Chapter 39 : Conversation

“Good morning Eomo-nim.” Krystal greeted brightly over the phone with her soon to be mother in law.

“Soojung, how was Mont St Michel? Kai said it was nice.” Madame Kim smiled, sipping tea at the terrace late afternoon.

“It was… very. But I wanted to ask you something… we met your stepdaughter there. Son Naeun?” She stiffened and her eyes widened at the name. Her lips pursed into a straight line and cursed her son's overwhelming loyalty to the girl. How dare he keep this from her? 
After all that she's done…

“Ah… I see. In France Soojung?” 
 

“Come on Sunggyu!” Eunji whined very loudly over the phone as she waited for Myungsoo to get out of class.

“I can't just bribe her Eunji. I have a reputation.” Sunggyu said as a matter of fact.

“Not a very good one.” She snorted.
.

“Eunji!” He admonished, sounding very hurt. But really, how hurt could Kim Sunggyu get?

“I'm sorry. That was mean. Come on! You're Kim Sunggyu!” Eunji was trying her best to blow up his pride and rectify the mess.

“I barely know her. I don't roll with that crowd. She's infamous Eunji and don't forget she's engaged to Kim Jongin. The dude is protective as hell.”

“I'm not asking you to get close to her. I'm sure you know somebody who knows her.”

“I'll ask Chorong.” He said after a moment of pondering.

“Really? Thanks Gyu!” Eunji shouted.

“You know I hate it when you call me that.” She could just imagine him making a lame face.

“Exactly why I use it Gyu.” She quipped.

“Are you talking to my brother?” Myungsoo appeared just off his economy class.

“Eo… hey Gyu your brother's here. Want to talk to him?” Eunji asked.

“Bye Eunji.” He dismissed her.

“He hung on me.” Eunji frowned pulling away from the phone when she realised how he was still very much the she knew well.

“Wasn't that a surprise.” Myungsoo rolled his eyes. He didn't want a lecture from his older brother either.

“I'll never understand you Kim's…” She shook her head.

“Why were you talking to him anyway?”

“I needed him to do a favour for me.”

Of course.

Sunggyu however strict and disciplined and callous. Would never say 'no' to Jung Eunji. Even when they were young. Even before he became CEO or a somebody. Even now.

It's too bad he would ever be deserving of her. Myungsoo sighed. It's a shame she doesn't love him, maybe she could've changed him. But he couldn't deny the fact that his elder brother was good to her.

“Anyway, you wanted to have lunch with me? Is Hoya joining us?”

“Hoya has class till 3, actually there's something I wanted to talk to you about.” She cleared .

“Sure… okay. Let's grab a table at the usual place.” Myungsoo suggested and Eunji nodded. They walked a block from the campus grounds to a small café and Eunji strategically choose the corner booth that was slightly more private. As private as you can get with the overbearing patrons and gossiping waiters.

But she tried.

“What's up?”

“It's about Naeun.”

“What about Naeun?” He acted blasé.

“I know you met Kai. I know you know that he's her stepbrother. That she's the heiress to Viason Corp.”

“There's no point denying it, is there?”

“There's… something's you should know before you talk to her. It's all very complicated.”

“What in life isn't?”

“True.”

“Before anything else. Are you mad?”

“Mad that Naeun lied to me? Mad that you with held all this from me? Mad that Kim Jongin is some what the cause of her pain? Oh yes… I'm very mad.”

“Myungsoo.”

“But I know there's a reason why. And I understand that some things are better left unsaid.”

“She's trying. She really is. I've known her since we were in diapers and there's some things that still remain a mystery to me about Naeun.”

“Like?”

She leaned in like they were sharing conspiratorial secret.

“Like the fact that after she declined the contract for the Corps de ballet, she went missing for a year.”

“Where was she?”

Eunji shook her head.

“I don't know. She just dissapeared for a year. I searched for her, even hired a detective. The Sons went silent and no one would let me pass the compound or at the office. It was as if everyone turned a blind eye to Naeun.  Two weeks before I came to Paris she appeared at my doorstep.”

“She never told you anything?”

“She refuses to but she did let slip one thing…”

“Which is?”

“She stayed with a person I don't know… Kim Namjoo.”

“You didn't ask?”

“I don't press Naeun. She's more thick skinned than you think she is. Especially about the her life in Seoul. It's not something she can share easily.”

“What else should I know?”

She paused for a second, tapping her fingers on the table and taking a sip of her coffee.

“Kim Jongin… she calls him Kai because she uses to be friends with him. Even before they became step siblings. They went to the same ballet academy. Along with one of Kai's friends. I can't remember his name… but all three of them were very close.”

“How close?”

“Close enough. She saw Kai as a brother and a friend.”

“Did he?” He lowered his voice.

“I suspected Kai harboured more than brotherly feelings for her. But I could never confirm anything. Especially after their parents were married.”

“Naeun's mother… she died when Naeun was young.”

“Yes.” Eunji took another sip.

“How was her stepmother?”

“Intolerable. To say the least. She envied Naeun. But her son was friends with her. She probably thought it would reflect well on her if she kept things neutral between them. Lest she upset Kai and her new husband.”

“But Kim Jongin is inheriting the company instead of Naeun.”

“Ah… now that's the elephant in the room isn't it? Kai stopped dancing when he turned 18. He started to be trained under his father. Naeun didn't care. She was aiming for the stage.”

“But she was injured.”He pointed it out waiting for her to continue.

“It's better if Naeun tells you about that.”

“Eunji…”

“There's something's that shouldn't come out of my mouth Myungsoo. ”

“How am I suppose to react to all this? I love her Eunji, I do, but what if this tears us apart?”

“I have confidence you'll be fine. She's someone hard to get close to… she doesn't open up well. But I see her with you. I see the way she tries with you.”

“What if I screw up?” He said, frustrated,  running his fingers through his hair.

“You haven't yet. I don't regret introducing you to her. But seriously who knew you two would last this long.” She said the last sentence off handedly.

“Thanks for the show of faith.” He replied sarcastically.

“Your welcome. Well then, I expect your visit.”

“You're late.She's waiting for you on the roof.” Eunji said flatly as she opened the door for him.

“The roof?!”

“If you go out the balcony there's a ladder that leads to heavens.”Eunji gestured to the open doors of the balcony.

“Eunji I'm nervous.” He rubbed his hands.

“Don't be. She loves you to.” She patted his shoulder.

He just about made it to the top of the ladder without fainting. Just about.

“Naeun! This is insane!” He shouted.

“Don't be a wimp!” Eunji called from the kitchen.

“I can see my house from here!” He shouted excitedly when he finally managed to compose himself.

“Hi.”She greeted him. Her hair wind whipped and wearing a large sweater with a blanket over her lap and a mug of steaming tea in her hands.

“Hi.” Myungsoo said, a little bit breathless from the climb and more so from the sight of her.

“Naeun this is crazy.”

“I know.”

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A/N:

I'm terribly sorry for accidently ticking 'complete' on the last chapter, I was very tired when I updated it. I'm sorry if I confused a few people. I think this is gonna be a long one anyway...

Who knew my editor dongsaeng could be soo sappy huh? But I appreaciate it, she knows I generally don't take care of myself well. Saranghae dongsaeng! <3

Anyway, like she said, I'm a workaholic, but partly coz I trouble myself so it's all good. 

I wanted everyone's opinion on slightly mature content for the oncoming chapter (41), it's not going to be full blown coz I don't want it to be about the '', but more about the emotional intimacy behind it? does that make sense? Okay just comment your thoughts. ^^