CHAPTER ELEVEN

                He watched them walk to Siwon’s car.  God knows how much he regretted hurting Yuri that much and seeing her with another guy makes everything worse.   When Yuri reached out for Siwon’s hand to hold, his body stiffened.  His jealousy is eating him alive but there’s nothing he could do.

                “You broke her heart, eh?”  Sang Woo distracted him from watching the two.  He turned his back to the window.  He looked down, he couldn’t meet the man’s gaze.  “Ah, I’m sure it wasn’t easy.”

                Yunho laughed bitterly.   “This was never easy from the start.”

                Sang Woo nodded.  Joon Ho already told him how Yunho refused to go on with their plan in the beginning.

                The Jungs and the Kwons are known as two of the most influencial business families of Korea.   You have to trace long lines of big-time Korean businessmen before you know how they really started.  They were regarded as the ones who maintain Korea’s trading industry.  If there’s a threat, they take the steps to stop it.  SME happens to have that problem that’s why Jung Joon Ho stepped up.  When Sang Woo learned about it, he decided to support his friend because Yuri was one of their talents. 

                Since the successive lawsuits filed against the SME and the talents leaving the agency, SME has hard time dealing with its financial problem.  It is on its own as no one would want to get involved with the agency because of its reputation.  Lee Soo Man however found a way to cope with the company’s loss with SNSD’s growing popularity in Korea and abroad.  He made the girls work and compensated with their growing popularity.  Any scandal that would appear was blocked out so the girls have no escape.  Not one of them was complaining so Joon Ho decided to pull the strings.  He won’t have anyone abuse his power and act that everything’s fine.  With Sang Woo’s help, he was able to acquire a big part of the company. 

                Lee Soo Man however still refuses to yield to them.  Im Seung Hun is their trump card.  Im Seung Hun, Yoona’s father, aside from being one of the major sponsor of the SME, also owns a share in SME.  If they could get him by their side, they will have the chance to take the chairman position.  But Im Seung Hun didn’t want to take part of their politics.  He’s just not the kind of person. 

                They could only see Im Yoona as their trump card.  If Yunho could have her fall in love with him, her father might change his mind.  After all, the Jungs aren’t a bad catch.  A father would want the best for their daughters, as Sang Woo said.  If Yunho could take Soo Man’s place as the chairman of SME, there wouldn’t be foul contracts anymore.  They want to give all the talents what’s due to them.

                Yunho was against it, of course.  But his father told him about the unfair contracts of SME and he could only think of Yuri.  When his father mentioned that Yuri is finally gaining more popularity as a single celebrity, he seriously considered it.  He wanted to protect Yuri and he succumbed to their plans.

                “After all this, you could cut your ties with Im Yoona,” Sang Woo said.  He passed a glass of brandy to Yunho.

                Yunho sipped on the drink and grimaced.  “That is no easy task.  She is starting to fall for me and I would hate to hurt her.”

                Sang Woo regarded him for a few seconds.  “Are you sure that she’s the only one who’s falling for that trap?  You agreed to your father’s plan because of Yuri.”

                “Yoona…She is innocent.  It would be unfair to just use her and add more wound to her.  She doesn’t have any clue as to what’s happening yet she is the pawn that we keep on pushing.”

                “I hate to sound like your father but we are helping her.  We are just trying to give her what’s due to her.”

                “And after all this, what will happen to her?  When she completely falls for me?”

                “We shall cross the river when we get there.”

                Yunho sighed.  Lee Soo Man, Kwon Sang Woo and his father, they are all the same.  They were protecting something yet they don’t mind those that would be hurt along the way.  They were heartless businessmen.

Everything has become so complicated.  He didn’t want to hurt either of them.  As much as he could, he wanted to protect them.  He turned to the window.  Siwon and Yuri were standing by Siwon’s car.  Siwon has already opened the door for Yuri but were still standing so close to each other. 

‘Can you be happy in somebody else’s arms, Yuri?  Can you forget about me and be happy with Siwon’s love?’

Light filled the room and the sleeping form started to stir from her deep sleep.  Yoona tried to block the light by covering up with the blanket. 

“Sorry, I’ll make it quick,” said the intruder.  Yoona peeked to see the blasted intruder who disturbed her much needed rest.  It was Yuri.  She was taking off her earrings and her dress in swift motions and wrapped herself in a towel to have a shower.

“You just came?”  Yuri glanced at her roommate and smiled.  Yoona was already sitting up, ready to listen to whatever she would say.  She can never be bitter to this sweet person.  She nodded in response to her question.

“I’ll just go shower and I’ll tell you something when I get back.”

Sleep has totally left Yoona’s mind when she heard what Yuri said.  She noticed how Yuri was a bit off lately.  She didn’t talk much and she would always space out.  It must be about her family again.  Yuri hasn’t told her about her family yet and she respects it if Yuri doesn’t want to do it.

When Yuri got back, Yoona was sitting on Yuri’s bed, excitement written all over her face.  Yuri decided to make her wait a little bit, she would love to see the impatience on Yoona’s face. 

After a few more minutes, Yuri hasn’t finished getting dressed and Yoona was getting impatient.  The thought of a piece of gossip is killing her.  “Yuri, hurry up!”

Yuri chuckled.  “’Right, ‘right!  I’m done, now scoot!”  Yoona gave Yuri a space to sit on.

“What is it about?”  She couldn’t hide the excitement on her voice.

Yuri sighed.  She didn’t know if it is the right time to tell Yoona but at least she doesn’t want Yoona to be the last one to know.  “This is a long story so you better listen and don’t sleep on me because I know you’re really tired.”

Yoona nodded like a little kid.

“Good.  Now, where do I start?” Yuri said.  “Ah.  Let me tell you who I really am.  I am Kwon Yuri, only child of Kwon Sang Woo and Kwon Boa.”

“No way!”  Yoona’s eyes widened at the revelation. 

“Sssshhh!  Don’t be too loud!”

“I’m sorry.  You mean, you’re freaking rich and you didn’t tell me?!  I thought I’m your best friend.”

Yuri just shrugged her shoulders.  It’s not the most explosive yet.  “Well…About that…I have another best friend.  And you know him really well.”

Yoona’s brows crunched up in thought.  “It’s Jung Yunho!”  Yuri revealed.  She’s not in the mood to keep Yoona guessing.

Jung Yunho?!

It can’t be…Oh yeah!  She remembered bits of conversation just recently.

“He just came from the US…”

“I wanted to protect that jasmine even when I was far away…”

Yoona stared at Yuri.  Yuri gave her a hopeful smile.  “Well?  That’s believable, isn’t it?”

Yuri wasn’t hoping for the best reaction from Yoona but when she stood up to go to her bed she felt disappointed.

“I’m going to sleep,” Yoona said plainly.

“I never thought I’d be compelled to tell you that so you could at least understand.”

Yoona just lied down and covered herself with her thick blanket.  “Okay, I get it.  Goodnight Yoona!”  When Yoona didn’t answer, Yuri felt like she didn’t want to sleep at all.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

First of all, I want to say sorry for the long wait.  I don't have any excuse except that I am really ashamed of this chapter.  Forgive me for a lousy chapter.  I am seriously not good in conveying conflicts!  Boo, I say.  You could raise whatever questions you have in case my attempt is not clear.  

I finally added this chapter mainly because mikomikzzie keeps asking me when I would update.  And I thought, maybe you are already cursing me while realizing that it's already been more than a week since I updated.  

Forgive me!

Second, I want thank my new subscribers:

ijustlovesoshisuju

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It is surely making me guilty not updating when I still get more subscibers.  Thank you so much!!

Third, I want to give a sneak peek to my new story.  It's JaeRi/YunRi this time(I changed my mind about MinYul and don't ask me why).  I am not posting it yet until I finish Tangled though.  Tell me what you think about it too, okay?

Sneak Peek to Money, Brain and Crown

"I have my time on my hands.  I own a company, remember?" He watched her gulp down her food and wondered where would all the food go in her thin frame.

"With the new export bill, I thought you would be down in your office by four and trying to find a way to get more investors," Yuri said in between her eating.  Jaejoong smiled.  Of course she would know what businessmen like him do.  She's probably analyzing their moves most of her time.

"You're really something.  No wonder you have Jung Yunho in your palms."

Yuri stopped eating and glowered at Jaejoong.  This guy doesn't know anything about her and Yunho.  "You don't know anything about us."

"Sure.  It's all over the news," he pointed at the corner of the newspaper he was reading where an article about her and Yunho was printed.

"Neither do those people," she said.  She totally lost her appetite even though the waffle was superb.  She hates all the presumptions they are doing.

"Don't worry.  I don't believe a thing they say."

Yuri smirked.  Why would she worry about what he thinks?  This guy is so full of himself.  "Thank you being open-minded," she said sarcastically.

"Of course, how could you have a relationship with him when you woke up in my bed, wearing almost nothing and sitting in front of me at breakfast looking like the hottest thing in my shirt?"