The ocean was calm today.
*It might be a bit warm today...*

Our engagement had been called off. However, I thought I was closer to my brother than I had ever been before.
*Now that I think about it, everything between oppa and me started at this ocean.*

When my mother remarried, I couldn't really accept my new father. I had been hugging my knees while looking at the ocean when my brother came...
*Because we're oppa and dongsaeng then. Though it's been quite a long time since then... A lot of things have happened, but the ocean hasn't changed.*

When I looked at the gentle waves of the ocean, the commotion the other day felt like a lie.
*We became siblings at this ocean, and we went from siblings to lovers at this ocean.*

"So Hyun ah, you'll catch a cold."
"Oppa, are you done preparations for tomorrow?"
"Ne, I've done everything I should. All I can do now is wait for tomorrow to come."
"I see..."

Tomorrow, my brother would be inaugurated as the official CEO of the Lee Corp.

"You seem tired, or just a bit pale?"
"I pretty much didn't sleep at all yesterday, and I was working until just a little while ago." My brother said while stifling a yawn.
"I know you're busy, but it'll be bad for your health if you overdo it."
"Thanks for worrying about me, but being busy was because there's something else I have to announce at the inauguration ceremony."

At the inauguration ceremmony tomorrow, my brother would make an important announcement. It was a bitter decision, and the trruth was that my brother didn't want to do it himself either.

"I really can't do anything."
"So Hyun ah?"
"I wish I could take some of the burden of your shoulders, but..."
"Pabo. You might not have noticed, but how much do you think you've helped me already?" My brother rested his hand on my head as he said that in a scoffing voice.
"Eh? But I haven't done anything."
"You have. You've stood by me, right?"
"Oppa?"
"You've stayed by my side."
"I can help you just by doing that?"

"Don't say 'just by doing that'. When I return to the estate, you welcome me home with a bright smile. I don't want you to call my everyday comfort something that you'just do'." My brother was sulking as he looked away, which was a bit cute."
"Oppa..."
"More importantly, you haven't eeaten yet, right? Want to go somewhere to eat?" Maybe it was because he was blushing, but my brother was speaking a bit loudly as he changed the subject.
"How about work?"
"There's nothing to do today. I just have to be inauguration as CEO afterwards."
"Ne, then let's go on a date!"
"A date?"
"Ne. You've been busy up until now, and you'll be busier for a little while after tomorrow, right?"
"Well, that's true..."
"So let's go on a date."
"Let me as the man be the one to ask you."
"Oppa, you're unexpectedly traditional about these sorts of things."
"I don't really think so."
"Don't you think having the guy ask the girl out on a date is kind of old-fashioned? I want to change into something a little nicer, so can we go back to the estate?"
"I think you're fine as you are though."
"Since it's our long-awaited date, I want to dress up in something a little cuter.
"I don't understand women."
"I don't want to hear that from someone like you who doesn't pay any attention to his clothing."
"..."
"Oppa?" Thinking that my brother's silence was a bit strange, I looked at his face.
"We're already dating, so could you stop calling me 'oppa'?"
"Eh?"
"Like I said before, I don't think of you as my sister. I'm dating you with the intention of getting married. I want you to call me by ny name."
"..."
"So Hyun ah?"
"Lee...Byung Hun-ssi."
"You don't have to be so formal.
"An-Andwae..." I couldn't look at him because I was so embarassed, so I cast my gaze towards the ground.
*Calling him by his name in a normal situation is so embarrasing...*

"That's fine for now. I'll make you call me Byung Hun oppa eventually though."
*So he's decided that he's not going to have me call him Byung Hun oppa but make me...*

"Anyway, let's go back to the estate."
"Ne."
"Finish preparations in ten miinutes."
"Eh?"
"If you take longer than that, it'll be lunch time, so the shops will be busy."
"Then we could just go out a little later and have our meal..."
"I haven't eaten anything since lunch yesterday, so my stomach is already at its limit."
"S-since lunch yesterday?"
"Ne, the last thing I ate was a sandwich for lunch yesterday."
"I know you're busy, but if you don't eat properly, you'll faint..."
"I'll be more careful starting tomorrow. Come on, hurry up and get in the car."
"Ne..."

"Yah, what do you think about this? It's something I bought when I went shopping with a friend." I was thinkingabout the pale pink one-piece I decided on for my date with Byung Hun.
"It looks good on you. Pale colours like that match you, So Hyun. That's what I think, anyway."
"What do you mean, that's what you think?"
"Don't ask my opinion on clothing please..."
"..."
"Don't pout. It's not like I said it didn't look good on you, right?"
"If you did, I'd go home."
"It'd be troublesome if you got in a bad mood, huh? It really does look good on you."
"Ne, gomawo."
Byung Hun smiled at me gently, making my heart beat more quickly as I walked beside him." 

"Come to think of it, you've started working at the flower shop again, right?"
"Ne, since a little before." Things had calmed down, so the florist let me start working there again.
*Shopkeeper's attitude was still different...and it wasn't easy work...* Even so, I was happy to be able to work surrounded by flowers.
"How long have you been working? You weren't working before I went to New York."
"Ne, it was around the time before I started university." I planned to be independent no matter what, and I was allowed to do part-time because it was a way to learn more about society.
"What did you do when you were in university?"
"Eh? My major?"
"Aniya. You must have hung out with some people in university, right? Did you join a club?"
"Aniyo."
"Hmm? Wae?"

"Most people only saw me as the daughter of the Lee family. Plus, since I was a child from a previous marriage, other people were curious..."
"There was nothing to be done about that though. The child of a much younger second wife would definitely be good gossip for people who have too much time on their hands."
"Ne. There was that, so it made it unnecessarily hard to join. In the end, I didn't join any clubs. I think it was about then that the flower shop was accepting applications for part-time workers. Shopkeeper didn't know who I was so spoke to me normally... I remember thinking then that I was so happy just to be able to be talked to normally."
"Seems like you really enjoyed it."
"Eh?"
"You look really happy when you talk about your work."
"Ne, it was really fun. I mean, it's fun now too."
"But your shopkeeper knows who you are now, right? Why didn't you go to a different flower shop?"
"Hmm, I wonder. It's not like I didn't think about it, but I really do like it there."
"I see. Should I talk to him for you?"
"Eh?"
"That you want him to treat you just as a regular part-time worer rather than a member of the Lee family."
"Ani, I'll say that myself."
"But..."
"If Byung Hun oppa is the one to say it, I feel like shopkeeper would feel complied to obey you."
"That's true. It probably would be better for you to do something about that than for me to speak up."
"Ne, but gomawo."
"On that subject, I remembered since we're talking about the florist's, but... What's happened with that idiot?" While we were eating lunch, Byung Hun asked that like he had just remembered the matter.
"By idiot...do you mean Jin Young oppa?"
"Are there any other idiots?"
"You're going to be the CEO starting tomorrow, so... I think it'd be better if you stopped talking about him like that..."
"Do you think I'd make a blunder like that in public?"
"Aniyo, but..."

"Right? So what's happened with him?"
"I'm good chingu with Jin Young oppa."
"Seriously?"
"Could you be jealous? Are you interested in the relationship between me and Jin Young oppa?" I asked that as a joke, but Byung Hun only looked at me intently.
"Of course I'm asking because I'm interested." He replied sullenly.
*I was just kidding, but did I make him mad?*
"It's not really anything for you to worry about, you know? We're just chingu!"
"Hmm... I'm not going to tell you who or who not to hang out with So Hyun. Just stop hanging out with him." Still looking displeased, he stared at me doubtfully.
"Byung Hun oppa?"
"He's an idiot, but I think his feelings for you are real."
"N-ne..."

Ever since the incident, there had been phone calls from Jin Young but he hadn't blamed me at all.
*Even though I must have hurt Jin Young oppa by being so indecisive...*
"The stronger his feelings are for you... The harder it'll be for him to give up on you if you're together. I can say that because I know it's true."
"Byung Hun oppa..."
"Sorry for saying something strange."
"Aniya, I think you just said something natural..."
I thought that I might have been able to enjoy Jin Young's company as a good friend. However, that might have been naive...

"Come on, hurry up and eat. Then think of where we should go."
"Eh?"
"You said I'd be busy again starting tomorrow, right? So I'll spend all of today with you."
"Byung Hun oppa..."
"Anywhere is fine. The amusement park is fine, the zoo is fine too."
"Then maybe we could go to pick some suits out for..."
"Andwae. I don't want to tire myself out when I'm only going to get busier tomorrow."
"Why would looking at suits make you tired?"
"Gwaenchana, so I'll bring you anywhere you want to go. Besides a clothing store."
"Ne, I'll think about where I want to go while I eat."
"Alright."

To be able to be happy so casually with Byung Hun, I hadn't thought it would be possible at all in the tumultuos days back then. Since so many things had happened then, we would be able to continue without any problems. That's what I believed then.

Preview

"So Hyun ah? Can I come in?" Byung Hun came into the room with a frown and a stern expression.
"Byung Hun oppa? Yah, this is the dress I've prepared, but... what do you think?"
"..."
*Eh? No response? But since he's blushing a bit, I guess it means it doesn't look bad?*
"Ah, a-aniyo... You know, you should be more conscious of your own charm. If you don't... Do you know how many other men will be looking at you?" He stopped speaking and got closer to me, step by step.

Author's notes

Hi there! It's been a while huh? How's the story anyway?

I'm so happy that I have 1 upvote, 1 comment, 9 subscibers and 56 views!! I'm too shocked when I saw it!! OMG I love you all readers!! *muaks muaks* Nah, since the chapter 1 is up, then let us see how many upvotes, views, comments and subscibers will I get.

Who still remember our co-author, lulubella_0719? She may still helping me out to update this story but not to soon. She may help me on her holiday which is on Dec, but she's having 3 days holiday now due to her school trip (but she's not going). I don't think she'll help me in these 3 days... All I can is ALONE until Dec :(

Anyway, wait for chapter 2 now. I'll be back! :D