Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 363: Friends

“Hey,” Eun-sun heard someone say from the door. She turned towards it and found In-Ha standing there.

“Hey.” She greeted back as she watched him walk in.

“Glad to see you alive.” He smiled.

“Glad to be alive.” She halfly smiled back.

They peered at each other for a while before In-Ha tore his eyes away and skimmed across her body, focusing his gaze on the cast on her leg. Eun-sun keenly followed his gaze on her.

Silence reigned in the room with no one knowing what next to say. Their eyes were everywhere except on each other. The atmosphere was an odd one just as she predicted it would be. She was grateful Dan-Han had walked his uncle and aunt to their car.

“I’m not sorry.” In-Ha said breaking the silence. Eun-sun glanced at him with confusion while he held her gaze.

.....

“I’m not sorry for telling you how I feel, because I think you deserve to know how I feel about you.”

‘Deserve to know.’

Eun-sun was startled by his choice of words. As a matter of fact this wasn’t what she expected him to say, especially not now. She had thought he would say something different, but here he was saying...

“I know I’ve compromised our friendship, as well as mine with Dan-Han, but I’m still not sorry I said those words to you, I’ll never be. It hurts to see you happy with another man, but I’m happy you’re happy because that’s all that matters.”

“In-Ha,” She called, but he and stopped her by shaking his head.

“I won’t be as good as Dan-Han so I know I had no chance from the beginning, but I can’t stop liking you and you just have to deal with it, Dan-Han included. At least till I find myself attracted to someone else.” He paused and chuckled derisively. He didn’t believe that was possible and Eun-sun understood that was what his derisive laughter meant.

He didn’t believe his words and she felt her heart prick her.

Eun-sun didn’t know what to say to him. Whether to tell him it was possible for him to fall in love again? Or she was sorry for not being able to accept his feelings? None of those felt right to say at the moment.

She watched him take a step towards her. Her eyes followed him as he pushed a few stray strands behind her ear, and gently stroke her cheek.

“I Know things will be different now, but I’ll try my best not to ruin everything and I hope you can still keep me in your life even if it’s just as a friend. Cause I’ve realized that I’d rather have a piece of you than none of you at all.”

“In-Ha,” Eun-sun muttered his name. He was making her feel sad for him, and she didn’t know if that was normal.

In-Ha chuckled when he heard her so gently call his name, he could hear the sadness and guilt that laced her voice. She was feeling bad for him, and he selfishly wanted her to.

“I would love to say you shouldn’t feel sad or guilty towards me, but I think you should. That would be your punishment for choosing that tyrant over a full spec like me, and for not even giving me a chance. You should always wonder what it would have been had you chosen a husband material like me.” He cockily smiled, and flicked her forehead like he always used to do.

“Husband material indeed.” She glared at him for flicking her head. “My first opinion of you still stands. You’re lecherous and perverted.” She firmly told him as she rubbed on her head.

“Ouch.” He touched his chest and feigned a hurtful expression.

He smiled at her. “I’m forever a sweet boy, and I can cook. Your boyfriend can’t even boil water to save his life.”

“Says who?” She challengingly raised a brow at him.

“Me. His best friend for twenty years.”

“Then I guess you don’t know him at all. He makes the best omelette and toasted bread. You’ll die if you have a taste.” She proudly declared, but In-Ha wasn’t trusting of her words. He scoffed.

“The Dan-Han I know is too daft and can’t even use a microwave.”

“You’re the one who is daft and can’t use a microwave.” She refuted him. “I dare you to say this when he’s here.”

“Are you crazy?!” In-Ha wickedly eyed her and look over his shoulder to the door making Eun-sun laugh.

“You small mean girl.” He threatened to flick her head again, but Eun-sun called Dan-Han’s name while she looked at the door.

In-Ha froze on the spot and looked at the door again.

Eun-sun couldn’t hold back her laugh. “Sissy.” She teased.

“You’re just as evil as him. You both deserve each other.” He looked at her with stink eyes.

“Whatever.” Eun-sun rolled her eyes at him as she continued laughing.

In-Ha stared at her as she laughed, and Eun-sun stopped laughing when she saw the way he was staring at her.

“Can I have my crazy friend back?” He asked in a more serious tone.

“You’re the one who’s crazy, and yes, I’ll take you back.” She said, bringing a happy smile to his face and she couldn’t help but smile too.

He silently gazed at her for a while and said, “Thank you.”

“Thank you too. For being an amazing friend and for finding me lovable.”

“You’re always lovable, Eun-sun. No one can say otherwise.” He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Eun-sun’s eyes tingled with tears but she blinked them back in. Knowing he really felt this way about her boggled her mind, and the fact that she had to turn him down in such a way boggled her mind the more.

“Don’t ever stop being my friend, In-Ha.” She told him.

In-Ha weakly smiled and nodded. “I’ll never stop.” He held her hand and gave it a tender squeeze.

The creaky sound of the door opening halted their moments as they both turned towards the door. Eun-sun cautiously looked at Dan-Han, but she heaved a sigh of relief when he didn’t show an hostility towards being with In-Ha alone or holding her hands.

Both men shared a look before Dan-Han took a seat at the opposite side of the bed. He glanced at In-Ha, and the signatory frigid look in his eyes slightly unsettled Eun-sun.

“You should move out the hotel.” He said, startling Eun-sun who wasn’t expecting him to hear that as the first thing that comes out of his mouth.

She looked at In-Ha, awaiting and praying his response wouldn’t be one to drag further the wedge between them.

“It’s less torturous.” He said.

“Rent an apartment.” Dan-Han told him.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Good.”

Though the conversation wasn’t as harmonious as it used to be, Eun-sun was certain they were making progress and she was happy about it. She hoped everything and everyone got better with time.

.....

Eun-sun spent few more days at the hospital under Dan-Han’s insistent pressure before he finally caved in to her discharge.

She wasn’t surprised when he insisted she returned home with him, but her stubborness decided to raise it’s ugly head in revolt even though she knew she stood no chance winning against him except he let her to.

“I don’t want to go home with you.” She stubbornly declared making Dan-Han raise his gaze at her. His brows were tightly knitted in a way that dared her to make a repeat of her words.

“Why?” He asked.

“Because you’ll treat me like an invalid. It’s just one foot.”

“One foot you say? So you’d rather I take you home so you can hop around on the other?” He cocked a brow at her, prompting Eun-sun to lower her head because she knew he had figured out why she wanted to go home.

“I’m not going to hop.” She grumbled out in her defence.

“Then should I break your other leg to assure that? Or do I have to do something to let you know I’m taking you home with me at all cost?” He asked.

Dan-Han was sure she only wanted to go back to her place because she knew he wouldn’t give her the liberty she was looking for. He had seen the bored faces she made all through her stay in the hospital, and all she had been waiting for was an opportunity to run around when he wasn’t looking, but he wasn’t going to give her that.

“You’re a brooding tyrant.” She told him,matter of factly.

“Thanks for the compliment. But you’re either going to my place or I’m moving to yours. Make your choice young lady.”

“You’re a brute!”

“I’ve heard you say that a thousand time.”

“I’ll break up with you.”

“You can try.” He zipped up her bag and gave it to Ni-Na who was watching their banter from the sidelines with the others.

He picked her up from the bed and placed her on a wheel chair.

“I hate you, Lee Dan-Han.” She gruffed.

A mocking smile grazed his face. “You wish you do, but you can’t, baby.” He kissed her lips.

...

If love was a healing balm and a painkiller, Eun-sun didn’t know it until now, because everyday, Dan-Han took the best care of her, tending to her and caring for her like she was his child. But just as much as she enjoyed every bit of his tender love and care, she felt tired and guilty. Guilty because she was all he cared about. He hadn’t stepped a foot out of the house in the past two days. He had virtual meetings from home while Chang-wok brought over the necessary documents requiring his signature.

“Dan-Han, you have to go to work.” She said for what seemed like the upteemth time, while he worked with his laptop.

“And what am I doing?” He asked without looking at her.

“This isn’t your office. You have responsibilities, huge ones that require your undivided attention.”

“And isn’t that what I’m doing?” He paused and raised his head from his laptop, and stared at her small frame laid on the sofa, a cushion tightly wrapped in her arms.

“No, it isn’t.” She fired back. “Dan-Han, I can take care of myself.” She told him matter-of-factly. She wasn’t maimed that she’d need such attention. Eun-sun believed Dan-Han was just going overboard.

He leaned back on his chair and silently stared at her. Her stubbornness was a constant part of her life that wouldn’t change. He sighed as he stood up from his seat. Eun-sun sat upright as he approached her. Plonking himself by her side, he drapped his arm around her shoulder and planted a kiss on her temple.

.....

“I know you’re capable of taking care of yourself, I won’t dispute that. But the thing is, I don’t want you taking care of yourself alone, anymore. You’ve been doing that for so long, and I don’t want that anymore, and after all you are in this state because of me.” He combed his right fingers through her sleek hair.

“But it’s not your fault. I’ve told you that.”

“It doesn’t change anything. My utmost responsibility is towards you, and nothing deserves my undivided attention more than you.”

“Dan-Han...”

“Shh.” He placed a finger over lips, and clipped it shut with a feathery kiss.

“Just let me take care of you. See this as my practice period before you fully become mine, hmm?” He cocked a brow. Eun-sun hunted her brain for some retorting words but she found none. He was bent on staying with her, so what could she do about it?