FLASHBACK

CAFÉ GRUMPY CHELSEA NEW YORK

☻☻☻☻ So Hee’s POV ☻☻☻☻

I wrap the coat tightly on my body as I let out a long sigh.

“I guess I’m here.” I told myself looking up and enter the coffee shop.

I turn around to find the person who called me last night.

“Are you Miss So Hee?” The guy in the black suit asked me.

I nodded. “Yes, it’s me.”

“Miss Perez is waiting for you, please come this way.” He said politely and bows his head then starts to walk.

I followed him without saying anything. He stops in front of one door and open it, he nods his head asking me to go in.  I lower my head to give thanks to the guy and enter the room.

What is it that we’re going to talk about?

I ask myself when I realize that our meeting seemed so confidential or is it just she’s used to being an aristocrat. 

“Good morning.” She greets me with only a small smile at the edge of her lips.

“Yes, good morning.”

She doesn’t look Kaori’s sister.

I talk inside my head.

She motions me to take a sit. “Oh, thanks.”

“As you know, I am Kaori’s older sister.” She finally smiles widely on me.

I smiled at her and formally lend my hands. “Yes Miss Perez, by the way, I’m Kim Soo Hee.”

“This isn’t a board meeting.” She laughs on her own joke. “Let’s not be too formal.”

“Alright.” I nodded.

“Anyways, my name is Jamaica Perez.”

“Kaori told me.”

She inhales in her nose and exhales in . “I called you because I want to ask you a big favor.”

I lightly frowned.

Why in the world a young billionaire would ask me such things when she has the money and power to do it on her own.

I think for a moment. I don’t feel good about this.

 “A big favor?” I ask her to make sure.

She nods. “Kaori isn’t that popular as for now, I know that.”

“She will be…”

She cuts me. “Don’t get me wrong please. I know one day she’ll be recognized and be popular.”

I bit my lower lip. “Then…what are you…”

“I love my little sister so much and I’m willing to do everything to make her happy.”

I chuckled when I remembered how strange they treat Kaori before as what she told me when I once sleep in their house in Manila.

 “Every family member should know that.”  I said with a grin.

She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip then looks up on me again. “I wanted to do the right thing. I want her to feel what she haven’t experience the past 20 years.”

I smirked and close my fist. “Kaori told me everything and she’s like a sister to me.”

“Well then thank you for being a sister to her.”

“What??? Why don’t you just tell me what you want???” I asked a little furious and impatient.

“One day the truth behind our family will be revealed and I’m afraid that my little sister will be hurt the most.”

“Truth?”

A tear in her eye started to form. “She’s not the real daughter of my Dad.”

My eyes went wide with what I’ve heard. “What?”

“My mom had an affair when my Dad is away and Kaori is the fruit of our Moms betrayal.”

“Is that enough reason to treat her the way you all did??” I’m trying to control my temper.

“No. Though she betrays him, he still loves her daughter as if it was his own.”

“You got to be kidding…”

“That’s the truth!” Jamaica stands up hitting the table.

I did what she did. “So you’re asking me to be a liar?”

“I’m asking you to protect Kaori!”

I was in silence.

“No. I mean, I’m begging you to protect Kaori.” Her eyes were pleading.

“Why me?”

“It’s because you’re the one who brought her to that dangerous happiness.”

“What do you mean?” I shook my head.

“Do you think she’ll accept that she’s…?”

I cut her this time. “She CAN accept only if her own family…”

“You don’t know anything!”

“I feel the pain even if I don’t…”

“Stop it!!!!”

“You all made her suffer for years and now YOU’RE TELLING ME THAT YOU LOVE HER????”

“WE SUFFERED TOO AND THAT’S THE TRUTH!!”

“Liar!!! WHY DON’T YOU JUST TELL HER EVERYTHING SO SHE WON’T…”

“DO YOU THINK SHE CAN ACCEPT EVERYTHING JUST LIKE THAT??!!”

“SHE’S…”

“SHE CAN’T! BECAUSE I MYSELF CAN’T ACCEPT IT TOO! Do you think she will be able to smile again if she learnt that she’s not a Perez but some guy’s son?”

I clench my fist.

“Do you think that she’ll be okay if she learns that our Dad almost leave us and divorce Mom when he finds out the truth about Kaori?”

“Wha…”

“Do you think she’ll accept that our brother died because of her? Do you think Kaori can accept that Dad died because of her too? HUH??!!”

My eyes went wider when I heard everything from Jamaica. She’s already crying while I feel the heavy thing inside me again just like when my parents died years ago.

What’s this?

“Mom and Dad…” she continues nodding, “…maybe sent Kaori to every school but it’s to heal our wounds and help Kaori forget about the incident.”

“But why aren’t you talking to her since…”

“Because I’m afraid, I don’t know what to tell her if she asks me what’s happening.”

“You should’ve told her when she’s still a little girl.”

She nodded. “We’re wrong about that.” She holds my hands. “But I don’t believe that my brother died because of Kaori. There must be something wrong at that time.”

“I’m sorry.” I said when I finally realize that I’ll cause Kaori heartaches sooner.

“Don’t say that. Just help me prevent it, I want Kaori to know everything first. I will help her accept it I’ll try my best to convince my brother and Mom that isn’t Kaori’s fault. Help me, please.”

“What do you want me to do?”

She took out something from her bag. “These are newspapers from before. Dad paid much to stop the news about our family.”

I took the papers. “What do you want me to do with these?”

“Help me find that little girl.” She points the image from the news paper.

I stared on it. “Who is she?”

“Her name is Ce’, Ce’ Lopez.”

“Ce’.” I repeated thinking I heard that name before.

“I don’t believe in her story, unfortunately, my parents fall for it.” She narrows her eyes. “But never me.”

“Don’t worry I’ll torture her when I find her.”

We both chuckled. “Thank you so much!”

I smile and nod at her. “You won’t be doing this if not because of me.”

She presses hard on my hands. “I have one more favor.”

“What is it?”

“I am willing to pay all the reporters and detectives in Korea.”

I laugh again, “What’s that for?”

“They must be investigating my sister’s family background, so this early, I want to stop them.”

“I can ask help to someone I know for that.”

“That’s great!” She cheered and drinks her coffee.

I quickly took my phone out and send Dong Woo and Jae Hyun a message.

: I need your help. Let’s meet tomorrow.

Message sent.

Jamaica coughs twice, “I guess, we’re no longer strangers.”

I flash her sweet smile and nod at the same time. “Are you going to their concert?”

“I wanted to but I have to attend the board meeting that day.”

“Alright then, I’ll just cheer for her instead.” 

END OF FLASHBACK

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

☻☻☻☻ Leeteuk’s POV ☻☻☻☻

MEANWHILE

☻☻☻☻ Akiko’s POV ☻☻☻☻