After picking up the dry cleaning, Piper decided to make a pit stop at the Secret Garden to see if Kyung Ran was there. She could always go home, explain things to her mother and get advice from her, but Kyung Ran already knew everything. Not to mention it would be horrendously embarrassing talking to her mother about it. After movie night and the incident at the golf course, her parents were practically singing Choi Young Do’s praises. Revealing everything that had happened would either go ignored or unleash a million questions Piper didn’t want to answer.

Thankfully, the Kyung Ran was there, and brought over a steaming cup of tea as soon as Piper sat down.

“Seeing you back here means you told him, right?” She wondered as she slid the cup over to the redheaded girl across from her. “How did it go?”

“Not as great as it could have gone,” Piper admitted. “I practically shouted it at him and he hasn’t made mention of it since.”

“He hasn’t given you an answer?” Kyung Ran wondered incredulously.

“He hasn’t even acknowledged it happened.” Piper informed her. “Then again, we’ve been trying to shield my best friend from nasty rumors – her boyfriend, too – and we’ve just gotten this assignment for literature class that’s going to take a lot of time, so I can understand being him distracted.”

“Distracted or not, there’s no excuse for not acknowledging your feelings.”

“I’d probably curl up into a ball and die if he did,” Piper puffed out a heavy breath. “But, knowing Choi Young Do, he’s not going to be sincere any time soon. Not while he’s trying to maintain his own image after the girl he confessed to became publically official with her boyfriend. Then again, no one really knows he likes her except for a few people.”

“That girl is your best friend, right?” Kyung Ran asked. Piper nodded. “What does she say?”

“She hasn’t really said anything. She knows I confessed to him, so she’s trying to keep the conversations we have away from it. She knows it’s not the most comfortable subject for me to talk about.”

Kyung Ran hummed as she pondered this new information. “If he’s not going to tell you of his own accord, you’ll have to ask him to.”

Piper groaned causing Kyung Ran to smile.

“You’ve already confessed to him,” Kyung Ran reminded her. “A little more bravery won’t kill you.”

“Are you sure?” Piper wondered. “I’ve heard you can die of embarrassment.”

Kyung Ran smiled and patted Piper gently on the hand. “Trust me, finding out now instead of later will take a burden you didn’t know existed off of your shoulders.”

///

The next morning, Piper walked with Eun Sang towards the school – Eun Sang yet again in low spirits. Tan was thoroughly confined at home, guards preventing him from even exiting his own bedroom.

“Did you come alone?” Young Do asked as he sauntered up on the opposite side of Eun Sang.

“Have I suddenly become invisible?” Piper wondered aloud.

“What I mean is: Kim Tan is still locked up?” Young Do corrected impassively.

“There are even guards on the stairway going up.” Eun Sang informed him sadly. “Tan must be very scared, right?”

“Hey,” he spoke, stopping them in their tracks. “You’re too open with me about this, Cha Eun Sang. Just because I like you do you think I’m on your side? Do you think I’d be on Kim Tan’s side? You should be more careful around me.”

“Can’t we talk about these things as friends?” Eun Sang wondered.

“Who said I’m your friend? How am I your friend? Don’t draw a line. I’ll have to cross it.” He informed her, walking past them.

Piper sighed, throwing her head back. “I like him, but I’m more than willing to punch him. Just say the word, Eun Sang-ah. Since you’re the victim and all.”

“I’m not the victim right now, I’m the bad guy.” Eun Sang replied, causing Piper to stare at her incredulously. “Kim Tan is in this position because of me. The engagement broke because he likes me and now he’s being punished.”

“No, he’s being punished because Kim Tan’s dad is a malicious, power-hungry psycho. If Tan is truly being punished because the engagement broke, Tan’s dad is probably only worried about the news of his illegitimacy leaking. So, essentially, Tan is being punished for being illegitimate when his father was the one that had the affair in the first place. The father is punishing the son for the father’s mistake. Where is that considered logical? Nowhere. You’re not the bad guy, Cha Eun Sang; Kim Tan’s dad is the bad guy.”

Eun Sang cast Piper a grateful smile, “Thanks.”

“For what? Telling the truth?” Piper wondered. “No thanks needed for that.”

///

As lunch rolled around, Piper and Eun Sang left the lunch line and scoured the cafeteria for a place to seat. Eun Sang’s eyes landed on Young Do, sitting alone at the table reserved for his bullying antics. Throwing an apologetic look at Piper, Eun Sang strode over and pulled out the seat reserved for the victim, sitting down. Piper stifled a groan as she sat down next to her.

“Have a good meal.” Eun Sang told her companions, Young Do looking at her expressionless as Piper refrained from looking at either of them.

“Hey, Cha Eun Sang, she’s sitting at the charity student seat.” The whispers started. “What’s wrong with her?”

“Why’s she sitting there?” Another asked. “And why is her friend doing nothing about it?”

“Hey, you look at that.” Another pointed as Parker strode over, taking the seat opposite his sister. “What’s going on?”

“Find another seat.” Young Do instructed the trio. “The moment Eun Sang sat here will make others think that Kim Tan would suddenly appear. It makes me feel less special at the mere thought of that.”

“Don’t you think that my sister and I sitting here would stop those thoughts?” Parker wondered from his seat next to Young Do, shoveling food into his mouth.

“You already knew he wouldn’t be able to come.” Eun Sang added on, looking calmly at Young Do. “Let’s just eat.”

“Humor me and have at least some fear towards me,” Young Do remarked.

“Just eat your food.” Eun Sang repeated.

“And try not to cause a scene since it’s the last thing we need,” Piper reminded them.

Cellphones rang around them, and students whipped out their phones and marveled at the latest update.

“Oh! Wow.” Were the various remarks. “Incredible! Unbelievable; amazing!”

They looked at the students, wondering what had happened to send the students into such a tizzy.

“Choi Young Do!” One of his lackeys shouted, running up to the table. “The news just came out. It says Kim Tan is an illegitimate child.”

“What does that mean?” One of the students wondered aloud.

“He’s Chairman Lee’s son; how can he be illegitimate?” Another questioned.

The four at the welfare abuse table exchanged worried glances.

“Does it mean he is adopted?” Another asked. “If he is an illegitimate child that means his mother was a third party affair?”

“That’s impossible.” Another denied it. “If that is true Jeguk group would’ve given this news a closure a long time ago.”

“Yoo Rachel. Have you heard? Your – ” The speaker was cut off as Rachel breezed past him, her normal impassive look on her face. “Hey, where are you going?”

“Hey. Have you heard the rumors? The Head Director is not his mother.”

“His real mother is someone else.”

“Hey, Lee Bo Na. Have you seen this?” Choi Young Do’s minion asked as she and Chan Young strode up to the table.

“Try telling me nonsense.” Bo Na spoke lightly. “You believe these rumors? They are only meant to fool people. If this is true, then Jo In Sung and I secretly married a year ago.”

“He didn’t come to school today. Do you know why?” Chan Young asked Eun Sang.

“Whoa, don’t tell me it’s really true?” Bo Na remarked. “Is that why he’s not here? Because he already knew?”

“How many guards are there inside and outside of the house?” Young Do leaned in, speaking quietly.

“Around 6 or so. Why?”

Young Do didn’t answer, instead leaning back in his seat, the wheels visibly turning in his mind.

///

Young Do strode into the lobby of his hotel, still on a bit of a high after he fooled the guards of the Kim household. He saw finely dressed men and women walking into the banquet hall and remembered the diner being held for the astronomers of Korea – some kind of celebration for discovering a new star system or planet, he couldn’t remember.

He saw the McPherson parents standing a ways away from the entrance to the banquet hall, looking as if they were waiting for someone. He strode over, his charming smile gracing his features.

“Hello father, mother,” he greeted them, bowing as he continued smiling. “Why are you not inside the banquet hall?”

Pádraic laughed sheepishly. “My pen broke inside my pocket,” he explained, pulling aside his jacket to show the black stain creeping across his shirt and tie. “And the clasp on my wife’s purse broke and now it won’t stay closed.”

“We’re not the type of people to go out to fancy dinners, as you can tell.” Pearl continued. “We don’t want to enter the banquet hall and embarrass my husband in front of his peers.”

“It’s lucky, then, that you know the heir to the hotel at which the banquet’s being held,” Young Do remarked smoothly, maintaining his charming appearance. “We have a cleaning service that can remove the stain quickly, and I’m sure someone can repair the purse clasp.”

“Oh, there’s no need,” Pádraic waved him off. “My daughter’s on her way with replacements.”

True to his word, Young Do saw Piper rush up, a dress bag in one hand and a clutch purse in the other, her own purse swinging wildly as it hung from the crook of her elbow.

“Here’s the spare shirt, tie, and jacket,” Piper the bag at her father, her breathing heavy from the running. “Go change, quickly. Mom, here’s the purse.”

As her father walked swiftly to the nearest bathroom, Piper opened the clutch purse and her mother began transferring the items from the broken purse. Young Do cleared his throat as he stood next to them, and Piper looked up at him in surprise.

“What are you doing here?” She wondered, eyes wide.

“Ah, how quickly you’ve forgotten; doesn’t make me feel special at all.” Young Do quipped, echoing his words from earlier that day. “Don’t you remember? I’m heir to this hotel.”

“Oh,” Piper remarked lamely, returning her attention to her mother’s purse.

“Mother, if you would allow it, I’d like to go and have a coffee with my classmate.” Young Do smiled widely at her mother, looking the picture of innocence.

“Uh, I have to wait for my dad to come back from changing.” Piper told him. Once she got the dress bag in her hands, she could run off and avoid whatever embarrassing situation that could come about.

“Not a problem,” Young Do remarked, waving over a female staff member. “Wait at that restroom and explain to the gentleman with the dress bag that his daughter is having coffee with me at the hotel’s café. Bring the dress bag there so he can attend the banquet with his wife without any further delay.”

“Yes sir,” she replied, bowing deeply before following her instructions.

Young Do smiled once again as he turned to the women standing beside him. “There, all taken care of.”

Piper scoffed, her incredulity deepened as her mother looking somewhat impressed at Choi Young Do’s antics.

“Piper, don’t be rude,” her mother lectured her gently. “Your friend wants to have coffee with you. Go on; I’ll wait here for your father.”

Piper was about to protest – though she didn’t know what she’d say, since her mother had no idea of the goings on in her personal life at the moment – but she was cut short as Young Do grabbed her wrist and led her away.

“Remember, you owe me after the incident when your ex came to the school,” Young Do informed her as he brought her away from the lobby.

“I don’t need reminding,” Piper remarked. “But there’s no need for manhandling.”

From behind, her mother probably interpreted the wrist grab as Young Do holding Piper’s hand. She would probably barrage her daughter with questions about whether or not Piper and Young Do were dating. Piper stifled a groan. It was not what she needed at all.

“This isn’t manhandling,” Young Do denied. “This is just me bringing a friend to get some coffee.”

“I wasn’t aware we had become friends,” Piper quipped, pulling her arm from Young Do’s grasp as they rounded the corner and left her mother’s sight. “Weren’t you the one who said earlier that you weren’t friends with me, Cha Eun Sang, and Kim Tan? Forgive me if I can’t keep up with your ever-changing opinions.”

Young Do said nothing, bringing her to the café nestled in the far end of the hotel’s ground floor. He sat comfortably in his char opposite her, a wide grin on his face.

“You’ll never believe the day I had, Ireland.” He began, resuming the use of the nickname he’d bestowed on her at the beginning of the semester.

“Probably not, but I assume you’re going to tell me.” Piper quipped, leaning back against the chair.

“I was quite the hero,” he continued, ignoring her sulky attitude. “I risked my life to distract the guards of the Kim household so our Kim Tan could escape and be free.”

Piper paused, not expecting that news at all. She had figured Young Do would do something after he had asked Eun Sang how many guards were at Tan’s house. She didn’t expect he’d get personally involved, however. Especially after he was so adamant that he didn’t care what was going on in Tan’s life.

“You…what?” She stuttered.

“It was quite daring, if I do say so myself,” he grinned, pleased with himself.

“Why…why are you telling me this?” Piper wondered, growing suspicious. “Are you trying to impress me, or are you telling me this in the hopes that I’ll pass it along to Eun Sang?”

“Why can’t it be both?” He asked, sincerity peeking through his words.

Piper sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. “This is wrong, Choi Young Do.” She informed him, opening her eyes to see his bemused expression. “Continuing to chase after Eun Sang and at the same time holding on to me after my confession is wrong. Eun Sang rejected you cleanly because it was the right thing to do. Can you not do that for me?”

Young Do was taken aback, the smile thoroughly gone from his face. He hadn’t expected this in the slightest. As he was working out a way to respond, the female employee walked up, the dress bag in hand.

“Miss, your father’s bag.” The employee informed her, holding out the dress bag.

“Thank you,” Piper rose from her seat, taking the bag from the employee so she could return to her work. As the young woman walked away, Piper looked back to Young Do. “I know you’re not one to mince words or hold punches, but since this has to do with my emotions all I’ll ask is that you choose your words carefully. I’ll see you at school.”

Piper quickly left, not betraying any anxiety as she walked away, keeping her pace even. Young Do stared after her, his mind uncharacteristically blank.

///

Piper ran up to Eun Sang the next morning, leaving Parker behind as they were walking towards the school.

“Eun Sang-ah,” Piper called as she jogged over to her friend. “I got your text last night. What did you have to tell me?”

Eun Sang gave a small smile, “Not here; I’ll tell you later.”

“Your text said you wanted to talk about it in person, so why not here?” Piper asked, studying her friend. “Is it something bad? Did something else happen?”

Eun Sang didn’t answer, her attention focused on the group of reporters gathered in front of the school.

“Did they come for Kim Tan?” They heard a fellow student wonder as he walked by.

“As an illegitimate son and a shareholder, there’s too much to ask about!” The other student answered as they passed.

“I wonder if there will be an article in the newspaper about a Welfare student acting like New Money.” Kang Ye Sol’s former friend sneered as she too passed Eun Sang and Piper.

“Seriously?” Piper hissed. “You have nothing better to do with your time?”

Piper’s urge to grab the girl by the hair and shove her into the nearest pillar was quashed as one of the reporters came up to them.

“Excuse me, Students. Does Student Kim Tan come to school these days?”

Piper remained tight-lipped – opting to scowl at the reporters instead – while Eun Sang fumbled for a response. They were caught off guard as Young Do and Myung Soo appeared on either side of them, Young Do throwing his arm over Eun Sang’s shoulders.

“Don’t ask stuff like that.” Young Do scolded the reporter. “The kid is going to get hurt.”

“So this is the things we’ve heard about, the Yellow Journalism.” Myung Soo wondered aloud, holding up his camera and switching to a high voice. “Look here please!”

As Myung Soo snapped the pictures, Young Do shifted so he was standing behind both girls. “Go, keep going!” He instructed, shoving the girls off.

Piper threw a scowl over her shoulder at the manhandling, but Young Do urged her on with a glare of his own. As the girls stood by and watched, Parker took his sister’s place by his classmates, having assessed the situation from afar.

“Do you know Kim Tan student well?” The reporters asked. “Who are you, Student?”

“I am the third son of Jaeguk Group, why?” Young Do questioned coolly.

“I am the youngest daughter.” Myung Soo flipped his imaginary hair over his shoulder, cooing in a ridiculous impression of a girl.

“And I’m his long lost twin,” Parker finished. “Can’t you see the resemblance?”

“Let’s go, Myung Sook-ah.” Young Do instructed smoothly.

“Yes, Oppa.” Mung Soo cooed yet again, still using his girl voice, as he looped his arm through Young Do and Parker’s as they strode towards the girls.

“By the way,” Parker called over his shoulder as the small group walked away. “Since this is private property you could technically be arrested for being here. Might want to evaluate how important your story is versus jail time.”