I was tired when I arrived home. After I cried my eyes out in front of Taemin for more than 5 minutes, he brought me back to Jinri's house.

"Here." he says as he hands me a glass of water. I slowly took it with shaky hands.

I wanted him to go back to the party, but he refused. So now, we somehow ended up in Jinri's kitchen, him looking around to find a cup and some water.

"I need to look after you. You still look unwell." he says.

"I guess I have no choice then." I replied with a small smile.

We were silent for a while, nothing heard except for the slight dripping of the faucet and our ragged breaths. Fed up with it, I initiated a conversation.

"You have a lot to explain to me, Taemin." I said weakly. He looks at me and smiles.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything." he positions himself comfortably on the bar stool next to me and takes a deep breath.

"Jongin's not my biological brother. Explains the difference in surnames. He was my father's son from one of his endeavors. So you see, it's not only you hearing about Jongin being my brother for the first time. It was the whole country. I didn't know much about it, just heard it from gossiping businessmen when I was little.

But I was old enough to understand what they were talking about. Jongin's mom worshipped my dad. That was when he wasn't president yet, and could still make a scandal of himself without the press getting in the way.

He fooled around with women, and that caused my mother great stress. I wasn't able to meet her, Soojung. She was gone even before I could speak."

He takes a sip of water from my glass. I could tell this was a big deal to him, telling me this story. I let him continue when he's comfortable enough.

"So anyway, fast forward, I was 7, my father's finally the president, and the stress gets to him. So he does it again. Like that wasn't the reason why my mom died. And he found Jongin, and he found his mom.

And his mom still loved my father so much. Jongin couldn't do anything. She agreed to live with us, and there were times when Jongin and I were playing when we hear glasses breaking, or slaps, and we can't do anything either.

And Jongin was so brave, he wanted to do something. He wanted to fight back, but I tell him that's my father, our father, and every time, he stops. He keeps the anger to himself.

We grew up together, and one day, father tells me I am needed to run for presidency, and tells Jongin he will be off to be in an arranged marriage with the daughter of some rich tycoon.

We've always been used for his personal business. We still are. And although my father is more lenient with me, he's harsher on Jongin. But still, at the end of the day, he never considered us his sons. Just his money makers."

I was shocked hearing all of this. Could someone really be that cruel to their own child? Looking at it now, ever since Taemin became the new president, I've heard nothing but praises about his style of leadership. I didn't know what happened to the country when it was Mr. Lee running it, but I guessed it wasn't as good as it was today.

Still, I was confused. All my life, my parents treated my sister and I like angels, like royalty. They loved and nurtured us and taught us many great things about life, about bravery, about independence, the importance of friendships. Love. So this information was all perplexing to me.

"But why didn't you rebel? Why didn't you do what Jongin did and ran away?" I asked him.

Taemin looks at me with the most sorry look on his face, and I regretted asking him that question.

"Truth be told, I'm not as brave as Jongin. I don't think I ever will be. He's done so much for me. He's done everything even when I don't ask him to. I've always been grateful to him. He was the best older brother I could ever have. Even if it meant sacrificing his happiness, he agreed to this marriage. I knew it wasn't just because he wanted to forget the pain you've caused him. I knew it was because of me."

I feel tears well up in my eyes again, and my hands trembled even more.

"Jongin knew something was going on in my mental health when I started running for president. It was exhausting me, physically, mentally, emotionally. We never talked about it verbally, but I think he always knew it. The pressure doubled when I was elected. And we both knew getting into an arranged marriage was also something my father would want us to do.

I knew I wouldn't make that. I didn't want to marry. It wasn't because I liked you at that time, or what. I just felt like it wasn't the right time for marriage. But my father was forceful. And then you also came into the picture. He didn't want anything to happen to you, and to me. So he agreed. Like hitting two birds with one stone.

He's so good at that. Pretending that he's strong, that he can take everything that comes in his way. When his mother died, he never cried at the funeral. But when he was alone at night in his room, that's where he became the most vulnerable. He sobbed and sobbed, and screamed into his pillow, not knowing I could hear him from the other room.

I wish Jongin could rest his mind too. I wish he's stop acting like he can take everyone's burdens away. I guess that's why you never told him you had glaucoma. You saw it in his eyes. You saw how tired he was carrying everything on his own.

When I saw him tonight, looking at you like that, he looked so...... new. He looked calm. For once, he let go of his problems. And all he could see was you. His comfort. And I don't know if this should convince you enough more than it does but.....

He really loves you, Soojung. More than I, more than you, maybe even more than he himself knows."

I didn't realize how hard I was crying already, not until Taemin wiped my tears away. I have been stupid, running away from him, when all I ever was to him was the home he yearned for.

But I wasn't selfish like that. I had to do it. He has to live a normal life, not the life of a person who has to take care of someone like me forever. I can't let him live knowing I'll be another one of his burdens.

"I made the right decision to leave, Taemin. It was a benefit for the both of us. I don't want him to go through life hurting because I can't see him."

"You don't need to see him, Soojung. You just gotta be with him, as he faces his battles."

I gulped my water. I didn't need this talk right now. My decision is final, and as long as I know Jinri's gonna take care of him well, I'll be okay.

"Soojung, he's right." someone behind us speaks.

I turned around in panic and see Jinri standing by the doorway of the kitchen, gripping at the ends of her gown. She looked worn out, and her eyeliner was running down her cheeks.

"I better leave. I'm sorry for invading your house so late, Jinri." Taemin stands up to leave.

"It's a pleasure from the president himself. I'll you out." she says, a smile still evident on her face.

"Please take care of Soojung. For me." Taemin says one last time as he exits the front door and runs towards his car.

We both waved him goodbye. When we went back inside, I was again enveloped by ear piercing silence. I didn't like where this is going.

Suddenly, Jinri lead me to the couch. She sat me down, and sat beside me. She was looking intently into my eyes, and I turned away in consciousness.

"That night. At the restaurant." she says. I looked at her, confused.

"When I met Taemin for the first time. That's you, wasn't it? Your bag, I saw it. And I realized why it looked so familiar."

The thought of the night, when Jongin and I almost met, flashed back inside my head. If I would've been brave enough during that time, I might've already known it was Jinri who was his fiancee.

"Soojung, you don't have to do this. I could call off the wedding."

"Jinri, what are you saying? You can't do that. Your deal with the Lees are gonna be in danger too."

"I don't care about that. My parents don't care about that either."

"But Jinri....."

"I saw it. The way he looked at you." she said, and looked afar. She chuckled a bit. "I didn't wanna believe it, but when I heard what you and Taemin were talking about....."

"Did you..... heard everything?" I asked cautiously.

"Only most of it. But Soojung," she looks back at me and grips my hands, "You don't have to do this. I know what you're doing, but you're not benefitting anything from this, let alone him. Now I understood, why it always never works out between us. And why it never will."

I hugged her, letting her know it wasn't her fault.

"Soojung, please, you have to hold on to that sliver of chance. Just take the treatment. Just do it, so you cam never doubt anymore, if you will ever be enough to Jongin or not."

"Jinri......"

Everything suddenly turned black. Like someone switched off the lights. We were enveloped in darkness, and I gripped onto Jinri's hands tighter.

"Who..... who turned off the lights?"

"Soojung, what are you talking about?"

It was like she and I knew what just happened. Within minutes, she was calling an ambulance, and I was trying to calm myself in the couch.

When we got to the hospital, I felt Jinri's hand on mine as they were rolling my bed into somewhere I know nothing about.

"Soojung, you'll be okay, okay? I'll be here when your vision returns." she says, and her hand lets go of mine, as they continued rolling me farther and farther away, with her voice getting fainter by the second.

I woke up to the comforting hum of the airconditioner, and felt soft linens beneath me. But when I opened my eyes.... Nothing. Just darkness.

Refusing to believe what is happening, I closed them again as I tried to calm myself down by counting.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5......

When I opened them again, still. Nothing.

I muffled my sobs, but someone must've heard me, because I heard someone stirring near me, holding my cold hand with an equally warm one.

"Soojung." the voice says. But it wasn't Jinri. And from the sound of it, the voice was crying.

And that's when I broke down.

"Sooyeon...... I'm sorry." that was all I managed to say in between my sobs.