The main parlor of the Choi mansion was tense with the Choi’s on one side of the room; with both Mr. Choi and Dongwook seated on different sides of the couch, and both Seunghyun his mother standing beside the Dongwook’s side of the couch. On the other side of the room was both Jiyong and his father standing.  The room was silent, everyone waiting for the ball to drop.

“So is someone going to say something, Mrs. Kwon how do you know my mother” Jiyong spoke first, the anticipation had been killing him since Mr. Choi mentioned his mother earlier “..and Appa why are you here”?

“See, insolent little thing. Speaking before being spoken to, he….”

“Call my son a thing one more time and I swear, I’ll make it your last words” Hyunjun yelled, shocking everyone in the room. The cat was about to get out of the bag and he knew it was going to hurt his son but there was nothing he could do. He’d gotten home early after finishing the job he had to do quicker than he’d anticipated, only to find Jiyong gone and he knew where he’d find his son. He expected Jiyong to defy his orders, it only affirmed his suspicions about Jiyong the Choi kid, but what he wasn’t expecting was seeing Jiyong faced with the devil himself, Mr. Choi; the one person responsible for his misery.

“If there’s anyone who shouldn’t speak again is your son”!

“My son? How about your grandson, he’s the one sending people to the hospital” Jiyong’s father spat back making Seunghyun stiffen; he knew Jiyong’s father never liked him but he wasn’t expecting it to be brought up. He was confused; his grandfather may have been heartless but wondered about his grandfather’s sudden hatred toward the Kwons, and who Dami was.

“At least he isn’t sending people to their grave like your murderous wife did my son”!!

“Mr. CHOI”!!! Mirae screamed now, but it was too late. Both Seunghyun and Jiyong’s eyes were on Seunghyun’s grandfather; both their eyes searching for answers.

“Omma, what is he talking about”? Seunghyun asked, out of breath with his head filled with different questions ‘It can’t be true’ ‘tell me it’s not true’.

“Appa, he’s crazy right”? Jiyong turned to his father. “Omma died of a car accident”

“Jiyong..” his father turned to face him now “Jiyong listen me, I only tried to protect you. I didnt want you to be hurt”

“Your Mother traded my son for money but got caught in the process. Served her right”!! Mr. Choi yelled again from where he was seated.

Seunghyun was confused, his eyes focused on Jiyong; he didn’t care how his father died, all he cared was easing Jiyong’s pain. “My wife did no such thing. Tell him Mirae, tell him how your best friend died doing what you begged her to do”! Jiyong’s father voice distracted him as he turned to his mother for answers.

“Omma”? he asked his mother this time.

“Okay everyone calm down. This needs to be cleared now” Mirae spoke up this time “Mr. Choi, Dami never killed my husband and i've told you that a million times. I don’t know what happened on the ride from Seunghyun’s school that day or why they went to that house on their way home but it wasn’t Dami”

“Omma why don’t you just tell Seunghyun and Jiyong everything, they deserve the right to know the entire truth” Dongwook spoke up, he was tired of all the secrets. There were too many people involved, and the thought of Jiyong being in the dark about his mother’s death kept him up almost every night since Jiyong and Seunghyun got closer.

“Okay… Seunghyun, you remember Mimi right”? It was the first time his mother spoke of Mimi since years ago when she made him stop asking about her. “Mimi’s real name is Dami, Kwon Dami; Jiyong’s mother” His heart stilled. It couldn’t be, it had to be a lie.

“NO” he heard Jiyong’s whisper from across the room.

“Dami and I have been best friends since birth, we did everything together. She wanted to be a detective and I wanted to be in business. We fell in love at the same time and got married and soon we all became best friends but Mr. choi never liked Dami and Hyunjun, he always tried to separate us”

“I wish we stayed away, all these wouldn’t have happened” It was Jiyong’s father this time.

“Seunghyun your father got involved with some bad people; he was supposed to take over their company, it was a company your grandfather wanted. That company was owned by a mafia boss and it was dangerous so we asked Hyunjun and Dami for help, and it had to be off the record since they were big shot detectives and couldn’t work cases of people they knew but it was risky because if there were any complications, they would be suspected as being traitors. Hyunjun denied but Dami agreed help us. She disguised herself as a nanny so she could keep an eye out for you Seunghyun, since they sent out a threat that they were out to get you since you were an easier target than Dongwook. Everything was fine till that day in that house when…. When they found both Dami and your father dead. No one knows why they went there in the first place but…” his mother explained before turning to Jiyong “I promise, it wasn’t your mother Jiyong”

“Oh really Mirae, so why did the bureau accuse my wife of being a double agent. After working for the bureau for so many years, her name was dragged into the gutter, her badges withheld, and till today she never got the burial she deserved”

“That’s because I made a call to the bureau” Mr. Choi said rolling his eyes and smiling.

“WHAT”? Mirae and Hyunjun asked in unison

“Yes, they reported that there was no foul play on Dami’s part but I know she was the reason they went to that house in the first place, my son is no fool”

It was then it started to make to Seunghyun “Mimi didn’t want to go” Everyone turned to look at him, everyone except Jiyong and he knew Jiyong figured it out already. “Appa and Mimi picked me up from school that day and appa wanted to go some house but Mimi said no, and appa begged till she said yes…” he told them the same story he told Jiyong.

“Dami died saving you”? his mother was in tears as she took the nearest seat next to her. He looked in Jiyong’s direction but he couldn’t catch his eyes; Jiyong’s eyes were on his shoes but he could see tear dripping down.

“Ji…”

“I need air.. I need to breathe” Jiyong cut him off, walking towards the door but he ran after him.

“Seunghyun please. I don’t want to see you, just leave me alone” Jiyong said and walked away taking his heart with him, and just like that he knew Jiyong had thrown him away. He wiped the tear of his cheeks before turning to the remaining occupants to the room.

“Seunghyun when….” His mother said rushing to his side “… how…those nightmares, is that what was haunting you. Why didn’t you tell me about what Mimi did for you”?

“Omma how could you not tell me about Mimi, all these years. And you knew Jiyong, you knew why Jiyong’s father hated me and you never said anything” he couldn’t stop the tears anymore; the one person he ever relied on was his mother and he told her everything but she kept so much from him.

“Seunghyun, I don’t hate you” Mr kwon said walking towards him, his eyes were red as if he was trying to holding in his tears. “This was what I was avoiding; I didn’t want you two to get hurt but I guess it was out of my hands”

“Mr. Kwon I am so sorry about Mi… I mean, Mrs Kwon. I didn’t know I swear, I…”

“Seunghyun thank you” Mr kwon pulled him into a  brief hug “Dami loved you so much, sometimes she spoke about you more than she spoke about Jiyong; Jiyong was even jealous, i bet he doesnt remember” It was the first time he saw Jiyong’s father smile; he looked a lot less scary “Knowing that my Dami lost her life saving yours, makes me feel better. She died like a true soldier” He finished before walking over to the door.

“But Ji…”

“Don’t worry, my son is strong. He’s in pain but he’ll recover” He said and left.

“This is why I wanted Seunghyun living with me” his grandfather said rising up “If he lived with me; he wouldn’t be crying over some boy. No grandson of mine can be gay, and you Seunghyun, my offer to come live with me still holds” his grandfather left too, leaving him with his mother and his brother.

“Hyung you knew didn’t you, that why you were always protecting Jiyong, and was always in his neighbourhood”?

“I’m sorry Seunghyun”

It wasn’t how his day was supposed to go; he was supposed to go to school, pay back Jiyong for teasing him the night before but all that had changed now; Jiyong was gone, his mother and brother were like strangers to him.

“Seunghyun I was trying to protect you” his mother pleaded but it was too late.

“PROTECT ME FROM WHAT, THE ONLY PERSON YOU CARE ABOUT IS YOUSELF”!! He was yelling “Everything you’ve done was for yourself, you still work for the same company that took appa’s life, you travel all the time and I thought you did it to keep yourself busy so wouldnt think about appa but now I know you only did it to ease your guilt”

“Seunghyun please…”

“Harabuji isn’t the enemy, at least he didn’t pretend. You are”! He said before leaving  the parlor with his mother’s sobs echoing throughout the house but he didn’t care, he had to find Jiyong.

Seunghyun>>>Jiyong
Jiyong please talk to me. Please. I didn’t know Mimi was your mother I swear.

Seunghyun>>> Jiyong
Jiyong where are you, I know you’re hurt but you shouldn’t be alone in your state of mind. Please just tell me where you are, you don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to but let me be with you.

Seunghyun>>> Jiyong
Jiyong I love you please.

Seunghyun>>>Taeyang
Taeyang please find Jiyong, please HURRY!