“Just sign here, sir, and she’ll be ready to go.” A receptionist guides Jiyong as he fills out the discharge paperwork. After signing the last page he looks up to see Chaerin across the hall. She hobbles out of her room in an ankle brace using crutches. He laughs at her as she cutely frowns in discomfort.

“Do you need any help?” He asks but she shakes her head.

“I’m fine,” Chaerin answers as she uses her crutches to walk toward him. She signs her portion of the discharge forms and turns to see Jiyong staring at her. “What is it?”

“You’re cute.” He tells her with a smirk.

“I don’t feel cute,” She huffs as she walks unsteadily ahead of him. He watches her from behind in amusement before running up to get the door.

“After you, Madame Lee,” He says theatrically as he opens the door for her and she walks outside. Lee Soohyuk stands by the car and waves them over as they go to him.

“What’s wrong?” Jiyong asks as he notices Soohyuk’s look of concern.

“We have to go to the Kwon Estate right now,” The lawyer announces as he holds the car door open and helps Chaerin into her seat.

“What’s going on?” The Kwon heir asks, all joking and laughter gone from his face.

“The police got a sudden lead in an ongoing fraud investigation and are at the estate. Mr. Kwon will be arrested and taken into custody.” Soohyuk answers his friend and client with a solemn expression. “They have a warrant for arrest but they’re talking at the house now.”

“What are we waiting for then?” Jiyong growls angrily as he gets into the car next to Chaerin. Soohyuk gets into the passenger seat and the car drives off.

“It will be fine,” Chaerin reassures her fiance, putting a hand on his knee.

“You’re right,” He sighs. “There’s never been enough evidence to hold him before. If they couldn’t get a conviction in those other incidences there’s no reason why they would be able to now.”

Jiyong jumps out of the vehicle as soon as they arrive to the Kwon Estate, running to the door and leaving Chaerin in her seat. Soohyuk gives her a sympathetic look as he gets her crutches and helps her out of the car. She shrugs it off, understanding that Jiyong’s worried despite what he says out loud. The two follow Jiyong into the estate to see Mr. Kwon seated in the living room, surrounded by police officers and his advisors like an emperor with his court.

“Chaerin-ah,” Mr. Kwon greets her with a nod before noticing her crutches and ankle brace. “What happened to your leg, dear?”

“It’s nothing, abeoji. Just a minor injury.” She answers curtly. “Would you like me to get you some tea?”

“That would be lovely.” He gives an uncharacteristic smile, strange considering the situation.

She goes to the kitchen and suddenly remembers her crutches, setting them down on the counter and hopping around to make tea. A maid brings the tea out to Mr. Kwon as Chaerin follows behind her.

“I’ll have to go to the police station,” Mr. Kwon tells his son and his lawyer. “Something about slush funds and tax evasion, nothing I haven’t dealt with before.”  

“Is there anything I can do?” Jiyong asks hopefully as his father sighs.

“Just go to the office and don’t do anything illegal, Jiyong.” Mr. Kwon answers gruffly as he drinks his tea. The older man looks over toward Chaerin. “I’m entrusting you with my child, Chaerin-ah.”

“I’ll take care of everything well,” She nods her head as Jiyong looks on in confusion: his father doesn’t refer to him as a child.

The police lead Mr. Kwon out of the estate in handcuffs as he walks with stubborn dignity. Jiyong, Chaerin, and Soohyuk follow out after him before getting into two separate cars. Soohyuk drives off to the police station while the Kwon heir and his fiance drive to GD Group to oversee damage control.

“Are you sure?” Chaerin asks hesitantly to a voice over the phone as she sits alone in Jiyong’s office. The color drains from her face as she listens to the voice on the other line.

“Who are you talking to?” Someone asks from the doorway and Chaerin turns her head to see Jiyong, not failing to notice the dark circles developing under his eyes. His usually perfect hair is in disarray as if he had run his fingers through it several times. She pities him, knowing that his father’s arrest and the subsequent media nightmare was starting to do its damage barely a month after his mother’s death.  

“Thank you for your time,” Chaerin tells the voice on the phone before hanging up to give her fiance her full attention.

“Are you alright? You look really pale.” He walks closer to her and she nods without saying anything.

“I’m fine, I just feel a little dizzy.” She says quietly, finding it difficult to look him directly in the eye.

“Do you want me to get you a water?” He asks and she nods again. Turning to go to the miniature refrigerator in the office, he brings back a water bottle for her. He takes off the lid and she takes it with a smile before drinking slowly.

“Yes, Miss Lee, the DNA test results have confirmed the paternity of patient X with patients Y and Z.”

Chaerin absently sets her water down but misses the table. The bottle falls to the floor, spilling onto the carpet. Jiyong goes to her in shock, quickly picking up the bottle. Jiyong gets a towel and starts to soak up the water. She tries to help him but he makes her sit down.

The Kwon heir kneels in front of where she’s seated and looks at her. He rests his arms on her knees without speaking as if guarding her like a watchful dog. Chaerin reaches out to touch his face gently. She tries to see some kind of family resemblance but she can’t find it.

She looks into his open and bright eyes but they’re different. Her finger trails down his long nose but it’s different. Her thumb brushes across his soft and full lips but they’re different. With her hands she cups both sides of his face, her finger covering the mole under his eye. She sees it in their jawlines with similarly strong and defined chins. It’s still hard for her to believe as she silently studies his features. She could be missing something but, from what she remembers of Youngbae’s face, the two men are too different.

“Chaerin,” He whispers her name and brings her back to reality. “What are you doing?”

She gives him a small smile without moving her hands from his face.

“I’ve been so bad to you, oppa.” She tells him sadly. “I’ve never really looked at you before, I’ve never cherished you like you deserved.”

He leans up to face her more properly at eye level and she laughs slightly at his shocked expression.

“What are you laughing at?” He asks quietly, afraid if he raises his voice the confusing but wonderful dream will end.

“I don’t understand why you look so shocked,” She tells him as she shakes her head.

“I’m happy you’re telling me all of this,” Despite his words he sighs as he shifts his weight. “I just can’t believe that it’s real. I never expected this. I’ve always been the one who loved you. I loved you stupidly and helplessly and I was content with that. Even if I’m just your friend, for as long as I live I’ll cherish you.”

She removes her hands and looks at him with a faraway expression.

“I do love you,” She tells him as her hands hold onto his.

“As a friend, Chaerin, not as a lover.” He says quietly but she shakes her head and squeezes his hands.

“You,” Her voice cracks slightly. “You have always been so much more than a friend to me, Kwon Jiyong.”

He looks at her warily and she surprises him by leaning in to kiss him lightly on the lips. She pulls back and looks at him squarely in the eye.

“I love you. I love you and I will be a good wife to you. I will be your support and I will take care of you but you have to trust me.”

Jiyong stands up suddenly and backs away from her, shaking his head in disbelief.

“What’s wrong?” She asks in concern as she watches him pace crazily back and forth.

“I don’t believe you!”

She looks at him startled and tries to get up and go to him but knocks over her crutches in the process. He pauses before helping her and giving her the crutches.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for a very, very long time.” He tells her, his words coming out jumbled and fast. “I’ve been waiting my entire life for you to say that you love me.”

He shakes his head again as she watches in awe.

“But I can’t believe you. It shouldn’t feel like that, it should be different.”

“Why are you acting so strangely, oppa?” She acts cautiously but he glares at her.

“You’re the one acting strangely. You’re the one hiding everything from me!” He snaps and her eyes widen for a moment before narrowing dangerously.

She stares at him for a moment before speaking with a low voice.

“You are not the one to be talking about other’s secrets.” She tells him as he stands still to look at her. “There are so many skeletons in your closet that the door won’t even shut. Day by day your dirty and disgusting secrets spill out and you don’t even know it!”

“Where are you going?” He demands as she starts to leave.

“To be as far away from you as possible!” She yells angrily as she hobbles away on her crutches. She pauses at the door to turn and look at him. She’s quiet before finally speaking up. “I’m so confused. I told you I love you. I kissed you. You’re not supposed to be acting like this, my future husband shouldn't be acting like this.”

He looks at her silently, feeling angry and ashamed at the hurt expression on her face.

“What do you even want from me?” She asks in a whisper before leaving him alone in the office.

Taeyang walks out the doors of YG Corporation and gets into his car parked in the street. His phone rings and he answers it quickly as he drives.

“I went to the office and sent the email just now.” He’s quiet as he listens to the voice on the other line. “Yes, sir, I understand. I’m on my way to the hospital now.”

When he walks into the private hospital room Chaerin is already asleep. She’s hooked into the IV but her sleeping face looks peaceful. He’s relieved that she looks fine and nothing more serious happened. He sees Jiyong asleep next to her, his head rest on her bed with her hand tangled in his hair.

Taeyang feels his heart squeeze as he turns around to leave. He has no reason to be there, he knows that. He tells himself to be content that she’s safe and happy. She doesn’t need him, she never really needed him. He walks back toward the exit, knowing that where he needs to be right now is with his brother.

The young president leans his head against the wall as he sits in an uncomfortable plastic chair with his eyes closed. He’s been at the station all night and has barely gotten rest. Despite his thoughts running rampant and the pain in his back and legs, he refuses to leave Teddy alone. Not after all that they’ve been through together.

He knows that he has more important matters to worry about but he can’t stop his mind drifting to thoughts of Chaerin. Her smile is permanently burned into his memory, her name stuck at the back of his throat like an unpleasant taste he can’t get rid of. Even with his eyes closed he can hear her voice. He can even faintly smell the scent of her perfume.

Slowly opening his eyes, he swears he can see Chaerin standing at the other end of the room. Her figure is blurry at first and he wonders if he’s dreaming. But then his vision clears and he’s certain that it’s really her.

She’s supporting herself on crutches as she speaks a police officer behind a desk. The officer argues with her but she frowns stubbornly. He tries to make out their conversation but he can only hear their angry voices.

- - -

Author's Note: I can't believe this took exactly a month to update :( I'm sorry for such a long wait but I kind of hit a block and wasn't sure where I wanted to take the story. Fortunately I got over that and I should be updating a lot more often from now on. Thank you to everyone who has supported this story and to all of my new readers and subscribers. I would love if you left a comment telling me how you feel about this chapter, I love to hear what everyone is thinking and sometimes the comments even influence which direction I want to take the story!