Heartbeat

2005-01-20T23:35:00.000-08:00

Foreword

2005-01-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

Well, I've decided to write a story since i have so much free time on my hands.
Some of you may think that i've nothing better to do and you know what? You're most probably right.
Haha ok i'm only kidding. Personally i do have a passion for writing.
It allows me to express my thoughts and feelings and at the same time be lost in my own world.
Sure beats being in the cold hard reality sometimes.
Anyway, this is the first time i'm writing a story so i do hope it works out. Haha, yao zhi chi wo ok?
To everybody out there who took the time out of your busy schedules to read this story,
I thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart.
Your support is greatly appreciated.

With lotsa love,
Andy.

Introduction

2005-01-20T15:38:00.000-08:00

Characters:

Kwon Sang Woo (Main Character, Male)
- Heir to Kwon Enterprise. He believes true love only happens once in a lifetime. Often seen as a quiet individual to others, Sang Woo prefers to keep things to himself. Even when it comes to affairs of the heart, as long as the girl he loves is happy he is contented as well. More often than not, he is willing to give his all for his true love. As a result he is always hurt by emotional pain. Sang Woo confides in his best friend, Seung Hoon.

Hyori Lee (Main Character, Female)
- More than just a pretty face, she is a strong-willed girl with great aspirations. Hyori lives with her father in a single-parent family as her mother died from heart cancer when she was still a young child. Being a sweet demure girl, Hyori has a never-ending line of suitors. In addition to that, she is also a cheerful and lively girl. However, she is also one who believes that one day her prince will come for her and that is why she doesn't accept any other guy who comes along. Unfortunately, Hyori is plagued by ill health.

Shin Seung Hoon (Sang Woo's Best Friend, Male)
- Having known Sang Woo since Elementary School, they became the best of friends who went through thick and thin together. Being the only person Sang Woo confides in, he tries his very best to help in every way possible. Seung Hoon is all a friend could ever be. An outgoing guy who is well-liked by his peers. He is also Hyori's University mate.

Author's Note:

Hmm...I've written my story based on a Korean context, thus the Korean names for my characters. As a matter of fact, they're the names of a Korean actor and two Korean singers. However, i've only just used their names for the characters in my story and also their pictures for my cover page. In any case, any close resemblance is clearly unintentional.

Many thanks once again and enjoy the story.

Prologue

2005-01-20T15:35:00.000-08:00

The winds of gloom blew hard in Hyori's face. Her eyes stared into the distant horizon. For moments, she remained motionless. Her face was completely devoid of energy. Raising her hands to her chest, Hyori felt her heartbeat.

"Sang Woo...no matter where you are now a part of you will always be living in me and i thank you...i thank you for all that you've given me...so let me say my final goodbye now..." Hyori whispered to herself.

With that, emotions overwhelmed her and she collapsed onto the soft sand and wept uncontrollably.

"I...I love you..." Hyori managed to say, through her tears.

Standing close beside her, Seung Hoon watched on.

Chapter 1: Kwon Sang Woo

2005-01-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

Sang Woo was an only child and the heir to his father's Kwon Enterprise. As majestic as it may sound, he was indeed blessed with a good life. His father showered him with materialistic gifts, ranging from expensive watches to luxurious cars. But Sang Woo was not happy at all. All he ever wanted was for his parents to spend more time with him. His parents, on the other hand had failed to do so. As a result, Sang Woo was often left alone at home facing the four walls of his room. He became more of a loner with each passing day.

At the age of 13, Sang Woo entered High School. Being more of an introvert compared to others, he did not have a lot of friends. Many even thought he was being snobbish when they heard of his family background. The girls, well, they thought he was cool though.

However, Sang Woo did have one close friend in High School. He was Shin Seung Hoon. They had known each other since Elementary School and their friendship strengthened throughout the years, especially since they went to the same High School as well. In contrast, Seung Hoon was a more outgoing person and was popular among his peers. Seung Hoon was always there for Sang Woo through his ups and downs and vice versa, a true friend indeed.

In High School, Sang Woo was a musical genius. He could play all sorts of instruments, the piano, the guitar and the drums. But to him, he loved playing the piano most as he felt that piano music was very sentimental and soothing. Indeed, Sang Woo was an outstanding pianist. On account of his talent in music, the school picked him to join the school's music club. Inevitably, Sang Woo chosed to play the piano. Seung Hoon joined the music club too, where he learned how to play the drums.

High School life was pretty mundane but fun for Sang Woo. Almost every day after lessons, he would make his way to the music room to practise the piano. Sang Woo loved the feeling of being lost in his own dreamy world of music. It helped him relax from the stress of his schoolwork. Sometimes Seung Hoon would join him in the music room also and the thunderous beatings of the drum never failed to disrupt the serenity of Sang Woo's piano melodies. But they still had fun anyhow.

In the final year of High School, Sang Woo met the love of his life...

Chapter 2: New Transfer Student

2005-01-20T15:32:00.000-08:00

It was a lovely day. The rays of the warm morning sun greeted the city with light and life. Sang Woo walked to school in high spirits, anticipating the day's lessons in a gleeful mood. As he walked into the school, he sensed something amiss. The school compound was unusually quiet. There was not a single soul to be seen. Even the chirpy birds had gone silent. Weird, he thought to himself.

All of a sudden, Seung Hoon jumped out from a corner. And in his right hand he held a huge blood-stained chopper! He began to walk towards Sang Woo...

"Wake up! The lecturer is staring at you already..." Seung Hoon nudged Sang Woo, who was then brought back to reality.

"Hmm? Orh ok..." Sang Woo replied sheepishly. He stared at the attentive Seung Hoon for a few moments before smiling foolishly to himself while trying to picture Seung Hoon holding a chopper. The late nights of studying must have gotten the better of him, Sang Woo thought to himself.

It was the final year of High School. A crucial year indeed. The Year-End Examination would determine which college a student goes to for his or her post High School education. Hence, Sang Woo had been studying late into the night almost every night. The thought of getting into a prestigious college motivated him to work even harder.

After what seemed like eternity for Sang Woo, the bell for dismissal finally rang.

"Hey dude, you really look like you need some sleep. Go get some rest or something, i'll see ya in the music room."

Seung Hoon told him. Sang Woo nodded, almost nonchalantly.

With that, Sang Woo picked up his bag and walked over to the music room, his mind still on the chopper incident. Somehow, he found his dream rather comical. Unable to control his amusement, Sang Woo burst out laughing but he stopped himself quickly when he noticed people staring at him in bewilderedness.

In the music room, Sang Woo sat down at the piano. It wasn't long before an excited Seung Hoon came into the music room to join him.

"Hey Sang Woo, did u hear about the new transfer student in our class? Her name's Hyori."

"And she's gorgeous..." Seung Hoon winked, before proceeding to motion the shape of an hour-glass with his hands.

Hyori? Hmm...that's a nice name, Sang Woo thought to himself.

Chapter 3: Indescribable Feelings

2005-01-20T15:31:00.000-08:00

"Wahh...what's the commotion all about?" Seung Hoon asked, pointing at a group of guys who had gathered outside the classroom. Sang Woo shrugged as he and Seung Hoon quickly made their way to class.

When they entered the classroom, they saw that everybody else had already settled down in their seats and apparently a new student was standing beside their teacher, Ms Song.

"Oops... sorry we're late..." Seung Hoon said, trying to look apologetic at the same time.

"Now you two better get back to your seats, i won't punish you this time...Anyway class, as i was saying we have a new transfer student in class and now let's give her some time for her self-introduction shall we?" Ms Song started, much to the loud cheers and wolf whistles from the guys standing outside the classroom.

"And you guys out there, get back to your classes right this instance!" She continued. Standing beside her, Hyori smiled shyly, her face turning red.

"Alright dear, you may start now..." Ms Song told Hyori.

"Hello everybody, erm...my name is Hyori Lee...and i transferred here because i moved house just a week ago...hope that we can all be friends...haha..." Hyori ended her speech with a smile.

"Wow...she has a sweet voice..." Seung Hoon whispered to Sang Woo.

Hyori was a pretty girl with long straight black hair, big mesmerizing brown eyes and a very captivating smile. On the whole, she looked very cute and sweet indeed. Sang Woo wasn't one who believed in love at first sight but there was something special about this girl standing in front of the class, something different which captured his heart for a moment there. Deep
down inside, there was a feeling that not even Sang Woo himself could comprehend nor describe. However, Sang Woo did not think much about Hyori as he knew that what he felt at that instance was just superficiality.

In addition, Sang Woo wasn't very good at initiating conversations and making new friends. Thus, he hardly even talked to Hyori.

Chapter 4: Caring In Silence

2005-01-20T15:30:00.000-08:00

Days passed. Hyori settled well in class. She was a very flexible person, therefore she could adjust to a new environment fairly quickly. Furthermore, her popularity in school gained, especially with the guys. Almost every day without fail, her desk would be filled with flowers and love letters. But Hyori took no notice of them at all. She believed that true love comes
naturally and that one day someone would touch her heart with sincerity instead of just giving her gifts.

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Hyori coughed, yet again. It was a cold winter morning in class. The weather certainly did not help the fact that Hyori was having a terrible cough. Finally, she could not take it anymore and asked to be excused from class. With Ms Song's permission, Hyori took early leave from school and went home to rest.

The poor girl is so sick, Sang Woo thought to himself.

On his way home that afternoon, Sang Woo stopped by a pharmacy and bought a bottle of cough syrup. Somehow, he felt very satisfied with his purchase.

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"Riiinngg!!" The alarm clock rang the next morning. Sang Woo had purposely set his alarm clock to go off earlier than usual as he wanted to get to school before Hyori did so that he could put the bottle of cough syrup on her desk without her seeing it. Quickly, he jumped out of bed to get ready for school.

"Wow...these guys are early..." Sang Woo muttered to himself as he put the bottle of cough syrup on Hyori's desk while looking at a bouquet of roses which was already on her desk. For some reason, he felt intimidated by Hyori's large number of suitors.

The classroom was still empty. Sang Woo then proceeded to his seat at the back of the class and waited patiently.

Seung Hoon was the second person to reach the classroom.

"Sang Woo, you're early today!" Seung Hoon said, before he slipped on a banana skin on the floor and fell.

Sang Woo laughed. Seung Hoon is such a hilarious klutz sometimes.

"Hey...how did THAT get here...i'm gonna bash up the monkey..." Seung Hoon tried to sound angry.

Soon after that, Hyori came into the classroom. It didn't take long for her to see the bottle of cough syrup on her desk. She turned around to face the two guys at the back of the classroom. Seung Hoon flashed her a silly grin. Hyori then turned her gaze to Sang Woo. Sang Woo looked away quickly.

After lunchbreak, Sang Woo found a note on his desk. It read, 'Thank You'. Weird, how does she know it's me? Sang Woo asked himself. Suddenly it struck him! The only people who had heard Hyori coughing were people in the class and there were only him and Seung Hoon in the classroom that morning when she came in.

However, Sang Woo still felt warmth in his heart.

Chapter 5: Graduation Day

2005-01-20T15:25:00.000-08:00

-- 5 Months Later --

"Yay! The exams are finally over!" Seung Hoon cheered as loudly as he could after he handed in the final examination script. He was simply ecstatic. Sang Woo heaved a sigh of relief too. No more studying, no more sleepless nights and no more dark circles under his eyes. It was definitely a great feeling. But there was something else troubling him. Does this mean that he would no longer to able to see Hyori anymore after they had graduated?

Over the last five months, Sang Woo found himself falling more and more in love with Hyori with each passing day. It wasn't that simple anymore. He was unsure about his feelings, but he did know that he really want to be there for Hyori for everytime that she cried or felt unwell. However, the examinations were drawing near and he could not find the time to confess his feelings to her, or rather he lacked the courage to do so.

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"Hey...so you're gonna be playing the piano at the Graduation Day concert?" Seung Hoon asked.

"I guess so..." Sang Woo replied uncertainly.

Apparently Sang Woo had been entrusted with the task of playing the piano at the Graduation Day concert. He had been told that he could play a music piece of his choice. But Sang Woo did not have any idea what he should play and was obviously bothered by it. Graduation Day was just two days away!

Back at home, Sang Woo had a quick dinner before making his way to his room. Sitting at the piano, he stared into blank space. He thought of Hyori. Suddenly all the memories overwhelmed him. The day Hyori transferred to his class, how she often fell sick, her sweet voice, how cute she looked when she smiled, everything. Sang Woo felt melancholic.

Out of the blue, Sang Woo started playing the piano. He had a sudden insipiration to compose a tune. After a few tries, the melody came out just perfect. It had a very soothing feeling to it. Sang Woo decided that he would play his self-composed piece at the concert.

'Endless Love' would be the title of my music piece, thought Sang Woo to himself.

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-- 2 Days Later --

"You ready for this?" The emcee asked Sang Woo.

Sang Woo nodded and he was motioned to appear on stage.

"Next up, we have our very own pianist playing for us his self-composition, 'Endless Love'. Give it up for Kwon Sang Woo!"

The audience applauded enthusiastically.

Sang Woo took his seat at the piano. Taking one glance at the audience, he searched for Hyori but to no avail.

"Hyori, this is for you..." Sang Woo whispered to himself before he began.

'Endless Love' was very captivating indeed. When it ended the audience gave Sang Woo a standing ovation.

Sang Woo took a bow humbly.

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P.S. To listen to 'Endless Love' that Sang Woo played at the concert, ask me for it and i'll send it to you =)

Chapter 6: Hyori Lee

2005-01-20T15:22:00.000-08:00

-- FLASHBACK --

"Dad, do we really have to move house?" Hyori pleaded.

"My dear girl, you'll fit in just fine...don't worry..." Mr Lee reassured his daughter with a smile.

"But it's already the final year of high school, can't we wait..." Hyori stopped halfway, realising that it was no point arguing with her father. He had his own reasons too for moving house.
Hyori certainly did not like the idea of moving house, especially in the middle of the school term. The thought of readapting to a new environment gave her a dreadful feeling, though it wasn't much of a problem for her. Mr Lee, on the other hand, had just been transferred to Seoul on work purposes by his company. And for the sake of convenience, he decided to move house. Hyori's mother died of heart cancer when she was still a young child and she had been
living with her father ever since. Thus, she had no choice but to follow her father to Seoul as well.

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"Alright dear, you may start now..." Ms Song told Hyori, halting her train of thoughts.

Hyori took a deep breath.

"Hello everybody, erm...my name is Hyori Lee...and i transferred here because i moved house just a week ago...hope that we can all be friends...haha..." Hyori introduced herself before giving a smile.

The class applauded to welcome her.

With that, she returned to her seat in front of the classroom.

"Hi, my name is Hye Jin..." the girl sitting beside her stretched out her hand.

Hyori shook her hand in return.

"Nice to meet you." Hyori replied.

Chapter 7: Someone Who Genuinely Cares

2005-01-20T15:20:00.000-08:00

Hyori sighed as she looked at the flowers and love letters on her desk. Somehow she didn't like the attention she was getting. She wasn't one who loved to be in the limelight all the time. Hyori casually picked up one of the letters to read. It wasn't long before she tossed it aside. How superficial can these people be? She thought to herself.

Hyori coughed. The cold weather was making her feel worse. She coughed again.

"You ok? Maybe you should go home and get some rest?" Hye Jin asked with concern.

Hyori nodded before she went to Ms Song to get permission for an early leave from school.

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Hyori woke up the next morning feeling much better. Her cough had subsided and she was feeling as cheerful as ever. Without hesitation, she got ready for school. Upon reaching the classroom, Hyori noticed that there were a bouquet of roses and a bottle of cough syrup on her desk.The roses were from a guy from the next class but she didn't know who gave her the bottle of cough syrup. She turned around to face the two guys at the back of the classroom. Seung Hoon grinned at her.

It can't possibly be from this monkey, Hyori thought to herself while trying hard not to laugh at Seung Hoon's silly expression at the same time.

She then turned to look at Sang Woo. Their eyes met for a moment before Sang Woo quickly looked away. Hyori smiled to herself. For some reason, she knew that the bottle of cough syrup was from Sang Woo. There weren't many people who had heard her coughing the day before.

At lunchbreak, Hyori stayed behind in the classroom. She looked at the bottle of cough syrup on her desk before tearing out a blank page from her notebook. On that piece of paper she wrote the words 'Thank You' and proceeded to walk over to Sang Woo's desk. She left the thank you note on his desk, using his pencil case as a paperweight.

He's different from the others, Hyori thought to herself.

Chapter 8: A Different Side Of Sang Woo

2005-01-20T15:17:00.000-08:00

"Heard that Sang Woo is gonna play the piano at the Graduation day concert..." Hye Jin told Hyori casually.

"Hmm? He knows how to play the piano?" Hyori was surprised as she tried to picture Sang Woo playing the piano in her mind.

"Oh My Gosh! You mean you didn't know? He's the best pianist in the whole school! I'm actually a fan of his..." Hye Jin blushed.

"Orh...now i know..." Hyori replied, a little in disbelief. She thought about Sang Woo, how he always appeared cool and nonchalant on the outside and always kept to himself. It was hard to imagine him playing the piano. Well, looks can be deceiving.

"Yeah...the concert is starting soon...hurry up or we're gonna be late!" Hye Jin said in an impatient tone.

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"Next up, we have our very own pianist playing for us his self-composition, 'Endless Love'. Give it up for Kwon Sang Woo!"

"Wow! A self-composition!" Hye Jin cheered.

Hyori chuckled.

"Arghh...he didn't see us..." Hye Jin spoke again, seemingly disappointed.

Hyori turned her attention to Sang Woo on stage. Sitting by the piano, he had a serious look on him. His eyes were deep with emotions. She had never seen Sang Woo like that before. It seemed like there was something in him, something that he wished to convey to the audience with his music.

True enough, Sang Woo lived up to his name. 'Endless Love' had Hyori captivated. It was simply melodious. The audience gave him a standing ovation when he had ended.

Sang Woo took a bow.

Mesmerizing, Hyori thought to herself as she clapped along with the audience.

Chapter 9: Life After High School

2005-01-20T15:15:00.000-08:00

After Graduation Day, Sang Woo never saw Hyori again. He and Seung Hoon went to the same college, while Hyori was posted to another college. Though both colleges were in the city, they did not have the chance to meet up again. Seoul was a big city and since the two colleges were some distance apart from each other, it was also unlikely that they would bump into each other on the streets.

Sang Woo was dejected. He could not deny that he had feelings for Hyori. But he did not know how to deal with them. He was unsure, uncertain and undecided. All he could do was to hope for the best for Hyori in her life. Sang Woo knew that life had to go on, with or without Hyori.

College life was tough and soon the hectic lifestyle kept him busy and his mind preoccupied and there was no time to think about Hyori anymore. However, Sang Woo did not forget her. To him, Hyori had been living in a special place in his heart, and will always be.

Seung Hoon also knew of Sang Woo's deep affections for Hyori and he was always there for Sang Woo whenever he needed someone to talk to. Sang Woo was grateful that he still had Seung Hoon with him all the time.

Hyori was busy too with her studies. Everyday was lectures, assignments and homework. College life was indeed demanding and tedious to her but she persevered on. As a result, two short years of college life passed by quickly without her even realising it.

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Hard work finally paid off for Hyori. She got herself a place in Seoul National University, taking a degree in business. Coincidentally, Seung Hoon was in the same course as her in the same university.

Sang Woo thus found out more about Hyori through Seung Hoon. He was glad that Hyori was doing well in her life. But he still could not find the chance to meet up with her again, or rather he did not know how to.

Maybe she had already forgotten me, Sang Woo thought.

Chapter 10: New CEO Of Kwon Enterprise

2005-01-20T15:14:00.000-08:00

Everybody in Kwon Enterprise knew the exact moment their boss would arrive for work. Sang Woo was never late a day in his life and true enough, at exactly 9am the silver doors to the elevator opened and he strode in. His secretary on one side and his personal assistant flanking his right side. The employees of Kwon Enterprise stood up and bow to him in greeting while he acknowledged them with slight nods of his head.

As usual Sang Woo was impeccably dressed in a suit and crisply ironed pants that fell over expensive leather shoes. His hair was styled in a slightly messy look. He liked it that way. He disappeared behind the large mahogany doors to his office and it was only then did his employees buzz back to life. Twenty three year old Kwon Sang Woo, CEO of Kwon Enterprise
ever since his father retired a year ago.

After college, Sang Woo went to the States to further his studies. He got a degree in business and when he returned, his father stepped down and he took over as CEO of Kwon Enterprise. Kwon Enterprise wasn't a small corporation. Besides owning Seoul Palace Hotel, the largest hotel in the city, it also had a lot of companies under its name. It was inarguably the largest corporation in Seoul. Even Seung Hoon worked for Sang Woo in Kwon Enterprise after he had graduated.

When Sang Woo took over the business at the age of twenty two, many predicted the doom of Kwon Enterprise. How can such a young man lead the largest business corporation in the city to success? But Sang Woo went on to prove them wrong. Horribly wrong as a matter of fact. Under his management, Kwon Enterprise doubled their earnings within half a year and by the end of the year their value had risen 75 percent in the stock market. No one dared to question Sang Woo's business capabilities and his abilities anymore. He had proven his worth as CEO. Sang Woo was indeed a very promising young man.

On the other hand, Hyori graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in business as well. She found herself a job in Orion Advertising Ltd, one of the companies that Kwon Enterprise owned. It was a company in charge of advertising and the publicity of Kwon Enterprise's projects. Hyori, however, did not know that Sang Woo was the CEO of Kwon Enterprise.

Sang Woo too, was oblivious to the fact that Hyori was working for him as the companies that Kwon Enterprise owned were usually left on their own.

Was it fate that literally brought Hyori closer to Sang Woo once again?

Or was it just coincidence?

Chapter 11: She'll Be There

2005-01-20T15:12:00.000-08:00

"Mr Kwon, you have a call on the line..." Sang Woo's secretary informed him through the intercom.

"Thanks Emelia..." Sang Woo replied before proceeding to answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey Sang Woo! It's me, Hye Jin..."

"Oh Hye Jin...it's been a while...what can i do for you?" Sang Woo was surprised that Hye Jin called him.

"Haha...erm i was wondering if i could book a ballroom in Seoul Palace Hotel next week?"

"Sure...i'll arrange it...whatever for may i ask?"

"I'm getting married!" Hye Jin replied excitedly.

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"Fancy getting married at such a young age..." Seung Hoon said jokingly.

Sang Woo laughed.

It was the end of a tiring workday and the two friends were having drinks in a bar. Hye Jin was their main topic that night. Apparently Sang Woo had told Seung Hoon about the impending wedding of Hye Jin and they were casually talking about it.

"You sure she's getting married and not having a birthday party?" Seung Hoon asked, still in disbelief for some reason.

"Haha yea i'm sure..." Sang Woo replied. Seung Hoon had never failed to amuse him.

"Orh...then i guess she must have changed alot...haven't seen our High School classmates for a long time..." Seung Hoon remarked.

High School classmates, Sang Woo thought to himself. He let his mind drift off to Hyori once again. How is she doing now? He wondered.

Seung Hoon noticed that Sang Woo suddenly looked dazed upon what he last said and saw through him.

"She'll be there..." Seung Hoon punched his friend playfully on the chest.

Chapter 12: Long Time No See

2005-01-20T15:10:00.000-08:00

A large black car with tinted windows had already been waiting for Sang Woo at the entrance of the office building of Kwon Enterprise. The car door was opened by its driver the moment Sang Woo approached.

"Where to Sir?"

"Seoul Palace Hotel." Sang Woo instructed his driver as he got into the car.

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Sang Woo sighed. He was so caught up in his work that he could not make it for Hye Jin's wedding ceremony that afternoon. There was an important meeting that he needed to head and he definitely could not give it a miss. Well, at least i can make it for the wedding dinner, Sang Woo consoled himself.

The car arrived at Seoul Palace Hotel. Sang Woo got out of the car quickly. He looked at his own reflection in the window of his car and adjusted his coat. Satisfied, he made his way into the hotel.

Walking briskly to the ballroom of a hotel he knew inside out, Sang Woo did not hear Seung Hoon calling out to him.

"Hey wait up, what's the big hurry?" Seung Hoon asked.

Sang Woo was bemused. He was equally surprised at his anxiety to get to the ballroom. Was it because of Hyori?

He slowed down to wait for Seung Hoon.

"Sang Woo! Seung Hoon!" Hye Jin exclaimed as she saw the two guys walking into the ballroom.

"Congratulations!" Sang Woo stretched out his hand and Seung Hoon did the same.

"Thank you..." Hye Jin replied, shaking both their hands in return.

"Hey i've gotta go get ready for the walk-in...cya guys later..." With that, Hye Jin left the ballroom.

Sang Woo wasn't paying attention. He was looking straight at her. There she was, standing not so far away from him, the girl he had been missing for so long, was Hyori. She was wearing a sleeveless white dress and looked absolutely stunning.

Oh My God, she looks just like an angel, was Sang Woo's first thought the moment he saw her. The pretty girl he knew long ago had grown to this very beautiful young lady right before him. And suddenly, he felt his heart beat faster.

Just then, Hyori noticed Sang Woo looking at her. She gave him a smile and walked over to him.

"Hi Sang Woo...long time no see..." Hyori started.

"Hi Hyori...yea...hmm? You remember me?" Sang Woo replied.

Hyori laughed.

"Of course i do...you were my classmate in High School and also a great pianist...how can i ever forget?"

Sang Woo smiled. She hasn't forgotten me after all, he thought to himself.

All of a sudden, Hyori saw colours before her. The ballroom started to spin, slowly at first and it increased its speed with each passing second. Finally, Hyori collapsed on the ground and fainted.

The last thing she heard was Sang Woo shouting out to her in panic.

Chapter 13: A Worried Sang Woo

2005-01-20T15:06:00.000-08:00

Hyori awoke and saw her father sitting by her bedside. She looked around and realised that she was in hospital.

"Are you feeling okay now Hyori?" Mr Lee asked with concern.

"Yea...what happened?" Hyori asked, trying to recall what had happened at the ballroom.

"You passed out at Hye Jin's wedding. Your friend Sang Woo rushed you here immediately. He hasn't left yet, still talking to Dr.Kim outside."

Hyori looked at the clock on the wall. It was already 2am in the morning.

"Don't worry about anything now...try to get some rest..." Mr Lee told his daughter.

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"Well...how is she? At least you can tell me what's wrong with her? She wouldn't just faint for no reason!" Sang Woo demanded worriedly.

"I'm sorry sir but i don't know either until we do a thorough check-up on her...meanwhile you'll just have to wait patiently till her medical report is out tomorrow..." Dr.Kim replied.

Sang Woo sighed.

"Alright then...sorry for the outburst just now and if i was too harsh on you Dr.Kim..." Sang Woo apologised.

"No problem sir...i understand how you're feeling at the moment too..."

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Sang Woo walked into the ward quietly and saw that Hyori had already fallen asleep.

"Rest well now Hyori...i'll come see you again tomorrow morning..." Sang Woo whispered softly.

Chapter 14: Bad News

2005-01-20T15:05:00.000-08:00

Sang Woo opened his eyes.

"Good Morning!" A cheerful Hyori greeted him.

"Morning...had a good sleep?" Sang Woo replied in return.

"Yup...i guess i was too worn out, that's why i fainted...you came here very early in the morning?" Hyori asked.

As a matter of fact, she was asking the obvious. When she awoke she had already realised that Sang Woo was sleeping at her bedside. Smiling to herself, she was glad that Sang Woo was there for her all the while.

"Yea...i was uhh...worried about you..." Sang Woo answered shyly.

Hyori could feel her face turning red. Something about Sang Woo made her heart flutter. Was it the look of panic on his face when she passed out at the ballroom and the way he got so worried for her? Or was it those eyes of his which always seemed to look at her in concern? Maybe a bit of both. Hyori wasn't certain. But one thing for sure, she felt very comfortable just being
with him.

That morning, Sang Woo and Hyori talked about a lot of things. The good old High School days, their hobbies, favourite music, where they worked, etc. Basically, they caught up on each other's lives. Hyori was surprisingly shocked that Sang Woo was the CEO of Kwon Enterprise. She did not know of his family background back then in High School. And there she was, talking to her boss. Sang Woo laughed it off, amused by her reaction.

And somehow, they both felt some chemistry between them.

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In the afternoon, Seung Hoon and Hye Jin went to the hospital to visit Hyori. Sang Woo left them alone for a few moments and went out of the ward for a breather. As soon as he walked out, he saw Hyori's father sitting by himself at a corner, staring into space. In his hands held Hyori's medical report.

"It's the same illness that took away her mother..." Mr Lee said slowly when he noticed Sang Woo approaching.

"And what did Hyori's mother suffer from?" Sang Woo asked, fearing the worst.

Mr Lee turned to look at Sang Woo with tears welling up in his eyes.

"Heart Cancer."

Chapter 15: The Cruelty Of Fate

2005-01-20T15:02:00.000-08:00

Heart Cancer, those two words literally sent Sang Woo's world crashing before him as he collapsed into the seat, shocked and speechless. Why? Why must this happen to Hyori? She doesn't deserve to suffer from such a disease!

Fate was indeed cruel on Sang Woo. It separated him from the love of his life for so many years and yet when they were reunited at last it had to take Hyori away from him again.

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Sang Woo did not know how long he had been sitting there. He buried his face in his hands. By then, Seung Hoon had already found out about Hyori's condition as well and was sitting there with Sang Woo, a hand on his shoulder. For the first time in his life, Seung Hoon saw the boy inside Sang Woo. Lost, scared and alone.

Sang Woo wondered how he should tell Hyori about it.

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"Hey you're back..." Hyori said when she saw Sang Woo walking into the ward.

"Yea..." Sang Woo forced a smile.

"Well? Did Dr.Kim say that i can be discharged soon? I'm fully well now..." Hyori asked with a perky smile.

"Erm...uhh i'm afraid not Hyori...Dr.Kim said that you might have to stay here for a few more days..."

Hyori's expression turned serious.

"Is there something wrong with me?"

Sang Woo did not answer.

"Tell me frankly Sang Woo...i have the right to know as well...please?" Hyori was getting impatient. As much as she wanted to know the truth, she dreaded hearing the worst as well.

"It's the same illness as your mom..." Sang Woo managed to say.

"No...no it can't be true...tell me you're lying please..." Tears started to roll down Hyori's cheeks.
Sang Woo moved closer towards Hyori and took her in his arms, comforting her.

"It's ok...you're gonna be alright...i'll always be here with you until you recover..." Sang Woo reasurred her.

Chapter 16: I'll Be By Your Side

2005-01-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

"If there's anything important just call my mobile ok?" Sang Woo instructed his personal assistant.

With that, he left for the hospital. Earlier on Sang Woo had given his trustworthy personal assistant the authority to make decisions in his place.

Hyori, on the other hand, had been strongly advised by Dr.Kim to stay in the hospital to wait for a heart transplant. It was necessary for her to be on stand-by as nobody knew when a heart would come and when that happened, an emergency operation was the only way to save her. Hence, she was required or rather it was crucial for her to stay in the hospital. But it wasn't easy as there weren't many people who were willing to donate their heart after their deaths. However Hyori did not give up hope. So did everybody else.

Sang Woo was worried about Hyori. Although she was a grown up and knew how to take care of herself, Sang Woo did not feel safe leaving her alone in the hospital. What if she felt scared and needed company? Thus everyday without fail, he would go to the hospital to visit Hyori in the daytime while her father visited her at night after work.

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"Hi Hyori..." Sang Woo greeted her.

"Hey...hmm...don't you have to go to work?" Hyori asked, suddenly feeling guilty that Sang Woo was visiting her instead of working.

"Haha...don't worry about it...nobody will fire me...nobody can..." Sang Woo joked, grinning at the same time.

"Sigh alright alright...whatever you say Mr Kwon..." Hyori jested in reply.

Sang Woo laughed. At least she's smiling, he thought to himself. And what a captivating smile, his heart can't help but melt.

"Ohh i almost forgot...i brought you a mp3 player so that you can listen to songs when you're bored at night or when you go to sleep..." Sang Woo said while handling over the mp3 player to Hyori.

"Haha thanks!"

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That night after Mr Lee left, Hyori looked at the clock. It was already 1am in the morning but she wasn't sleepy. Just at that moment, she caught sight of the mp3 player on the table. She plucked in the earphones and switched it on. To her surprise, all her favourite songs started to play, track after track. Smiling happily to herself, Hyori engrossed herself in the music. At the end of all the songs, a familiar tune played. She had heard that tune before but she could not remember from where. Suddenly, she heard Sang Woo's voice in the mp3 player. It was only then that she realised that the tune was 'Endless Love'.

"Hey Hyori...this is a song that i composed for you...it's titled 'I'll Be By Your Side'...hope that you'll like it..." Sang Woo said before he sang the song, accompanied by 'Endless Love' as the background music.

Hey girl don't shed a tear
Everything's gonna be fine
Listen to me hear what i say

It's been so long since we last saw each other
Now that i've found you
I'm never gonna let you go again
No matter what happens
I'll be there

`Cause you're my sunshine
Everlasting moonlight
The reason why my world is so beautiful
And if you need a shoulder to cry on
I'll be by your side

Sometimes life doesn't give us a second chance
But if we keep holding on
We know there is hope
So girl don't give up
I'll be there

`Cause you're my sunshine
Everlasting moonlight
The reason why my world is so beautiful
And if you need a shoulder to cry on
I'll be by your side

I'll be by your side...

"Haha...i bet you're laughing at my horrible singing now...but never mind it's good in a way also...cos the best way to life is to face it with a smile...just want you to know that like the song, i'll be your side no matter what happens...i love you Hyori..." Sang Woo said after the song ended.

Hyori was in tears after listening to the song. She was deeply touched.

Chapter 17: Hyori Fainted Again

2005-01-20T14:55:00.000-08:00

The next day, Hyori waited for Sang Woo in anticipation. She looked at the clock again. It was exactly noon. He should be here anytime now, Hyori thought to herself. All of a sudden, the clock became blurred and darkness seemed to have descended upon the room. The next moment, she blanked out.

Hyori awoke to find Sang Woo's worried expression looking down on her.

"You okay now?" Sang Woo asked.

Hyori nodded her head. She felt weaker than before. Was her condition was getting serious?
After making sure she was alright, Sang Woo excused himself from the ward. Did Sang Woo have a tear in his eye or was it just her imagination? What was happening to her? Hyori suddenly felt afraid.

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-- In Dr.Kim's Office --

"Well? How's her condition Dr.Kim?" Sang Woo asked anxiously.

"Not too good...her heart is getting weaker day by day...but fortunately, the cancer cells have yet to spread..." Dr.Kim answered.

"Is there anything i can do for her? I can't possibly watch her die..." Dr.Kim shook his head in helplessness.

"Take my heart then...i'm willing to give it to her as long as she can live on...please?" Sang Woo pleaded.

"That's very brave of you Mr.Kwon...but i'm afraid we can't simply extract a heart from a living person even with his or her consent...it's against the law..."

There was a long silence in the room before Sang Woo spoke again.

"Then what if i'm dead? Does that mean that i can donate my heart to her?"

Chapter 18: There's No Other Way

2005-01-20T14:50:00.000-08:00

-- At the Organ Donation Centre --

Sang Woo picked up a form and filled in his particulars. And on the other side of the form he filled in all details that were required, that he would donate his heart to Hyori after he died. After completing the form, he handed it over to the person in charge.

Well...that's it, thought Sang Woo to himself.

Imagine his surprise when he saw Seung Hoon waiting for him outside the Organ Donation Centre.

"Why do you have to do this Sang Woo?" Seung Hoon asked desperately.

"How...how did you know about it?" Sang Woo was confused.

"I overheard your conversation with Dr.Kim the other day..."

"I have no other choice...by the time Hyori can get a heart transplant it may already be too late...her cancer cells might have spread..."

"But i can't let you do this!" Seung Hoon replied.

"Please Seung Hoon...there's no other way now...it's either me or her..."

There was a long pause before Seung Hoon finally nodded his head with tears in his eyes.

"Take good care of her for me..." were Sang Woo's final words to him.

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-- At the Hospital --

"Hi Seung Hoon...erm...Sang Woo didn't come with you?" Hyori asked, a little disappointed.

"Nope...he uhh...something important cropped up at the company...aniwae...he brought you a magazine for you to read when you're bored..." Seung Hoon replied, passing the magazine over to Hyori.

Hyori flipped open the magazine. And on every single page there was a Post-It with words written on it. She read the notes one by one.

1st Post-It: Hey Hyori...sorry i can't come to visit you today...
2nd Post-It: And for a period of time as well...i'm going overseas on a business trip...
3rd Post-It: But don't worry...i'm sure you'll get well soon...
4th Post-It: Yea...just remember the best way to life is to face it with a smile =)
5th Post-It: Be happy no matter what happens...cos your smile is always so lovely to me...
6th Post-It: I love you...

Once again, Hyori felt tears welling up in her eyes. She was moved to tears, oblivious to what Sang Woo was planning to do.

Chapter 19: Heart Transplant Operation

2005-01-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

Sang Woo sat in the driver's seat of his car. His mind drifted off to thoughts of Hyori. You're gonna be ok soon, Sang Woo thought to himself. Following that, he turned the key to start the car engine.

Along the highway, Sang Woo gradually stepped harder on the pedal and the car picked up speed. 100km/h...120km/h...150km/h...200km/h...and ultimately reaching 260km/h. Tears were rolling down his cheeks by then.

Sang Woo slowly let go of his hands from the steering wheel and placed them on the left of his chest, protecting that area from any damage. He closed his eyes...

In the silence of the night, a loud crash was heard.

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-- At the Hospital --

"Miss Lee, there's hope for you! We've just found a heart donor and we need to operate on you immediately..." Dr.Kim said excitedly when he barged into the ward.

Hyori rejoiced when she heard that she was going to get a heart transplant, so did her father. The only person who looked glum was Seung Hoon, but he forced a smile anyhow.

"Don't worry...you're gonna be okay soon..." Seung Hoon told Hyori as he watched her disappear into the operating theatre.

After that, Seung Hoon left Mr Lee sitting alone in the waiting room while he walked over to the windows at the end of the hospital. Looking out of the windows, he could feel the tears coming. But he controlled himself.

"Sang Woo..." Seung Hoon found himself whispering.

"Everything's fine now...may you rest in peace as well..."

This time, Seung Hoon allowed the tears to flow.

Chapter 20: The Painful Truth

2005-01-20T14:40:00.000-08:00

It had already been seven long hours since Hyori went into the operating theatre. Seung Hoon accompanied Mr Lee patiently in the waiting room. He watched the minutes on the clock tick by while Mr Lee had his hands clenched together, obviously worried.

"She'll be alright..." Seung Hoon tried to calm him down by livening up the disheartening atmosphere in the room.

After what seemed like eternity, Hyori was finally wheeled out of the operating theatre. Mr Lee rushed up to Dr.Kim with Seung Hoon following close behind.

"How's she Dr.Kim? Is she okay? Is she alright?" Mr Lee asked anxiously.

"Congratulations! The operation was a success...but it'll take some time before Miss Lee awakes..." Dr.Kim gave a warm smile and a pat on Mr Lee's shoulder.

Both Mr Lee and Seung Hoon heaved sighs of relief.

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-- 5 Hours Later --

Seung Hoon had gone home to take a shower once he knew that Hyori was safe and sound before he returned to the hospital to visit her again. On the way there, he wondered if he should tell Hyori about the truth. She will know about it eventually anyway. But somehow he dismissed the idea. He did not know how to tell her and also how she would react. She might not be able to take it.

Seung Hoon opened the door to the ward and found Hyori chatting happily with her father.

"I'll leave you with your friend now..." Mr Lee told Hyori, giving her a kiss on her forehead and left the ward.

"Hi Hyori...how ya feeling now?" Seung Hoon asked.

"Perfect!" Hyori answered cheerfully with the thumbs-up sign.

It wasn't long before Seung Hoon heard what he dreaded most.

"Sang Woo is still overseas isn't he? Oh i have to tell him about my successful heart transplant...can you give me his mobile number Seung Hoon?"

Silence.

"Seung Hoon?"

It was only then that Seung Hoon decided to tell her the truth.

"Hyori...i...i don't know how to tell you this...Sang Woo...he...he's the one who gave you this heart..."

"Nooo...you're lying...it can't be...it can't be true...you're just lying right Seung Hoon? Right?" Hyori demanded with tears.

Chapter 21: His Heartbeat Lives On

2005-01-20T14:35:00.000-08:00

-- A Few Days Later --

"Need any help?" Seung Hoon asked as he watched Hyori pack her bag. She had fully recovered by then.

"Sure...help me with the discharge procedure later ok?" Hyori replied.

"Oh...Mr Lee has gone to settle it for you already..."

"Okay..."

"Erm Hyori? You sure you're okay? I mean...after all that happened..."

"Yea i'm fine...don't worry..." Hyori managed to smile, but Seung Hoon could tell that it was forced.

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Hyori breathed in the fresh air as she walked out of the hospital. It was a refreshing feeling. However, her mood remained gloomy. She turned to face Seung Hoon.

"Hey Seung Hoon, accompany me to a place ok?"

"Sure...where to?"

Hyori paused for a few moments before answering.

"The beach...Sang Woo once told me he loved going to the beach whenever he felt down..."

Seung Hoon saw tears in her eyes. But he drove her to the beach nonetheless.

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The winds of gloom blew hard in Hyori's face. Her eyes stared into the distant horizon. For moments, she remained motionless. Her face was completely devoid of energy. Raising her hands to her chest, Hyori felt her heartbeat.

"Sang Woo...no matter where you are now a part of you will always be living in me and i thank you...i thank you for all that you've given me...so let me say my final goodbye now..." Hyori whispered to herself.

With that, emotions overwhelmed her and she collapsed onto the soft sand and wept uncontrollably.

"I...I love you..." Hyori managed to say, through her tears.

Standing close beside her, Seung Hoon watched on.

"Hyori?" a familiar voice called out.

She looked up suddenly. Were her ears playing tricks on her or was it just her imagination? But she clearly knew that that voice was Sang Woo's.

Chapter 22: Fate?

2005-01-20T14:31:00.000-08:00

"Hyori!" the voice called out again, louder this time.

Hyori and Seung Hoon both turned around...

And standing there some distance behind them, was Sang Woo!

"Sang Woo?" Hyori asked uncertainly as she turned to look at Seung Hoon who was equally shocked.

Sang Woo then ran towards Hyori and embraced her. While a part of her was still deciding if she was dreaming, she could feel the warmth of Sang Woo's body and realised that she was not after all.

"But...but...i thought you...you were..." Hyori could not find the right words to say, still in shock.

"I didn't...i'm so sorry...i thought i could save you Hyori...to let you live again...live through my heartbeat...but i survived the crash..."

Torrents of tears flowed fast and free. Hyori did not expect that to happen at all. All the while she thought Sang Woo was dead and so did Seung Hoon. But she was relieved and overjoyed, notwithstanding.

"Tell me what happened Sang Woo..." Hyori asked curiously.

"Well...i was sent to another hospital after the crash and though i had to stay in hospital for so many days luckily my injuries weren't severe...so when i got discharged today i rushed to the hospital to look for you only to find out that you had a successful heart transplant operation and was discharged as well..."

"Then this heart?" Hyori was confused.

"It's somebody else's...i've checked with Dr.Kim..."

"Oh...what a coincidence..."

"Yea...i'm sorry Hyori...sorry for being so foolish..."

"It's okay Sang Woo...it's okay...what matters most is that you're alright..."

Hyori buried her head in Sang Woo's chest and he held on to her tightly.

"I'm never gonna let go of you again..." Sang Woo whispered in her ear.

Behind them, Seung Hoon smiled to himself and drove off in his car, not wanting to disturb them.

Epilogue

2005-01-20T14:27:00.000-08:00

-- 1 Year Later --

Sang Woo waited nervously in front of the priest, his fingers tapping against one another.

"Hey dude...relax..." Seung Hoon, his best man, called out to him and laughing at the same time.

Just then, the wedding march music played and Hyori appeared, accompanied by her father. As she was walking in, Sang Woo could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. Tears of joy. There she was, the girl he loved all his life. Hyori looked absolutely beautiful in her wedding gown. And to Sang Woo, his beloved was exceptionally special at that moment. Hyori took her place beside Sang Woo and gave him a quick smile, her face beaming with bliss.

"Do you, Mr Kwon Sang Woo, take Miss Hyori Lee to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you
promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, love and cherish her in prosperity or adversity and honour her for the rest of the days of your lives?

"I Do..." Sang Woo replied.

"Do you, Miss Hyori Lee, take Mr Kwon Sang Woo to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, love and cherish him in prosperity or adversity and honour him for the rest of the days of your lives?

"I Do..." Hyori replied as well.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Sang Woo turned to look at Hyori.

"I love you Hyori..."

"I love you too Sang Woo..."

With that, Sang Woo leaned closer to kiss Hyori gently and the congregation broke into applause.

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-- Back at their House by the Beach --

Sang Woo took Hyori's hand and they strolled down the beach together hand in hand, leaving footprints on the soft sand. In the evening, Hyori cuddled up in Sang Woo's embrace and their love was blessed with the warm glow of the setting sun.

"Remember Hyori...no matter what happens in future...i'll be by your side...now, always and
forever...till eternity..."

"Till eternity..." Hyori echoed.

The first snowflakes fell from the sky.

But all they could feel was warmth.

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-- THE END --