Chapter 2 – Accept the deal

* * * *

Sulli was feeling all but queen-like and mad as she made her way home.

Jobless.

She was as good as jobless now. She had thought she was going to get the job. Now she had lost a week of her time and had nothing.

The bills were piling up high by now, her father's salary was enough to cover the house expenses but her mother still had another month of medicines to take and then they would have to pay for a new tomography to make sure she was all right. Even with her father's job, they wouldn't be able to last long unless she got a job now.

Only that the only job she could get implied being the fake girlfriend of a man who so easily tried to blackmail her into it. Just what kind of man Choi Minho was?! Sulli had heard he wasn't a bad man or a bad employer but then why was he doing this to her? Did she had a "Pushover" sign in her forehead or it was just because he thought she was an easy type?

Why? Why would anyone do that? He must be desperate or gay but somehow the last assumption didn't ring any truth in it.

"Sulli! You're home!" Said her mother from the kitchen table when Sulli opened the door and let herself in.

"Yes mum, I'm home." Said Sulli, attempting cheerfulness but failing as she noticed what her mother had been doing, jiggling their finances to make the money last till the end of the month. It became all the more clear to her how much she needed the job and money Minho was offering. Although he seemed rude but he had been right that she desperately needed the money.

"How was your day, honey?" Asked her mother.

"It was fine." Lied Sulli. "Did you feel alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine. A little weak but the doctor said that was to be expected."

Sulli nodded, feeling numb. "I'll go to my room now, if that's okay."

"Go honey." Her mom answered with a soft smile on her face and then she went back to her bills. "Take a nap, you look a little pale."

"I will." Answered Sulli, though she knew a nap would make no difference at all.

Lying on her bed, Sulli stared up at the ceiling for the longest time, turning things in her head. Her parents would strongly disagree if they found out what Minho had proposed, they would tell her not to take a job, to wait and that she shouldn't worry about the house's finances. They were the parents, they would make things work.

But Sulli knew they couldn't for all their good intentions to get the family back above water without her cooperation. Besides, they were family and what was family for but not to help each other. Her parents had always supported her dreams and encouraged her to chase them. It was her time to give something back, even if that meant swallowing her pride and doing something she would have sworn she would never do no matter what. Give into blackmail!

Well, things could be worst, Sulli supposed.

Picking up the phone, she dialed Sweetlove's number.

"Sweetlove Restaurant!" Said a cheerful voice. "This is Luna speaking, how may I help you?"

"Hi Luna, it's Sulli, the pastry chef. I need to speak to Mister Minho. It's important." Said Sulli.

"Oh, hi Sulli!" Answered Luna, recognizing Sulli. "I'll see if he is free to talk. He has been a bear all afternoon."

"Thanks." Said Sulli, biting her nails as she always did when nervous.

After a few moments Minho took the call. "Yes?" He asked flatly.

"First of all I want you to know that I think you're a despicable human being." Said Sulli into the phone. "And I hope you burn in hell for what you're doing to me."

"Are you going anywhere with this?" Asked Minho, not at all amused by her insults.

"I'll take the job. With all its implications." Said Sulli flatly.

"Good." Said Minho in such a way that would have been impossible to know if he was pleased or angry or what at the prospect.

"But there will be no kissing, not unnecessary touching and certainly no ."

Minho chuckled. "Well no offense sweetheart but you're not at all my preferred style. It's another reason why I'm doing this with you. It's safe to say that I'm not attracted to you and I doubt I ever will. So don't worry about that."

Silence.

Sulli was too angry to say anything but she wouldn't back away when she had gone this far.

"Do you have anything to do tomorrow?" Asked Minho but he didn't bother to wait for an answer as he went on, "Come by the restaurant at lunch and we'll discuss further details and sign your contract." When Sulli didn't reply, Minho just said again, "Have a nice evening."

Minho was about to hang up but before he could do so, Sulli hissed a "Go to ing hell" and it was just loud enough that he could perfectly hear every single word.

And even though Minho tried to say it didn't matter at all what Sulli thought of him, her angry voice was in his head all day. He could picture it, almost. Picture her face, her eyes lit with anger and he wondered for the first time what the hell was so wrong in her life that made her accept his mad scheme.

For some reason Minho couldn't be happy about her accepting to strike a deal with him. He thought he could but in reality he felt like the worst sort of cad. But be as that may, the show had to go on. It was too late to back out.

- - - -

There were things that needed to be taken care of quickly and Minho knew it. There was no way his little charade with Sulli was going to work if Hannah didn't like her. His mother knew very well that he wouldn't dare to date someone who Hannah didn't like. And though his niece didn't speak, she surely was able to communicate with those she loved best. So, it was imperative that Hannah and Sulli meet and that they liked each other.

Picnics were never Minho's favorite thing at all but it would provide the perfect opportunity for Hannah and Sulli to meet, plus they would go to the park and if there was a place his lovely niece liked was the park. So, instead of staying at Sweetlove for lunch with Sulli as he had originally planned, Minho decided to pack up a picnic basket and a quilt and take the girls for a picnic.

- - - -

Sulli looked herself in the mirror for the last time before leaving her house. With her jeans and white t-shirt, she had her hair pull back in a ponytail.

"You're going out, Sulli?" Asked her mother as Sulli crossed the living room on her way out.

"Yes, I'll be back before six. Just call me if you need anything, mum."

"Don't worry about me, just have fun."

Sulli had to smile at that, there hadn't been a day she hadn't worried since her mother was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and she didn't think she remember what fun was beyond the occasional sleepover at her best friend's place, Krystal, when she really needed a break.

Though Sulli hated to admit it, being Minho's fake girlfriend was just about the more exciting thing she had done in months, hell, perhaps in her whole life and she hadn't even begun with the job just yet.

These thoughts chased each other through her mind as she took the bus and made her way to Sweetlove. To her surprise, Minho was standing outside of the restaurant, wearing dark blue jeans and a light blue t-shirt standing next to the little girl Sulli had seen briefly the day she had come for her try out at the restaurant.

"We are going to the park." Announced Minho as soon as she was within ear shot. Sulli just shrugged and waited for him to reach her. Minho promptly took the little girl's hand and picked up a basket that had been lying on the floor.

When they reached Sulli, Minho stopped and kneel down to be on a level with the girl. "Hannah, this is Sulli. Remember that I told you, you would meet her today?"

Hannah nodded and looked at Sulli trying to decide if she liked her or not. With her, it was all about the first impression, really.

Minho waited tensely as Hannah stared up at Sulli but then Sulli surprised him by dropping to her knees and offering her hand to Hannah cheerfully.

"How nice to meet you little Miss Hannah."

Minho was even more surprised to see his niece began to grin and placed her small hand in Sulli's and nodded.

It had taken Hannah's therapist three weeks to get Hannah to even allow her to get near her but now Sulli did it as if it was nothing difficult about it, whatsoever.

Still grinning, Hannah looked up at her uncle and swung their hands. She was ready to be gone. Minho had promised her a day in the park and that's where she wanted to be. He began to walk and Sulli was tugged along. Hannah hadn't let go of her hand either.

In fact, Hannah didn't let go until they reached the park where she just ran to the merry-go-round and began to mingle with the other kids.

Minho looked around, as if he was looking for erts and child molesters and kidnappers and such. It was rather sweet, actually. Seemingly satisfied that nothing fishy was going on, Minho pulled out the quilt and extended it over a nice grassy spot and called Hannah to show her where they were. The little girl nodded and kept playing.

Sulli looked from Minho to Hannah and back again. There was a family air about them but just what was the relation between them?

"Is she your daughter?" Asked Sulli just as the thought popped into her mind.

"Niece." Clarified Minho. "But I believe that for all practical purposes she is my daughter. My brother and his wife passed on, almost three years ago. Hannah came to live with me then."

Minho didn't' say anything else, so Sulli assumed he didn't want to talk about it. "I'm so sorry."

After a long pause Minho just said, "Well, things happen." And he began to set out the lunch he had brought along.

Since he was busy with that, Sulli looked after Hannah. She seemed to be doing well but Sulli knew for a fact that if there wasn't trouble to get into, kids could summon trouble out of thin air. And sure enough, trouble came.

Sulli could recognize a bully fifty paces away and that mean-looking-little boy looked like a bully if she ever saw one. Way before Minho even register the presence of the bully-boy, Sulli had already begun to make her way to where Hannah was playing with some other small boys and girls in the sand box.

Bully-boy began to push the kids into the sand, some of them started to cry and wail. Hannah was so engrossed with the little sand castle she was building that she was so startled with the girl next to her fall into the sand and began to cry. A shadow slid over her as the Bully-boy stood in front of her. His