*Credit pic to owner

It was early morning when Ji-eun bravely entered her sister’s room. She was surprised to see her sister’s phone on the floor, looked like she had just threw it on the floor.

“……..Unnie…….” Ji-eun called her sister whispery.

Ji-hyo lifted her head and turned to see who is calling her.

“Ohh….Ji-eun ah……What are you doing in my room at this hour?”

Ji-eun picked up the phone on the floor and walked slowly to join her sister on the bed. “….I just…wanna check on you…Coz yesterday appa said not to disturb you and he didn’t even tell me anything….So…today…..”

“I’m fine, Ji-eun ah. Don’t worry okay? Weren’t you supposed to be in class now?”

“My class is in the afternoon……Here…” Ji-eun passed Ji-hyo’s phone back to the owner. “Unnie….do you have a problem?.....You know you can share it with me right? Unnie, we used to be so close and share everything between us…..but why now….you are distancing yourself from me, unnie? You know I trust you more than anybody in the world….and I hope you trust me too….”

Ji-hyo started to feel guilty towards her sister. Ji-eun was right. Ever since Ji-hyo goes missing for about a year and a half back then they were never as close as they used too. Not to say that they weren’t close at all. They were still close but still there were some gaps between them.

Ji-hyo leaned her head on Ji-eun’s shoulder.

“Mianhae, Ji-eun ah. You have always been there for me. I know I can trust you….but right now, there’s nothing serious…..really….So don’t worry okay?”

“But unnie, even appa said you have a problem…but he never said what is it….”

“Appa must meant that I’m lack of rest. So for him that’s a big problem because I could get sick. But nothing serious, Ji-eun ah.”

“Really?”

“Really. You know if I can’t handle it, you’re the first one I will call right?”

“Hmm….I hope I’m still the first one in your heart, unnie….I don’t see Gary oppa threatening my spot…hehehe….”

“Hahaha…Of course….Gary oppa is just a friend…So don’t you worry….”

“Then what about Jong Kook oppa, unnie? You both seems close like more than a bodyguard and….”

“He’s just a bodyguard, Ji-eun ah. Of course we need to be close because he needs to protect me. What kind of guard would stand few meters away….”

“Ahh….true……But….I didn’t see him at all since yesterday……I thought he’s not supposed to leave you, unnie?”

“Oh…He….He is on leave…He needs to go somewhere….”

“Jinja? Aish….I actually thought I can borrow him today and ask him to bring me to the university.”

“Why do you need him to be at Uni today?”

“Just….wanna show everyone that I have a handsome bodyguard….hehe…”

“He’s my guard, pabo! Stop bragging with someone’s property.”

“Omo! How could you call him property? Omo! Omo! Unnie, you are so mean to your staff.”

“Aishh this girl! I didn’t mean it that way okay? Aish…just….get out from my room now….”

“Ahh unnie! Wait! Can you call Jong Kook oppa for me?”

“Why?”

“Tell him to send me to the university.”

“You already have your ride and your own bodyguard.”

“But he is different. If Jong Kook oppa come with me, people will be scared to disturb me anymore.”

“Like there’s anyone who’s brave enough to disturb you?”

“There was, unnie…All these guys kept giving me notes and gifts and ask me out…”

“Then that’s good. They didn’t have bad intention towards you.”

“Ahh unnie! They are just being close to me because I’m your sister. They just want to ask about you.”

“Really? Fine! Then I’ll go with you to the uni and be your bodyguard for today.”

“Andwae!! Are you crazy? The whole uni will stop function if you come. Ah unnie! Just call Jong Kook oppa for me please….please…”

“I told you he’s on leave. I cannot disturb him when he’s on leave.”

“But this is emergency. He should be on call 24/7 for you right?”

“This is not emergency. This is just you trying to show off.”

“A-ni!.....Unnie, please….”

“He’s not in Korea, Ji-eun ah. So stop it!”

“Mwuh? Not in Korea? Aishh….What kind of bodyguard is this?”

“Shut up and leave him alone. And also leave me alone. My head is starting to get headache now.”

“Aishh! You are no fun…whether as a sister or as Song Ji-hyo.”

“Yah!”

“Kure! I’ll leave now. Your room stinks anyway because someone hasn’t showered yet.”

“Mwuh rah goo?”

Ji-hyo was about to grab Ji-eun’s hair but Ji-eun already jumped away from her sister.

“Have a nice sleep, stinky princess,” Ji-eun mocked her sister from the door.

“Yah! You moron!” Ji-hyo cursed and threw a cushion towards Ji-eun but failed.

As the door closed, Ji-hyo laid back to the bed while her smiles slowly faded when thinking about Jong Kook.

“Oppa….wae?” she asked in whisper to herself.

********************

When Jong Kook woke up, he found a note next to himself.

‘Out for work. Be right back, oppa!’

“Aishh...I came all the way here only to be left alone...aishh...” Jong Kook mumbled to himself.

He got off the couch, stretching himself and looked out at the view outside. Somehow there’s an empty feeling inside. He knew he missed Ji-hyo a lot by now.

“How are you doing out there, Ji-hyo ah?” Jong Kook asked himself.

Then he walked back into the kitchen only to find breakfast well prepared by Eun Hye for him on the table. There’s another note on the table.

‘Oppa, please eat well okay? I will treat you good tonight.’

Once again Jong Kook felt guilty with Eun Hye’s kindness.

“Hye ah, why are you treating me good all of sudden? Why are you making it hard for me now? God.....please tell me what to do....”

Jong Kook sat alone enjoying his breakfast while thinking about what he should do. He remembered that he hasn’t text Ji-hyo yet so he decided to do so.

Jong Kook     : Hey Song Ji-hyo-ssi. How are you doing today? Heard that you are missing me now? Hehehe...Anyway, I’m out of Korea but I will text you once I’m back. Did you get a new bodyguard now? I hope he will treat you better than me and please treat him good too, okay? Take care. See you.

When Ji-hyo received the text, she almost couldn’t believe that Jong Kook had texted her. She was excited to see Jong Kook’s name in her inbox but when she read the text, it was just a plain message. It upsets her. But she quickly tried to call Jong Kook’s number with hope that she could speak to him but failed. Jong Kook had already turn off his phone.

“Oppa.....do you really hate me now? Why are you doing this to me?” Ji-hyo cried alone in her room.

When someone knocked at her door, she quickly wiped her tears and opened it. It was her father. Ji-hyo returned to her bed while her father walked in behind her.

“Your mother said you have not come out at all today,” Mr Song started.

Ji-hyo didn’t respond to her father.

“Ji-hyo ah, do you really have to punish me like this?”

“I’m not punishing anyone, appa. I just didn’t want to face questions when umma or Ji-eun ask why I’m here. You didn’t tell them anything so why should I be bombarded with those questions? After all, all this happened because of you.”

“Fine! I was wrong to fire Jong Kook just like that, without discussing with you. But I have no choice. Your manager was there and I didn’t want him to think that I’m in favor of Jong Kook that no matter what he did, he will be forgiven. It’s the only decision I think right at that moment.”

“Kure. You’re not at fault, appa,” Ji-hyo said lifeless.

“Ji-hyo ah, don’t do this to me. Don’t just locked yourself in this room. I told you I will handle this once Jong Kook is back from Japan. So why do you have to rebel like this?”

“What if it’s too late by the time he came back, appa? How will you handle that? What will you do? Until today, Jong Kook oppa never want to talk to me. He only send text message that he will text me once he’s in Korea and then turn off his phone. He didn’t want to be reach, appa. He even asked if I already got a new bodyguard, which means he’s not interested to be my bodyguard anymore. He’s already frustrated with me, appa.”

“You don’t know that, okay? Don’t make assumption. Maybe he just need time to calm. Maybe once he’s back, he will talk to us.”

“And what if it’s the other way around? We didn’t even know why he went to Japan. What if he went there for a new job?”

They both stayed silent.

“But I have the feelings that he just went there for leisure. He will come back to us. You just wait and see.”

“I don’t have the confidence like you, appa. Coz if Jong Kook oppa really didn’t take it to his heart, he would have called me and talk to me.”

“He makes it clear that he don’t know how to talk to you on that day. That’s why he asked me to tell you about his departure. So probably by now he’s still not ready to talk to you. Maybe he thought you’re gonna question him why he just left without saying a word. Or he could have other reasons too. Just be a bit more patient will you?”

“I wish I can, appa. I just….”

“Okay, listen. I will send people to find him in Japan. Will that make you feel better?”

Ji-hyo looked up to her father.

“Or I will go myself and looked for him. Will that makes you feel happy?”

“……I wanna go there, appa……”

“Of course not, Ji-hyo ah. You are a celebrity. People will recognize you even the moment you walk out of here.”

“But I have to see him, appa. He needs me to convince him!”

“Don’t make me do something you don’t like, Song Ji-hyo. Now listen to me. I will send my people, and you will stay here. If you are still stubborn, then I’ll make sure Jong Kook never come back to your side.”

“Andwae! Why are you doing this to me, appa? It all started because of you and Chang Joo oppa. But why are you punishing me?” Ji-hyo cried out.

“Because you don’t listen to the single thing I said. You act as if Jong Kook threatened to kill himself. Stop being childish will you?”

Ji-hyo didn’t respond but cry instead.

“Now be my good daughter and come out and eat something. Your mother worked hard cooking your favorite food so don’t disappoint her just for a guy. You know you don’t want to test my patience, Song Ji-hyo,” Mr Song threatened.

Before he comes out, he turned back to his daughter.

“Are you still being stubborn?”

Ji-hyo finally spoke. “I…I wanna wash up first. I’ll come out after.”

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