"Ohhh  he is so cute with this duck costume!!!" Shin hye exclaimed ecstatic, while Min Jung  was showing yet another scandalously embarrassing photo of his sad childhood.
 

.... Aishhhh ... if hell wants to claim him and open a flamboyant  hole in the floor to him inside ... well ... that would be the right time !!!! ... Min ho thought as he was sinking deeper into the leather chair in his sister’s  living room.
 

He kept rubbing the bridge of his nose, suffering physically at every  hysterical  trill emitted  by the two women. He was even more convinced by now,  that his sister was just like a 'nine-headed hydra: the more he tried to stop her irrepressible habit to make him miserable, the more she seemed amused to find alternative ways to fool him around.
 

He sighed through his teeth, throwing darting glares toward the two of them, who , in response,  seemed to ignore him completely and continued to chuckle at every damn picture.
 

And he knew perfectly how much ridiculous were those photos.

In his Twenty , he had burned with pleasure  an entire album, hoping to get rid of it once and for all, just after his sister had the bright and evil idea to show them to all his former classmates in his high school graduation  party...  In just one day, he had  dropped  from the coolest guy in school , to a some kind of strange alien worthy to be avoided like a plague. His girlfriend from that time, had broke up with him after seeing one photo of him in his five years old, which depicted  him totally , as he was  enjoying peeing  all around the flowers of their garden ...  She was an environment  activist and she had considered that thing fully despicable.
 

He had really thought  to have freed himself from that ... but unfortunately, it seemed like that Hydra dressed as a nun, had all the duplicates of each picture, hidden somewhere beneath her  green scales !!! ...
 

The problem was that he had grown up under the care of three women ...  including a little girl not much older than him with the hobby of photography. And that's why in that album were pictures of him dressed as a duck, strawberry ... and  yeah … even Rapunzel, complete with wig and a makeup  all smeared onto his  face ... but honestly ... who knows at only three years how deep  could be the hatred of your sister for  you? ...
 

Not to mention all the photos depicting the most significant moments of his growth ... at least according to Min Jung ... when he ate ants; when he ran with his bare through the house; the first time he used the toilet ... obviously with his face contorted by spasms and sharp pain due to atrocious colic; his first tooth decay, with bloody mouth and face in tears ... thanks to the fact that his sister  had told him that since he lost blood, he would become a woman and his would fall down ... and oh, about that ... even the pictures of him in the pool while was playing happily with his ‘ baby Min ho ‘....  he grunted like a wounded animal, ready to hide and then die in solitude.
 

His father was rarely home, and this meant that no one would notice what kind of torture those women subjected him ... except once, when he saw him with a blunt lipstick rundown all over his face ... it was then that Min Jung was severely reprimanded, and stopped treating him like a doll.
 

... For at least a week ...  he sighed  afflicted to himself.
 

...  and she was surprised that he had become a heartless bastard ... tsk ...
 

That woman was born to haunt him ... he thought with frustration, as he prayed fervently that the damn hell hole would open just below his seat ... he begged to himself so much, that at one point he thought he seriously smells sulfur in the air. He sniffed  several times, convinced by now to have arrived at an acute stage of exasperation that had guaranteed him mystical visions.
 

There was a way to stop it? ... No,  sadly no … just  because otherwise  she could do something worse … like take all of their old videotape with yet  another sinful  and horrendous memory … and it was something that Min ho wanted to avoid at all costs ... Hold on! ...  He said to give himself courage, almost to the limit from completely losing his temper.
 

The only thing that consoled him was the fact that, having always been a little pest, had took his revenge with sadistic pleasure on her throughout the course of his childhood and adolescence ... like when he had smeared onion on all her clothes, had broke open  her room’s door, only to knock off all her doll’s head... or like when he had cut her hair while she was soundly asleep ... this last thing ...  he thought pleased ... was his masterpiece.
 

Min Jung was having a great time ... and this was obvious. Since they had crossed the threshold of her house - the house in which he had lived up to 22 years and which housed right now also the  ... Usurper Bastard... – She hadn’t stopped to grimly stare at him, bombing him with threats and warning’s admonitions... she still didn’t get  his real intentions with Shin hye and then she didn’t trust him at all, made him know it, not too subtly, at every single opportunity.
 

The dinner  had fortunately passed quickly. Min ho was amused to observe his brother in law, while he was sitting stiff like a stick of wood, as usual.
At other times he had  thought it was just a character’s  deformation , due to a mental and muscle stiffness  from which that idiot was suffering  ... a kind of disease of perfection, very dull and highly disgusting ... but under the new  light of his new discoveries, that attitude had acquired a new meaning:  dirty conscience ... or rather, constant fear of being discovered ... the mere fact of being in his presence, put Byung Hun in alarm, as if he was expecting that Min ho could read his mind and find his sins at any moments.

.... You needed to grow some balls to play the little evil boss, dear idiot... he thought, smiling viciously to himself ... but you were born coward ... a crawling worm that aspires to resemble a lion ...
 

During that dinner, Min ho had done the thing in which he excelled best: play cat and mouse.
 

He had spread an endless series of vitriolic jokes,  hidden under an almost embarrassing innocence. Random words thrown on that table, going straight to sting the dirty of his brother- in law.
In short, it was like stabbing a voodoo doll, making sure to leave intact the vital organs ... those were left for later... he thought, anticipating with mephistophelean joy that time.
 

The only moment of distraction from his devastation plan, was when he stared spellbound to Shin Hye while she  was  playing  with the little Seung Hyun.  Was something that had warmed his chest.  A strange feeling that had mesmerized him through the whole time that the child had spent in the loving arms of his beloved and tender angel. His stoned-heart had pulsated at every smile and every little fun and laughter that the two exchanged,  conveying a feeling of serenity and security
 

... She would be a good mother ... he suddenly thought out of the blue ... caught by a mixture of fear and expectation that left him incredulous and surprised ... for the first time in his life, he felt a primitive urgency grow inside him, something that made him feel light and dreamy.
 

Actually, he did properly with children ... those noisy and pestiferous little creatures, had never attracted his attention ... he had always avoided them, treating them rudely, always guaranteeing him the nickname of ogre-ajusshi from which run away.
 

But while he enjoyed that vision, that rivaled with any maternity by Raffaello, felt an immediate change of opinion ... he would have loved any weird and obnoxious creature that  would have Shin Hye’s  features ... his son ... he thought, amazed to be able to make those thoughts ... he was just dropped into the mediocrity of the common man ... he said to himself, but not at all bothered to belong to that unoriginal and very normal category, for the first time in his entire life.

But that whole slow motion atmosphere  from a fourth order romantic movie, was completely shelved when, after dinner, his sister had led them into living room to enjoy the vision of those damn pictures ...

who knows why his sister reserved the worse things to the living rooms... he thought at that moment, as he tried to distract his mind from the fierce desire to strangle her.
 

But more than the  controversial relationship between Min  Jung and living room, the only thing that had made his ears red with embarrassment,  was the teary laugh from Shin hye ...

… that little brat was really enjoying herself over his own misfortune !!! ...
 

"Eonni !!! What is this? " Shin hye asked, wiping her tears due to her early heartily laughs.
"Ohhh ...  there he was peeing in our garden!"  His sister started to chuckle mischievously.

... Just don’t, please!! NOT AGAIN  THAT DAMN PICTURE!!!...
 

He ran his hands over his eyes in exasperation, feeling totally defeated and ready to beg for a quick and painless death.
" You see ... uri Min ho -sshi  really loved being without clothes ..." she casually suggested, winking slyly to Shin hye.
"Ohhhh ... I see ... Keude ..."
" Yup ... he was a ert since he was a child !!! hahaha "
 

The two women continued to laugh refraining  their belly and Min ho snapped irritably.
"I was only five , Noona! How the hell you call pyonte an innocent child! ... And ... "he tried to think  fast something to shut up his sister. "And then, it’s normal for children to want to be and without constraints ... You are a mother you should know! You should, chincha! "He repeated with disapproval, gesturing to emphasize his words. "Tell her even when I played the vampire hunter and I cropped the heads of your favorite dolls!" he invited her poisonous, hoping to distract her with that topic.
 

Min jung  glimpsed smugly at him "Tsk ..." and turned back her attention to Shin hye "I can assure you that he was a little ert! When he saw our nanny, he ran straight to her for squeeze her big boo... "
"ENOUGH !!!" he stopped her vehemently, as he rose from his chair
"Ok, I've had enough !I'm going to looking for Hyung!" And walked abruptly toward the door.
 

Min Jung watched him leave, widening  her stunned eyes. She was so incredulous, that Shin hye had to shock her shoulder to bring her  back to earth.
"Eonni! What...? "
"You've heard it too ?!" she said, giving her a smile overflowing with hope. "It 's the first time in all these years that he calls him Hyung!"
"Really ?!" Shin hye asked in disbelief.
"He had never ..." she paused, turning to her friend with another smile full of happiness " You just succeed  Shin hye-nie! You managed to do a miracle !! ... I don’t really know what you did, but it's working perfectly!" she sighed excided  " My brother is finally back! " and ended with an expression full of emotion and gratitude.
 

Shin hye looked down, smiling shyly. Inwardly she couldn’t deny that her  words  had made her  particularly proud of herself. ... Yes, Min ho was slowly showing that sweet and human side that she had seen from the beginning ...


************************

 

... Bastard son of a ! ...

He felt  adrenaline rushing throughout his body. He could not wait to bite hungrily his throat and send him  back to his former .
 

His steps became softer and the feral smile on his face more acute. He moved with confidence as he walked to what had been the study of his father ... trying not to think about the fact that the last time he had entered that room, was also the last time he had talk with his father ... and the last time he had seen him still alive.
 

He had always refused to get in on the rare times , during those last three years,  he had visited his sister... his guilt had prevented it ... but now things were different ... he thought, feeling again invaded by a fierce hatred.
... Now he knew that,  until now,  his father’s soul hadn’t  found peace yet ... he still claimed his revenge from the dead’s land ...
 

They had betrayed him ...
 

Defrauded   him...
 

And last, they had denied him the forgiveness  that would allow him to go back from that path of perdition, made him almost lose his entire soul.
 

... If  were not for Shin Hye ... he would have been completely swallowed by that shadows’ world ,full of useless spirit whom inhabited this earth  ....

He knocked on the door of the study firmly, and, without waiting to be invited inside, he opened it without hesitation.
 

He found Byung Hun sitting in what had been his father's desk ... same furniture, same colors ... all the same ... except  that putrid smell which seemed to have impregnated even the walls ... the smell of deception and fear that,  he was sure,  was attached to that bastard’s skin who was now standing a few feet away from him.
 

"Min ho!" he exclaimed surprised "I didn’t expect you to come!"
 

Min ho smiled slowly, rising up only a side of his mouth, while his eyes still kept  a wary and careful  shadow ... it was disturbing.
 

Byung Hun had to notice it, because he swallowed several times, but tried to continue to behave normally.
He got up hastily and pointed to the couch that occupied part of the study " … Please sit down..." he invited him, approaching the chair placed beside the couch.
 

... He was totally caught by surprise... Min ho pleased thought, spreading more and more the feral grin on his face.
" Thank you .... Hyung ... "
 

Byung Hun froze for a moment as he was about to sit down. It was the first time that his wife’s brother showed him some sign of respect and acceptance ... but the ominous tone with which was pronounced that word, didn’t promise nothing good. He sensed that something was not right, just like a mouse was capable to sniff  danger.
 

He nervously adjusted himself in his chair, waiting for the other one to start the conversation ... but Min ho kept to glare at him with a half grin, making him oddly nervous.
 

... He expected him to speak first? ... he wondered, drumming his fingers on the arm of the big chair. ... They had never had much to say toward each other ...
 

"So ... you came to ask me something?" He cautiously started with hesitation. "... Maybe some problems at work?"
 

Min Ho remained silent, enjoying,  for a few more seconds, his discomfort attitude.
 

"... No, there is no problem ... I left the girls to chat a little '" "I just wanted to spend some' time with you ..." he added with naturalness "I hope it didn’t  bother you"  he has always been a consummate actor , and that time was the biggest test of his ability.
 

Byung Hun seemed to relax for a moment, although it was always visible a subtle tension and distrust.
"Oh ... of course not! I was just  checking  some paperwork ... nothing important ... "
Min  Ho turned his gaze around, just to point it up to the desk where, resting on a stack of documents, was Byung Hun’s phone.
 

"...You feel strange with this ... you know ..." he turned  his eyes back in his direction "'change of attitude' towards you, isn’t it?"
"But you know ... the truth is that, since I'm with Shin hye, I see everything in a new perspective" he paused a little, staring at him as if he wanted piercing his soul.
"I see YOU in a new perspective, hyung,"  His voice was low and cavernous, almost contrasting with the words he had just uttered.
 

Byung Hun tensed up to his limit, as if he was waiting, at any minute, for a bomb to fall on the crook of his neck. He tried to release the breath he had been holding in those seconds, praying to regain control of himself.
"In what way?" He asked casually, pretending a confidence that he didn’t possess.
 

Min ho smirked. He casually crossed his legs, extending up to the last the agony of his beloved brother in law.
"Well ... before,  I usually saw you only as a boring and arrogant idiot with a perfection disease... a flat man without interest, only able to work and work and work ... ... a tireless work- machine with obvious constipation problems ... due to your …" he pointed to his face with disgust, moving his finger in circular gestures “… oddly green face”  ... Ok, was a bit 'too much ...  he thought, barely able to keep himself from laughing out loud in  seeing  his expression harden with every word he had said.

Before Byung hun started to replicate, he continued.

 "... But now, thanks to my little angel, I have learned to see beyond all of this ... to read , with a new meaning, every little thing that  before I judged ordinary, boring" "I mean, now I finally see that behind every single minute you passes behind that desk ... is hidden  your worry about your family ... your lovely wife ... your son " he watched as his face went from offense to surprise in few seconds, and was pleased again about his acting and oratorical abilities.
 

... Wait a few minutes, you bastard ... I'm going to cook you like a thanksgiving  turkey ...
 

"A man oriented only to his family ... that's what I see right now!"
 

Byung Hun honestly didn’t  know what to say. The feeling of walking on unstable ground, ready to collapse at any moment, still didn’t  abandon him. Min ho’s attitude was unusual ... he generally merely talk to him, addressing him  only disrespectful  stinging jokes ... even in front of all his employees, humiliating him in more than one occasion. Never in all those years he had considered him as a 'Hyung' ... never showed signs of esteem for him .  Since Min Jung had asked him to accept her brother  in the business’ family, to him, Min ho had always been a pain in his that he had to endure for a diverse order of reasons ...  first of all, the fact that he didn’t want to arouse suspicion, especially in his wife ... and secondly, his damn business skills: the rascal knew how to hung up people by their balls, and ensure for him all he wanted: contracts, financing, licenses ... and that meant piles of money, of which he desperately needed.
 

As for himself, he had always been a man who performed his job efficiently, as a student who performs his duties to perfection, but fails to have any artistic twist ... lacked in brilliance, business acumen ... he was not born to be a leader ... the only talent he had, was to live as a parasite over  others’ brilliance... he could  absorbed it, made it his, and he knew how to take his own advantage ... and he couldn’t live without that.

Before that dandy began to work for him, the company was facing a serious financial collapse that, he had to admit, had originated with some wrong choice he had  made along with Lee Seung Jae, and after, while was handled that empire alone  ... then he assumed that guy  ... and, he just didn’t  know how was possible ... but all the doors were open, yet  again, for the Athena's group.
 

"Well , Min ho ... I don’t  know what to say ..." he started, trying to find the right words to put an end to that  strange conversation.

"Oh, but you have to say anything!" Replied the younger man, shifting  a bit toward him 'to  friendly patted  his shoulder " This is absolutely true ... I started to appreciate the beauty of everyday life , of the habit and ... I understand now, what a true man is: the one who takes his responsibilities and take care of his own family! "he  continued to appealing masterfully his ego, giving him an empathically laugh.
 

…….

"... I don’t think I ever thanked you properly for what you did to my father ..." he said out of the blue, returning deadly serious.
 

......

……
 

The air in the room became tense, heavy ... if a small needle fallen on the floor, they would  be able to hear its noise.
 

Byung Hun seemed to sit on hot coals. His body tensed up again as a violin string, and started  throwing suspicious glances , full of panic.
 

Min ho, in response, broke into a smile of gratitude and open esteem... keep him up on that thin rope, made him felt euphoric ...