy for Hanna without thinking too heavily about her own
decision to wear a wedding dress for real.

"It's quite something isn't it? Attending the wedding of two people who saved us during that whole
hostage situation," Jeong Min thought the notion was a bit funny, how the bonds they made when
they were all trying to survive together was enough to warrant the privilege of coming to a
wedding. Yeong Ro nodded to her comment and sighed happily regardless of her own feelings.
Yeong Ro looked over to the side and all of them saw the big pile of wedding presents that were
neatly stacked to the side.

"Unnie, we're going to put your presents here ok?" Yeong Ro walked over to the neatly stacked
pile and hovered her gift over it, looking for Hanna's confirmation, who accepted. All the girls put
their gifts down and Bun Ok fidgeted slightly, glancing between the giant pile of gifts and her own.
Hanna noticed her hesitation and walked up to her to place her hands gently on Bun OK's, who was
nervously gripping her gift.

"Hey, why are you nervous? Is there something wrong?" Hanna asked and Bun Ok shook her head
as if that implication was silly. Bun Ok thought her own worries were silly since she knew Hanna
wasn't that kind of person, but she couldn't help but compare herself to others once again.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I never really had the chance to buy a gift for someone before since I've
never exactly had the money, so it's a bit new to me," Bun Ok explained and Hanna smiled at the
sentiment and she gently pried the bag from Bun Ok's fingers and placed onto the pile. Yeong Ro
smiled sympathetically and looked at the others, who were doing the same.

"I'm sure that whatever your gift is, I'll appreciate it all the same, now I want all of you to gather
because we're going to take pictures!" Hanna beckoned all of them together in front of the loveseat
and the wedding decorations to take pictures. One of the assistants came out with a camera and got
ready as the girls got into multiple different poses while Hanna made some self indulgent poses
herself. They took multiple photos and the girls were laughing at how stupid some of the poses
were or how extra they were being. The assistant told them that the photos would be available later
and the girls talked to Hanna a little bit more before they went back out to the reception hall.

Soo Ho went further inside the venue with Sui Hui to find the room that Kang Moo was receiving
everyone. Walking past Hanna's room, Soo Ho took a glance inside to find Yeong Ro and the
others conversing with Hanna and taking pictures. Sui Hui took a glance too and she pouted
slightly at the sight.

"Awww.. I wish I could take pictures with them, that looks like so much fun," Sui Hui sighed and
Soo Ho smiled softly before gesturing with his head that they had to keep going. Soon, Soo Ho and
Sui Hui walked into the groom's room and Kang Moo, who was busy adjusting his tie with an
assistant turned to look at them and a warm smile spread across his face.

"Soo Ho!" Kang Moo greeted them and his attention turned to the woman who was next to him and
he wagged a finger at her, trying to figure out who she was, "And you're his sister right? Sui Hui?"
Sui Hui greeted him with a curtsy and a smirk.

"In the flesh! It's so nice to finally meet you! My brother has told me a lot about you," Sui Hui
looked at Kang Moo knowingly, who faltered for a moment to look between Soo Ho and Sui Hui
because her tone kind of sounded like she told her brother a variety of rather revealing things.

Kang Moo gave them a hesitant smirk before asking, "Really? What did he tell you?" Sui Hui let
out a small laugh and smiled at him relishing that his apprehension was rather amusing.

"He told me how you were a big help during the hostage situation and also that you're a big idiot as
well," Sui Hui felt her catty grin grow even wider as Kang Moo gave Soo Ho a deadpan look and
Soo Ho had to hold in his laugh at Kang Moo's face.

"Yah, that's not fair, your brother here is even more of a stubborn idiot than I am, the reason why I
had to make all those idiotic decisions to help everyone escape was because this guy right here
took literally forever to make up his mind," Kang Moo pointed at Soo Ho accusingly and the latter
opened his mouth to say something in his defense, but he really couldn't think of anything. Kang
Moo looked at him expectantly with a semi-cocky air to him and Soo Ho couldn't help but just step
forward to slap the groom's shoulder hard, "YAH! You could've gone a little easier couldn't you?"
Kang Moo winced and cradled his shoulder slightly before rolling his arm to shake off the
momentary pain. Sui Hui laughed as Soo Ho sidled up to Kang Moo's side to sling an arm over the
groom's shoulder.

"I'm glad that you two ended up getting along in the end, and I really can't thank you enough for
taking a chance on my brother," Sui Hui thanked Kang Moo, who shook his head as if that was
nothing and Soo Ho thought about that for a moment before bringing his other arm around and
held his hand out in a fist bump to Kang Moo.

Kang Moo raised an eyebrow at the fist but slowly raised his own fist to match Soo Ho's, "What is
that for?" Soo Ho just nodded and pressed his fist to Kang Moo's. At that moment, with the feeling
of Soo Ho's knuckles against his made him feel extremely nostalgic. The simple gesture just took
him back to a memory that he couldn't put his finger on, but Kang Moo appreciated the gesture
nonetheless.

"I'm just proving that we do get along because we're good friends," Soo Ho replied and Kang Moo
let out a tiny amiable scoff before remembering that he also had something for Soo Ho. Kang Moo
excused himself for a moment to get a small blue gift box tied with white ribbon that he placed on
a counter. Kang Moo then came back and held out the gift box to Soo Ho, who eyed it curiously
with a smile, "What is this for Hyung?"

"It's just a small gift to commemorate our friendship as well as your return to Yeong Ro, open it,"
Kang Moo placed the gift box in Soo Ho's hand and Soo Ho gave Kang Moo an appreciative smile
before gently unwrapping the ribbon and opening the box to find a brooch in the shape of a cross.
The cross was made of tiny shining diamonds and Soo Ho marveled at the gift, tilting it slightly to
reflect the light off of it.

"Hyung... this is... how much did you pay for this?" Soo Ho asked as he turned the brooch over to
find that the diamonds were held in place by a thin silver frame and there was a pin in the back in
order to attach it onto clothing. Kang Moo waved off the question and took the brooch back from
Soo Ho and raised it up to Soo Ho's suit lapel and gently pinned it there.

"Ah it's alright Soo Ho, that doesn't matter since you've done so much for me, it's the least I can
do," Kang Moo insisted and he adjusted the position of the brooch on the lapel before stepping
away and pulling Soo Ho to a standing mirror to look at himself. Sui Hui followed them and smiled
proudly at how good her brother looked in the mirror and Soo Ho held the brooch fondly between
his two fingers before reaching his arm around Kang Moo to give him a side hug.

"Thank you Hyung so much, I'll treasure it," Soo Ho gave a toothy grin at the three of them in the
mirror and Kang Moo remembered that it almost time for the ceremony to begin.

"Hey Soo Ho, remember that the plan's gonna happen at the reception and the whole staff is aware,
so try to keep a low profile before then, we want it to be a surprise," Kang Moo reminded Soo Ho
and Soo Ho nodded before he and his sister bid Kang Moo goodbye and they all got ready for the
ceremony.

20 minutes before the wedding incident...

Soo Ho and Sui Hui sat in the back as everyone gathered in the ceremony room and they were
amazed by just how ethereal everything looked. They made sure not to run into everyone that they
knew and they waited until everyone was seated and they were all waiting for the bride to come
walking down the aisle. Soo Ho noticed that Yeong Ro was already at the front and was
conversing with the orchestra that was setting up. He really couldn't believe that he was going to
hear her song live. It was such a shame Soo Ho only got the chance to hear it once but her voice
and the melody of the song made him feel like he could listen to it forever. Soo Ho looked at the
remaining stream of people that were filing into the room, finding their seats and he noticed
Gwang Tae and Byung Tae come in all dressed up for the wedding. The two men found open spots
next to Seol Hui and Hye Ryeong on the other side of the aisle from where Soo Ho was sitting and
they greeted each other before settling down. Soo Ho also notice Ms. Pi sitting near the front with
Kang Moo's family and Bun Ok was with her as well. They sat a few rows up from where Hye
Ryeong, Seol Hui, and the others were sitting and Jeong Min was sitting with them as well. There
were some familiar faces Soo Ho could pick from the crowd, but he didn't get the chance to
remember them since everyone was facing forward. With the doors to the back of the room
opening, everyone's eyes fell on the officiant, who came to the front of the room and they all
waited for the bride and groom.

Yeong Ro looked towards the back of the room and looked to the staff for the signal to begin and
soon, one of the staff members gave her the ok signal and she looked back to the pianist to nod to
him that it was time to begin. Everyone's eyes turned to Yeong Ro as she smiled sweetly at
everyone before beginning the song. With her beginning lines, the doors opened and revealed
Kang Moo, smiling confidently at everyone as he slowly walked down the aisle. As Kang Moo
walked down, he caught Soo Ho's gaze and smiled slightly at him before continuing down. Since
everyone was looking back at the groom, Soo Ho was also within the line of sight for all of those
who knew him. Gwang Tae looked back at Kang Moo and his eyes caught a familiar face in the
rows in the back. As if the song was manifesting the coincidence, Gwang Tae saw the face of
someone he thought he would never see again: Soo Ho. Gwang Tae's mouth hung open slightly as
the young man slightly turned his face so he was facing more in Gwang Tae's direction and caught
his gaze. The two stared at each for a moment and Gwang Tae had to bring a hand to his mouth to
stop it from trembling.

"Is that who I think it is?" Gwang Tae murmured and as if Soo Ho knew he was going to try to
discern his identity, Soo Ho raised a finger to his mouth in a friendly gesture of silence. Gwang Tae
could see the guy's smile and small nod as if he were asking Gwang Tae to do him a favor to keep
quiet. Gwang Tae, before he could think of anything else, nodded and let out a scoff of surprise
before smiling at his old friend. Gwang Tae turned back to Seol Hui and poked her shoulder and
she looked at him in confusion before he directed her attention at who was sitting in the back. It
took Seol Hui a second to recognize who it was and she held both of her hands to her mouth in a
gasp before quickly looking between Soo Ho and Yeong Ro. Noticing her surprise, Soo Ho
quickly mouthed to her to please keep his presence a secret for the time being before holding a
finger to his lips again. Seol Hui understood and tried to keep a full blown gleeful smile from
spreading on her lips, but she failed miserably. Seol Hui had been aware of how much Soo Ho's
"death" had affected Yeong Ro, but when he was alive, she never realized just how much the two
loved each other. Perhaps it was because Seol Hui was so concerned with nor losing her mind in
the hostage situation that she didn't notice just how much Yeong Ro and Soo Ho were trying to
right the situation for all of them. Seol Hui knew just how important he was to Yeong Ro and
seeing him here felt surreal since his "death" had been so tragic and public.

Everyone kept watching as Kang Moo walked down the aisle as Yeong Ro sang. As she ended
with "my friend" in the first chorus, Kang Moo stepped up to the altar and looked back to the back
of the room, waiting for his bride. Yeong Ro looked to the man who had the guitar and he started
playing as she began the second verse. Everyone looked back as Hanna came out of the hallway
and into the view of everyone who was waiting for her, especially her man at the end of the aisle.
The girls gasped at how pretty and ethereal her dress was and the magnificent train that was
following behind her. Hanna looked at everyone as everyone's eye lit up at the sight of her and as
she tightened her hold on the bouquet in her hands. Hanna looked to the end of the hall and she saw
her destination: Kang Moo's side. Kang Moo looked at her with an adoration and softness that he
only reserved for her. All Hanna could think was finally, finally she was fulfilling the promise they
made to each other all those years ago. As Yeong Ro projected her voice and built the song up to
the second chorus, the orchestra swelled in music as Hanna started to step forward. Hanna moved
down the aisle, and with every step, the room seemed to get brighter as the clouds in the sky
cleared away for the sun rays to reach through the glass roof. It made the walk so much more
radiant and stunning as the diamonds in Hanna's dress shimmered with every step. Yeong Ro
finished the second chorus as Hanna made it to the base of the altar and as she stepped up, Yeong
Ro sang the final bridge and there was a finality to the way she sang it, just like how she did the
first time. Hanna stepped up and faced Kang Moo with a tearful smile as it felt like the song was
representing her arduous and painful journey to make it Kang Moo's side once again. It felt like
there was so much in the song that Hanna could relate to when it came to her and Kang Moo. It just
felt right to have be sung here, as a tribute to their journey back to each other.

"Thank you for being here..." Hanna whispered to Kang Moo, who took one of her hands in his and
brought it up to his lips to kiss it lightly.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Kang Moo murmured warmly as Yeong Ro built her way to
the climax of the song and the orchestra reached the fever pitch of the song. Soon, it was all over
as all the tension softened immediately and Yeong Ro slowly sang the last lines softly. Everyone
watched in awe at just how beautiful the whole scene was, looking at how the sun rays beamed
softly down upon the bride and groom. Yeong Ro then hummed the last measures of the melody
with the strings in the orchestra adding the last touch and the priest smiled at them before he began
and everyone sat back down again to listen. Yeong Ro made her way to the front row to take her
seat and watched with a soft happiness as Kang Moo and Hanna were about to get married.

"Today we are here to witness the union of two wonderful souls, Lee Kang Moo and Jang Hanna.
If there is anyone who should want to speak out against their union, speak now or forever hold your
peace..." The priest announced, gazing at the two of them before a loud booming voice resounded
through the room, interrupting the ceremony.

(Author's Note: For this scene, if you want to go the extra mile, I wrote this to "A Blinded Person
by Greed" as well as "I Promise to Protect You Forever" and "Heart Filled With Tears" from the
Penthouse OST, so enjoy! I used A Blind Person by Greed for the first part, but you can use the
other two in any other combination. I just thought it was really fitting.)

"I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN!"

Yeong Ro's head whipped around and looked at the person who was walking briskly up the aisle.
It was not someone she immediately recognized since the aisle was so long, but when they came up
closer, Yeong Ro gasped.

Soo Ho's reaction was similar as he looked at the person in shock and he narrowed his eyes at him
as the person walked up the aisle to confront the couple. Soo Ho was about to stand up to intervene
but Sui Hui squeezed her hand on his forearm, warning him not to go.

"Is that who I think it is?" Kang Moo asked as he moved to hold Hanna's hand and she squinted at
the person before her eyes widened in an indescribable rage that Kang Moo has seen multiple
times. However, this time it just seemed worse... much much worse.

"The nerve.... To show up here... is practically a death sentence..." Hanna murmured with a deadly
and silent rage that Yeong Ro could feel from the front seats and she bit her lip as a wave of guilt
washed over her. Hanna's nostrils flared and the indescribable fury in her eyes was reminiscent of
that of a raging bull as she addressed the person who had interrupted their ceremony, "Abeoji?!"

"Oh no... this can't end well..." Yeong Ro bit her lip nervously as Hanna's father stopped short of
the altar and looked between the two of them with a scathing look.

"How dare you disobey me when I clearly told you that I would not tolerate you marrying this man
Hanna!" Hanna's father matched her disdain and fury and Hanna scoffed and looked past him for a
moment to look at the guilty looking security guards who were standing in the back of the room.

"Did you actually bribe security to let you in here Abeoji? Well... compared to the other things
you've done, you haven't exactly hit a new low yet, but you're about to," Hanna looked back to her
father with a disbelieving look and Kang Moo slowly grabbed her forearm comfortingly. Hanna's
father narrowed his eyes at his daughter and scrutinized her daughter's words.

"To think that you would actually disrespect me to such a degree that you didn't even invite any of
your family to your wedding. Just what kind of ingrate daughter are you?!" Hanna's father almost
roared and Hanna immediately replied back.

"You would have tried to stop my wedding anyway! So what difference did it make!?" Hanna
rebuked her father indignantly and Yeong Ro could visibly see him turn redder at that fact.
"Regardless I'm not going to let you marry this good for nothing! Over my dead body!" Hanna's
father fumed and Hanna looked almost unaffected by it.

Tilting her head slightly to look almost amusedly at her father, Hanna replied, "That can be
arranged you know," Hanna said in a solemn tone that made it almost seem like a threat and the
glint of disbelief and fury in Hanna father's eyes only grew worse. Yeong Ro and everyone else
gasped slightly and Kang Moo couldn't tell whether to feel proud or slightly appalled by the fact
that Hanna would really be willing to do that. Kang Moo knew that her side of the family didn't
exactly like him very much since he didn't come from an affluent family like them. When he had
promised her 6 years ago that he would marry her, it was Hanna's father who had practically forced
him to leave her behind with almost no explanation. Kang Moo tried his best to bury his own
feelings about it, trying to convince himself that he did have other priorities, but at this moment,
right now, his only priority was Hanna.

Kang Moo stepped forward to intervene and both of them turned their attention to him, "Sir, with
any due respect that I can muster up for you, how can you claim to have any right to Hanna's
decision when you practically revoked your right to be her father?"

Hanna's father narrowed his eyes at Kang Moo and scrutinized him, "When did I exactly revoke
my right to be her father boy? Do you even know what you're talking about?"

Kang Moo's gaze hardened slightly and his mouth almost twitched in a derogatory smirk, "You
revoked it 6 years ago when you chose your status and standing over your daughter's happiness,"
Kang Moo answered smoothly as if he had the answered prepared for this very moment, "Need I
remind you that when your daughter bravely tried to save the innocent students in the hostage
situation, what did you do? You ordered An Gyeong Hui to beat her and torture her for it." Kang
Moo felt himself get angry just saying that out loud and rightfully so. Hanna looked to Kang Moo
with an appreciative gaze. Soo Ho let out a disbelieving breath as he never knew that Hanna ended
up getting caught when she went to go expose the election scheme. Hearing this only strengthened
his respect for her despite everything that went on the week before the wedding.

Hanna's father sputtered and hugged angrily as he tried to come up with a way to hit Kang Moo
where it hurt, "Oh don't think you're so much 'holier than thou' than me, who was the man who
was practically begging at the heels of the ANSP, his own boss, to save the students of the
university even if it meant abandoning the sense of justice and morals that my daughter supposedly
loves so much about you? You were practically willing to lie to the public that the ANSP were the
actual saviors on the off chance that Eun Chang Su would take your word and save the hostages,"
Yeong Ro's eyes scrunched closed at the mention of her father's name and as if Kang Moo sensed
that, he glanced over at Yeong Ro worriedly.

Hanna slowly looked over to her fiancée and slowly opened her mouth to say something, but all she
could think to say was, "What?" Hanna asked in a whisper and Kang Moo moved his worried gaze
from Yeong Ro to Hanna.

"Hanna... forgive me, but I... want you to understand at that point in time... it was nearly time for
desperate measures. It was near the end of the hostage situation and I desperately wanted to save all
the students. Not a single life lost... I knew it would be almost impossible to do it on our own. Eun
Chang Su was the only person who had an ounce of sense left and I tried appeal to him, and it's
true that I practically begged him... but that was what I was willing to do to save them," Kang Moo
explained softly and he looked into her eyes for any sense of recognition or an answer, but all he
could discern was the unreadable look on her face. Hanna's father simply smirked at the noticeable
shift in the atmosphere between the couple and decided to comment on it.
"Can you honestly say your love is well placed Hanna?" Hanna's father asked with a coy tone and
Kang Moo angrily turned towards Hanna's father and Soo Ho could feel the anger welling up
within him too. To think that his good friend would have this happening to him on his special day.
Soo Ho grit his teeth and his hands clenched into fists as this situation was just getting worse by
the second. Luckily, the one person that Soo Ho hoped would speak out against this decided to
speak up.

"I have heard enough!" Yeong Ro raised her voice from where she was sitting, causing everyone to
look at her. Yeong Ro slowly stood up from her seat and looked at Hanna's father with a calm yet
scathing look as she tried to keep her voice even, "I believe I have heard enough..."

Kang Moo, Hanna, and Soo Ho looked worriedly at her as Yeong Ro stepped up to the aisle and
looked at the ground at the moment, collecting her thoughts before she looked up at Hanna's father.

"I won't have you drag down Mr. Lee's character like this when you hardly have enough character
yourself to be someone worth listening to," Yeong Ro stood in front of the couple and faced
Hanna's father, who had a mixture of an insulted yet amused expression. Everyone's mouths
opened in slight shock at the anger and malice laced behind her calm words, "You know... you and
I may exist in the same social circles because of my father... but I will never understand how you
can be so cruel on a special day like this!" Yeong Ro started quietly but her voice slowly raised due
to the anger that was bubbling within her.

"What makes you think you know anything?! Those two are not meant to be! I will make sure of
it!" Hanna's father rebuked Yeong Ro and started towards Hanna with the intent to drag her away
from the altar, but Yeong Ro blocked his way and used her arms and her entire body to push him
back successfully. Everyone gasped slightly at that action and Yeong Ro panted and everyone
could see the stress in her eyes by how they were trembling. The white coat that Yeong Ro was
wearing over her shoulders had fallen off in the momentary struggle and for some reason, Soo Ho
thought it only made her look more beautiful in his eyes. The man stumbled back slightly and
Yeong Ro felt her mouth harden from the emotion from it all as Yeong Ro responded to his
answer.

"You're right..." Yeong Ro said pointedly and both Kang Moo and Hanna looked at her
incredulously since that was not what they were expecting to say, "they're not meant to be..."
Yeong Ro started and Hanna's father narrowed his eyes at her as Yeong Ro turned her head to look
at Kang Moo and Hanna, addressing them softly, "but they chose each other..."

Those words sunk in for both Hanna and Kang Moo as it started to bring them back from the
doubtful atmosphere that was created by Hanna's father. Yeong Ro kept going, her heart growing
sure of the things she wanted to say.

"Mr. Lee and Hanna-unnie were supposed to get married 6 years ago but you tore them apart. So
the breaking up was a mess, and them reuniting when Mr. Lee came back to South Korea? That
was a mess too. But that doesn't matter because throughout all the break ups, make ups,
misunderstandings, hardships, and the fears of never seeing each other again, they chose each
other, " Yeong Ro felt that what she was saying right now was hitting so close to home that it hurt.
However, Yeong Ro needed to do this because getting as close as she can to her own feelings and
her own love story was the only way to make this as genuine as possible, "During the hostage
situation when they were separated for a time since Mr. Lee was taken hostage, what did they do?
They chose each other. In the face of a million obstacles that could spell the end for either of their
lives? They chose each other. When everyone told them that they should give up? What did they
do?" Yeong asked with an emphasis to the question, not really expecting an answer. It was an
answer that Kang Moo, Hanna, and everyone else was meant to answer for themselves. However
Yeong Ro answered for the couple and there was a feeling in both of their hearts that felt akin to a
reignited flame, a reborn love.

"They chose each other," Yeong Ro completed the question for them and Hanna's father almost
looked hesitant to fight back, "and they will keep choosing each other... for richer or poorer, in
sickness and in health. Ahjusshi," Yeong Ro addressed the man again and Hanna's father looked at
her in slight surprise that she was directly addressing him, "That is not just destiny... That is not
just fate.... That's commitment," Yeong Ro's voice broke slightly as she said those words softly.
There was no longer any anger present, but just a swirl of emotions surrounding her heart that
made her feel full yet that same swirl was clenching her heart at the same time. Soo Ho watched
with emotional longing eyes and Gwang Tae looked back to check up on him, and the latter felt
emotional for his friend because Yeong Ro's speech... there was a lot of it that held true for their
own relationship.

"You..." Hanna's father started but Yeong Ro cut him off, looking at him knowingly.

"Unlike people like you and me? They have earned their happy ending," Yeong Ro's voice shook
with emotion and it dawned on Kang Moo what that implication meant. Soo Ho felt a wave of
unease build upon the swirling emotions he already had. It was more than just unease, since his
heart knew exactly what her implication meant. That subconscious realization that Soo Ho refused
to bring form in his mind still broke his heart nonetheless.

"Yeong Ro..." Kang Moo murmured as he looked towards the back of the room to look for Soo
Ho, and as he expected, the young man looked heartbroken at those words, but he was a bit far
away so it was hard to tell.

"What is that supposed to mean? You think I don't know what's best for my daughter?" Hanna's
father asked indignantly and Yeong Ro shook her head as if that answer was obvious.

"No you don't, and I think you know exactly what I meant... you and I don't deserve our happy
ending," Yeong Ro felt like something within her died at the statement she forced out of her
mouth. It was an acceptance of something that Yeong Ro subconsciously knew to herself, but
refused to acknowledge for the sake of her mental health, "At face value, you're a controlling,
vindictive father who has confused sheltering with abusing. I'm the daughter of the former ANSP
director who inadvertedly caused a hostage situation because I fell in love with a North Korean
man. We have both hurt them in unimaginable ways because of our selfishness. It's a miracle that
either of us are even at this wedding at all and yet you insist on ruining it for them. I came here to
watch two people who are dear to me get married and if you can't appreciate that these two flowers
are intertwining and growing together, then please leave!" Yeong Ro ended on a yelling note, she
was fed up with how nothing could ever go smoothly for the people around her. This indignant
anger that Yeong Ro felt, she felt like it was rooted in that feeling that died within her when she
was talking before. Yeong Ro breathed heavily as there was only silence around her and she looked
at Hanna's father with teary eyes. She should have expected this, Yeong Ro didn't want to cry here,
this was supposed to be a happy day. Yeong Ro quickly blinked to try to will the tears to go away
but it only made them fall down her cheeks.

Hanna's father looked at them for a long and hard moment as Yeong Ro tried to stare back at him
twice as hard through her teary eyes. The two of them said nothing for a moment before Yeong Ro
broke the silence, looking expectantly at him.

"What are you waiting for? LEAVE! Forget about the fact that this is your daughter's wedding, but
consider that it's a regular wedding and you just crashed it with everyone watching! Everyone here
knows who you are and if you care about status and image that much, then perhaps you can do the
math with how you look right now!" Yeong Ro yelled at Hanna's father and she felt like she had to
literally spell out the consequences for this man to understand. Yeong Ro felt exasperated, she felt
tired, and she felt emotional most of all. Hanna's father was just rendered speechless at everything
Yeong Ro was saying. Yeong Ro finally felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder and she looked
back to find Hanna looking empathetically at her with a look that said "You've done enough."
Yeong Ro stilled her mouth and let Hanna step forward and talk to her father one final time.

"Abeoji... I believe you've done enough damage here for one day, please leave," Hanna said coldly
as Hanna's father could only look at her in shock and the two of them said nothing for a moment.
What her father tried to do here today will always be between them and Hanna will never forget
that. When Hanna's father couldn't think to even move a step, Hanna called for security to escort
him out of the venue and all that could be heard was his protests and yells to let him go. As soon as
he was out of sight, Yeong Ro felt like her legs turned to jelly and she felt her entire body just
collapse out of stress. Yeong Ro braced herself on a wooden aisle post and she heard calls of her
name in worry. Yeong Ro looked up at all the guests that were looking at her expectantly and with
worried eyes and she slowly looked back to the worried eyes of the bride and groom who came
close in an attempt to support her.

"I did it again didn't I? Made it all about me again..." Yeong Ro murmured to herself so no one
could hear, looking back down at the aisle post, the ground, and nothing in particular. Suddenly
she looked back up at Kang Moo and Hanna, remembering that their wedding was still going on
and it was recently crashed, "Mr. Lee.... Hanna-unnie, I'm so sorry, you probably could have
handled it without me, I ruined it didn't I?" Yeong Ro looked at them apologetically and they both
looked at her for a moment in surprise and they looked at each other as if what she said was
ridiculous. However, that action and the slow timing of their response made Yeong Ro interpret
their answer differently. At that moment, everything felt impossibly tighter and smaller and Yeong
Ro clasped one hand to her mouth to prevent herself from sobbing and it really felt like she couldn't
breathe. Yeong Ro pushed herself off of the aisle post and tripped over her own feet as she couldn't
run out of the venue fast enough with worried calls of her name following her.

Soo Ho watched with a heavy heart as Yeong Ro ran down the aisle past them and she didn't even
pay anyone in the aisles any attention. Soo Ho could see the tears running down her face and he
craned his head to look back at her running out of the room and he immediately stood up to follow
her. Soo Ho couldn't leave her suffering like this, not after the beautiful speech she made.
However, before he could move, Sui Hui grabbed his arm, stood up, and motioned for him to sit
back down.

"Oppa... I'll handle this, I know it's hard, but just wait a little bit longer, I'll check up on her," Sui
Hui looked at him with a poignant gaze, both of them speaking unsaid things to each other through
their eyes before Soo Ho relented and sighed heavily.

"Please let me come with you at least to make sure she's ok, I won't reveal myself I promise," Soo
Ho stayed standing and Sui Hui nodded at him before proceeding to leave the aisle with Soo Ho
and they briskly walked out of the room to find Yeong Ro. This series of events just left everyone
in the room shocked, confused, and worried for what was going to happen to Yeong Ro now that
she ran out on the wedding.

Yeong Ro ran out into the lobby of the venue, not caring how she was practically sprinting on
heels. With one hand over her eyes trying to wipe away the tears, Yeong Ro didn't notice a table
full of appetizers and drinks right in front of her. Not being able divert her path in time, Yeong Ro
crashed into the table and fell down with it, the food and drinks crashing down. Soo Ho and Sui
Hui ran out to the lobby and caught up to her just in time to see her crash into the table. Sui Hui
gasped as Yeong Ro fell to the floor with a momentary yelp of surprise and pain as the drink
glasses crashed to the floor and half of Yeong Ro's body was pelted with glass and water. Soo Ho
immediately started towards her but Sui Hui held him back, motioning for him to let her go first.
Soo Ho nodded with urgency and Sui Hui ran over to try to help Yeong Ro.

"Oh no.. of all the," Yeong Ro whimpered in pain as her sleeves and skirt became soaked in
champagne, but luckily no actual food landed on her. Yeong Ro took a moment to assess the
damage and held up her hands to her face and she noticed there were several glass shards
embedded in her hands and some of them left scratches in her blouse. Yeong Ro looked down at
her white skirt and saw small streaks of blood along some of the folds and she watched for a
moment as rivulets of blood swirl and soak into the skirt. Yeong huffed and tried to stand up and
just as she did that, she heard someone call out her name and a pair of hands held her arm and her
back for support.

"Yeong Ro! Are you ok?' The person, a woman asked, but Yeong Ro immediately reached out
blindly for the person next to her without looking at her and pushed her roughly away before
quickly standing up and continuing to run for the exit. Soo Ho ran to catch up to Sui Hui to help her
up and he looked at the mess of the fallen

"I'm sorry! But I really don't want any help right now!" Yeong Ro called out in apology before
rushing out of the venue and there was no one outside except for her. It was quiet outside and the
only thing that could be heard was the chirp of the birds, the running water of the fountain outside,
and the occasional car that passed by on the mountain path down below. Yeong Ro stepped out
tentatively and found a pillar to step behind before slumping on to it and dropping to the floor,
"Eun Yeong Ro... you really did it this time didn't you? Just when you thought things were actually
going smoothly this time... maybe I still wasn't in the right mental headspace to go to a wedding of
all places..." Yeong Ro pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her arms on them, turning her
hands over and she started to pick out whatever glass pieces she could.

Sui Hui looked in the direction of the entrance and beckoned Soo Ho to follow as they went
outside to try to find Yeong Ro, "She couldn't have gone far..." Sui Hui muttered and they heard
faint whimpers of a person over to the left. Sui Hui and Soo Ho looked at each other and nodded
before they both went over to the pillar. Sui Hui motioned for Soo Ho to stop and Sui Hui stepped
forward to the other side to find the girl sitting on the pavement against the pillar clutching her
necklace in her fingers. Soo Ho sighed and walked up to the opposite side and stood there, leaning
against the pillar so he could at least make sure Yeong Ro was ok from a dangerously close
distance. However, Yeong Ro wouldn't be able to see him nonetheless so it was ok for him to
literally stand on the opposite side of the pillar.

Yeong Ro noticed Sui Hui stepping into her vision, but she was utterly too exhausted to attempt to
move away, so Yeong Ro just decided to apologize, "You... you were the person I pushed away
earlier right? I'm... I'm so sorry about that and about what happened with the ceremony... it was
just... everything just became a little too much..."

Sui Hui crouched down and sat comfortably on her haunches, seeing that Yeong Ro was now open
to at least having a conversation with her now, "It was that man's fault for literally ruining the
wedding, and I thought your speech was pretty badass despite everyone not expressing that on the
outside..." Sui Hui remembered how the entire room was literally in a perpetual state of shock and
silence and Sui Hui could only imagine how the silence could literally kill Yeong Ro.

"I'm not sure if I would call it that... just call it an excuse for me to let out my grief and suffering I
suppose..." Yeong Ro sighed and the two of them said nothing for a moment before Sui Hui let out
an audible sigh and tilted her head back and forth.
"This wasn't really how I imagined finally meeting you, but I suppose I'll just have to make the
most of it," Sui Hui slapped her hands on her thighs and Yeong Ro's head shot up to look at Sui Hui
with curiosity.

"You... you wanted to meet me? Why? Do we know each other?" Yeong Ro asked tentatively,
getting a good look at the young woman's face, and it did look familiar, but she couldn't exactly
place her finger on where.

"Well it's thanks to Cheongya and Mr. Lee that I'm even here to meet you... but I'm Lim Sui Hui,
and you know someone very dear to me," Sui Hui introduced herself and her gaze trailed down to
Yeong Ro's necklace, which the girl noticed and once the girl connected the dots, Yeong Ro
gasped.

"Lim Sui Hui.... you're-!" Yeong Ro started to say but it felt like a knot had formed in her vocal
cords and she couldn't get out the rest of the sentence and Sui Hui completed it for her, giggling all
the while.

"Yep, I'm Soo Ho-oppa's younger sister. It's nice to finally meet you Eun Yeong Ro," Sui Hui
reached out her hand to grasp Yeong Ro's free hand in hers and Yeong Ro merely had her mouth
open with a lot of overwhelming emotions swirling in her head. However, Yeong Ro gladly
accepted Sui Hui's hand and she finally closed her mouth like how one would close a gate before
thinking of a way to respond.

"Hi! Wow... I'm so glad that you managed to stay safe despite everything, Unnie.... I don't even
know what to say.... I don't even know where to begin," Yeong Ro let out disbelieving puffs of air
between her words, but she was mostly relieved that at least one other good thing came out of the
whole hostage situation.

Sui Hui merely smiled at the girl and looked out over the view of the hillside and all of the golden
rolling hills, seeing all of the other mansions and estates of other affluent families over the
distance. The wind felt nice on both of them, and they could both see the huge shadows of the
clouds over the land.

"Then you don't have to say anything... I just wanted to thank you in person for loving my brother,"
Sui Hui started and she felt Yeong Ro's eyes on her as she continued with a heavy breath, "I've
always been so afraid that Oppa would lose sight of who he was... I always hated that he had to
become a spy against his will because he had no choice to. I wish Oppa had a choice... because my
brother was a loving, thoughtful, and strong soul, and you managed to bring that out of him again,"
Sui Hui looked back to Yeong Ro and the girl was already teary eyed again. Soo Ho, who was
listening on the other side, always knew about her sister's feelings about him being soldier and a
spy. If he had a choice, Soo Ho never would have taken it up either, but he was grateful that he at
least has the choice now.

"I don't really know... just how much good did it do for him? Soo Ho-ssi's... I don't even want to
say it," Yeong Ro wondered and spoke softly, losing the erratic and anxious aura that she had
earlier. Yeong Ro just simply felt a little bit more at peace now that Sui Hui was actually here.

"It did him more good than you know, you gave him a reason to live... but you also gave him
something worth dying for as well. That doesn't necessarily have to be sad though. I believe that it's
a blessed miracle when you do find that reason in life worth living and dying for. It really does give
life a purpose and that was exactly what Oppa needed. I just wish that the universe could have been
kinder for it," Sui Hui replied just as softly and Yeong Ro let her words sink in, finding herself
agreeing with her, "because I could tell Oppa loved you so much..."
Yeong Ro, suddenly more curious, decided to go a little further along that thread and felt herself
asking, "Wait Unnie, how could you tell? You're his younger sister, even though you could have
heard the story from Mr. Lee or Ms. Kang, how could you believe that so quickly? You must have
resented me at least somewhat."

Sui Hui shook her head and replied, "I could tell because of that necklace you're wearing," Sui Hui
gestured to the necklace and Yeong Ro looked down at it, its red orb shining in the sunlight, "that
necklace is more important to my brother than his own life and I was the one who gave it to him.
The fact that you're wearing it tells me all that I need to know... and I'm really happy that my
brother trusted you with it."

Yeong Ro looked fondly at the necklace and clutched it with her hand. She took a deep breath
before nodding in affirmation, "I see... I'm relieved to hear that... and I want you to know that it
wasn't just a one way street despite everything I did to him," Yeong Ro proceeded to explain but
Sui Hui quickly cut her off and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Oh of course I know that! You proved it! I saw the documentary that you did thanks to Mr. Lee
and what you guys did was amazing, especially you at the end!" Sui Hui gushed about the
documentary and Yeong Ro's eyes widened at that revelation.

"Oh my god you saw that? I can't tell whether to feel flattered or embarrassed," Yeong Ro muttered
to herself and Sui Hui heard it nonetheless. Soo Ho heard it too and he let out a silent snort at that.

"Honestly if I were you, probably both because that entire thing was broadcasted on live television
all over South Korea," Sui Hui started to laugh and Yeong Ro could only awkwardly follow along
with her even though she didn't find it as amusing.

"Please don't remind me," Yeong Ro burrowed her head in her knees and arms and Sui Hui
continued to laugh, faintly sensing a giggle from the other girl.

"But seriously though, what you did on that documentary was romantic and brave and I know my
brother would have loved it. You didn't let your grief nor your love get invalidated by the opinions
of others. That is not selfishness Yeong Ro, you helped begin the clearing of my brother's name
and I'll never be able to thank you enough for that," Sui Hui kept on going, encouraging and
gushing about Yeong Ro, saying everything she wanted to say to her. Hearing about Yeong Ro
from Soo Ho, Sui Hui just wanted to know what she was like to make her brother so lovestruck.
Sui Hui wasn't disappointed at all.

"Thank you... I really appreciate it you know?" Yeong Ro sniffled and Sui Hui smiled before
leaning in to give Yeong Ro a hug. Yeong Ro could only lean into Sui Hui's arms in response to
her hug due to their position but the sentiment was the same.

"Alright, now are we ready to get back in there and complete the wedding?" Sun Hui asked and
Yeong Ro made a small sound of confirmation, smiling and standing up with Sui Hui. Soo Ho
smiled to himself knowing that Yeong Ro was feeling better and he pushed himself off the pillar
before heading back inside.

"Yeah I am... although I think I do need a change in clothes though..." Yeong Ro looked down
knowingly at her clothes and Sui Hui sighed and nodded her head, assessing the damage to Yeong
Ro's outfit.

Thinking about what they could do now, Sui Hui had a thought occur to her, "Wait I think I have
an idea!"
Soo Ho walked back into the venue to find a very familiar group of people walking out into the
lobby. Gwang Tae, Hye Ryeong, Seol Hui, Jeong Min, Bun Ok, and Byung Tae all came out in a
group and they all came to a halt when they saw Soo Ho walking back in towards them. Gwang
Tae smiled a wide toothy grin at the sight of Soo Ho while everyone except for Seol Hui was
merely shocked at his presence for obvious reasons.

"Are we all having a collective hallucination right now? We all see him right?" Hye Ryeong asked
as she looked to everyone and they all nodded.

"Lim Soo Ho, you actually survived... you're one lucky bastard you know that?" Gwang Tae
teased, still smiling and Soo Ho only smiled wider before stepping forward to wrap Gwang Tae in
a one armed hug, "I suppose there's a reason why you decided to wait this long right?" Gwang Tae
looked past Soo Ho to see the fallen mess of glass and food all over the floor along with the table.
The others noticed the mess as well and they all stepped forward slightly to get a better look at the
mess.

"Oh no, is Yeong Ro ok? Did she fall into the table earlier?" Seol Hui gasped and Soo Ho nodded,
causing all of them to looked worriedly at the mess and in multiple directions, wondering where
she went.

"She's actually outside right now with my sister, Sui Hui-ah's talking her down so don't worry.
Yeong Ro-ya hasn't seen me yet too, so I was wondering if you all could help me with the surprise
that Hyung and I have for her," Soo Ho explained and a collective look of relief passed on all of
their faces. Then a look of excitement dawned on almost all of their faces as Jeong Min
immediately responded.

"Of course! Anything! Mr. Lee and Hanna-unnie are still waiting for her back inside, they won't
start without her," Jeong Min replied and just before everyone was about to head back in, Bun Ok
decided to make a joke that was slightly in poor taste.

"Seriously, we have to help you guys get together again at our expense?" Bun OK chided but then
she noticed everyone looking at her with glares, some more disapproving than others, especially
Hye Ryeong and Seol Hui's. Soo Ho merely raised an eyebrow at her and Bun Ok immediately
covered up her jest, "I'm kidding! Learn to take a joke you guys!" Bun Ok scoffed before walking
back into the ceremony room with her head held high, trying to save face.

Byung Tae merely scoffed and folded his arms, "That girl has no business walking so proudly like
that, that wasn't even a joke," Gwang Tae pulled up beside him and he nodded along with the other
girls before Soo Ho just gave an amused smirk before guiding all of them back into the ceremony
before Yeong Ro caught sight of them.

Later, back in the ceremony room, Yeong Ro and Sui Hui entered the ceremony once again and
everyone turned to look at them since the sound of the door opening was extremely noticeable.
Yeong Ro was frankly extremely embarrassed that it took her this long to come back to the
wedding, so she kept her head down as she walked down the aisle with Sui Hui in her new dress. It
was a flowing one piece dress that was a cute pink peach color and the bodice showed off her bare
shoulders and arms in the sunlight. The lower half of the bodice was beset with shiny rhinestones
and the straps delicately tied themselves around her neck as every step of Yeong Ro's walk spread
out the lower half of the dress like airy waves. Soo Ho felt his breath get taken away by just how
ethereal and fairy-like she looked. Yeong Ro shyly came up to the altar to meet Kang Moo and
Hanna, who greeted her with worried yet grateful looks.

"Yeong Ro, I'm so glad you made it back! What happened to your other outfit?" Hanna asked as
Yeong Ro smiled at her, a bit embarrassed.
"Oh it got ruined when I crashed into a table, but no worries, there was a spare dress in the dressing
room, it's all good," Yeong Ro quickly explained and she decided to tack on the other thing she
had nagging her in her mind, "and I'm really sorry for intervening like that, I really didn't mean for
it to blow up the way it did." Yeong Ro apologized but she was only met with confused looks as
Kang Moo decided to speak up against her apology.

"What? Yeong Ro, you saved us, what do you have to be sorry about? That speech was honestly
amazing," Kang Moo reassured her with a wide close lipped smile. Yeong Ro smiled back at him
and even the officiant decided to chime in as well.

"Of course, you saved me the hassle of having to say the actual ceremony template, and going
straight to the vows since you practically wrote the ceremony yourself," The officiant commented
and Yeong Ro teasingly narrowed her eyes at him as if she were scrutinizing him.

"Really? Are you sure it's not a byproduct of laziness?" Yeong Ro raised an eyebrow at the
officiant and he sputtered slightly before denying it and they all laughed. Kang Moo's gaze
switched from Yeong Ro to Sui Hui and he nodded at her to thank her for her help to getting
Yeong Ro back to the wedding, "so what are we waiting for?! Let's get you two married!" Yeong
Ro clapped her hands together and the couple smiled at her before they returned to their original
places and Yeong Ro sat back down and patted the seat next to her for Sui Hui, who happily took
it.

Two vows and a ceremony later, the officiant asked the questions that everyone was waiting to
hear.

"Lee Kang Moo, do you take Jang Hanna to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to hold,
until death do you part?" The officiant asked and Kang Moo nodded and smiled at his soon to be
wife.

"I do."

"Jang Hanna, do you take Lee Kang Moo to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to hold,
until death do you part?" The officiant turned to Hanna, who smiled wide and squealed.

"Hell yes I do!" Hanna laughed before immediately pulling Kang Moo in for a kiss and everyone
whooped. It was less of a kiss and more of a one-sided situation of Hanna kissing Kang Moo while
he was grinning and laughing hysterically before kissing her back. The officiant laughed and
closed his ceremony book and everyone rose to their feet and cheered for the couple and Yeong Ro
could only laugh and smile before looking left at Sui Hui, who was gushing over how cute that
reaction was. Little did Yeong Ro know, the evening wasn't over yet, it doesn't just stop at the
wedding. Soon, everyone filed into the reception hall and Yeong Ro sat with all of her friends and
Sui Hui. The reception hall was almost like a ballroom with such a high ceiling and baskets of
flowers and chandeliers decorated all over the ceiling. Yeong Ro had the idea of putting flower
decorations around the chandeliers and she was so glad to see it in person. The tables were a cute
combination of light pink, yellow, and white and there was a dance floor near the back side of the
room where the bride and groom were sitting. There were beautiful white drapes and curtains all
over the room and crystal lamps lining the walls. There were beautiful stained glass windows with
intricate colors and designs lines along the walls and Yeong Ro marveled at everything before a
clinking could be heard from the back and everyone turned to face Kang Moo, who was standing.

"I would like to make a toast to everyone who came and a few very important people who helped
make this wedding possible," Kang Moo raised his glass and turned his attention to Yeong Ro, his
gaze meeting her and she felt hot and embarrassed since she's not used to this much attention, "Eun
Yeong Ro, can you please stand?"
All of her friends around the table urged her to stand up and Yeong Ro quickly moved her chair
back to stand and bowed to everyone around the other tables. Kang Moo smiled at her and
continued his speech, "Yeong Ro, I heard that you helped Hanna with so many things, both of you
were responsible for the decorations for the reception and you did a wonderful job. The song that
you sang at the ceremony was amazing and breathtaking, and I'm so glad that you agreed to sing
that song despite how personal it is. You also helped make sure that all the invitations for the
guests that are here today were delivered and you helped Hanna pick out the most beautiful
wedding dress. Thank you, thank you so much," Kang Moo raised his glass to her and everyone
clapped and cheered for her as Yeong Ro looked around bashfully at everyone. Suddenly all of her
friends stood up and without much explanation, they corralled her to the dance floor and everyone
joined them. They brought Yeong Ro to the center of the dance floor, bringing her face to face with
the couple. Yeong Ro, who didn't really think anything of the gesture from everyone, smiled
brightly at them before Kang Moo continued.

"It's really the least I could do!" Yeong Ro thanked them and Kang Moo continued with the toasts.

"There's one more person who helped with my side of the wedding that I want to thank today,"
Kang Moo smiled knowingly at Yeong Ro and at everyone else, but Yeong Ro couldn't figure out
why. It was almost as if everyone knew something she didn't. There was second person who
helped out with the wedding errands? "This person helped write the guitar arrangement for Yeong
Ro's song as well as whip the orchestra into shape, he made sure that all of the food was to our
liking, and picked out my dashing suit for today," Kang Moo listed and Yeong Ro blinked before
letting that first sentence sink in. That other person wrote the guitar arrangement for her song? He
was close enough to Mr. Lee that he trusted him with the arrangement for Yeong Ro's song?
Yeong Ro looked questioningly at Kang Moo, but he barely paid it any mind before continuing,
"As for this person, could you please perhaps join us on the dance floor?" At that moment, all of
Yeong Ro's friends, who were aware of the plan before hand, had retreated to the outer ring of the
crowd that surrounded Yeong Ro. They all had confetti cannons in hand that were given to them by
the staff and at that moment, they set off all of them at once.

Yeong yelped at the sound of the surprise confetti cannons shooting off into the air and Yeong Ro
looked around at the beautiful setting, how the light coming through the glass sealing managed to
reflect off every piece of confetti. Throughout the chanting, throughout the sounds of the confetti
cannons ringing in her ears, this moment right here just felt so familiar in all the right and wrong
ways. Yeong Ro remembered the last time she was made the center of attention in a circle like this
and it didn't end well. Yeong Ro could see part of the circle breaking away and she became
painfully aware of the sound of approaching footsteps. Was she just crazy or was the pattern of the
steps moving against the floor exactly how she imagined it in her head when Soo Ho had joined
her on the dance floor? Yeong Ro had slowly turned around in response to those footsteps and it
felt like the entire world was in slow-motion. Yeong Ro could make out a figure coming through
the crowd of people and it just felt like a fever dream when she finally saw the face of the man
who came through. With his hands behind his back and the warmest smile that showed off his
cheekbones walked in the man that Yeong Ro thought she would never see again: Lim Soo Ho.

Hearing the excited and shocked sounds of acknowledgment from everyone around her, Yeong Ro
tried to glance around at the falling pieces of confetti just to try to focus on anything besides him
but she just felt drawn to make eye contact with him. Yeong Ro couldn't believe that Soo Ho
looked exactly the same as the dream she once had where Soo Ho had walked in with the navy
blue suit that belonged to her brother, but she had dared to think to herself that if this was real, the
real life version was infinitely better than her dreams. The man who had wanted to ask her out from
the beginning. The man who had come crashing into her life like how one would do if their
paraglider suddenly flew out of control. The man who had taken her hostage without meaning to
and the man she would ultimately forgive after seeing his heart. The man who became the last
person at her side when she no longer had anyone else. The man who had loved her enough to save
her life multiple times even if it meant giving up his own. That man.... was now standing in front of
her again.

Yeong Ro felt her breath catch in her throat as she took in Soo Ho's presence and she slowly
stepped forward to reach her hand out tentatively, afraid that he was going to disappear. Yeong Ro
didn't know what she was going to do if Soo Ho disappeared here, the evidence being the building
sheen of unshed tears and the uneven staccato breaths she was making. Soo Ho looked to her
trembling outstretched hand and he reached up to grab it gently and Yeong Ro bit her lip to keep
herself from completely breaking. Yeong Ro could feel it, the touch of his warm hand against hers
how she had felt so many times before. Not knowing what she could do, Yeong Ro simply stared
between her held hand and Soo Ho's loving face.

"Soo Ho-ssi...." Yeong Ro breathed out in a meek whisper and the tears started to fall down her
cheeks, "Is that.... really you?" It had felt like the question was so painful to ask because Yeong Ro
had never imagined she would have to ask this question. She was afraid he was going to somehow
say no. Yeong Ro would have cursed her own mind for allowing such a cruel yet happy dream get
to her like this. Yeong Ro could see the overwhelming emotion in Soo Ho's eyes and he slowly
brought her hand to his chest and held it there. Yeong Ro felt her breath catch her throat again as
she realized that his answer was his heartbeat. Yeong Ro closed her eyes and let out a single sob as
she felt the heartbeat through her fingertips. It was beating fast as if he had waiting for this moment
with such an unnerving anxiety and Yeong Ro completely felt the same. Yeong Ro looked up from
his hand gently grasping hers to his face and there were so many things unsaid between them and
thankfully Soo Ho decided to start first.

"Yeong Ro-ya..." Soo Ho started, his breath shaky and Yeong Ro's lips trembled from the sheer
emotion of how he said her name. Yeong Ro had missed his voice so much and it didn't hit her
until now just how much she wanted to hear his voice again. The voice she had listened to so many
times in Soo Ho's final tape was finally saying something else. Yeong Ro desperately wished she
could somehow distinguish the difference between hearing his voice in real life versus a tape, but
she didn't care, "I'm sorry it took me so long.... but I kept my promise," Soo Ho waited for her to
say something and Yeong Ro merely moved her hand up slowly from his chest to his face and
cupped it gently.

Yeong Ro smiled through her tears as Soo Ho lovingly leaned into her touch, "All those times
where I thought I had imagined you... all those times where I was reminded of you... How did you
find your way back?" Yeong Ro sobbed as she endearingly stroked her thumb over his face. Soo
Ho broke eye contact with her to think about it thoughtfully before looking straight at her again
with those beautiful eyes of his. Soo Ho knew that she wanted to know how he had even survived
but he thought about what he could say in this moment that would remind her that their love story
was a choice that wasn't just marred by tragedy. Their love story was love at first sight and the
commitment they made to love each other and see each other again. Soo Ho wanted to take the
memory of the moment Yeong Ro thought she lost him and seal it away. Regardless, this was his
answer.

"I found my way back because I got myself a one way ticket back to you," Soo Ho answered with a
tone that signified to Yeong Ro that was the only answer she was going to get from him. Soo Ho
was set on having that as his answer and Yeong Ro giggled through broken sobs at their shared
memory of the song she sang at the Evergreen Record Shop. She had tried to get him to forget that
memory by using her magic coffee but it just doesn't seem to work on him. Yeong Ro would ask
him for all of the details later, but for now, his answer was enough for her.

"Yah, that's not what I meant," Yeong Ro protested softly and the two of them let out breathy
laughs at his heartfelt yet vague answer. Yeong Ro stepped closer to him and Soo Ho immediately
wrapped his arms around her waist, wanting to keep her close to him. Yeong Ro brought up her
other hand to cup his face in both her hands and smiled through her tears, "Thank you... for
bringing my heart back to me," Soo Ho only nodded brightly at her and the next words he would
hear from her would blossom so many flowers within him that there wasn't anything he could to
contain the amount of love he had for her.

"I love you Soo Ho-ssi," Yeong Ro said in a gentle whisper and smiled brightly back at him and
Soo Ho's grin widened as there really was nothing else he could say to that besides immediately
leaning in and pressing his lips to her. This time Yeong Ro was completely prepared and melted
back into the kiss and she could hear the cheers of everyone around her. Soo Ho tilted his head
slightly to get better access and Yeong Ro happily complied by opening her mouth slightly to
reseal her lips to his. Soo Ho then playfully used his tongue to coax her own out of her mouth and
he could feel her smile as she challenged him. Taking the chance to surprise her, Soo Ho wrapped
his arms tighter around her waist and lifted her up into the air, and with her surprised gasp, Soo Ho
used his lips to gently pull her tongue into the kiss. Yeong Ro sighed happily and she continued to
kiss him, moving her arms from his face to passionately wrapping them around his neck. They
passionately kissed for a few more moments before they broke apart slightly, their noses still
touching each other's and Soo Ho still held her up in his arms.

"Yeong Ro-ya... I love you too, and I'm never going to leave you again," Soo Ho murmured in a
lovesick daze and Yeong Ro smiled sweetly at him before leaning in again, her lips barely ghosting
over his.

"I'm going to keep you to that promise, but could you please kiss me again?" Yeong Ro tilted her
head expectantly at him and Soo Ho nodded vigorously before capturing her lips with his again and
he set her down again and splayed his hands across her back to support her as Yeong Ro bent back
slightly to accept his loving advances. Yeong Ro had wrapped her arms around his neck and
played with the hairs on the nape of his neck and Soo Ho responded in kind by nuzzling his nose
against hers before kissing her again. There were whoops, cheers, and calls of their names and
Yeong Ro couldn't remember a time where her heart had felt this full. Soo Ho's embrace was real,
his lips were real, and his precious smile was every bit as real as she imagined in her dreams. Soo
Ho was here and he was here to stay and Yeong Ro finally felt like her old self had returned thanks
to him. After an eternity, the two had finally broken apart and Soo Ho had a mischievous smirk on
his face before he picked up her up the same way he did before, but this time it was just to hug her
and spin her around. Yeong Ro squealed in delight and hugged him back, finally gaining the height
to nuzzle into his neck and both of them laughed at how real this moment was. They finally met
again after being cruelly separated so many months ago.

Soo Ho set her down and stepped away from her slightly, tracing his hand from her back, up her
arm, and finally placing his hand in hers. Soo Ho lifted her hand to his lips and gently pressed his
lips against her knuckles.

"I believe I owe you a dance," Soo Ho smiled wide as Yeong Ro let out a breathy laugh and smiled
cutely at him.

"How did you know?" Yeong Ro sniffled and Soo Ho explained to her as if she should already
know this.

"You remember that I was there right? You're not the only one who wished they had been able to
dance that day," Soo Ho shot her one last smile before looking over to Kang Moo, who already
knew what to do. Yeong Ro looked back at Kang Moo, who had a cheeky smile on his face as the
song started playing through the speakers and she immediately recognized it. Yeong Ro didn't
know how but the tunnel vision effect somehow worked because all she could see was Soo Ho and
the whole world seemed to melt away.

Yeong Ro looked back to Soo Ho, who looked at her knowingly, "This is..."

"My one way ticket," Soo Ho answered for her and Yeong Ro felt herself move to beginning notes
of the song, letting go of Soo Ho's hand for a just a moment to curtsy to him. Soo Ho moved his
hand to his chest to bow to her and Yeong Ro smiled at him before reaching out her hand to grab
his and they began to dance. Soo Ho lifted his arm up with her hand to twirl her under him and
Yeong Ro spun out before pressing her palm flat against his, both of their arms raised and they
circled around each other before Yeong Ro pulled away from him to flip her hair cutely. Soo Ho
smiled at that little action before stepping toward her to grab both her hands and he twirled her
around him in a waltz, their arms seamlessly weaving under and over each other as Soo Ho took the
lead. Soo Ho then rested his hand on her shoulder and her hand was rested on his before they spun
around in a circle with their other hands outstretched. Yeong Ro then glided away from him as the
music kept going. It had such a nostalgic, upbeat, and teasing tone that Yeong Ro couldn't help but
just let go a little bit.

Soo Ho smiled and moved around her so he could step in front of her again and they both sang
together in the beat of the music, "One way ticket, one way ticket," Yeong Ro giggled at the way
they sang it together like it was almost an inside joke between the two of them, which it was. Soo
Ho moved closer to her and smoothly moved both of her arms around his neck and he leaned in to
quickly press a gentle but firm kiss against her lips before smiling mischievously at her. Yeong Ro
blinked at him, taking a moment to process his lips against hers before Soo Ho leaned down
behind to pick her up from behind, scooping her up in his arms. Yeong Ro yelped in surprise as his
arms safely cradled her legs and back, but she immediately relaxed and wrapped her arms around
his neck as Soo Ho carried her around. Soon, her little ride was over and Soo Ho smoothly let her
down again just as the song was coming to an end. Yeong Ro smiled as she felt Soo Ho's presence
behind her and she felt his arms wrap around her torso from behind. Yeong Ro immediately leaned
back into his chest and she felt Soo Ho lean down to press a kiss to her temple before nestling his
head on top of hers.

"Can we stay like this for just a bit longer? I just want to feel you," Yeong Ro murmured to Soo
Ho softly, gently leaning her head against his chin as he held her.

"I wasn't going to let go, so don't worry," Soo Ho replied and she could hear the smile in his voice
and Yeong Ro breathed a sigh of relief before allowing herself to just be enveloped in Soo Ho, his
love, and his fulfilled promise to her. It was such a dark and lonely period of time where Yeong Ro
thought that she would never see the light of life or love ever again, but she still luckily had a light
to pave the way. The paved way eventually led her back to the light and back to him. Any notion of
thinking about another life was foreign to her now because why would she think about another life
when her life now was already complete. All thanks to the love of her life, Lim Soo Ho.
 Chapter 12: When Retracing Lost Petals
Chapter Notes

Author's Note: Hello everyone! GOD THIS CHAPTER IS LONG! Just for you guys!
I just wanted to say, I am so sorry for disappearing for... a long time since my last
chapter. I recently had school start and I had to put this off for a bit to study and put
out my new work actually. I already finished this before hand and I was adjusting a
few things so I can work on this chapter to make up for it! I'm going to be focusing a
little bit more on my AOUAD fanfic because I have a clearer plot line and a lot of
drive to keep going with that one. I'm going to try my best to keep up this story too
because I did have one more chapter after this one and it's a surprise crossover chapter
actually. So as for this chapter! Soo Ho and Yeong Ro go on their first date and
someone gets a bit jealous as per requested. I was actually really inspired by Meteor
Garden for this actually, or at least how Soo Ho gets jealous, but you'll see what I
mean. Anyway! I hope you guys enjoy and I will see you all next time! Oh yeah this is
non beta btw so... uhh... I'll be back to fix things later! Also just for the record, I wrote
half of this on a plane lol.

"She's been doing that for the past two hours, should someone remind her that we still have class?"
Seol Hui asked as Jeong Min prepared her books for the day and she glanced over at the subject of
Seol Hui's concern: Yeong Ro.

Yeong Ro touched her lips dreamily and brought both of her hands up to her mouth in an unbridled
giddy feeling. Yeong Ro smiled wide and squealed and flipped over in her bed, burying her face
into her pillow, "She's been doing those actions in that exact order for the last 2 hours, Unnie,
should we do something?" Seol Hui glanced at Jeong Min, who didn't look the slightest bit
worried. A knowing smile played on her lips as Jeong Min waved it off and patted Seol Hui on the
elbow, gesturing her to leave Yeong Ro alone.

"Nah, she would just end up doing the exact same thing in class, just spare her the embarrassment,"
Jeong Min answered quietly and Seol Hui giggled slightly before they both left Yeong Ro in their
dorm room. Yeong Ro turned over again to face the ceiling and after another few moments of
building jubilation, Yeong Ro laughed and thrusted her hips up to kick her legs in the air before
wrapping herself in her blanket and screaming into it. Yeong Ro thought back to the events of last
evening: reuniting with Soo Ho, dancing with him, kissing him. Every moment just felt like a
dream and for a split second, Yeong Ro thought that after waking up this morning, everything
could have been just that, a dream. However, the one thing that reminded her that everything was
real was something that Soo Ho told her yesterday, something she would never forget:

"I found my way back because I got myself a one way ticket back to you..."

It reminded Yeong Ro that in her dreams and in real life, Soo Ho's final destination for his ticket
was always Yeong Ro. He would always come back home to her no matter the distance, no matter
the circumstances. That one way ticket is not a round trip ticket for a reason, no matter what
obstacles stand in the way of them, their final destination is each other and there's no going back.
Yeong Ro had reached her destination long ago, but she was glad and elated that Soo Ho finally
arrived at his despite not knowing what became of his trip in between. Yeong Ro remembered the
continuing events of yesterday evening and sighed deeply as she crisply remembered every
memory of Soo Ho.

Flashback to the wedding...

In an instant, the world that Soo Ho and Yeong Ro found themselves in melted away back into the
bright, soft setting of the reception. Everyone cooed and cheered for the couple as Yeong Ro
blushed madly, but didn't move from her comfortable position in Soo Ho's arms. Yeong Ro merely
moved her dainty hands to rest on top of Soo Ho's combined hands that were hugging her around
the waist. Soo Ho smiled down at Yeong Ro and slowly detached himself from her and she turned
around to look at him brightly.

"You know you're going to have to explain everything to me later, but I just wanted to ask... you're
staying this time right?" Yeong Ro asked softly without a hint of annoyance since Soo Ho didn't
exactly explain anything yet, but it was just a genuine question.

Soo Ho leaned in slightly and nodded, smiling, "Yeah, I'm staying," Yeong Ro's smile only grew
wider as she tugged on Soo Ho's arm to pull him back into a hug and Soo Ho immediately returned
it. They stayed like that for a moment before Yeong Ro pulled away and looked over to Kang Moo
and Hanna, who were smiling at her happily.

"You guys had something to do with this right? Thank you, thank you so much for saving him,"
Yeong Ro thanked Kang Moo and Hanna profusely, and Kang Moo looked to Soo Ho for a
moment before elaborating on that question.

"It wasn't just us, Cheongya was the one who saved him," Kang Moo explained and Yeong Ro
clasped her hands together and held them to her chin, accentuating her grateful smile.

"Really? I'll thank her the next time I see her if I get the chance," Yeong Ro decided and Soo Ho
smiled softly at her before directing her to catch up with the rest of their friends and he
accompanied her as they were all curious about where he was was and how he came back. Soo Ho
didn't really tell them much because he told Yeong Ro that she was the first person he was going to
tell the entire story to.

"You guys were in on the surprise as well?!" Yeong Ro asked incredulously and Hye Ryeong
smiled at her and flipped her hair.

"Of course we were, although it was kind of last minute since we only found out that Soo Ho-ssi
was alive like 20 minutes ago," Hye Ryeong said as a matter of factly and Yeong Ro could only
look at her in teasing disbelief. The rest of their friends gushed and complimented their dance and
their reunion, saying it was the cutest thing. Yeong Ro and Soo Ho couldn't stop blushing
throughout it all since her friends were determined to recreate the circumstances for that dance
back at the Open House. Yeong Ro didn't realize just how noticeable and memorable her blunder
was back then when she thought she was dancing with Soo Ho. Somehow, that made her even
more embarrassed and happy at the same time.

Soo Ho never let go of Yeong Ro's hand the entire time and even though he felt the urge to let go
out of embarrassment since all of her friends, his friend Gwang Tae, and Sui Hui wouldn't stop
lording the fact that the staff got all of it on film and they took a bunch of photos themselves. There
was something that was slowly unfolding in his chest, like an apprehension that lingered even
though most of it disappeared as soon as he reunited with Yeong Ro. There was also a lagging
thought in the back of his mind that this jubilation, this happiness was only going to be temporary
even though Soo Ho wanted this to last with all of his heart. Yeong Ro may have helped paint him
in a better light to the general public, but that doesn't erase who Soo Ho was before. However that
was the point of all this right? To find a better life and to become a better version of himself for the
sake of the girl he loves. Soo Ho knew that he found a better life when Yeong Ro came into it in all
of her adorable grace and bright eyed perspective. Soo Ho would always be grateful that Yeong Ro
had faith in that positive perspective in him to the end.

Kang Moo checked his watch and realized that the second part of the surprise they had planned for
Yeong Ro would be arriving soon, and honestly, he wasn't sure how Yeong Ro wouldn't react to it.
Kang Moo looked to Hanna and gestured to his watch. Hanna looked at the time and her eyes
widened as that surprise was going to be escorted into the wedding at any minute.

Kang Moo tapped Yeong Ro on the shoulder and she turned around to address him with a smile.
Soo Ho also turned to look at Kang Moo as the latter looked between the couple before his gaze
rested on Yeong Ro, "Yeong Ro, we actually had another surprise planned for you, and they
should be arriving at any minute now," Yeong Ro's eyes widened as she whipped her head around,
looking around to see if that surprise was already here.

"Really? There was another person besides Soo Ho-ssi?" Yeong Ro asked and right at that
moment, the door opened to the room and a group of well dressed men in matching black overcoats
came into the room in a formation. Yeong Ro, Soo Ho, and everyone else looked at the sudden
interruption in intrigue and Yeong Ro noticed they moved in a turtle formation, meaning that they
were protecting someone in the middle. No one could see even the head of the person in the
middle, but Yeong Ro noticed the extra pair of legs that were moving with the tall, stoic
government escorts. The guests parted away for the government escorts to enter the circle and
Kang Moo gave them a wry yet grateful smile before they all nodded at him and broke their
formation to reveal:

"Yeong Ung-ah?!" Yeong Ro gasped and took in the sight of the boy in the middle who was
dressed up in an adorable gray suit. His eyes lit up when he saw Yeong Ro and the widest smile
stretched across his face.

"Noona!" Yeong Ung exclaimed and he ran up to Yeong Ro to tackle her in a hug. Soo Ho looked
at the tween in intrigue and he noticed the shocked yet happy look on Yeong Ro's face.

"How...? How are you here? Are you ok?" Yeong Ro crouched down slightly so she could get a
better look at the boy, but he seemed perfectly fine. Yeong Ung nodded and looked over at Kang
Moo and Hanna with a grateful smile, "What happened in North Korea? Weren't you still there
with your mom?"

Yeong Ung bit his lip and his gaze flitted slightly from Yeong Ro's gaze and his surroundings.
Yeong Ro noticed that he looked a bit uncomfortable and he probably couldn't find the words to
explain what had happened. Yeong Ro sighed for a moment before she rested her hand on Yeong
Ung's cheek.

"You know what? It's ok, you're here and you're safe and that's all that matters!" Yeong Ro smiled
at Yeong Ung, who returned it with a grateful smile and he looked to Kang Moo as if he wanted
him to explain.

"Ahjusshi, could you maybe explain what happened actually? I just don't know if I can bring
myself to say it," Yeong Ung looked at Kang Moo hopefully and the man nodded before Yeong
Ro turned back to him to hear him out. Soo Ho was also interested in knowing just how they
managed to get Yeong Ro's younger brother out of North Korea.

"Actually... what initially happened was that Yeong Ung had actually turned his own mother into
the authorities," Kang Moo explained and both Soo Ho and Yeong Ro's eyes widened in surprise.
Yeong Ung had turned his own mother in?

"What?" Yeong Ro gasped as she looked between her brother and Kang Moo and the latter nodded
as he continued his explanation.

"We had to strike a deal with the North since he is the son of the former ANSP director and Yeong
Ung-ah exposed her involvement in the election scheme by revealing the safe that she had hidden
the money in and the fact she was the former ANSP director's ex-wife. Apparently, that woman
didn't reveal that fact when she defected over, and Yeong Ung-ah used that to his advantage. The
ruling party in the North got in contact with us because of that, and since he doesn't have anyone
who can take care of him. We did a trade," Kang Moo explained and it took the couple a few
seconds to process that information and Soo Ho decided to finish the explanation for the man.

Soo Ho held his hand up to his chin in thought and asked, "So by trade, you had Yeong Ung be
brought back to the South in exchange for keeping his mother there with the North to be
questioned?" Soo Ho caught himself before he decided to use more colorful words like
"interrogated" or "tortured" since Yeong Ung was still there. Yeong Ro seemed to have caught on
to his choice of words as well as they both glanced at each other, expecting each other to
understand the reason. Yeong Ro gave him a small smile of appreciation and Soo Ho felt that
warmth again. It really did warm his heart that they're able to understand each other from just a
single look, without having to say any words. She was thankful that Soo Ho didn't bluntly explain
what would happen to Aera to Yeong Ung.

"Yeah... that's what happened, and I always wanted to come back here... I told you back in North
Korea that I like it better here, and I kept our promise that we'd meet again!" Yeong Ung smiled
brightly at Yeong Ro and it took her a minute to realize the big secret he just shared. Yeong Ro's
smile suddenly stilled as she could literally feel the increasing anxiety and anger ridden energy
from the love of her life next to her. Yeong Ro scrunched her eyes closed for a moment before
bringing herself to turn to Soo Ho, who had an incredulous and shocked look on his face. Yeah this
wasn't going to end well.

Soo Ho looked between Kang Moo and Yeong Ro before asking the question that had plagued his
mind ever since he went on that mission in Pyongyang, "Yeong Ro-ya... you... you were in North
Korea? The woman that I met on the rooftop and inside the records room... that was you wasn't it?"

Yeong Ro looked at Kang Moo, who was visibly wincing at the question and she didn't know why
she couldn't just come out and say it. It was because she knew he would absolutely be furious that
she deliberately put herself in harm's way again. She put herself in a situation where she could have
died AGAIN. Yeong Ro honestly wouldn't blame him if Soo Ho just snapped here. She also felt
extremely comforted by the fact it actually was Soo Ho and his group that they had encountered
back in North Korea. Her hope really had been made a reality. Kang Moo was thinking the same
thing because he was eyeing the exit of the room ever since Soo Ho asked the question. Kang Moo
never thought he would say this, but he is going to die on his wedding day.

Yeong Ro sighed and nodded, "Yeah... I was in North Korea with Mr. Lee and Hanna-Unnie... Soo
Ho-ssi I'm really really sorry..." Yeong Ro looked fearfully at Soo Ho, waiting for his reaction. His
expression was that between anger and someone who was about to cry, which again, Yeong Ro
wholeheartedly did not blame him for.

Soo Ho bit his lip to try to stay his anger, but he literally felt like he was hyperventilating into rage.
Soo Ho looked towards Kang Moo, who immediately stepped behind his wife and Soo Ho
narrowed his eyes at him and started towards the man. Yeong Ro's eyes widened and she
immediately stepped forward to hug him from behind and hold him back.
"You brought her to NORTH KOREA on one of your missions Hyung!?" Soo Ho shouted and
Yeong Ro hugged him tighter and tried to hold him back, but he was too strong. Kang Moo held
both his hands out in panicked defense and tried to calm Soo Ho down.

"Wait! We can explain!" Kang Moo looked at the utterly furious look on the young man's face and
he faltered because he knew what this man was capable of, "Actually... Yeong Ro-ya.... could you
explain? You were the one who asked after all!" Kang Moo explained quickly and retreated behind
Hanna, who, along with Yeong Ro, looked at the man in bewilderment.

Yeong Ro let out a scoff of disbelief, "What?!"

Soo Ho looked back to see Yeong Ro's look of disbelief and growled at the man again, "You
coward!" Hanna merely closed her eyes and sighed as she continued to guard her husband, who
was still hiding behind her.

"Ok fine! I asked Mr. Lee to help track down my ex-stepmother because I wanted to try my best to
fix things after everything that happened to us! It wasn't fair how my ex-stepmother got to walk
away scot free when you were dead! I thought I owed you that at least" Yeong Ro cried and Soo
Ho felt himself deflating slightly hearing her words, but he was still heaving from the anger.
Everyone who was gathered around them watched with sad and shocked eyes at the scene. Yeong
Ro's friends in particular couldn't believe the girl actually went to North Korea to settle everything
that had went wrong from the hostage situation.

Soo Ho bit his lip to try to keep himself from getting too emotional as he rested his hands on top of
her interlocked ones and looked back at her with worried eyes, "Why did you put yourself in
danger like that? Do you know how worried I was? Losing my mind over the thought that you
were in North Korea? Just when I thought you were finally safe... the thought of you being in a
place like that... I-I couldn't..."

Yeong Ro could feel the silent sobs reverberating in his chest as Soo Ho voiced his worries and
she couldn't help but nuzzle her cheek into his back and hug him tighter, "Soo Ho-ssi... I am so
sorry... but I'm alive and I'm here... and you're alive and you're here... You've made me the
happiest girl in the world just by coming back to me... don't you feel the same way?" Yeong Ro
asked softly and Soo Ho felt himself being enveloped in her gentle voice and he relaxed in her
arms, leaning back slightly into her touch.

"Mmm... I'm... the happiest guy in the world because I'm so lucky..." Soo Ho traced his forearms
over her arms and gently rubbed circles into her skin with his thumbs, his hands tenderly framing
her wrists, "to have a girl who would go so far for me... but don't you dare do it again do you hear
me?" Soo Ho asked with a soft intimidation and Yeong Ro nodded and smiled wide at his words.

"You have every right to be mad... and I promise I will never do something as dangerous as that
ever again ok?" Yeong Ro murmured and a moment passed before Soo Ho gently pried her arms
off of him and he turned around to look at her imploringly.

"Promise?" Soo Ho asked and Yeong Ro could see the slight pout that was edging from his lips
and combined with his wholesome eyes, she just wanted to kiss away all the worry and pain from
his handsome features. And that's exactly what she did because how could one human be so
adorable and handsome at the same time? Just how could you resist that?

Yeong Ro leaned up to leave a firm peck on his lips and she smiled wide at him, " I promise!"

Soo Ho let out a breathy laugh and smiled before leaning in to leave a gentle kiss on her forehead
and he trailed his hands up from her arms up to her face and leaned in quickly to kiss her on the
nose, causing her to giggle, "Then that's good enough for me..." As soon as he did that, the
audience they had accrued around them was cooing and gushing about them like there was no
tomorrow. Yeong Ro blushed madly and Soo Ho smirked before reaching his hand down to
interlace his hand with hers before turning back to Kang Moo, who had come out from his hiding
place, "I'm still mad at you Hyung... but since it's your wedding day, I will say this..." Kang Moo
waited with an expectant expression and Soo Ho pointed a scolding finger at him, "I will never
trust Yeong Ro-ya alone with you ever again."

Yeong Ro giggled and the other girls laughed at the way he said that as if he was scolding a
sibling. Kang Moo could only sigh and hang his head slightly in defeat and shook his head.

"Yeah that's fair... again Soo Ho-ah, I'm really sorry about I went about that mission in particular,
but I could tell Yeong Ro-ya needed to personally get closure for her ex-stepmother and the poison
she was to their family... you should have seen Yeong Ro-ya that day.... I have never seen her so
livid and vengeful," Kang Moo looked to Yeong Ro, who was quiet at that sentence. Soo Ho
looked to her and pressed his lips together in worry and he stroked her hand softly with his thumb.
Yeong Ro smiled weakly at the gesture and sighed, willing herself to speak.

"The things that she said about my older brother, I will spend my entire life trying to unhear..."
Yeong Ro nodded, agreeing to what Kang Moo said. Yes, she did act very different because that
woman was stomping all over her brother's memory. Yeong Ro was even willing to take someone
hostage for it, even if she didn't truly mean to. She still held the barrel of that gun against Yeong
Ung's head and that fact won't change. When it came to her brother, Yeong Ro would do anything
and everything to uphold his will, whether he liked it or not. The other girls looked sadly at her and
they all put comforting hands on her arm and shoulder at different times.

"It was because of your courage and your resolve that helped us saved Yeong Ung and it makes
this moment, all the more sweeter," Kang Moo reassured her and then he turned to the guards who
were still there awaiting his instruction, "You guys have the documents right?"

"Yes sir they're right here," One of the guards said and he slipped a large envelope out of his coat
pocket and handed it to Kang Moo. Kang Moo looked down on it with both hands, holding the
envelope gingerly in his hands and he held his hand out for Yeong Ro to take it. Yeong Ro's gaze
flitted between the envelope and Kang Moo and she slowly took it, "Open it..."

Yeong Ro gazed at him with confusion before taking her time to open the envelope to slip out a
single piece of paper and everyone gathered around to look at its contents. After a moment,
everyone's eyes widened and Bun Ok was the first to comment since everyone was busy reading it
twice.

"There's no way..." Bun Ok gaped and Yeong Ro tried to will herself to speak, her voice catching
her throat.

"Is this what I think it is?" Yeong Ro asked, looking down at the paper for a moment before
looking up Kang Moo and Hanna.

Soo Ho finished for her and everyone as he really couldn't believe it either, "This is an adoption
certificate isn't it?" Soo Ho looked up at the couple and Yeong Ung happily bounced up to the
couple and planted himself in the middle of them.

"SURPRISE!" Kang Moo, Hanna, and Yeong Ung said together and Yeong Ro brought her hands
up to her mouth in a gasp as choked sobs made their way up her throat. Soo Ho had his mouth
slightly open in surprise, and he let out a sharp exhale of breath, looking between all three of them.
"You're adopting Yeong Ung-ah?" Yeong Ro clapped her hands together and smiled tearily and
Yeong Ung nodded happily. Kang Moo sighed a breath of relief and proceeded to explain.

"Since he doesn't technically have a legal guardian, and you're currently not eligible to take care of
him, Hanna and I decided to take it upon ourselves to take care of this little rascal," Kang Moo
chuckled as Yeong Ung gave a knowing look to the man. Hanna put a gentle hand on the boy's
shoulder and Yeong Ung smiled before looking to his older sister, who was still processing the
new turn of events.

"Noona... are you mad? We're sorry that we didn't tell you earlier," Yeong Ung apologized and
Yeong Ro lowered her hands from her face and her expression softened into a gentle smile. Yeong
Ro squatted down slightly so she could talk to Yeong Ung on a more

"Yeong Ung-ah, why would I be mad? This is amazing you guys! I am so glad that things worked
out and you're all ok!" Yeong Ro could hardly contain her excitement as she bounded up to hug all
of them in a group hug. Soo Ho smiled at the girl's giddy excitement and he sighed contently as he
looked around at all the light, jubilant cheer. So this is what a wedding is huh? Soo Ho could get
used to this as everyone continued to party into the evening. When everyone had gone home for
the day, Soo Ho had accompanied Yeong Ro home and they were walking along the path up the
university holding hands. Soo Ho had never known how relaxing taking a walk on the outside of
the university would be. He had spent most of his nights at the university on the inside, keeping
the guise of the hostage situation up. Now, Soo Ho could actually enjoy the night air and walk
hand in hand with the girl he loves. The air was nice, the company was wonderful, and the
moonlight streaming over them was ethereal as they made their way up to the entrance.

"You know Yeong Ro-ya... I never thought it'd be so nice just to take a night stroll as a mostly free
man..." Soo Ho chuckled as Yeong Ro looked up at the wistful expression on his face and she
smiled before leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Well, you never got the chance to walk your own girlfriend home before so that does make
sense," Yeong Ro giggled softly and she immediately jerked her head back up when she realized
what she just said, "No wait I mean-" Yeong Ro looked quickly to find Soo Ho looking at her with
an expectant smirk, his eyes full of a teasing sparkle. She quickly tried to let go of his hand to hold
her face in embarrassment but Soo Ho only held onto it tighter.

"I like the sound of that... my girlfriend..." Soo Ho let out a breathy laugh and looked up at the
starry sky before turning his gaze back to her. Yeong Ro opened her mouth to say something, but
closed it as she felt the heat of her blush set her cheeks on fire.

"That..." Yeong Ro started and she felt incredibly giddy trying to make the words come out of her
mouth, "would also make you my boyfriend..." Yeong Ro murmured softly and she shyly looked
back to Soo Ho to find an even wider grin on his face.

"I like the sound of that even more," Soo Ho raised his eyebrows teasingly at her and they both
laughed as Soo Ho swung their interlocked arms back and forth. Her laugh sounded so beautiful to
his ears, Soo Ho never got to hear much of it, but that rich and upbeat laugh would be something
he would never get tired of hearing, "I... I can finally say that I'm an ordinary man... God that feels
nice," Soo Ho took a deep breath and breathed out a very heavy relieved sigh. Yeong Ro continued
to swing their arms lightly and she thought about how Soo Ho's wish came true, how their wish
came true.

"Do you miss it? Who you were before you met me?" Yeong Ro asked carefully and Soo Ho
turned his head to look at her and shook his head immediately.
"Oh God no, I really don't... my old life? It's not who I was..." Soo Ho started, sounding almost
appalled by the question, which Yeong Ro understood. She always knew that the gentle and
thoughtful Soo Ho was the real him, "Even as I lived in the very harsh conditions of North Korea...
I always thought I'd be someone different than the man you met in the hostage situation...
However... when my adoptive father, Lim Ji Rok, took me and my sister in, it really did feel like I
was being mechanized... and weaponized as something that's not even human... and I hated that..."
Soo Ho took a deep, harsh breath and Yeong Ro could see Soo Ho's eyes slightly glaze over with a
murky darkness that dimmed the stars within them. Yeong Ro hated that because Soo Ho deserved
to have the eternal shine of the stars within his hopeful eyes every day. Soo Ho started again and
what he said made Yeong Ro's heart ache for him, "My adoptive father told me that... I was the last
weapon he could use to defeat his enemies with, and I was about ready to die with that statement,
willing to throw my life away if it meant my sister would be safe."

Yeong Ro took a deep steadying breath as she took all that in, gazing aimlessly at the university
entrance that was approaching steadily closer in the distance. She really didn't know what to say,
but Soo Ho continued for her.

"Until I met you that is..." Soo Ho murmured softly and Yeong Ro finally brought her gaze to meet
his and she noticed that his eyes were soft again. It felt so nostalgic to that look he gave her before
they threw themselves out the window of the attic to avoid Ms. Pi, "I'm so glad... that you managed
to bloom snowdrops in my heart and bring me back from that cold place..." Soo Ho nodded to
himself as if he really did believe that sentiment to be true. He was glad that he managed to become
a human being in the end. Yeong Ro was instantly brought back to the words he had left her in his
parting tape, and she immediately felt the tears build up in her eyes. Soo Ho noticed Yeong Ro
starting to cry and she immediately excused herself by bringing her free hand up to wipe away her
tears. Soo Ho stilled to try to reach over to wipe away her tears, but she gently pulled his hand
away and smiled brightly at him.

"Soo Ho-ssi... I want you to know that things are different now, it may be a big adjustment to being
just an ordinary person, but if anyone can do it? It's you... because you're Superman! And I will be
there helping you every step of the way until you can rest and call yourself a free man," Yeong Ro
looked straight into his eyes and she lifted their interlocked hands, bringing his hand to her lips to
leave a firm and longing kiss on it. Soo Ho could only stare with a breathless dumbstruck love at
the gesture and he could feel the lingering warmth of the her lips on her hand. They both stopped in
front of the entrance of the university, the soft and warm lighting illuminating their lovely faces.

Soo Ho smiled wide, his smile creating little crinkles on the corners of his eyes as he took their
conjoined hands and smoothly pulled her flush against him. Yeong Ro giggled and rested her hands
against his chest and Soo Ho leaned in to rest his forehead on hers.

"This... this is why I love you..." Soo Ho murmured, gazing softly into her eyes and Yeong Ro felt
like her heart was just going to burst. She felt like just bursting into lovely uncontrollable giggles.
Yeong Ro had never felt more in love and so much at peace than right at this moment, "Yeong Ro-
ya... do you remember what I promised you?"

"Of course... I remember you promised me that we'd become a couple..." Yeong Ro closed her
eyes and smiled, feeling Soo Ho's gentle breath on her face. She could tell that Soo Ho closed his
eyes too to listen to her, "that you would take me out on dates to so many places like the movies
and the amusement park... and you promised that you would let me hear you sing one day..."
Yeong Ro completely happily as she wrapped her arms around his neck and it was at that moment
where their breaths and their very hearts were in sync. All they could feel was each other, their
warmth pulsing and enveloping each other in unison. It was such a lovely feeling, with Soo Ho's
hand wrapped around her waist, splayed against her back while the other was resting gently at her
cheek. Yeong Ro felt his touch coming in contact with her cheek, their combined warmth creating
such a happy and rosy feeling.

Yeong Ro tilted her head up slightly to touch her nose to his, smiling and opening her eyes, "I will
love every moment your promises bring me... and I love you, for being the hope that sustains
them..."

Soo Ho opened his eyes at those three words and he felt himself take a slight intake of breath, his
heart feeling so many overwhelming things. He pulled her even closer if that was even possible and
Soo Ho swiftly captured her lips with his, trying to convey every lovely emotion that he felt for her.
Their lips moved so smoothly yet languidly at the same time, Soo Ho trying to feel every inch of
her perfect lips. Yeong Ro was the first to deepen the kiss by delicately using her own mouth to
draw Soo Ho's tongue to meet her own, albeit a little shy at first. Soo Ho smiled and took the lead
once more, his lips surging over hers in a passionate movement, and he sucked on her lip to draw it
out more to meet his. Yeong Ro gasped and she felt herself reddening and becoming heated by just
how good he was. It really felt so magical and passionate and Yeong Ro couldn't help but let out a
breathy moan at the way he felt against her. Soo Ho relished in the way he wholly accepted the
moan into his mouth and he firmly planted his lips against hers once more, drawing his mouth
closed and Soo Ho finally pulled away. Soo Ho smiled sunnily at the way Yeong Ro leaned her
head adorably against his hand, which was still cradling her face. The two of them stood there for a
moment, taking each other in, watching how the moonlight and lamplight of the university streaked
over their features. Soon it was almost time for curfew and they both had to let each other go.

"Good night... Yeong Ro-ya..." Soo Ho kissed her once more good bye and Yeong Ro regrettably
pulled herself away from him, his fingers tracing her own as she slipped away.

Yeong Ro smiled brightly at him and stepped backward towards the dorm entrance, never once
taking her eyes off of him, "Good night Soo Ho-ssi..."

Once she was safely inside, Soo Ho smiled and walked back down the steps to head back home.
Soo Ho held his clenched hand up to his chest where his heart was and he couldn't help but cheer
giddily to himself before bounding back down the pathway and out of the university campus. The
young man was ready to start the first day of the rest of his life with her.

Back in the present

Yeong Ro touched her lips one more time and she squealed and giggled to herself. Yeong Ro
turned herself over to her side and sighed contently. It wasn't just a dream. She could still feel him
on her lips and all around her. She would never be able to unheard his loving words to her, his
feelings, and his promise. Soo Ho was here, and Yeong Ro felt like she could die happy. Wait, no,
she shouldn't have to die happy! Yeong Ro finally found her reason to live again, how could she
possibly leave Soo Ho behind if she died happy? Now, she was going to keep good on her promise
to live for him, just so that Yeong Ro could see Soo Ho's smile everyday. Yeong Ro sat up and
clapped her hands to her face to set herself straight. Soon, the intercom came on and Yeong Ro
heard Bun Ok's voice over the speaker.

"Room 207, Eun Yeong Ro," Bun Ok announced over the intercom and Yeong Ro let the blanket
slip off her shoulders as a smile came onto her face, and Bun Ok repeated the announcement,
"Room 207, Eun Yeong Ro."

Yeong Ro bolted out of her bed and hastily made her way into the hall to run down to the main
hall. Yeong Ro sprinted and weaved past the other students, hurriedly muttering apologies along
the way. She ran past Shin Gyeong Ja who was about to scold her for running again, but she sighed
and settled for calling out after her.
"Yeong Ro-ya! You know that Bun Ok-unnie would still give you the phone even if you came late
right?!" Gyeong Ja called out after her but Yeong Ro only shot back a hasty 'I know!' before
continuing to run down the hall. Gyeong Ja could only scoff and smile at the girl as she
disappeared down the stairs. The interaction felt familiar and warm and Gyeong Ja couldn't
remember the last time that Yeong Ro sprinted down the hall with that big of a smile on her face.
Gyeong Ja sighed and continued on her way as Yeong Ro rounded down the stairs and slid herself
down the bannister with a final jump onto the first floor. Yeong Ro ran up to the telephone office
where Bun Ok was watching with an amused smirk, holding the phone in her hand.

"You actually came before 30 seconds this time, impressive!" Bun Ok laughed and Yeong Ro
smiled back, taking a few quick breaths before taking the phone.

Yeong Ro steadied her breathing and spoke softly into the phone, "Hello?"

Soo Ho immediately felt a smile come onto his face at her voice and he could feel Sui Hui's nosy
self pressing her body close to the phone so she could hear, "Good morning sleeping beauty, how
did you sleep last night?" Soo Ho looked at his watch noticed how it was pretty close to noon and
Bun Ok had told him that the girl couldn't even make it out of bed to get to class. Soo Ho internally
laughed at how nice it felt to know that the giddiness wasn't one-sided.

Yeong Ro went around to sit in the chair next to Bun Ok, blushing as she sat down, "You know... I
was too excited to fall asleep, but when I did, it was one of the nicest sleeps I've had in a long time.
How about you?" Yeong Ro waited for his response expectantly and at that moment, Soo Ho let
out a very audible yawn and the girl giggled at his response.

Soo Ho chuckled and covered his mouth in slight embarrassment, "About the same as you, very
restless and excited for our first date today," Yeong Ro's smile grew wider when he mentioned the
word 'date' and she brought her hand up to her mouth to try to hide her excitement. From Bun Ok's
perspective, Yeong Ro obviously failed and Bun Ok couldn't help but lean in as well to listen into
their conversation.

"Oh really? I wonder where you plan on taking me for our first date," Yeong Ro wondered aloud
and Soo Ho pondered about it for a few moments before something came to mind.

"How about the amusement park? I've never been to one before, and I think it should be like a
bigger version of the Open House from last year right?" Soo Ho suggested and Yeong Ro giggled
at the comparison. It really was such a cute comparison because that Open House was probably the
only event that Soo Ho could even liken to a festival in any manner. Yeong Ro really couldn't help
but be amazed at how innocent he is sometimes even though Soo Ho is far from it.

"Yes, the amusement park is basically a bigger version of the Open House, but it's more fun, there's
more things to do, and most importantly, there's a lot of things to eat!" Yeong Ro listed out happily
and she could hear Soo Ho laugh on the other side and Yeong Ro giggled with him. Yeong Ro
could feel Bun Ok's teasing stare on her and conversely, Sui Hui shook her head and laughed at
Yeong Ro's cute explanation on Soo Ho's end.

"Ok I'll see you around one?" Soo Ho asked and Yeong Ro nodded and twirled the telephone line
between her fingers.

"Yeah that sounds great! I'll meet you at the university then?" Yeong Ro replied and she heard Soo
Ho's hum of confirmation on the other side, "Ok I will see you then... Oppa," Yeong Ro debated on
whether she wanted to say it because they were already on the next stage, but Yeong Ro decided to
take that plunge and she added that endearing honorific at the end. Soo Ho blinked once and he
looked at the telephone to see if he heard that right and before he could say anything else, Yeong
Ro quickly hung up. Yeong Ro set the telephone back down and slowly released her fingers on it.
Bun Ok looked between her and the telephone, disbelieving giggles wracking her body.

"Wow... well done Yeong Ro-ya, it is now official, you two are one of the most sickeningly sweet
couples I have ever seen," Bun Ok scoffed in an easygoing manner and Yeong Ro blushed madly
before looking shyly at Bun OK.

"How do you think he took that?" Yeong Ro asked and Bun Ok shook her head and shrugged.

"Knowing him, you probably short-circuited him," Bun Ok replied and Yeong Ro let out a giggle
before another call rung out through the office.

Soo Ho put the phone down and his mouth was slightly agape as he took a moment to process what
she just called him. Sui Hui leaned forward to try to decipher the look on his face and his
expression looked like Soo Ho was about to break out into a smile but it was like he was just struck
in the heart by Cupid's arrow.

"Well what did she say?" Sui Hui asked expectantly and Soo Ho looked to his sister before
breaking into a wide toothy grin.

"Well, we're going to the amusement park today and... she called me Oppa," Soo Ho said slowly,
his grin never leaving his face. Sui Hui scoffed in a happy disbelief and she reached forward to hug
her brother around the shoulders, laughing.

"That's great! No wonder you look over the moon! Oppa... you're so gone for her haha!" Sui Hui
cooed as Soo Ho leaned back in his chair and held the phone to his heart, and he just broke out
laughing. It was just like a dam that held back all the love and happiness Soo Ho could express and
now Soo Ho literally could not stop. Their little hidden apartment was just full of the jubilant
sounds of laughing and Sui Hui teasing the hell out of Soo Ho and his indignant protests.

Yeong Ro looked at Bun Ok with a confused expression as she picked up the phone again and she
heard an unexpected voice on the other side of the line.

"Bun Ok? Is that you?" Yeong Ro recognized the voice as Hanna's and she replied back curiously,
clarifying that it was her.

"Unnie? It's Yeong Ro, is there a reason why you're calling us?" Yeong Ro asked and she heard
Hanna breathe a sigh of relief before the woman replied back to her albeit a little hurriedly.

"Oh Yeong Ro-ya! It's you! Ok, that's actually perfect timing, I was wondering if you could do me
a favor today? Kang Moo and I are actually extremely busy at work today and we can't leave
Yeong Ung alone by himself so I was wondering if you could watch him for a few hours? Just
until I can get off of work and take care of him," Hanna asked hurriedly and Yeong Ro gasped
lightly, her mouth still open and she looked to Bun Ok with that very shocked expression. Bun Ok
raised an eyebrow at her and her expression started to mirror Yeong Ro's.

"Wait Unnie, today I actually have a date with Soo Ho-ssi... I don't know if I can take care of
Yeong Ung," Yeong Ro explained, biting her lip and Bun Ok mouthed an "O" in understanding
and she winced with Yeong Ro. Yeah, that was going to put somewhat of a damper on their plans.

"Oh really? I'm so sorry, yeah it's a little bit short notice, I would ask somebody else, but Yeong
Ung wanted to spend time with you so I don't know how that would work," Hanna explained and
Yeong Ro nodded, understanding. After another few moments of deliberating, Yeong Ro sighed
and relented because they were going to an amusement park anyway, it would be fun for all three
of them right?

Yeong Ro deflated slightly and sighed, but she didn't feel too down about it. After all, this was her
younger brother, how could she refuse him in a time like this when he's still having such a hard
time adjusting? "Ok, I'll see what I can do."

And that was how she found herself here. Now. Yeong Ro came down the steps of the university
to a surprised Soo Ho with a Yeong Ung in tow. It never failed to surprise Yeong Ro how they
always somehow managed to match. Soo Ho was wearing a handsome navy blue, white, and
cerulean striped shirt and clean black slacks. Yeong Ro wore a navy cardigan with a white sweater
and a bluebell skirt to match. It totally wasn't the fact that Sui Hui called ahead of time to tell her
what Soo Ho was planning on wearing.

"Oh it's Hyungie! Hi there!" Yeong Ung greeted Soo Ho, who greeted him back and looked at
Yeong Ro in slight confusion, but he didn't look annoyed at all. That was what Yeong Ro was
honestly thankful for.

"So... there was a slight change in plans? Hanna-Unnie and Mr. Lee got completely swamped with
work and I was the only person they could ask to take care of Yeong Ung for the time being, I am
so sorry, I know it was supposed to be our date today," Yeong Ro explained apologetically and
Yeong Ung matched the expression on her face. Soo Ho couldn't help but feel bad, but it's not like
their plans were completely derailed right? Yeah well, Soo Ho didn't think that having Yeong Ro's
attention split would affect him this much, but it's going to.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about, I wish they gave us a bit more notice though," Soo Ho
gave Yeong Ro and Yeong Ung an amicable smile and Yeong Ro nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah, I agree, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun right? The more the merrier!" Yeong Ro
said excitedly to the two boys and Yeong Ung smiled bright and tugged on her arm to get them
going.

"I heard we're going to the amusement park today! I've always wanted to go but Eomma and Appa
would never take me," Yeong Ung tugged Yeong Ro along the path, a bounce in his step and
Yeong Ro giggled as she had to speed up to keep up with him. Soo Ho followed slightly behind
them and he felt a little sorry for the boy, he was kind of like him since Soo Ho had never been to
an amusement park either.

"Well that's just plain rude of them, we're going to have a great time all together and it's gonna be
great!" Yeong Ro hyped up the trip for Yeong Ung and it seemed to be working because the boy
only got more excited. He really was a very excitable boy. Yeong Ro noticed Soo Ho being a little
quiet behind them and she stalled slightly so that she could whisper to him, "Oppa, I know it was
just supposed to be the two of us... but just think of this as practice for when you take your own
child to the amusement park."

Soo Ho completely stilled at that sentence and Yeong Ro had to suppress a giggle at the way he
blushed and the redness made it all the way to the tips of his ears. Soo Ho looked at her with a
combined dumbfounded and lovestruck expression that only grew when Yeong Ro winked at him
and laughed as Yeong Ung dragged her away. Soo Ho just stood there for a moment, needing the
moment sorely to collect himself. Practice for when he takes his own child to the amusement park?
Dear lord.

"Yeong Ro-ya... you're killing me," Soo Ho murmured softly and a big smile came onto his face,
"Yah! Wait up!" Soo Ho ran up to them and grabbed Yeong Ro's hand on the other side and the
girl looked at him sweetly as they all walked together to catch the train to the amusement park.
The amusement park was definitely a bigger version of the Open House, just only a lot better. Soo
Ho looked around at the crowds of people that were there that day. The three of them paid for their
tickets and stepped onto the amusement park grounds, looking at all the different rides, booths, and
attractions. Soo Ho never thought he would see a place so brightly colored in every single color
imaginable in the rainbow. The brightness kind of hurt actually. Soo Ho marveled at all the
different delicious smells in the air, some were savory, a lot of them were sweet. The sounds of
laughter and excited conversation were very common and Soo Ho felt like his energy was just
dialed up to an 11.

"Ooohh where should we go first?" Yeong Ro asked and the boys looked around the different rides
and as if the boys had some kind of telepathy, their eyes immediately landed on the flying swings.

Soo Ho pointed at the swings, looking at the both of them, and Yeong Ung cheered, "What about
the swings?" Soo Ho noticed that Yeong Ro paled a bit at how the base of the swings extended
vertically to send the swings in the air for the current riders. It was quite tall actually, taller than
what Soo Ho thought, but he was excited to try them. Before he could ask Yeong Ro about her
thoughts, Yeong Ung had already pulled her in that direction and Soo Ho sighed before following
them. The three of them managed to find a family seat that fit the three of them and much to Soo
Ho's chagrin, Yeong Ung planted himself right in between them. The attendant secured the metal
bar over them and after another few moments, the attraction started to lift itself into the air. Soo Ho
felt a rustling to his right and he looked right to find Yeong Ro grasping for his arm behind Yeong
Ung, and Soo Ho reached over to link his arm with hers.

"Yeong Ro-ya, are you ok?" Soo Ho asked and Yeong Ung looked to his right at his sister. Yeong
Ro smiled nervously and looked down over the edge before immediately turning her head back as
if she just watched someone fall off the seat to the ground.

"Yeah, I-I'm fine, I just don't like heights..." Yeong Ro replied, laughing nervously and Soo Ho
tilted his head at her in confusion.

"You have a fear of heights? Since when?" Soo Ho asked and Yeong Ro gaped at Soo Ho
incredulously.

"Oppa, do you seriously not know?" Yeong Ro asked and Soo Ho feigned to look even more
clueless even though he figured it out the moment she asked. Soo Ho smiled sympathetically as he
remembered how Yeong Ro slipped on the eaves of the building and almost fell off when they
were hiding from Ms. Pi. If it wasn't for him, Yeong Ro would have fallen for her death, so it was
completely natural for her to be scared.

"No I don't, I'm genuinely asking," Soo Ho replied, suppressing an urge to chuckle and Yeong Ro
narrowed her eyes at him. She noticed the growing smile on his face that Soo Ho was trying to
fight down.

"Liar! You do remember! That's not funny! I was terrified!" Yeong Ro exclaimed and Soo Ho
laughed for a moment before leaning over to rub her shoulder comfortingly.

"Yeong Ro-ya, just remember that your Superman is right here, you don't need to worry about a
thing," Soo Ho smirked at Yeong Ro, who smiled appreciatively back at him before Yeong Ung
decided to comment on that statement.

"Superman? Wait Hyungie, you can't even fly, how are you going to save us?" Yeong Ung asked
and Yeong Ro let out a loud exclamatory laugh. Soo Ho felt like it was more endearing when
Yeong Ro had asked that same question, but with Yeong Ung, it was just patronizing.
"See?! You're right Yeong Ung-ah, how can we expect my boyfriend to save us when we're
suspended high up in the air while spinning?" Yeong Ro cooed at her younger brother and the two
of them sported a fake damsel in distress expression that made Soo Ho want to throw himself off
the ride. The two siblings sent teasing accusatory glares towards Soo Ho, and he had to think of a
way to turn this around for himself.

"Yeong Ro-ya, do you remember what I told you the first time we were at this kind of height?
Don't look down and just look at me," Soo Ho reminded Yeong Ro and a look of recognition
dawned on her face as she calmed down and gazed at Soo Ho's face. It really did give her a lot of
comfort just being able to look at Soo Ho without anyone else scrutinizing her for it. After another
few moments, Soo Ho reached over to gently cup her face to turn it so she could look at the view,
"and then once you're ready, enjoy the view..." Yeong Ro didn't realize that they were already
spinning around on the swings and she could see the entire amusement park and a good portion of
the valley. Yeong Ro marveled at the view and how peaceful and magnificent everything looked.
Yeong Ung sat in awe with her as they threw up their hands to enjoy the gentle wind whipping past
their faces and arms. Yeong Ro looked back at Soo Ho to find that he was watching her the entire
time.

"Are you still scared?" Soo Ho asked and Yeong Ro shook her head and she replied softly while
wrapping her arms around Yeong Ung in a hug.

"No, I'm just enjoying the view like you said," Yeong Ro gazed at Soo Ho and she reached her
hand to pinch Soo Ho's cheek. Soo Ho seemed to get the implication of what she meant and he
smiled wide at her, a blush adorning his cheeks. Yeong Ro giggled and they all continued to enjoy
the ride together. The next ride they went to was the bumper cars and they somehow found a way
to get all of them on one car. Soo Ho sat behind Yeong Ro in the backseat while Yeong Ung sat in
front of Yeong Ro, her legs steadying him in her lap as they grasped the wheel together. Soon, the
ride started and they had a nice time crashing into the other cars and Yeong Ro needed Soo Ho to
help readjust the car at some points when she wasn't able to get themselves out. Soo Ho was
looking at some of the other participants of the bumper cars and he noticed two very familiar
figures on a neon yellow car on the other side of the arena.

"Hey Yeong Ro-ya... isn't that your friend over there?" Soo Ho tapped Yeong Ro on the shoulder
and pointed in the direction of the car. Yeong Ro peered closer and she gasped as she made out
Seol Hui and Gwang Tae on the car.

"Oh my god, it's Seol Hui-ah!" Yeong Ro exclaimed and Soo Ho added onto that exclamation.

"And Gwang Tae-ah too, wow, I didn't think they would get together," Soo Ho scoffed and Yeong
Ro nodded her head in agreement. Yeong Ung peered at the pair they were talking about in
curiosity.

"Likewise... wait don't tell me... at Mr. Lee and Hanna-unnie's wedding?!" Yeong Ro realized
when they must have made contact again and both boys' eyes widened in shock at the mention of
the wedding.

"Are they your friends Noona?" Yeong Ung asked and Yeong Ro nodded.

"Yeah, that's my friend from school, are they here on a date? She didn't tell me anything! I thought
she went to class with Jeong Min-Unnie!" Yeong Ro exclaimed when she realized that Seol Hui
really did not tell her anything about the fact that she was going to be here on the same day.

"Really then? Then I know what we must do," Yeong Ung turned the bumper car so it was facing
Seol Hui's car and they haven't noticed them yet. Yeong Ro seemed to get what he was planning
on doing because a mischievous grin came onto her face as she leaned forward to grasp the wheel
with her brother. Soo Ho leaned to the side to look at what they were doing, and then he nervously
asked them.

"Uhh guys? Are we actually going to crash into them at full speed? Can we just do this without
them noticing us?" Soo Ho laughed nervously and Yeong Ung immediately maneuvered the car to
bump into a few more cars before getting a clear shot at Seol Hui and Gwang Tae.

"Come on Hyungie! Where's your competitive spirit? We need to prove that we're on the better
date than they are!" Yeong Ung declared and Yeong Ro nodded in agreement.

"I agree, now let's do this!" Yeong Ro smirked at the unsuspecting couple. They won't know what
hit them, literally. Soo Ho gaped at how these two seemed to have a collective brain cell at times
because he's been at minor odds with the both of them. Soo Ho sighed for a moment before leaning
forward to place his hand confidently on Yeong Ung's shoulders, his chest pressed against Yeong
Ro's back.

"You know what? Do it!" Soo Ho smirked deviously and Yeong Ro laughed, leaning back into
Soo Ho's arms for a moment, turning her head to see that their devious smiles matched. Yeong Ung
nodded at his command and they together launched their car straight towards Seol Hui and Gwang
Tae's car at full speed. Their car slammed into the unsuspecting neon yellow car and Soo Ho
leaned his head onto Yeong Ro's shoulder so that the whiplash wouldn't have her head bumping
into his since he was so close. The impact was honestly hilarious as the impact was so hard that it
knocked Seol Hui's car off kilter and their car slammed itself into the side of the arena. Yeong Ung
cheered as yells of surprise followed by groans of slight disorientation followed.

"What the? Who hit us?" Seol Hui took a moment to re-stabilize her body from the inertia and she
looked over at the car who hit them and gasped. Soo Ho, Yeong Ro, Yeong Ung all waved at them
and Gwang Tae glowered at the sight of Soo Ho as the cheeky guy smirked at him.

"Soo Ho-ah! You!" Gwang Tae scoffed in surprise while Seol Hui pointed at Yeong Ro who
waggled her fingers in a delicate yet snide greeting.

"Yeong Ro-ya! What are you doing here?!" Seol Hui asked and both Yeong Ro and Soo Ho sent
her questioning looks.

"Apparently the same thing as you, I'm on a date with Soo Ho-Oppa," Yeong Ro laughed as Seol
Hui sighed and pleaded with the girl.

"Please don't say anything to the other girls! I was trying to keep this a bit on the down low!" Seol
Hui pleaded with Yeong Ro and Gwang Tae sent a pleading look towards her as well, and Soo Ho
couldn't help but scoff.

"I don't know, I wonder what Hye Ryeong-Unnie would say about this," Yeong Ro teased Seol Hui
and the other girl's eyes widened in terror. Soo Ho and Yeong Ung laughed and before Seol Hui
could protest one more time, the other couple was hit on the side and they lost the chance to talk,
with the three of them yelling out in laughter. Even if it wasn't completely as chaotic as the other
couple's crash into their car, Seol Hui thought they got what they deserved.

"And that's karma..." Gwang Tae sighed before he helped Seol Hui drive back into the ring and
they continued to play with the bumper cars. Yeong Ro apologized to Seol Hui afterwards and the
girls laughed about the fact they both went on a date on the same day. Soo Ho and Gwang Tae
walked behind their girls and they had talked about how coincidental it was that they ran into each
other today. Gwang Tae also asked if Yeong Ung was supposed to be on the date and Soo Ho had
to explain that he was kind of a last minute addition. Gwang Tae laughed at that and it resulted in
Soo Ho smacking the guy over the head.

"Ow! I thought I was sympathizing with you!"

"You're not exactly making me feel better Gwang Tae-ah."

Soo Ho gazed at Yeong Ro swinging Yeong Ung's arm back with their hands as the girls continued
to talk. He couldn't help but think back to what she said earlier about how this is practice for when
he would take his own child to the amusement park. Gwang Tae noticed the very noticeable blush
on Soo Ho's face and asked what was that about. Soo Ho coughed it off and dismissed it before
running up to Yeong Ro's side and Gwang Tae just shook his head chuckling before joining them.
Soon, the couples parted ways to enjoy their own dates with a promise to do double dates at some
point.

Soo Ho found himself getting cotton candies for himself and Yeong Ro, since the girl insisted that
she could share with Yeong Ung. Was it bad that he felt jealous of the fact that Yeong Ro was
feeding Yeong Ung the pink candy floss when Soo Ho had one all to himself? Soo Ho tore off
pieces of the blue cotton candy and tasted them, smiling at the sweet and sour taste. Soo Ho looked
over at the pair and saw them talking and laughing about what they found funny about the mascots
that were greeting people. Soo Ho wondered what it would be like if it was just them sharing a
cotton candy together, but he didn't really let that thought get far since Soo Ho already felt bad
enough. However Soo Ho couldn't help but lean over to Yeong Ro and she noticed him just as he
opened his mouth in a gesture for her to feed him some of her cotton candy.

"Hyungie! You already have your own cotton candy, stop taking ours!" Yeong Ung whined and
Yeong Ro shushed him as a hurtful pout came onto Soo Ho's face.

"Hey, be nice, Oppa was the one who paid for these so he should be able to have some too,"
Yeong Ro explained to Yeong Ung as she tore off a piece of her cotton candy to feed to Soo Ho.
Soo Ho sent Yeong Ung a triumphant smirk as the boy glared at him. Why was he so happy that he
finally won one of these against this kid?

"But!" Yeong Ung protested and Soo Ho immediately leaned back upright to cover up their little
interaction. However, Soo Ho handed his own cotton candy to them and he tore off a piece for
him.

"You want to try this one Yeong Ung-ah? It's a different flavor," Soo Ho asked and the boy's eyes
lit up as he bounded up next to Soo Ho and took his offering. Yeong Ro looked at the blue one in
curiosity and took her own piece.

"Oh, it's like blue raspberry?" Yeong Ro tasted the treat and looked towards Yeong Ung who
agreed with her.

"Yeah! It is different, I can't tell which one I like more," Yeong Ung looked like he was going
under a mental dilemma trying to figure it out. Soo Ho chuckled at the kid and they continued to
walk towards a game booth and Yeong Ung gasped at the gigantic plush periwinkle bunny that
was sitting on top of the rack in the back, "Noona! Hyungie! Can we try to go for that one?" Yeong
Ung brought both of them over to the booth and they looked over the game. Soo Ho saw that they
were going to have to gain the most amount of points by shooting the moving and still targets that
were going to pop up in multiple rows. They were provided toy guns and Soo Ho nodded and paid
the attendant and the three of them resolved to try their hand at winning.

"Are you guys ready?" Yeong Ro asked excitedly as the game was about to begin and the boys
nodded as the buzzer sounded and they all began to shoot whatever they could. Soo Ho quickly
pulled into the lead and he shot most of them with a clear accuracy and Yeong Ung marveled at his
skill. Yeong Ro merely smirked at the way Soo Ho was confidently showing off and she reached
her hand over to try to mess him up.

"Yah, Yeong Ro-ya what do you think you're doing?!" Soo Ho exclaimed through laughs as he
tried with one hand to pull her off her gun.

"This is a competition! We're each trying to win that plush bunny for ourselves!" Yeong Ro shot
back and Soo Ho shook his head with a mirthful smile and proceeded to shoot 5 more targets
despite the fact that Yeong Ro was trying to throw him off.

"I don't remember discussing those terms!" Soo Ho laughed as Yeong Ung looked at Soo Ho's
score on the leaderboard and exclaimed:

"Wow! Hyungie your score is so high! You're almost there!"

Soo Ho looked at the score requirement for the bunny and noticed he was still a ways off, "Yeong
Ro-ya I don't think any of us are going to get that bunny if you keep this up," Soo Ho reached over
to mess up Yeong Ro and she squealed as he managed to misalign her gun and caused her to miss.
Soon, the game was over and after a few bouts of cheating, the attendant looked at all of them with
an amused smile as no one ended up winning.

Yeong Ung pouted and looked at all of their scores and saw that Soo Ho was in fact the closest to
the required score but he couldn't quite make it there.

"Aww, Hyungie, you were so close! Why couldn't you tried just a little harder?" Yeong Ung asked,
completely ignoring the fact that both siblings tagteamed him to throw him off since it was
supposedly a "every man for himself." Soo Ho glared at both guilty parties because he really didn't
want to hear it. Yeong Ro laughed nervously at her clearly annoyed boyfriend and sidled up next to
him, linking her arm with his.

"Ehehe... Oppa, I'm so sorry, really, it was just all in good fun," Yeong Ro tried to apologize but
she almost burst out giggling at the man's face and Soo Ho just looked unamused.

"You don't sound sorry, you cost us a bunny," Soo Ho shook his head and Yeong Ro snickered and
leaned her head against his arm. Soo Ho looked down at the girl with a questioning eyebrow while
trying to hide his smile.

"Ok ok, let's try again one more time, but can you help Yeong Ung-ah to get the bunny? I promise
I won't try anything funny!" Yeong Ro pouted at Soo Ho, and he sighed hard before shaking his
head with a smile and he moved to take Yeong Ung's arm to lead him right back over to the game.

"Ok buddy, I'm gonna help you with the bunny since you really need the help," Soo Ho guided
Yeong Ung to the toy gun again and he paid the attendant. Soo Ho adjusted the boy's grip on the
gun and leaned down so that his head was right next to Yeong Ung's as the man instructed him,
"Now what you wanna do is keep your eye trained on the barrel of the gun, keeping your eye level
with it," Soo Ho pulled the gun from its holster with Yeong Ung's hands and he held the gun up so
it was about at the boy's eye level. The boy nodded as Soo Ho looked at how the boy was standing
and he pulled back to adjust the boy's shoulders as well, "your stance matters as well since it helps
with your hand eye coordination."

"Core donation?" Yeong Ung tried to say and both Soo Ho and Yeong Ro snickered for a moment
before Soo Ho re-clarified it for him.
"The teamwork between your eyes and your hands," Soo Ho explained and the boy mouthed an 'O'
before nodding and Soo Ho continued to instruct the boy even as the game started. Yeong Ung
gasped and cheered with glee with Soo Ho's hands guiding his, they managed to hit every single
target in the game so far. Yeong Ro looked at the two boys fondly even though Soo Ho was
technically teaching Yeong Ung how to shoot a gun properly. Yeong Ro giggled inwardly to
herself at the irony, but she knew that Soo Ho meant well by helping Yeong Ung like this. The
way Soo Ho was so patient and attentive, but he had this adorable humorous side to him when they
had attempted to sabotage him. Yeong Ro truly hoped she got to bear witness to more memories
like this.

"Wow! Hyungie how are you so good at shooting games? You're like a pro at this!" Yeong Ung
marveled at Soo Ho's skill and Yeong Ro immediately looked at Soo Ho in knowing alarm and he
did the same. The two of them stared at each other, trying to think of an explanation, but they were
honestly at a loss.

"Uhh..." Yeong Ro started.

"Uhhh.... My father was a soldier and he taught me how to shoot when I was young," Soo Ho
decided to go with that explanation and Yeong Ung seemed to buy it as the two of them shot their
way to victory and the attendant presented them with the giant periwinkle bunny plush that was
almost too big for Yeong Ung to carry.

"We did it Hyungie! Thank you so much!" Yeong Ung hugged the giant bunny to his body and the
weight of the thing almost made them both tip over. Soo Ho and Yeong Ro immediately moved to
steady him and the boy giggled as they walked down the amusement park street to look at other
things to do.

"What are you going to name the bunny Yeong Ung-ah?" Yeong Ro asked her little brother and he
stopped in his tracks as if that was a very important question.

"Oh yeah that's right, I should think of a name! Just give me a sec," Yeong Ung turned the bunny
around so he could look into its eyes, staring into the very soul of the stuffed animal, looking for
any sign that the bunny knew what its name should be. Soo Ho and Yeong Ro glanced at each
other knowingly, seeing how the boy was taking this so seriously, "I got it!" Yeong Ung
announced and they both looked at him in alarm.

"So what did you decide?" Soo Ho asked inquisitively and Yeong Ung turned to them with the
plush barely fitting in his arms.

"Judy." Yeong Ung decided and Soo Ho and Yeong Ro looked at each other before asking again
out of slight confusion.

"Judy?" Soo Ho and Yeong Ro asked together and Yeong Ung nodded.

"Uhhh... ok, does she look like a Judy?" Yeong Ro asked and Yeong Ung immediately started to
explain, heaving the bunny up in his arms.

"Yeah, she does, she just felt like one. I hope they make like a Disney character based off of her
one day," Yeong Ung sighed thoughtfully and continued to walk with the bunny plush. That
answered seemed to be enough for Yeong Ro, so it was enough for Soo Ho too. Soo Ho let out a
wry chuckle and he held out his hand for Yeong Ro to take and they all had fun on the rest of their
amusement park date. Soo Ho figured that Yeong Ung was completely aware of the fact that they
were literally fighting for Yeong Ro's attention at almost every single attraction. However the man
knew it was all in good fun, even though the kid couldn't go 5 minutes without dragging Yeong Ro
to a different place without any regard for Soo Ho. It was astounding how Yeong Ro didn't catch
onto the fact that Yeong Ung was deliberately trying to get her attention, the little troll. Soon, the
three of them were on the train back and Soo Ho and Yeong Ro sat across from each other with
Yeong Ung passed out on Yeong Ro's shoulder. Soo Ho had put Judy on its own seat next to him
and he thought she did make good company. Soo Ho gazed softly at Yeong Ro, who was looking
out the window and his gaze flickered to Yeong Ung.

"He really is still just a kid... for all the energy he had earlier, he just passed out as soon as we got
into the train," Soo Ho murmured softly and Yeong Ro turned to look at him before gazing down
at Yeong Ung.

"Yeah, it was a really nice day, and I hope this makes adjusting to life here without his mom
easier," Yeong Ro replied and her fingers found her way into the boy's hair and she softly stroked
his scalp.

Soo Ho leaned over close to look at the kid and he smiled, "You know... he's actually cute when
he's asleep."

Yeong Ro smiled for a moment before her lips quirked up in a smirk when she thought of
something, "You would have noticed sooner if you weren't fighting with him all afternoon to get
my attention Oppa," Yeong Ro giggled and Soo Ho immediately sat up and gaped at her.

"Ok, I admit that I felt like I was the lowest common denominator half the time, but I hardly count
that as fighting with him for your attention," Soo Ho tried to defend himself but his stutter gave it
away and Yeong Ro knew it.

Yeong Ro giggled at the way Soo Ho was trying to defend himself and nodded to herself, "I was
right, you were jealous!"

Soo Ho crossed his arms and looked at her incredulously, "Oh come on, don't act like you didn't
know that Yeong Ung was purposely taking up more of your attention than necessary," Soo Ho
accused Yeong Ro and she scoffed quietly and she leaned forward to whisper to him.

"How could you be jealous of a kid?" Yeong Ro asked simply before laughing quietly and Soo Ho
felt himself going hot in the face and he groaned before just looking out the window, crossing his
leg over his knee. Yeong Ro tilted her head to the right, trying to get a good look at Soo Ho's face
without waking Yeong Ung up.

"It was our first date today and I was hoping to have you all to myself," Soo Ho mumbled, looking
at the rolling mountains and trees, the sun starting to set in the distance. Yeong Ro smiled in
understanding, but she didn't say anything as she waited for Soo Ho to continue, "I felt like during
the hostage situation, when we were apart, when we were reunited, I just feel like I always have to
prove that I deserve to be near you... like I worked so incredibly hard to come back to you, and
even then... I-I don't know... maybe I'm just being a bit too selfish to compensate for the fact that
I've never been loved like this before...." Soo Ho closed his eyes and his entire body just felt so
heavy, like Yeong Ro's stare was a judgment upon his character and he was about to fail. Soo Ho
took a deep breath and decided to look out the window again, trying to ignore the look of
realisation that was dawning on her face.

Yeong Ro's solemn smile quickly dissipated and with those words, she realised something
important about Soo Ho that broke her heart. The hostage situation was an even more gruelling test
for him than it was for her. In retrospect, perhaps Yeong Ro always knew that Soo Ho suffered
more than her, this was just a reminder. Yeong Ro's test was whether she could still learn to love
him despite all the misunderstandings and betrayals. For Soo Ho, his love was a rite of passage to
becoming human, to becoming whole after he lost himself so many years ago. Just when Soo Ho
thought he had finally passed the test, what does he have to show for it? Soo Ho was a young man
rediscovering what it meant to feel and love with all of his heart, of course he wasn't used to having
his feelings and love validated. Not even his sister could help because her life was always hung
over Soo Ho's head. Soo Ho made a choice, and yet he still felt like the choice he made wasn't
even his. Yeong Ro didn't want him to feel like that, never again.

"Soo Ho-ah... could you give me your hands, I want you to understand this... perfectly clear,"
Yeong Ro reached forward, tracing Soo Ho's arms gently and he unfolded his arms and Yeong Ro
took his hands in hers, "I told you that I would be here for you every step of the way as you make
the adjustment to living as an ordinary man. It's only natural that there would be things you would
have to learn about being loved. And that's ok! You can be as selfish as you want, you can be as
affectionate as you want. I am the person who made the choice to accept all of you," Yeong Ro
looked earnestly into Soo Ho's eyes and she could see the warm, caramel hue in the setting sun
rays that streamed through the window. They were filled with such an emotional sheen that Yeong
Ro wanted to cry for him. There was an arduous struggle and a desperation for forgiveness in Soo
Ho's eyes that Yeong Ro wanted to make disappear. He shouldn't have to be struggling like this, it
shouldn't have to be hard for Soo Ho to understand that being loved is an eternal gift.

"Yeong Ro-ya, I-.." Soo Ho started but Yeong Ro continued and she firmly grasped Soo Ho's
hands together, rubbing slow circles into his hands with her thumbs.

"Soo Ho-ah, I know that our plans were a bit derailed today, but I also know that you still had a lot
of fun today with both me and Yeong Ung. We're going to make so many memories together and
we're going to be ok, I promise," Soo Ho could see a tear slip out of Yeong Ro's eye and he would
thank God everyday that he had someone in his life who understood his pain and wanted to deliver
him from it. Deliver him to someplace better and that place is by Yeong Ro's side. Soo Ho knew
that for certain. Now and forever.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

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