CHAPTER 3

140214
Lee Mansion

FROM: UNKNOWN NUMBER
If you want to know your past, you have to go on WGM special season with Kwon Jiyong. Ask Lee Soo Hyuk to make the arrangement for you.

Chaerin stared at her handphone screen and frowned. Ever since she came back from the orphanage, she had been getting weird messages. But she wanted to know her past, the years before she met Soo Hyuk. While she couldn’t understand why Kwon Jiyong was in the picture since they only crossed paths twice, she had to find out. She turned to the man who had been her pillar for the longest time.

"Soo Hyuk oppa, I heard that WGM is having a special season. I want to be on it. And I want you to convince the PD to let Kwon Jiyong go on the show with me."

"Chaerin ah, why do you suddenly want to go on a show you shown much disdain for and with Kwon Jiyong?"

"We have unfinished business."

"But you have never met him before."

Chaerin raised her wine glass and took a sip of the expensive vintage wine.

"We did, but I doubt he remembered. After all, he's so caught up in his own world. Can you just do me this favor? And oppa, why are you spending Valentine's Day with me? What happened to all your model girlfriends?"

"You do not spend Valentine's Day with your flings. They might think you want a relationship with them."

"Oppa, don't you have someone you love with all your heart and want to spend your life with?"

"You."

"But we can never be together. We are siblings."

"Not related by blood though."

"Do you really love me that way? Like a woman instead of a younger sibling?"

"I don't know. But if you ask me who's the one girl in my heart and the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, it's you. I don't even need to think about it."

"Maybe I should move out. You probably feel like you need to take care of me as long as I'm leaving under the same roof."

"Don't you dare entertain that thought. I won't allow you to move out till you are married."

"How am I supposed to get married when people are constantly wondering about our relationship? It's either you or Dony. No, wait! If I go on 'We Got Married', I can move out right?! Well, at least when I'm recording the show."

Soo Hyuk looked like he wanted to argue so to pacify him, Chaerin hugged him from the back.

"I will always come back here. Because YOU, Lee Soo Hyuk, you are my home. Home is not a building, it's the people."

Soo Hyuk moved Chaerin and embraced her from the back. He kissed the top of her head. Both of them looking out at the night view from their mansion.

"Oppa, if I really can't find anyone to marry me, you would marry me right?"

"Do you want us to go get married now? Say the word and it's done."

"No. If I do that, I'm being selfish. I know you love me but I don't know if I love you that way. You have the right to find someone who loves you as much as you would love her."

"That's going to be difficult when all my love is with you. But you do have a right to find someone you love. Make sure that he's worth it. If not, I would skin him alive. Just know that I'm always here."

"Thank you oppa. Let's go to the kitchen. I'm going to cook you dinner today."

"Wow, Lee Chaerin, cooking dinner for me. That's rare. I have to go buy lottery tickets."

"What do you want to eat?"

"Anything. Whatever you cook is amazing. It's a pity you don't do it often."

"If I do it all the time, what would Chef Yoon do?"

“That’s true.”

With that, the Lee siblings went to the kitchen, hand in hand. Chaerin started taking out ingredients for dinner and Soo Hyuk tied the apron around her, then gave a kiss on her cheek, which got her to turn back and smile at him. Anyone who looks at them would think that they are a couple.

While Chaerin was busy cooking, Soo Hyuk got on the phone with the PD of ‘We Got Married’ and told her about putting Chaerin and Jiyong on the show. The PD was pleasantly surprised that Chaerin had shown interest in being part of the show and even named who she wanted as her partner. When the PD informed Soo Hyuk that they had wanted to approach Chaerin to be in the show but didn’t know if it was appropriate because they didn’t want to offend Soo Hyuk in case the two of them were in a relationship. Soo Hyuk laughed it off and reassured the PD that it’s not like that between them. After getting the reassurance that they would cast Chaerin and Jiyong for the show, Soo Hyuk got off the phone.

“Done. You will be casted for ‘We Got Married’.”

“Will Kwon Jiyong be on it?”

“I told the PD and it seemed like they had already considered the 2 of you but was just wary about asking because they didn’t want to offend me in case we are in a relationship.”

“See! I told you! You are my biggest obstacle to getting a man! Why do people think that I would actually allow MY man to have multiple relationship scandals? I’m not a pushover!”

“Correction. I have never been in a relationship scandal. Relationship rumors yes, scandals no.”

“That’s only because I would appear beside you the moment those rumors break out. You have to stop using me as your shield. But it’s strange how they never really dig deeper into our relationship.”

Soo Hyuk just smiled at that comment and watched Chaerin finish up her dish.

You have no idea how deep people had tried to dig.
But I will protect you till the day you die.
The promise I gave to you when you were 3, I intend to keep till the day I die.

“Oppa, can you please set the table? This is almost done. You want to get the other staff to come and eat with us?”

“It’s just you and me. I gave them a day off since it was Valentine’s Day.”

“Alright then, let’s eat then.”

The two of them ate in silence. Then Soo Hyuk remembered something.

“When are you releasing your new single?”

“The announcement will go out tomorrow. I’m having a party on 25th and the song would be released and performed LIVE at midnight, which is my birthday. You are invited.”

“Even if I’m not invited, I’m going to be there. It’s your birthday. Would you allow me to not be there?”

“That’s true. You are the only one I spent my birthday with.”

“Since you are having a party, we will probably be spending it with the gang right?”

“Of course! The Kwon Twins are my dancers. Dony is taking care of all the details. This is an exclusive event so only invited guests and media."

"Why do I have this feeling that Kwon Jiyong is on the guest list?"

"Well, it's not just him though. The invitation will go out to his group since they are somewhat underground musicians too."

"Does this mean that Jay Park is going to be there too?"

"He's still a friend even if our relationship didn't work out."

"You stay close to me that night. I don't want Jay thinking that he has a second chance. No one cheats on you and hope to get away easily. If you didn't stop me, I would have made sure that he can't survive here in Korea."

"Oppa, don't be too harsh on him. I'm over it already."

Soo Hyuk frowned at Chaerin. He knew that she was really hurt when she found out that Jay was cheating on her. But she didn't dare show it because she knew that Soo Hyuk has the power to make sure that he won't be able to survive in Korea.

"What unfinished business do you have with Kwon Jiyong anyway?"

Not wanting Soo Hyuk to know the real reason why she wanted to go on the show with Jiyong, Chaerin chose the incident that he knew about.

"Do you remember the little boy who wanted his grandfather to ‘buy’ me from the orphanage?"

"You mean that was Kwon Jiyong?"

Chaerin nodded.

"I recognized YG and since Kwon Jiyong is his only grandson, it has to be him. I want him to know that the little girl he had wanted to ‘buy’ with his grandfather’s money is now more successful than he ever would be. And that is through our hard work."

"Is that all?"

"I want to make the statement that if you work hard enough, you can be whoever you want to be. Even if you are a girl from an unprivileged background."

"Are you going to reveal that we grew up in an orphanage?"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"It doesn't affect me much to be honest."

"It made me who I am now, I am not ashamed of my past. It's not like I choose to be in an orphanage. But if I weren't there, I won't have met you and the other oppas so it was a blessing in disguise."

"But you do know that there would be people who would dig up more of our past right?"

Chaerin looked Soo Hyuk straight in the eyes and gave him a reassuring smile.

I want them to dig. I want to know the truth.

"Oppa, we have nothing to be ashamed of. We might not come from a good family but we didn't choose our families. You are my family now, that's all I know."

"Alright, but if you are ever uncomfortable with anything that WGM production team ask you to do, just tell them to stop. If they insist, tell me and I would deal with it."

"Oppa, don't forget that Kwon Jiyong comes with his own weight in the entertainment business too."

"I don't care what happens to him but if anyone hurts you, they answer to me."

"You are so scary, oppa. Don't intimidate the people I'm going to work with. Which reminds me, I should tell Dony to send the WGM PD an invite to my showcase and to let them know that Kwon Jiyong is on the guest list as well."

"Don't forget we have to have dinner with Omma on your birthday."

"Of course I'm not going to forget that! But where are you bringing us this year?"

"It's a secret~"

"But we probably won't be done till early morning. It won't be my birthday anymore would it?"

"Don't you know I can control time?"

"Aigoooo, don't let those praises of you being the most powerful man get to you."

"Nah, you are the most powerful. After all, you've got the most powerful man wrapped around your little finger."

With that, Chaerin grinned and hugged Soo Hyuk.

"Nope, I'm the luckiest woman in the world. No one in this world is luckier than I am. Oppa, you are really all I ever need. And I'm so lucky to have found you when I was 3."

"You sweet-talker~ How am I supposed to tear myself away from you? I'm serious about us getting married. I don't even care if you don't love me as much as I love you. I don't think you can anyway because my love for you knows no bounds."

"But I really want you to find someone who will love you as much as you love me, someone who can love you wholeheartedly."

"That's not even important to me. Being able to love you is more important. If that girl loves me but doesn't allow me to love you, then no matter how much she loves me, it is not important."

"Oppa, this is what I'm afraid of. How can you sacrifice your own happiness for me?"

"How is it a sacrifice?"

"Does that mean I can't love someone else?"

"Is my love for you a burden?"

"No! Argh! There's no arguing with you."

"Then don't. It's my choice to make. If one day you find your happiness, I'd be very happy for you."

"How am I supposed to do that?! You are the beginning and end of my happiness!"

"The marriage proposal is valid for life, so don't worry. Anytime you are ready, say the word and it will be done."

With nothing to say to that, Chaerin just hugged Soo Hyuk tighter.

"Why are you behaving like you are leaving me? You are never this clingy."

"I love you, oppa, so so much."

Soo Hyuk released himself from the hug and looked at Chaerin in the eye.

"Chaerin ah, don't scare me like this. Why are you behaving like this?"

Because I'm keeping a secret from you.

Chaerin smiled at Soo Hyuk and kissed his lips briefly.

"Oppa, no matter what happens in the future, you must know that I love you a lot and hurting you is the last thing I would do. I won't ask you to promise to be beside me if..."

"I will never leave you, no matter what. Don't underestimate my love for you."

"If I ever leave you, it's because..."

"NO! No matter what the reason is, I would never allow you to leave. If you die before I do, I would..."

Chaerin put her fingers on Soo Hyuk's lips to stop the words from coming out.

“Don’t. Let’s stop this talk. It’s depressing. Oppa, let’s go shopping!”

“Lee Chaerin, it’s 10pm. There’s no shops open at this time.”

But even as he was protesting, he took out his phone to call his personal assistant to call all of Chaerin’s favorite brands to be on stand-by. In 5 minutes, Chaerin got back to the living room, ready to go.

“Where do you want to go first?”

“Saint Laurent.”

“But don’t you already have everything you want from there?”

“Who says it’s for me?”

“Then who?”

“I have to go buy something for my husband-to-be right?”

“Me?”

Chaerin laughed out loud at Soo Hyuk’s answer. She shook her head, linked her arm through his and pulled him out of the door.”

“No, silly oppa! Kwon Jiyong.”

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