Why did Appa suddenly asked for me? He didn’t sound too happy over the phone… Was it because of the deal last night? But that went well, didn’t it? Hmm…

Uneasy thoughts filled Sungho’s mind as he hurried down the long corridor leading to his father’s office. The heels of his polished black leather shoes echoed faintly against the marbled flooring. He was out the whole night at the pub negotiating a deal, and had just reached home when his father called. The aftermath of all the alcohol he ingested the previous night was beginning to hit him.

Can’t he at least let me sleep for an hour or two before coming here? My head is pounding so hard…

The people that he met along the corridor greeted him politely. Sungho returned each of their greetings with his usual aloof facade- a small nod of his head. However, his usually expressionless face was clouded over with an extra sense of iciness due to his headache. Hastening his footsteps, he wanted to get the meeting over and done with so he could go back home and get some shut-eye before heading out again in the late afternoon on yet another appointment.

“Young Master, Mr Lee went out for a while. He asked that you wait for him in his office.”

Greeting Sungho simultaneously with a slight bow in respect, the two well-dressed bodyguards outside his father’s office pushed the heavy oak wood door open, revealing a luxuriously polished room. The younger boy merely acknowledged their words with a stiff nod before passing them with his head held high. The two guards closed the door after him.

Throwing all pretenses to the wind as soon as the door shut behind him, Sungho plodded himself down on the soft armchair. As he closed his eyes, he was silently grateful for the momentary break from the cool poise he had to maintain. He was about to drift off to sleep when his sharp ears caught the sound of the door opening once again, suggesting his father’s return. Getting up onto his feet in a composed manner, he turned around and greeted his father.

The older man however, did not acknowledge his presence. Raising his head tentatively, Sungho immediately noticed the stormy expression on the older man’s face. He unknowingly clenched his fist in dread as past memories of being punished for uncompleted assignments crept into his mind and watched as his father slowly sat down behind his desk at an agonizing speed.

“Explain this!”

Sungho winced as his father’s temper suddenly exploded, instinctively catching the envelope which was thrown at him at the end of the outburst. Hastening to unwind the binding string, the vein in his neck throbbed due to anxiety.

The contents of the parcel turned out to be a series of photographs featuring a pair of teenagers- A girl with long black hair and a guy with golden brown short hair. The series of photos showed them conversing happily and generally having a great time.

Park Jungsoo and An Yonni. , … How am I going to explain this?

Recognizing them almost immediately, Sungho cursed inwardly as he tried his best to prevent his anxiety to surface on his face. He had silently counted at least six different instances where they were taken – proof that the duo had been hanging out with each other.

“I asked for the interest that An Yonni has in that guy to be stemmed! From what I see, nothing seemed to have been done!”

“Appa, I-”

“I specifically told you that An Yonni must not be with anyone except for your brother! I’ve already told you how important this is! Why is she still with this guy?!”

“…”

“What actions have you taken? Have you even spoken to your brother?!”

“No, sir. I haven’t got the chance to-”

“Get him now! Get him to do something about it! Understand the situation now! Does he even know that An Yonni likes that brat?”

“I-I will speak with him, Appa. Give me one more chance.”

“Let me be clear on this once more. I don’t care how you do it, I don’t care if you’re going to have to physically remove that guy to get him out of the picture. I NEED An Yonni to be with your brother. Don’t let me down again.”

Eyes gleaming dangerously, his father’s voice softened to almost a whisper. Trying to swallow past the lump in his throat, Sungho nodded once with all the feigned confidence he could conj our. Waving his hand dismissively, the older man returned to reading the documents on his desk.

“AHHHH! DAMN IT!!!”

How on Earth am I supposed to make sure the two of them get together? Short of getting a rope and physically tie them up, I really don’t know what I should do!

Back in the privacy of his black Audi R8 Spyder, Sungho finally let loose the pent up emotion that he had been bottling up ever since leaving his father’s office. He really did not understand why his father must be so insistent that Sungmin gets the girl he wanted.

Just because he’s not been at his side since young?

Approximately a month ago, Sungho’s father had suddenly came up to him and declared that he has found his long lost twin brother- The one from whom he had been separated from since birth. His parents had divorced slightly before they were born, and each parent had taken one child along with them.

The news had come as such a shock that Sungho was unable to accept it. Everything seemed so surreal, until the day when they had then gone to meet his brother, Sungmin, who was just as shocked at their existence. It was kind of scary yet fascinating to see his own face on another person. They were almost identical, except that Sungho had a small dimple on his right cheek, while Sungmin had none.

Their first meeting was really awkward. They had just shown up at his school unannounced in their black limousine, and Sungmin had been so surprised to see Sungho that he actually stumbled a few steps backwards. His father then brought the two of them to the café near opposite his school for a meal. Both Sungho and Sungmin did not utter a single word through the brief meeting, and Sungho’s father was the only person that was talking throughout the whole meal.

Sungmin is such an innocent soul. He accepted everything that Appa had told him once he saw the wedding photo… Didn’t he know that photographs can be faked nowadays? Or maybe it was because he saw my face… Kind of hard to ignore this fact…

Sungmin simply sat there hugging on to his guitar for dear life. It was only when their father excused himself to go to the washroom then did the both of them let loose the breath they had been holding in. While Sungmin kept his eyes glued to the glass of coffee on the table, Sungho allowed his to drift over to Sungmin.  

Taking in Sungmin’s neat uniform, full backpack, black guitar cases, clean white sneakers and the way he was observing the ice in the glass, Sungho couldn’t help but wondered why there was such a huge difference between them despite them being twins.

“Su-Sungmin-sshi,”

“N-Ne!”

“You play the guitar?”

“Ne, I am in the guitar club.”

“Did you learn how to play by yourself?”

“Aniya, my mum… I meant… Our mum, sent me for lessons for a while…”

“Ah…”

“Sungho-sshi, do you play the guitar as well?”

“Ah… No. I don’t play any instruments…”

“Ah… Music doesn’t appeal to you then?”

“Ne…”

“That’s a shame...”

In reality, Sungho loved music. He had always wanted to learn an instruments or two, even sing once in a while. However, his father hated music, and refused to let him go for any music lessons. The older man felt that music are for women, and men should not be touching such things because it would turn them into softies.

“Sungho-sshi, you’re well built… Do you work out often?”

Guns, martial arts, those were the things that were forced onto Sungho. Nobody asked him if he wanted to learn how to aim with a gun. Nobody cared if he wasn't interested in how to take someone down in less than 5 moves. It was simply expected of him.

The more time he spends trying to understand Sungmin, the more he feels like the evil twin that was often portrayed in movies and television programmes. From young he often wondered how is it like to have a mum, or a sibling that would make his house feels more of a home and less of a boot camp. He never had a choice in anything that he do.

Waiting in his car outside Sungmin's school, Sungho put the handbrake on and leaned back into the comfy leather seats. As he quietly observed the stream of students coming out of the gates, he chuckled bitterly at the stark differences between himself and them despite the similar age.

His father had pulled him out of school after he finished his middle school despite Sungho's outstanding academic results. Sungho did not even protest his withdrawal. He didn't have any friends in school that he would miss.

In fact, he didn't even have a single friend.

In school, he always kept to himself, not making the effort to participate in any form of socialization. He loathed to let anyone get close.

People who you love and can't bear to lose is only a handle which your enemy can use against you.

This was a belief that was drilled into him from a young age. By discarding it everytime Sungho got attached to something, his father took to lengths to hardened his heart.

Sometimes he wondered how it would be like to have someone by his side, someone that he could complain to when things got hard, or relax with when he has free time. But he looked back at the likes of the people whom he had to deal with, friends didn't seem like a good idea anymore.

A young couple who had just walked past the school gate caught his attention. The boy had suddenly reached out and removed a piece of leaf from the girl's head lovingly before he whispered something into the girl's ear and the latter smacked his arm playfully before their fingers laced together. Such tenderness seemed like the most natural thing on Earth yet it was alien to Sungho.

It's not that he was unfamiliar with matters of the genders. Despite being only 16, he'd had his fair share of women. Money, women, guns and even drugs, these are the things that made up the majority of his world. The underworld, the colourful scene of darkness treats people who knows the rules well kindly, even generously.

Though the opposite is often true for those who weren't important enough.

Even before he was thrown into the underworld, he had seen his father's 'business associates' and the way they treated their women. They were treated roughly, even shared and always changed around. He had never seen one treated kindly, nor thought that they should be treated kindly without merit.

Aish... The normal world is so complicated. Why do people hang around in groups? Why are friends needed? Everything is much easier when money and power can be used to solve issues. Wonder if Sungmin knows what he's got in store for him...

Suddenly, he spied Yonni coming out of the gate with a tall guy. The latter had his arm spewn casually over her shoulders, and she was visibly annoyed as she tried to wriggle his arm off, resorting to poking his exposed sides when she failed. Laughing happily as the boy jumped in surprise from the sudden attack, she skipped away when he tried to grab her arm. They soon parted as each headed in a different direction. Sungho kept his head low as Yonni past by his car, lest she saw his face.

That's the guy that's staying with them. Cho Kyuhyun. Sungmin's cousin. My...Cousin...

Having checked up on Sungmin and Yonni and all of the people who were close to them, Kyuhyun's face has appeared frequently in the various PI reports. Trying to ignore the gnawing feeling inside of him that was indignant that yet another relative was unaware of his existence, Sungho turned his attention to Yonni.

Is An Yonni always so close to the people around her? Sooner or later, photos of Kyuhyun and her are going to show up in the reports too. What's wrong with this girl? Does she not know when to keep her distance? If so... Is she truly interested in Park Jungsoo? Or is he just another one of her close friends?

However, before he could further ponder, he finally saw Sungmin coming out through the gates all alone. Starting up the engine, Sungho started in the direction of his brother…

A few days later…

"Hey,"

Giving Yonni a playful poke as she approached from behind, Leejin plodded down on the seat opposite Yonni. The former had suddenly called her up the previous night, asking to meet at a cafe that was near Yonni's apartment. The surprised girl coughed and spluttered as she choked on the peach juice she had been sipping.

"Yah! Jinnie-ah! How can you scare me like that when I'm drinking? I will choke to death!"

"I wasn't even trying to! Anyway, why did you ask me out for?"

"Get something to drink first,"

ing the menu into Leejin's open palms, Yonni continued looking around, seemingly scanning the area. Leejin half-heartedly flipped through the pages of the menu as she eyed Yonni with suspicion. The latter was even more restless than usual, a look of worry clouding over her big eyes.

"Are you expecting someone?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I'd asked- Oh! He's here!"

Waving her hands frantically, Yonni beckoned for her guest to come over. Leejin turned around to take a look at the guest.

"What are YOU doing here?"

Exclaiming loudly in unplanned unison, both Leejin and Kyuhyun shared an equal sense of surprise at each other's presence. With the entire cafe turning in their direction following the outburst, an embarrassed Yonni hurried to pull Kyuhyun down onto his seat.

"Why did you ask this person along? Answer me first! Yah! Why are you copying what I am saying?!˝

Yonni fought hard to keep a straight face as the two glared indignantly at each other while the same words flowed out from each mouth in unplanned unison. Raising both hands in mock surrender when they shot a deadly look at her, she averted her eyes and pretended to take interest in her drink.

"An Yonni! What is Brat Kyu doing here?"

"Yah! I have a name!"

"Yup, and I'm using the shorter one because 'Brainless narcissistic rich spoilt brat Kyu' is too mouthful a phrase!"

"Then you're Elephant Jin!"

"Mwo?!"

"Because 'The elephant Leejin who does not have an ounce of girl in her' is too much effort to say!"

"Lazy Pig Brat Kyu!"

"Manly Elephant Jin!"

"Brat Kyu!"

"Elephant Jin!"

At their childish banter, Yonni, who had been fighting hard to contain her laughter, could no longer hold it in and burst out into a series of chuckles occasionally interrupted by bouts of choking. However to her horror, she found the duo staring intensely at her when she finally managed to stop. Panicking, she tried to defuse the dangerous situation by shifting their focus.

"Now that everybody is here, let's move on to today's agenda, shall we?"

"That's right, you still haven't tell me why did you asked me out all of a sudden?"

"Neither did you inform me that it was going to be a animal party. With pigs and elephants."

"Then you must be a peacock."

"A praise? That's rare coming from you, Elephant Jin... Is there a hidden meaning behind that?˝

"I thought it was obvious enough,"

"Ah... I knew you would come around eventually. Admitting that I am good-loo-"

"Bird brain,"

"MWO?!"

"Sir, here's your ice-cream,"

"I- Ohh...Gelato...."

Smiling at the success of her ploy, Yonni secretly high-fived herself. She had taken the liberty of ordering a small chocolate ice-cream when she spied the signboard of "Gelato" just beside the counter, knowing that the stubborn man will not be able to resist the sweet distraction.

With Kyuhyun crippled by the temptation of the dessert, the previously heating up argument between Leejin and him sizzled down. Finally being able to get the silence she wanted, Yonni resumed talking after another sip of her drink.

"As I was saying, I need both your assistance in an extremely delicate matter. I... I-I need a way to tu-turn  somebody down..."

Approaching the topic as cautiously as she could, Yonni was mindful that Kyuhyun might blow his top. Afterall, she was talking about his hyung. The heated argument that they got into previously because of this matter still haunted her a little.

However, as distracted as he was by the ice-cream, Kyuhyun still snapped his head upwards in an instance. For a second, he looked as though he was going to pluck her out of her seat and shake her till she disintegrated.

To her surprise, he simply gave her a long hard stare before returning to eating his ice cream.

It's probably for the better... Even I can tell Yonni has a thing for that cat guy. Perhaps then Sungmin hyung can move on.

Deciding that a clean break was better than a draggy one, Kyuhyun held his tongue. He was amused by the barely noticable jump that Yonni did when she caught his eyes.

"About time,"

Trying to sound as casual as he could, it was Kyuhyun's way of trying to tell Yonni that it was fine. If it was just the two of them, he might even throw in a comforting pat on Yonni's head. However, Leejin was there, and he didn't want to appear too soft.

"How heartless can you get?  Isn't that guy your housemate too? If I didn't already knew, I would wonder where your heart is,"

"So, when are you going to tell him?"

Ignoring Leejin's snide remark, Kyuhyun set his brown eyes on Yonni, who was nervously looking alternatively between them. Her fine brows creased at the question as she stared sadly back at him.

"That's why I asked you two out today. It has been impossible to talk to Sungmin these days..."

Kyuhyun was just thinking how strange Sungmin's absence these days was. Usually within close proximity of Yonni, the boy had mysteriously distanced himself from them recently. He would have left house by the time they woke up, and would disappear when school ended, only returning home late at night after everyone had gone to bed.

Maybe hyung caught on that something was wrong. He has always been more sensitive than others...

"Kyu-ah, did he say anything to you? He always tells you everything..."

"I-"

"Maybe he knows that you are going to reject him. That would explain why he is barely around nowadays."

Interrupting him, Leejin was having similar thoughts to Kyuhyun. Yonni had explained the situation between Sungmin and her, and had more than once confessed that she did not know what she felt for the poor boy.  A part of Leejin admired his perseverance as Sungmin followed Yonni around at every chance available. Another part of her, however, thought that the boy needed more back-bone.

"I thought it was obvious enough that you are crazy about m-that Leeteuk oppa of yours. Sungmin-sshi is simply refusing to see the truth,"

A tinge of guilt nagged at her as she recalled what she had been telling Yonni. Maybe she had a part to play in this after-all.

"I've only seen-"

"Jinnie,  you really think so? But I didn't even get the chance to speak with him!"

"I'VE ONLY SEEN HI-"

"Well, you always let on more than you say. I won't be surprised a SNAG like Sungmin-sshi might have caught on a sign or two..."

"But Jinn-"

"Yah! Pig-ni! How can you ask me a question and ignore me when I'm answering?!"

Glaring pointedly at Leejin for cutting him off, Kyuhyun stuffed the remaining mouthful of ice-cream into his mouth and pushed the empty cup aside. Ever since Yonni befriended Leejin, she was beginning to ignore his words when the latter was present.

This is the 48th time Yonni has done this... Urg! That's 48 to 3!

Childishly keeping count of all the times Yonni ignored his words for Leejin's ones, Kyuhyun was annoyed by the growing distance between their scores.

"Mianhae! I forgot that I asked you a question! Don't be angry at me okay?"

Swatting away Yonni's hand in annoyance when she reached over and attempted to pat his head, he shook his head disapprovingly before resuming his previous sentence.

"I was saying that I had only seen as much of him as you did. In fact, you would have seen him even more. With you guys being in the same class and such,"

"And here I was thinking that you actually might have something useful to contribute to the conversation. Attention-seeker. Phff,"

"Elephant-jin!"

"Guys!!! Come on! Just get along for once okay? I really need your help!  Ideas, anyone?"

"Trap him! That always works. You'll have to trap him somewhere first. Make sure he can't get away or you'll never have a chance to say anything..."

"Sounds good. But how should I go about it? He'll just avoid me..."

"You need someone close to him, someone he would not suspect so he wi-Why are the two of you staring at me like...Wait a minute! What?! No! I'm not going to trap Hyung like this for you!"

“Come on Hyunnie… Help Noona out for once…”

“DON”T CALL YOURSELF THAT! It’s gross!”

“That’s right, Brat-Kyu… Listen to your noonas!”

“…That’s just saying that you two are old…”

“That’s because you are still a little kiddo!”

“MW-”

“AISH! JINJA! CAN THE TWO OF YOU START ARGUING ONLY AFTER WE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION?!”

“Yah! Why are you shouting into my ear!”

“Yonni-ah! We don’t have to crack our brains anymore! Cho Kyuhyun! You are in charge of isolating Sungmin! 4 o’clock tomorrow at this café okay? If you fail to show up, it means that you are a little kiddo who can’t get simple things done! Yonni! Let’s go for a movie!”

“Yah! YAH! I DID…Aish! What kind of woman is Elephant-Jin? I’ve never seen a more unreasonable person!”

Slumping back into his seat in defeat, Kyuhyun was rather annoyed. How on Earth was he supposed to do such a cruel thing to his hyung? He was the one who encouraged Sungmin to go for it, now he also had to be the one to tell him to give it up?

I am so going to hell for this… I’m sorry hyung, I’m sorry…