The Day We Find Love

Keeping Me Waiting

2009
~Choi Heewon

After Heechul and Leeteuk left, I sat on the couch, staring blankly at the TV. Siwon was walking from the kitchen, carrying two mugs of hot lemon tea.

"Here," he said softly, handing me a mug. "I made it just the way you like, with honey, not sugar." I saw the mug, it was a Donald Duck mug, the one that he gave me as a welcome-back gift a few months ago.

I took the mug, my hands still trembling slightly. "Thanks," I said quietly.

He sat beside me, close enough to offer comfort but giving me space. We sipped our drinks in silence for a few moments.

"I feel so lost," my voice breaking. "I thought everything was just fine, but now... I don't know what to do. Never imagine myself would be in this situation."

Siwon put his mug down and turned to face me, his expression serious. "It's okay to feel lost, Noona. Life doesn't always go as planned. But you're not alone in this. I'm here for you, just like you've always been there for me."

I looked at him and smiled. "How did you get so wise?" Tears welled up in my eyes, where did my annoying baby brother go?

He shrugged, a hint of a smile on his face. "I learned from the best."

I took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Thank you. I don't know what I would do without you."

He squeezed my hand back, his eyes filled with determination. "We'll get through this together, Noona, don't you worry."

At that moment, I realized that my baby brother had grown into someone I could lean on, someone who could help me survive the storm of my life. And I felt a glimmer of hope for the first time today.

As we sat in silence, memories of our time apart flooded my mind. I remembered the loneliness of being in a foreign country, the pain of being bullied that still lingering, and the solace I found in his e-mails and late-night calls.

"I missed you so much when I was abroad," I said softly. "Those e-mails and calls were the only things that kept me going."

He nodded, his eyes reflecting the same pain. "I missed you too, Noona. I hated that I couldn't help you and you had to go through all that alone. But now, you came back stronger, and I'm so proud of you."

I smiled through my tears. "I guess we both grew up a lot during that time."

He chuckled, "Yeah, we did. And now, we're here for each other, no matter what."

I leaned my head on his shoulder, feeling a sense of peace I hadn't felt in a long time. "Thank you for always being you."

He wrapped his arm around me, holding me close. "Always, Noona. Always."

The next morning, after a long night's discussion with Siwon, I decided to inform my parents about the incident. They were shocked and disappointed but agreed to support me, whatever my decision was.

Before confronted him, I consulted the matter with my lawyer to understand my options. The lawyer advised me on the potential consequences of breaking off the engagement and any legal implications. Because it was a business marriage, I didn't want any problems with our family's business.

The next step was to collect some evidence. With my parents' backing, I could collect them in no time. Then I talked to my fiancé with all the evidence I had. He tried to deny it at first but eventually admitted to the affair. Turned out I was his mistress because she was his high school sweetheart, he said he took the engagement just to make his father happy. He begged for forgiveness, but I said I needed to think about it.