CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

"So... I'm just going to the kitchen to fix so..." Jiyong stopped talking when he saw Eun Ae glaring at him. He gulped and let out a nervous laugh before continuing his sentence, "Uhm, I'm going to get refreshments! You siblings just talk comfortably, yeah?" After that, he dashed his way towards Eun Ae's kitchen, making Eun Ae sigh.

She shook her head and looked down on her lap, fiddling with her fingers as Seven looked at his sister with pity. He can't imagine how hurt she must be right now. Not being able to reconcile well with their family and especially not being able to feel the love  of her family. He frowned at just the thought of it.

"Eun Ae." Dong Wook called his sister, that unforeign feeling of calling her name after quite a while of separation. It was definitely awkward, but it was one name he had wanted to call for the past five and a half years.  

Eun Ae bit her lip, not wanting to look at her brother's eyes so she stayed still. 

Seven sighed and called her once again, "Eun Ae." But no budge. 

"Are you really going to ignore your favourite oppa forever?" Seven asked. Eun Ae blinked, weirded out becuase Seven didn't seem mad at her at all. She couldn't help but look up and make eye contact with her half-brother, but when she did, the tears she was holding back came out; as if she's a kid who had her lollipop stolen. 

She was a mother for goodness sake and yet, she still cries like a child. 

Seven chuckled to himself and stood up from his seat and walked over to Eun Ae, crouching down at her level and held her hands. He gave them a small squeeze and called her name softly, "Eun Ae, listen to me."  Eun Ae sniffed and looked away, not wanting her brother to see her crying like a child, especially when she came back wanting to show them the new improved Eun Ae.  

Damn, why did she have to cry? 

"I may don't know the reason why you left, but I know you're a one smart girl. You wouldn't let appa's words come to you, would you? He was just stressed, Eun Ae. Let him cool down and maybe come by at the house and reconcile. I know you had hardships being alone and all, but I don't think you would want to give up that easily after that six years of hiding, right?"  Eun Ae bit her lip and shook her head as she kept her head bowed down. 

"See, so why don't you tell oppa why you went away without telling anyone? Hmm?" 

Eun Ae hesitated but mumbled a few words that Seven couldn't hear. "What? I couldn't hear you." 

"I said I-I went away because I felt like I was being a burden to all of you..." She whispered and Seven really pitied his sister. The fact that she changed for the better and their family didn't even show how concerned they were for her. In all honesty, all of them were really worried for her, their parents even sent their people to look everywhere for her but Seven told them she went away for a reason. Respecting her decision all these years. 

"Why would you feel that way?" Seven furrowed his eyebrows. 

Eun Ae pulled out from her brother's grasp and wiped her tears away, looking up and meeting her brother's eyes. "Ever since I was child, you took care of me endlessly until you did everything for me to get into University. I was happy and grateful, but I thought that I can't always lean on you. You have your own life to live, and you just can't be there for me everytime I need someone to lean on. I find it absurd that I've only realized it until then, but... I'm sorry, oppa. I'm sorry for being a burden." Once again, tears started to wash down her cheeks. 

Seven sighed and sat beside her and hugged her tightly. He patted her back and rocked her back and forth. 

"You were never a burden to oppa. I took care of you not because it's a duty of a brother, but because as a brother I wanted to do it. I wanted to help you experience what you haven't experienced due to your case. I never thought of you as a burden, Eun Ae. I was happy, I was happy because somehow, I was keeping you from the cage you lived in for your entire childhood." Eun Ae wrapped her arms around her brother and held on tightly. 

"I'm sorry, oppa. I'm sorry for leaving you without saying anything." She continued to weep, and suddenly they heard a little girl's voice coming from the hallway. 

"Mommy?" 

Eun Ae wiped her tears away and pulled away from her brother and looked back. She saw her daughter and smiled, "Jinae, come. I want you to meet someone." Jinae bit her lip and nodded, walking towards her mother and eyeing Seven from the corner of her eye. 

"W-Who is he mommy?" She asked as soon as she reached her mother. 

Seven smiled down at his niece and waved, "Annyeong." 

Jinae nodded and looked at her mother smiling down at her, but she was surprised to see tears around her eyes. She held out her hands and frowned, "Omma, why are you crying? Did this ahjussi make you cry?" She wiped the tears of her mother and Eun Ae could only giggle. E