SeulMi was on the phone with Suho. Kris sat in the seat in front of her and kept staring at her like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. “Okay. I’ll see you in a bit oppa.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.” SeulMi hangs up the phone and looks at the document for the meeting in 20 minutes. “Why are you staring at me?” she looks up at Kris.

“Why did you act like that?”

“Like what?”

“Why did you act like that to Kai?” Kris sat down in the chair on the other side of her desk, “That isn’t like you.” SeulMi sighs and puts the documents down.

“Kai is basing his decision on feelings and I don’t trust that.” She leans back.

“You know that he’ll get the wrong idea of it right?”

“He gets the wrong idea of everything. Then when he figures it out, he has already ruined everything.”

“Aren’t you making your decision based on your feelings too?”

“Ani…I making my decision based on what is good for the company.”

“SeulMi…you and Kai needs to stop playing this push and pull game. Life isn’t a game.”

“Life is a game, just not all the players interact but all of them have the same goal. It is either to survive or get famous. But life is cruel, you’ll have to give something up. Ha.” She laughs, “Me for example. I’m probably the only 23 year-old CEO in Seoul, maybe even in Korea. And you want to know what I had to lose…my family, my dignity, and almost my life.”

“Your life is yours.” Kris says with confusion.

“Ani…my life belong to those who this company impacts now. So if I make one wrong move or a stupid decision I’ll bring this company down with me.”

The meeting began, the board of both companies all gather in the conference room. SeulMi rolled her chair to the front.

“We are all gather here as you may know, to talk about our vacation trip.” Some people were hooraying. “Okay but we all know this isn’t any ordinary trip. If you look at the documents in front of you this place can become a dream vacation. We want everyone to survey this place as if you were on vacation.” Kai raised his hands

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

“This place is a new open vacation spot, and our first one at that. So we want to know how people with family, singles, couples, or just business people will like it. So for example if Xiumin oppa and unnie were to go, what would be the best thing for their son and then there is me; I can’t move around without my chair so what would there be for me to do.” She looks at Kai, “So just think ‘If I was just a regular civilian, how would this impact me?’.”

“Are we allowed to take anyone with us?” ask Xiumin

“The company is only paying up to two family member and a friend per person.  If you bring more than that they’ll either pay or the money comes out of your pocket.”

“What if we want to bring just three friends?” ask a guy

“That is fine.”  Kai raised his hand.

“What about security measure?” SeulMi hesitated at the question, “Are we going to have any while we’re there?”

“Both CEO have talked about this matter and yes we will appoint one guard per member, but they’ll have to be undercover, we don’t want to disturb the peace.” SeulMi fixes her papers, “We’ll be choosing who gets to go with who. Remember we’re surveying the area. When you’re done with your survey please give them to the GM or CEO of the company you are coming with?”

“Where are we staying?” ask Suho

“Rooms have been reserved for both companies. But CEOs and GMs are getting my family’s beach house outside the resort.” SeulMi couldn’t help but chuckle as she heard people whine and complaints, “I’ll see you guys two day from now.”

Everyone gets up and leaves. Kai goes and walked towards SeulMi. SeulMi tidy her papers and leaves it in her lap.

“I want to talk to you.” SeulMi looks at her watch.

“You have 10 minutes. I have to go to the security meeting.”

“Why do you dislike Ririn?”

“When did I ever say I dislike her?”

“Then why are you acting like this?”

“Kai, I am running a company here. I can’t just allow somebody, I don’t know, to hold a high position like that.”

“Ririn isn’t just somebody. I trust her.”

“And I trust DongWon. DongWon was and still is head of Security for here and Starship. If you have a problem with that come and talk to me afterwards.” SeulMi tries to roll away but Kai blocked her. “Get out of my way.”

“What is your problem?”

“Mine? What is yours?”

“I’m trying to understand why you’re acting like this?” Kai raised his voice, “What gives you the right to act like this?”

“I’m the CEO of Sujeong. I have every right to pick and choose. Every decision I make matters, everything I say or do can destroy me or build me up. I don’t expect you to know how that feels.” SeulMi rolls away but Kai hold onto the chair.

“Why can’t you just trust me on this?” SeulMi looks at him. “Trust my decision.”

“Trust isn’t something you can just give, it is earned. You’ve lost my trust two years ago.” She looks straight, “It also seem you’ve lost your trust in me also.” Kai felt uncertainty in his heart, “Friendship for 20 years, or new kindle interest for 2, I’ll let you pick.” SeulMi rolls out of the room. Kai walks out of the room after her and see her with Kris already.

DongWon sat at the corner of the room waiting for SeulMi to appear. Ririn was surrounded by all the other officers. They asked her tons of question and all she did was ignore. DongWon couldn’t take it anymore and became annoyed also.

“Quiet!” Everyone sat down and gave their attention to him, “CEO Kang is going to be here in a bit so I suggest you give her your most undivided attention.” He stood with his hands behind his back.

“Yes Sir.” Everyone answered back and went back to their seat. Ririn slightly smiles at DongWon, even though he didn’t look at her.

SeulMi and Kris comes through the door and is greeted by everyone. She sat in the front of the room. DongWon walked over and stood by SeulMi.

“As you all know the company’s board is going on a vacation in two days. Unfortunately we can’t take all of you guys, only 5 will go from both companies. Two of those spot has already been taken by your new HOS Kim DongWon and…” SeulMi stares at Ririn, “his partner Hwang Ririn.” Ririn stood up and walks up next to DongWon.  “The next two day DongWon and Ririn are going to help train and test to see who is eligible to go and who are to stay back with the staff. We suggest that you guys do your best.”  

Kai sat at his new desk in frustration. A knock was heard on his door.

“Come in.” A man about the same age as Kai walks in, “Who are you?”

“Oh sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Luke, your secretary. I was Mr. Song’s old secretary.” Kai nods.

“I remember you.” Kai smirk, “Sorry for that.” Luke observe his expression. Kai seemed upset.

“Are you okay sir?” Kai just looks at him, “Do you not like the furniture? If you don’t we can change it”

“Bwoh?”

“Oh it is just Ms. Kang picked it out herself…for you. She said that you like this type of furniture.” Kai looks at the desk, “If you don’t like it we can change it.”

“Ani.” Kai finally notice it. Everything that was in his office was an exact replica of what was in his old office, just newer. “Do you know where she is now?”

“She just got out of that meeting with the new HOS and the rest of the security.”

“Gomawa.” Kai quickly gets out of his desk and runs towards the elevator. The elevator opens up and Kris was the only one there. Kris walks out and blocks him.

“Just the person I wanted to see.” Kai looks around Kris, “She just left.”

“To where?”

“Didn’t say.” Kris handed him a note, “but she told me to give this to you.” Kai takes the note, “She said something about you got what you wanted.”

Kai quickly opens the note.

“Aish…”Kai grip the paper in his hand.

“Isn’t this what you wanted? Why are you acting like this?”

“It is but…” he looks at the paper, “it didn’t go the way I planned it. She did this because she got mad at me.”

“You two got into another argument?” Kris raises his brow, “That two in one day.” Kai give Kris a confused look.

“Hyung, aren’t you and SeulMi in a relationship? Why are you worried about us?” Kris chuckles.

“Ani, I’m just taking care of SeulMi while she is in this condition. Mr. Song asked me.”

“But when SeulMi got into…when you.” Kris grips onto Kai’s shoulder

“SeulMi and I are friends. When you got into that incident with Luna she asked me to fake a relationship with her to make you leave. I understood where she was coming from.”

“If you have to take care of her, why aren’t you with her?”

“Kai a man needs his time alone and so does a woman. You can’t expect me to follow her everywhere she goes.”

----

SeulMi went back to her uncle’s house and got into the pool. She had a float under her arm to help her balance. She slowly took step and walked around the whole pool. She had to rid of her fear of water in order to learn how to walk again.

“SeulMi ah.” SeulMi stop what she was doing and looked over. EunMi walked towards the pool with ChangMin at her hips.

“Unnie.” She smiles, “What are you guys doing here?”

“Xiumin wanted to come and talk to your uncle so ChangMin and I tagged along.”

“Oh.”

“How is your water therapy going?” EunMi examines the way SeulMi stood, “Seems like you’re getting the hang of things. Any progress?”

“Yea, a good amount actually.”

“Who all knows you’re doing this?”

“You, Xiumin, Kris, and DongWon.”

“Wae DongWon?”

“Because ajeossi makes him guard me and you know oppa.”

“Ne.” EunMi smiles, “He is very serious when it comes to his job.” The girls laugh.

“Unnie, do you know the story behind DongWon and his girlfriend?”

“Ne…waeyo?”

“I just want to know his story.”

“There wasn’t much of a story to tell. DongWon was always a workaholic, never dated or even talk to girls, even in his division. One day this girl pops up to the division. She seem ordinary but she didn’t catch oppa’s eyes a first. Eventually during a training camp they both got partnered up and got lost for about 2 days. No one know what happened but when they both were found oppa was hurt. That wasn’t the only thing. I remember him starting to check himself out in the mirror afterwards.”

“Wow, jjinja?”

“Jjinja. He wasn’t even as good looking back then. There were rumors that they were dating. Sometime later oppa became depressed so I started to ask around. Everyone told me that the girl just got up and left one day after a mission, no one had a clue. Oppa became less talkative and active then.”

“Ne…oppa told me about you too. About how you helped him.”

“Ne, I was just happy to see him smile again.” SeulMi walked closer to the pool stairs and sat down.

“You know she is back right?”

“How did you know?”

“I didn’t, at first. I thought maybe it was just all a coincidence. So I examine DongWon and her expression when they were close together or near each other. They both give off this aura of awkwardness and confusion.”

“Did you confront them?”

“Ani, let’s hope they figure it out themselves.” SeulMi touches the rings on her neck, remembering what Kai had said.

“Were you going to tell me that you gave one of the rings to Suho hyung and that he was your lover?”

 EunMi notice her gesture. “Is there something bothering you SeulMi?” it was while before she talked back.

“Do you believe in stories?”

“Bwoh?”

“Do you believe that all story has a happy ending?”

“Why are you asking that question?” SeulMi looks down at the necklace.

“Because I think this one doesn’t.” She shows EunMi the rings.

(Chap 13 Suspicion)

“This ring not only appears, but reunite the lovers also.” SeulKi smiles, “But only if their love is true.”

“Daebak.”

“But hal-abeoji also said that there is third ring.”

“A third ring?”

“Mmm…” SeulKi looks at her hand, “The Lovers’ Ring represent three friends who fell in love. The girl gave each of the two guys a ring, because she couldn’t decide who she loved most. She left in hope that whoever she loved more would find her. Both of the guys found out that they liked the same girl and went to look for her.”

“Who found her?”

“Hal-abeoji’s chingu.”

“As in JongIn oppa’s hal-abeoji?” SuelKi nods, “Where is the third ring now?” SeulKi didn’t answer, “unnie?”

“With another person,” She looks at SeulMi, “You’ll find out eventually.”

SeulMi was in her room looking at the two rings that laid on her desk.

“So Suho oppa does have it?” she sighs and looks at the picture of her and SeulKi on her desk, “Which one were you going to choose?”

RING RING

SeulMi looked at the caller ID. It was Kai.

“Yeobosaeyo?”

“SeulMi, are you asleep yet?”

“Waeyo?”

“Look out your window.” SeulMi roll her chair towards the window. Kai was standing by the patio.

“What are you doing out here this late?”

“Just come out.” Kai hangs up his phone and watch SeulMi disappear from the window. Not too long afterwards Kai see her rolling her chair towards him. He walks over to her with a smile.

“What are you, 17?”

“I wish.” Kai smiles and push her towards the table.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to talk to you.”

“About?”

“Us.”

“What about us?” Kai shifted in his chair and took a huge breath.

“I know we got off to the wrong start after 2 years.” SeulMi nods, “So I wanted to apologize for the Ririn incident. I know I was wrong.” He looks at SeulMi

“Is that it?”

“Yeah.” Kai nods.

“Goodnight then.” SeulMi unclasps the break.

“Wait.” Kai grabs her hand, “I want to ask you a question.” He slowly let go of her hand.

“Go ahead.”

“Are you and Suho hyung dating?”

“Why would you ask me that?”

“I just wanted to know.”

“Why would I date my ex-husband’s brother? That would be a stupid idea.”

“So you admit that I was your husband.”

“Once upon a time.” SeulMi observe his face, he had a small smile but not small enough to escape her eyes, “Why do you seem so happy to know I’m not dating your brother?”

“Ani…I just think hyung is probably dating.”

“Jjinja?”

“Mmm.” Kai nods, “I saw a ring similar to the Lovers’ Ring in hyung’s office. I thought you gave it to him so I didn’t say anything until now.”

“What if oppa isn’t dating anyone?”

“Then it must be from his dead girlfriend or something.” That made SeulMi think about SeulKi.

“Kai, you remember what I said to you about Unnie two years ago?” Kai nods, “What if what I said was true?” Kai paused

“I don’t understand what you’re asking.”

“What I am saying is if,” SeulMi paused and thought about Suho, “Nevermind, it is stupid question to ask.” Kai nods and looks at his watch.

“It is getting late too, you should go inside.”

“Ne, goodnight.” Kai watched SeulMi rolled back inside. He hears a branch break behind him and turn quickly.

“Having fun being young?”

“Ajeossi.” Mr. Song walks onto the patio, “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to figure out whose car was parked out front.”

“Mianhae.” Kai scratches the back of his head.

“No need. If you really want to make up for what you did I have a request.”

“Bwoh?”

Preview:

“Ajeossi, I’m not a little kid anymore.”

“I did basically what I did at KIM corps.”

“Talk to girls?”

“I’m sorry that my leaving hurt you so much. I had a reason for leaving.”

“The last time you cooked with me you burned your fingertips and it was only two dishes.”

“There is nothing you need to hide from me.”